Lots of love for ARMSFULL
Bringing a book out in the world is a lot of work, no two ways about it. I’ve been doing events all over the Northeast US and talking with other writers and readers and podcasters and friends and new-to-me friends since before AN ARMSFULL OF BIRDS officially published on May 19. Thankfully the reception has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. There’s a lot of love coming back to me in response to my pouring so much out. Here are a few highlights from the journey so far:
I spoke with Cheryl Strayed for her Mind Over Mountain podcast.
Orion included ARMSFULL on its list of Recommended Reading for Summer 2026 calling it “a powerful climate memoir.”
Shelf Awareness gave it a shout out.
An excerpt published at newly sober.
And before the book published, I was interviewed for Ask a Sober Oldster, the collaboration between Sari Botton’s Oldster and A.J Daulerio’s A Small Bow.
Then there have been all the events and conversations with Amy Halloran, Amy Shearn, Martha Anne Toll, Leah Hager Cohen, Diane Cameron, Beth Kephart, Sophie Strand, Meg Little Reilly, and there are more to come. Check out the Events page here to see if I’m coming to a city near you!
In the middle of all this, I led a workshop for Grub Street on How to Plan Your Memoir that was extremely satisfying! Seventeen of us talked about how to organize these stories called our lives. While I’m on workshops, I’ll mention the upcoming one I’m leading for Writing Workshops on July 21: Leave Out the Part that Readers Tend to Skip: Writing and Revising to Keep Readers Turning the Page Zoom Seminar. One thing I’ve been hearing consistently from readers is that they couldn’t put ARMSFULL down. It was important to me to keep the story moving, so it’s gratifying to know that I seem to have hit my mark. We’ll talk about how I did that and look at other writing that keeps readers turning the page.
Lastly, here are some photos - not as many as I’d like, but I don’t want to take you hostage the way it’s too easy to do with photos on our phones. Am I right? Sending love. xo
Brookline Bird Club posted about the Harvard Book Store event with Leah Hager Cohen!
Lady of Vermont posted about my talk with Meg Little Reilly at Phoenix Books in Burlington Vermont! (my hair’s kind of wild)
My conversation with Cheryl Strayed
Amy Shearn and me at P&T Knitwear in NYC