What a delight that my first book festival was the Virginia Festival of the Book! I was in my hometown of Charlottesville at the festival my mother loved to attend, presenting on the grounds of the university where my father was on faculty for decades and where I worked in the 1990’s when I started bridging political division. I could not have asked for a more powerful convergence of elements to welcome me to this event. I’ll share some highlights below…
The UVa Bookstore hosted the program in which the extraordinarily well-prepared Marissa Wendte interviewed me about Facing the Fracture. To my delight, we traded friendship bracelets, having established on our prep call that we were both Swifties. The event was packed by eager book-lovers, including people I’ve known since childhood. The audience was extremely engaged, and the books sold out quickly. As always, it was wonderful connecting with folks as I signed their books.
Showing off our “ready to be strong” and “in my era” friendship bracelets 
Recognizing long-time Charlottesville friends 
With Mrs. Speidel who saw me perform in high school plays with one daughter and pictured here with another daughter, Lisa, who interviewed me for her forthcoming book about bisexuality 
With Susan, my high school PE teacher, boss at UVa, and long-time dear friend 
Gave a shout out to my honey 39 years after the day of our first kiss. If we can come back together after many years apart, I have faith that our country can repair its ruptures! 
Amazing to reconnect with Tara, an elementary school friend who I hadn’t seen since we were 12!
with Jeffrey Dale Lofton and Robert Gwaltney, Southern novelists, podcasters, and charming humans 
with Tracy Tierra and Sarah Pinsker, two of the marvelously creative and hilarious authors I met 
Jeffrey Rosen captivating audience members at Monticello with tales of classical philosophy and the U.S. founders.
Since I wrote a timely book about navigating political division, I talk about the topic of my book a lot, but I haven’t had as many experiences in which I am so distinctly an AUTHOR. It was delightful to hang out in the author lounge and chat with poets and novelists (and I learned about distinctions among thrillers, horror, and cozies). I attended engaging programs about Southern identity in fiction and nonfiction, the publishing world, and psychological and philosophical influences on the founders of the U.S. Being among so many writers and readers reminded me that, even in today’s social media age, people love books. I came away inspired to read more and to write more and to attend more book festivals!