My journey this summer started with one goal: to put “Ma, Where’s Mommy” in the hands of the people and families who needed the content most. It was a simple goal that was the brainchild of my child who was not interested in any of the books we read during the pandemic. They wanted to see their family in the books we read. More specifically they wanted to read more stories with representation of families like ours. We searched everywhere but could not find even one for her age group.  Thus, “Ma, Where’s Mommy?” was born.

When I began to book venues to sell the book, my wife said “This is a tour.” After seeing several book tours shown in various movies, I replied that she was wrong. However, she convinced me that what was going to transpire was in fact a book tour. I told her “Fine. Let’s call it that then.”  

What began as a simple wish from our child, grew into a tour that spanned multiple cities, counties, and states. I have been forever changed and positively impacted by the people I met and the stories they shared. I have been inspired by the teenagers that purchased the book proudly with admiration and hope in their eyes. I am motivated by those who bought over a dozen books to ensure my book was in every public library in their county. Selling out every single book in my inventory twice by the end of the tour was something I could not have imagined when I started writing this book for my child. 

While my summer tour has ended, the journey is not over. I, like many parents, have to get my child ready for school. For me it means picking them up from their grandparent’s house, buying new backpacks even though the last one is perfectly fine, buying school uniforms as soon as the sales drop, buying new shoes, and hoping their feet don’t grow until Christmas. For me, it also means getting all of my mock drafts in order because Fantasy Football is as serious as my team winning the Super Bowl this year (no I will not say the name, just know it’s our year #iykyk). For me, it’s celebrating my wedding anniversary even though I cannot remember how many years this will be; my excuse is I’m lost in happiness.  

For me, it also means announcing my Fall tour with the hope that the last event will be the coming out party for book number two! If you have not met the new characters yet, they are ready to meet you! 

The dates have not been finalized yet, but the tour will start in October and end in November. This will be my “Ode to Fall” Tour. I encourage you to follow me on Instagram and X (formally Twitter RIP blue bird) @TunitaJames, and come back to my website for the final list of event dates, locations, and times. For now, this is my farewell to the summer. I am grateful for each of you because you have been the foundation of our story being received literally around the world.