The Light Up the Shadows Book Tour

The Light Up the Shadows Book Tour

Forty-plus cities. Fourteen states. Las Vegas to Florida. 999 hours went into writing and editing the book, and 999 more go into sharing it on the road with people or organizations that might find it helpful.

The 999 hour run

999 documented hours went into writing and editing Calling Out the Shadows. This summer, 999 more go into sharing it, about 41.5 days on the road, 40+ cities across 14 states, close to 5,500 miles, touching the Pacific, the Gulf, and the Atlantic.

What this tour is

It is less about bookstores and signings than what happens beside them. Part of it is putting copies in the hands of people or organizations that might find them helpful. Part of it is showing, in the open, how a tour like this is built. And part of it is sitting with anyone carrying a story they have kept to themselves.

I am giving the bulk of my time to steward, to connect, and to bring ideas, options, and strategies to the people or organizations that might find them helpful. Long after the last mile, this page stays as a record of the road and what it was for.

Who this tour may serve

• Those in a high conflict situation with a co-parent, and the hard messages that come with it: a way to take a step back, take a breath, gather the right information before answering, and choose the words that make it right instead of only being right in the moment.
• Those who may hope to tell a story of their own that they have kept quiet: protective steps and ways to protect it so it can stand scrutiny.
• For authors putting together a book and a book tour: foundational strategies with substance, proof, and evidence.
• And this is also for working my way back to my daughter.

The route, in order

The road runs from Las Vegas to Florida, forty-plus cities across fourteen states. The road has changed and grown since the first route went up. More cities and dates may be added as the road fills in. Here are the stops, in the order I reach them.

• Las Vegas, Nevada

  The Entertainment Capital of the World.The Writer’s Block, the first independent bookstore in Las Vegas, describing itself as “a bookseller, young writers’ workshop, and artificial bird sanctuary in downtown Las Vegas.”519 S. 6th St. #100, Las Vegas, NV 89101Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant, a family-owned Las Vegas diner making everything from scratch since 1987.1505 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89119

• Bakersfield, California

  Birthplace of the Bakersfield Sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, the city they call Nashville West.Russo’s Books, in its own words “Bakersfield’s premier independent bookstore,” family-owned since 1989.1601 New Stine Rd. #105, Bakersfield, CA 93309Wool Growers Restaurant, a family-run Basque restaurant since 1954, named to the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants in California.620 E. 19th St., Bakersfield, CA 93305

• San Francisco, California

  (Added Stop)Home of the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the Wonders of the Modern World.Green Apple Books, named Publishers Weekly’s Bookstore of the Year in 2014, serving San Francisco’s Richmond District since 1967.506 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94118Chennai Kings Restaurant, South Indian dosas and idli steps from Fisherman’s Wharf.418 Beach St., San Francisco, CA 94133

• Santa Monica, California

  Where Route 66 ends at the sea, the Mother Road that Steinbeck made famous in The Grapes of Wrath.Barnes & Noble, reopened on the Third Street Promenade in 2024 in the former home of the Midnight Special Bookstore.1318 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401SoCal Vibes Co., a beachy Santa Monica craft brewery and cafe that gives one percent to the Surfrider Foundation.119 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401

• San Diego, California

  The city Dr. Seuss called home for 43 years, dreaming up his classics from a La Jolla hilltop.Comic-Con, the world’s largest comic and pop-culture convention, held here since 1970.San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101Rockin’ Baja Lobster, a Gaslamp cantina serving, in its own words, “traditional Puerto Nuevo style lobster in overflowing buckets” with carne asada, chicken, and shrimp.322 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

• Yuma, Arizona

  (Added Stop)The sunniest place on Earth, holding the Guinness World Record at 91 percent of possible sunshine.Sunny’s Book Truck, a Yuma independent that began as a Japanese mini-truck bookshop on historic Main Street.261 S. Main St. #10, Yuma, AZ 85364Brownie’s Café, a family-run Yuma diner serving since 1979.1145 S. 4th Ave, Yuma, AZ 85364

• Phoenix, Arizona

  The fifth-largest city in the United States and the largest state capital in the country.Changing Hands Bookstore, in its own words “Arizona’s leading independent bookstore,” serving Phoenix and Tempe since 1974, and Publishers Weekly’s 2007 Bookseller of the Year.300 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013Window Coffee Bar, ranked number 15 on Yelp’s 2025 list of the 100 best coffee shops in the US.903 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013

• Tucson, Arizona

  The first US city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.Antigone Books, a Fourth Avenue independent since 1973 that calls itself “America’s First 100% Solar-Powered Bookstore.”411 N. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705El Charro Café, which bills itself as “The Nation’s Oldest Mexican Restaurant” in continuous operation by the same family, founded in 1922 and where owner Monica Flin is said to have invented the chimichanga.311 N. Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701

• Las Cruces, New Mexico

  Built around Mesilla Plaza, a National Historic Landmark that became US soil in the 1854 Gadsden Purchase.COAS Books, in its own words “New Mexico’s largest independent bookstore with more than 500,000 books in stock.”317 N. Main St., Las Cruces, NM 88001La Posta de Mesilla, on the Mesilla Plaza since 1939, in a National Register adobe that was a Butterfield stagecoach stop.2410 Calle de San Albino, Mesilla, NM 88046

• Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

  (Added Stop)The town that renamed itself in 1950 after the radio game show Truth or Consequences.Xochi’s Bookstore & Gallery, the town’s longtime used-and-rare bookstore and gallery, deep in Southwestern history and art.430 N. Broadway, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901Tony’s Restaurant, a family-run Mexican restaurant on the south end of Truth or Consequences, serving home-style Mexican cooking and menudo.1990 S. Broadway, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901

• Albuquerque, New Mexico

  New Mexico’s largest city, founded in 1706, and home to the world’s largest hot air balloon fiesta.Bookworks, an independent Albuquerque bookseller since 1984.4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107Loyola’s Family Restaurant, a family-run New Mexico landmark on historic Route 66 and a Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul filming location, which says it “has been recognized for the best chile, best breakfast burrito and best posole in New Mexico.”4500 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

• Amarillo, Texas

  Amarillo runs along historic Route 66, where ten vintage Cadillacs stand buried nose-down at Cadillac Ranch, one of the most photographed roadside stops in America.Chapterhouse Books, an independent bookstore on Amarillo’s historic Route 66.3317 SW 6th Ave., Amarillo, TX 79106Golden Light Cafe & Cantina, on historic Route 66 since 1946, an Amarillo cafe and live-music hall.2906 SW 6th Ave., Amarillo, TX 79106

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  Oklahoma City’s State Capitol is the only state capitol in the country with oil derricks on its grounds, including a well drilled at an angle beneath the building and nicknamed Petunia No. 1.Full Circle Bookstore, in its own words “the largest independent bookstore in Oklahoma,” open since 1970.1900 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73118Kitchen No. 324, in the historic 1923 Braniff Building downtown, describing itself as “a seasonally inspired cafe, craft bakery and coffee curator serving American rustic cuisine,” open daily.324 N. Robinson Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102

• Dallas, Texas

  Dallas has flown the Pegasus, its Flying Red Horse, as the city’s emblem since 1934, when the neon sign first turned atop the Magnolia Building.Interabang Books, in its own words “an independent bookstore with a hand-picked selection of books and gifts for adults and kids,” on West Lovers Lane in Dallas.5600 W. Lovers Ln., Suite 142, Dallas, TX 75209Jack Ruby’s Saloon & Grill, a West End Historic District saloon and grill named for the man who shot Lee Harvey Oswald, a short walk from Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum.1710 N. Record St., Dallas, TX 75202

• Waco, Texas

  (Added Stop)The birthplace of Dr Pepper, created here in 1885 and the oldest major soft drink in America, home to Baylor University, the oldest continuously operating university in Texas, and to the Magnolia Silos of Chip and Joanna Gaines.Fabled Bookshop & Cafe, downtown Waco’s independent bookshop and cafe, opened in 2019 by Baylor graduate Alison Frenzel, with a whimsical literary design that hides a wardrobe entrance to Narnia and a reading nook under the stairs.215 S. 4th St., Waco, TX 76701Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits, a downtown third-wave coffee bar whose signature drink, the 1885, mixes espresso with Dr Pepper.508 Austin Ave., Waco, TX 76701

• Austin, Texas

  Austin’s pink-granite Texas State Capitol stands about 15 feet taller than the United States Capitol in Washington.BookPeople, in its own words “Texas’ largest independent bookstore, located in the heart of downtown Austin,” serving readers since 1970 and Publishers Weekly’s Bookstore of the Year in 2005.603 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78703Hyde Park Bar & Grill, open in the Hyde Park neighborhood since 1982, with the giant fork out front and, in its own words, “scratch-made Americana dishes with locally sourced ingredients.”4206 Duval St., Austin, TX 78751

• San Antonio, Texas

  (Added Stop)Home of the Alamo and the River Walk, where the Alamo and four Spanish colonial missions together form the first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas.The Twig Book Shop, which CultureMap San Antonio calls “one of San Antonio’s oldest independent book stores,” a Pearl staple since 1972 on the Museum Reach of the River Walk that draws top authors for in-store events.306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste. 106, San Antonio, TX 78215Bakery Lorraine, at the Pearl, which the San Antonio Current says “has racked up praise from national media outlets including Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, USA Today and CNN’s Eatocracy blog.”306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste. 110, San Antonio, TX 78215

• Houston, Texas

  Houston has been Space City since 1967, home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, and Space Center Houston displays a flight-certified Saturn V rocket and the shuttle Independence.Blue Willow Bookshop, “West Houston’s favorite bookshop” in its own words, with “opinionated service and fantastic author events since 1996.”14532 Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77079Slowpokes, a Houston community coffee bar named one of the city’s nine best coffee shops of 2025 by CultureMap Houston.13210 Memorial Dr., Suite 500, Houston, TX 77079

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

  (Added Stop)The Festival Capital of Louisiana, with more than 75 festivals a year.The Charmed Page, a woman-owned independent bookstore that describes itself as “an independent bookstore in the heart of the Cottage District of Lake Charles.”2927 Hodges St., Lake Charles, LA 70601Steamboat Bill’s on the Lake, a casual lakefront Cajun and seafood spot that says it was “Voted #1 in Southwest Louisiana Reader’s Choice Award” and selected by USA Today “as one of the great places to eat in the USA.”1004 N. Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601

• Lafayette, Louisiana

  The heart of Cajun Country, on the banks of the Vermilion River, and the cultural hub of Louisiana’s Acadiana region.Barnes & Noble, the Lafayette bookstore on Johnston Street and the local home of the largest retail bookseller in the United States, a full-service store with an in-store cafe and a deep selection across every section.5705 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503Rêve Coffee Roasters, a locally owned downtown micro-roaster that, in its own words, seeks “to explore the best methods in roasting and brewing.”200A Jefferson St., Lafayette, LA 70501

• Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  (Added Stop)Louisiana’s capital on the Mississippi River, home to LSU and the tallest state capitol in the United States.TBR Books and Tea, an independent Highland Road bookshop near LSU whose name nods to a reader’s to-be-read list and to Baton Rouge, pairing about 7,500 curated books with a tea bar and a fireside reading lounge.7276 Highland Rd., Suite B, Baton Rouge, LA 70808Louie’s Cafe, a longtime Baton Rouge institution and LSU tradition serving breakfast from 6:30am, seven days a week.3322 Lake St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802

• New Orleans, Louisiana

  The birthplace of jazz, home of the French Quarter, founded on the banks of the Mississippi in 1718.Octavia Books, in its own words “an independent, locally-owned bookstore located uptown in New Orleans,” open since 2000 and a longtime host of author events.513 Octavia St., New Orleans, LA 70115Café du Monde, the French Market coffee stand founded in 1862 and the oldest coffee shop in New Orleans, famous for chicory café au lait and beignets under powdered sugar.800 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116

• Biloxi, Mississippi

  (Added Stop)A Gulf Coast city founded in 1699 at Fort Maurepas, an early capital of French Louisiana, known for its seafood heritage and its 1848 cast-iron lighthouse.Books-A-Million, the Biloxi store of a chain that, in its own words, was “founded in 1917 as a street corner newsstand in Florence, Alabama” and has grown into “the second largest book retailer in the nation.”2600 Beach Blvd., Suite 70, Biloxi, MS 39531Half Shell Oyster House, a Gulf Coast seafood house serving oysters on the half shell, charbroiled oysters, and New Orleans-inspired dishes in a restored historic Biloxi building.777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530

• Mobile, Alabama

  (Added Stop)Founded in 1702, Mobile is the birthplace of America’s Mardi Gras and an early capital of French colonial Louisiana.The Haunted Book Shop, an independent downtown bookshop that revives a Mobile bookstore name first opened in 1941, run today by the founder’s granddaughter, with new and used books and a resident shop cat named Mr. Bingley.9 S. Joachim St., Mobile, AL 36602Serda’s Coffee Company, a downtown Mobile coffeehouse roasting its own coffee on-site since 2008 and named Mobile’s Best Coffeehouse in Lagniappe’s Nappie Awards, open from 6am.3 S. Royal St., Mobile, AL 36602

• Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Florida

  The City of Five Flags, first settled by the Spanish in 1559 and home today to Naval Air Station Pensacola and the Blue Angels.Bodacious Bookstore & Café, an independent downtown bookshop and cafe among the locally owned Bodacious Shops on Palafox, pairing new books with fresh-brewed coffee.110 E. Intendencia St., Pensacola, FL 32502Peg Leg Pete’s, a casual Pensacola Beach oyster bar and local institution serving Gulf seafood right on the sand, with live music on Saturday nights.1010 Ft. Pickens Rd., Pensacola Beach, FL 32561

• Tallahassee, Florida

  Florida’s capital, known for its live-oak canopy roads and home to Florida State and Florida A&M universities.Midtown Reader, Tallahassee’s neighborhood independent bookstore since 2016, stocking new and noteworthy titles with a busy author-event calendar and an in-house pie cafe called the Piebrary.1123 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32303Lofty Pursuits, an old-fashioned soda fountain and daily brunch spot open since 1993, famous for pulling Victorian hand-made candy in the window beside a wall of vintage toys and games.1355 Market St. Ste. A11, Tallahassee, FL 32312

• Gainesville, Florida

  (Added Stop)Home of the University of Florida and the Gators, a North Florida college town that also gave the world Tom Petty.The Lynx, the downtown Gainesville independent bookstore opened in 2024 by three-time National Book Award finalist Lauren Groff and Clay Kallman, stocking new titles including books banned from Florida schools and libraries.601 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601The 16th Avenue Diner, which says it has served food on the same spot since 1962, open daily for breakfast and lunch, and describes itself in its own words: “We’re a small retro diner located in the parkview plaza. We take pride in cooking our food and we love what we do. We love to make customers happy.”207 NE 16th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601

• Orlando, Florida

  The City Beautiful, a lake-dotted Central Florida city and home to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

• Daytona Beach, Florida

• St. Augustine, Florida

• Savannah, Georgia

• Charleston, South Carolina

• Columbia, South Carolina

• Charlotte, North Carolina

• Asheville, North Carolina

• Knoxville, Tennessee

• Nashville, Tennessee

• Memphis, Tennessee

• Birmingham, Alabama

• Atlanta, Georgia

• Athens, Georgia

• Macon, Georgia

• Valdosta, Georgia

• Jacksonville, Florida

• Tampa, Florida

• Vero Beach, Florida

• Cocoa, Florida

The road is complete in Central Florida, at 999 hours.

A podcast on the tour and my approach

On the road to the first stop I recorded an episode of Calling Out the Shadows on why this tour is personal and how I try to approach it: connection over promotion, meeting people where they are, and lighting up the shadows with a flashlight, not a spotlight. If you want to hear where this comes from before we meet, read about the episode here, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

What happens in each city

In each city the plan is plain: reach town by day, meet readers at a local bookstore or a market, share the book, and connect with the people and communities who care about these subjects. Connecting with people, organizations, and media interested in this story, as well as the elements in the guide or the approaches I used with the book and publishing it.

Meet in your city

Would you like to meet when the road reaches your city? If a stop is near you, I would be glad to connect, whether you want to talk about the book, tell a story of your own, or host a sit down. Tell me your city and I will follow up.

Ask to meet in your city

About the book

Calling Out the Shadows: A Father’s Stand Against the Current came out in June 2026. I hope it will be read as an inviting memoir and a practical guide, in plain first person, and it stands on four lines: clarity over comfort, transparency over secrecy, structure over spin, love over anger.

Read about the book and every format, or see the ways to help the tour.

Support the Book Tour

The tour runs on help from people who believe in it. If you would like to walk a few of these miles with me, every way to help sits on one page, from a tip to a book ordered direct.

Support the Book Tour

Questions and answers

Press and connect

Press and city hosts are welcome. Reach me through the contact page and I will follow up.

Thank you for helping the book reach one more reader, one more city, one more mile.