Jess Janz's book 'The Table Where We Meet' announcement; Jess holds up a bright pink book to her face with bold text announcing her book release on July 14th, 2026

AVAILABLE FOR
PRE-ORDER
WHEREVER BOOKS
ARE SOLD

hi, i wrote this
for you.

The Table Where We Meet is a a testament to our desire to be known and the conditions necessary to cultivate vulnerability, curiosity, and care for those we meet.

It’s a contemplation on the ways we engage each other, and acts as a gentle guide for fostering connection no matter where we find ourselves. 

It’s a rebuttal to the apathy that we’re tempted to adopt instead of looking for more ways to take care of our neighbors and communities.

It’s a love letter to the strangers who’ve joined me for dinner and sustained me with their humor, wisdom, and compassion.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY BELOW…

Jess Janz is sitting with her legs up on a wooden table, holding a cup. She is smiling and wearing a cream sweater and brown cowboy boots. Behind her is a white bookshelf with decorative objects, books, and framed artwork, and a gold folding screen.

These are just some of the places you can order The Table Where We Meet — pre-orders are one of the most impactful ways so support authors, as they signal demand to retailers and publishers, influencing fancy things like stock levels and marketing investment.

Order your copy from one of our friends below, or ask your favourite bookstore to order you one!

find your copy everywhere.

(CANADA)

Queen Books (Toronto Indie)
Type Books (Toronto Indie)
Flying Books (Toronto Indie)
Banyen Books (Vancouver Indie)
Massy Books (Vancouver Indie)
Gold Rush Bookstore (Rossland Indie)
Indigo
Amazon (Canada)

(US & EUROPE)

Village Books (Bellingham WA Indie)
Liz's Book Bar (Brooklyn Indie)
Books Are Magic (Brooklyn Indie)
Bookshop.org
Barnes & Noble
Waterstones (UK/Europe)
Amazon (US)

advanced praise.

  • “A refreshing, aching portrayal of the human condition and the art of belonging, The Table Where We Meet eats and leaves no crumbs.”

    —Lyndsay Rush, USA Today bestselling author of A Bit Much

  • “Jess Janz has given us a gentle rallying cry, urging us—in equal parts humor and honesty—to slow down, look up, and remember the transformative power of creating real connection in a distracted world. A helpful and important read.”

    —Scott Erickson, author of In the Low and Honest Advent goes here

  • “Required reading for anyone desperate for something real. The Table Where We Meet is a guide to soulful conversation, a compelling case for the power of letting yourself be seen, and a roar of hope all in one. If you are sick of small talk, screens, and surface-level living, read this.”

    —Victoria Hutchins, yoga teacher, poet, and author of Make Believe

  • "Loneliness is the epidemic of our age, but Janz shows us the medicine we most need might just be as simple as showing up for dinner. Compelling, human, and utterly amusing, Janz’s debut is one you will not want to miss.”

    —K. J. Ramsey, licensed therapist and author of The Place Between Our Pains: A Memoir of What Joy Can Survive

  • “This is a rare book that doesn’t just describe human connection—it helps you enact it. With real warmth and great wit, Jess Janz reminds us that every person is a universe and that genuine conversation is one of the last forms of everyday magic.”

    —David Gate, poet and author of A Rebellion of Care

  • “The Table Where We Meet is a beautifully honest reflection on what it means to connect in a disconnected world. Janz’s storytelling feels effortless yet deeply felt, guiding readers through moments that are both ordinary and transcendent. It’s a book that reminds us of the quiet power of vulnerability and the courage it takes to truly see one another. Warning: This book will make you want to be a better neighbor.”

    —Tanner Olson, author of Getting Through What You’re Going Through

  • “If you’re longing for connection—to yourself, to your people, or to the kind of community you haven’t quite found yet—this is your book. It reads like a thought-provoking instruction manual for mending the parts of you that want to open again, but it also feels like sitting down with your long-lost best friend over tea. As I read, I kept nodding...omg yes, me too! I felt less alone in my quirks, my sensitivities, and how I see the world. "

    —Meghan Sylvester, actor and author of The Body Positivity Journal

  • “In a world that has trained us to lead with our job titles, Jess Janz reminds us that the most revolutionary act is asking someone who they actually are. Drawing from her years of experience convening connection-hungry strangers, she teaches us how to find the cour- age we need to truly see and be seen by others. The Table Where We Meet isn’t a book about wishing for connection—it’s a roadmap for practicing it. This book is warm and humorous and insistent that we’re all carrying universes inside us that almost no one thinks to ask about. An indispensable book for an age of loneliness.”

    —Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

  • “Jess Janz has a gift: She makes you remember what it feels like to be human. These pages are alive with honesty, courage, and the kind of connection we are starving for in a lonely world. The Table Where We Meet is a reminder that meaning is built in the small moments, and every person we meet could change us for the better. Jess captures these truths masterfully.”

    —Doug Cartwright, founder of Alchemy Sales Coaching, speaker, and author of Holy Sh!t We’re Alive

  • “For as long as I’ve known Jess, she’s been wholly aligned with her purpose of bringing people together. The Table Where We Meet captures that gift on the page. It’s an invitation to slow down, to listen, and to find yourself reflected in the stories and strangers around the table. In a fast-paced world, Jess reminds us that connection is both an art and an act of courage—and this book is her most beautiful gathering yet.”

    —Wendell Holland, founder and chief designer of Beve Unlimited and designer on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition