Writer’s Workshop: How I Planned a Book Tour

I knew I wanted to launch In Search of a Salve differently. I knew every part of introducing the book to the world had to stand apart from other projects because this book is special.

In the past, I’ve participated in and planned book readings for other publications and my own, so I knew readings and signings were possible, but still, this one had to stand out. The first thought I had was to begin where I was born and raised.

So, I wrote myself a note: Can Duane set up something in Chicago at a college or university? Duane is a high school friend and English ed colleague, with strong ties to the city and higher ed, so I knew the possibility was high.

But guess what happened? Before I had the opportunity to text him, Duane reached out and said, “I hope you don’t mind, but I told a friend of mine about your book, and he was fascinated. He owns a bookstore and says you can have an event there.”

Y’all. A man I don’t know agreed to have me do an event that I didn’t verbally ask for for a book he’s never read. Let that sink in. I’ll be in Chicago on tonight (the day this is posting) in conversation with Dr. Duane B. Davis talking about how (Black) families deal with mental health.

Okay, so then I got hype! And my brain started calculating all of the places I could be. I thought it would be cool to have a 5-city book tour that mirrored the places in the book: Chicago, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Atlanta, and Jacksonville.

But alas, this was too much. The rejection I received from Michigan colleges and bookstores was just as astounding as the unexpected acceptance I received for the Chicago one. So, after two months of emailing, calling, and begging, I decided it wasn’t meant for me to be in Kalamazoo or Detroit this year.

Next, a Canadian blogger half-joked that if I was ever that way, to let her know. That got my brain synapses tingling again. I’m cool with someone in Canada. Her name is Dr. Dinardo, and I met her right here on WordPress. We recorded Mental Health Matters together and her college is familiar with me because of the video.

I reached out to Dr. D. She contacted her college’s student resource center, and the rest is book tour history. I’ll be there on October 24th having a real-life mental health matters conversation about behavioral addictions with her and St. Clair College’s students.

Finally, I know a few people in Atlanta, and I thought it would be cool to have a reading there. Again, there was some work involved. I emailed and called, and eventually received a warm welcome from Rebecca at Tall Tales Book Shop. Yecheilyah, a blogger I’ve become close with, and another friend, Bree, will serve as moderators. I’ll be there on October 27th.

There it is. That’s how I planned a 3-city book tour to launch In Search of a Salve. Like the other parts of this project, I was thoughtful about how and where I wanted to go. The final product wasn’t exactly what I planned, but it is close. And that’s fine. In law of attraction language, this is an example of how to release the outcome. I envisioned a tour that mirrored my life’s experiences, but I manifested the book events I’m supposed to have right now.

If you’re near any of these places, come check me out. I’m calling it a Healing Tour, so be prepared to either dig deep, or listen to the moderators and me dig deep

PostScript: I don’t want to minimize relationships here. I’ve spent time establishing relationships for relationship sake. The people who are moderating are genuinely friends of mine, who trust me, which is how I was able to plan this before anyone read a physical copy of the book.

Writer’s Workshop: How I Planned a Book TourIn Search of a Salve: ARC Review (Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews)Monday Notes: 4 Ways To Gather Yourself Before Reading In Search of a SalveMonday Notes: 3 Rules I’ve Followed for Sustainable BloggingMonday Notes: It Wasn’t All Bad