Friday Update 9/17/10

• It's been a long haul on the book jacket for THE OTHER LIFE, and it looks like it's finally coming to an end. Last week my editor sent along a design we all loved. It's beautiful and magical and everything I could have hoped for. Alas, I can't show it to you yet as we're still waiting to hear if the sales department thinks it works. Stay tuned. I'm hoping I can post it here next week.

• Getting more and more excited about the book as pub date draws near. This week my editor sent me press release copy and it was pretty stupendous. A shout-out to the smart, talented folks at Penguin Putnam who put such great creative energy into it!

• On a personal note, things are still blazing along at breakneck speed as we hurtle toward the date of my daughter's Bat Mitzvah. I'm so busy and anxious I got myself a little sick, but am on the mend. Also, I'm trying to remind myself to enjoy this trip!

• Happy to say I've managed to stay on schedule with my writing goals. Hit page 200 on FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER this week, which is just where I wanted to be. The scene I'm finishing up is the one I consider the end of Act II. Fyi, the "acts" are invisible divisions, used only as a device to help me structure the story.

• Susan Henderson's brilliant debut novel, UP FROM THE BLUE, comes out next week, and I'll be joining her for the launch party at Book Revue in Huntington on Tuesday, September 21, at 7pm. If you're on Long Island, you shouldn't miss this! Click here for more info.

• Click to hear my 14-second homage to Dorothy Parker on virtualpoetryreading.com

Wishing my Jewish friends an easy fast ... and a great weekend to all!