Well, you can’t make this stuff up. If my life were a novel, I’d have to file it under cosmic comedy. Or maybe tragedy. A few weeks ago, I wrote about having to cancel my first-ever book signing due to a professional values misalignment, and my defiant promise to make it happen elsewhere. I proudly channeled my Radical Resilience, found a wonderful new partner in XOXO, Book Boutique here in Las Vegas, and we planned what was shaping up to be a beautiful event for July 19th.

The team at XOXO, particularly Gina and Monica, were incredible from the start. They were enthusiastic, professional, and genuinely excited to collaborate. We finalized the agreement , they designed beautiful flyers, and we both were running ads on Meta and TikTok. My contemporary romance, The Spaces Between Us, even hit #1 on an Amazon Bestseller chart in the lead-up to the signing, and the momentum felt real and exhilarating.

And then, life did what it does best: it threw a cataclysmic curveball.

On the day of the signing, I was unable to get to the bookstore due to a personal crisis that involved my safety and resulted in me having to move into transitional housing. I was, and am, heartbroken about it. All of that excitement, planning, and shared energy seemed to vanish in an instant. I managed to send the copies of my books I had purchased for the event to the store with a note, hoping they would make it.

Here’s the part where the story pivots from tragedy to testament. In the aftermath, when I was able to get back online and explain, the response from Gina at XOXO was not one of anger or frustration, but of immediate concern for my safety. She has been nothing but kind and is still working to support me by signing a consignment agreement for the books I sent over, hoping it will get some money in my pocket. Our professional relationship remains strong, built on a foundation of mutual respect and genuine human compassion.

So, yes, my first book signing was canceled. And my second one sort of happened without me. It’s almost comical. Almost. But through the absurdity, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride. I’m proud that I had the courage to walk away from a situation that felt wrong. I am immensely proud of the beautiful event XOXO and I planned, and I am deeply grateful for their kindness in the face of chaos.

This path is wild and unpredictable. But when you’re met with grace just as often as you’re met with disaster, you know you’re on the right track. The book signing didn’t happen as planned, but the connections proved real. And that’s a success in my book.