Live Laugh Love on the road

Some of the places I'll be this fall

I’m putting the final details together for my book tour and I’ll be sharing the complete list of events here in the very near future. (Destinations include Denton and Waco, TX, Colorado Springs, Denver, DC, Minneapolis, NYC, Birmingham, Grand Rapids, Mackinac City, Austin, Louisville, Decatur, Chicago, several North Carolina locations, and a couple more I’m forgetting at the moment!) But before every detail is finalized, I wanted to give you a heads-up on a few events I’ll be participating in that you might want to put on your calendar.

If you’re looking for a weekend away or space to gather with fellow book lovers or faith seekers, you might be interested in attending one of these larger events where I’ll be speaking and spending time with all sorts of fun people.

Just around the corner, I’ll be in North Carolina at an incredible women’s conference. Hundreds of women from the PCUSA will be there, but anyone is welcome to attend. It’s at the beautiful Montreat Conference Center and I cannot wait to hang out with this community of women. I’d love to have some CONNECTIONS readers join us, too.

August 14-16: 2026 Women’s Connection, Montreat, North Carolina

Women’s Connection 2026 will be a time for women to connect with old and new friends; a time to care for yourself; a time for space and Sabbath. As in years past, we will gather through powerful and authentic worship led by women, space for honest and faithful conversation, and time for discernment and renewing rest. Our hope is that you will experience spiritual nourishment, inspiration, and clarity as you pause, reflect, and lift your eyes toward what God is doing.

We are invited into a journey of faith that calls us beyond the immediate chaos, and to trust the soul-steadying truth of God’s presence in our lives. From personal struggles to the news cycle to strained relationships to everyday worries and responsibilities, the overwhelm is real. And yet, God continues to invite us to lift our eyes.

Join us in the quiet beauty of Montreat for “Horizon Gazing: Hope in the Here and Now.” Together, we’ll slow down, worship, find our footing, and look toward the horizon of faith with steadiness and authentic hope. As we gather, we’ll consider what it looks like to raise our gaze, find perspective, share our burdens and our hopes in the here and now. Designed for women at every stage of life, this retreat offers space to breathe, reflect, and be renewed—grounded in community and anchored in God’s faithful presence.

If you want to attend the whole weekend, you can register either as an individual or as a group:

Individual Registration

Register Your Group for the Conference

I’ll be speaking on Saturday evening at 7:30 pm, and if you’re not able to attend the whole weekend but would like to attend my talk, you can purchase that ticket here:

Live Laugh Love won’t be available for purchase yet in August, but a local bookstore will be taking pre-orders at the conferencethat will ship out on September 15, and I’ll be signing custom book plates for attendees after my talk.

I’m very excited that starting in September, early copies of Live Laugh Love will be available at each of my in-person events.

I’ll be at the Wild Goose Festival Sept 3-6. It will be my first time attending the famed Woodstock of progressive Christianity—come and camp (or stay in a hotel) and meet musicians and writers and artists and activists. I’ll be doing various sessions at the festival, and there’s a lot going on there.

Get your Wild Goose tickets here, and get $50 off for Adult Weekend Tickets with my special “ambassador code”: A-KDM

If you’re not up for the whole Wild Goose experience, I’ll also be speaking on Wednesday, Sept 2, at Grace Baptist Church in Statesville, NC, and on Thursday, Sept 3, at Main Street Books, Davidson, NC—I’ll include those details when I announce the full tour.

Wednesday, Sept 9, I’ll be officially launching the book a week early for hometown friends. Schuler Books will be hosting, and to ensure everyone has a seat, tickets are required—but they come with a book! (If you’ve already pre-ordered a book from Schuler’s, contact them and they’ll get you a ticket!)

Saturday, Sept 26: Texas Tribune Book Festival (Austin, TX). That’s right, I’ll be hanging out with the likes of Rahm Emanuel, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jon Favreau, David French, and…checks notes…Karl Rove.

Saturday, Oct 3: Decatur Book Festival (Decatur, GA). This festival features speakers like the amazing Tayari Jones and Marcia Chatelain.

Oct. 9-10: Theology Beer Camp (Kansas City, MO). I’ve never been to Theology Beer Camp before, but I’ve heard plenty about it. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: “A three-day theological experience. With beer.” Speakers include Diana Butler Bass, Jemar Tisby, Gary Dorrien, Cornel West, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, and a host of others. This is a great place to hang out—there’s no green room, and speakers are just part of the mix. I’ve heard rumors of karaoke, too.

Oct 17: Southern Festival of Books (Nashville, TN). This festival includes authors such as Ann Patchett, Belle Burden, and Max Boot.

November 12: Festival of Faiths (Louisville, KY).

Join us at the 30th annual Festival of Faiths as we celebrate Sacred Courage and explore the many ways we can lead with radical love, stand for justice and embody bravery rooted in purpose. Through dialogue, workshops, art and music, the festival will foster a courageous compassion that honors our interdependence, calls us toward the common good and emboldens us to act.

More details soon on the full tour, but if you’re thinking about ways to connect to others walking similar paths, you might find what you’re looking for at one of these events. I’d love to see you there!