Happy Friday! A few quick updates to start:

• If you’re trying to order our book: If retailers like Amazon or Barnes & Noble are showing “sold out” or a long wait, don’t worry—thousands of copies are en route to warehouses right now and should be scanned into inventory within a few days. Check back soon and your order should ship in time for Christmas.
• Events this weekend: Tomorrow we’ll be in Washington, DC for pre-ticketed events at 918 F Street. If you reserved a spot, we can’t wait to see you. On Sunday we’ll be in Richmond for a free signing at Mongrel in Carytown at 1pm.
• Thank you for the laughs: You all are hilarious—just check out the many comments on our recent post if you want proof.

It’s been two weeks since our last tour update, so here’s the latest. We finally caught our breath after the busiest stretch of the tour so far. Between Boston on November 7th and Dallas on November 18th we visited six cities across two countries, took ten flights, and spent six nights away from Clara and Burger. We left them in the care of my parents so they’d be more comfortable than on those flights. We also sampled far too many cookies at the West Elm events—local baked goods were a recurring and delicious theme.

Our previous recap ended in Toronto. From there we flew to Minneapolis. We had limited time to sightsee because of scheduled interviews and blog work, but our West Elm event in Minneapolis was wonderful. The store staff were professional and welcoming, and the attendees were kind, patient, and fun. We even ran into readers whose rooms we’ve featured before, which is always rewarding—putting faces to spaces makes everything feel more real.

We met readers who made our stop especially memorable. One reader who had previously tweeted a photo of her frame wall brought her signed copy in person, and many people stopped by with thoughtful stories and creative project ideas. As with most events, we collected lots of great anecdotes. One memorable moment involved a birthday surprise: a reader brought cupcakes and convinced me to sing happy birthday, which turned into a hilarious mix-up over names—but it made for a very sweet memory.

On a lighter note, some of the inscriptions we wrote were unusual, including one that made readers laugh and blush—there’s always a backstory, and in that case I was following directions from the reader.

One especially meaningful moment in Minneapolis was when West Elm asked us to sign the leg of a parson’s table they planned to auction. The table raised $170 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital that night, and we felt honored to be part of that effort.

After Minneapolis we flew to Houston. Our arrival was late thanks to a hotel check-in snafu, so we again had little time to explore, but we squeezed in Tex‑Mex and headed straight to that night’s event. It happened to be my 31st birthday, and the crowd surprised me with a thoughtful celebration. There was even a handmade cake and candles—despite my best efforts I couldn’t blow them all out at once, thanks to trick candles. The warmth and generosity of readers made the moment special.

Houston produced many funny photos and small, heartfelt gifts. One reader painted a pair of matching cow canvases for us, which now hang in Clara’s room—she loves them. Other attendees embraced book ideas from our chapters in playful ways, such as sketching each other as a couple’s activity; the results were delightfully entertaining.

Our final stop in that run was Dallas. We arrived early and stayed at a modern downtown hotel with a surprising number of nifty amenities. Despite the temptation to relax, we skyped with Clara and quickly moved on to explore the city. We wandered into the West End, enjoyed more Tex‑Mex, and poked around a cowboy boot store where a vintage novelty “Guide to Romance” machine told us we’re soul mates. It was more fun than serious research.

Back at West Elm Dallas, fans brought a wide variety of items for signing. We signed old t-shirts, colorful race shirts straight from a 5k, and even a Harry Potter book for a polite young fan who wanted his book signed. One mom asked Sherry to sign her baby’s onesie; she used a removable piece of fabric to keep the ink off baby skin, which was both practical and adorable.

That Dallas event lasted several hours, but we made our flight home and returned to Richmond late that night. Since then we’ve added a few more signings in the DC area and have more events coming up, so expect another long update in a couple of weeks.

One closing note we’re proud to share: in the book’s first month we helped raise over $1,200 for charity, supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a local children’s charity through auctions and events. We couldn’t have done this without your generosity—thank you for turning our tour into a force for good.

Thank you to everyone who hosted, assisted, attended, and made this tour so enjoyable—event staff, taxi drivers, and of course the readers who brought thoughtful cards, treats, and creativity to each stop. It’s been tiring and chaotic at times, but mostly it has been an incredible experience to visit so many places and meet so many kind, funny people. We appreciate every moment—and yes, for future events: we will happily sign your baby’s onesie, your Harry Potter book, or write whatever silly inscription you request.