Hooray — our publisher has finally locked in a few upcoming dates you’ve been asking about and even added some extra stops. We’ll share those at the end of this post. But first, here’s our twice-monthly recap of the most recent tour stops, the last ones of 2012 before everything picks up again in January.
After our whirlwind week away in mid-November, we took Thanksgiving week off and then returned to the road for two events in Washington, DC and one in our hometown of Richmond, VA. The first stop was at the FLOR store in Georgetown. The shop’s tight footprint meant many people braved the chilly weather to wait outside, and we appreciated every single one of you. The FLOR team generously provided popcorn, wine, hot chocolate, and some of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. A special thanks to anyone who came early to hold a spot — our cousin Cat and my sister Carrie snuck in before the official opening and got line-cutting privileges that evening.
If it seemed like I was wandering the line making phone calls, that wasn’t me — it was Patrick, an organizer who helped run the event and was mistaken for me more than once. People kept asking why “John” wasn’t upstairs signing, and at one point Patrick’s own daughter saw a picture of Sherry and me and asked why her dad was standing with “that lady.” It was funny, and a great reminder that tour nights are full of surprises and memorable moments.
We met a lot of fun people that night. I even got to wear the Miss District of Columbia crown — a bucket-list moment for sure. With Georgetown Cupcakes across the street, we were spoiled with sugary treats, including a personalized dozen with our initials. Emily, Melanie, and Danielle brought them, and Emily actually works at the cupcakery, so she had an inside advantage.
We met fans with interesting backgrounds too. Jeannette used to work as a production assistant on a popular TV show, which inspired Sherry to strike her “vampire face.” It was one of those awkwardly hilarious moments where Sherry thought everyone was joining in, but then was left showing her fangs alone. We also saw familiar faces from my past: Jenny, who went to my high school, brought a wooden keepsake of our school, which was a fun, nostalgic touch.
One memorable surprise came courtesy of Bob, who emailed ahead to ask us to congratulate his wife Katie on her recent wedding. He arranged to write “Bob” on the bottom of the ceramic owl she planned to bring. The plan worked perfectly — Katie was stunned in the best way, and Bob earned major husband points. Small details like that make these events extra special.
We’re always happy to see men at events too. Jimmy came on his own and had us sign a toy wrench for his son, and there were even little fans wearing “I Heart YHL” onesies. The variety of people who show up — different ages, backgrounds, and stories — is one of the best parts of touring.
Two days after FLOR, we returned to DC for an event hosted by LivingSocial at their 918 F Street space. They surprised us by decorating the windows based on ornaments we made last year, which was a delightful and thoughtful touch. LivingSocial’s event space is the kind of place where locals enjoy art workshops, cooking classes, and other creative experiences, so it was a great fit.
At LivingSocial we led two crafting classes in addition to signing books. We taught paint swirl ornaments and holiday versions of projects from the book: painted hurricane vases for centerpieces and striped wooden candlesticks for table settings. Each 90-minute session had about 50 smiling attendees, and we were thrilled to see men in the afternoon class as well. We’d never taught a crafting class before and hadn’t rehearsed our script, so we were a little nervous, but the sessions went smoothly. The projects dried well enough to take home after the signing, and most people completed everything within the time frame.
People got creative with metallic paints and tried interesting combinations — one attendee sent a photo of her three finished projects and it looked fantastic. The classes were really about hanging out, meeting people, and having fun with paint, and that relaxed vibe made everything more enjoyable. After the crafting sessions we signed books for a few hundred more people. It was a long day (we left Richmond at 7 a.m. and returned around 9 p.m.), but worth every minute.
Back in Richmond, our final stop of the year was at Mongrel, one of our favorite local shops filled with cards, books, gifts, and quirky finds. Mongrel doesn’t often host book signings, so we were honored they wanted to hold an event with us. They were wonderfully prepared — even having a “bouncer” on hand just in case — and the crowd was warm and enthusiastic. Fans brought cookies, creative gifts, and thoughtful gestures, like a professional hairstylist gifting Sherry a kit to upgrade our DIY haircuts at home. Random, generous kindnesses like that make tour nights feel like community gatherings rather than just promotional events.
At Mongrel we signed shirts, sheets, and even a few unusual items. Sherry sketched our book cover on a sheet for a weekly photo project, which became a backdrop for a 41-week baby photo, and I signed an old middle school yearbook borrowed from a childhood friend — a slightly embarrassing but fun throwback moment. We took silly photos with fans, posed like amusement-park riders, and indulged in a lot of shared nostalgia.
That wraps up our 2012 tour stops. We logged countless hours signing books — 41 hours and counting, not including crafting sessions, presentations, setup time, or travel. It’s been exhausting at times, but meeting so many of you in person has been completely worth it. We’re grateful and humbled by your support.
Now for the tour update: we’ll be back on the road in January with dates stretching into February. We’re adding the Bay Area to the end of our Tacoma and Portland trip, and we’ll be stopping in Atlanta while driving down to Charlotte. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts forced us to cancel the planned Grand Cayman stop. For full details on locations, times, and how to RSVP, check our Book Tour page. If you already RSVP’ed for the earlier NYC date, your name is included for the new January date, so there’s no need to RSVP again. We hope to see many of you at the next nine stops starting in a few weeks — thanks for following along and happy weekend to all.