If you're on my mailing list, you already got an email from me asking you to please put books on your holiday gift list this year. I'm writing about this in my blog now because the situation in publishing has reached even more dire proportions. Indeed, the news today has been grim, with massive layoffs, historic losses, frightening consolidations and even bankruptcies.
And trust me, there aren't going to be any government bailouts for publishing companies.
So if you think books are important, please buy one today or tomorrow. Doesn't matter where. You can buy online or at your favorite bookstore. You can go to Target or Walmart or Costco. You can even pick up a paperback at the supermarket. Just do it.
I do, of course, have some recommendations for you. I have so many favorite books it's hard to narrow it down to a one-size-fits-all list, so I've limited my selection to books I've read (and loved) over the last few months. But if there's someone specific on your list and you need a recommendation, post a comment or drop me a line, and I'll do my best to come up with something.
So here some current choices that I think are absolutely outstanding. These are all novels:
THE UNDERSTORY by Pamela Erens - Haunting, intense story about loneliness and obsession that seems to get nominated for every literary award. Well-deserved.
GOING DOWN SOUTH by Bonnie Glover – A tender and absorbing story about the complicated relationships between three generations of African American Women. Gorgeous writing.
THE THIRD ANGEL by Alice Hoffman – Luminous. Hoffman's gift for magical realism woven into a tale of three fascinating women. I loved this book.
MURDER AT THE BAD GIRL'S BAR & GRILL by N.M. Kelby – A smart, funny, rollicking mystery that Carl Hiaassen fans will eat with a spoon. Critics have been swooning over it.
THE SOUND OF BUTTERFLIES by Rachael King - Stunning novel that takes place at the turn-of-the-20th-Century. This one really stayed with me.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee – Still one of the best books ever written, imo
THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy - Post-apocalyptic story that strips love down to its barest essentials. This book will change you.
THE SMART ONE by Ellen Meister – Self-serving, I know, but I couldn't leave myself out. To read an excerpt, click here. To read an excerpt from SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA, click here.
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger – This came out a few years ago but I only just read it and wow. It's brilliant and absorbing.
THE FIRST PATIENT by Michael Palmer – For thriller lovers, it doesn't get any better. Michael Palmer kicks ass.
THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER by Tom Perrotta – The secular left and religious right clash ... sometimes inside a single soul. Funny, tender, real. Perrotta makes it look so easy.
DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD by Saralee Rosenberg – Absolutely hilarious ... but also layered and poignant. I loved this story about an unlikely friendship between two warring neighbors.
BRIDGE OF SIGHS by Richard Russo – Considered literary fiction, but very accessible. No one creates characters like Richard Russo. My favorite living author.
Here are some books my kids recommend:
THE ALEX RIDER SERIES by Anthony Horowitz (adventure)
DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON SERIES by Lynne Ewing
THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE by Wendy Mass
WAKE by Lisa McMann
HARRY POTTER SERIES by J.K. Rowling
ELSEWHERE by Garbrielle Zevin
I hope you'll buy a book or two today! And if you want to go the extra mile, here's an idea: spread the word by sending a list of book recommendations to all your email friends. Feel free to copy my list ... or make one of your own.
Thanks, friends.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
THE FIDELITY FILES by Jessica Brody
Today I'm thrilled to blog about one of the newest members of the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit, Jessica Brody. Her debut novel, THE FIDELITY FILES, has a killer hook, a kickass video, and is a national bestseller.
And, um ... Jessica is 29.
The book is getting outstanding reviews, was a USA Today Hot Summer Reads Pick and is being published in seven other countries.
Have I mentioned that Jessica is 29?
If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of THE FIDELITY FILES, who gets the call?
I’ve always struggled with this question because I’ve never really had one person in mind for the role of Jennifer/Ashlyn. She would have to be beautiful and sexy so that the men in the movie would fall for her but she would also has to come off as sympathetic and a little vulnerable so that audience would relate to her. I would love to see Rachel McAdams in the role because I think she could pull it off. Also Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson or Keira Knightley would be great casts.
As for Jamie, the love interest, Patrick Dempsey is an obvious cast for me. I think he has that distinguished mature look that’s described in the book and he also comes off as very sweet and genuine. That’s the kind of guy Jamie is in my head.
Do you have a sample chapter posted?
Do you write from a character or from a plot idea?
I’m definitely more driven by character. I like thinking up interesting characters with intriguing back stories and then forming a world around them. Like, “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a story about a woman who tests men’s fidelity for a living?” Then I go forward from there. “What would her life be like?” And “What kind of interesting things would happen to someone like that?”
Do you have a favorite character in THE FIDELITY FILES?
My favorite character is definitely Jen’s gay friend, John. Every scene he’s in was always the most fun to write. And the easiest. He’s definitely the comic relief of the book. I don’t know where some of his lines come from. They just kind of emerge as if I’m channeling a flamboyant and sometimes annoying gay man from another dimension. I would be writing a scene with him and he’d respond with a line that was so him and I would just stare back at it on the page, laugh and say, “Where did that come from?” Needless to say, he was one of my favorite characters to return to in the sequel.
Thanks so much, Jessica!
And, um ... Jessica is 29.
The book is getting outstanding reviews, was a USA Today Hot Summer Reads Pick and is being published in seven other countries.
Have I mentioned that Jessica is 29?
Anyway, she's as charming as she is talented, and I'm pleased to present you with the following interview ...
Tell u
s about THE FIDELITY FILES and the inspiration behind it.
The Fidelity Files is the story of a beautiful, L.A. woman who works as an undercover “fidelity inspector,” hired by suspicious wives and girlfriends to test the faithfulness of the men in their lives. Except no one in her life knows what she does. Her friends and family all think she works for an investment bank.
Before I became a full-time writer, I worked in a very corporate environment. And like all corporate jobs, there were a certain number of “alcohol-related” events that I was expected to attend. I would often find myself at work happy hour functions in nearby bars, observing the interactions between single and non-single co-workers as their behaviors gradually declined from professional to something else entirely. Something hardly capable of being described as “appropriate.”
Witnessing these “indiscretions” upset me on a profound level. I secretly wished that someone would tell the “conveniently” absent significant others about what their husbands/wives/boyfriends/ girlfriends/fiancés really did while attending these “obligatory” and supposedly “uneventful” work functions. But I certainly wasn’t going to be the one to do it. I was brave enough to think it…but not exactly brave enough to go knocking on people’s doors with bad news. You know what people tend to do to “the messenger.”
So instead I created a character whose job and purpose in life was to do just that. To reveal the truth to anyone who wanted to know. To knock on all the doors that I never had the courage to knock on. An invincible superhero-esque woman whose quest is to fight against the evils of infidelity. But of course, she soon finds out…she’s not as invincible as she once thought.
Tell u
s about THE FIDELITY FILES and the inspiration behind it.The Fidelity Files is the story of a beautiful, L.A. woman who works as an undercover “fidelity inspector,” hired by suspicious wives and girlfriends to test the faithfulness of the men in their lives. Except no one in her life knows what she does. Her friends and family all think she works for an investment bank.
Before I became a full-time writer, I worked in a very corporate environment. And like all corporate jobs, there were a certain number of “alcohol-related” events that I was expected to attend. I would often find myself at work happy hour functions in nearby bars, observing the interactions between single and non-single co-workers as their behaviors gradually declined from professional to something else entirely. Something hardly capable of being described as “appropriate.”
Witnessing these “indiscretions” upset me on a profound level. I secretly wished that someone would tell the “conveniently” absent significant others about what their husbands/wives/boyfriends/ girlfriends/fiancés really did while attending these “obligatory” and supposedly “uneventful” work functions. But I certainly wasn’t going to be the one to do it. I was brave enough to think it…but not exactly brave enough to go knocking on people’s doors with bad news. You know what people tend to do to “the messenger.”
So instead I created a character whose job and purpose in life was to do just that. To reveal the truth to anyone who wanted to know. To knock on all the doors that I never had the courage to knock on. An invincible superhero-esque woman whose quest is to fight against the evils of infidelity. But of course, she soon finds out…she’s not as invincible as she once thought.
If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of THE FIDELITY FILES, who gets the call?
I’ve always struggled with this question because I’ve never really had one person in mind for the role of Jennifer/Ashlyn. She would have to be beautiful and sexy so that the men in the movie would fall for her but she would also has to come off as sympathetic and a little vulnerable so that audience would relate to her. I would love to see Rachel McAdams in the role because I think she could pull it off. Also Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson or Keira Knightley would be great casts.
As for Jamie, the love interest, Patrick Dempsey is an obvious cast for me. I think he has that distinguished mature look that’s described in the book and he also comes off as very sweet and genuine. That’s the kind of guy Jamie is in my head.
Do you have a sample chapter posted?
Yes, it's at www.thefidelityfiles.com/excerpt.html
Do you write from a character or from a plot idea?
I’m definitely more driven by character. I like thinking up interesting characters with intriguing back stories and then forming a world around them. Like, “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a story about a woman who tests men’s fidelity for a living?” Then I go forward from there. “What would her life be like?” And “What kind of interesting things would happen to someone like that?”
Do you have a favorite character in THE FIDELITY FILES?
My favorite character is definitely Jen’s gay friend, John. Every scene he’s in was always the most fun to write. And the easiest. He’s definitely the comic relief of the book. I don’t know where some of his lines come from. They just kind of emerge as if I’m channeling a flamboyant and sometimes annoying gay man from another dimension. I would be writing a scene with him and he’d respond with a line that was so him and I would just stare back at it on the page, laugh and say, “Where did that come from?” Needless to say, he was one of my favorite characters to return to in the sequel.
Thanks so much, Jessica!
I think THE FIDELITY FILES would make a great holiday gift, so I hope you'll put it on your list. It's available in trade paperback at your local chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information--and to see that amazing video--visit Jessica's website at thefidelityfiles.com.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday Update
* It's officially Black Friday. Please buy books this year! There's no gift that gives more bang for the buck. And you'll be doing your part to save civilization. If you need some recommendations, drop me a line and tell me who you're shopping for. I'll do my best ...
* Thanksgiving was fairly perfect yesterday, thanks to my brother and sister-in-law. I got to spend some wonderful and relaxing time with family, some of whom I hadn't seen in years. The best! Also, I pretty much threw my diet out the window and ate a little bit of everything ... without overstuffing. Hope yours was terrific, too!
* Reached my goal of writing ten pages this week, despite having house guests and the kids at home. Up to page 215.
* I'm finally starting to get the hang of Facebook. If you're there, make me your friend!
* Something I've been wondering about this week ... what's the purpose of those Secret Service code names for the President et al. if they make them public?
* My friend Susan DiPlacido recently posted a blog about the kind of silly humor that tickles her, which made me think of one of my favorite snl skits, the men's synchronized swim film with Martin Short, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest. Hilarious!
* Thanksgiving was fairly perfect yesterday, thanks to my brother and sister-in-law. I got to spend some wonderful and relaxing time with family, some of whom I hadn't seen in years. The best! Also, I pretty much threw my diet out the window and ate a little bit of everything ... without overstuffing. Hope yours was terrific, too!
* Reached my goal of writing ten pages this week, despite having house guests and the kids at home. Up to page 215.
* I'm finally starting to get the hang of Facebook. If you're there, make me your friend!
* Something I've been wondering about this week ... what's the purpose of those Secret Service code names for the President et al. if they make them public?
* My friend Susan DiPlacido recently posted a blog about the kind of silly humor that tickles her, which made me think of one of my favorite snl skits, the men's synchronized swim film with Martin Short, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest. Hilarious!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
101 Things I'm Thankful For
In random order ...
1. Caffeine
2. Mike's hugs
3. Rollerball pens
4. Honey-roasted cashews
5. Fan mail
6. The DVR
7. Friends who are writers
8. Friends who aren't writers
9. Seasons
10. Chocolate-covered halvah
11. Dreams
12. Good novels
13. Max's accomplishments
14. Ethan's heart
15. Emma's spirit
16. People who hold the door open
17. My parents
18. The Internet
19. The refrigerator door water dispenser
20. Concealer
21. Newborns
22. Post-its
23. Things with handles
24. The Chrysler Building
25. Advil
26. My GPS
27. My publishing contract
28. Sex
29. Laser printers
30. Libraries
31. Bike rides
32. The sunlight on Jones Beach
33. My kids' teachers
34. Bookstores
35. Push-up bras
36. Hair products
37. Email
38. Modern hygiene
39. Barack Obama
40. Lactaid
41. Newsday's Cryptoquote
42. Air-conditioning
43. Contact lenses
44. Good health
45. Spellcheck
46. Elastic waistbands
47. Signed books
48. Heating pads
49. New Yorkers
50. Antibiotics
51. Red wine
52. Sliding doors on a minivan
53. Jokes
54. Cabot's Vitamin E Cream
55. Dogs
56. AstrologyZone
57. Autumn leaves
58. Luggage wheels
59. Richard Russo characters
60. Long hot showers
61. My eyelashes
62. Chocolate truffles
63. The Marx Brothers
64. Barbecues
65. Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert
66. CafeMom
67. The "find" feature on my cordless phone(s)
68. Scrabble
69. Diners
70. Love
71. The nice cashiers at Waldbaums
72. Online shopping
73. Stadium-style seating at movie theaters
74. Forgiveness
75. Retractable cords
76. Nassau-Suffolk Services for Autism
77. Solitude
78. Beatles songs
79. Moist turkey
80. Naps on the couch
81. Art museums
82. Sarcasm
83. Parking spaces
84. Search engines
85. Diet Coke
86. People who write back
87. Sugarfree gum
88. NPR
89. Men
90. My extended family
91. Cotton sweatshirts
92. My new computer
93. Large crowds at my house for dinner
94. Tina Fey
95. Potato latkes
96. Readers
97. Seinfeld reruns
98. Atoms
99. Polite drivers
100. Lists
101. People who read my blog
1. Caffeine
2. Mike's hugs
3. Rollerball pens
4. Honey-roasted cashews
5. Fan mail
6. The DVR
7. Friends who are writers
8. Friends who aren't writers
9. Seasons
10. Chocolate-covered halvah
11. Dreams
12. Good novels
13. Max's accomplishments
14. Ethan's heart
15. Emma's spirit
16. People who hold the door open
17. My parents
18. The Internet
19. The refrigerator door water dispenser
20. Concealer
21. Newborns
22. Post-its
23. Things with handles
24. The Chrysler Building
25. Advil
26. My GPS
27. My publishing contract
28. Sex
29. Laser printers
30. Libraries
31. Bike rides
32. The sunlight on Jones Beach
33. My kids' teachers
34. Bookstores
35. Push-up bras
36. Hair products
37. Email
38. Modern hygiene
39. Barack Obama
40. Lactaid
41. Newsday's Cryptoquote
42. Air-conditioning
43. Contact lenses
44. Good health
45. Spellcheck
46. Elastic waistbands
47. Signed books
48. Heating pads
49. New Yorkers
50. Antibiotics
51. Red wine
52. Sliding doors on a minivan
53. Jokes
54. Cabot's Vitamin E Cream
55. Dogs
56. AstrologyZone
57. Autumn leaves
58. Luggage wheels
59. Richard Russo characters
60. Long hot showers
61. My eyelashes
62. Chocolate truffles
63. The Marx Brothers
64. Barbecues
65. Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert
66. CafeMom
67. The "find" feature on my cordless phone(s)
68. Scrabble
69. Diners
70. Love
71. The nice cashiers at Waldbaums
72. Online shopping
73. Stadium-style seating at movie theaters
74. Forgiveness
75. Retractable cords
76. Nassau-Suffolk Services for Autism
77. Solitude
78. Beatles songs
79. Moist turkey
80. Naps on the couch
81. Art museums
82. Sarcasm
83. Parking spaces
84. Search engines
85. Diet Coke
86. People who write back
87. Sugarfree gum
88. NPR
89. Men
90. My extended family
91. Cotton sweatshirts
92. My new computer
93. Large crowds at my house for dinner
94. Tina Fey
95. Potato latkes
96. Readers
97. Seinfeld reruns
98. Atoms
99. Polite drivers
100. Lists
101. People who read my blog
Monday, November 24, 2008
DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD By Saralee Rosenberg
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that I'm a huge fan of Saralee Rosenberg, fellow Long Island author, friend, tour mate, lunch buddy, inspiration and all around partner-in-crime. But today I want to focus more specifically on her magnificently funny and surprisingly layered novel, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD.
As I mentioned in Friday's update, I recently bought eight copies of this book to give as holiday gifts. Take a look at some of the reviews it's been getting and you'll understand why I'm so besotted ...
“Great read. Hilarious and heartwarming!” - Good Housekeeping Quick and Simple Magazine’s Book Pick of the Week (July 22, 2008)
"Saralee Rosenberg’s latest novel is zany and will have you laughing out loud. But under all the hilarity is a wonderfully touching story that grabs you at page one and doesn’t let go until the end.” -Debbi Honorof, Book Columnist, Long Island Woman
"Through a winning blend of hip and humble humor, Rosenberg simultaneously skerwers and celebrates the institution of suburban sisterhood." - Booklist
“I just had to send you an e-mail concerning your book, Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead. I’m on vacation and finished it late last night. I have never laughed and cried so much while reading a book. Bravo!” - Jennifer Vido, reviewer and columnist, www.freshfiction.com
And the buzz from readers is even better. Click over to Amazon.com to see what I mean.
Since this is my official Girlfriends Cyber Circuit blog entry about Saralee, I got to interview her. Check out my co
lorful and funny friend ...
What was the inspiration for DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD?
Of my four novels, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD is the only one that was inspired by, well, me! This story is based on my first novel, ALL IN THE CARDS, which was never published, but did take a very exciting journey to Hollywood. Back in 1997, Bette Midler optioned it for a feature film (she was looking for a follow up comedy to “First Wives Club”). Exactly! Wow! First time out and it’s a homerun. Sadly, the reason you never heard of it is because ultimately, Bette and her partner couldn’t get financing or find the right screenwriter to adapt it. Bye bye Bette... Now fast forward to a few years ago. My novels, A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE, CLAIRE VOYANT and FATE & MS. FORTUNE had done very well but were about single women looking for love in all the wrong places. I wanted to write about my “peeps” in the suburbs and pitched my editor on letting me rewrite ALL IN THE CARDS. She was hesitant because she wasn’t sure Avon was the right publisher for a suburban/soccer mom story with bickering neighbors. Then came “Desperate Housewives” and suddenly it was, get me suburban/soccer mom stories with bickering neighbors. Timing is everything.... So although DEAR NEIGHBOR is an incarnation of my earliest novel, it is a much richer, deeper, funnier story and is resonating with readers of all ages.
What came first, the title or the idea?
For DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD, the title came to me only a few months before publication and trust me, by then I was in a total panic. The original title, based on the very earliest draft, was ALL IN THE CARDS, but everyone agreed that was kind of boring. Then I submitted a list of twenty titles, some interesting, some wacky, some that would never fly because they involved curse words. Here is a sampling: Hot, Hungry and Hormonal; Ask Your Doctor if Stress Is Right for You; Same SH-T, Different Zip; If Lucy Hated Ethel; and one of my personal favorites, The Bitch Next Door. No, no, no, my editor said to all of those. Then I came up with Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead and she smiled. We have a winner!!! And I must admit, it’s a beauty. Everyone gets it. No need for an explanation. As for my novel, CLAIRE VOYANT, that title came to me years ago and it took me a while to create an entire story based on the premise that a girl named Claire would have super natural abilities.
Which scene (or scenes) in this book did you love writing?
I am crazy about writing dialogue and would spend days working on a scene between Mindy and Beth to make sure that I got the tone, the phrasing, the timing and the subtle nuances just right. There was so much that they wanted to say to each other after eight years of making each other crazy, I just had to let it out a little at a time, like air coming out of a balloon. But the scene I loved writing the most was the one where they are in a hotel room and Beth confronts the fact that she might be pregnant. It is a funny, poignant moment where both characters reveal their greatest joys and misgivings of motherhood and I remember when I sat at my computer, the words just poured out and I had to sit still to hear every last word coming through. I realized at the end that they had just broadcast my own conflicts and vulnerabilities about being a mom and it was whoa... where did that come from?
Most authors admit that they dream of being on Oprah, but you have a unique take on this. Please share it with my blog readers ...
Sigh. I’ve actually had the distinct privilege of appearing on Oprah to discuss my non-fiction book, 50 FABULOUS PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY, and I gotta tell you, it was awesome. She was soooo nice and I and my husband/co-author were treated like royalty. We got the limousine, the fancy hotel, the nice dinner out, hair and make-up and a souvenir coffee cup that still sits on my desk as a pen holder. And Steadman was there, too (he smelled so good!) Would I love to be a guest again? Are you kidding me? It would be a dream come true to be invited back as a best selling novelist. In fact, I had a dream scene in DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD that involved my character Mindy being on the show to talk about what it was like to live next door to Beth, the bitch. It had to be cut because of space limitations, but trust me, Oprah is always on my mind. Nobody sells a book like her.
What is up next for you?
I am very excited about my next novel because the focus is about a child leaving for college and this is hitting very close to home as our youngest is now a senior in high school. But in this story, Jackie, a twice-divorced mom, has one son, 17-year old Daniel and she is in a panic thinking that when he leaves for college in the fall, she’ll be left alone with her ornery, widowed father. Thus, when she sets off on the campus tour circuit, she decides to throw caution and her underwear to the wind and boy does she have one hell of a good time. It’s worse senioritis than even Daniel has and their adventures visiting the Ivies is one for the books. In the end, she rediscovers the smart, ambitious girl she left behind at Yale Law and pledges to get her life back on track. The title of the book is EARLY DECISION and I think it’s going to be my best yet. No publication date as of yet.
As I mentioned in Friday's update, I recently bought eight copies of this book to give as holiday gifts. Take a look at some of the reviews it's been getting and you'll understand why I'm so besotted ...
“Great read. Hilarious and heartwarming!” - Good Housekeeping Quick and Simple Magazine’s Book Pick of the Week (July 22, 2008)
"Saralee Rosenberg’s latest novel is zany and will have you laughing out loud. But under all the hilarity is a wonderfully touching story that grabs you at page one and doesn’t let go until the end.” -Debbi Honorof, Book Columnist, Long Island Woman
"Through a winning blend of hip and humble humor, Rosenberg simultaneously skerwers and celebrates the institution of suburban sisterhood." - Booklist
“I just had to send you an e-mail concerning your book, Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead. I’m on vacation and finished it late last night. I have never laughed and cried so much while reading a book. Bravo!” - Jennifer Vido, reviewer and columnist, www.freshfiction.com
And the buzz from readers is even better. Click over to Amazon.com to see what I mean.
Since this is my official Girlfriends Cyber Circuit blog entry about Saralee, I got to interview her. Check out my co
lorful and funny friend ...What was the inspiration for DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD?
Of my four novels, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD is the only one that was inspired by, well, me! This story is based on my first novel, ALL IN THE CARDS, which was never published, but did take a very exciting journey to Hollywood. Back in 1997, Bette Midler optioned it for a feature film (she was looking for a follow up comedy to “First Wives Club”). Exactly! Wow! First time out and it’s a homerun. Sadly, the reason you never heard of it is because ultimately, Bette and her partner couldn’t get financing or find the right screenwriter to adapt it. Bye bye Bette... Now fast forward to a few years ago. My novels, A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE, CLAIRE VOYANT and FATE & MS. FORTUNE had done very well but were about single women looking for love in all the wrong places. I wanted to write about my “peeps” in the suburbs and pitched my editor on letting me rewrite ALL IN THE CARDS. She was hesitant because she wasn’t sure Avon was the right publisher for a suburban/soccer mom story with bickering neighbors. Then came “Desperate Housewives” and suddenly it was, get me suburban/soccer mom stories with bickering neighbors. Timing is everything.... So although DEAR NEIGHBOR is an incarnation of my earliest novel, it is a much richer, deeper, funnier story and is resonating with readers of all ages.
What came first, the title or the idea?
For DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD, the title came to me only a few months before publication and trust me, by then I was in a total panic. The original title, based on the very earliest draft, was ALL IN THE CARDS, but everyone agreed that was kind of boring. Then I submitted a list of twenty titles, some interesting, some wacky, some that would never fly because they involved curse words. Here is a sampling: Hot, Hungry and Hormonal; Ask Your Doctor if Stress Is Right for You; Same SH-T, Different Zip; If Lucy Hated Ethel; and one of my personal favorites, The Bitch Next Door. No, no, no, my editor said to all of those. Then I came up with Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead and she smiled. We have a winner!!! And I must admit, it’s a beauty. Everyone gets it. No need for an explanation. As for my novel, CLAIRE VOYANT, that title came to me years ago and it took me a while to create an entire story based on the premise that a girl named Claire would have super natural abilities.
Which scene (or scenes) in this book did you love writing?
I am crazy about writing dialogue and would spend days working on a scene between Mindy and Beth to make sure that I got the tone, the phrasing, the timing and the subtle nuances just right. There was so much that they wanted to say to each other after eight years of making each other crazy, I just had to let it out a little at a time, like air coming out of a balloon. But the scene I loved writing the most was the one where they are in a hotel room and Beth confronts the fact that she might be pregnant. It is a funny, poignant moment where both characters reveal their greatest joys and misgivings of motherhood and I remember when I sat at my computer, the words just poured out and I had to sit still to hear every last word coming through. I realized at the end that they had just broadcast my own conflicts and vulnerabilities about being a mom and it was whoa... where did that come from?
Most authors admit that they dream of being on Oprah, but you have a unique take on this. Please share it with my blog readers ...
Sigh. I’ve actually had the distinct privilege of appearing on Oprah to discuss my non-fiction book, 50 FABULOUS PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY, and I gotta tell you, it was awesome. She was soooo nice and I and my husband/co-author were treated like royalty. We got the limousine, the fancy hotel, the nice dinner out, hair and make-up and a souvenir coffee cup that still sits on my desk as a pen holder. And Steadman was there, too (he smelled so good!) Would I love to be a guest again? Are you kidding me? It would be a dream come true to be invited back as a best selling novelist. In fact, I had a dream scene in DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD that involved my character Mindy being on the show to talk about what it was like to live next door to Beth, the bitch. It had to be cut because of space limitations, but trust me, Oprah is always on my mind. Nobody sells a book like her.
What is up next for you?
I am very excited about my next novel because the focus is about a child leaving for college and this is hitting very close to home as our youngest is now a senior in high school. But in this story, Jackie, a twice-divorced mom, has one son, 17-year old Daniel and she is in a panic thinking that when he leaves for college in the fall, she’ll be left alone with her ornery, widowed father. Thus, when she sets off on the campus tour circuit, she decides to throw caution and her underwear to the wind and boy does she have one hell of a good time. It’s worse senioritis than even Daniel has and their adventures visiting the Ivies is one for the books. In the end, she rediscovers the smart, ambitious girl she left behind at Yale Law and pledges to get her life back on track. The title of the book is EARLY DECISION and I think it’s going to be my best yet. No publication date as of yet.
I hope you'll consider DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD for your holiday list, your book club or both. You can find it at your local chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Saralee's slick new website at saraleerosenberg.com.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday Update
* Yesterday I had a manicure in a salon where little to no English was spoken. When the young Asian man ran the coarse nail buffer over my pinkie nail, he 
accidentally cut open skin beyond the cuticle. I pulled my hand away to show him what he did, and he wordlessly took out a small vial of blue liquid and applied a few drops. Antibiotic, I thought. How nice.
At first I felt nothing and then ... holy focaccia. It started to burn. I tried to tough it out, figuring I was just being a wimp. (My pain tolerance is notoriously low.) But the burn started to spread up my finger to my hand and arm. Finally I started to scream, I HAVE TO WASH THIS OFF! I HAVE TO WASH THIS OFF!
No one even knew what I was saying. They just stared, inscrutably, at this crazy American woman jumping around the salon.
Anyway, it still hurt when I went to bed last night, still hurts a bit now ... not like a cut but like a burn. I still have no idea what the hell this guy put on my hand. But my nails look fabulous.
* On page 205 of the work-in-progress. This morning I reread the last chapter I wrote and it needs a bit of work. Don't think I'll be able to move forward until I fix what's bugging me. Yeah, I'm that anal.
* My parents, AKA Morty and Helen Seinfeld of Del Boca Vista, are landing in LaGuardia this afternoon and will be staying with us for the week. (Note to self: buy more bran cereal.) Check back in soon for reports from the front.
* Late to the game, as usual, but I just finished reading Audrey
Niffennegger's THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. It brought me to my knees. If you haven't read this powerful book, what are you waiting for?
* Speaking of late to the game, I just started reading Nelson DeMille's THE GOLD COAST. He wrote a new intro for this decade-old book, and I was struck by the attitude he had toward his own work. At first, I thought it was hubris, and then I realized I just wasn't accustomed to confidence in writers. We tend to be a pretty self-effacing bunch. Made me question my conviction that all good writers are insecure. (The reasoning is that confident people won't torture themselves over the quality of their writing to the point where they're willing to work like desperate animals to improve it.) Is DeMille, who's clearly an outstanding writer, the exception to the rule? Or is my assumption faulty?
* More book news: I bought eight copies of Saralee Rosenberg's DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD to give as teacher gifts this year. That should tell you something about my belief in this book. Just wanted to put a bee in your bonnet if you're thinking about holiday gifts. You'll note that Amazon, in its infinite wisdom, suggests that you pair your purchase of this book with both of mine. Who am I to argue with that? Anyway, I'll be running an interview with Saralee within the next few days, so check back in.
* Last Friday my 16-year-old wonderkid won the award for Best Music Video at his high school film festival. My pride filled the entire auditorium. Better yet? His pride. It was quite a moment. It's a film style called animutation, and it's pretty avant-garde. Take a look:
accidentally cut open skin beyond the cuticle. I pulled my hand away to show him what he did, and he wordlessly took out a small vial of blue liquid and applied a few drops. Antibiotic, I thought. How nice.At first I felt nothing and then ... holy focaccia. It started to burn. I tried to tough it out, figuring I was just being a wimp. (My pain tolerance is notoriously low.) But the burn started to spread up my finger to my hand and arm. Finally I started to scream, I HAVE TO WASH THIS OFF! I HAVE TO WASH THIS OFF!
No one even knew what I was saying. They just stared, inscrutably, at this crazy American woman jumping around the salon.
Anyway, it still hurt when I went to bed last night, still hurts a bit now ... not like a cut but like a burn. I still have no idea what the hell this guy put on my hand. But my nails look fabulous.
* On page 205 of the work-in-progress. This morning I reread the last chapter I wrote and it needs a bit of work. Don't think I'll be able to move forward until I fix what's bugging me. Yeah, I'm that anal.
* My parents, AKA Morty and Helen Seinfeld of Del Boca Vista, are landing in LaGuardia this afternoon and will be staying with us for the week. (Note to self: buy more bran cereal.) Check back in soon for reports from the front.
* Late to the game, as usual, but I just finished reading Audrey
Niffennegger's THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. It brought me to my knees. If you haven't read this powerful book, what are you waiting for?* Speaking of late to the game, I just started reading Nelson DeMille's THE GOLD COAST. He wrote a new intro for this decade-old book, and I was struck by the attitude he had toward his own work. At first, I thought it was hubris, and then I realized I just wasn't accustomed to confidence in writers. We tend to be a pretty self-effacing bunch. Made me question my conviction that all good writers are insecure. (The reasoning is that confident people won't torture themselves over the quality of their writing to the point where they're willing to work like desperate animals to improve it.) Is DeMille, who's clearly an outstanding writer, the exception to the rule? Or is my assumption faulty?
* More book news: I bought eight copies of Saralee Rosenberg's DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD to give as teacher gifts this year. That should tell you something about my belief in this book. Just wanted to put a bee in your bonnet if you're thinking about holiday gifts. You'll note that Amazon, in its infinite wisdom, suggests that you pair your purchase of this book with both of mine. Who am I to argue with that? Anyway, I'll be running an interview with Saralee within the next few days, so check back in.
* Last Friday my 16-year-old wonderkid won the award for Best Music Video at his high school film festival. My pride filled the entire auditorium. Better yet? His pride. It was quite a moment. It's a film style called animutation, and it's pretty avant-garde. Take a look:
Friday, November 14, 2008
FriDaY uPdaTe
* Last night Saralee Rosenberg and I did a book talk at the Barnes & Noble and in East Northport. Rain dampened the turnout, but the folks who came were smart and fun, and it was a success all around. A big shout-out to Linda Epstein and Jen at Barnes & Noble for all the help. News12 Long Island showed up as promised, and I should be able to post a link to the story by this afternoon. Note, though, that if I look like Quasimodo and sound like a brain injury victim, all bets are off.
Also, a big warm hug to Taryn Rosenberg for taking the pics. Scroll down for more.
Also also ... we left plenty of signed copies of DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD and THE SMART ONE at the store. So if you're on Long Island, I hope you'll remember that when you're doing your holiday shopping.
* My exciting news this week is that I got a brand new desktop computer. It's big and fast and beautiful, and I can't help but wonder why I've been working on a scrunchy little laptop all these years. It's an HP and I got a good deal on it from Circuit City. As you may know, that company is bleeding pretty badly these days, so please consider checking them out if you have electronics on your holiday list this year.
* Up to page 190 on the new book, which means I only advanced 4 pages this week. But I spent most of the week editing the existing chapters, so I wasn't expecting much progress. Anyway, I sent the pages to my editor and hope to hear back soon.
* Celebrated my wedding anniversary this week, and will celebrate my birthday next week. November is a big month around here!
And now some pictures from last night ...
Saralee and I pose with Barnes & Noble Community Relations Manager, Linda Epstein.
Taking a minute to pose before we begin.
The talk starts ...
... and continues.
Signing books at the end.Thursday, November 13, 2008
INVISIBLE TOUCH By Kelly Parra
Kelly Parra's new and exciting INVISIBLE TOUCH hit the stands just a few weeks ago, and I'm thrilled to be blogging about it. Young Adult readers, critics and fellow authors adore Kelly's exciting stories and engaging characters, and I'm sure you will, too.
I recently interviewed Kelly about this new book, and here are the highlights ...
How would you describe the genre of INVISIBLE TOUCH, and what pulled you toward i
t?
I would describe INVISIBLE TOUCH as a Contemporary Paranormal. Since it is about a modern teenage girl who has an odd psychic power of seeing signs or visions on individuals' torsos and must piece the clues together in order to stop an unfortunate fate. I've always been fascinated by the paranormal and signs that could have alternative meanings, and believed the concept would make a great story idea.
Do you have a favorite character in this book? If so, why?
My favorite character is definitely Kara. She's dealing with a strong psychic gift that is often at times a curse and tries to get a handle on it all by herself while the family deals with the grief of losing her father. She's got a strong heart and like a lot of teens with personal dilemmas trying to hold it together.6. Is there a story behind the title of this book?
Is there a story behind the title of INVISIBLE TOUCH?
A small one. My agent, editor and myself couldn't agree on a title. It sold under "Signs" which wasn't going to be the title just what we referenced the book as. There were all kinds of suggestions thrown on the table but we couldn't seem to agree, until my editor's assistant was on her way to a Phil Collins concert and offered one of the group's songs as a title--INVISIBLE TOUCH. It was a title that was cool for a song but really stood out for a book title. We all finally agreed!
Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?
I do read reviews in the early stages so I can get a feel of what readers think of a new book. Its always a great feeling to read something nice by someone you've never met! TeensReadToo gave Invisible Touch the "Gold Star Award of Excellence" and the Salinas Californian gave it "Five Gold Pens". So early reviews have been nice to me!
What are you reading now?
I just finished Marjorie M. Liu's The Iron Hunt and now I'm reading Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb. I like to read my fave sci-fi authors!
Thanks so much, Kelly!
Just a reminder: books make excellent holiday gifts. So if you know a young reader, please look for INVISIBLE TOUCH at your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Kelly's website at kellyparra.com.
I recently interviewed Kelly about this new book, and here are the highlights ...How would you describe the genre of INVISIBLE TOUCH, and what pulled you toward i
t?I would describe INVISIBLE TOUCH as a Contemporary Paranormal. Since it is about a modern teenage girl who has an odd psychic power of seeing signs or visions on individuals' torsos and must piece the clues together in order to stop an unfortunate fate. I've always been fascinated by the paranormal and signs that could have alternative meanings, and believed the concept would make a great story idea.
Do you have a favorite character in this book? If so, why?
My favorite character is definitely Kara. She's dealing with a strong psychic gift that is often at times a curse and tries to get a handle on it all by herself while the family deals with the grief of losing her father. She's got a strong heart and like a lot of teens with personal dilemmas trying to hold it together.6. Is there a story behind the title of this book?
Is there a story behind the title of INVISIBLE TOUCH?
A small one. My agent, editor and myself couldn't agree on a title. It sold under "Signs" which wasn't going to be the title just what we referenced the book as. There were all kinds of suggestions thrown on the table but we couldn't seem to agree, until my editor's assistant was on her way to a Phil Collins concert and offered one of the group's songs as a title--INVISIBLE TOUCH. It was a title that was cool for a song but really stood out for a book title. We all finally agreed!
Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?
I do read reviews in the early stages so I can get a feel of what readers think of a new book. Its always a great feeling to read something nice by someone you've never met! TeensReadToo gave Invisible Touch the "Gold Star Award of Excellence" and the Salinas Californian gave it "Five Gold Pens". So early reviews have been nice to me!
What are you reading now?
I just finished Marjorie M. Liu's The Iron Hunt and now I'm reading Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb. I like to read my fave sci-fi authors!
Thanks so much, Kelly!
Just a reminder: books make excellent holiday gifts. So if you know a young reader, please look for INVISIBLE TOUCH at your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Kelly's website at kellyparra.com.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Join us in East Northport tomorrow!
Looks very likely New12 Long Island is going to show up for the book talk at the Barnes & Noble in East Northport tomorrow night, so I hope you can come. Would be very cool to have a decent-sized crowd in attendance when there are cameras around! Besides, maybe you'll get some air time, too. Here are the particulars ...
Thursday, November 13, 7 pm
Ellen Meister & Saralee Rosenberg
Barnes & Noble
Huntington Square Shopping Center
4000 East Jericho Turnpike
East Northport, NY 11731
631-462-0208
Friday, November 07, 2008
Friday Update
* Pretty slow week. So little happened except that, um ... we changed the course of history. I'm even more ecstatic than I thought I'd be over this election, and so damned proud of my fellow Americans.
* In other election news, my 10-year-old daughter ran for president of her elementary school and lost. She got the bad news at the very end of day and then crawled into bed and announced that she wasn't going to Hebrew school. I pushed her to go, and by that night she was over it. What an astounding kid.
* I'm up to page 186 in the new book, but expect progress to be slow this week. Right now I'm editing in hard copy, getting these pages in shape to send to my editor.
* Still devouring Tom Perrotta's THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER. Such a funny, smart, sly book. And he's walking such a fine line with the subject matter--pitting right wing religious types against left wing secular types--that I can't wait to see how he wraps it up.
* This Thursday (11/13) at 7 pm, Saralee Rosenberg and I are doing a book talk and signing at the new Barnes & Noble in East Northport. Saralee created a terrific email invitation that she sent to local friends. Here it is:
I copied her and created one, too. If you're on my list of Long Island family and friends, here's what you'll receive:
You don't need an invitation to come. I'll be posting about it again next week, but if you want directions now, click here.
* In other election news, my 10-year-old daughter ran for president of her elementary school and lost. She got the bad news at the very end of day and then crawled into bed and announced that she wasn't going to Hebrew school. I pushed her to go, and by that night she was over it. What an astounding kid.
* I'm up to page 186 in the new book, but expect progress to be slow this week. Right now I'm editing in hard copy, getting these pages in shape to send to my editor.
* Still devouring Tom Perrotta's THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER. Such a funny, smart, sly book. And he's walking such a fine line with the subject matter--pitting right wing religious types against left wing secular types--that I can't wait to see how he wraps it up.
* This Thursday (11/13) at 7 pm, Saralee Rosenberg and I are doing a book talk and signing at the new Barnes & Noble in East Northport. Saralee created a terrific email invitation that she sent to local friends. Here it is:
I copied her and created one, too. If you're on my list of Long Island family and friends, here's what you'll receive:
You don't need an invitation to come. I'll be posting about it again next week, but if you want directions now, click here.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Are you a Long Island artist?
Talent doesn't guarantee professional success in the arts.
Whether your intended career is in dance or theatre, writing or painting, you need an entrepreneurial mindset, good contacts and competence in basic business skills: selling, negotiating, writing contracts. No one is better qualified to teach their skills than Long Island's top visual and performing artists.
The above copy is from a program going on this Saturday at the Southampton Cultural Center. It's called The Art of Doing Business in the Arts, and it covers a spectrum of fine and performing arts, including writing ... which is where Saralee Rosenberg and I come in. We'll be speaking at 11 am. But the program itself goes from 8 am - 2 pm.
Click here to see the agenda and you'll get an idea of the scope of the event.
Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday Update
This week went by in about 3.2 seconds. Here are the highlights ...
* Tomorrow (Saturday), Saralee Rosenberg and I are doing a book signing at the Waldenbooks in the Walt Whitman Mall (Huntington Station, Long Island.) We'll be there around noon, and will probably stay for about two hours. If you're around, I hope you'll stop by and say hello. We'll be sitting at a table by the front.
* Reached page 178 on the work-in-progress, which puts me 28 pages ahead of schedule and finally past the halfway mark. This week I told my editor I was getting ready to show her what I've done, but just hours after I said that I got a huge idea for something I want to add to the book, and I'm excited about it. So I need a little time to get that done. Meanwhile, my parents and my husband are reading the pages.
* Last night the three darlings carved out their jack-o-lanterns. They worked so hard, so long, and so quietly--a rare moment I actually captured on film:
* And while we're on Halloween ... remember that flying squirrel costume I was complaining about last week? I actually finished it. Here's the front view:
And here you can see the tail, which I'm awfully proud of:
* The flying squirrel pictured above is running for president of her elementary school. She had to make three campaign posters, which she accomplished with ingenuity and hard work. When she came home the next day, I asked about the other two candidates' posters and was told that one of them included an audio chip that spoke. (Remind me again why I live in this town?) The following week she had to make a tri-fold poster board, and pleaded with me to let her do something "really big" with it. And so I ran her to the local party store where we bought a light-up necklace to string around the picture of her face. I honestly couldn't believe I had become one of "those" moms, but I felt compelled to level the playing field. The kid deserves a fair shot, after all. The next day she brought it to school, and I expected her to tell me what a hit it was. Instead, I learned that one of the other candidates had a video game embedded in her poster board. *sigh* In my next life, we live deep in the woods with the creatures of the forest.
* Every once in a while someone asks me what I think about GOLD COAST, the Nelson DeMille classic set on Long Island, and I have to sheepishly admit I haven't read it. Now that he's coming out with a sequel, I figured it was time I got around to reading it. So I went to the public library, but alas it's checked out. While I wait for it I'm reading Tom Perrotta's THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER. Such a bold and extraordinary writer ... and he makes it look so damn easy.
* Yesterday, my sister's toy poodle went into heat, and her other dog, a funny-looking little dachshund-mix, mounted her. According to my sister, this prompted a hysterical call from from father, who witnessed the coupling. "You gotta get home! The dogs are stuck together!! Get home right away! They're stuck! THEY'RE STUCK!" I assume that by now the dogs have become ... uh ... unstuck, but I haven't stopped laughing. This is SO going in a novel ...
* Tomorrow (Saturday), Saralee Rosenberg and I are doing a book signing at the Waldenbooks in the Walt Whitman Mall (Huntington Station, Long Island.) We'll be there around noon, and will probably stay for about two hours. If you're around, I hope you'll stop by and say hello. We'll be sitting at a table by the front.
* Reached page 178 on the work-in-progress, which puts me 28 pages ahead of schedule and finally past the halfway mark. This week I told my editor I was getting ready to show her what I've done, but just hours after I said that I got a huge idea for something I want to add to the book, and I'm excited about it. So I need a little time to get that done. Meanwhile, my parents and my husband are reading the pages.
* Last night the three darlings carved out their jack-o-lanterns. They worked so hard, so long, and so quietly--a rare moment I actually captured on film:
* And while we're on Halloween ... remember that flying squirrel costume I was complaining about last week? I actually finished it. Here's the front view:
And here you can see the tail, which I'm awfully proud of:
* The flying squirrel pictured above is running for president of her elementary school. She had to make three campaign posters, which she accomplished with ingenuity and hard work. When she came home the next day, I asked about the other two candidates' posters and was told that one of them included an audio chip that spoke. (Remind me again why I live in this town?) The following week she had to make a tri-fold poster board, and pleaded with me to let her do something "really big" with it. And so I ran her to the local party store where we bought a light-up necklace to string around the picture of her face. I honestly couldn't believe I had become one of "those" moms, but I felt compelled to level the playing field. The kid deserves a fair shot, after all. The next day she brought it to school, and I expected her to tell me what a hit it was. Instead, I learned that one of the other candidates had a video game embedded in her poster board. *sigh* In my next life, we live deep in the woods with the creatures of the forest.
* Every once in a while someone asks me what I think about GOLD COAST, the Nelson DeMille classic set on Long Island, and I have to sheepishly admit I haven't read it. Now that he's coming out with a sequel, I figured it was time I got around to reading it. So I went to the public library, but alas it's checked out. While I wait for it I'm reading Tom Perrotta's THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER. Such a bold and extraordinary writer ... and he makes it look so damn easy.
* Yesterday, my sister's toy poodle went into heat, and her other dog, a funny-looking little dachshund-mix, mounted her. According to my sister, this prompted a hysterical call from from father, who witnessed the coupling. "You gotta get home! The dogs are stuck together!! Get home right away! They're stuck! THEY'RE STUCK!" I assume that by now the dogs have become ... uh ... unstuck, but I haven't stopped laughing. This is SO going in a novel ...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
TIME OF MY LIFE By Allison Winn Scotch
Big excitement in the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit--one of our own, Allison Winn Scotch, has just made The New York Times Bestseller list. Way to go, Allison!
I'm hugely excited about the book itself. At first, I thought my attraction for TIME OF MY LIFE might be kind of self-indulgent, as the plot shares a common thread with my novel-in progress. But learning that so many thousands of readers are flocking to it validates my feelings.
To see for yourself, check out the flap copy:
Most readers have had that “what if” person in their pasts, the one they could have ended up with, or maybe the one that they fantasize about even after they’ve married or moved on. In Allison Winn Scotch’s latest novel, TIME OF MY LIFE, (Shaye Areheart Books; October 7, 2008), she explores what might happen if readers could live their lives all over again, and change the course of history.
JillianWestfield New York Jackson
One morning, Jillian gets a chance to find out. She wakes up in her old apartment, right in the middle of her life as it was seven years ago, before she’d leftJackson
Sounds amazing, doesn't it?
Allison agreed to answer some interviews questions about the book, so here goes ...
How would you describe the genre of TIME OF MY LIFE, and what pulled you toward it?
I write what the industry deems “commercial fiction,” or “upmarket women’s fiction,” which, in less industry-type speak, means fiction that appeals to people who want fun, absorbing, fairly-quick reads, the type of read that you’d find reviewed in People Magazine. (Which, incidentally, Time of My Life was!) I’m pulled toward this genre because this is the stuff I read. I’m a busy working mom to two young kids, and when I read a book, I want to be sucked in and entertained. I don’t want to have to reread every word or sentence and try to keep my eyes open after four pages. I want something that will make me think, but won’t take up too, too much energy because, frankly, I don’t have that much energy to spare!
What can you tell us about the genesis of the idea for this book?
I knew I wanted to write a book that dealt with time-travel in some way…the last episodes of Felicity were among my favorite hours of television EVER, and I was drawn to doing something like that. But I didn’t know how to sort it out in my mind. In fact, I mentioned something to my agent about “time-travel” for my next book, and I think she thought I was nuts! But then one afternoon while this was on my mind, my best friend called while she was on vacation in a city of her ex-boyfriend, and she said, “I’m so weirded out…I can’t stop thinking about what my life might have been like.” Then we had one of those intimate life conversations that you can only have with your closest friends about her what-ifs and my what-ifs, and how this was all very normal, even though people didn’t really talk about it. We hung up, and I headed out for a run, and bam, the idea, characters and plotlines just presented themselves very clearly. I came home, wrote what are now the first 14 pages, and sent them off to my agent, who flipped for them. I think, as so many of us get older and look back on our younger years with nostalgia, it’s very easy (and normal) to consider what the other possibilities could have been – and I wanted to explore that?
Do you have a favorite character in this book? If so, why?
I’m not sure that I had a favorite character, but I certainly had (and have) favorite scenes, and those scenes are when Jillian, my protagonist, runs into her future-husband in her former life. (Got that?) It was so much fun to envision how panicked and overwhelmed and confused she’d be...and even now, when I reread those scenes, I read them with a smile.
Ha! I adore your reaction to the People review! I would have been the exact same way. Thanks for answering my questions, Allison, and again ... congrats on being such a smashing success.
I hope you'll look for TIME OF MY LIFE the next time you visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Allison's website at allisonwinnscotch.com.
I'm hugely excited about the book itself. At first, I thought my attraction for TIME OF MY LIFE might be kind of self-indulgent, as the plot shares a common thread with my novel-in progress. But learning that so many thousands of readers are flocking to it validates my feelings.
To see for yourself, check out the flap copy:
Most readers have had that “what if” person in their pasts, the one they could have ended up with, or maybe the one that they fantasize about even after they’ve married or moved on. In Allison Winn Scotch’s latest novel, TIME OF MY LIFE, (Shaye Areheart Books; October 7, 2008), she explores what might happen if readers could live their lives all over again, and change the course of history.
Jillian
One morning, Jillian gets a chance to find out. She wakes up in her old apartment, right in the middle of her life as it was seven years ago, before she’d left
Sounds amazing, doesn't it?
Allison agreed to answer some interviews questions about the book, so here goes ...
How would you describe the genre of TIME OF MY LIFE, and what pulled you toward it?
I write what the industry deems “commercial fiction,” or “upmarket women’s fiction,” which, in less industry-type speak, means fiction that appeals to people who want fun, absorbing, fairly-quick reads, the type of read that you’d find reviewed in People Magazine. (Which, incidentally, Time of My Life was!) I’m pulled toward this genre because this is the stuff I read. I’m a busy working mom to two young kids, and when I read a book, I want to be sucked in and entertained. I don’t want to have to reread every word or sentence and try to keep my eyes open after four pages. I want something that will make me think, but won’t take up too, too much energy because, frankly, I don’t have that much energy to spare!
What can you tell us about the genesis of the idea for this book?
I knew I wanted to write a book that dealt with time-travel in some way…the last episodes of Felicity were among my favorite hours of television EVER, and I was drawn to doing something like that. But I didn’t know how to sort it out in my mind. In fact, I mentioned something to my agent about “time-travel” for my next book, and I think she thought I was nuts! But then one afternoon while this was on my mind, my best friend called while she was on vacation in a city of her ex-boyfriend, and she said, “I’m so weirded out…I can’t stop thinking about what my life might have been like.” Then we had one of those intimate life conversations that you can only have with your closest friends about her what-ifs and my what-ifs, and how this was all very normal, even though people didn’t really talk about it. We hung up, and I headed out for a run, and bam, the idea, characters and plotlines just presented themselves very clearly. I came home, wrote what are now the first 14 pages, and sent them off to my agent, who flipped for them. I think, as so many of us get older and look back on our younger years with nostalgia, it’s very easy (and normal) to consider what the other possibilities could have been – and I wanted to explore that?
Do you have a favorite character in this book? If so, why?
I’m not sure that I had a favorite character, but I certainly had (and have) favorite scenes, and those scenes are when Jillian, my protagonist, runs into her future-husband in her former life. (Got that?) It was so much fun to envision how panicked and overwhelmed and confused she’d be...and even now, when I reread those scenes, I read them with a smile.
Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?
I had input in so far as my publisher asked me to send them images of other book covers that I liked. They also asked me for any ideas – symbolism, photos, etc – that I might have, but to be honest, I’m good with words, not visuals, and I trusted that the art directors were hired for a reason. So I did certainly send them images of other books, but I left the actual interpreted stuff to them. And I’m so glad! My cover, in my opinion, is incredible, and never in a million years could I have conceived of it: it’s not a literal interpretation of anything in the book, but conveys exactly the spirit of it. Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance? Um, yes. Just the other day, I was reading a review and wishing that I had impulse-control, like those celebrities who claim that they don’t read what people say about them online. I wish, wish, wish this could be me, because, while most reviews are wonderful, there are some, of course, that are eviscerating, and those are never fun. The review that truly flipped me out was the one in last week’s People. We didn’t know it would be in there, so after I dropped my son off at school, I stopped at the grocery store and decided to flip through the newest issue to see what books were reviewed. Well, MINE WAS!! I completely lost it in the check-out line and nearly hurdled the conveyor belt to hug the cashier! I don’t remember anything from seeing the review to coming home and putting my groceries away! In fact, later that afternoon, I went into a panic because I had no recollection of putting the ice cream in the freezer and figured that it had melted on my kitchen counter…but fortunately, when I checked, I had…it was like I was in a total black-out from the People review!Ha! I adore your reaction to the People review! I would have been the exact same way. Thanks for answering my questions, Allison, and again ... congrats on being such a smashing success.
I hope you'll look for TIME OF MY LIFE the next time you visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Allison's website at allisonwinnscotch.com.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday Update
* Up to page 162 in the manuscript now. What's exciting is that I feel I have an excellent handle on the outline for the rest of the book, which means it should get easier now and not harder.
* Got my Putnam/Berkley book contracts in the mail today. Woo-hoo!!
* My daughter has decided to be a flying squirrel for Halloween, which means I actually have to make the costume. (Sue Henderson, do you know how lucky you are?) The big p
roblem here is that I DO NOT SEW, despite the fact that I was once the publicity director for the American Home Sewing Association. Worst yet, darling daughter has a costume party tomorrow, which means I have to finish it today. Further, it's almost 4:00 and I haven't yet been on the treadmill or showered. I need staff!
* Getting back to the book, here's something kind of cool. The whole idea behind the portal in my new novel is that every time my protagonist makes a big decision in her life, an alternate life in which she made the other decision splinters off. I thought this was a pretty crazy and fantastical notion, but this week there was a special on Nova about one of the world's most brilliant physicists, Hugh Everett III, who believed that the only way to reconcile quantum mechanics with the physical world we live in is to acknowledge that multiple worlds exist in which all of our possible choices have occurred. Wild, huh? You can read more about it here. And if you can wrap mind around it, you're at least a thousand times smarter than me.
* I did something fun and strange this week, courtesy of Sony Reader. As part of a campaign to promote literacy, a guy name David Farrow is spending the entire month of October sitting in a store window on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, reading to himself from the Sony Reader. The whole thing is captured on live webcam. Yesterday, I was one of his relief readers for an hour. It was a trip, having people gawk at me like an animal in the zoo. I even had my picture snapped by tourists. Please click here to learn more about this great program.
* Got my Putnam/Berkley book contracts in the mail today. Woo-hoo!!
* My daughter has decided to be a flying squirrel for Halloween, which means I actually have to make the costume. (Sue Henderson, do you know how lucky you are?) The big p
roblem here is that I DO NOT SEW, despite the fact that I was once the publicity director for the American Home Sewing Association. Worst yet, darling daughter has a costume party tomorrow, which means I have to finish it today. Further, it's almost 4:00 and I haven't yet been on the treadmill or showered. I need staff!* Getting back to the book, here's something kind of cool. The whole idea behind the portal in my new novel is that every time my protagonist makes a big decision in her life, an alternate life in which she made the other decision splinters off. I thought this was a pretty crazy and fantastical notion, but this week there was a special on Nova about one of the world's most brilliant physicists, Hugh Everett III, who believed that the only way to reconcile quantum mechanics with the physical world we live in is to acknowledge that multiple worlds exist in which all of our possible choices have occurred. Wild, huh? You can read more about it here. And if you can wrap mind around it, you're at least a thousand times smarter than me.
* I did something fun and strange this week, courtesy of Sony Reader. As part of a campaign to promote literacy, a guy name David Farrow is spending the entire month of October sitting in a store window on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, reading to himself from the Sony Reader. The whole thing is captured on live webcam. Yesterday, I was one of his relief readers for an hour. It was a trip, having people gawk at me like an animal in the zoo. I even had my picture snapped by tourists. Please click here to learn more about this great program.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
CUTTING LOOSE By Nadine Dajani
Today I'm thrilled to blog about CUTTING LOOSE, a new novel from the talented Nadine Dajani. Maybe I have a slight bias toward books about the relationship between three women (ahem), but this one looks like a winner. I'm especially intrigued by the buzz Nadine gets for fleshing out her cross-cultural characters.
Here's the jacket copy about the storyline:
Hi, Nadine. Do you have a favorite character in CUTTING LOOSE? If so, why?
My favorite character is one with little on-screen time to speak of, he shows up later in the game – he’s a young, shy, handsome boy who hangs back in clubs while his buddies make the easy conquests, and who’s undaunted by the challenge of dating an older, outspoken, and utterly stubborn woman. The world should have more of those!
What do you love most about this book?
I absolutely loved writing multi POV – especially when the three main characters hate each other! It’s very different from my first novel, Fashionably Late, where the girls had been friends forever and then have a falling out. In Cutting Loose, we have three women from incredibly disparate backgrounds who are thrown together, and somehow have to “make it work” to borrow a Tim Gunnism. I really indulged in going into the off-screen backstories of the characters in this book, and in incorporating bits of research I’d done about how Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian migrants had come to the United States in the 1800s and how they managed to survive. We know a lot about discrimination against the Irish and Catholics in general at the time, but we don’t know that pretty much anyone from the Middle East region, North Africa (and probably Greece too) was referred to as a “Turk” back then. I guess that was the “Mexican”-like term of its time!
Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?
I had no input (or virtually none) when it came to the cover of my first novel and so was a bit disappointed when the final product didn’t reflect the mood of the novel – it was a pretty cover, don’t get me wrong, but the energy and mood of the book just didn’t come across. With Cutting Loose, I made sure to get involved early on, and I’m thrilled that my editor and publisher let me. That’s not something most authors get a say in – and I have to admit, the cover is even better than I imagined! I’m absolutely thrilled with it: the sunset over the South Beach skyline is an image I often had in mind while writing the book, the gradation of blue in the sky, offset against the fiery oranges and the lovely Arabic-inspired mosaic cover the mood and the influences found in the story really well.
What do you think readers might be surprised to know about you?
When I was eleven, I called the publishers of my favorite line if YA books (La Courte Echelle… it’s a Montreal-based line) and asked if they’d consider publishing a book by an eleven-year old. I can’t believe my 11-year-old self actually had the cojones to look up the number in the yellow pages and boldly ask if she could do this. By then I’d had a few writing recognitions at school and was confident enough about my writing that when I would read these hilarious YA novels, I would think: I can so do this!
Too bad I never finished that "novel" I was working on at eleven … but it’s this same sentiment that made me pick up pen and paper again some 15 years later when I read “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and thought – dude, I could SO do this!!!
Can you share some particularly memorable fan mail you received about this or previous books?
I just got some fan mail this week as a matter of fact, and I am tickled pink, seeing as Cutting Loose has only been out for a week or so –
“I started reading Cutting loose This weekend and just like with F.L, I'm hooked ! I love the way you speak of Montreal and your passion for Fashion. Your books are truly amazing Nadine :) You make reading fun !”
I live for stuff like that – it reminds that I’m not just doing this for cheap therapy!
Thanks again for touring me!!!
You're most welcome! It's been a pleasure.
I hope you'll pick up a copy of CUTTING LOOSE the next time you visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Nadine's website at nadinedajani.com.
Here's the jacket copy about the storyline:
Meet three women who are as different as could be—at least that’s what they think—and the men who’ve turn
ed their lives upside down as their paths collide in sizzling, sexy Miami. . . .
Ranya is a modern-day princess—brought up behind the gilded walls of Saudi Arabian high society and winner of the dream husband sweepstakes . . . until said husband turns out to be more interested in Paolo, the interior-decorator-cum-underwear-model, than in his virginal new wife.
Smart, independent, but painfully shy, Zahra has managed to escape her impoverished Palestinian roots to carve out a life of comfort. But she can’t reveal her secrets to the man she adores or shake off the fear that she doesn’t deserve any of it. Neither can she stop herself from thinking that if she holds on to anything—or anyone—too dearly, they will be taken away in the blink of a kohl-lined eye.
Rio has risen above the slums of her native Honduras—not to mention the jeers of her none too supportive family—to become editor in chief of Suéltate magazine, the hottest Latina-targeted glossy in town, and this in spite of Georges Mallouk, her clueless boss, and in spite of Rio’s affair with Georges’ delicious but despicable younger brother, Joe.
In this city of fast cars, sleek clubs, and unapologetic superficiality, Ranya, Zahra, and
Hi, Nadine. Do you have a favorite character in CUTTING LOOSE? If so, why?
My favorite character is one with little on-screen time to speak of, he shows up later in the game – he’s a young, shy, handsome boy who hangs back in clubs while his buddies make the easy conquests, and who’s undaunted by the challenge of dating an older, outspoken, and utterly stubborn woman. The world should have more of those!
What do you love most about this book?
I absolutely loved writing multi POV – especially when the three main characters hate each other! It’s very different from my first novel, Fashionably Late, where the girls had been friends forever and then have a falling out. In Cutting Loose, we have three women from incredibly disparate backgrounds who are thrown together, and somehow have to “make it work” to borrow a Tim Gunnism. I really indulged in going into the off-screen backstories of the characters in this book, and in incorporating bits of research I’d done about how Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian migrants had come to the United States in the 1800s and how they managed to survive. We know a lot about discrimination against the Irish and Catholics in general at the time, but we don’t know that pretty much anyone from the Middle East region, North Africa (and probably Greece too) was referred to as a “Turk” back then. I guess that was the “Mexican”-like term of its time!
Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?
I had no input (or virtually none) when it came to the cover of my first novel and so was a bit disappointed when the final product didn’t reflect the mood of the novel – it was a pretty cover, don’t get me wrong, but the energy and mood of the book just didn’t come across. With Cutting Loose, I made sure to get involved early on, and I’m thrilled that my editor and publisher let me. That’s not something most authors get a say in – and I have to admit, the cover is even better than I imagined! I’m absolutely thrilled with it: the sunset over the South Beach skyline is an image I often had in mind while writing the book, the gradation of blue in the sky, offset against the fiery oranges and the lovely Arabic-inspired mosaic cover the mood and the influences found in the story really well.
What do you think readers might be surprised to know about you?
When I was eleven, I called the publishers of my favorite line if YA books (La Courte Echelle… it’s a Montreal-based line) and asked if they’d consider publishing a book by an eleven-year old. I can’t believe my 11-year-old self actually had the cojones to look up the number in the yellow pages and boldly ask if she could do this. By then I’d had a few writing recognitions at school and was confident enough about my writing that when I would read these hilarious YA novels, I would think: I can so do this!
Too bad I never finished that "novel" I was working on at eleven … but it’s this same sentiment that made me pick up pen and paper again some 15 years later when I read “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and thought – dude, I could SO do this!!!
Can you share some particularly memorable fan mail you received about this or previous books?
I just got some fan mail this week as a matter of fact, and I am tickled pink, seeing as Cutting Loose has only been out for a week or so –
“I started reading Cutting loose This weekend and just like with F.L, I'm hooked ! I love the way you speak of Montreal and your passion for Fashion. Your books are truly amazing Nadine :) You make reading fun !”
I live for stuff like that – it reminds that I’m not just doing this for cheap therapy!
Thanks again for touring me!!!
You're most welcome! It's been a pleasure.
I hope you'll pick up a copy of CUTTING LOOSE the next time you visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Nadine's website at nadinedajani.com.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Guest blogger: Deborah LeBlanc
Today, I'm pleased to welcome acclaimed horror writer Deborah LeBlanc, as she guest-blogs on the subject of success ...
When I first star
ted writing, I had been in business for more years than I cared to remember. At first, I thought the two entities (writing and business) had absolutely nothing in common, so I tried separating the two. It didn't take long for me to realize how big a mistake that assumption was. Writing is a business, just different from the ones I was used to. Needless to say, though, as I restructured my thinking and attempted to merge the two together, I met with frustration of the highest order. Argg! As some of you have heard me spout off about before, publishing does not follow any standard business practice known to man, woman, or wooly-back orangutan. It's its own worst enemy at times.
Click here to see the video trailer for WATER WITCH!
When I first star
ted writing, I had been in business for more years than I cared to remember. At first, I thought the two entities (writing and business) had absolutely nothing in common, so I tried separating the two. It didn't take long for me to realize how big a mistake that assumption was. Writing is a business, just different from the ones I was used to. Needless to say, though, as I restructured my thinking and attempted to merge the two together, I met with frustration of the highest order. Argg! As some of you have heard me spout off about before, publishing does not follow any standard business practice known to man, woman, or wooly-back orangutan. It's its own worst enemy at times.That being said, however, I decided to take the advice of a man I'd admired for years. One whose wisdom has helped me understand the meaning of success, which inevitably moved me up the ladder in quite a few corporations. I figured why not use those same principles in writing?
So I did. And I'll be damn if they didn't prove to be just as true in the publishing business as in any other venture.
I thought I'd share some of that guy's wisdom with you today....
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.
The spirit, the will to win and the will to excel-these are the things that endure and these are the qualities that are so much more important than any of the events that occasion them.
Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there.
Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent's pressure, and the temporary failures.
If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.
Remember, it's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."
--Vince Lombardi
What or who has inspired you to keep pushing forward when life gets tough?
--
Deborah's more than just an inspiring blogger. She's a horror novelist critics love. Check out the praise for her new book, WATER WITCH:
“One of the best new voices of modern horror.” —Cemetery Dance
“It’s now official: Deborah LeBlanc has become a master not only of good spooky stories, but also of crafting great characters to fill them.” —The Horror Fiction Review
“An imaginative chiller. Riveting!” —Publishers Weekly on Family Inheritance
“A solid haunted house thriller.” —
Click here to see the video trailer for WATER WITCH!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday Update
Scant blogging the week as things got a little squeezed, but here's what's new ...
* Only advanced five pages in the manuscript, but did a ton of editing. Still, before I can add one more page I have days of work ahead of me, beefing up and reorganizing the outline. Have I mentioned that writing a book is really freaking hard?
* Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. My Rabbi gave a wonderful sermon about reinventing yourself as a result of self-examination. Very inspiring.
* Speaking of inspiring, Susan Henderson outdid herself this week over at LitPark, with a blog devoted to a discussion of genre versus literary fiction. I was also completely enthralled by an essay she linked to. It's an excerpt from David Morrell's THE SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST, and all writers should read it.
* I've been helping my 16-year-old study for the PSAT, and am feeling pretty disheartened by the whole thing. The kid has a rather astounding vocabulary, but the test seems more geared toward ferreting out autism, as it hones in on subtle emotional shades of meaning and intent. Here's an example of a question following a brief paragraph:
The author's attitude toward the "young man" (line 2) is best described as:
(a) irate
(b) envious
(c) critical
(d) indifferent
(e) apprehensive
My son thought the answer was (e), which wasn't a bad response. The author did seem apprehensive. But if you pay close attention to the emotional nuances of every word, you understand that (c) is a better answer. This is frustrating to me because he knows the precise meanings of all these words, but that's not what he's being tested on.
* Today is the last day for residents of New York State to register to vote. So if you haven't already done so, please don't waste another second. Click here. It only takes about three minutes.
* Only advanced five pages in the manuscript, but did a ton of editing. Still, before I can add one more page I have days of work ahead of me, beefing up and reorganizing the outline. Have I mentioned that writing a book is really freaking hard?
* Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. My Rabbi gave a wonderful sermon about reinventing yourself as a result of self-examination. Very inspiring.
* Speaking of inspiring, Susan Henderson outdid herself this week over at LitPark, with a blog devoted to a discussion of genre versus literary fiction. I was also completely enthralled by an essay she linked to. It's an excerpt from David Morrell's THE SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST, and all writers should read it.
* I've been helping my 16-year-old study for the PSAT, and am feeling pretty disheartened by the whole thing. The kid has a rather astounding vocabulary, but the test seems more geared toward ferreting out autism, as it hones in on subtle emotional shades of meaning and intent. Here's an example of a question following a brief paragraph:
The author's attitude toward the "young man" (line 2) is best described as:
(a) irate
(b) envious
(c) critical
(d) indifferent
(e) apprehensive
My son thought the answer was (e), which wasn't a bad response. The author did seem apprehensive. But if you pay close attention to the emotional nuances of every word, you understand that (c) is a better answer. This is frustrating to me because he knows the precise meanings of all these words, but that's not what he's being tested on.
* Today is the last day for residents of New York State to register to vote. So if you haven't already done so, please don't waste another second. Click here. It only takes about three minutes.
Monday, October 06, 2008
New review of The Smart One
I love this one! It's from a site called BookLoons.com. If you're not familiar with it, I hope you'll click in. Here's the review ....
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