Friday Update 1/29

An anxious week of mostly waiting and wondering on a couple of different fronts. One interesting tidbit (to me, anyway) ...

It's no secret that I'm a big Dorothy Parker fan, and this week I read in one of her biographies that she got screenwriter credit on Hitchcock's SABOTEUR, and was given one of those Hitchcock-ian cameos with a line of dialogue. So I rented the DVD from the library, and sure enough, there she was! Hard to describe what an incredible thrill it was for me to see her on film and hear her voice. It was like I was touching the past.

You can see a bit of her in this publicity still from the movie--she's the face in the car.

Good news soon, I hope ...
(Kineinahorah poo-poo)

To be read

The books in my TBR pile fall into five categories:

1. Research (for my w-i-p)

2. Professional obligations

3. Edification (to fill some of the massive holes in my literacy)

4. Insistent daughter (Mom, can you PLEEEEEASE read this so we can talk about it?)

5. Pleasure

There is, of course, never enough time to get to all of it. And yet, every time I visit the public library I come home with another book. It's some kind of temporary madness. I see a novel I want to read and think, Goody--I have time to read this! And then I go home and look at my reading pile and realize I have rocks in my head.

What does your reading pile look like?

Friday Update 1/22

Busy ... busy ... busy ...

• Spoke to my agent about the proposal and everybody is pretty excited, so yay.

• Some excellent health progress with the sick kidlet, which is the best news of all.

• Looks like I may have picked up some freelance writing work. Pay is low and I really have no time for it, but it should be fun. And I need the dough, such as it is.

• Did a video interview with CafeMom that has nothing to do with my writing life. I just agreed to participate in one of their promos because I thought it might be a kick. It was. When it's live, I'll post a link.

• Writer pal Jordan Rosenfeld interviewed me on her blog. It's a quick six questions about revision. If you haven't clicked in, I hope you'll do that now ... Make A Scene.

• I'm excited that the wonderful Kristin Hannah is going to be at Book Revue on Long Island on February 12. I plan to be there. Do you?

• It's official--the title of my forthcoming novel is THE OTHER LIFE. Feels good to know.

Out of time. Have a great weekend!

Are you a swooper or a basher?

Jordan Rosenfeld is doing a terrific series on the way different writers approach the revision process.

Here's my 6-question interview.

Friday Update 1/15

Not the best week here, as one of my darlings has been kind of ill, but a few updates ...

• Sent the new proposal to my agents on Monday, which may have been a little cruel of me since they are both just back from vacation and no doubt buried under mountains of work. But I was too anxious to sit on it.

• Currently reading an old book about the Algonquin Round Table members by James R. Gaines called Wit's End. Interesting stuff.

• I had a lot of fun doing the interview over at The Writer's [Inner] Journey, and responding to all the comments. (Thanks, Meredith!) If you haven't popped over to check it out yet, I'll hope do that now. While you're there, feel free to leave a comment.

• If you haven't been to a bookstore lately, try to put it on your agenda for this weekend. This recession has hit the industry so very hard.

• Speaking of bookstores, the Borders in Syosset has signed copies of both my books in the stacks.

• ATTENTION ASPIRING LONG ISLAND NOVELISTS: Here' s a great opportunity to study with a pro who really brings the material to life. It's a course at Hofstra taught by my friend Saralee Rosenberg. Please check it out: Get That Novel Started: Strategies for writing fiction that sells.

• Soon I'll be participating in an interview on revisions over at Jordan Rosenfeld's MAKE A SCENE blog. I'll let you know when I have a date, but in the meantime you can bookmark it, as Jordan always posts great info for writers. You might also want to check out the book the blog is named for. (Pictured at right: Jordan and me when she came to visit for the first time back in 2004 or so.)

Enjoy your weekend!

New Interview

Fellow writer Meredith Resnick gives great interview on her blog, The Writer's [Inner] Journey, managing to come up with five very intense and creative questions. I'm honored to be her featured author this week.

Check it out.

If you leave a comment or question on Meredith's blog, I promise to respond!

Friday Update 1/8

• Finished my new proposal this week and will send it off to my agents early next week. That's probably stupid timing as they're both getting back from vacation on Monday, but I'm too anxious to sit on it.

• Having cold feet about the working title of my third book, THE OTHER LIFE. And while I think my editor and agents are ready to clobber me by now, I'm gearing up to submit more ideas.

• I read someplace that people like you more if your house leans toward the messy side. By that standard, my home was looking like I was vying for the title of Ms. Popularity. So a bit of cleaning today, which I loathe.

• Finally booked a place for the little one's bat mitzvah, which I put off for way too long. I was hoping the gods of prosperity might see fit to stop grinding my good little family into the ground, but no such luck. So I went ahead and did what I could.

• Real Estate Weekly ran an excellent profile on my brother, Stephen Meister, this week. Incisive, well-written article. Kudos to writer Daniel Greiger.

• Someone I love is 15 today. Happy birthday, darling boy! Time flies ...

• What I'm reading now: E.M. Forster's A ROOM WITH A VIEW. Thought I'd like it more.

Good-bye 2009!

Very happy to kick 2009 to the curb. Good riddance, you bastard. Here's to a better, brighter, healthier and more prosperous 2010!