Book Tour

Dec 2011

So you knew that I was going to try to tour the country to meet you guys with this book, right? Right? Well, we’re still in the process of working out the details, which are proving to be tricky to nail down. But, I’m delighted to announce the first few stops on the book tour today, with more coming soon. Each city’s event will have a different flavor, but all of them will include a talk from me, time for Q&A and getting to know each other, and a book signing. Yippie! So please join me at:

The San Francisco Book Launch Party. Thursday January 12th, starting at 6pm, speaking at 7pm, Green Apple Books. (Join us for a cocktail party in one of the world’s coolest bookstores.)
Alt Summit. Thursday January 19th. Panelist on “Building Relationships With Ad Networks and Sponsors.” (Not technically part of the book tour, but I will have books with me, and will sign yours if you want!)
Boston Book Talk and Q&A. Wednesday January 25th, 7pm Porter Square Books.
More to come… (I’m not being a tease, I just don’t have any further information yet.)

Now. The secret about book tours these days is that they are 100% author funded because no one has any idea if they actually… work… anymore. But I have some sort of crazy blind faith in an APW book tour, given how amazing APW Book Clubs (and all of you) are. Which means I’m paying money to come meet you guys. So, from the bottom of my heart, I’d love if you could help make all of this a success by coming out, bringing friends, buying a book or having your friend buy a book, and generally being an awesome cheering section for a girl who’s been on the road for multiple weeks.

Seriously? I can’t wait.

Photo: Me making my excited muppet face, which I promise to make on tour, on the night after The APW Book Buy, photo by Emily Takes Photos (APW Sponsor/ Staff member)

Posted in: Book Tour, Events | 127 Comments »

Jan 2012

APW Book Tour: San Francisco, Denver, Boston, Brooklyn

You Guys!

I am in the midst of putting together big exciting stuff on the book tour front, and I’m adding new cities to the schedule. I hope to have more news soon! But! In the meantime, we have details on events in San Francisco, Denver, Boston, and Brooklyn, and we’re ready for you to start RSVPing. If you’re planning to come to the event, please RSVP on the Facebook Pages, so we can start to get a headcount and plan accordingly.

If you’re on the fence about coming to your local event (or driving to your closest event)… why are you on the fence? There will be awesome APW readers to meet (so don’t even worry about coming alone). There will be food and booze. There will be me. Talking! Answering questions! Making jokes! Signing your books! Meeting you! And seriously, y’all, I’m a funny speaker. All those years of acting training are good for something. So it will be good, and you should come. Plus, goodness knows when we’ll get to do something this massive for the APW community again, so let’s make it awesome. Now, the details:

The San Francisco Book Launch Party.
Thursday January 12th, starting at 6pm, speaking at 7pm, Green Apple Books

Ever wanted to have a cocktail party in a crazy amazing, rambling bookstore? This is your chance. Green Apple Books is hands down my favorite bookstore in San Francisco, so I’m pretty overwhelmed to be launching the book tour here. We’ll be serving appetizers from our very own wedding caterers, Trumpetvine Catering (their food is mindblowing, y’all), bubbly courtesy of Green Apple Books (That’s right. The bookstore is buying us booze.), and wine. Plus, Elizabeth from Lowe House Events is helping me plan it, so it’s going to be great. I’ll speak, sign books, and do a Q&A. You’ll make friends and wander around two floors of the store with a drink. It will be a spectacular time.

Please RSVP to San Francisco here!

Denver Books & Brunch
Sunday January 22th, 11am, Japoix Restaurant

When I first announced the tour, you guys positively demanded that I come to Denver. So, Sara, inventor of the term Wedding Dropout, stepped in and made it happen. We’ll be having a lazy Sunday brunch (Brunch buffet will cost roughly $20 with bottomless mimosas! Bottomless! Mimosas!), I’ll have books to sell you and a pen to sign your books. We’ll gossip, make jokes, and probably do a little Q&A to kick things off. I’m pretty excited about having a lovely relaxed way to get to hang out with y’all, so you’d better show up!

Please RSVP to Denver here!

Boston (Well, Cambridge) Book Talk, Q&A, and Informal Drinks
Wednesday January 25th, 7pm, Porter Square Books

Every single woman I know in Boston, from APW readers to my publicist, has told me that this bookstore is the place to be. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited. I’ll be speaking, and then longest-ever-APW reader (we got married on the exact same day) and APW book clubber Lauren will be hosting the Q&A. Afterwards, I have been told that we’ll be retiring to a local bar for some chit chat. That’s were you can ask me the inappropriate questions.

Please RSVP to Boston here!

Brooklyn Book Talk, And Full Scale After Party Madness
Saturday January 28th, 2pm, Park Slope Barnes & Noble
After party 3:30pm-5:00pm, within walking distance, details given out Speakeasy Style, at the bookstore

I might actually be the most excited about this event (shhh, don’t tell) because it’s in my long time neighborhood bookstore. When it came to a New York City event, I specifically requested the Park Slope B&N, where I went to readings for years. And now I’m speaking there! Mindblowing. But if anything is more exciting than that, it might be the after party. A trio of APW advertisers are throwing a stylish bar party. You won’t get the full scoop till you show up a the reading, but with Meg of La Vie En Rose Events, Amber of Amber Marlow Photography & The Amber Show, and Michelle Edgemont at the helm, this party is going to be good. Full stop.

Please RSVP to New York here!

****

Now. One last thing. I know a lot of you bought books on Amazon (I love you!), but I need to ask one more favor from you. If you come to these bookstore events (and please do), which are totally free to attend, hosted by bookstores… please consider buying the book at the event, and having me sign a book that you bought from the bookstore. That really matters to the bookstore, and hence to me. Think of it as a super cheap ticket to a super awesome event. Brick and mortar bookstores are important to me, and they’re important to many of you, too. They are hosting all of us so we can get together in real life and chat and hang out. In return, they really need us to buy those APW books they ordered. I tell everyone that APW-ers are the best, smartest, funniest, most gracious crowd in the universe, so if we could do right by the bookstores I’d be profoundly grateful. In exchange, I’ll come to visit and make lots of jokes. Deal? Deal.

But really? I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU! I’VE BEEN WAITING YEARS FOR THIS!

Love,

Meg

Photo: Me in Green Apple Books (told you I loved it there) by One Love Photo

Posted in: Book Tour, Events | 57 Comments »

Jan 2012

APW Book Tour Talks! (Topics please…)

Ok kids! The APW Book Tour is fast upon us! (Much much more on that front on Thursday. If you’re not wiggling with anticipation, you should be. Seriously.) In fact, the launch event in San Francisco is this Thursday. I have my outfit picked out, our families are flying into town, the celebratory scotch is at the ready.

But! These are book talks, not book readings (mostly), and I haven’t decided what I’m going to talk about yet… because I’m not sure what you want me to talk about. I mean, trust me, give me a topic, any topic, put me on stage, and I’ll chat your ear off (with jokes!). So let’s dish. What do you guys want to hear me talk about on the Book Tour? (There will be time for Q&A as well, so whatever I don’t cover, you can ask me about.) But till then, I need to write something.

Whether you are coming to a book event or not (and loads more events are being announced Thursday…) give me your best thoughts in the comments on what you’d like to hear me discuss. Please? Thank you.

Picture: Me being performative by Hart + Sol Photo

Posted in: Book Tour, Events | 52 Comments »

Jan 2012

Amtrak Sponsors the APW Book Tour!

Since the APW book tour officially kicks off today at San Francisco’s Green Apple Books, it is the perfect day to announce the Huge Enormous Good News that has been consuming the whole team for two weeks:

Amtrak is sponsoring the APW book tour.

Actually, it gets better than that, if that’s even possible. Amtrak is sponsoring the APW book tour, and generously allowing us to add a Southern leg to the tour, doubling it in length (details at the end of the post).

I KNOW. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW.

But let’s back up because this calls for a bit of a story. As I’ve mentioned, this fall I traveled non-stop. And finally, right before Thanksgiving, when I had my second panic attack at 30,000 feet, I decided I needed a break from flying. Since I still had some travel to do, I decided to go by train.

Initially, traveling from San Francisco to LA was a purely logical decision: I needed to get there, and I wasn’t going to fly. But it turned out I loved taking the train. Loved. To clarify, I’ve always liked taking the train over short distances: It was low stress, I got to daydream as I stared at the passing countryside, I got to read, and I always got in a nap. But long distance trains? All that goodness, and better. When you add in the dining car, where you sit down with people you’ve never met and enjoy a long leisurely meal? I was hooked. You see, it turns out Amtrak people are a different kind of people… my kind of people. Train people. I met editors. I met people traveling all over the country by train. I met a super-smart eight-year-old who wanted to be a Lego architect. (I told him that was a real job. He was over the moon.)

Turns out I loved Amtrak .

Plus, sleeper cars! I was eight when I took Amtrak for the first time, and I vividly remember being obsessed with the sleeper car. It seemed magical. I wanted to have my own. Well, somethings never change. Turns out I’m still obsessed with the sleeper car (and yes, I totally snuck into the sleeper car section on my last trip and sleuthed around).

So I made plans to do the book tour to New York by Amtrak. Sleeper cars for Meg! So much staring out the window! Getting to quietly get my work done! Meeting new people at meals! Watching movies in the cinema (yes, they totally have that)! Sleeper cars! I was excited.

And then, last week, thanks to some major help from the APW Staff, something awesome happened. Amtrak stepped in and offered to sponsor the whole book tour. That means this self-funded book tour just got a lot easier and a whole lot more exciting (not to mention a lot longer).

In our house, Amtrak is now used as a term of endearment. “Think she’ll Amtrak it?” (Translation: Will she help save the day?) “He is so Amtrak-y!” (Translation: What a nice guy!) I love Amtrak. And by the end of this tour, I think you’ll adore them as much as I do.

In short, I couldn’t be happier to be working with the Amtrak team on this tour. I will be making a loop of the whole United States over the course of a month, stopping in lots of your cities, meeting you, signing books, and writing little afternoon posts on the adventure so you guys can travel along. (You guys get to hear about the sleeper car! And the people I meet! And get details on Maddie joining me on a trip to New Orleans! Yes! I totally just said that!) Welcome to APW, 2012.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a ticket to ride. And I could not be more grateful to Amtrak for it.

And now, let’s get down to business.

Confirmed APW Book Tour dates:

Thursday 1/12 (TONIGHT!): The San Francisco Book Launch Party
Starting at 6pm, speaking at 7pm, Green Apple Books
Appetizers by Trumpetvine Catering, Wine by Monogamy Wine
Please RSVP to San Francisco here!

Thursday & Friday 1/19 & 1/20: Altitude Design Summit
Speaker, Building Relationships With Ad Networks and Sponsors

Sunday 1/22: Denver Books & Brunch
11am, Japoix Restaurant, ~$20 brunch buffet with bottomless mimosas
Please RSVP to Denver here!

Wednesday 1/25: Cambridge Book Talk, Q&A, and Informal Drinks
7pm, Porter Square Books
Please RSVP to Boston here!

Saturday 1/28: Brooklyn Book Talk And Full Scale After Party Madness
2pm, Park Slope Barnes & Noble
After party 3:30pm-5:00pm, within walking distance, details given out Speakeasy Style at the bookstore. NOTE: This party is getting more and more absurdly awesome. It’s a cash bar, but the word on the street is that there will be free tacos! And gluten free cake! And amazing decorations!
Please RSVP to New York here!

Brand New Dates (Thanks to Amtrak)

(Note: Jury is out on DC, but we’re still trying for Monday 1/30)

Thursday 2/2: Atlanta book talk, co-hosted by Leah and Mark and Wedding Day Hooray
7pm-9pm, Young Blood Gallery
APW has the best friends. Seriously. We’ve had just one week to pull together the second half of this tour. When I emailed Mark to see if Leah and Mark could help me out, within an hour he had a plan (and he has a new baby). This is not a joke. So, we’ve teamed up with Wedding Day Hooray, an indie craft fair in Atlanta (taking place on February 18!) thrown by the women behind Indie Craft Experience. The Wedding Day Hooray team, plus Leah and Mark, is throwing the APW Book Tour bash at the excellent Young Blood Gallery. Plus! There will be food and drinks! Plus! There will be prizes (Wedding Day Hooray tickets, a wedding day idea sheet and clipboard, a handmade notebook, and portrait sessions by Raven of Leah and Mark). I know, right? It’s going to be awesome. ALSO: I’ve never been to Atlanta, so I’m super excited.
Please RSVP to Atlanta Here!

Tuesday 2/7: Austin book talk, Feminism and Weddings (with tacos and beer afterwards? eh?)
7pm, BookWoman
I’m pretty phenomenally excited about this stop on the tour. First off, I’ve never been to Austin, which I hear is beyond excellent. Second off, the event is in a feminist bookstore (!) which means the whole talk gets to be about feminism and weddings. I know, right? Plus, Elissa R Photography is going to round us up and take us out to tacos afterwards! Tacos!
Please RSVP to Austin Here!

Saturday or Sunday 2/11 or 2/12, Los Angeles
Save the date. We’re working on projects….

So, please RSVP to Atlanta and Austin! Get excited! And more planing is going full steam ahead around here. We (because now Maddie is coming to NYC and Atlanta, thanks to Amtrak) can’t wait to see you. And finally, a huge bottom of my heart thank you to Amtrak for making this possible. Now, let the adventure begin!

And a final note: If you want to join me in traveling the rails this winter, Amtrak is currently running a 20% off promotion for pretty unbeatable rates. If you book from now to January 23, you can get up to 20% off of one-way fares on every long-distance train route for travel between January 17 and March 29, 2012. My suggestions: New Orleans to Memphis starting at $42, or Chicago to Seattle starting at $125.

Photos: First by Slideshow Bruce on Flickr, used under Creative Commons. Second personal for A Practical Wedding.

Posted in: Book Tour | 154 Comments »

Jan 2012

DC APW Book Tour Stop!

You Guys,

After tons of struggle on this (DC bookstores only want to host political book readings, and even though politics is my number one hobby, apparently that does not count!) we are thrilled to announce a DC area book tour stop. I’m still sort of bleary eyed from last nights Book Tour Launch in San Francisco (full story coming Monday…), so I can tell you for sure that it’s going to be awesome. Here are the details:

Monday 1/30: DC (ok Arlington) Book Tour Stop
7pm, One More Page Books
It’s my understanding that Michelle Obama is coming, but I might be a tiny bit confused on that front. I can tell you for sure that APW editor Maddie is coming (thanks Amtrak!) and we’re going to have a nice long chat, and then sign some books. There might even be some after-book-talk drinks… who knows?
Please RSVP to DC-ish here!

Seriously, I can’t wait to see you.

MWAH!

Meg

Posted in: Book Tour | 18 Comments »

Jan 2012

APW Book Launch: San Francisco!

The Amazing Wonderful Fabulous & Kind Team—Photographers: Christina Richards Photography, Emily Takes Photos, Hart & Sol West (Roll over the pictures to see the photographer’s name, click through on most photos for more shots.) * Event Coordination: Lowe House Events * Catering: Trumpetvine Catering * Wine: Monogamy Wine * Hair: Wes Pine at Sammy Oliver

So, apparently, writing a book and launching it is a little like… getting married. (I didn’t actually stretch for that analogy, it’s totally true.) It’s this weird hyper-stressful, super-exciting moment, where everyone is exceptionally nice to you. Except, in this case, it’s mostly about you and your professional achievements instead of being about you and your life partner. So basically, what I’m saying is that a book launch party feels like a feminist wedding (I am half not joking).

But seriously, everyone is exceptionally nice to you. My day started off when Wes Pine (My amazing stylist who I’ve wanted to mention on the blog forever, so I’m totally grabbing the chance. He’s rad. And hilarious. And super talented. You’re welcome, San Francisco.) who’d gotten back from Europe only the night before, offered to do my hair for free. “Celebrity blow out,” he called it. He also ended up doing Maddie’s hair that day (pink), and I was just overwhelmed by how effing nice it was.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Elizabeth of Lowe House Events was just going to manage the event, but she also ended up making a gorgeous centerpiece, which is now living at my house. Trumpetvine Catering, who catered our wedding, did a trade for the event food (all gluten-free, god bless them) and totally rocked it out. Um, dried apricots dipped in dark chocolate? The best. Monogamy Wines, who also helped at Yay New York, provided the wine. And of course, our amazing photographers were amazing (you can see Christina Richards photo essay of the event here, and Emily Takes Photos photo set here). And then finally, Green Apple Books. After we’d been treated so badly by another San Francisco bookstore that I cried, Green Apple (my favorite bookstore in the city… for good reason) stepped up and blew our minds. They bought us booze. Ashley (that’s Ashley and me in the second to last picture) was everyone’s favorite person by the end of the night, and the second I finished signing books, he had champagne in my hand.

So it was like being overwhelmed by kindness. And that’s before we even get to the party.

I’ve been performing… technically since I could walk, and I’m trained as an actor. I’d do public speaking every day of the week if I could (good thing too, since that is essentially what my next month looks like). But until now, I’ve had a really hard time with suddenly becoming kind of a public person, because of APW. I was trained to be a character onstage, not a person that people want to talk to at cocktail parties. It makes me nervous because I know I’m just normal me. But somehow at the book launch, things got awesome. I wrote a book, damn it! I’m proud of that. So speaking about my book and getting to sign my book was… exciting and fun. Not scary. Ok, a little scary, but not much.

It felt like a little time out to celebrate doing work that’s important. I got to celebrate being a woman and being professionally successful, which felt great. It made me want to go to a party with wine and confetti centerpieces when my girlfriends get promotions or make big professional strides. It did actually feel a bit like a feminist wedding in that it felt like a big public celebration of professional success, not personal success… and maybe we all need more of that. I could personally do with more of that in the world, that’s for sure.

And so, thinking back, I was crazy thrilled that one of my favorite little people (who I routinely describe as being just like me, but little) got to hang out with me during the event. She stood next to me when I spoke. She helped me out with signing books. And perfect, right? Because if we could all model female professional success to little girls we love, I think the world would be a cooler, more adventurous place.

Now, onwards and upwards! I’ll see you soon! (Denver, Boston, New York City, DC, Atlanta, Austin, and LA, coming right up.) Let’s do it.

P.S. We sold all the books! There were only two left at the end of the night, which the bookstore asked me to sign. I can’t even say how important that is, and how grateful I am.

P.P.S. You guys were awesome. AWESOME! If you share your perspective on the party in the comments, I’d be crazy happy about that. I want to be able to hold on to your stories when I remember the launch. And you bet I’ll remember it.

Posted in: Book Tour | 73 Comments »