A bit of good news ... please read and forward

I sent the following email out to my whole list this week, but apparently it got snagged by a lot of spam filters. Please feel free to copy it into an email and send it to 10 of your friends, per the instructions. Thank you so much!! xo

Since you're receiving this message, you're either on my mailing list or someone wants you to sign up. Either way, I'm offering you the chance to enter a drawing for an Amazon.com gift card. But more on that in a minute. First, the big news is that I now have a pub date for my breakthrough novel, THE OTHER LIFE. Look for it in stores January 20. I know it's a long way off, but I'm excited, especially since it's been getting such great early buzz. You'll see some samples at the bottom of this email. And now for the gift card part. In anticipation of the novel's release, I'm expanding my mailing list and I could sure use your help. To show my appreciation, I'm offering two great chances to win an Amazon.com gift card.* • If you are not on my mailing list: Simply click here to sign up, and you will automatically be entered in a giveaway for a $25 Amazon.com gift card. Once you sign up, you will also be eligible for the giveaway below. • If you are already on my mailing list: Forward this email today to 10 friendsand copy me at author@ellenmeister.com. You will automatically be entered in a giveaway for a $50 Amazon.com gift card! Easy, right? And you really have nothing to lose, as I send out very few emails. Thanks so much for helping me expand my list .... and good luck! Ellen * Offer ends 8/15/2010. If you prefer a gift card from another bookstore, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate the request.      Early buzz for THE OTHER LIFE ... "Ellen Meister makes a big leap toward the literary in THE OTHER LIFE, a book where "What if" becomes the most powerful question in the world. This is the thinking woman's beach read, a love story to the modern family, written with a deep and lovely understanding of mothers and daughters and the sacrifices they'll make for each other." -Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING "Gripping! A truly fascinating story of love, loss, and a magical place in between." -Beth Harbison, New York Times bestselling author of HOPE IN A JAR "Intriguing, stimulating, original, unpredictable, frightening, utterly engaging--THE OTHER LIFE reminded me why I love to read. Ellen Meister is a writer with a limitless future." -Michael Palmer, New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST SURGEON "In her riveting breakthrough novel, THE OTHER LIFE, gifted storyteller Ellen Meister doesn't just peek in on a young mother who straddles between love and doubt, she blows it open with a story of one who straddles two parallel universes, each with its own perilous decisions. It is a brave and honest exploration of the precarious limits of motherhood that will make readers wonder if Meister followed them with a probe and felt their racing hearts and hopes. If you have ever second guessed the biggest decisions of your life (and who hasn't), THE OTHER LIFE is a captivating homage to the question, does love conquer all?" -Saralee Rosenberg, author of DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD and FATE AND MS. FORTUNE "THE OTHER LIFE is a provocative and unique tale of the road not taken. Ellen Meister puts a magical, masterful spin on one of my favorite questions: "What if?" What if you took both roads? You won't want to miss this one!" -Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON "I loved this emotional powerhouse of a novel that asks a daring "what if..." and manages to be as charming and funny as it is thoughtful and moving. Brava, Ellen Meister!" -Melissa Senate, author of SEE JANE DATE and THE SECRET OF JOY

Books on the beach

I went to the beach today and took a lovely walk, glancing back and forth between the ocean and the people. As always, I was book nosy, and did my best to see what everyone was reading. Here's my report ...

• 3 Nelson DeMilles ... not surprising, since this is Long Island and he's our most famous author. One was a library copy


• 2 James Pattersons ... ALEX CROSS and what looked like a large-type edition of ALONG CAME A SPIDER


• THE HELP, hardcover


• Two girls were sitting side-by-side reading separate copies of the new Stephanie Meyer book


• A Charlaine Harris paperback


• A man after my own heart was reading Richard Russo's EMPIRE FALLS in trade paperback (my favorite book, fyi)


• Jodi Picoult's VANISHING ACTS


• Emily Giffin (pink cover)


• Matthew Pearl's THE DANTE CLUB


• Only saw two e-readers, which looked like Kindles. It was one couple and they each had their own. No idea what they were reading. Saw NO iPads.


Of course, most of the books were paperback and I couldn't see the covers, so the report's pretty skewed. Note, too, that there were at least as many magazines and newspapers as there were books. And oh, I did see one copy of THE OTHER LIFE by Ellen Meister. My husband was reading it ... in manuscript form.


Have a happy Father's Day ...

Friday Update 6/18

Woosh! What a fast week.

Most of the time I was busy with the kids, carpooling, scheduling, bat mitzvah details, etc. I think I may have written a total of two pages the whole week. Ah, well. I plan to write like a fiend all summer.

• Yesterday I went to a big marketing event for CafeMom, an utterly splendid social networking site for mothers. (If you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Click here. It's free.) I got to meet the very impressive people who run the show there, and that was a real treat. Also a treat? Getting to meet Lisa Belkin of The New York Times, who I read online and in the newspaper. Here's a link to her bright and insightful MOTHERLODE blog.

Here's a pic. The two women on the left are the oter moms who were invited to event. Not sure if they want their names listed, so I'll keep that to myself for now. They were very impressive women and it was an honor to hang out with them. The woman next to me is Laura Fortner, CafeMom EVP.

In case you don't recognize him, the guy in the middle (below) is actor/director Andrew Shue, one of the founders of the site. And yes, he looks even better than he did in his Melrose Place days.

 

• I'm gearing up for another big push for my mailing list, so if you signed up, keep an eye on your inbox early next week. If you didn't sign up, now's a good time, as I'm doing another gift card drawing and I'd love for you to win. Click here.

• I gotta love NPR. Driving around this week I heard a wonderful story called Alternate Ithaca Tom. Like my forthcoming book, THE OTHER LIFE, it draws on the multiple world theory of quantum physics without getting geeky about it. It's by Tom Weiser and it's hugely entertaining. Click here to listen. It's really worth a few minutes of your time.

That's about all I have time for. Thanks for checking in. Have a wonderful weekend and a fabulous Father's Day ...
xo

THE OTHER LIFE early buzz

I recently announced that I have a pub date for THE OTHER LIFE (January 20), but I realize that I never posted the wonderful early blurbs I've received, so here goes ...

"Ellen Meister makes a big leap toward the literary in THE OTHER LIFE, a book where "What if" becomes the most powerful question in the world. This is the thinking woman's beach read, a love story to the modern family, written with a deep and lovely understanding of mothers and daughters and the sacrifices they'll make for each other."

-Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING

"Gripping! A truly fascinating story of love, loss, and a magical place in between."

-Beth Harbison, New York Times bestselling author of HOPE IN A JAR

"Intriguing, stimulating, original, unpredictable, frightening, utterly engaging--THE OTHER LIFE reminded me why I love to read. Ellen Meister is a writer with a limitless future."

-Michael Palmer, New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST SURGEON

"In her riveting breakthrough novel, THE OTHER LIFE, gifted storyteller Ellen Meister doesn't just peek in on a young mother who straddles between love and doubt, she blows it open with a story of one who straddles two parallel universes, each with its own perilous decisions. It is a brave and honest exploration of the precarious limits of motherhood that will make readers wonder if Meister followed them with a probe and felt their racing hearts and hopes. If you have ever second guessed the biggest decisions of your life (and who hasn't), THE OTHER LIFE is a captivating homage to the question, does love conquer all?"

-Saralee Rosenberg, author of DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD and FATE AND MS. FORTUNE

"THE OTHER LIFE is a provocative and unique tale of the road not taken. Ellen Meister puts a magical, masterful spin on one of my favorite questions: "What if?" What if you took both roads? You won't want to miss this one!"

-Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON

"I loved this emotional powerhouse of a novel that asks a daring "what if..." and manages to be as charming and funny as it is thoughtful and moving. Brava, Ellen Meister!"

-Melissa Senate, author of SEE JANE DATE and THE SECRET OF JOY

Friday Update 6/11

Oh, this week! This month! I am crazed and chaotic. Here are a few quick highlights ...

• Though the trajectory leading to this point has been clear since the day Max, my eldest, started Kindergarten, I was nevertheless gobsmacked Tuesday night when I realized the next day would be his last as a high schooler.

I won't say anything as trite as Where do the years go?, but for any of you who want a glimpse of what these milestones mean to the parents of a kid with special needs, read this essay by Erma Bombeck. It's one simple page that still brings me to my knees.

• Just about everything gobsmacked me when I turned the calendar from May to June, as I realized there were thousands of details in my life that needed immediate attention. So yes, I got the camp health forms signed, notarized and delivered, I'm almost done with Emma's bat mitzvah list and made an appt. to choose invitations, very nearly got the bus and finals schedule under control for Ethan, planned a celebration for Max's graduation and am still making and fielding about a thousand phone calls a day to get his transition services in line for the fall.

• One of the details that needed attending was my own damned fault. The caterer doing my daughter's bat mitzvah informed me that I had sent in the contract unsigned. Urlgh. Instead of letting him mail it back, I drove over there to sign it, just so that I could be sweet and charming and prove that I'm not a total ditz. No problem, only when I got home I realized I was wearing my cardigan inside-out.

• And oh, have I mentioned that I've been sick? Actually, today is the first day I have no pain in the my throat, so I'm hoping I'm close to a full recovery.

• And my writing career isn't on hold during all this. My literary agent called the other day to say the film agent wants a 2-page summary of THE OTHER LIFE. So in the midst of all this insanity I dashed it off, despite that I have no idea how to pitch for movies or TV. Fortunately, my agent held my hand through it and I think it came out pretty good.

• I don't know how much I'm allowed to divulge, but I'm involved with something for CafeMom that I'm pretty excited about. Suffice to say I'm being interviewed Thursday by a prominent journalist I really respect and admire. I'll provide details next week if I can.

• Weird news story of the week that distracted me from the oil spill: Doctors in France are training dogs to detect prostate cancer. I think that's way cool ... only I can't help wondering how they get them to put on those rubber gloves.

Have a great weekend!!

Friday Update 6/4

Quick quick--so much do to ...

• Big news is that I got a pub date for THE OTHER LIFE. Mark your calendar--it's scheduled for release on January 20.

• Been pretty sick this week, which is a drag since June is pure chaos. A million things to do every second of the day, which isn't easy when you feel like your chest is an aircraft carrier and your sinuses are the Long Island Expressway on a Friday in August.

• Sending love to Alan and Susan and all the other wonderful friends I missed seeing on Sunday. Next year!

• Last week I mentioned that I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of Susan Henderson's UP FROM THE BLUE. I wasn't going to read it just yet because I'm so damned busy, but I couldn't stay away. And oh my god. My friends, this book brought me to my knees. PLEASE  be sure you put this on your shopping list for September. In fact, don't wait. Pre-order it right now. You are going to LOVE this book. It's being compared to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and it really is that good. Here are links to make it easy: amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com, powells.com, indiebound.

• Love this tribute to Dennis Hopper by EW's Owen Gleiberman.

• In addition to all the hectic end-of-school-year stuff, I've been working on an anthology submission and a book review for Long Island Woman, not to mention a novel. Also trying to fit in a big event for CafeMom, but I'm hitting scheduling roadblocks. Ugh. I need an assistant.

• A whole week with no gym and no running makes me feel like I'm turning into a lump of blubber. I hate this.

• Will I really make it through June?

Have a great weekend ...

Friday Update 5/28

So crazed this week with end-of-the-school year stuff. Way worse than usual as the wonderkid is graduating and we're still working out his transition plan. Here's what else is going on ...

• Last weekend's 5K race to benefit Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism went really well. My husband was nursing a knee injury, which meant he was happy to run at my slow pace, coaching me along. I didn't break any records, but of course that wasn't my goal. All I wanted to do was keeping running straight through to the end, which I did. Big thanks to all who sponsored us.

• Finished the first third of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER and printed it out to edit in hard copy. So far, so good. :)

• HarperCollins threw a book blogger party Wednesday night, and my pal Susan Henderson was one of the two featured authors. That means I got my hands on an ARC of her forthcoming debut, UP FROM THE BLUE. I can hardly wait to read this book. The buzz it's getting is astounding ... so make note. This is one for your must-read list.

• I was thrilled that the party was held at the Algonquin, as it gave me an additional opportunity to channel Dorothy Parker.

That's a young Mrs. Parker herself in the pearls. Alexander Woollcott, the theater critic who started the Algonquin Round Table,  is seated on the right. The man standing behind her in the light suit is Harpo Marx. If anyone else can identify the two other men I'd appreciate it.

• Pindeldyboz, a wonderful literary e-zine, is shutting down after 10 years. It was one of the first places that published me (remarkably, I'm still proud of the story). Sorry to see it go, but it had a good long run.

• My friend Debra Borden, a wonderful woman and terrifically funny author, sent Oprah an audition tape. I hope you'll click and give her a vote.

• Read a fascinating couple of paragraphs in BusinessWeek the other day about experiments using whipworms to cure Crohn's Disease. Check it out.

• Another season of American Idol comes to an end, and once again the nation proves it values mediocrity over talent. Oh, well. At least I wasn't emotionally invested this time. I leave you with a video of someone who took it to heart (with thanks to Ken Levine for the link) ...



Have a great weekend. xo

Friday Update 5/21

Some crazy schizophrenic weather this week in New York, but it seems like spring might actually have settled in at last.

Here's the latest ...

• Happy for the lovely weather, as tomorrow the whole family is "running" in a race to benefit Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism. I put that in quotes as I might be the only one attempting to break a sweat. The kids will probably walk the whole way, and Mike is nursing a pulled muscle. We'll see ... should be fun in any case.

(That could be actual an picture of me, only my legs aren't that fat.)

• Just want to add that it's a great cause, and I encourage you to make a donation. Click here to donate online.

• Speaking of services for autism, if you're a Long Islander, there are some kids who could really use your help. They need to do some job sampling this summer to learn basic work skills, so if your business is willing to hire some very well-behaved high-functioning autistic teenagers for part time work, please drop me a line. They would be accompanied by aides, and could work for little or no money. Thanks so much!

• Some cool publishing news: my wonderful editor sent along a book jacket design for THE OTHER LIFE and I'm head-over-heels in love with it. I'll post it just as soon as the final version is approved.

• Made my way through the copyedited ms. this week and sent it back to my publisher, along with my acknowledgments. It's all starting to feel so real.

• Just found out I'm having dinner with E.L. Doctorow in September, thanks to my cousins Richard and Lois. Whose life am I living? Surely this can't be mine. Anyway, more on that soon.

• My brother's star as a right wing media darling keeps rising. Here's Stephen Meister's latest: an Op-Ed in the New York Post called THE NEXT DI$A$TER: Federal mortgage insurance.

Back to work, as I've been neglecting Dorothy Parker for too long. Have a great weekend ...

Friday Update 5/14

Here's the latest ...

• Had a lovely Mother's Day with lots of love and spontaneous hugs from the three greatest kids on earth.

• Got my copyedits on THE OTHER LIFE, which is a pretty exciting step. Going through it paragraph by paragraph now.

• Reading a magnificent book right now, THE QUEEN OF PALMYRA by Minrose Gwin. I'm only about halfway through, but it's an exquisite and beautifully told story about the horrors of racism in the South in the early 1960s. Because it's told from the POV of a young girl, it's being compared to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. That's quite apt, despite that the girl's father is about as different from Atticus as a character could possibly be. Anyway, when I like a book I want to see it succeed, so it's disappointing this rich and chilling novel doesn't have a more compelling cover. Still, look past it and pick this one up. You'll thank me. (FYI, a great book club read!)


• Speaking of books, this week I was thrilled to receive an autographed copy of NOSE DOWN, EYES UP by the hilarious Merrill Markoe. More on that soon.

• Trying a new experiment over at Publishers Marketplace to see if anyone shopping for movie rights is reading that site. Here's my new page, which could use some clicks. Thanks!

• Today I'm proud to be the featured author at Sia McKye's blog, OVER COFFEE. I'd love it if you'd stop in and leave a comment.

Have a wonderful weekend! xo

Friday Update 5/7

This week went by in about five minutes. Here's the latest ...

• My kid is feeling better, so phew.

• Got a really tough scene written in FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, which is great, but now I'm stuck in note-writing stage, trying to figure out what to do with the next two scenes. (Pacing is important to me, so while I know what needs to happen in the next big scene, I'm not ready to write it yet. If I could write chapters out of order I could just keep laying down pages, but that simply doesn't work for me.)

• Shout out to my pal Rik who helped my novel research by letting me observe a Kung Fu class and answering my many questions.

• Last Sunday was the Cantorial Concert at our temple, featuring Sol Zim. The junior choir sang a few songs and my dear daughter got a solo. Wonderful concert all around! Kudos to all.

• Finished STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova and it's still haunting me. What a quietly powerful book. This is a hell of a talented author, and I think the review from Publishers Weekly was entirely unfair. Pisses me off. Go read this book.

• Speaking of great books, Andrew Gross's RECKLESS is now on the front table of a store near you. Do check it out.

• Happy to announce that I have a winner from my mailing list promotion. Melissa from Huntington, NY won the $25 amazon.com gift card in a random drawing.

• I leave you with a poem by the mischievous Dorothy Parker, entitled "Portrait of the Artist" ...

Oh, lead me to a quiet cell
Where never footfall rankles,
And bar the window passing well,
And gyve my wrists and ankles.

Oh, wrap my eyes with linen fair,
With hempen cord go bind me,
And, of your mercy, leave me there,
Nor tell them where to find me.

Oh, lock the portal as you go,
And see its bolts be double....
Come back in half an hour or so,
And I will be in trouble.


Have a lovely Mother's Day Weekend ....
xo

Happy Birthday George Clooney!

Born May 6 - Your Year Ahead
You can be a little more temperamental and impatient this year, which can lead to disagreements with others. However, you are also more intellectually stimulated during this period of your life, and projects that require concentration and focus will be especially rewarding. Also, social and romantic relationships are likely to be quite satisfying during this period of your life.


Dear George,

Four years ago I sent you a present. It wasn't to celebrate your birthday. It was to mark the publication of my first book, SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA, a novel about three women who conspire to get a George Clooney movie filmed in their children's schoolyard.

The original title was GEORGE CLOONEY IS COMING TO APPLEWOOD, but you wouldn't give me permission to use your name.

To show there were no hard feelings, I sent you a copy of the book with the following inscription:

Dear George,
This book might just put you on the map.
You're welcome.
Ellen Meister

You never sent a thank you, but give me a call sometime. I have some ideas for how you can make it up to me.

By the way, my birthday is November 18.

Enjoy your day ...

xo

Dorothy Parker on writers

From "The Function of the Writer," Esquire Magazine Symposium, 10/1958:

"To me, there are only two kinds of writers─those who write badly and those who write well. I believe, and it is a sad belief, that any writer, no matter what he puts down, does the best he can─oh, sure, sure, he may write what he calls dashing off something─but I tell you no matter what he writes, it is the best he can. It is the congenital curse of the writer that whatever he writes is the best he can do." ─Dorothy Parker

Hello, IRS? You got some 'splaining to do.

So the IRS sends us our tax refund minus $37, claiming we made a mistake on our return. My husband looks it over and says nope, we're right. They're wrong.

Most people would have let it go, assuming there was either an arcane bit of tax code they were missing, or just too small a sum to quibble over. But not my guy. He stands on principle.

I asked, "Do you think it's intentional? Like maybe they're trying to skim $37 off a few million returns to help trim the budget deficit?"

He laughed. "Even if they stole $37 from a million people, that's still only $37 million. Compared to the budget deficit of over a trillion dollars, that's sort of like you finding a nickel in the couch."

So he called the IRS and got someone who couldn't explain the $37 discrepancy. He got transferred to another person who couldn't figure it out. He got transferred yet again to someone who admitted the IRS had probably made a mistake, but wasn't really sure. My husband insisted on being transferred to someone who had the authority to make the decision.

By this point he had been on the phone forty-five minutes. We were all waiting for him to get off so we could go out for pizza. He finally told us to go without him. "Bring me back an eggplant parm hero," he said.

An hour-and-a-half after calling, he finally got someone who admitted the mistake and promised to send us a check for $37. My husband asked, "Is there a confirmation number you can give me so I can follow up if I don't get the check?"

"No," he was told. "If you don't get it in six weeks, just call us back."

Knowing my husband, he will.

But we'll try to time dinner a little better. Not that I mind bringing a hero home from the pizza place ... it's just that I'd rather walk in with one.

Friday Update 4/30

Bad day for my darling with Crohn's disease so I'm not up for posting an update. More later if he feels better.

Have a good weekend and think good thoughts for him, please ...

xo

CROSSING OCEANS By Gina Holmes

Gina Holmes is a writer who interviews other authors on a wonderful website called Novel Journey. Gina is a generous supporter of her fellow writers, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity to give her a shout-out now that her own debut novel is hitting the stores.




Here's the summary for CROSSING OCEANS ...

Nothing deepens a stream like a good rain . . . or makes it harder to cross. Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But life has a way of upending even the best-laid plans. Now, years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank-toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter.

As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love to change everything—to heal old hurts, to bring new beginnings . . . even to overcome the impossible.

And here's just some of the terrific early buzz on this book ...

“Beautiful and heartfelt.”
Charles Martin, NYT bestselling author of Where the River Ends

“Poignant and unforgettable, CROSSING OCEANS will break your heart — and then put the pieces back together again. This is an uplifting and inspiring tale that reminds us to live every day as if it’s our last.”
Tess Gerritsen, NYT Best-selling author

“Moving, heart-rending and poignant, a stunning debut. Holmes returns us to what matters in a too-short life—what it really is to come home.”
Tosca Lee, Author of Havah & Demon: A Memoir

“Gina Holmes explores the beauty, tenderness and tenacity of mother-love in Crossing Oceans with marvelous skill and insight. An outstanding debut from a gifted storyteller. Bravo!
Susan Meissner, Author of The Shape of Mercy

You can buy CROSSING OCEANS at your favorite chain or independent bookstore. To buy online, visit cbc.om, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Gina's website at ginaholmes.com.

Woosh!

I'm in love with my book again!

I've been struggling daily with my work-in-progress, wrestling with every sentence. But today something happened--the thing caught fire.

It's ironic that this is a novel about Dorothy Parker, because it suddenly occurred to me that the process of writing a book is a lot like the ups and downs of romance she chronicled in a poem called "Symptom Recital."

I do not like my state of mind;
I'm bitter, querulous, unkind.
I hate my legs, I hate my hands,
I do not yearn for lovelier lands.
I dread the dawn's recurrent light;
I hate to go to bed at night.
I snoot at simple, earnest folk.
I cannot take the gentlest joke.
I find no peace in paint or type.
My world is but a lot of tripe.
I'm disillusioned, empty-breasted.
For what I think, I'd be arrested.
I am not sick, I am not well.
My quondam dreams are shot to hell.
My soul is crushed, my spirit sore;
I do not like me any more.
I cavil, quarrel, grumble, grouse.
I ponder on the narrow house.
I shudder at the thought of men....
I'm due to fall in love again.

Friday Update 4/23

Some actual news to report this week ...

• Last weekend was the Author Tea at Hofstra where I got to interview Elinor Lipman for an audience of about 75 wonderful women. Our portion of the event lasted about 40 minutes, but Elinor was so charming and forthright and fascinating I could have gone on all day! Here are a few photos, thanks to my pal Saralee Rosenberg ...



We talked a lot about writing and a bit about her latest book, THE FAMILY MAN, which will be available in paperback any minute. If you haven't yet read this book, please get your hands on a copy and find out why Elinor Lipman is one of my favorite writers.

Special shout-out to Debbi Honorof, book columnist for Long Island Woman, who did an astounding job organizing the whole event. That's her in the picture above, between me and Elinor.

• Additional shout-outs to the other wonderful authors at the event, Maria Garcia Kalb, Cynthia Baxter and Anne Canadeo. A very impressive group! And one final shout-out to the sponsors, Hofstra University, The Transition Network and the Huntington Arts Council.


• One of the attendees was my dear friend, Susan Henderson, whose debut novel, UP FROM THE BLUE, comes out in September. Jamie Ford, bestselling author of HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET, read the book and loved it so much he predicts it will lure countless readers. Check it out.

• Happy news: my agent sold German rights to THE OTHER LIFE.

• My writing isn't particularly research heavy, but I always need to reach to reach out to a few experts for help. I've been very fortunate that some generous professionals, including doctors, lawyers, social workers, nurses, detectives and others have come forward to offer their expertise. Recently, my cousin Max Weiss, a bright and brilliant Baltimore film critic, provided valuable info for my current book, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER. And this week I was excited to hook up with a prominent movie reviewer from a national magazine, and I'm so very grateful. Not sure if he wants to be identified, so I'll keep that under my hat for now.

A great big bow to all who have helped!

• My husband started his new job with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney this week. Woot!

Have a great weekend ...

Daily Cryptoquote Clues

CRYPTOQUOTE CLUE FOR 4/20/17

I haven't updated this post in 6 years, but today's Cryptoquote was so brutal I knew a lot of you would be finding your way here. So I'll give you  a couple of clues that should help ...


H is O (and no, that's not a mistake--there's a word that ends in O and it's not "into")

W is H

That should lead you in the right direction. If you need more clues, post a comment below.

P.S. In case you're wondering, the same Cryptoquote appears in newspapers coast-to-coast.

Friday Update, 4/15

No time for a proper update, my friends, but a reminder that the BOOK & AUTHOR TEA is at Hofstra this Sunday. Here are the deets ...

Book and Author Tea
Sunday, 4/18, 2-4 pm

The Hofstra University Club
900 Fulton Avenue, Hempstead, NY

Featuring....

Elinor LipmanInterviewed by yours truly about creating novels with wit, wisdom and a beating heart

Cynthia Baxter and Anne Canadeo
Two Long Island authors engage in a lively dialogue about writing mysteries
Interviewed by Debbi Honorof, Long Island Woman book columnist

Maria Garcia Kalb
KJOY Radio Personality and author of 101 Ways to Torture your Husband

Cost: $25.00
Includes gourmet teas and coffee, French and Italian pastries, and fresh fruit.
Book signing to follow Tea. Books will be available for purchase.

For more information click here
or call 516-622-4837.

Click here to register online.

And here's an adorable 35-second video I made ...



Have a great weekend!

Saturday's Friday Update

So my day got away from me yesterday and now, as I write this, five children wait for me to make them French toast. (Yes, five. We had a double sleepover.) So I need to be fast. Some highlights from my week ...

• Our family trip to 30 Rockefeller Plaza for the NBC studio tour was great fun. Biggest surprise? 30 Rock is not filmed at 30 Rock, but at Silvercup Studios. Go figure. Natch, when it came time for two volunteers to get in front of the camera for a few minutes of mock news, my darlings raised their hands. They were adorable.

• Not so much fun: Mars 2112. Yech. Boring, outdated, dirty and with the most pathetic and apathetic staff. Stay away.

• Kids went back to school on Wednesday, which means I got a smidge of work done on FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER. It's inching forward.

• Another thing I'm working on is writing the questions for my interview of Elinor Lipman at Hofstra on Sunday, April 18. In addition to being a beloved and talented author, she's smart and funny and charming. It's going to be great. Click here for more info. Click here to preregister.

• The other thing that's been keeping me hopping is the giveaway promotion aimed at people signing up for my mailing list. My Girlfriends Cyber Circuit pals have been helping me out. Here are the blogs posted so far:
Saralee Rosenberg
Megan Crane
Roberta Isleib
Marilyn Brant
Brenda Janowitz

Judi Fennell

Carleen Brice

Jessica Brody

Maggie Marr

Jess Riley

Samantha Wilde

• If any other bloggers wish to help spread the word, please do! I promise I'll link your blog in this column.

• Special shout-out to author pal Susan DiPlacido for doing just that!

• It's time to make the French toast, but not before I leave you with this, Elinor Lipman's tribute to her late husband from the Modern Love column in The New York Times.

Enjoy your weekend ...

Friday Update delayed

My apologies to anyone clicking in for my weekly update. I have a load on my plate this morning and will try to get to it this afternoon. Please check back in later. Thanks!

xo