Ennui Go (Elayna's Version)
In which Elayna shares more on what the heck they're doing on the road this Fall.
It’s one thing to watch someone’s journey, it’s another thing to step out onto the road and be swept off with them, which is what I’m excited to be doing this summer.
My oldest friend, and an accomplished community organizer/TEDX speaker/all around chaos muppet, Jay Atlas, has been down this road before. Four times over in fact! His first walk across the country was in 2013, and since then he has biked it several more times, and founded a nonprofit organization, The Bad Activist. He’s gathered and distributed coats and shoes and meals for those in need, he’s cleaned up crime scenes, he’s fought in MMA, and been a youth pastor—all with a voice (and these are his words, not mine) that sounds like “a cross between Ray Romano and Winnie the Pooh.” For all my writings, I could never pen a life as singular and without peers as that of Jay Atlas. I’m grateful every day that the universe dropped us into the same pre-school.
So when he asked if I wanted to join him for this last tour, part of my heart screamed DUH YES OBVIOUSLY! Though I have to admit there was also a serious part of me that was, and to some degree still is, a bit scared. But when I think through all I’ve overcome in these last few ‘dark years of the soul’, I now realize that sometimes the best way to do something is to do it scared. It makes the reward that much more glorious when you survive something you thought would finish you. At a certain point, you realize you have nothing left to lose.
And Jay has this phrase he loves to say…
“What do you give a person who has nothing? Purpose.”
I began imagining what my possible purpose on the road could be? What verse could I contribute to this tour? What am I doing if not making my best of this one wild and precious life I’ve been given? It didn’t take long for an idea to start forming.
You see, for all the accomplishments I’ve had in my author life so far, I’ve never done a book tour. All my appearances talking about poetry, creative writing, and NaNoWriMo have been local to the 25 mile Pennsylvania bubble where I was born, raised, and lived my entire life. While I’ve definitely had a few adventures of my own—panels at New York and San Diego Comic Cons, PodCon in Seattle, GeekyCon in Orlando, a solo writing trip to Edinburgh—I’ve never done something that would take me so far from home, for so long a time, speaking about my own written work.
Everytime I thought about it for more than ten seconds, that lyric from Sleep on the Floor by The Lumineers would come to mind.
“Cause if we don't leave this town, we might never make it out.”
So I’m making it out.
This journey is going to contain so much for me personally. I’ll be getting to share my stories and years of creative writing experience with young writers at a time when it couldn’t be more necessary. I’ll be helping my oldest friend to make a documentary series about his incredible life and journey, while also writing my own next verses.
Not only do I have my first book tour to look forward to with CONNECTING ROUTES, but I’m also going to be beginning an entirely new work as well. It’s something I am currently referring to as The Living Names Project. Think of Frank Warren’s PostSecret project from the late aughts, but specifically meant to share stories of queer & trans joy.
I’ll also be spending a lot of time sharing my stories and years of experience with young writers across the country, at a time when that couldn’t be more necessary. I will get to capture moments of queer joy in parts of the nation folks might least expect it. I will be traveling with some of my favorite people on this earth, writing my heart out, and finally getting a chance to give back some of that love which our communities have so selflessly poured into us over the years.
Though as D&D players, Jay and I know it’s dangerous to go alone! We’ll be joined by my fellow podcast host/dungeon master extraordinaire Noah Brouse (with whom I am also collaborating with for my upcoming audiobooks!) and our friend Sam Barton, who too is joining us to purpose and adventure. There’s sure to be all manner of shenanigans from us for our podcasts, as well as poems for every place, stanzas for every skyline witnessed, and deep conversations with every community we visit.
Our mission? Two countries. Twenty US states and three Canadian provinces. Over sixty cities, and thousands of miles of open road. Four people seeking to share our stories, hear your stories, and figure out how we can all work together to stir a little good trouble where we can.
We hope to see you further on up the road. 💖
For a full complete list of tour stops, check out this post from my instagram!