32 cities. 1 book. Lots of laughs, memories, and learning.
Wow. What a fantastic ride it's been. Readers from around the world have asked me to come read from Life is a Verb. So far, I've been to 32 cities in the U.S., with more on the way! (Boston area folks, I'll be in Deerfield, New Hampshire on June 2nd – hope you can come!) Some of those cities are featured on this short video (after you hit "play," move your cursor from the "play" button bar and you'll be able to read the names of the cities).
I've played Bingo-a-go-go and sung Shabbat at a Jewish Senior Citizen home. I've made photographs of barbershops and been surprised by my ninth grade algebra teacher, my 10th grade biology teacher, and the daughter of my beloved fourth grade teacher showing up for readings, among others of the great teachers I've had in my life. I've been feted with avocados, little cakes that say "37days," tiny truffles, Coconut Chai tea, and a cauliflower dish I still dream about. I've flown in hurricanes, driven over a Y-shaped bridge, and visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame to see memorabilia of my childhood hero, Johnny Unitas. I've sat by a fire late into the night talking, and had soup in the basement of a Lutheran Church like Garrison Keillor talks about. I've wept and laughed and snorted. I've met artists and poets and more. I've met up with friends from high school and college that I haven't seen for thirty years, and I've been honored to read in my hometown for the library I write about. And so, so much more.
My thanks to all the bookstores and organizations that have hosted me: Malaprop's (Asheville, NC), Amazon Bookstore (Minneapolis, MN), ArtSpace (South Bend, IN), A Room of One's Own (Madison, WI), Bookwoman (Austin, TX), 2nd April Galerie (Canton, OH), The Regulator (Durham, NC), Osondu (Waynesville, NC), City Lights (Sylva, NC), Burke Hospice and the Morganton-Burke Public Library (Morganton, NC), Sarasota News and Books (Sarasota, FL), Random Arts (Saluda, NC), Charis Books (Atlanta), The Georgia Center for the Book (Decatur, GA), Ursuline College (Pepper Pike, OH), the Society for Human Resource Management (Alexandria, VA), the Georgia Cancer Foundation (Atlanta, GA), Pilgrim Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, MN), Panopolie (Raleigh, NC), Artists' Oasis (Apex, NC), North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (Cullowhee, NC), and Barnes & Noble stores in Seattle WA, Washington DC, Reston Virginia, Greensboro NC, Tampa FL, and St Petersburg FL.
Most importantly, my deepest thanks to the wonderful human beings who opened up their hearts and homes (literally) to make this grassroots tour a reality. All I had to do was say "YES." They did all the heavy lifting:
Kathy Schuth (South Bend, Indiana)
Jylene Henning and Janey Davis (Canton, OH)
Kimberly Shepherd (Pepper Pike, OH)
Susan Nash (Zanesville, Ohio)
Jodi "Moo Moo" Cohen (Madison, Wisconsin)
Nancy O'Brien, Kellee Magee, Basma de Vries (Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota)
Tracy Madigan, Joe Davich, Howard Holden (Atlanta, Georgia)
Caren Knox (Roan Mountain, Tennessee)
Jeff De Cagna (Reston, Virginia)
Karrie Manson (Greensboro)
Deb Keary (Alexandria, Virginia)
Teresa Adkins and Anna Wilson (Morganton, North Carolina)
Delaney Kirk (St Petersburg, Tampa, and Sarasota, Florida)
Edie Evans Bilsbee (Apex, NC)
Cynthia Deis (Raleigh, NC)
Jane Powell (Saluda, NC)
Donna Glee Wiliams (Cullowhee, NC)
My deepest thanks. When my next book comes out (Spring 2010), I'll go to these places first, if they'll have me. And then, I'd love to come to drink tea and eat food shaped like llamas with you.
If you'd like me to come to your town, let me know. I'd love to say yes.
[If I have left your name off this list, it is because I'm hormonal, hungry for a baked potato, and sleep-deprived. Please forgive and send a note to let me know!)
