Almost One Week In
The Was it Something I Said? Book Tour So Far
There is something a little funny about books.
You spend years writing them, thinking about them, refining them, shaping every sentence, and yet, according to traditional publishing wisdom, you don’t really talk about them publicly until just before they go on sale. For so long, the work is quiet and behind the scenes. Then, almost overnight, it becomes something you share with the world.
We are not even one week into the Was It Something I Said? book tour, and already that shift has felt both surreal and incredibly special.
This past week has been full in the best way. New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Florida, with Nashville, Richmond, more time in D.C., Greenwich, Connecticut, New Castle, New Hampshire, and more media in NYC still ahead. Every stop has been thoughtfully planned, but what I could never quite plan for were the moments of connection along the way.
More than anything, I’ve loved talking with those of you who are reading the book, listening to it, and sharing your thoughts with me in real time. Being able to thank people in person, and to have conversations that go beyond a comment section or a message, has been the most meaningful part of all of this.
We began in Washington, D.C., with a kickoff event at the Junior League, where a dear friend led the conversation. It felt like such a fitting place to start, surrounded by a community that has supported me from the very beginning.
In New York, publication week came to life in a way I will never forget. I joined Fox Business on Varney & Co., spoke on ABC News at 6 pm about the “Irish Goodbye” and my Wall Street Journal editorial, and spent the evening signing books at LoveShackFancy on Madison Avenue. That same night, I had a small, private dinner with friends and family who traveled in to celebrate publication day. We ended the evening in Times Square, taking in billboards for my book.
Boston felt similarly special, with so many friends and family there as well, along with new faces who made the experience just as memorable.
Back in Washington, I had a book talk and signing at M.M.LaFleur in Georgetown, where Alicia McKenzie was my conversation partner and led such a thoughtful discussion. The very next day, I was off to Palm Beach for a book signing at LoveShackFancy, along with another special family dinner, continuing what has already become a meaningful rhythm of travel, conversation, and connection.
If there’s one thing I’m taking with me from these first few days, it’s this. While a book may begin as a quiet, personal project, it becomes something entirely different once it’s in your hands. Getting to experience that transformation together, in real time, is something I don’t take for granted.
In Case You Missed It
Anyone who becomes a paid Substack subscriber before midnight ET on Saturday March 21 will get a free copy of the book. Subscribe here.
It was another full media week. In addition to the WSJ, Fox Business, and ABC News, I wrote essays that were published in People Magazine and The Conservateur, including an in depth look at the role and legacy of United States Ambassador and Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley. My book was also featured in the Daily Wire, and I contributed to a Fox News piece on a video that appears to show a blind man caught in a disagreement over where his service dog can sit on the plane.
I was also on several podcasts this week including Problematic Women, The Eric Metexas Show, and Landon Talks with Kate.
You can get caught up on my past Evie Magazine articles here.
Answering for a Friend
Q: What is the purpose of an engagement party, really?
A: At its best, an engagement party is not about logistics, gifts, or even the wedding itself. It’s about pausing to celebrate a commitment. It’s one of the few moments where family and friends gather before the busyness of planning begins. A moment to connect, to welcome, and to set the tone for everything that follows.
If you have a question for a future Answering for a Friend segment or my Ask Alison column, please email info@elevateetiquette.com.
For more writing like this, my modern etiquette guide, Was it Something I Said?, is on sale wherever books are sold.
With love,
Alison