Dinks & Deadlines

Dinks & Deadlines is a warm, witty adult romance set in San Diego, following two fifty-something professionals navigating career upheaval and unexpected connection through the world of pickleball. Maggie Flynn is a seasoned magazine editor struggling with burnout as her publication pivots to a digital-only format, leaving her feeling professionally unmoored. Alex Bennett is a recently laid-off tech executive trying to figure out his next chapter after decades of corporate life. The two are thrown together as unlikely co-organizers of a charity pickleball fundraiser at the Mission Bay Recreation Center. What begins as an awkward, reluctant partnership — punctuated by missed shots on the court and clashing styles in the conference room — gradually deepens into something more meaningful. Together they navigate demanding sponsors, logistical disasters, and a sharp-tongued corporate rival named Jessica Rey, all while slowly letting their professional armor down. Through pickleball lessons, late-night planning sessions, and candid conversations over coffee, Maggie and Alex discover shared vulnerabilities — fear of reinvention, the sting of loss, and the courage it takes to start again. The novel builds to a successful fundraiser and a celebratory evening where the two finally acknowledge the connection that has quietly grown between them. At its heart, Dinks & Deadlines is a story about second acts — in careers, in confidence, and in love — told with humor, heart, and a healthy appreciation for the surprisingly profound life lessons of pickleball.