The launch of The Ghosts Who Travel with Me was marked with the excitement and celebration befitting the hard work and creativity that went into it. The big event was held in Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Company and was attended by Ooligan students and fans of Allison Green’s work, both old and new. A few days later, attendees of the Village Books event in Fairhaven, Washington, had the special gift of an intimate reading where with the lingering excitement of the book’s launch mingled with the rising momentum of incoming mentions and praise.

We often think of publication as the birth of a book, but I think the birth begins much earlier in the process—with the author and the inspiration. For Green, it all started with one line six years ago: “This, too, is America: two middle-aged women, one North American and one Central American, eating cheese and apples in campsite #4 of the Mountain View Campground on Little Redfish Lake.”

Since June, Green has been up and down the West Coast on a new sort of pilgrimage: teaching workshops in Port Townsend, reading in San Francisco, answering Michael Silverblatt’s intelligent and provocative questions on the popular Bookworm podcast, and rounding up glowing reviews in publications like Hippocampus Magazine. Our intrepid author shows no signs of slowing down. With more readings, residencies, and conferences scheduled through January, we could not be prouder or more excited.

Along with the unwavering dedication of our author, we have to acknowledge the commitment and creativity of the recently graduated Oolies who brought this book to life, including our inspiring project manager Ariana Marquis. A new crop of students will join us in the fall as we continue to sell and celebrate the life of The Ghosts Who Travel with Me, which promises to be a long and fruitful one.