anes ▁( born ▁in ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁writer ▁and ▁att orney . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Gal anes ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁read ership ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Br attle bor o ▁Reform er , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁read ▁to ▁his ▁family ▁the ▁" D ear ▁Abb y " ▁family - ad vice ▁column ▁six ▁days ▁a ▁week ▁in ▁his ▁self - app oint ed ▁roles ▁as ▁the ▁" family ▁fix er ". ▁ ▁Gal anes ▁received ▁his ▁B . A . ▁and ▁J . D . ▁degrees ▁from ▁Y ale ▁College ▁and ▁Y ale ▁Law ▁School , ▁and ▁then ▁ ▁worked ▁at ▁Paul ▁We iss ▁R if kind ▁Wh art on ▁and ▁G arrison ▁and ▁Deb e vo ise ▁and ▁Pl im pton . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁employed ▁by ▁Golden ▁Books ▁Family ▁Entertainment , ▁the ▁children ' s ▁book ▁publishing ▁and ▁media ▁company . ▁ ▁Gal anes ' ▁father ▁died ▁of ▁a ▁self - inf lic ted ▁gun shot ▁when ▁Gal anes ▁was ▁ 2 3 , ▁a ▁fact ▁that ▁Gal anes ▁kept ▁secret ▁for ▁a ▁de cade ▁while ▁subst itut ing ▁fict ional ▁causes ▁of ▁his ▁father ' s ▁death . ▁ ▁Gal anes ▁has ▁published ▁two ▁nov els : ▁Father ' s ▁Day , ▁published ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁( Al fred ▁A . ▁Kn opf ), ▁and ▁Emma ' s ▁Table , ▁published ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁( Har per Coll