The Fun Times Brigade by Lindsay Zier-Vogel

From acclaimed author Lindsay Zier-Vogel comes an insightful and heart-rending exploration of motherhood, grief, and the search for identity.

Amy is a new mother, navigating the fog of those bewildering early days and struggling with a role she feels ill-prepared for. It’s the first time in a decade that she hasn’t been living the busy life of an acclaimed children’s musician, and her sense of self is unravelling. To make matters worse, her bandmates have seemingly abandoned her.

In flashbacks, we see Amy’s journey to success—her stumblings as a solo singer-songwriter and her eventual rise to fame as a member of the Fun Times Brigade. But as the novel progresses—and Amy grapples with a devastating loss—we come to understand how precarious definitions of artistic success can be.

The Fun Times Brigade examines the enduring challenges of reconciling being an artist with being a mother. It is also a timely reflection on forgiveness and what it really means to have a good life in a world that demands we have—and be—it all, and asserts that amidst the chaos, we can find our way back to our genuine selves.

Praise for The Fun Times Brigade

“With pitch-perfect descriptions of the love and panic of new motherhood alongside fresh and authentic stories of music and musicians, Zier-Vogel balances hope and sadness in a truly unique and beautiful story. I could not put this one down.” —Jennifer Whiteford, author of Make Me a Mixtape

“Lindsay Zier-Vogel’s The Fun Times Brigade is a breathtaking and brilliant novel that so accurately captures the indie music scene, new motherhood, and the deeply complicated path of becoming a mother. Zier-Vogel gives words to many thoughts I was never able to express as a new mom, and her story will stay with you for a very long time.” —Dani Kind, actor, Workin’ Moms

“The Fun Times Brigade is a precise evocation of the love, isolation, and identity crisis of early motherhood, beautifully colliding in this novel with ambition, creative drive, and the bumpy road to finding ourselves. Tender, honest, and human in the best ways.” —Heidi Reimer, author of The Mother Act

“Lindsay Zier-Vogel writes with lightness about love and loss and loyalty. The Fun Times Brigade truly sings.” —Carrie Snyder, author of Francie’s Got a Gun

Press Coverage

25 books to read in 2025 —Jean Marc Ah-Sen, Toronto Star

Most Anticipated: Our 2025 Spring Fiction Preview —49th Shelf

“The Fun Times Brigade is a true page-turner, one of those books you’ll think about long after you’ve finished reading.” —Jerry Levy, Ottawa Review of Books

70 Canadian fiction books to read in spring 2025 —CBC Books

“In the moving novel The Fun Times Brigade, a woman navigates new motherhood, hoping not to lose herself as an artist in the process.” —Foreword Reviews

Lindsay Zier-Vogel: Crafting stories through community and creativity —On Creative Writing

MER Bookshelf – March 2025 —Motherhood, Literature, and Art