Out now — The Dad Diaries by Joseph Tito
Now
The Dad Diaries
Because Real Risks Are Worth Taking
Ranked #6 in LGBTQ2S+ Biographies & Memoirs on Amazon CanadaLaunch day ·
His partner left. The first transfer failed. He was 38, newly single, and completely committed to becoming a father anyway.
Five embryo transfers. A surrogate in Kenya. Two daughters he had to fight — alone — to bring home.
Personally signed by Joseph, with an optional personal inscription. Shipping included.
Prefer a retailer? Order at Amazon US · Amazon CA · Barnes & Noble · Bookshop.org · Indigo
Prefer a retailer? Choose above. Published by Cormorant Books.
“I couldn’t put my phone down because I was reading your memoir.”
The official memoir trailer
What happens when the government decides you're not a real parent?
The Dad Diaries by Joseph Tito. Out now from Cormorant Books.
“Some dreams are worth whatever it takes to make them real.
Even if ‘whatever it takes’ means doing it completely,
utterly, stubbornly alone.”
Joseph Tito
The Dad Diaries: Because Real Risks Are Worth Taking
He lost his partner.
He kept going anyway.
Especially because of it.
The first transfer failed. His partner left. He was 38, newly single, and staring at a city covered in snow thinking: this should feel like rock bottom.
It felt like the beginning.
Five embryo transfers. Three years. A surrogate in Mombasa, Kenya — 27 hours from home, completely out of his control. Two daughters he had to fight through paperwork, DNA tests, and embassy visits to bring back to Canada.
Not because it was brave. Because stopping wasn’t something he could imagine.
You’ll know within the first page.
Not the advice column. Not the inspirational post. The raw, lived account of what it actually takes — and what it costs.
Parents who feel overwhelmed
You love your kids and still feel like you're barely holding it together. You'll know within the first page. This is the honest version — not the highlight reel.
People exploring non-traditional families
Considering surrogacy, adoption, or any path that doesn't follow the script? This is the account you couldn't find anywhere else — costs, grief, legal battles, and what kept him going.
Anyone who's done something alone they weren't supposed to
Gay, straight, single, partnered — if you've ever looked at your life and thought 'this wasn't the plan' and kept going anyway, this story is yours.
Parents who fought to get here
If becoming a parent cost you something — emotionally, financially, physically — you'll recognize yourself on every page. The self-doubt. The stubborn refusal to stop. The moment it finally worked.
This isn’t a success story.
It’s a survival story.
Joseph didn’t write this book because everything went smoothly. He wrote it because it didn’t — and because he couldn’t find a single honest account of what this journey actually felt like from the inside.
So he wrote the one he needed.
Not one. Not two. Five. Each one its own grief. After the fourth failed, he called his clinic and said: one more time.
The first transfer failed and his relationship ended the same week. He wrote: 'I can't NOT pursue this, even if it means doing it completely, utterly, stubbornly alone.' Then he did.
His surrogate was in Mombasa, Kenya. He was in Toronto. No control. Just waiting, hoping, and trusting a process happening on the other side of the world.
Fourteen days of pure, undiluted uncertainty. Suspended between possibility and devastation. He called it 'its own special circle of hell.' He survived it five times.
As Featured In
This story was originally featured in Newsweek, highlighting Joseph Tito’s journey to fatherhood.
Four chapters. Every fear, every failure, every moment that made it worth it.
Every fear, every failure, every moment that made it worth it.
The Decision
A single gay man decides to become a father — against every odd, every doubt, and every well-meaning person who said 'are you sure?'
The Surrogacy Journey
Egg donors, embryo transfers, legal battles. Four failures. Two years. One dream that refused to die.
The Arrival
Two tiny humans arrive. The NICU days, the first night alone, and the terrifying realization that this is real.
The Aftermath
What happens after the fairy tale. The loneliness, the identity crisis, the burnout — and the love that makes it all worth it.
What advance readers are saying
“It made me laugh, it made me cry, and most of all, it made me appreciate your story and everything you’ve been through so much more.”
“I couldn’t put my phone down because I was reading your memoir.”
Get the version that actually means something
Retail edition, signed copy, or the two-book bundle. Every option gets you the story.
The Book
Retail editions
Order from your preferred retailer. Price and delivery times vary by retailer.
- Paperback, 240 pages
- Published September 26, 2026
- US, Canada & worldwide
Signed by Joseph
CAD $39.99
Personally signed copy of The Dad Diaries with optional personalized inscription.
- Hand-signed by Joseph Tito
- Optional personalized inscription
- Ships directly from the author
- Includes shipping
A personal copy, signed for you.
The Two-Book Bundle
CAD $64.99
Signed memoir plus Random Thoughts, both hand-signed with optional personalized inscription.
- Signed copy of The Dad Diaries
- Signed copy of Random Thoughts
- Optional personalized inscription
- Shipping included
- Ships directly from the author
Secure checkout powered by Stripe · Credit card, Apple Pay & Google Pay accepted
For questions about your order, email info@jeopublishing.com. Signed and personalised copies are non-refundable — see the refund policy.
The Dad Diaries: questions readers ask
- Author
- Joseph Tito
- Publisher
- Cormorant Books
- Published
- September 26, 2026
- Paperback
- 240 pages · ISBN 9781770868298
What is The Dad Diaries by Joseph Tito about?
The Dad Diaries: Because Real Risks Are Worth Taking is Joseph Tito's memoir of becoming a gay father through surrogacy. It follows five embryo transfers, the birth of his twin daughters in Kenya, the fight to bring them home to Canada, and the reality of fatherhood after the headlines.
Is The Dad Diaries available now?
Yes. The memoir was published by Cormorant Books on September 26, 2026. You can order a signed copy directly from Joseph or choose a retailer listed on this page. Stock and delivery times vary by retailer.
Where can I buy The Dad Diaries?
See all ordering options, including Amazon Canada, Amazon U.S., Indigo, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and personally signed copies. Your local bookstore can also look it up using ISBN 9781770868298.
Is this the same book as Random Thoughts?
No. Random Thoughts: The Sh*t We Don't Talk About is Joseph's collection of personal essays. The Dad Diaries: Because Real Risks Are Worth Taking is his full-length memoir. Explore Joseph Tito's books.
The full story is out now. Get a copy signed by Joseph.
He couldn’t NOT pursue it.
That’s the whole story.
Order The Dad Diaries memoir and read the full story. Choose a retailer, a personally signed copy, or the two-book bundle.
Published by Cormorant Books. Also available at your local bookstore.