1000 Librarians

Being a writer is a crazy roller coaster of highs and lows, from the I-can't-believe-I'm-living-my-dream days to the I-totally-suck-and-will-never-sell-another-book days.

Yesterday was one of the high days. Maybe the highest so far. I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Long Island Library Association's annual conference. I loved having the opportunity to address such a large crowd at such a prestigious event. Best of all, this was an audience of 1000 dedicated book lovers. What more could an author ask for?

This is not to say I wasn't nervous before the event, but I gave myself the pep talk I've been mastering these past two years. That is, I reminded myself that this is part of my dream, and letting nerves get the better of me would be squandering valuable currency indeed. So I decided to just have fun with it ... and I did.



I opened with a couple of quick jokes, and then spoke about the genesis of both Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA and The Smart One, with an emphasis on why I chose to set the books on Long Island. Then I did a Q&A with the audience, and of course such an educated group had astute questions. I loved it!

Audience at keynote address

Afterward, the feedback I got was hugely gratifying. Also, I was surprised to learn that last year's keynote speaker was Susan Isaacs. I always seem to follow in her footsteps without knowing it. But more on that another time.

Huge thanks to Tracy Van Dyne and all the folks at the Long Island Library Association for inviting me. And a shout-out to librarians in Nassau County, Suffolk County and everywhere. You are my heroes.

Welcome to Family Fun Night

My 10-year-old daughter recently announced that we should institute something called Family Fun Night, which means that one night a week a particular member of the family gets to decide what we all do together for fun.

Tonight was my middle son's night to choose. He picked our local ice cream parlor, one of those places that mixes toppings into the ice cream for you. So off we went, and ... the store was gone. Vanished. Another business was in its place.

Sometimes living in a densely populated place like Long Island has its advantages, though, as there was a similar ice cream parlor just a few miles away. So we drove over and ... also out of business.

Not to be deterred, we drove to yet another mix-in-the-toppings ice cream parlor. If you've already guessed that this one was closed, too, you're one step ahead of me.

At this point, we could have gone to Carvel or Baskin Robbins, but the boy wanted Friendly's, which this grinch of a mother had been refusing to do, despite the catchy jingle, because the service was so notoriously awful a couple decades ago. On this night I relented, hoping that the management had learned a thing or two over the last twenty years.

So okay, the service was pretty decent. Until the end of the meal, my only complaint was the volume of the place. Conversation during our Family Fun Night went something like this:

"Should I have the double scoop ice cream cone or the make-your-own sundae?"

"What?"

"Should I have the double scoop ice cream cone or the make-your-own sundae?"

"What?"

"I think she wants to know where the bathroom is."

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

Toward the end of the meal, my 16-year-old excused himself for the bathroom, and I was feeling pretty pleased overall. We'd only had to wait a few minutes for a table, the goodies were yummy and, best of all, we were leaving. Peace and quiet awaited me.

When my son got back from the restroom, he looked at the completely cleared table and I saw panic in his eyes. Immediately, I knew what had happened.

"My God, you put your retainer in a napkin, didn't you?"

That he heard.

We ran to the back and asked to look through the trash, but were told that customers were not allowed in that area. They'd look through it, they promised, but it could take a while.

It was getting late, and tables around us were clearing. As human bodies left the crowded restaurant, the place got colder and colder. I heard one young boy say to his mom, "We have to leave."

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm as cold as snow!"

Pretty soon, my whole family was as cold as snow. Still, we waited.

After more time passed, the waitress came out and told us to leave our phone number so we could go home. "We'll call you if we find it."

"No!" my husband said. "We're staying."

Alas, I knew he was right. If we left, they'd have no incentive to look. We were staying put, holding onto our check.

Another half an hour passed. My children were turning blue. At last the manager came out and kindly explained that they had looked through all the bus baskets and hadn't found it. We were crestfallen.

"There is one thing I can do," he said.

"What's that?"

"I can let you take home the garbage."

You have to know how Family Fun Night ended, don't you? In the backyard with flashlights and rubber gloves, looking through the biggest, smelliest, wettest, goopiest, most disgusting pile of garbage imaginable. I don't think my sinuses will ever be completely clear of the smell. It wasn't even something we could do at a safe arm's distance. The retainer in question is two small pieces of clear plastic, kind of like those Invisalign Braces. That meant that every soggy napkin and hamburger bun had to be squeezed and inspected.

The conversation went something like this:

"Ew."

"Ick."

"Pew."

"I'm going to throw up."

"Ugh."

"This is gross."

"Why does it smell so bad?"

"I have to vomit."

"No you don't!"

And then, after about forty minutes ...

"I found it!!!!!!!"

Yup, we actually found the retainer. A Family Fun Night miracle!

Now we have to think of something just as spectacular for next week. Anybody have a cesspool that needs a good scrubbing?

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GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY By Sara Rosett

Today I'm happy to blog about GCC author extraordinaire, Sara Rosett. She's a wonderful writer and a great sport who agreed to have a little fun with my GCC-Does-Hollywood blog program.

The latest in Sara's much-loved Mom Zone Mysteries is GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY, and here's how she'd pitch it to our fictional movie producer:

Air Force wife and professional organizer Ellie Avery goes to Washington, D.C., expecting some r&r while her pilot husband attends classes—but it’s Ellie who gets a deadly lesson when this getaway turns out to be murder.

Sara doesn't necessarily visualize actors portraying her characters, but she gave it a go ...


Ellie: Sandra Bullock—she’d be able to pull off the seriousness and the humor.

Mitch (Ellie’s husband): Val Kilmer—loved him in The Saint


Livvy (Ellie’s daughter): don’t know any actor this young—Livvy’s only 20 months old! (Editor's note: May I suggest ... my niece?)

Abby (Ellie’s best friend): Kelly Ripa has the right blend of enthusiasm and the tendency to say exactly what’s on her mind, but Abby’s more of a full figured gal with dark, curly hair.

Summer (Ellie’s cousin who gets involved in a murder investigation): Emma Roberts is a little young, but I think she could be the flighty college student who changes majors as quickly as some girls change their shoes.


Vicki Archer: After seeing Laura Linney in The Nanny Diaries, I know she could play this calculating, career-focused lobbyist. (Editor's note: I'm pretty sure Laura Linney could play just about anything.)

Jay MacInally: Since Jay is a Korean veteran turned consultant, I’d want someone like Jerry Orbach. He had the worn, fatherly personality that personifies Jay. (Editor's note: LOVED Jerry Orbach! In his stead, may I suggest William H. Macy?)

If all this fun doesn't convince you that this a book worth reading (or buying for someone for Mother's Day), please check out this amazing review from Publishers Weekly:

In Rosett's sparkling third Mom Zone mystery (after 2007's Staying Home Is a Killer), air force wife Ellie Avery tags along with her husband, Mitch, while he's attending a FROT (Foreign Reciprocity Officer Training) class in Washington, D.C. Ellie is ready for some tourist R & R, but while on a sightseeing trip with other air force wives she sees someone who looks like her sister-in-law, Summer Avery, push a man off the Metro platform. The victim turns out to be Jorge Dominguez, a sinister gardener who happens to have been stalking Summer, making her a prime suspect in his murder. Vickie Archer, who runs the Women's Advancement Center where Summer works, also knew Jorge. When, at Summer's suggestion, Ellie redoes the Archer daughter's messy bedroom for Mom Magazine, Ellie finds a major clue and becomes a moving target for the real killer. Rosett skillfully interweaves a subplot about a Korean war veteran recovering his memory and provides practical travel tips from Ellie's organizational Web site, Everything in Its Place. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

To buy GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY, visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To purchase online, visit Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Sara's website at sararosett.com.

Book club recommendations

If you're looking for something from the new fiction shelf for your next book club meeting, I have some terrific recommendations ...

Allison Winn Scotch's book, THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST AND FOUND, is now available in paperback. If you ever thought the topic the breast cancer couldn't be handled with as much humor as poignancy, you should read this novel. The critics at Booklist said, "Scotch handles the topic of cancer with humor and hope, never dipping into the maudlin. The changes and realizations that the characters make are profound and moving. An impressive debut." You can read more reviews here.

Rebecca Flowers' stupendous debut, NICE TO COME HOME TO, is now in bookstores. I had a pleasure getting my hands on an advance review copy of this book, and it knocked me out. Sister stories are near and dear to my heart, and this is truly one of the best. I hope this book gets the attention it deserves. Click here to read an excerpt.

I mentioned Alice Hoffman's newest novel, THE THIRD ANGEL, in my previous blog entry, but I didn't want to miss this chance to recommend it for book clubs. It's a multi-generational story about three flawed and fascinating women with a tendency to self-destruct. It's richly constructed and beautifully told, and I loved every page. If you want to read what the critics are saying, click here.

Author Brunch Recap

Today was the LIWA Author Brunch at Hofstra. In addition to being thrilled and honored to interview Alice Hoffman about her new book, THE THIRD ANGEL, I was excited to hear Larry Davidson interview Eric Van Lustbader and Victoria Lustbader. Larry was a terrifically colorful interviewer. Eric was so wry he could have a second career as a stand-up comic, and Victoria was utterly disarming in her candor. Fantastic!

Eric Van Lustbader, Victoria Lustbader and Larry Davidson

I got to see a proof for the cover of Eric's forthcoming FIRST DAUGHTER (Forge 8/08), and it looks astounding. (It's on my wishlist.) I already read Victoria's amazing debut, HIDDEN, which is now out in paperback, and am looking forward to her next one, STONE CREEK (Harper 5/08).


It was good to see old friends and new ones at this event. My bud, Carol Hoenig, was there. She's wasn't promoting anything, but she's a wonderful writer and if you haven't read WITHOUT GRACE, I highly recommend it. If you're an author, you should also check out her Guide to PLANNING BOOK EVENTS. Carol's a pro and has tons of valuable info.

I was very excited to meet my newest writer friend, Long Island homey Saralee Rosenberg. I had just read the ARC for her forthcoming novel, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD, which I was more than happy to blurb, as it's rare to find a book that's so funny and yet has so much heart.

Big thanks to the friends who came, to everyone who introduced themselves, and to the gals from the Hofstra bookstore. A major shout-out to award-winning journalist Debbi Honorof for putting this event together. She astounds me.

Here are some shots Carol got while Alice and I were chatting ...

As you probably know, writers are my rock stars. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to meet Alice and find that in addition to being one of our most talented contemporary authors, she's kind, generous and down-to-earth. She made me feel like we were old friends.

That said, I hope you'll rush out and buy THE THIRD ANGEL not because I like Alice Hoffman so much, but because you'll love the book. USA Today sure did.

MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT By Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

It's Girlfriends Cyber Circuit time! And I'm happy to be blogging about the feisty, funny MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga. Here's the press release description:

MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT is a comic, cross-cultural novel, out now, that has a mouth-watering pastry theme running through it that makes many a reader either head to the kitchen to start baking or just make a beeline to the nearest cake shop.

What happens when a young woman, fresh from Japan and too independent for Japanese society, finds herself suddenly lost in translation in San Francisco as she searches for her American Dream and the perfect dessert?

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga answers this question and more in her poignant comic novel, MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT, where we meet thirty-year-old Midori Saito, whose dream seems about to come true. A strong independent streak has always made her feel like a stranger in a strange land in her native Japan, but now she’s embarking on a new life in San Francisco. She’s about to marry Kevin, the perfect American man—six feet tall, with curly hair the color of marmalade. Unlike a Japanese guy who’d demand she be a housewife, Kevin doesn’t mind if Midori follows her dream of becoming a master pastry chef. Her life is turning out as exquisitely as a Caramelized Apple Tart with Crème Fraiche, until Kevin dumps her at their engagement party in favor of his blond, ex-fiancée, whom Midori never even knew existed.

Now Midori is not only on her own—with just a smattering of fractured English in her repertoire—she’s entered the U.S. on a fiancée visa that will expire in sixty days. Unable to face the humiliation of telling her parents she’s been dumped, and not wanting to give up on her American dream, Midori realizes she’s “up the creek without a saddle.” Her only hope is new acquaintance Shinji, 30, who long ago escaped Japan after a family tragedy, is a successful San Francisco graphic artist and amateur moon gazer, and who lets her share his apartment as a platonic roommate.

Soon Midori finds herself working at an under-the-table hostess job at an unsavory Japanese karaoke bar, making (and eating) way too many desserts, meeting a charming and handsome chef with his own restaurant who may be too good to be true, and trying to uncover the secret behind a mysterious bar hostess who looks strangely familiar. But Midori’s willing to endure almost anything to hang on to her American dream, and she just might find that the love she’s been searching for far and wide is a whole lot closer than she thinks.

"Poignant comic novel" sounds right up my alley, so I was glad to see glowing praise from from critics and fellow authors. Here are some samples:

“Tokunaga depicts Midori's determination to create her own version of the American dream with exuberance [in this] delectably frothy debut.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“Tokunaga suffuses the book with warmth and lightness. . .Just as the right dessert hits the spot, reading this delicious slice of escapism makes for a perfect afternoon. But instead of suffering a sugar crash afterward, you'll muse for days about the characters you've left behind and why they matter so much to you.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“[Midori by Moonlight] draws upon vivid imagery when defining traits of Japanese culture and really hits the nail on the head when depicting some American attitudes toward others.... witty and charming."—Charleston Gazette

“A surprisingly pleasurable read.”—Daily Yomiuri

“Midori is endearing, feisty, and funny: the novel is a delight.” – Ellen Sussman, editor of Bad Girls and author of On a Night Like This

“A delightful fusion of East meeting West, as if Banana Yoshimoto and Meg Cabot got together to create a romantic comedy.” - Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Vertigo

You can buy MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT at your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Wendy's website at wendynelsontokunaga.com.

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REMINDER: Tomorrow (Sunday) is the LIWA Author Brunch at the Hofstra University Club. You can register at the door. Click here for driving directions.