Was CNN Anchor First To Reveal President’s “Love Child” In Her Novel?

Have you heard the one about the President, the housekeeper and the love child? Well, if you haven’t caught up with the news yet, that’s the story for which the National Enquirer tabloid paid a Trump Tower doorman $30, 000 — only to kill the story dead, reportedly because David Pecker, Enquirer publisher and Trump buddy, wanted to protect Trump just before the 2016 presidential election. Continue reading “Was CNN Anchor First To Reveal President’s “Love Child” In Her Novel?”

Sometimes, An Author Has To Take A Break

I came across this rather graphic quote from Truman Capote the other day: “Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the back yard and shot it.”

Given Capote’s eccentric personality and oft-times dark humor, I wasn’t quite sure whether he meant he was ecstatic when he finished writing a book, or totally despondent. Continue reading “Sometimes, An Author Has To Take A Break”

What Authors Must Do in 2018 (Besides Writing)

In a 2016 blog post, I wrote : I’m not totally sure, but I think Ernest Hemingway would consider himself fortunate for dying before it became a requirement for every author to have a website, and to blog, and to post regularly on social media sites like Facebook.

Returning to fiction writing (after twenty years away) has been quite an eye-opener. You must have a website, they said. An agent won’t even glance at your manuscript if you don’t have a website. Oh, and way before anyone accepts your book for publication, you’ll need to build an audience by blogging on the website, and posting on social media.

What Authors Must Do

The blog was titled I. Need. To. Do. What?  Today, I have an update on how it’s all working out for me. Selected snippets from the original blog are below in italics. The original blog in December 2016 started with the thrill over a new iphone after I finally ditched my well-worn flip-top phone (does anyone even remember what those looked like?) Continue reading “What Authors Must Do in 2018 (Besides Writing)”

How To Use Radio To Sell Your Book

 

The trouble with book marketers and consultants is that they make it sound so easy. See, they’ll say something like “there are more than 15,000 radio stations in this country, and they’re all constantly searching for content — all day, every day.”

And you think: Yep, once Rush Limbaugh is done, they’ve still got all that radio time to fill!  Sign me up. I can talk about my book for hours!

Trouble is, first you’ve got to find a radio station, and then, the attention of someone– someone who has the job of booking guests —  at that radio station. And how the heck do you do that? Continue reading “How To Use Radio To Sell Your Book”

With Apologies To My Son, Dan

Most weeks I write this blog from my viewpoint as an author — or a reader. But as I say in my revamped Welcome page, besides being an author and a reader/lover of books, I am also a journalist, attorney, foodie, wine lover, tennis and golf addict, a bff, and a wife — and mother.  So, occasionally I’ll write a blog while wearing one of these other hats.

Apologies To My Son

This week, I am obliged to write as “mom” because I owe my son, Dan the most abject of apologies, on the record. It stems from something I said in an interview in a widely read website, writingandwellness.com where I was the featured writer. Colleen Story’s fabulous blog covered a lot of ground about me, and you can read the full blog by clicking here.

Taking The Piss

If and/or when you read that blog, you will see one subhead says: “Mom, No-one Reads Your Blog.”  If you read that section, you will probably see that I meant is as a humorous, self-deprecating comment. But, as my son pointed out to me: “Mom, it makes me sound like a jerk.” Continue reading “With Apologies To My Son, Dan”