Oh, I have been dreaming of a book tour for a long, long time!
I knew I would be an author one day. (At least once. Yes, there may be more books in my future!)
And the book tour portion of this dream felt oh-so dreamy!
Travelling to new cities. Red wine and chocolate in every city! Seeing old friends, students, and newcomers to my work, in person. HUGS! Giving readings at fabulous bookstores. Connecting, sharing, inspiring, loving.
Don’t get me wrong: I love teaching my methodology online, for so many reasons. But nothing replaces connecting with folks live, in-the-flesh.
So I went full steam ahead when planning the first leg of my book tour, on the West Coast. My publisher, publicist, and I added more cities, more bookstores, and more book parties until, before we knew it, we had a 4 week adventure. There are simply so many places to go and so many people to see!! Ending with an additional week at the family cottage on Lake Michigan, this added up to 5 whole weeks on the road … and I didn’t realize how much of a challenge I’d signed up for.
It’s been a wild and wonderful adventure … and I’m so happy to share it with you!
The book tour begins! Kick-off at the Boulder Bookstore. My first book reading!
My sweet boy introduced me. It was adorable — and he did a great job!
It was so good to kick-off my Art of Money book tour in my home town. There were close to 70 people in the room. (the back of the room + sides of the room were filled). We sold a lot of books (yay for supporting our local, indie bookstore). And, the bookstore invited me back, so that’s a great sign!!! My boy, Noah, introduced me. My husband Forest Linden, my mom Susan Tessler, and my co-writer Angela Raines were in the room. Plus I got to see some dear girlfriends + folks that were brand new to me.
There was an actual line for the book signing!!! And, my boy, Noah, signed his name on all of the books as well.
It was a really special evening. And, so good to have my inaugural book reading. I read from the book, told stories, and made a funny word slip up, which I can be infamous for.
Thank you everyone for celebrating with me. I am so grateful for you. And, I love you.
Last hike on my beloved trail before I headed out for my 5 week book tour. I’m trying to wrap my mind around travelling for that long — I’ve never done that before. Soaking up my beautiful home terrain before heading out to San Francisco.
San Francisco! I stayed in my dear friend Rebecca’s home. It was beautiful, comfy, and I had the spaciousness to keep up with some of my daily rituals and routines, like exercising and eating well. I had 4 book readings at bookstores and in cozy house parties. I missed my son and husband like crazy, though!
It was a wonderful evening at Book Passage in the San Francisco Ferry Building. By the time the Art of Money book reading started, we had a full house of folks! There were many people from the Bay Area that I’d known for years (since way back when my work was called Conscious Bookkeeping). I also met folks brand-new to my work.
Part of my publishing team was there, too. They are local to San Francisco so it was a celebration of a local publisher and a wonderful local indie bookstore in the Ferry Building.
I love this photo because of the rows of bookshelves behind me. I simply love being surrounded by this many books, it just makes me happy. Thank you San Francisco friends. It was a wonderful evening to see you all, share stories and read from The Art of Money. Dreams being lived right now.
After an hour of reading and storytelling from the Art of Money book, it’s book signing time. I love this part of the evening. At the Book Passage in the Ferry Building. Thank you for a wonderful evening San Francisco.
In between my book tour events, I’m making sure there is deep rest and play. I got to hike in the California woods with this beautiful little boy. I loved getting to wear him and enjoy nature with him. He slept for a while, then woke up during the hike, and was such a calm and happy guy the whole time. The call and response humming and sounding is one of my favorite things with babies. I have such fond memories of this time with my own boy. Thank you Rebecca for letting me hike with him today. It was really beautiful to be with him in this way and such a gift.
At a great cafe in Alameda, Cali. Getting reading for a house party- book reading tonight. Still missing my guys like crazy but starting to feel my traveling groove. And even though I couldn’t rent a car because my license was expired (big oops when I realized that after I arrived to San Francisco–grateful I have my passport to keep flying for my book tour!), and friends are driving me around, so it’s all working out well and I’m getting to be in community more.
Book reading last night at 27 Powers in Alameda, California. Thanks to Laurie Wagner for hosting me. It was a wonderful evening with a wonderful community. Art of Money storytelling, wine, deep connection, a girl couldn’t ask for more.
Dreams being lived right now.
Morning walk around the Bay with Laurie Wagner, who hosted my book reading at her home and space 27 Powers last night. So grateful.
My body time/exercise today was a long walk around the Bay. On my book tour I have a rest day in between my book events, which is really important to me. As half introvert and half extrovert, I need this rest and movement time.
Such a spread last night, with a dear group of women, and this beautiful family hosting me on my book tour. It doesn’t get better. So grateful for the lovely Rebecca McLoughlin!
From the beautiful, intimate house party at Rebecca McLoughlin’s house. So wonderful to share stories, teachings, and readings from my book in this way.
Hiking in the California woods today. I remember these smells well from when I lived here.
3 more days until I see my boys again. It’s hard to be away from them while I venture off on my book tour. My heart hurts. And it’s so good to be getting photos of adventures that they are taking while I’m traveling and having my book tour adventures. We’ll be meeting up in Seattle in a few days for the next leg of the book tour.
My dear friend Gina Valez picked me up and is driving me to Berkeley for my book reading tonight. So grateful to be taken care of and in community in this way.
Thank you to Pegasus Books in Berkeley for a wonderful evening. Thank you dear community for coming out to see me and to celebrate the Art of Money book. I got to see a lot of old friends and students who used to know my work as Conscious Bookkeeping back in the day before I changed the name of my methodology to The Art of Money. I got to meet students who have taken my year-long-online Art of Money program. And I met brand new folks. There was also a long book signing line (some folks getting 2 or 3 books for their friends, children, sister, etc), which always makes me so happy!
Flying into Seattle for the next leg of my book tour!
After a week away from my boys, the first hug brought a lot of tears. We’re all safely in Seattle now and ready for the next leg of my book tour and travel adventures!
Gluten free pastries in Seattle, Pike Peak Market. Yummy.
What a wild book reading evening!! First I went to the wrong Third Place Bookstore in Seattle (there are 3 locations), so the staff had to come pick me up and drive me to the correct location. There was a really nice crowd waiting for me. We start 10 minutes late, no biggie. Then 15 minutes into the reading, the lights go out, then on, fire alarms go off and we all needed to be evacuated from the bookstore. A transformer blew up. We wait 10 minutes, then head back in. Folks are really determined to be at my book reading now. I start again. 15 minutes later, lights go off and on again. I keep proceeding each time. Body Check-Ins at each juncture. I’d say it was a successful evening, even with all of the huge bumps in the road. Here I am with Eden (who I went to high school with) and Shanti (who I’ve known since Naropa days 25 years ago).
Here’s a view from my Art of Money book reading in Seattle. Hosted in my dear friends’ garden! We were just getting started here and it turned out to be an incredible evening with and incredible community. The whole evening felt quite dreamy.
I adore this couple. Maketa and Reya hosted my Art of Money book reading tonight, in their garden, with a beautiful Seattle community. Such a special evening, in such a beautiful space, with such good people. I loved being able to give my book reading here. The whole evening really filled me up so much, which I am very grateful for. I’m still buzzing..
Family on a book tour. I missed them so much the first week of my book tour, while I was in San Francisco without them.
This second week of my book tour with them joining has been so good and so challenging. My little guy had food poisoning the first night in Seattle, he’s fine now. But my big guy may have mono. He’s been a big trooper and still driving us around and finding nature spots like this, and so much more, but he really should really be resting. So being present with this moment for all that it is. Deep breath, it’s beautiful here and we are together.
This is happening right now. We’re on the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The wind was strong and chilly (that’s why Noah’s arms were inside his shirt). But I loved it, and spent most of my time standing in the windy part of the ferry, made me feel alive. I’m heading to my Art of Money book reading at Eagle Harbor Books at 3:00!!
Eagle Harbor Bookstore with my boy. Getting some pre-reading cuddles. My book reading starts soon.
Art of Money Book Reading at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Island
Taking the ferry back to Seattle. Thank you Bainbridge Island for a lovely visit.
Found a comfy cafe in Seattle, before we head to Vancouver, while my husband is off to Urgent Care again to see if they can figure out what’s going on with him. Travel adventures, Book Tour adventures…bumps in the road.
Within a few hours of arriving at our hotel in Seattle, my little guy got food poisoning (he’s better now) and my guy’s strep throat symptoms were increasing. My husband has continued to be sick this whole second week of the book tour and yet he is being such a trooper! And, the challenges have continued.
I’m learning that the book tour travel with my boy is harder than I imagined it to be. And, I’m also trying to find the bright side. For example, there is way less time for self-care for me, which can be hard. But I decided to let my hair go natural for a book reading, because the extra time required for blow drying/curling my hair needed to go to my family, and my natural hair got lots of love on Facebook, so it’s all good. On any journey, there will be beautiful, easeful moments and challenging, bumps in the road. This book tour has been filled with all of it.
And, I am smack dab in the middle of the messy part of my epic journey. My routine has definitely been disrupted, new experiences are being presented and I’m continuing to move forward. While I’m challenged, this is also my dream. So I will continue to ride the waves, adjust as I go, find ways to center, connection with my mission (which I always do as soon as the book reading starts), and continue putting one foot in front of the other….
And, we’re off to Canada right now for the next part of the adventure!
We made it to Canada!!! That is Vancouver behind us.
We are on Granville Island right on the marina. It’s been a long day. We’re grateful to be here now. And, our boy, well that’s just some serious attitude…which happens with our 7 year old boy-child.
Real deal.
Book Tour with my family.
Very good in moments + very challenging in other moments.
I’m pushing through because I’ve always wanted to cross the border into Canada.
Vancouver, I had such a good a good evening with you!! We had 60-70 people come out tonight to Banyen Books & Sound. All the seats in the main room were filled and folks were lining the hallway as well. Thank you to everyone who came out this evening. And, thank you for deeply enjoying my Art of Money stories. So grateful for such a wonderful evening. I’m smitten Vancouver, I really am! So happy I got myself across the border.
My View in Vancouver. My boys are down on the beach enjoying the water, sand + sun.
Somewhere shady in Vancouver, with my tree friends, while my boys play in the ocean + sun, nearby. Resting mama bear after 9 book readings. I’m really smitten with Vancouver! And, I’m so grateful to have carved out some rest days as well on this big epic book tour adventure.
To see the rest of the Book Tour Travelogue, go here:
And, the book tour adventure continue… stay tuned.
