Friday Update 4/29/11

Sorry about going AWOL last week. The kids were off from school and things got hectic. Here's a catch-up ...

• Vacation week was a bit of a bust, as most of us were sick at one point or another. Also, homework! Sheesh. I spent most of my time at the kitchen table helping the kids get through their various projects. The youngest has it the worst. What's with those middle school teachers? Her workload is INSANE. And why do they give all that work over the break? Feels passive-aggressive to me ...

• This week I was very excited to discover that THE OTHER LIFE is on the Austin Public Library's Best Fiction of 2011 list!

• I love the questions Carrie Runnals asked in her Words to Mouth interview. Please pop in and check it out. Also note that she's giving away a free copy of THE OTHER LIFE. To enter the drawing, just leave a comment at the bottom of the interview.

• Writer friends--in case you didn't already see this, Penguin has launched a new workshop site for genre writers. It's called bookcountry.com, and it's free to join.

• Speaking of writing, I've agreed to teach a continuing ed course at Hofstra in the fall. More on that soon. Meanwhile, if you want to see what they're offering this summer, visit ce.hofstra.edu

• There's still time to get a free bookplate for Mother's Day. Just drop me a line and tell me who to make it out to and where to send it. If you're in the U.S., I'll pay the postage.

• I miss Michael Scott already. One of the best characters in the history of television ...

Have a great weekend.

Mother's Day Gift: THE OTHER LIFE

I've been hearing from a lot of folks who are buying THE OTHER LIFE as a Mother's Day gift and want to know how to get a signed copy. This really touches me, because at its essence, this book is about the power and magic of motherhood.

So in honor of Mother's Day, I'm making bookplates available for free. Whether you're buying the book for someone or requesting a copy for yourself, I'm happy to send you a signed, personalized bookplate. These are self-adhesive stickers that can go right into the front of the book. Just drop me a line and let me know:

1. Who to make it out to
and
2. Where to send it


That's it. If you're in the U.S., I'll pay the postage.

THE OTHER LIFE is available at your local bookstore. To buy online, visit any cyber bookseller, such as:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  Books-A-Million • Indie Bound • Powell's

Click here to read the BookPage review.

For more information, click here to visit my website, or watch the video:


THE OTHER LIFE by Ellen Meister from Ellen Meister on Vimeo.

Amazon • Barnes & Noble •  Books-A-Million • Indie Bound • Powell's

Friday Update 4/15/11

God, this week blew by in a blur. I guess it's because I lost some time due to being sick. It's kind of like going into suspended animation. But I'm on the mend, so onward. Here's the latest ...

• Huge thanks to the wonderful folks at the Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington. They hosted a terrific book club event for THE OTHER LIFE on Tuesday, and it drew a smart and engaged crowd. I had a great time! I left behind some signed books ... an inspired idea for Mother's Day!

• Great Reader's Review here from Michele Stefanides!

• I had a lot of fun with the Dear Social Media letter I posted on the Girlfriends Book Club blog this week. Check it out.

• THE OTHER LIFE got a positive review from BookReporter.

• I hope you'll click here to see the review from BookPage.

• Huge thanks to my pal Katrina Denza for scanning and sending this clip from her local NC newspaper:

Have a great weekend!

Dear Social Media, you slut

Read my letter to that fickle lover, Social Media, on the Girlfriends Book Club Blog.

Friday Update 4/8

My big excitement this week was that I  appeared on channel 11 PIX, a popular TV station here in NY. It all happened very fast. On Tuesday I was contacted by someone at CafeMom, who wanted to know if I had a strong opinion on sometimes letting a kid cry it out, versus immediately rushing in every time. It so happens I believe it's vitally important to teach your children they can soothe themselves. And it's a lesson my kids have taught me over and over.

Case in point: When my oldest was a baby, he refused to hold his bottle like other kids his age. I showed him how to do it again and again, but he only dropped it and screamed. I knew he was physically capable of holding it--he just didn't want to.

I thought it was important for him to reach this developmental milestone. So one day I sat him facing me on the floor and put his bottle between us. He screamed and screamed. I kept reassuring him that the bottle was right there if he wanted it. He was  furious! But I just kept telling him it was okay. He could pick up the bottle any time he wanted.

And of course, he did at last. From then on he loved holding his bottle. Letting them cry it out is usually the harder route to take, but the better choice for the child. Anyway, here's the very short segment:

 

Other highlights this week:

• THE OTHER LIFE is on the BookPage list of THE TOP 20 BOOKS OF 2011 (SO FAR). Woot! Please click here to read the BookPage review that got so much attention.

• Last week I told you how thrilled I was that THE OTHER LIFE was selected as April's Book Club Pick by Bookbundlz. This week they posted an interview with me, and I hope you'll check it out.

• Very happy with this review from the Simply Me blog

• Big thanks to Lisa Kudrow for sending a message to her Facebook followers about my NPR interview!

• An extra-special shout-out to Angie Atkinson and the WM Freelance Writers Connection for featuring me on their blog this week!

Have a great weekend ...

The New Old Technology

Phone conversation with Dad ...

DAD: There's an article in the New York Post about the Algonquin Hotel's new cat.
ME: Thanks for the heads up. I'll see if it's online.
DAD: If not, you should run out and get the paper.
ME: Or you can just send me the article.
DAD: How would I do that?
ME: Cut it out of the paper, fold it, put it an envelope and write my address on it.
DAD:
ME:
DAD: I can do that.

Friday Update 4/1/11

No April Fool's jokes today, I promise! Maybe I'm crotchety, but I'm finding them all so tiresome.

Anyway, this is late because I had a doctor's appointment this morning. That might explain the missing funny bone today, but I checked out okay (yay!), so no worries.

Here's the latest:

• Big woot, as THE OTHER LIFE has been selected as the April Book Club Pick by Bookbundlz! http://www.bookbundlz.com/

• Breaking news: I'm going to be an app! If you have an iPhone or an Android, you'll soon be able to view a Skype interview between yours truly and Adam Curry. Stay tuned for more information. (Meanwhile, if you haven't yet downloaded The Big App Show, check it out--it's free.)

• Big thanks to Andrea Cosans at LonelyFriday.org for the great interview.

• Really enjoyed meeting Mary and the gang at the Huntington book club this week! Thanks so much for having me.

• The folks at Murder by 4 invited me to blog about how I got my HBO deal, and I called it WHO DO I HAVE TO KILL? Check it out.

• Mad crazy week and I'm behind on EVERYTHING. So if I owe you a call or an email or whatever, my apologies. Scrambling to catch up ...

Have a great weekend!