Photo by Emily Knecht
Josie Adams is a writer, executive producer, and founder of House of Water, an independent, women-led production company focused on unexpected stories that promote unique change.
She recently appeared in two episodes of the CNN Originals series Breaking Bread (“Marseille” and “Wisconsin”) with her father, actor Tony Shalhoub (Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Together, they co-wrote We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food & Family, a culinary memoir coming October 27, 2026 from Simon & Schuster, as well as the illustrated children’s book Ollie’s Marvelous Mind, about a young otter with big feelings and an even bigger imagination, illustrated by Alea Marley and forthcoming from Philomel in 2028.
Her writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from LitHub, McSweeney’s, Bon Appétit, and Audible. In spring 2026, she co-wrote a middle-grade fantasy novel with Kati O’Hearn, her producing partner, which is currently on submission.
She has attended the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Yale Writers’ Conference, and holds a BFA in Theatre from CalArts along with multiple culinary degrees. For the past decade, she worked as a copywriter across tech, e-commerce, and publishing before founding House of Water.
She was adopted at birth from Omaha, Nebraska and raised in Los Angeles. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children.
Books
We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food & Family by Tony Shalhoub with Josie Adams (Gallery, 10.27.26)
Nonfiction
McSweeney’s “Home”
Audible Sleep Stories
“The Tea Shoppe” (narrated by Nicola Barber)
“The Swan Prince’s Lantern” (narrated by Alan Cumming)
“The Florist” (narrated by Stephanie Hsu)
“The Gardener” (narrated by Minnie Driver)
“The Village Bookshop” (narrated by Simu Liu)
“The Watchful Streetlamp” (narrated by Jurnee Smollett)
“The Mountain Lodge” (narrated by Cobie Smulders)
“The Lighthouse Keeper’s Retreat” (narrated by Chrissy Metz)
Writing
For readers of Stanley Tucci and Ruth Reichl and fans of award-winning actor-turned-author Tony Shalhoub (Big Night, Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), comes a delightful narrative of nostalgic remembrances and recollections about gathering at the family table.
We Thought They’d Never Leave marks the literary debut of Tony Shalhoub, the beloved actor who, for the first time, has gathered delightful stories, memories, and recipes to create this timely, feel-good collection.
Written with his daughter, Josie Adams, the book is a humorous and heartfelt portrait of place, family, and food. At its center is the annual Shalhoub summer reunion in Door County, Wisconsin—a tradition that pulls ten siblings, their children, and their children’s children back to the same stretch of land, carrying decades of shared history with them.
“A treasure for foodies, theatergoers, film buffs, Wisconsinites, and everyone else.”
Through rich vignettes drawn from his parents, his siblings, and the many summers spent crowded around long tables, Tony reflects on the meals, mishaps, and small moments that link one generation to the next—from his childhood in a lively Lebanese-American household in Green Bay to the beautiful, chaotic gatherings that continue today. Along the way, he includes several family recipes that have stood the test of time.
Part memoir and part family-history—full of games, gatherings, and Shalhoub lore, plus twenty recipes—We Thought They’d Never Leave is a love letter to food, family, tradition, and the kind of loud, affectionate, ever-growing family reunion that somehow always makes room for one more at the table.
Early praise for We Thought They’d Never Leave
Book Tour Dates
Join Tony Shalhoub & Josie Adams on the We Thought They’d Never Leave book tour!
Tickets available below.
Contact
Books: Kari Stuart @ CAA
Podcast: Caroline Edwards @ CAA
Film/TV: Matt Horwitz @ Echo Lake Entertainment
PR: Gayle Khait @ Khait PR