For each centimetre of snow we’ve received here in Edmonton over the last week, I’ve received an email about the tour. For those not in Edmonton right now: a) be thankful for that, and b) it’s a lot of centimetres.

Alas, plans for the tour’s itinerary continue.

It was silly of me to think that I’d be able to contact and confirm my itinerary in the span of a single month. While the publishers in the west coast and prairies were relatively easy to nail down, houses past Manitoba weren’t quite as easy to connect with. Not to say there weren’t any responses, but the rejections to my cold-emails outnumbered the acceptances. Understandably, the time constraints are tight and the tour might not be viable for all houses. Indeed, the most common rejection is, “We’re not going to be in town at that time.”

Then!
A sudden turn-around.

Leaning on my connection to Jennifer Murray of Porch Light Consulting and the Humber Creative Book Publishing Program (wow, do I ever owe her–big time), many doors opened. From there, one publisher’s Facebook post about the tour lead to a flurry of incoming emails from houses looking to get on board.

This past week has been overwhelming in trying to keep up with emails and organizing the logistics, all while planning a short-term move to Ontario, but I am SO excited to have filled many spots out east. Check it out!

The itinerary has a few spaces open that I’ll be looking to fill in this last week before the tour starts. At the same time, I should probably start packing: a voice recorder, notebooks, car snacks, and blazers. Lots of blazers.

Check this out, too: I got a Twitter — @TGCPT. I will post pictures and updates the whole way through. From long stretches of highway to publishing house break rooms, you’ll find it all here.