Of Course I’m Here Right Now
Your compassionate, practical guide to comforting someone who's grieving—rooted in real-life scripts, not platitudes.
We’ve all been there…
When someone we love is grieving, we want to help—but we don’t know what to say.
“I’m sorry,” feels empty.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” puts pressure on them to ask.
“Time heals all,” only makes things worse.
Instead of avoiding the conversation or saying something unintentionally hurtful, what if you had three simple phrases that always offered comfort?
Of Course I’m Here Right Now is your guidebook to supporting a grieving friend with confidence and compassion.
I’ll introduce you to the three essential phrases that, when used appropriately, provide immediate relief and long-term reassurance.
This book will help you…
Say something truly meaningful—even when words feel inadequate
Show up for your grieving friend in a way that strengthens your relationship
Stop second-guessing yourself and offer comfort that resonates
Whether you’re consoling a friend after a death, divorce, diagnosis, or any other loss, Of Course I’m Here Right Now ensures you’ll never be at a loss for words again.
Join the FREE Private Book Club When You Order!
We'll read Of Course I’m Here Right Now from cover to cover and share tips, scripts, and stories for comforting someone after a loss—whether you're a grieving person yourself or someone supporting a griever.
Book club begins Fall 2026. Recorded replays will be available if you can't attend live.
Book Club Schedule:
We’ll gather on Zoom every Wednesday at 6:30pm Central.
Week 1 - Kickoff + Chapter 1: The Power of Words in Grief
Week 2 - Chapter 2: Why Words Matter + Chapter 3: The Three Stories
Week 3 - Chapter 4: Of Course
Week 4 - Chapter 5: I’m Here
Week 5 - Chapter 6: Right Now
Week 6 - Chapter 7: Being a Beacon of Comfort in a Grieving World + farewell
★★★★★
Advance Praise for Of Course I’m Here Right Now:
-
![]()
This book left me feeling more equipped and more compassionate toward others and myself.
- Gabby Jimenez, hospice and palliative care nurse, end-of-life doula, death and grief educator, author, and founder of The Hospice Heart community
-
![]()
Shelby has created a brilliant, necessary book that can help all of us build a more grief literate society. I cannot recommend it enough.
- Hope Edelman, author and founder of Motherless Daughters
-
![]()
No filler, no fluff; just what people going through the tough stuff truly need.
- Rebecca Soffer, bestselling author of The Modern Loss Handbook
-
![]()
Shelby’s book helps you find not only the words but also the courage to say them.
- Christina Rasmussen, Author of Invisible Loss and Second Firsts
-
![]()
A smart, reassuring guide for anyone who wants to support a grieving person with real empathy, not empty clichés.
- Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn, hosts of the Good Mourning podcast
-
![]()
Of Course I’m Here Right Now is the missing grief support guidebook—accessible, practical, and essential for anyone caring for a grieving heart.
- Cole Imperi, author, thanatologist, and founder of the School of American Thanatology
-
![]()
A wonderful, in-depth and clear guide for what to say (and not say) to someone who is grieving.
- Colin Campbell, writer, director, and author of Finding the Words
-
![]()
Of Course I’m Here Right Now will help you navigate the complexities of grief and inspire you to provide meaningful words to someone hurting.
- Penny Hawkins Smith (aka Hospice Nurse Penny), author of Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living
-
![]()
You will learn a whole new, memorable way to stand alongside a griever from the wisdom and experience Shelby offers us in this book.
- Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD, author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body
-
![]()
With her signature brilliant, easy-to-digest writing style, Shelby offers the perfect blend of an expert's wisdom, a coach's encouragement, and a teacher's instruction.
- Meghan Riordan Jarvis, MA, LICSW, trauma therapist, grief specialist, and author of Can Anyone Tell Me?
-
![]()
Of Course I’m Here Right Now is a heartfelt, practical guide for anyone who wants to be a better friend in the face of grief.
- Allison Gilbert, coauthor, The Joy of Connections, and author, Passed and Present
Dive deep into Of Course I’m Here Right Now in my free Supporting Someone mini-series:
Press and Interviews Covering Of Course I’m Here Right Now:
New Books on Dealing with Loss
Publishers Weekly, March 2026
What do I say to someone who is grieving?
Presbyterian News Service, March 2026
Why Does Grief Feel Like It Will Last Forever?
Trill Magazine, June 2026
Grief Out Loud
The Deconstructionists
Heal Your Heartbreak
Grief Is a Sneaky Bitch
Dear Nina
End-of-Life University
A Place of Yes
The Practice of Therapy
Death and Friends
This Is Not Church
Found Family
A Matter of Faith
Success, Rewritten
GRIEF Ladies
Order Of Course I’m Here Right Now and claim your FREE bonus.
Submit your receipt number for access to the private book club, beginning Fall 2026.
Hurtful words make grief harder—even when well-intentioned. Learn the 7 worst things to say to someone grieving, why they're not comforting, and what to say instead to offer real grief support—using the simple Of Course I’m Here Right Now framework.