Writers in the (Preppy) Wild

My adventures in Nantucket and Cape Cod!

Family road trip! My husband and children and mother and I all piled into the car last week and drove to Cape Cod. The Cape! That’s what people in the know call it. I was not in the know, having never been before, and I still wouldn’t say I’m in the know, because we were only there for a day, but a day is long enough to find about 20 of these babies!

Meet Jimmy.

I did a lunch event (my favorite! a hundred (mostly) ladies eating a catered lunch and drinking bottomless iced teas and wearing killer outfits) at the Wequasset Hotel, organized by the mother/daughter bookselling team at Where The Sidewalk Ends. Imagine running a bookstore with your mother! As I said to them, though, at least when you run a business with your mother, you get to go home to different houses, unlike when you run a business with your husband. They were beyond wonderful and gave me a bag of chocolate-covered caramels, as if I didn’t love them enough already.

Caitlin and Joanne, two helpings of delight!

My table-mate Kathy also brought me a box of cookies. I fear my reputation preceded me! Everyone showered me with baked goods! This is a very good way to go through life. The event itself was wonderful—I told everyone that I was probably going to cry, and I did. What I have learned is that if I do events where I am in conversation with someone, I don’t cry, but if I’m solo, I do. People in the audience were crying, too. It was lovely.

The hotel also provided dessert, obviously. See what I’m saying? These are the best events.

That afternoon, we hopped on the high speed ferry (so many dogs! everyone had a dog!) and made our way to Nantucket. Did you know that in Nantucket, writers run wild, and can be seen just strolling the streets in good outfits?

Samantha Hunt and Hernan Diaz, two of the cutest people we’ve got

When I told Hernan that I had cried at my event in Cape Cod, he looked at me as if that was a strange thing to do. Jokes on him! Later that night, he crawled into my husband’s lap for a hug. I love Hernan. And Samantha Hunt! Look at her glorious smile! A queen.

My event at the festival was with the One and Only Tim Ehrenberg, also known as @timtalksbooks, also known as Elin Hilderbrand’s work husband, also known as the Prom King of Nantucket. We had the most wonderful time.

Tim had THREE little flags on his name tag, so you know he’s important.

Tim gave me a strawberry hat, because he wants my fans to be called Strawberries. Look at all these nice people getting their books signed! Truly, the Nantucket Writers Festival was one of the very best festivals I’ve ever been to, 10/10, no notes! All the writers were brilliant and friendly, all the festival folks were too! I had the best time, and not only because I was given a hat with strawberries on it.

Nantucket has two wonderful indie bookstores, Mitchell’s and Nantucket Bookworks, both run by the same folks, including my friend Tim and the fabulous Wendy Hudson. I loved them both equally.

Over the course of five days, I had two fish sandwiches and two lobster rolls. Not too shabby!

Two members of my family enjoyed the Whaling Museum.

Nantucket is very cute and cobblestoned and we all had a wonderful time, including with this weather forecasting rock.

My mom and I went out to celebrate her 79th birthday. Cheers to my mom, everyone!

On the way home, we stopped at Titcomb’s and Bank Square to sign books, and then we stopped at an equally important cultural site, the Pez Museum. It’s in Orange, CT, and you should go if you happen to be nearby.

This is a real place.

Our final stop on the way home was at the house that my family lived in when I was born, in Westport, CT. A very kind woman who worked for the current residents let me and my mom in and we walked around and I got a little teary and LOOK what they had! So I was there all the while.