Sometimes You Should Be Late Hits the Road

Today, Walnut and I head out on the first leg of the Sometimes You Should Be Late book tour, beginning at The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore! Woo! 🚘🐶📚 (Fun note: had my first TV interview this weekend on CBS Baltimore!)

Over the next month, we’ll be visiting bookstores, living rooms, and a few other quirky places across the country. (1) I’d love to see you there and (2) Please, please share with friends or family. I don’t have much of an audience outside of DC and hearing directly from you is the best chance I’ve got to connect with thoughtful people in those cities!

The tour schedule and RSVP links are at the end – and check out my tour poster! 🤘

I just had an amazing launch week in DC! I celebrated with friends and explored these ideas with federal employee friends, mindfulness groups, and other curious people! It was energizing, tiring, and a…timely…reminder of why I wrote this book.

Yes, algorithms, Amazon rankings, and book sales matter…but not more than the stories: the shame that can accompany procrastination and neurodivergence, racing for “phantom buses” and other public transit woes, the tricky question of when to arrive for a “7pm dinner,” and even the pride of being punctual. It’s been fun to hear about people taking the quiz, too!

The launch affirmed that the real joy of writing is when it’s remixed by others and brought into their real lives and relationships. It’s been soul-filling to feel that, after all the work that went into it, my book seems to be a great starting point for that.

Which brings me to the road(s) ahead. I don’t have a large publisher handling the tour logistics and I can feel all the planning and decisions getting into my nervous system. And I’m already feeling the tradeoffs of this busy season, like being away from my wonderful DC life and friends and putting parts of life on pause (like finding a partner).

So I’ve been trying to remind myself, with help from some friends, of a few things:

• That I chose to do a book tour, and I can and should make it fun. For example, Phoebe’s invitation to call it a vacation.

• Julia and Rachel’s reminder to give myself grace through the many, many imperfect moments, like a bookstore event running late and getting scolded (already happened!).

• That social media posts and Substacks can be slow and that I will miss plenty of opportunities…and that that’s okay.

And then there’s gratitude:

• Nurturing the ember of something I’ve worked hard on.

• My wonderful small team, including the best road-trip dog in the world (see below).

• The independent bookstores willing to take a chance on this first-time author.

• Seeing dear friends and making new ones along the way!

One thing that still makes me a little nervous is those independent bookstores that took a chance on me (cut to ABBA). We all know that small conversations can be just as lovely as larger ones, but both the bookstores and I would love a few more potential readers there.

So if I’m coming to your city: I’d love to see you there and please, please tell your friends (also: send me your favorite coffee shop, vegan snack, park for Walnut to romp in, or random roadside attraction. Maybe we can even grab a coffee!)

And please, please think about people in these cities who might enjoy these slothy-or-rabbity conversations. I’d be so grateful if you’d pass the invitation along.

Thanks for being along on this book-release ride, literally or figuratively.

Tour links:

• Baltimore, MD | The Ivy Bookshop | July 13 | RSVP

• Pittsburgh, PA | Private Home | July 15 | RSVP

• Cincinnati, OH | Joseph-Beth Booksellers | July 18 | RSVP

• Indianapolis, IN | Tomorrow Bookstore | July 19 | RSVP

• Denver, CO | Tattered Cover | July 25 | RSVP

• Boulder, CO | Trident Booksellers & Café | July 28 | RSVP

• Santa Fe, NM | Garcia Street Books | August 1 | RSVP

• Austin, TX | TBD | August 4 | RSVP

• Dallas, TX | Interabang Books | August 7 | RSVP

• Little Rock, AR | WordsWorth Books | August 9 | RSVP

• Brentwood, TN | Barnes & Noble | August 11 | RSVP

• Nashville, TN | TBD | August 12 | RSVP

• Asheville, NC | TBD | August 13 | RSVP

• Durham, NC | Letters Community Bookshop | August 14 | RSVP

• Seattle, WA | Elliott Bay Book Co | August 26 | RSVP

Don’t see your city on here? Send me a note or write a comment — I’m planning future tour segments in the fall!