Friday Update 1/28

But Enough About Me. Let's Talk About My Book.

I think that was once a cartoon caption in The New Yorker. If not, it should have been. At any rate, with three weeks until the publication of THE OTHER LIFE, things are going to get a little self-indulgent around here. I hope you'll forgive me--there's a lot riding on this, and it's push time. Also, people are being very kind about posting reviews and interviews, and I want to be sure I acknowledge that generosity with links.

Fortunately, I finished FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER this week and sent it off to my editor (yippee!), so now I can focus on promoting THE OTHER LIFE. Let's get started ...

• Author Holly Weiss posted a review that brought me to my knees. You can read the whole thing here.

• The February issue of Long Island Woman Magazine has a lovely feature about me, written by award-winning journalist Debbi  Honorof. Here's a direct link to the article.

• Author/editor/friend/fellow Zoetroper Michelle Garren Flye interviewed me as part of series she's running on choosing character names. Click here.

• Writer Bonnie R. Paulson posted a wonderful review of THE OTHER LIFE plus a really fun interview. I'm so grateful! Please click here to read it.

• The wonderful Shonell Bacon featured THE OTHER LIFE and my comments on her All The Blog's a Page "What is a good book?" series. Here's the link.

• If you're not coming to one of my book events, I hope you'll consider pre-ordering THE OTHER LIFE. Here are some handy links: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Book Revue • Books-A-Million • Borders • Indie Bound • Powells

Thanks for reading and clicking! Have a great weekend.

Friday Update 1/21

Another crazy Friday here. The big news is that THE OTHER LIFE was selected by the American Booksellers Association for their Indie Next Great Reads list. This is a huge honor and I'm thrilled!

Speaking of independent bookstores, the launch event for THE OTHER LIFE will be at the famous Long Island indie, BOOK REVUE. They put a big sign in the window about it, and a few friends snapped cellphone pics and sent them along. This one is from my buddy Keith Friedlander. (Click image for larger view.)

The BOOK REVUE event is on Friday, February 18, at 7 pm.

I'm also happy to announce that I'm doing a book talk and signing at the big, beautiful BARNES & NOBLE in Carle Place, New York. It's on Thursday, March 3, at 7:30 pm. Click here for details.

As long as I'm in a click-happy mood, here are a few more things I hope you'll check out:

• If you're not on my official newsletter mailing list, please click here to sign up. Very important: you have to click through when you get the confirmation email. If you don't see it within a few seconds, check your spam filter.

• At my publisher's request, I started a fan page on Facebook. I need as many "likes" as I can get, so if you have two seconds to spare, please give me a click. Thanks so much!!

• My friend Liz Michalski has a gorgeous website announcing her gorgeous debut novel, EVENFALL. Please check it out!

Have a great weekend!

Hello, Central? Get me Boca Raton!

Yesterday, when I was trying to find my way through a tricky paragraph I was writing, my cellphone rang and the caller ID showed that it was my dad. But when I answered, no one was there. So I called back. It rang and rang.

Frustrated, I called the land line, and my mother answered.

"Is Dad trying to reach me?" I asked.

"He got a new cellphone and he's trying to figure out how to use it," she said. "He's driving me crazy. Do me a favor and call him again."

So I did and listened. One ring. (He must be trying to figure out which button to press.) Two rings. (Still hasn't found it.) Three rings. (Seriously, Dad?) Four rings.

He picked up at last, and I listened for his voice. But all I heard was my mother in the background. "Now say hello, for god's sake!"

The phone went dead. A few minutes later, my mother called back. "I suppose you're going to blog about this," she said.

I couldn't deny it. I was laughing too hard.

Friday Update 1/14/11

Just when I think my schedule can't get any crazier, I'm hit with an avalanche of work. But okay, here's a quick update on the latest ...

• At my publisher's suggestion, I started a Facebook fan page. I hope you'll click in and give it a "like." Thanks!

• Big meeting at Putnam yesterday, where I got to meet the whole team. What an impressive group!

• I was hoping they would have an actual hardcover copy of THE OTHER LIFE for me, and they did! It's so beautiful I nearly cried ...

• Delightful lunch today with lit pals Brenda Janowtiz, Susan Henderson, Carol Hoenig, Debbi Honorof, Saralee Rosenberg and Vivian Swift.

• Back to work for me. Have a great weekend!

Guest blog at The Lit Coach

Erin Reel, The Lit Coach, invited me to guest blog on the topic of artistic integrity. Please pop over and check it out. Thanks!

Friday Update 1/7/11

• Big week for me here, as I finished my first complete draft of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER. I edit relentlessly as I go along, so it's a pretty tight draft, and I'm happy with it. After I hear from my beta readers, I'll take one last pass at it before sending it to my editor.

• Speaking of Dorothy Parker, I created a fan page for her on Facebook. Would love it if you gave it a like click. Thanks!

• Is it possible my baby boy is turning 16 tomorrow? How did this happen so fast? I'm feeling all achy and nostalgic.

• My brother's book on commercial real estate is out, and here's what CNBC's Larry Kudlow had to say about it: “Stephen Meister has a profound understanding of the world of real estate. Anyone who doesn’t read his book will be operating without the benefit of Meister’s penetrating insights. His book casts a bright light into many of the dark corners of our real estate economy and untangles complex governmental issues. Now he has put his vast knowledge into a readable, cogent, and exciting book. I strongly recommend it.”

He got another blurb from someone else you might have heard of, Donald Trump: “Stephen Meister has written an insightful and comprehensive book that explains what happened during the financial crisis and offers possible solutions to what we’re facing now. CRERR is a fast, concise read, and it’s recommended reading - no matter what your business may be.”

Click here for ordering info.

• Tonight we're taking the kids to a Broadway show and I'm a little panicky about the weather. Fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend!

Happy New Year!

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with my Friday updates. Perhaps I need to make that one of my New Year's resolutions.

At any rate, please accept my sincerest thanks for sticking with me all year and for reading this blog. Best wishes for peace, joy, health, happiness and success in 2011!

I leave you with this book trailer, created for me by my wonderkid. I couldn't be prouder ...


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

Friday Update 12/17

Busy busy busy! Have my in-laws as houseguests right now, and this weekend we're celebrating my father-in-law's 90th birthday. How cool is that!

Makes me so happy when everyone gets together for a special celebration.

Also, happy birthday to my mom in Florida, whose actual birthday is today!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I'm working as hard as I can on FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER and on prepping for the release of THE OTHER LIFE. But of course, all that has to be squeezed in between laundry and carpooling and cooking and housekeeping and homework-helping.

Also ...

If you're on my mailing list, you should have gotten my thrlling subscriber-only news today. If not, click to sign up and be sure to watch for the confirmation email. If you don't see it within seconds, check your spam filter.

Thanks and have a great weekend!
xo

The Friday Update That Wasn't

Suffering a cold and feeling a little too under the weather to blog today. But please click into my latest post at the Girlfriends Book Club blog. And leave a comment there if you want the chance to win a prize.
xo

The better-late-than-never Friday Update

Shame! I didn't post a Friday update last week and here it is 6:30 pm and I'm just getting around to posting today's.

I guess I've been pretty busy, but I can't remember what I did this week. Mostly running around with the kids, I guess, shopping, organizing, helping with homework and writing. I had houseguests last week, so I had a lot of catching up to do. The week went by in about three seconds.

And the little one's been sick the past two days, unfortunately. Seems like just a bad cold with a fever.

The good news is that I'm making progress with FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, and got some wonderful research help from Long Islander writer/attorney Tony Iovino.

Speaking of FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, I went into Manhattan today to scope out the Algonquin again for one of the final scenes. Also had lunch with my fab editor, Rachel Kahan.

One last bit of publishing news--Putnam put a wonderful ad for THE OTHER LIFE in Shelf Awareness, a very big trade pub.

Dinner's in the oven, so I have to run. But if you're not a member of my El's Angels blog and would like to help me out by placing a call to your local library and asking them to order THE OTHER LIFE for their collection, please click here. You could win a pretty nifty t-shirt. Thanks!

Have a great weekend!

WINNERS!!

Big thanks to everyone who signed up for my mailing list and who helped promote it. The two t-shirt winners, chosen at random, are:

Carlos of Stockton, California

and

Adele

Can't wait to get your shirts in the mail to you!

101 things I'm thankful for

In random order ...

1. Fat novels with great characters
2. Spellcheck
3. Spring
4. Coffee
5. Crescent moons
6. My kids
7. Mobile email
8. Van Gogh
9. Disposable pans
10. Dogs
11. Elastic waistbands
12. The Portable Dorothy Parker
13. HBO
14. Ethan's smile
15. My book contract
16. Chocolate-covered halvah
17. Libraries
18. My parents
19. Cardigans
20. Online friends
21. Offline friends
22. Beatles songs
23. Diet Coke
24. Fan Mail
25. Emma's voice
26. Erasers
27. My denim jacket
28. Modern Family
29. The daily Cryptoquote
30. Discount coupons
31. Dimmer switches
32. The DVR
33. Compliments
34. Air conditioning
35. Modern medicine
36. Max's memory
37. My GPS
38. Lunch with friends
39. Red wine
40. Lactaid
41. The sunlight at Jones Beach
42. Blurbs
43. Art Museums
44. Back rubs
45. Air Travel
46. Everyday heroes
47. Readers
48. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert
49. Birthday cake
50. Reading glasses
51. Gorgeous sentences
52. Good hair days
53. Modern hygiene
54. Enthusiasm
55. Generosity
56. Digital photography
57. Annie Hall (still)
58. Mike's hugs
59. Autosave
60. Veterans
61. The First Amendment
62. WiFi
63. Bookstores
64. Hot showers
65. My laser printer
66. Power naps
67. My netbook
68. Nassau Suffolk Services for the Autistic
69. Cotton
70. American soldiers
71. Search engines
72. Push-up bras
73. Reasonableness
74. The sunrise
75. Potato latkes
76. Online banking
77. Sarcasm
78. Backyard barbecues
79. Luggage wheels
80. Antibiotics
81. Scrabble
82. Chocolate Truffles
83. The Marx Brothers
84. Signed books
85. Summer nights
86. Seinfeld reruns
87. The Atlantic Ocean
88. Meeting authors
89. Fresh starts
90. The Internet
91. Family dinners
92. NPR
93. Hope
94. Heating pads
95. Laughter
96. Reunions
97. Thai food
98. Hearing from old friends
99. Indoor plumbing
100. Love
101. Blog readers

Friday Update 11/19

Things seems pretty quiet on the publishing front this week. I guess the industry is getting ready for Thanksgiving hibernation. On my end, it was mostly work, work, work, getting pages written on FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER and gearing up for the launch of THE OTHER LIFE. And yesterday was my birthday, which I celebrated quietly with the family ... just the way I like it.

So, just a few reminders ...

• If you haven't signed up for my newsletter mailing list, I hope you'll do so now ... especially since you could win a pretty cool t-shirt. See the blog entry below for details.

• If you're a writer in the New York/Long Island area, I hope consider coming to PITCHAPALOOZA at Book Revue on 12/2. I think it's going to be a blast.

• The laundry's been piling up this week ... and so have the emails. So if you're waiting to hear from me on something, my apologies. I'm trying hard to catch up!

• Did a little fall cleaning on my website, so check it out if you have a chance.

• Have you bookmarked and/or subscribed to THE GIRLFRIENDS BOOK CLUB blog? It's a joint effort of a big group of women authors, and I think you'll like it.

• Big-shout and thanks to my Facebook, Twitter and CafeMom friends for the birthday wishes!

Have a great weekend ...

T-shirt giveaway!

click image for larger view

The pub date for THE OTHER LIFE is getting close, and I'm doing a special giveaway to boost my mailing list ...

 Click here to sign up for it and you will automatically be entered in a drawing for this very cool t-shirt. (Note that I have them available in both men's and women's styles.)

FYI, you'll get a confirmation email after you sign up, and you have to click through when you get that. If you don't see it within seconds, check your spam filter. (Also, be sure to use this link, and not the feedburner widget on this blog--that's a different list.)

Go for it!
Note that I send out very few mailings and don't share my list with anyone, so you have nothing to lose. Besides you could unsubscribe at any time. (But I hope you don't!)

If you're already on my mailing list ...
I didn't forget about you! Just link this blog entry on any site, or send it to friends in an email, and leave a comment below letting me know what you did. That's it ... you'll be entered in a t-shirt drawing, too!

Hurry!
This offer is good through November 30, 2010. Hope you'll sign up today! Click here.

Friday Update 11/12

Happy Friday! I've been busy working on FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER and trying to get my ducks in a row for the launch of THE OTHER LIFE. Here's the latest ...

• Got my ARCs (advance review copies) for THE OTHER LIFE on Tuesday! This is the part where it starts to feel real, so I'm pretty damned excited, especially since they look magnificent. A huge shout-out to the very talented Lisa Amoroso, who designed the jacket, and Meighan Cavanaugh, who designed the book. And of course, to my sage and savvy editor, Rachel Kahan, who directs the whole thing.

• Here's something fun for all my local writer friends--on Thursday, December 2, there's a fabulous event at Book Revue called PITCHAPALOOZA! It's like American Idol for aspiring authors. You get one minute to pitch your book idea to a panel of judges. I'll be one of them, playing the role of either Simon or Paula. Or maybe Randy, dawg. Click here for more info.

• Did a book talk this week to the ladies at my temple's sisterhood. Great group, and I got to chance to do my first public reading from THE OTHER LIFE.

• The sisterhood event coincided with my wedding anniversary, so Mike and I celebrated the Sunday prior at Jonathan's Ristorante in Huntington. One of our favorite places.

• FYI, Maria Geraci has a wonderful new book coming out next month, and I hope you'll check it out. It's called THE BOYFRIEND OF THE MONTH CLUB. Also, I think she's going to be doing a really good giveaway on her blog soon, so be sure to bookmark it.


Have a great weekend!

Friday Update 11/5

Some news and highlights ...

• The big news is that the pub date for THE OTHER LIFE was pushed to February 17. It was done for all the right reasons, though of course I'm kind of disappointed that it's delayed yet again. But that's my impatience. It's really a better slot for the book.

• Naturally, that means the launch party/book talk had to be moved. Big thanks to Julianne at Book Revue for being so understanding and letting me switch the date to February 18. Hope you can join me! Click here to see the online invite.

• Today I'm going to place an order for promotional t-shirts for the book, designed and paid for by yours truly. The picture shows the unisex version, but I'll be making women's shirts as well. (click image for larger view).

FYI, I recommend the company, ooShirts, to anyone who needs Custom Shirts.

• If you read my blog yesterday, you know that the MILK & INK anthology is now available for purchase, and makes a great gift for moms or any reader on your holiday list. You can get it from amazon.com or Outskirts Press.

• According to my editor, the bound galleys of THE OTHER LIFE have arrived. Haven't seen my copies yet but I'm stoked.

• Also excited to learn that the book will be entered in the Amazon Vine program.

• Huge thanks and shout-out to all the friends who tweeted and blogged about THE OTHER LIFE this week, including Anita Beall, Eros-Alegra Clarke, Myfanwy Collins, Susan DiPlacido, DragonRiderMD, Cliff Garstang, Liz Michalski and Jill Thomas. (If I missed anyone, please let me know!)

• And one final shout-out to Rik Kellerman of Ten Tigers Kung Fu Academy for helping me fill in the gaps in my work-in-progress, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER.

Announcing THE MILK & INK ANTHOLOGY!

Friends, a few months ago I was honored and thrilled to be invited to submit a story to a brand new motherhood anthology called Milk & Ink (edited by Eros-Alegra Clarke, Jordan Rosenfeld, Nina Perez and Tomi L. Wiley). The contributor list is truly impressive and best of all, the proceeds go to an important cause called Mama Hope. Here's a snippet from the press materials ...

Milk & Ink is here now! This anthology of stories, essays and poems by writing mothers celebrates the intensity of being both mother and writer. It also will inspire all to recognize the power of living true to your passions and life purpose.


Milk &\ Ink focuses on the experience of motherhood, but it also speaks to everyone: fathers, daughters, and sons. This anthology, not only in its stories, but in its creation and promotion, seeks to acknowledge the need we have for one another.


Proceeds of the project will be donated to Mama Hope, which supports women and children in Africa in a variety of projects.To purchase copies you may visit one of the following links:


Amazon.com


Outskirts Press

I think you'll love this book. And I know it'll make a great holiday gift for any reader on your list.

A little help from my friends?

As it gets close to pub date for THE OTHER LIFE, I'm asking friends to help spread the word, and in return I'm offering prizes. I just awarded someone the signed manuscript, and this week's giveaway is a copy of E.L. Doctorow's BILLY BATHGATE, signed by the author.

Click here to read more and get involved.

Thanks!

Friday Update 10/29/10

This and that ...

• I'm not doing NaNoWriMo, but I am trying to finish up my work-in-progress, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, so my updates may be quick these next few weeks. Sending good luck wishes to all my writer friends who are taking the plunge!

• Very happy to announce that I've got the plot pretty well worked out. So now I just have to write, write, write. About 90 pages to go.

• Soon I'll be tweaking the design of my website, but for now I'm updating it with new information, including helpful links on my media page.

• Last chance to sign up for my El's Angels blog and be eligible to win a signed copy of THE OTHER LIFE in manuscript form.

• If you're a writer, please click here to read an exquisite essay by my pal Susan Henderson, Does Publishing a Book Make You a Writer?

• Worthy of your attention: Melissa Senate's new book, THE LOVE GODDESS' COOKING SCHOOL, is now in stores and it looks like a fantastic read. I'm really looking forward to this one!

• Special shout-out to Stephen DeAngelis for putting on a hell of a show last Saturday!

• Still hoping for some pre-order activity for THE OTHER LIFE. (hint hint) See the links on the right. →


Have a spooky weekend!
xo

You're invited!