How did you celebrate your book launch?

Q: Your book Blue Mountain Rose was officially launched on Shakespeare’s birthday, April 23, 2025. A book launch is a big milestone in a book’s life. How did you celebrate?

A: My first idea for launching Blue Mountain Rose was to throw a party at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where my love for Shakespeare’s plays began. Notable actors would present a few scenes from my book onstage. I imagined Tom Hiddleston stealing the spotlight as Peter, Ana de Armas giving us a gorgeous Kate, and George Clooney trying Richard’s Irish accent.

As their performance ended, I would emerge from backstage to gracefully answer questions. Then I would sign several hundred copies to excited fans before closing the evening at a local pub with my actor friends.

It would have been fun, right?

The reality was even better, as far as I’m concerned. We launched Blue Mountain Rose during the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival’s grand opening party for their new indoor theater space, the Beaver Street Theatre. Three wonderful FlagShakes actors did a staged reading of two early scenes from the book, while I performed the narrator’s duties. This was the perfect launch.

The perfect launch

Here’s why I think so:

I’ve been involved with FlagShakes since they began in 2015. My first ideas for Blue Mountain Rose came from experiences with them.

FlagShakes has always performed in other people’s spaces, but in the fall of 2024, they found a performance space of their own. I sat down with founding executive director Dawn Tucker in October 2024 to talk with her about my book. That’s when I learned they planned to open the Beaver Street Theater on April 23, 2025 ~ the day I’d already chosen for my book launch.

Serendipity: the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

Dawn and I have worked together for a long time. I’m a huge fan of this dynamic visionary who had the guts to found a Shakespeare festival. Combining her theatre’s grand opening and my book launch just seemed right.

I’ve lived in Flagstaff since 2010. I set Blue Mountain Rose in my adopted hometown so I could celebrate the many things I love about Flagstaff, from its vibrant arts community to its gorgeous pine forest setting to the San Francisco Peaks that dominate its skyline. Launching the book in the town where it’s set also just seemed right.

The actors who presented a staged reading from Blue Mountain Rose at the book launch are people I know and admire. Nick Rabe (Richard) was in the original FlagShakes acting troupe in 2015. It was a thrill to honor his history with FlagShakes in this way. Becki Zaritsky (Kate) has worked with FlagShakes both as a performer and on the administrative side. She’s also one of the Untamed Shrews (the women who do the FlagShakes podcast). And Matthew Windham (Peter) is a director, writer, and performer whose stage work I greatly admire.

What are some of your favorite memories from launch night?

There are so many! But I will try to choose just three for sharing here.

Before the staged reading, there was a champagne toast. Dawn toasted the Blue Mountain Rose, and I toasted FlagShakes and the Beaver Street Theatre. It was one of the easiest speeches I’ve ever given, because it came from the heart. I’m delighted to see FlagShakes in their own space at last.

We rehearsed the staged reading before doors opened for the public event. Working with Becki, Nick, and Matthew was a rare treat for me. My nerves melted away as we collaborated to create something we thought people would enjoy. During the actual performance, I was filled with joy to see my characters come to life onstage. I think I beamed the whole time.

Having lived in Flagstaff for 15 years and been involved with FlagShakes for 10, I was surrounded by family and friends at the book launch. All evening long, I felt wrapped in people’s affection and lifted by their support. To share this night with my loved ones was a profound treat.

What’s next?

Blue Mountain Rose will have a second launch event, this time at Flagstaff’s wonderful independent bookstore, Bright Side Bookshop. Bright Side is a hub of our community, a place that builds connections between readers and writers. On May 20, 2025, I’ll be appearing there. This free event will begin at 6:00 PM with a conversation between me and FlagShakes’s Dawn Tucker. I’ll also do a short reading, followed by a Q&A and book signing at 7:00 PM. Visit Bright Side Bookshop to find the details for that event.