The Light Up the Shadows Book Tour
Thirty five cities. Twelve states. California 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, 35 cities across 12 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 California to Florida, thirty five cities across twelve states. 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
- Barstow, California
- Santa Monica, California
- San Diego, California Added stop
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Tucson, Arizona
- Las Cruces, New Mexico
- El Paso, Texas
- Fort Stockton, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Houston, Texas
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Florida
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Orlando, Florida
- 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
- Gainesville, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Vero Beach, Florida
- Cocoa, Florida
The road is complete in Central Florida, at 999 hours.
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 cityAbout 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 TourQuestions and answers
Can Neal come to my city or event?
Maybe. The route is set for this run, and more cities and dates may be added as it fills in. If you would like a stop near you, get in touch through the contact page with your city and what you have in mind, and I will see what the road allows.
Can I host a stop or help set one up?
Yes, hosts are welcome. Bookstores, libraries, groups, and community spaces are all a fit. Send a note through the contact page with your city and the type of space, and I will follow up.
How can I meet Neal on the tour?
Tell me your city through the contact page. If a stop is near you, I would be glad to connect, whether you would like to talk about the book, tell a story of your own, or sit down for a while.
Will more cities or dates be added?
They may be. The tour runs from California to Florida across 35 cities, and the road can grow as hosts and stops come together. Ask through the contact page about your area.
Neal Winsomer is a pen name. What if I know who Neal is?
Neal Winsomer is the name I write and tour under, and I ask that connections stay under that name. If you know the person behind it, I am grateful for your care, and I ask that you keep the pen name in public and leave real names out of posts, tags, and reviews. It keeps the focus on the work, and it keeps a family matter private.
Is there a cost to attend or to meet?
No. Meeting and connecting on the road are free. If you would like to help the tour, every way to do that sits on the support page, and it is an invitation, not a requirement.
What is Calling Out the Shadows about?
I hope it will be read as an inviting memoir and a practical guide for anyone in a high conflict custody or co-parenting situation, and for anyone trying to tell a hard story and protect it. It stands on four lines: clarity over comfort, transparency over secrecy, structure over spin, love over anger.
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.