Paperback Tour

and RIP to Nicholas Gray, Founder of Gray's Papaya

This week I went on a mini-leg of a paperback tour and I had such a good time. The first stop was Bucks County, PA, which it turns out also contains a tiny 1960s-era outdoor shopping mall called Peddler’s Village and I was ready to fully move in forever. Here’s what was amazing about Peddler’s Village: 1. The sand sculptures, 2. The soap store, 3. The fudge store, 4. The popcorn store, 5. The magic-and-cryptid store (which at first glance I was afraid was going to be all Harry Potter stuff, no thank you, but wasn't), 6. The very excellent Lahaska Bookstore, 7. A fancy gem/rock store, 8. A cuckoo clock store, 9. I don’t know, I barely scratched the surface. There was a store called Knobs and Knockers, which sold doorknobs and the like but sounded like an a sex shop. There was a Chico’s. There was a gazebo. I loved it.

The bad news is that I found this book at the fancy rock store, and it says it’s the only book you’ll ever need, so oh well! Guess I better figure out another career path.

The beautiful Kate Baer chatted me up on stage, and there were so many cute people in the crowd. Friends! Book clubs! Mother-daughter pairs! People in cute dresses! People who read this newsletter!

Kate sent me this photo, and honestly, THIS is the energy I am trying to give/receive at all my events, forever. I don’t remember you name, amazing woman in the blue scoop neck!

Thank you to Kathy and Melissa and everyone at the Newtown Bookshop for a fabulous event. The next day, I hung around my sweet little village for a little while, then popped into the wonderful Doylestown Bookstore (which hosted me for my VERY FIRST picture event for Very Good Hats, then made my way to Brielle, New Jersey, for my BookTowne event with Marcy Dermansky.

I do not ever know what to do with my face. Marcy looks lovely!

You know what else I love? A bowl full of Girl Scout cookies!

Thank you to Peter and everyone from both Booktowne and the Brielle Library for a lovely event.

Also, this morning I put on my new favorite t-shirt, pictured below. If you’ve read the book, you know that Gray’s Papaya features prominently in This Time Tomorrow, and also in my life. I was so sad to hear that Nicholas Gray, the founder of Gray’s Papaya, passed away yesterday. I send love and gratitude and enormous condolences to his family. I will link his obituary here—he sounded like a great man, and he created something truly vibrant and welcoming and timeless. The last meal that I shared with my dad was a Gray’s Papaya hot dog. He was annoyed because I hadn’t put sauerkraut on it, because I thought it wouldn’t travel well, and would be too messy for the ICU. Thank you, Nicholas Gray, for your enduring legacy, and for giving me so many memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.