"You know what would be cool?" I asked Jen as we made plans to celebrate the launch of my new book, Called: My Journey to C. S. Lewis's House and Back Again. "To throw a full English tea."
"You know what else would be cool?" I continued when she didn't shake her head at my first suggestion. "A C. S. Lewis themed photo booth."
I was thrilled when Jen agreed to put on an English tea for my book launch party (which she first learned how to do while hosting guests at the Kilns, C. S. Lewis's old home, and which she spent one full day and the better part of another day baking scones from scratch, making homemade clotted cream, and preparing cucumber sandwiches for).
She's a gem, I know.
I was just as excited when my good friend Craig Swanson agreed to my crazy idea to put on the Lewis photo booth. The best part of these ideas coming together was seeing everyone enjoy the full English tea and getting dressed up.
After what was, admittedly, a journey filled with just as many difficult valleys as exciting peaks, we had a blast celebrating the launch of Called with friends and family at my favorite coffee shop in our old hometown.
It was pretty surreal to read several excerpts and even sign a few copies for those who have supported this journey of leaving home and careers for Oxford, theology, and God's call since before Called was even an idea.
Like the copy I signed for my old high school English teacher, who recently wrote some books for Disney about aliens on vacation, and who's now writing for Random House.
Thanks to everyone who came out for the event, and thanks to all of you who weren't there but who have been sharing my book. That is the biggest compliment you could give. Know it means the world to me, and I look forward to thanking you in person one day.
It's been an incredible week, friends. Stay tuned for more book news, reviews, and photos from the road.
Cheers!
-Ryan
P.S. If you haven't already, be sure to check out my interview with my author friend Melissa Tagg to read about my next writing project and to enter to win a free copy of Called.