Quick note: Tomorrow (Saturday, November 10) we’ll be in Chicago at the West Elm on 1000 W North Avenue for cookies, cocoa, and a book signing at 1pm (arriving early might help you beat the line). We’d love to see you there!
Welcome to our biweekly book tour recap. If you missed our first update, we began this series as a way to share the behind-the-scenes moments, the surprises, and the people we meet along the way. This installment covers our recent stops in Connecticut, New Jersey, Boston, and the quick return to Richmond.
The weather in the Northeast has been unpredictable — from Hurricane Sandy to a sudden Nor’easter — and many of our planned events fell right in the storm-affected regions. Our priority was always the safety and comfort of our friends, family, and readers, so when the SoHo West Elm had to postpone because of a power outage, we understood completely. Thankfully, several of our other hosts in Connecticut and New Jersey were able to stay open after power was restored, and they welcomed us as a bright distraction for folks still recovering from the storm.
On Thursday we set out for Wilton, Connecticut, with a car full of supplies and hope. Sherry had just recovered from a kidney infection after prompt treatment, so she was good to go. Clara joined us for the trip to spend time with Sherry’s mom while we handled the signings. Burger stayed with my parents, which worked out well for everyone.
After a long nine-hour drive we arrived late at our Connecticut hotel. Despite the late hour and a missed bedtime, Clara seemed unbothered by the long day. The next morning we were at the beautiful Wilton Library for our first event of the trip. The turnout was warm and enthusiastic; it’s always such a lift to see smiling faces after a travel day, especially when so many people are dealing with the lingering effects of severe weather.
We met readers who brought thoughtful gifts and creative items to sign. Sherry even signed a ceramic animal, which she always enjoys. We also had fun posing with local bloggers and friends who stopped by, and a few people recreated our book-cover pose for photos. One sweet moment was meeting a reader who made a tiny charm featuring a thumbnail of our book cover — small gestures like that mean a lot.
After the Wilton event we headed back across the Hudson to New Jersey. Lunch on the way was a treat thanks to readers who invited us to their sandwich shop. Clara proved she’s a very typical two-year-old during the meal, which made us smile and gave us material to tease her about later.
When we reached our hotel in New Jersey, we discovered the front doors locked and the event space closed due to storm-related disruptions. While disappointing, it put things in perspective: many people in the area were still without power or heat and dealing with flooding. We were grateful to find a nearby room to crash at through a family friend and then made our way to Bookends in Ridgewood for the signing there. Despite fuel shortages and other obstacles, the readers who could come out were generous and friendly. Sherry’s hometown crowd showed up with warmth, including family members and old friends.
We spent the night with Nonna’s friends and enjoyed an early family-style Thanksgiving breakfast the next morning before setting off on the long drive back to Richmond. It felt good to slow down for a day, celebrate with family, and let Clara get some time with Uncle Monkey.
Four days later we were up at 4:45 a.m. to catch a morning flight to Boston for our West Elm event. Early flights are never glamorous, but arriving in Boston before 8:30 a.m. gave us a little unexpected time to enjoy the city before a Nor’easter rolled in. We squeezed in lunch with family and a visit to the Mapparium, a unique stained-glass globe installation that was worth the detour for any map lover.
As the storm grew closer, we worried the West Elm signing would be poorly attended, but New England readers braved the snow and showed up in force. West Elm hosted the event generously — no one had to wait in the cold, and they provided hot cocoa and sizable cookies from a local bakery. The warmth inside made it easy to forget the weather outside. People brought ceramic items and store accessories for Sherry to sign, including snow globes and many colorful ceramic owls.
We enjoyed catching up with cousins, old friends, and new readers in Boston. The crowd’s energy — whether from the cookies, the cocoa, or the opportunity to be out in spite of the storm — made the signing a highlight of the trip.
We wrapped up our Boston stop and returned to Richmond, where we had another local event later in the week. We’re publishing this from the airport as we head to Chicago, so comments might appear a bit slowly while we travel. Thank you to everyone in Connecticut, New Jersey, Boston, and Richmond who came out to say hello, brave the weather, or simply sent well wishes. Your support makes all the long drives and early mornings worth it.