SRO for our Summer Reads Event at Book Revue!

Judging from the turnout at our Book Revue Beach Party last night, the only thing better than going to the beach is sharing your favorite reads with fellow readers.

The event last night was one of those rare occasions when readers and writers have a chance to get together to share their love of stories while munching on cookies, sipping cold drinks and winning prizes.

Julianne Wernersbach (first photo,) our host from Book Revue, kicked the evening off with some words about beach reads and shared her enthusiasm for the theme of the night and for the authors sharing their debut novels.

Tess Callahan (second photo) began her talk by recommending On Chesil beach by Ian McEwan and talked a little bit about the origin of stories and how the discovery of objects, like a

shoe from a ship unearthed at the world trade center site is one of those moments of magic that be the beginnings of a story. Tess read a scene from her novel April & Oliver between April and her grandmother .

Hyatt Bass (third photo) followed Tess with a beach read recommendation of Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Hyatt read two scenes from her novel The Embers, featuring a great twelve year old voice.

I brought up the rear with comments about what a summer read meant

to me, including memories of being caught crying after I finished To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time so many years ago. When my brother asked if I was crying because it was sad I said I was crying because it was over. I read one of my favorite scenes from The Last Bridge, where Cat goes to the neighbor's house for dinner.

We raffled off some great prizes which included, two $25 gift cards from the great wine store Bottles and Cases and a beach bag of goodies including wine, treats, beach towel, and three signed novels of RITA award winning author (and good friend) Gwyn Cready.

A lively discussion followed spurred by great questions from the crowd and then Tess, Hyatt and I signed books next to a grab bag box of books for anyone who purchased one of our novels.

There is nothing better than being in a book store like Book Revue where everywhere you turn you see books. Last night was even better, as in addition to being enveloped by books, we were talking about them, sharing our favorites, and signing our own! No one left empty handed!

Tess, Hyatt and I agreed that as far as author events go, the more authors the merrier. In addition to having the chance to share our stories, we loved having the chance to compare our experiences and give readers different perspectives.

I wish I had more pictures to share but as you can tell I was caught up in the moment!

For those of you that could not be with us check out some of these links and for those of you in book clubs why not consider having a similar theme event? It was great fun.

Links of interest:

Book Revue (aside from a great bookstore they have great author events!)

April & Oliver by Tess Callahan

The Embers by Hyatt Bass

The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (on the front table at Book Revue!)

Flirting with Forever (and other books) by Gwyn Cready

Giveaway Fever!

Who knew that giving away 25 Free copies of The Last Bridge would result in so many great stories from readers. Thanks to all of you who participated -- the stories of how you gave the books away were great!

And the winner is...

Laurie Morris was the lucky winner of the $100 Target Gift Card. She gave her free copy to her daughter as part of a beach bag of goodies for her trip to Florida to prep for her wedding. Congrats to Laurie and her daughter!

The lucky recipients

Based on your feedback, when presented with the chance to give a book away most of you will give it to a relative (8 of you did that) -- and if it's a relative chances are it will be a daughter (3.) The next most popular choices were friends (6), Co-workers (2), Book Club friends (2), Neighbors (2), Student (1) and my personal favorite a Stranger (1)

Reasons You Gave

The reasons you gave the book to your recipient were the best part of the giveaway. A number of you chose to give the book to someone who was struggling with an illness, or taking care of someone who was ill. In those instances you all cited the importance of reading to take your mind away from your troubles. (So True!)

A few of you also chose to give your books to daughters, sisters-in-law, nieces and even a few sons. How great it is to share books with another generation - one of the great joys of my own life is swapping books with my Mom, Sister and Brother.

Aside from working together a few of you enjoy sharing and discussing books with your co-workers. You gave your books to those colleagues.

One of the great categories of friendship is a "book friend" someone you swap and share books with -- a few of them were lucky recipients.

Book Groups also got their hands on a few of the giveaways as well.

My favorite giveaway was from a reader who was traveling regularly to a hospital to visit a sick relative - she left the copy in the family waiting area with a note to please take it, read it and share it!

Amazing adventures...

The most amazing part of the giveaway was hearing of all the places The Last Bridge has and will travel. It went on a cross country journey from Arizona to DC (with lots of stops along the way!) and made it on a European jaunt (Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands) and was sent to over 20 States and 40+ Cities. Check out the Google map I made of all the stops you told me about.

The real winner is...

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the wonderful notes I got sharing your feelings about the book and your enthusiasm for getting the word out about The Last Bridge. I appreciate the time you have taken to let me become of part of your world and for your honesty and kindness.

I am the true winner of this giveaway!

Heroine Worship - Part Three -- Getting high on heroines

I’m hosting an evening in New York City at KGB on Thursday night with three terrific women writers (Masha Hamilton, Stacy Parker Aab and Louisa Ermelino) We will be reading from our own work and sharing the incredible true stories of women from the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. The title of the evening is Ordinary Women: Extraordinary Heroines. Our goal is to get you to think about your favorite heroines and if possible, to begin to think of yourself as the heroine of your own story. Over the next few days I will be blogging my thoughts on being a heroine.

Part Three -- Getting high on heroines
I was reminded the other night of the many lectures I heard during high school and college about the "hero's journey." As any good English teacher will tell you it is the stuff of all the great literature. Let's face it, The Odyssey wouldn't be much if there wasn't...well...a journey. The great stories of the ages and the lessons of history are filled with men who have struggled to overcome great obstacles to triumph.

I grew up on these stories and as much as I could I was inspired by them. I have to admit though, it was hard at times to relate to these men. The problem wasn't their story, their challenge or their choices, the problem was more basic, they were all men.

You don't hear much about the great women of our time when you grew up in a suburb of Pittsburgh in the late 60s and early 70s. Sure it was a time of "female liberation" but that didn't mean public school curriculum was ready to put the spotlight on anyone other than caucausion men.

Sure there were a few notable women, but they were treated as a fluke or novelty. The apporach was less reverential and more "hey sometimes women can help too!"

I was lucky to have some solid female role models in my life and a father who believed his daughters should be seen, heard and respected (except of course when he was speaking) so although I sought out some of the great women of history and literature I never understood what it was like to feel the power of a heroine. That is until I saw Sigourney Weaver in Aliens.

My sister dragged me to the sequal and promised that I wouldn't be lost even though I never made it through a whole viewing of the original Alien. From the moment Ripley comes back to life I was hooked. Here was a flawed, jaded, intelligent woman thrust into a incredible situation and forced to dig deep and fight the aliens.

Imagine my surprise when I, the fierce gun control advociate, found myself routing for her to blow those suckers away. At last I understood what my brothers were getting from Batman, comic books and Clint Eastwood movies. When there is someone like you on the big screen or in the center of a big story you connect to their struggle, to their fear but most of all you connect to their power.

Ripley digs deep and comes out a fighter. She doesn't cower in the corner and weep over a superficial wound and she doesn't look pretty while kicking alien butt. She looks strong and powerful and beautiful. She embodies everything a heroine should be to me.

Aliens made me hunger for more. If a hollywood movie could make me feel this way, certainly there were books and women from history that could do the same. Since then I have actively sought out stories that give me that feeling of connectedness and of power. In a way it has become part of a practice I think of as Heroine Worship.

My heroines come in all shapes and sizes and are women from all walks of life. Like their "hero" counterparts, they too are on a journey of discovery. I marvel at the accomplishments and challenges of so many women and yearn to have our stories reflected back in literature, movies, art and the media. I want my nieces and all the young women in our lives to access these stories, to understand the full breadth of experience women can have and most of all I want them to fell that exhiliration when their heroine seizes her power and rises to the challenge.

The stories are out there, the heroines are everywhere, ordinary women doing extraordinary things not waiting for the spotlight of recognition or the acknowledgement of history. My guess is you know a few of them yourself. In fact, you might just be one of them.

Heroine Worship - Part Two - Ordinary Women

I’m hosting an evening in New York City at KGB on Thursday night with three terrific women writers (Masha Hamilton, Stacy Parker Aab andLouisa Ermelino) We will be reading from our own work and sharing the incredible true stories of women from the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. The title of the evening is Ordinary Women: Extraordinary Heroines. Our goal is to get you to think about your favorite heroines and if possible, to begin to think of yourself as the heroine of your own story. Over the next few days I will be blogging my thoughts on being a heroine.

There is a cashier at my local supermarket who greets me with a big smile every time I load my goods on her counter. She is short and a little stocky, has died short red hair that is lightly teased to cover some thinning patches. In the winter she wears a long green sweatshirt under her maroon smock and always has a few tissues stuffed in her left cuff. Her cheeks are pocked from a rough ride with acne during her teen years but a light pink blush highlights her soft brown eyes.

Her son and daughter work part time at the supermarket with her. Her husband is on disability from his job working for a local builder. He is recovering from throat cancer. She has survived two bouts of breast cancer.

She tells me she is grateful for every day as she passes my yogurt, bananas, milk, cookies, eggs, potatoes, cans, jars, and paper goods past the scanner with lightening speed. She doesn't even have to look for the bar code on most of the items, she tilts the packages as if she sees it in her minds eye.

She spent some time in foster care after her mother died and her father drank himself off the grid for a while. He cleaned up, took her and her brother back home for her remaining teen years. She married her high school sweetheart when she got pregnant, had her first baby at eighteen and took her father in when he got too sick to take care of himself. Three years later her daughter was born and her mother-in-law moved in with them.

Her son is diabetic, she shot him with insulin until he was ten and then taught him how to do it. She wants to go to Italy one day but doesn't know when since there is so much to do every day. She thinks I should eat more beets and tells me if I pickle them they will taste better.

She said she misses the sound of her husband's voice, the way he growled a little right before he laughed and in spite of all the rough days they had together they laughed a lot. Now he wheezes a bit when he laughs, his voice is repairing and it will be a while before they know whether or not he will be able to speak.

She works the register like it is an extension of her, another limb that can calculate quickly. She troubleshoots the other cashiers problems and shouts out prices without turning to see the item in question. Her conveyor belt is clean, if your chicken spills juice she wipes it down before the man behind me unloads.

She is taking a class at night, trying to slowly earn her undergraduate degree. She reads two books a week and the paper every day. She likes Hummus now after I told her to try the Horseradish flavor.

She is one of the cashiers at my local supermarket, a mother, a daughter, a student, a friend, a wife and she is a heroine.

Heroine Worship - Part One - It's a bird, it's a plan, it's YOU!

I’m hosting an evening in New York City at KGB on Thursday night with three terrific women writers (Masha Hamilton, Stacy Parker Aab and Louisa Ermelino) We will be reading from our own work and sharing the incredible true stories of women from the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. The title of the evening is Ordinary Women: Extraordinary Heroines. Our goal is to get you to think about your favorite heroines and if possible, to begin to think of yourself as the heroine of your own story. Over the next few days I will be blogging my thoughts on being a heroine.

Part One -- It's a bird, it's a plane, it's YOU!
What comes to mind when you think about heroines? Is there a book or story that inspired you or is there someone in your life you consider a heroine? Have you ever thought about the women that have influenced you over the years? What qualities do they possess that you admire?

Now think about yourself, what qualities do you like about yourself? What is heroic about you? Have you ever thought of yourself as a heroine (or hero?) If so, why? If no, why not?

The word heroine is expansive. When I give myself permission to think of myself a heroine I have the urge to stand with my hands on my hips and my face pointed toward the sun (exactly like the graphic on our poster!) Heroine is a word that has power. It makes you feel like you are the captain of your ship, the pilot of your plane, the CEO of Corporation You. It feels that way because it is true. You may play lead or supporting roles in other stories but there is no other story in which you are the hero but your own.

Take a moment and imagine a movie or book being written about your life, who would play you? How would you describe YOU as a character in a novel? What would the story be about?

The greatest stories ever told are not always fantastical adventures, in fact, if you want drama, heartache, battles with dark forces, adversity, pain and suffering, chances are you can find it in your own story. The trick is to decide whether you triumph in the end and “live to tell your story” or whether you wither in the background and let fate determine your destiny.

We are all ordinary people and extraordinary heroines. Keeping our stories to ourselves is kind of like having a cape and not using it. So dare to tell your stories with you as the hero, struggling and achieving, and ultimately triumphant. Share your truth with the world. It may just be the most radical thing you ever do.

Reunited and it feels so good...

The weekend of October 16th I returned to my hometown of Pittsburgh to attend my thirty year high school reunion and to do some author events. The weekend kicked off with my reading and talk at the Mt. Lebanon Pubic Library. While the building has changed dramatically over the years, the soul of it is the same as I remembered as a young girl. Mt. Lebanon library was a frequent stop for me growing up. It was within biking distance of our house and provided me with unlimited opportunities to learn more about the world and to plan my future.

The room filled up with friends, family, and library supporters. As I looked out in the audience I saw people from my past, high school buddies, my Mom, best friend Gwyn and her husband Lester and many new faces. It was a highlight of the whole book tour.

Gwyn hosted a lunch back at her house after the event with a group of friends from high school. Many of them we had not seen since our ten year reunion or even high school. It was startling to see how quickly we all fell back into our high school banter and reassuring to know that once you are connected to someone it rarely changes just because you lose touch. We ate, talked and most of all did what made us all friends in the first place, we laughed.

The reunion that night was overwhelming. The turnout was great. Thank goodness for the name tags with our high school photos on them as that helped a lot. I spent the evening sharing memories from grade school through high school with lots of classmates.

Sunday I signed books at Barnes & Noble and was visited by a few more friends from high school, including a friend who missed the reunion due to flight delays. Again, it was such a good feeling to reconnect.

Driving back to New York after the weekend I realized I don't really talk a lot about my time in high school. My memory of it was filtered through my burning desire to get out of Pittsburgh and get on with my life. I had forgotten about how rich and important my bonds were with those amazing people. In high school, those friends helped mold me into the adult I became, they accepted me for who I was and encouraged and supported my creative endeavors. They helped me believe I could have a life in New York.

In my haste to move on, I had forgotten that...until now. I am grateful for those days and the love of so many accomplished classmates!

Back to the Future?

I'm heading to Pittsburgh this weekend for a few author appearances and to attend my 30 year high school reunion. As the date has gotten closer I find myself thinking a lot about the past and the girl I was in high school and how she became the person I am today.

I have to admit I have never been someone who lived in the past or thought very much about it. I don't believe in regret and strive to make the most of all my experiences both good and bad. I keep many stories in my repertoire and enjoy reminiscing every now and then but for the most part I am all about the future, often at the expense of the present.

Back in high school, all I wanted was to leave Pittsburgh. This started around the time I was twelve and was my primary focus until I landed in Greenwich Village in the fall of 1979. My focus was on my future, away from my town, my family and the pain of my childhood. I was sure my life was in New York and wanted it to begin as soon as possible. Every day I spent at home felt like time served before my release into the real world.

That drive affected how I approached everything from school to extra-curricular activities to relationships. Every test, homework assignment, paper and course needed to be good, my grades had to be the best they could be. When I discovered my creative passions, I knew they would be a lifelong pursuit and I wanted to make full use of the opportunities afforded to me. I took every performance seriously, studied every facet of acting and writing I could. Even in my relationships with boys I kept things casual. Although I had deep feelings for a few incredible young men, I didn't want anything to keep me from my goal.

Yes, I had good times, formed a lifelong bond with my friend Gwyn, and enjoyed my accomplishments but still, I was living for the future.

As news about the reunion spread to my classmates, I reconnected with so many wonderful people from that time, many of whom have commented that my life turned out exactly as they had thought it would and that I "haven't changed at all."

While this is incredibly flattering (especially the comments about still looking the same) it has made me think a lot about the past. It is one thing to have goals and another to not be present in the here and now. As I was focusing on the future, I was not seeing a lot of what was good in my life. I was waiting for my life to begin in New York rather than seeing it was already blooming in Mt. Lebanon.

On Saturday I will be doing an author talk at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, the same library I used to ride my baby blue banana seat bike to on the weekends to return books and find new, exciting stories of women living adventurous lives in faraway places. I would sit back in the stacks imagining and manifesting my future, never knowing decades later my adventures would lead me right back where I started. I worried then, as I still do, that I will not get to where I want to go, that my dreams are not attainable. Again, it is hard to see what is when you are focused on what could be.

A few weeks ago I got an email from a young woman who had learned about my appearance at the library and went to my website. "Tell me more about yourself," she said. I responded and asked her about herself. She said she loved the library and was a dedicated reader and an aspiring writer, she told me about her plans, her goals and her dreams. She said she couldn't wait to get there.

I know she wouldn't have understood if I had said, "take you're time," anymore than I would have so many years ago. The desire to succeed, to make a name for yourself is a powerful one but as I am learning it should never come at the expense of standing still and taking in what is good now.

After my talk, I'll take a walk back into the stacks and think of that girl I was then and let her know she did okay...hell she did better than okay. I will take a moment to remind myself, as I do every day, that the journey is better than the destination and throughout the weekend I will do what I couldn't do back then, I will appreciate being home.

Let them Eat Cake..

After ordering a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling for my book party last Thursday, I have come to the conclusion that the only thing better than writing a book is turning it into a cake! (Man was it good. My only regret about the whole evening was not having a second piece!)

Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and I have to say that was the case last Thursday. After a

stifling hot day on Wednesday the weather broke and delivered a cool summer breeze just in time for the soiree. My idea was to be able to spend some time with my peeps, having a cocktail and toasting the end of a very long road. My peeps had a different idea as they brought and bought more books for me to sign. I'm not complaining except...for the part about not getting enough cake.

My Mom stayed with me to be there for both the launch at The Corner Bookstore and the party at The Havana Room so she had the good fortune of helping me assemble the favor bags. My friend Gina rode in with Mom and I and helped setup and took on the role of "banker" which was a good thing as people were handing me money for the book and I was getting very close to putting it in my bra (I didn't have any pockets!) Catherine (who has become my unofficial event photographer) took most of the great pics on the slide show to the right (special thanks for additions from Stacey, Connie and Donna!)

I have to say it is a point of great pride that although my party peeps were from all facets of my life (writers, colleagues from work, friends of friends, high school friends, publishing, and relatives) they all had one thing in common (aside from knowing me) and that was the ability to mix, mingle and make new connections.

What lingers now after the party is over, is that pride in knowing that you have managed to find some of the best and finest people to be your friends and supporters.

Now if they wouldn't eat all the cake...everything would be perfect.

Happy Birthday - The Last Bridge

On Tuesday, July 28th 2009 after working on it for over ten years The Last Bridge debuted at The Corner Bookstore in New York City. It was a hot and steamy day, so hot that I didn't even bother to put makeup on until I was sitting in front of the bookstore in my car.

It's hard to describe the feeling I had all day on Tuesday, on the one hand it felt like the wait had been so long that it was hard to

believe it was finally here, on the other, I had the feeling that it had all happened too quickly. Was I ready? Would it do well? How would it feel to add "published author" to my evolving story?

I was worried and understandably so. Anyone who has ever seen a dream realized knows it is one thing to work and plan for something, it is a whole different thing to step into it and experience it with joy and acceptance. You see, I didn't just want to get through the book launch, I wanted to be present and to feel the enormity of the moment.

I did. And man was it intense!

The evening started with me arriving at the same time as my friend Jane and both of us looking at the window display FILLED with copies of The Last Bridge. Within

seconds, my friend Gwyn and my niece Cameron came up and snapped a picture of me in front of the bookstore. Please note the smile, this is a real one not one of my fake, I'm trying to be happy in spite of all the pressure I'm feeling smiles.

The Corner Bookstore is the kind of bookstore you wish was on...well...every corner. It's just big enough to hold enough books for you

to actually browse through and with a team that cares about the books and their customers you feel like someone has already whittled down your choices for you. I am happy to say that although the bookstore is the perfect size for books, it was almost too small to hold all the well wishers who came to christen the launch of the book.

Chairs were setup in two columns with an aisle down the middle, and although I was a few minutes early the seats were already filling up. Lenny, the owner of the bookstore, walked me through the evening and asked me if everyone I was expecting was there. I looked out into the room and saw so many friends and colleagues from work, fellow writers

from workshops and writing groups who read hundreds of versions of the book, friends (or sisters!) of friends from high school, my agent and the full JVNLA support team!, my editors, publicist and marketing peeps from Random House and my large extended family!

Lenny introduced me and as I stood in front of the mic I felt all my worry slip away. The expression, "you are among friends," was never more true than standing in front of that crowd. Honestly, if you could bottle that support we could change the world by dinner on Sunday.

For the launch I decided I wanted to read one of my favorite scenes from the book, the dinner visit with the Igby's. I love it because I think it sums up Cat's real nature, her drinking, her humor and her difficulty assimilating her past, and I love Ruth Igby as she is truly a nosy neighbor.

Central casting couldn't have filled the room with a better crowd, they laughed at all the right spots (some I didn't even realize were funny) and sighed at the end when a critical piece of information is revealed.

The questions were fun. I was asked if I thought about making The Last Bridge into a movie and I joked that there was no way I would consider it. I was also asked about the editorial process, where I got the story from and what I was currently working on.

Lenny wrapped up the reading portion of the reception and asked everyone to fold up their chairs so we could mingle and then the book signing began. I have to admit that I was so excited that I had to ask a lot of people, people I have known for many, many years to spell their names for me before I signed their book. I was so afraid I would spell it wrong (and hope I didn't!)

In case you need more proof of how great my supporters are, this will seal the deal. Many, many people bought more than one copy of the book. In fact, they bought every single copy of The

Last Bridge in the store, including the ones that were on display in the front window. Including my own author copy I brought to read from!!

As the evening was winding down, I looked up from signing to see a tall handsome man come into the store. He looked a lot like my brother, Patrick but I knew it couldn't have been him, as he was in Michigan that day at a board meeting, still this man looked A LOT like my brother. I looked at my sister, my friends Gina and Donna and from the look on their faces I knew it was him. Although he would not go into detail about how he managed it, he left his meeting in Michigan and got to the event with minutes to spare. In an evening of highlights, that was a major high point! (Okay I'll admit it, it made me cry.)

Lenny helped us coordinate getting a table at a nearby restaurant to continue the celebration (what other bookstore do you know will do that for you????) I landed home late in the evening and had a hard time falling asleep (okay I'm still pretty high from the whole thing!)

It is not possible to fully describe the emotion of the evening except to say this, I cannot imagine a first book getting more love than The Last Bridge did and well, as a published author now, I'm pretty sure that spells success.

(That's Mom, bro-in-law Giuseppe, niece Sophia, sister Tami, yours truly and brother Patrick.)

There are no pictures of my friend Catherine as she was the one who took all these great photos (check out the slide show to the right for the full set!)

Book launch at The Corner Bookstore

A Helping Hand...

I got an email last night from a friend asking me for some suggestions on how they could help with the book. As I was drafting a response I realized it would be easier to make this a post and share it. Most of these suggestions fall into the category of "word of mouth." Yes, in spite of signings, reviews, interviews and yes folks, even blog entries, the best way to sell books is to write one that people want to read and share with others. I hope I did my part by writing the book and if you like it I hope you will share it.

Speaking of sharing, if you have any other suggestions or ideas about ways to get the word out let me know, I'm game. (Okay maybe I should clarify that...I'm not sure I would eat bugs to sell books.)

Buy the book

Although I like to support independent bookstores and anything local, I'm happy to have you buy the book wherever you like. I have links on my website to all the major online retailers including Indiebound which can hook you up with listings to local independent bookstores. (Special thanks to those of you that have pre-ordered the book.)

Tell your friends about the book

There are lots of ways to do this, here are some of the main ways.

1. Bring a friend to an event or tell them about the book.
   


2. Recommend the book via email. If you want you can send them an excerpt from the book. I have a link on my website that will let you send a brief message with a link to an excerpt.
   


3. Send a postcard (or ask me to) I have postcards I can send you if you want to do a mailing or you can shoot me an email with some addresses and I'll send them out with a quick handwritten note that says, "Daniel Craig thought you would be interested in this..." (Obviously I would put your name instead, unless you are Daniel Craig, in which case you need to contact me immediately we have more important things to discuss than my book - like our future together.)
   


4. Forward my newsletter to a friend or send them a link to my blog or send me an email to add them to my mailing list.
   


5. Post a link to my book trailer, website, reviews, etc. on Facebook, Twitter, your website, etc. (see below for those links)
   


6. Write a blog or know someone that does? I can guest blog or be interviewed. I even have interview questions available.
   


7. Organizations, libraries, newsletters? If you are involved with any charities, civic organizations or have a relationship with your local library I can do a reading, run a workshop on a variety of subjects related to writing (I can provide you with a list of subjects) do a Q&A, participate in an author lunch to raise money, etc. I can also donate a signed book for a fundraiser or giveaway. (I cannot sing, dance or juggle, so those are out.) (If you are looking to raise money and want to do an author lunch or event I can get other authors to participate.)
   


8. Belong to or know of a Book Club? I can join the book club discussion either in person (in the local area) or by speakerphone. There is a reader guide on my website with questions. Don't belong to a book club? You can have a book party -- it can be a small group where I can lead some discussion (or be a guest or not there at all) and get some good conversation going around some of the themes in the book.
   


9. Ask your local bookstores and libraries to stock the book if they don't.
   
   
10. Have any other ideas? I'm open to suggestion. (See the part about bugs, singing, juggling and also no thrill rides either.)

Tolerate this promotional period!

I only ask that you give me the same patience you would give the parent of a newborn. Over the next few months I will be talking A LOT about the book and trying to get it into the hands of as many readers as possible but unlike a parent of a newborn I will NEVER ask you to babysit.

Links of interest:

Send an excerpt to a friend

Author website

Novel website

Book Trailer on YouTube

Book Trailer on Vimeo

Facebook Author Page

Blog

Twitter Page

Skin and Bones Under a Clear Blue Sky

Last Monday night I read from Skin and Bones as part of the Summer Gazebo reading series in Oceanside, Long Island. It was a perfect night to sit out on the beautiful green and listen to poetry and prose. The evening is hosted by the local Kiwannis Club and helps to raise money for underprvileged children to go to summer camp. Who can't get behind that? My friend Gina came with Christopher and Matthew who are getting used to attending readings as this was their second one in three days! Christopher served as my photographer and grabbed a bunch of shots while I read (thanks Chris!)

Bundt Cakes, Cocktails, Jeopardy and Friends

One of the things I am learning is that there is always a reason to celebrate and sometimes, waiting until everything falls into place is just stupid.

Although it's been over a year since I signed with a great literary agent and more than six months since I got the news I had sold my first novel to Random House, I had chosen to celebrate these milestones with casual toasts here and there but nothing more elaborate. When friends offered to get a group together for drinks, I put them off. "Let's wait until..." and then I would rattle off one of many reasons I felt the need to hold off from getting the contract signed to turning in a round of edits on July 1st.


I'm not sure what I was waiting for...the actual publication which won't happen until well into 2009.


Well, the waiting is over. On Friday, my friend Donna hosted a small gathering of friends at her house for an evening filled with great food including a chocolate bundt cake (it's in the book!), a beautiful outdoor deck with fully stocked bar, lots of good wishes, laughs and a short reading. The evening was truly a collaborative affair with my friend Christie contributing great recipes, quotes from my book, a KILLER game of literary jeopardy (in which I still can't believe I forgot Helen Fielding's name!) great appetizers and a signature cocktail (that is in addition to copy editing my July 1st revision for me!) Connie was the artist who worked with Donna to conceive the beautiful invitation (it opened like a book! -- see the image above) and who also rolled up her sleeves and assisted with the prep for the party. Donna, of course, was the ringleader, orchestrating all the pieces and cleaning her house for me (that's huge and my least favorite part of throwing a party!)


A great party is a like a great recipe, it just isn't the same without every ingredient and the special ingredient to this party were the people. What do you call a group of people who come from all over Long Island on a Friday after work to help me celebrate? I think you call them friends.


It's official -- I'm one lucky duck.

Save the Date -- Summer Reading Series

On August 4th I will be participating in the second season of the Summer Gazebo Reading Series held in Oceanside, Long Island on the Schoolhouse Green. The series is a community event and gives local writers a great opportunity to read outdoors to a receptive crowd. The event is free and all you need to bring is a blanket or lawn chair.

I will be reading an excerpt from my debut novel Skin and Bones which is scheduled for publication by Ballantine books in July of next year. (Seems so far off but believe me I have a lot of work to do before then!)

If you live in the area or are in the mood for an adventure, check it out!