Text Me When You Land
Stories of Travel, Loss, and Healing
A memoir in essays, Text Me When You Land - Stories of Travel, Loss, and Healing, is a tribute to Gretchen’s loving and adventurous son Mark, who spent years traveling after his dad's sudden death in 2005. Mark’s travels ended with his own sudden death in 2019, but his journeys, by plane, bus, and on foot, to North Korea, Bhutan, Bali and Jakarta, among the 55 places he visited, are a testament to processing deep grief while learning to understand the value of our very short time here on earth. Gretchen's memoir captures Mark's intense curiosity and emotional generosity in a world starved for human connection.
Coming Spring 2027 from Apprentice House Press!
"Abruptly shifted from the joy of wedding preparations to the sorrow of funeral planning, Gretchen Ayoub masterfully weaves together maternal reflections and her son's own prose alongside shadows of past grief in this poignant collection. Within Text Me When You Land, Ayoub explores the transformative power of healing travels while confronting those ultimate, solitary journeys from which there is no return." —JoeAnn Hart, author of Stamford ‘76
"Text Me When You Land serves as a profound testament to Gretchen Ayoub’s unwavering spirit in navigating tragedies that might have overwhelmed a less courageous writer. She notes that the world continues its pace regardless of our deepest heartbreaks, yet she re-enters that flow with remarkable grace, wit, and profound affection. 'Freeze, thaw, refreeze. That is the longer quieter sequence of sudden loss,' she observes. Ultimately, Ayoub chooses more than just endurance; she thrives, offering a luminous guide for anyone seeking light in the wake of darkness." —Bill Littlefield, author of Mercy and Who Taught That Mouse to Write? Former host, NPR’s “Only A Game”
“A beautiful tribute to two lives that ended too soon. This memoir explores the ways grief can lead us to live a fuller life. After losing his father, Mark travels widely, experiences many different types of food, and connects with many people. His approach to life stays with his mother, who finds some healing in the trips they shared and the ones she takes after his death. A testament to how travel, food, and time together can soothe a broken heart. This book shows how to love fiercely, travel widely, and live fully. It moved me to tears, inspired me, and made me want to experience more of our world.”
-Anne E. Beall
Award-winning author and Editor of Chicago Story Press Literary Journal