Welcome!

I am a writer interested in pretty surfaces and what’s beneath them. Currently, my work is focused on style and nostalgia, especially in the Y2K era (aka the late 90’s and early 2000’s).

My debut collection of essays (on this topic!) will be published in January 2025 by Dey Street, an imprint of HarperCollins. It’s called Y2K: How the 2000’s became everything (essays on a future that never was). It’s not available for preorder yet, but stay tuned!

I write narrative nonfiction, personal essays, and cultural criticism. I’ve also published straight reporting, interviews, and op-eds. In the past, I have written about residential segregation, preppy culture, Edith Wharton, Confederate reenactors, and interior decorating, as well as the culture and politics of mental health. My work has been published by Interview Magazine, The New Republic, The Baffler, The Nation, and Gawker.

I’m always accepting pitches for relevant projects colette.shade@gmail.com. I mostly write about the Y2K era these days, but I’m willing to discuss any topic if you feel it’s a good fit. I’m especially interested in the multimedia space (podcasts, TV, and the like).

For all other professional inquiries, please contact my agent Erik Hane at Headwater Literary Management.