Who is Craig Thomas? Iconic sitcom How I Met Your Mother co-creator announces his literary debut with first novel

Craig Thomas, co-creator of the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother, announced his literary debut with his first novel, That's Not How It Happened. The book will be released on November 4, 2025.

Taking to his Instagram on March 28, 2025, Craig Thomas announced his literary debut and revealed the cover of his upcoming debut novel. He also shared links for his readers to pre-order the book through publishers HarperCollins, HTP Books, and Hanover Square Press. In the caption, he wrote:

"Dear world. I’ve written a novel. It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever written, besides HIMYM. It’s a different kind of love story, but just as personal to me. I really hope you’ll preorder via the link in my bio!"

Craig Thomas is a writer and executive producer best known for co-creating the popular CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) with Carter Bays. Apart from the popular sitcom, Thomas has also written for multiple other television projects, such as American Dad! and The Late Show with David Letterman. Some of the films he wrote for include The Lego Movie 2 and The Mitchells vs. The Machines.

Thomas is also a musician who has written music for Sesame Street and is a founding member, lyricist, and drummer for the band The Solids, who created the music for How I Met Your Mother.

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Craig Thomas joins hands with How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor to launch a rewatch podcast for the iconic sitcom

The Paley Center For Media's PaleyFest 2014 Honoring "How I Met Your Mother" Series Farewell - Source: Getty

On March 10, Craig Thomas partnered with his former How I Met Your Mother lead actor Josh Radnor to launch a rewatch podcast dedicated to the sitcom, titled How We Made Your Mother (HWMYM).

Produced by Alex Levy, the podcast will see the duo break down every original episode of the sitcom in each episode. The podcast is also expected to feature multiple special guests, including stars of the original CBS sitcom.

For the uninformed, How I Met Your Mother ran for nine seasons with 208 episodes between 2005 and 2014 and focused on the love story of the protagonist, Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), and his search for true love. He was accompanied by loyal friends, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), and his on-and-off love interest, Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders).

Here's the rewatch podcast's official synopsis:

"The duo will explore, episode by episode, the mystery at the heart of what has made this show so durable and beloved. It’s time — much like the older wiser narrator Ted does in the show — to look back on this adventure that occupied a pivotal decade of their lives: how the show changed them, how it changed its fans, and how it changed the culture."

Craig Thomas told PEOPLE that the idea to create a rewatch or flashback podcast for the fans of How I Met Your Mother came from Radnor's wife, Jordana Jacobs, a clinical psychologist. Thomas and Radnor believe the podcast will be a "fun listen" and help connect with fans who have made it an integral part of popular culture after so many years.

As of writing, How We Made Your Mother has released five episodes, with the last two focusing on the pilot or first episode of the sitcom. New episodes release every Monday and bonus episodes air on Thursdays.

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What is Craig Thomas's debut novel, That's Not How It Happened, about?

While focusing on the How I Met Your Mother rewatch podcast, Craig Thomas is all set to step into the literary scene with his debut novel. Fans of his beloved sitcom will be delighted to know the book will also come with an audio narration by Josh Radnor and Cobie Smulders, who played the main couple, Ted and Robin, in HIMYM.

According to the synopsis, Craig Thomas's debut novel revolves around Rob and Paige, a couple with a child with Down syndrome.

"Paige didn’t set out to be a stay-at-home mom, but when her husband’s screenwriting career took off right before they had a son with Down syndrome, the decision was made for her. Now, with their children nearly grown and unsure what's next, Paige writes a memoir about the challenges of raising a child with a disability."

It added:

"When a major actress-turned-producer shows up at her door eager to make her “inspiring” story into a movie, she’s shocked, excited, and a little terrified," the synopsis reads.

The synopsis then hints at the story moving towards how this opportunity impacts Paige's family, as it could give a boost to her husband Rob's dying career. It also involves the perspectives of their child with special needs, Emmett, and their "normal" daughter, Darcy.

The book will release on November 4, 2025, and is available for pre-ordering on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other platforms.