Lessons From The Road

Jun 28, 2025

Over the past couple of months, I travelled more than 1,000 kilometres throughout Alberta with Cattail Lane, from Calgary to Edmonton and many points in between. It was my first time back on the road since No Good Asking, and what a ride it was—full of laughter, minor disasters, heartfelt moments, and the kind of community connection that reminds me why I write in the first place.

Here are just a few lessons I picked up along the way:

1. Expect a few disasters.
At my first launch, I proudly set up a tall display of cattails in a giant old milk can—a nod to the novel’s setting and title. It looked great. At the next event, those same cattails exploded into a flurry of white fuzz, coating the room and likely a few lungs. At yet another stop, the book table collapsed under the weight of too many Cattail Lane copies, sending wine glasses and novels crashing to the floor. And then there was the dear guest who stumbled on the stairs and gashed his head—only to carry on and attend the launch anyway, leaving a trail of blood up the steps and into his seat. (He’s okay! And still talking to me.)

2. Treasure the surprises.
I had surprises galore. In Red Deer, the generous folks at Sunworks surprised me with a giant Cattail Lane poster. Guests signed the back with messages of encouragement I’ll keep forever. In Camrose, my hosts presented me with the most stunning cattail-themed cake. And in my hometown of Lacombe, a big, beautiful crowd of neighbours, pool friends, book club members, and library folk gathered to celebrate. It felt more like a reunion than a reading—no one wanted to leave.

3. Be open to all kinds of questions.
Everywhere I went, readers showed up with thoughtful, sometimes vulnerable questions—about writing, caretaking, dementia, and how stories come together. We talked about grief, resilience, humour, and the strange, crooked path that brings us back to ourselves. These conversations reminded me that stories don’t end when the book does, they ripple outward.

4. Prepare to be dazzled by people’s kindness.
My friends showed up in full force, some from just down the road, others who made long drives just to be there. But what I wasn’t expecting were all the people I didn’t know well or didn’t know at all. Some had read my earlier books. A few saw the launch sign on the sidewalk, wandered in off the street, and stayed: one even bought a book. A woman whose book club I visited years ago couldn’t make the event in her city, so she drove 160 kilometres round trip to catch me at the next stop. A staff member at my doctor’s office brought her entire family to a reading—her young daughter dreams of being a writer. Again and again, people welcomed me with warmth and enthusiasm

If there’s one overarching lesson from this tour, it’s that stories matter—but so do the people who show up for them. I’m grateful to everyone who came out, asked a question, bought a book, brought a friend, or just stayed to chat.

Thank you for making Cattail Lane feel like home, everywhere I went.

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