Book club recommendations

The other day I had the pleasure of meeting with another local book club that had read THE SMART ONE and, as always, had a blast. A big shout-out that Long Island group and to all the readers who made THE SMART ONE such a popular book club choice. It's a thrill to know you enjoyed reading about the three sisters--Bev, Clare and Joey--and discussing their journey. (Click here to read an excerpt, click here to read a review.)

If your book club hasn't yet discussed it, please know that I'm available for phone-in appearances, which are always so much fun. To sign up, click here to fill out the form, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. (If you're local, drop me a line and I'll try to visit in person.) To see discussion questions, click here.




Here are some other novels I think your book club will love ...

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

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

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

Author Brunch Recap

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


Eric Van Lustbader, Victoria Lustbader and Larry Davidson

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT By Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“A surprisingly pleasurable read.”—Daily Yomiuri

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

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

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

____________

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

Time Deficit

When your schedule is so crushing you don't have time to lift your head, it's easy to forget about the rest of the world. But today I took a few minutes to peruse The New York Times and realized that the time crunch I'm experiencing is a nationwide epidemic. But more on that in a minute.

Last weekend was my middle son's bar mitzvah. I would compare the planning to a rocket launch, only if I announced, "Houston, we have a problem," there'd be no mission control to respond back. I had to man every station myself. Okay, so I didn't have to learn a haftorah. But I honestly think my son had the easier job. (Which isn't to say I'm not proud of him. He performed so magnificently he surprised even me, and that's saying a lot. There are stars in these eyes.)

I thought my schedule would open wide after the bar mitzvah, but I haven't had a second to catch my breath. This Sunday I'm interviewing Alice Hoffman live at the LIWA Author Brunch at the Hofstra University Club. That meant dropping everything to read the ARC of her magnificent new book, THE THIRD ANGEL, so that I could prepare for the interview. I needed to rush through that task because I promised another writer a blurb for her book, and she needs it pronto. In the midst of all this, the page proofs for my next book, THE SMART ONE, landed on my doorstep. Of course, my publisher wants me to read it immediately and send it back.

While juggling all of the above, I had to find time for another event. Last night I did a book talk at the Junior League of Long Island. Of course, I had to do a bit of prep for the appearance, but mostly this was a lovely reprieve. I was honored to be asked and had a great time. The Junior League is an incredible organization, made up of women volunteers who give their time for the benefit of needy women and children in their community. I was very impressed with the kindness and intelligence of this group.

And guess what else? They gave me flowers! No one's ever given me a bouquet for a book talk before, and I was genuinely touched. Look how pretty they are!
A special shout-out of thanks to Tracy, Grace and the rest of the remarkable group!

Meanwhile, I'm typing this as fast as I can so I can get on with the thousand or so things I have to do with the rest of my day. But I don't want to sign off without mentioning what it was that surprised me in the newspaper this morning. It was about last night's Idol Gives Back. If you saw it, you no doubt noticed that the show was jam-packed with a star-studded cast of performers. What you didn't see, however, was a single presidential candidate, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain all taped fundraising pleas for the show. None made the final cut.

American Idol did not have time for the future President of the United States.

And to think, I feel guilty about ignoring my laundry ...

World Autism Awareness Day

An organization called Autism Speaks has designated April 2 World Autism Awareness Day. For those of us who love someone with autism, it's an important opportunity to spread the word about this often devastating disorder.

According to the website:

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

For more information, visit autismspeaks.org.

To read a fictional story based on a mother's real life emotional response, click here.

Not an April Fool's joke

Curious for your thoughts on this ...

(Special shout out to my buddy Maryanne Stahl for this video.)

NOVELIST STRIKE!

Sorry I've been such an absent blogger lately. With my middle one's bar mitzvah less than (gulp) 2 weeks away, I don't have a second to breathe.

Besides, there's this whole novelist's strike going on. I'm sure you're aware of it, as it's wreaked such havoc on the economy and all, but if you need more info click here.

(Shout out to novelist Roger Morris for the link.)

And the winner is ...

HUGE thanks to everyone who entered the drawing for a copy of the six-word memoir book, NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING. The winner of the blind drawing is Bridgette, my lucky 13th responder. Congrats, Bridgette!

I loved reading all the six-word memoirs posted in the comments section, and got a kick out of seeing which memoir people thought was mine. If you guessed E, Not as blond as I look, you were correct!

Here's who wrote the others:

Took scenic route, got in late. -- William Blythe
Inside suburban mom beats urban heart. -- Julie Goss
Lucky in love, unlucky in metabolism. -- Leah Weathersby
Secret of life: marry an Italian. -- Nora Ephron
Quietly cultivating my inner Lynda Carter. -- Joanna Sheehan

Thanks again for playing!

Announcement

I'm honored to announce that I've been asked to be the keynote speaker at the Long Island Library Conference this year, which will be attended by 1000 library personnel ... my kind of crowd. Click here for more information.

In other news, note that the winner of the six-word memoir drawing will be chosen and announced on Monday. (Scroll down to enter.)

Do not adjust your set

Yesterday I discovered that my blog skin was no longer viewable on Firefox, and so I reverted to one of the blogger templates, which I customized a bit. I couldn't make it match my website, so I made it complement my HarperCollins page.

If it's not readable on your browser, please let me know. Thanks!

Your life in 6 words?

One of the following 6-word memoirs is mine:

A. Took scenic route, got in late.

B. Inside suburban mom beats urban heart.

C. Lucky in love, unlucky in metabolism.

D. Secret of life: marry an Italian.

E. Not as blond as I look.

F. Quietly cultivating my inner Lynda Carter.

Some months ago, a friend sent me a link to a site asking writers to submit their life story ... in exactly 6 words. Seemed like a fun challenge, and so I did it.

I later found out that Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser of Smith Magazine put their favorites together and published a collection called NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. Mine made the cut and can be found on page 136.

I have to say, the book is an absolute delight, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. To celebrate, I'm doing a drawing to give away a copy, and would love to see you win. To enter, all you have to do is a post a comment to this blog entry with either:

Your own 6-word memoir
or
Your guess as to which of the above memoirs is mine
If you like, you can do both. Keep in mind, this is a drawing not a contest. So your answer doesn't have to be the best or correct. Everyone who responds will be automatically entered in the drawing.

Btw, if you're cyber-challenged and have never posted a blog comment before, no worries. Just click the word "comments" (or "post a comment") below and the rest is self-explanatory. Just be sure to include your name or email address so I can contact you if you win.

Good luck!

A perv by any other name ...

I have a site meter on this blog, which allows me to (compulsively) check and see where visitors are clicking in from. The stats are usually predictable and depressing. Most of my visitors are men (yes, I'm making a sexist leap) doing a Google image search on Eva Mendes. I don't like to think about what they're doing after they click on the photo of her I once posted in a GCC Does Hollywood blog entry. The Internet is a disgusting place.

But the other day I noticed a curious pattern. People from all over Europe were clicking directly into the entry I posted about accidentally spilling nail polish remover. The referring site was a German discussion forum. I don't want to give the name of it, but it had the word "brace" in it, which didn't mean much to me. After all, the whole site is in German, so I couldn't make heads or tails (Köpfe oder Endstücke?) of it.

I should have shrugged and moved on, but curiosity got the better of me. Why was a German site linking to my blog? Why were people from all over the Continent following the link?

I tried to figure out how to to use the site's search engine so I could at least find the link, but you need to be a member.

So I registered.

Alas, I still couldn't figure out how to find the link to my site. But I did a Google search to try to learn more about it and guess what I discovered?

It's a discussion forum for cast and brace fetishists! And it's linked to my blog! Perverts from all over the globe are reading about the day I spilled nail polish remover in my private parts!!

And now I am an official member of their community.

Worse yet? In thinking about it, I realize that there is a sexy scene about a cast in SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA. So it's entirely possible I have a small cult following among these fetishists. And indeed, my German Amazon ranking spiked the day all those Europeans were reading about my nail polish remover mishap.

Perhaps I should just be grateful for the sales. I don't know. But the next time I do a book talk and someone tells me to break a leg, I'm going to give them a dirty look.

SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER By Jenny Gardiner

Today I'm happy to blog about a fun new book by GCC author Jenny Gardiner. It's called SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER, and it's getting tons of attention. Author Meg Cabot called it "A cross between Erma Bombeck and Candace Bushnell." And MamaLit called it "The 'Bridget Jones Diary' for all married and harried mommies!"



Jenny was a great sport and agreed to play along with the GCC Does Hollywood game, and here's how she'd pitch the book to our fictional producer:

Every married in America will relate to disgruntled housewife Claire Doolittle. Find me 20 women whose husbands don't have a hint of Ward Cleaver to them. Women will leave this movie laughing, crying, telling their girlfriends about it. And their marriages somewhat rejuvenated.

And here's how Jenny would consider casting it ...

I need a real actress to play Claire--can't be one of those impossibly thin, plasticized starlet types. Bonnie Hunt would be good but she might be a little too old. I think Kate Winslet would be good, maybe Laura Linney if she could make it funny enough.

For Jack, perhaps Matt Damon? He's still got something sexy about him but he's definitely got a bit of Ward-ishness to him as well. LOL.

I hope you'll look for SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER the next time you visit your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Jenny's website at jennygardiner.net.

The Morty and Helen Show

In the past, I've blogged about visits from my Seinfeldian parents and the work involved in preparing for their arrival, such as stocking up on eight different brands of high fiber cereal and making sure there's a tissue box at least every four feet throughout the house. But I've never told you about the tech support phone calls from my dad as he tries to save documents on his thumb drive so he can have access to them during his visit. Herewith a transcription of this morning's conversation ...

DAD: I want to save some computer documents on that thumbstick matchstick thumbdrive and I forgot how to do it.
ME: Are these Word documents?
DAD: Yes.
ME: Are you sure?
DAD: Word documents, yes.
ME: Okay, is the thumb drive in your computer?
DAD: Yes.
ME: Is the first document open?
DAD: Yes.
ME: And it's definitely a Word document?
DAD: Yes.
ME: Okay, it's easy. Just click file on the upper left.
DAD: File?
ME: File.
DAD: I see it!
ME: When you click it, you should see save and then save as. Click save as.
DAD: It doesn't say save as.
ME: Yes it does.
DAD: It doesn't.
ME: Are you sure you're in Word?
DAD: What do you mean in Word?
ME: You said it's a Word document and it's open. That means you should be in the Word program.
DAD: I'm not.
ME: You're not in Word? But you said the document is open.
DAD: It is.
ME: How could you open a Word document and not be in Word?
DAD: I don't understand.
ME: How do you normally open a document? Do you go through My Documents or do you open Word first?
DAD: I don't know what you mean. When I open Word, all I get is a blank page.
ME: Let's start all over. And are you sure it's a Word document?
DAD: Yes, it's a Word document.
MOM: (in background) It's not a Word document!
DAD: It's not?
MOM: No!
ME: Dad, I asked you ten times if it was a Word document.
DAD: I thought you were asking if it's in My Documents.
ME: Just tell me what's on your screen in front of you.
DAD: Marilyn, she wants to know what's on the screen.
MOM: (in background) I'm in My Documents.
DAD: We're in My Documents.
ME: Okay, highlight the document you want to copy.
DAD: Highlight it?
ME: Just click on it.
MOM: (in background) Tell her it's highlighted.
DAD: It's highlighted.
ME: Okay, on the left you should see a menu that includes the word copy. Click on that.
DAD: Marilyn, click on copy.
MOM: (in background) Where is it?
DAD: How should I know?
ME: Dad?
MOM: (in background) What am I supposed to click on?
ME: Dad?
DAD: I think it's right there.
MOM: (in background) Where?
DAD: There.
ME: Dad?
MOM: (in background) This?
ME: DAD!!!!!!!!!
DAD: What?
ME: Let me talk to Mom!

Anyway, it went on from there. I'd transcribe the rest of it, but I have to go out and buy more bran flakes.

Patry responds to Liar's Diary Blog Day

Worth reading ...

Simply Wait

Patry Francis Day: THE LIAR'S DIARY

A few years ago, I started noticing comments in my blog from a woman named Patry Francis. I didn't know who she was, I only knew that every post was warm, kind, encouraging. I saw that she was posting similar sentiments on some of the other blogs I read.

I clicked into Patry's blog and found that she was a writer with a wonderful voice and an enormous heart. So when she got a tremendous book deal for her first novel, THE LIAR'S DIARY, I was thrilled for her.

It came out in hardcover to rave reviews from readers and critics alike. And no wonder. It's a gorgeous book about a dark crime and the people it affects. In Patry's own words, "Though my novel deals with murder, betrayal, and the even more lethal crimes of the heart, the real subjects of THE LIAR'S DIARY are music, love, friendship, self-sacrifice and courage. The darkness is only there for contrast; it's only there to make us realize how bright the light can be. I'm sure that most writers whose work does not flinch from the exploration of evil feel the same."

Many of us fellow writers followed Patry's career because we were so happy for her. We couldn't wait to see what would happen when THE LIAR'S DIARY made its paperback debut. But before that happened, her blog revealed some startling and terrible news: Patry was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and was battling for her life.

The many writers who had grown to know and love Patry were stunned and wondered if there was anything we could besides send her our prayers and best wishes.

And then, my dear friend Susan Henderson brainstormed with Laura Benedict and came up with the brilliant idea of getting the blogosphere to rally around Patry and help promote her paperback release. Sue wrote to me and I immediately signed on, and was just as shocked as she was when the thing mushroomed to include over 300 bloggers!

Patry baby, that's karma in action!

Anyway, I urge you to click into Susan Henderson's LitPark to read the full story about how this whole thing got started. But even more importantly, I urge you to learn more about this wonderful book and buy a copy for yourself.

Here's copy from the publisher's site:

Answering the question of what is more powerful—family or friendship? this debut novel unforgettably shows how far one woman would go to protect either.

They couldn’t be more different, but they form a friendship that will alter both their fates. When Ali Mather blows into town, breaking all the rules and breaking hearts (despite the fact that she is pushing forty), she also makes a mark on an unlikely family. Almost against her will, Jeanne Cross feels drawn to this strangely vibrant woman, a fascination that begins to infect Jeanne’s “perfect” husband as well as their teenaged son.

At the heart of the friendship between Ali and Jeanne are deep-seated emotional needs, vulnerabilities they have each been recording in their diaries. Ali also senses another kind of vulnerability; she believes someone has been entering her house when she is not at home—and not with the usual intentions. What this burglar wants is nothing less than a piece of Ali’s soul.

When a murderer strikes and Jeanne’s son is arrested, we learn that the key to the crime lies in the diaries of two very different women . . . but only one of them is telling the truth. A chilling tour of troubled minds, The Liar’s Diary signals the launch of an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.

To hear a sample from THE LIAR'S DIARY audiobook from my buddy (and publisher) Eileen Hutton over at Brilliance Audio, click here.

And now here's another cool thing. Sheila Clover English, C.E.O. of Circle of Seven Productions, volunteered her time and resources to put together a video for THE LIAR'S DIARY in record time. Take a look:



I hope all this has convinced you to buy and read this exquisite book. It's in chain and independent bookstores everywhere, and also available from your favorite cyber booksellers, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Finally, here's the list of writers and other creative types who have signed on to take part in this historic blogathon (and I'm quite sure this list continues to grow):

Patti Abbott
Mario Acevedo
Susan Adrian
Samina Ali
Christa Allan
Anne-Marie
Joelle Anthony
Jorge Argueta
Vicki Arkoff - MAD Magazine, Nickelodeon, MW Book Review
Melanie Avila
Tricia Ares
Backspace
Backstory
Terry Bain
Gail Baker - The Debutante Ball
Anjali Banerjee
Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Elizabeth Bartasius
Carolyn Burns Bass
Brett Battles
Laura Benedict
Pinckney Benedict
Janet Berliner
William Bernhardt
Alexander Besher
Bev
Marcie Beyatte
Brenda Birch
Roberto Bonazzi
Bookfinds
Raven Bower
Laura Bowers
Beatrice Bowles
Tara Bradford
Gayle Brandeis
Stacy Brazalovich
Susan Breen - Gotham Writers Workshops
Heather Brewer
Eve Bridburg - Zachary Shuster Harmsworth
Sassy Brit
Heatheraynne Brooks
Debra Broughon
Josie Brown
Pat Brown
Ruth Brown
Ken Bruen
Rachel Kramer Bussel
Aldo Calcagno
Austin S. Camacho
Bill Cameron
Lorenzo Carcaterra
Vincent Carrella
Karen DeGroot Carter
Rosemary Carstens
Cynthia Clark - Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine
Jon Clinch
Kamela Cody
Oline H. Cogdill - Sun-Sentinal
Tish Cohen
Eileen Cruz Coleman
Myfanwy Collins
Dan Conaway - Writers House
Laurie Connors - Penguin
Eileen Cook
Richard Cooper
David Corbett
Auria Cortes
Bill Crider - Pop Culture Magazine
Kim Cristofoli
Ann Mare Cummins
Sheila Curran
Kristie Cutter
Jordan Dane
Josephine Damian
Daryl Darko
A.J. Davis
Kelli Davis
Alyssa Day
Alma Hromic Deckert
Jim DeFelice
Mike Dellosso
Katrina Denza
Bella DePaulo
Karen Dionne
Felicia Donovan
Julie Doughty - Dutton
Gerry Doyle
Terri DuLong
Firoozeh Dumas
Christine Eldrin
J.T. Ellison - Killer Year
Sheila Clover English - Circle of Seven Productions
Kate Epstein - the Epstein Literary Agency
Kathryn Esplin
Rachel Fershleiser at SMITH Magazine
Ryan Field
Michael A. FitzGerald
William Floyd
Natasha Fondren
Jamie Ford
Connie May Fowler
Heather Fowler
Therese Fowler
Jenifer Fox
Thaisa Frank
Michelle Gable
Gary Gach
Leighton Gage
Neil Gaiman
Colin Galbraith
Jayson Gallaway
Jane Ganahl - Red Room
Erika-Marie S. Geiss
Linda Gerber
Shane Gericke
Tess Gerritsen
Karin Gillespie
Anne Glamore
Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Jewelle Gomez
Susan Helene Gottfried
Deborah Grabien
Elizabeth Graham
Caroline Grant
Robin Grantham
Bob Gray - Shelf Awareness
Nancy O. Greene
Robert Grudin
Lisa Guidarini
David Habbin
Jim Hanas
Lynette Hart
Melanie Harvey
Michael Haskins
Melanie Lynn Hauser
Bill Hayes
Maria Dahvana Headley
Susan Henderson
Heidi the Hick
Georgia Hesse
Billie Hinton
Vicki Hinze
Lori Hope
Khaled Hosseini
Eileen Hutton - Brilliance Audio
Gina Hyams
International Thriller Writers
David Isaak
Susan Ito
Lisa Jackson
Arachne Jericho
Allison Johnson
Jen Jordan - Crimespree
Jungle Red Writers
Lesley Kagen
Polly Kahl
Jessica Keener
Charles Kelly
Lisa Kenny
Beth Kephart
Jackie Kessler
Merle Kessler
Kristy Kiernan - Southern Authors Blog
A.S. King
Jeff Kleinman - Folio Literary Management
Sandra Kring
Kyra
R.D. Laban
Rebecca Laffar-Smith - Writers Roundabout
Clair Lamb
Daphne Larkin
Larramie
Judy Merrill Larson
Caroline Leavitt
Leah
Virginia Lee
Leslie Levine
Mary Lewis
Richard Lewis
Liane
Sharon Linnea
Julie Anne Long
CJ Lyons
Jonathan Maberry
Amy MacKinnon - The Writers Group
Tim Maleeny
Ric Marion
Nancy Martin
Adrienne Mayor
L.C. McCabe
Damian McNicholl
Ellen Meister
Melba
Christa Miller
Kyle Minor
Jacquelyn Mitchard
P. A. Moed
Terri Molina
Pat Montandon
David Montgomery
Alexis Moore
Joe Moore - Inkspot
Amanda Morgan
Sarie Morrell
Murderati
Amy Nathan
Nathalie
National Post
Tia Nevitt
Nicole
Carolyn North
Aurelio O'Brien
Martha O'Connor
Andrea Okrentowich
Lori Oliva
Aimee Palooza
Pamela
Michael Palmer
Stephen Parrish
Marie Peck
Marcia Peterson - WOW! Women on Writing
Jason Pinter
Anthony S. Policastro
Douglas Preston
Publishers Marketplace
Terese Ramin
Jody Reale
Martha Reed
Janet Reid - FinePrint Literary Management
Kamilla Reid
Lance Reynald
Michelle Richmond
Maria Robinson
John Robison
James Rollins
M.J. Rose - Buzz, Balls & Hype
Renee Rosen
Jordan Rosenfeld
Russell Rowland
Anneli Rufus
Hank Ryan
Marcus Sakey
Harris Salat -Visual Thesaurus
Rachel Sarah
Maria Schneider - Writer's Digest Magazine
Nina Schuyler
Dani Shapiro
Rochelle Shapiro
Charles Shaughnessy
Jessie Sholl
Robert Siegel
Clea Simon
Lynn Sinclair
Jen Singer
Shelley Singer
Sisters in Crime
Robin Slick
BPM Smith - Word & Bass
Bridget Smith
Claudia Smith
Kim Smith
Stephie Smith
Alexandra Sokoloff
Char Solomon
James Spring
Emilie Staat
Kim Stagliano
Maryanne Stahl
Bella Stander
Kelli Stanley
Marta Stephens
Bronwyn Storm
Jennifer Talty
Judith Tannenbaum
Mindy Tarquini
Alice Tasman - the Jean Naggar Literary Agency
Charles R. Temple
David Thayer
The Outfit
Theresa
Joyce Tremel
Danielle Trussoni
Louise Ure
N. L. Valler
Barbara Vey - Publishers Weekly
Bev Vincent
Brenda Wallace
Therese Walsh - Writer Unboxed
John Warner - Tow Books
Gary Wassner
Brenda Webster
Sarah Weinman
Kimberly M. Wetherell
Dan Wickett - Emerging Writers Network
Jennifer Weiner
Laura Wellner
Susan Wiggs
Liz Wolfe
Cheryl Wyatt
Stephen Wylder
Irvin Yalom
Belle Yang
Dawn Yun
Michele Zackheim
Victoria Zackheim
Ernie Zelinski
Crystal Zevon

So that's about it, except for this ... Patry, go lick this thing.

xo

EARTHLY PLEASURES By Karen Neches

Today's a special blogging day, as the book I'm featuring was written by the fearless founder of the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit. Karen's not just a generous and hard-working supporter of her fellow authors, but an incredibly talented and brilliantly creative writer. Check out the summary of new book, EARTHLY PLEASURES:

Welcome to Heaven. Use your Wishberry to hustle up whatever you want. Have an online chat with God. Visit the attractions such as Retail Rapture, Wrath of God miniature golf and Nocturnal Theater, where nightly dreams are translated to film.

Your greeter might just be Skye Sebring who will advises her newly dead clients on what to expect now that they’re expired. “Heaven is like a Corona Beer commercial” she assures her charges. “It’s all about contentment.”

So different than Earth where chaos reigns. Unfortunately for Skye, she’s been chosen to live her first life. She’s required to attend Earth 101 classes, which teach all of the world’s greatest philosophies through five Beatle songs.

Skye has no interest in Earthly pursuits, until lawyer Ryan Blaine briefly becomes her client after a motorcycle accident. Just as they are getting to know each other, he is revived and sent back to Earth.

She follows his life via the TV channel “Earthly Pleasures” but discovers he has a wife as well as a big secret. Why then does he call a show for the lovelorn to talk about the lost love of his life?

In Earthly Pleasures (Simon and Schuster, February 2008, $14) great love can transcend the dimensions, narrowing the vast difference between Heaven and Earth.

To me that's an irresistible plot!

I asked Karen to play along with my GCC Does Hollywood blog, and wasn't surprised to learn that she's already getting interest from movie people. Here's the book's pitch:

EARTHLY PLEASURES is about a greeter in Heaven named Skye Sebring who falls in love with a mortal on Earth. She follows him back to Earth—a strange world she knows nothing about—until she learns that all life’s lessons can be learned from the lyrics of five Beatle songs.

Hollywood may have its own ideas about who to cast in the roles, but here's who Karen pictures:

My main character, Skye Sebring, would be played by Kate Hudson because she has a sunny, angelic look.

Her love interest, Ryan would be played by Matthew McConaughey because he’s so good with Kate and Ryan can be cocky at times.




One of the main characters is a 85-year old black woman named Caroline and I’d like to Cicely Tyson in that role (with appropriate make up of course.)

God, who is female in my novel, would have to be played by Bette Midler because that’s who I modeled Her after. (Note: the author of this blog thinks The Divine Miss M. is a sublime choice!)



I hope this entices you to rush out to your favorite chain or independent bookstore to buy a copy of EARTHLY PLEASURES. If you prefer to shop online, visit Amazon, Barnes and Noble or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Karen's website at karenneches.com.

Please stop back in tomorrow to help me celebrate Patry Francis day!

Threshold

If you're the parent of a little boy, you might one day fall asleep at ten p.m., only to be awoken a half hour later by your 13-year-old son, standing at the door of your bedroom, choking back tears as he tells you he doesn't like the new socks you bought him.

Joshilyn Jackson

Do you love Joshilyn Jackson, bestselling author of GODS IN ALABAMA and BETWEEN, GEORGIA? I do. In addition to being a writer of prodigious gifts, Joshilyn is generous and wise and funny.

Unfortunately, she's feeling under the weather these days, and is leaving the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit, our little blog group. It really is quite a bit of work to keep up with these entries, so I understand. She'll be missed, for sure, but I appreciate that she spent so much time in the group. She truly gave and gave.

The good news is that Joshilyn is coming out with a new book in March, and it looks every bit as captivating and emotionally haunting as her previous novels. It's called THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING.




Here's a description:

Laurel Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother make sure the literal family skeleton stays in the closet or turning scraps of fabric into nationally acclaimed art quilts.Her estranged sister Thalia, an impoverished Actress with a capital A, is her polar opposite, priding herself on exposing the lurid truth lurking behind middle class niceties. While Laurel's life seems neatly on track--a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, and a lovely home in suburban Victorianna--everything she holds dear is suddenly thrown into question the night she is visited by the ghost of a her 13-year old neighbor Molly Dufresne.The ghost leads Laurel to the real Molly floating lifelessly in the Hawthorne's backyard pool.Molly's death is inexplicable--an unseemly mystery Laurel knows no one in her whitewashed neighborhood is up to solving.Only her wayward, unpredictable sister is right for the task, but calling in a favor from Thalia is like walking straight into a frying pan protected only by Crisco. Enlisting Thalia's help, Laurel sets out on a life-altering journey that triggers startling revelations about her family's guarded past, the true state of her marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.Richer and more rewarding than any story Joshilyn Jackson has yet written, yet still packed with Jackson's trademarked outrageous characters, sparkling dialogue, and defiantly twisting plotting, THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING is destined both to delight Jackson's loyal fans and capture a whole new audience.

I'm so reading this book as soon as it comes out.

But back to Joshilyn. She's always been very good to her readers, and continues that tradition with a giveaway tied to this book. Two lucky readers will win a drawing for the these beautiful hand-crafted postcard quilts, which were specially-made as companion pieces to the book. I think they're knockouts (click images for larger view):

For more information on the drawing, visit joshilynjackson.com or follow this link.

Meanwhile, please join me in sending healing energy Joshilyn's way. A speedy recovery, Joss!

Another Fine Mess ...

My husband lost his job recently, which has resulted in a bit of belt tightening around here. Some of the choices we've had to make are pretty difficult, others not so much.

For instance, deciding to give myself a pedicure was a no-brainer. Me and my sensitive little tootsies actually hate professional pedicures to the point where I need to bite a bullet to get through it. (What we suffer for beauty!) So it wasn't much of a sacrifice the other day when I found myself in my bathroom, one foot on the floor the other in the sink as I saturated cotton balls with acetone and struggled to remove the old polish embedded in my toenails.

I guess I was feeling pretty smug that I'm still limber enough to get myself into such a position, because in the middle of the operation I got careless and accidentally knocked the bottle of brand new crimson polish off the counter onto the white tile floor, where the glass virtually exploded, sending blood red lacquer everywhere. The little room looked like the aftermath of some grisly crime.

Murder, however, would have been an easier clean-up. A little soap and water and you're done. This was the mess to end all messes, requiring open windows and all the noxious nail polish remover I could get my gloved hands on.

As I got to work, I cursed myself for my recklessness. Considering my history with nail polish remover, you'd think I'd have learned to be more careful.

Once, in my single days, I gave myself a manicure sitting cross-legged in my bed wearing nothing but a short nightgown. And I mean nothing. I had the open bottle of nail polish remover wedged into the vee created by my bent knee. I don't know what distracted me, but at some point the bottle tipped over, spilling the entire contents into my naked private parts.

Kids, don't try this at home. Spilling nail polish remover on a mucus membrane is not a fun way to spend an evening.

I leaped from the bed screaming, "I spilled nail polish remover in my vagina! I spilled nail polish remover in my vagina!"

My roommate, Fern, came running from her room. "Get into the shower, you idiot!" she yelled, laughing.

I couldn't listen. I was too hysterical. I just kept running around the apartment, flailing my arms and repeating that phrase (which is sure to get me some interesting google hits). Fern laughed harder and harder as she chased me, trying to corral me into the bathroom. Finally she grabbed me, laughing so hard tears streamed down her face. By the time she pushed me into the bathroom, pulled off my nightgown and threw me into the shower, I was laughing, too.

If you don't think she repeated the story for an entire month to anyone who would listen, you didn't know Fern. And I have to admit, it got funnier each time.

Now that both these stories are behind me, I'm trying to glean some wisdom from these episodes. And what I came up with is this: Life is a messy affair. The husband who is good and honest and smart and loyal and hardworking loses his job unfairly, and the family suffers. The best friend who could make you laugh through your pain gets cancer and dies. All you can do is try to clean up the best you can and get on with it. Sure, small reminders of the mess will remain forever, but that's okay. It's how it should be. Most of the time you won't even notice it. But once in a while, your eye will catch a smudge of pink that never came out of the grout. Like the permanent mark on your heart, it connects you to your past, and makes you remember.

So you'll flush the toilet, wash your hands and leave the bathroom. And then, if you're very lucky, you'll start making messes all over again.