I'm going on vacation in 1 day. One, bloody more set of 24 hours that constitute a day. Which means I'll have not one more ounce of work to think about for 13 days. And that seems blissful. Especially if I would have had A SUMMER AFFAIR to read while I was ON vacation, as it is perfect for one of those times you just want to be whisked away into someone else's existence for a few hours. Or days. I mean, look at that cover? Does that not just scream flip flops and Capri pants while basking in the sun?
The book's premise is one I could relate to--a woman, a mom to four, wife to one is a people-pleaser. Claire DannerCrispin's also an artist. Well, ex-artist, after she decided to give up her glass-blowing of art pieces when her son was born premature. And of course she runs a household on Nantucket. But the story really begins a few years earlier...
Claire went out with her girlfriends for a night of drinks. Martinis, beer, wine be had a few jumped in a camp and another didn't listen to the rest and jumped in her car. And wham... and accident. Daphne does recover. But not completely to the "way she was," and Claire is ridden with guilt. Heavy guilt. Her reasoning? She bought the last round of drinks and she invited the woman for God-sakes!
The guilt doesn't stop there... there's her son's early birth due to her hot shop/glass blowing activities. Then there are the 800 odd things she's asked to do, and compulsively volunteers to do. Including this co-chairing the Summer Gala thing for the Nantucket Children's Benefit. Which, since Lock Dixon asked her (hint: Daphne's husband. The woman who was in the accident), how could she say no?
It's get even more complicated... she gets asked create an auction piece for the event, the fact that her best friend is also her sister in law, or that she knows the hottest rock star on the planet (Max West) and they expect her to get him to come and play at the Gala. For Free. He was her old boyfriend, it isn't impossible--right? Oh and her sister and brother-in-law own a catering business that could be up for the Gala, that Jason, her husband, has a high libido (yhen again what nan doesn't?)--oh and one other tiny thing, she ends up in an extra-marital affair.
You can imagine how messy this gets for Claire right? Very. Messy. So much so I found myself shaking my head and wondering what else might get screwed up in the process. And that is part of the "fun" part of the book. You get to read. Gasp. Make snarky comments. Judge. And hell, you're in your own home and no one is the wiser. In the end, you might even get to see how the hell this all turns out for Claire.
ElinHilderbrand (author extraordinaire) does a great job of giving you a sense of community in the book (Nantucket's not that big) and the very fact that it is a small town. One that has only a handful of people (as compared to say Chicago or New York) and they all intertwine. Some more literally, as in family lines, more than others, who say work together professionally. Or say, socially.
After getting sucked into Claire's life and emotions for the first portion of the book, I felt a bit cheated when the point of view changed and I was in someone else's head. In fact, I was sad. I wanted Claire back! But then I turned a few more pages. Read some more. Got sucked in again, And learned more about Siobhan. And then Gavin. Lock. Jason. Oh hell, the whole lot of characters. It gave the book more depth. More complication. And that is what makes this book a good summer read.
The story takes you outside yourself--even back into your childhood thinking about your first love. You imagine yourself in the predicaments. The friendships. The families. And suddenly you are at the end of the book! It's a solid tale with twists, a few heart-aching moments, truthfulness, and some depth. It's great to get lost in, especially when on vacation. But you might just find yourself wanting to keep tagging along with this crew for another installment. You meet a lot of characters and there isn't one that you don't find out a hidden truth.
* This post brought to you by the lovely ladies at MotherTalk. Yep, I get books to read, reviews to write, and an occassional gift certificate for my time.
The story starts simple enough--a man, Josh Goldin, an TV airtime salesman, that works for Sparkplug, a television company. Walking around with the new person on the block. Smiling. Working his magic. Being the co-worker he always knew he could be, and then the call comes. His son is in the hospital.
The 8-month-old vomited. But it wasn't just normal vomit there was blood in it, then he coded. Then he was all right. And then there were the doctors. Did Dori, Josh's wife remember to tell the attending ER doctor about the blood? What about the tests they did or did not do? And this is only where the story begins.
And it of course gets more complicated. There is the head of the Pediatrician unit at the hospital, Dr Darlene Stokes, who wonders about this family. Particularly the mother. And then there's Dr Stokes' mother, Alice. Her ex-con father Intelligent Mohammad (or Charles Stokes). Her now dead husband... her own son James.
But those are only the characters and the basic situations. What makes MORE THAN IT HURTS YOU one of the best reads I've had recently is the layering of information. The minute you think you "know" a character, it all changes. I was flip flopping from tender moments of intimacy with knowing what motivated a character (or so I thought), to gut wrenching scenes that had me gasping for breath. Who knew you could read along with the story and suddenly have everything you knew ripped from you?
It's a page-turner in and of itself since, once in the flow of the story, there is a need to keep reading. To find out what you didn't know three pages before. To find out what is going to happen to the characters that your suddenly caring about.
Of course, as with the real world, the book is also wrought with personalities, race, religion, morals, justice, and plain old life circumstance. But what makes it worth the read, is how these all play off one another. Does the book go "over the top" for the sake of fiction? Not really. It gives you a peak into each players head and gives you the reasons and motivations behind their actions--sometimes with disturbing effects.
It's truly a wonderfully crafted tale. There are twists, turns, suspicions, and a whole lot of good story telling. I am still breathless and caught up in what transpires. It's a book that will have to be read more than once to catch all the nuances the author, Darin Strauss, intended.
Oh and did I sound like I was gushing? Well, I am. The book took me by surprise and I love that. I'd read the blurbs, signed up to review and added it to the pile. But when I started reading? Well it became the book I didn't expect, but in a good way. Completely captivating and compelling read. Even though, there was more then once, I was a bit afraid what might be on the next page--or what dear character might throw me for a loop next. Trust me on this one, completely worth the read. Just get ready for a few surprises.
* This post brought to you by the lovely ladies at MotherTalk. Love that I get a chance to read and relate to these authors and their work. It truly is a labor of love.
Blog Tour: THE STAY-AT-HOME SURVIVAL GUIDE by Melissa Stanton
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 by Bethany
I'm a mom that has always worked once she had children. My son was 6-weeks-old when I went back to work. And I was fortunate, I was a consultant and worked completely from home. That is until 3 months later I had to work on site 10 hours a day all summer long. And then of course, I went back to working from home MOST days of the week, back to a full time in office gig.
With my daughter, I did take the full maternity leave that I could afford--16 weeks. We even pulled my son out of pre-school during that time too. To save money, to save my time from shuffling him to and from school, and--if I am honest--to see if I could do the stay-at-home thing. And you know what? I could.
The reality is, when my son was born, it freaked me out to consider staying home. I'd spent a long time in college, a lot of money on a degree, and a lot of time building a budding career. I couldn't stand to think of leaving that for mommyhood. So, I didn't. I jumped back into work. I stressed, I managed, and I breastfed the kid til he was almost two--all with a headset attached to my ear for numerous conference calls, more than a few overnight stays on client sites, and survived it all.
With my daughter, and my son now older, wiser, and looking a bit too grown up... I had a different perspective. One of a mom considering staying at home. Or wanting to stay at home to enjoy these "fleeting" moments with my kids. And hell, we can't have more if I am working my tail off! But...
So, I am going out on a limb here, I am scared to try it. For a few reasons. Financial is numerouno. How can one afford to live on one salary? Seriously, you give me ways to do this (we already live by a budget), and I might just have to give my notice tomorrow! Secondly, it's my sanity. I know how it is to stay at home with children. I've lived through it twice now. And am still living with an expressive 9-month-old who only likes to be held when I am around and a kindergartener come Fall. There is a helluvalot more running aroudn now! And a lot less of mom to pull into directions.
But what the book does best is just share with you that--guess what--staying home as a mom is a full time gig. One that isn't always pretty. Sometimes sucks. But in the end, can be survivable and fun. Is this some earth-shattering new news? Hell no! We all love our kids. When they aren't screaming, having tantrums, and are acting like angels for the 2 seconds a day that make them utterly adorable we could just eat them up.
This book gives you the reality, shares other mom realities, and offers that shoulder (of many) that you can turn to, to know what to expect when staying at home, and how to make the best of it. LOVE the extras in and about the chapters (Who Cares for Katie Couric's Kids? cracked me up. The title tells all--celebrities are given gold stars for being moms. But, um, do they do it all on their own?). And as much as the book says it is for stay-at-home moms, there is a ton of info that is JUST as valauble to a working mom. Especially one who works from home part of the time. But even if you don't... who doesn't need a little guidance (or a few girlfriends) to tell you that you aren't alone when you forgot diapers at home, spend more time in your car carting around kids to games and doctor appointments than you have for yourself in the last 10 years, and that your feeling along in this parenting thing. Really alone.
The books weaving of expert advice, or articles on parenting/women/working/SAHM/WAHM/whatever label you want to put here, and personal adcedotes, along with the whole "girlfriend" tone of the book is wonderful. Delightful even. It's not preachy. It just tells facts. Relatable, REAL life experiences... that as I said, make it a worth while read no matter what you circumstance. But even moreso if you want to, have considered, ARE, or once was a stay at home mom doing THAT juggling dance (because, come on, being a SAHM does mean you are multitasking to the 9th degree... laundry, cleaning, feeding, napping, bathing, dressing, hygene, appointments, games, school, crafts, cooking).
Which brings me back to my point... I asked to review this book because I'd love more than anything to land on the other side of the fence. Chuck the paying corporate day job to stay home with my kids. My stress level would be reduced to only times of tantrums and sickness (instead of worrying myself to the point of sickness when I left the baby at the sitter when she wasn't exactly better). I wouldn't have to juggle a crying baby and whining 5 year old while on a conference call and leading a high-profile project (because when you add that to the SAHM list above, it is almost heart-attack stressful). And maybe once a year, just once, I could relax and enjoy being "just a mom." Because quite frankly, there are days it would be nice. This book makes me wonder if I should just take the plunge.
* This post brought to you by the lovely ladies at MotherTalk. Love that I get a chance to read and relate to these authors and their work. It truly is a labor of love.
I'm a sucker for some decent kid's music and television shows. As a work from home parent 3 - 4 days a week, I need more than 15 minutes of work time (and a bit of me time when I can grab it). So, I was delighted when MotherTalk offered up a cool bundle of music and a DVD centered on children (yep, I use the television to babysit every now and again).
That Baby DVD and That Baby CD are groundbreaking products full of fun music and visuals for kids age 0-5. Rather than relying on the old nursery rhymes or music box tones of other kids’ videos, these really rock. We’ve taken great songs – songs that you may have sung at camp or put on a mix tape in your youth – and reworked them with fantastic new acoustic and vocal arrangements.
Combining the music of artists like Fleetwood Mac, Natalie Merchant, Joni Mitchell, and The Pretenders with rich, colorful visuals, That Baby DVD is sure to bring a smile to the face of the child in your life. The CD features all the music from the DVD, plus three bonus songs written by Bob Marley, The Beatles, and Paul Simon.
As soon as this package arrived my almost 6 year old boy was chomping at the bit to watch the DVD. It's a movie. With a kid on the cover, how can he NOT be getting a new "show" to watch. And that he did. Even though, it was really centered on a younger audience. A bit older than my 8 month old daughter. Though she found the collages and puppets definitely pleasing. Even after we played it three times.
The CD however, has been an even bigger splash for our frequent car rides to pre-school and back. The Kiddo hums and sings songs as we gander the few miles to his day care. And I know he likes it because he requests the music. Even more than his Alvin and the Chipmunks CD. Which, in my opinion, scores this music set a huge 5 stars. I can almost hear nails on the chalkboard each time Alvin launches into a solo.
So THAT BABY has captured the hearts of my kids. Mostly the boy, since he can at least tell me he likes it. Though The Peanut definitely doesn't fuss as much with it on. But she's like that with any music right now.
My son's only complaint, "Why didn't they put a faster song first. Like Pony Boy."
Yeah, my kid's a Springsteen fan. Gotta love 'em!
And here's some incentive if you want to but this package yourself--Enter the coupon code MotherTalk when purchasing at THAT BABY DVD website and save 20% on your entire order! From now until May 18th, all orders using the coupon code "MotherTalk" will be entered in a drawing to win a new iPod nano.
To say I was smitten with Matthew Connelly, not completely accurate. It took me at least three chapters to begin to sort him out (how couldn't it when the first line is, " Was Matthew Connelly a bad man?"). But then again, he's a man. And that figuring out thing? Well, it made him that much more intriguing. And fun to read about. Which, Lisa did flawlessly. But don't let me get too hung up on Matthew. There's more characters to swoon over.
There's Danny and Isabelle... the homeless children that, by chance, get thrown into Matthew's life. And suddenly make him question how he's lived his life and what's right. The knight trying to save his sister... and mother. So naive and unobstructed with the material things in life (except an iPod of course!). It is sweet. Innocent. And touching.
Of course, I can't forget Amelia--Matthew's once lover and now arch enemy. That whole dynamic--and Amelia's thoughts on the ethical and human parts of life? Had me riveted. She's complicated, dynamic, emotional... so real. The old college friend, Ben--super-genius scientist. Who's complicated in his own right. Sure, Matthew describes him as shy and introverted (scared to ask Amelia out)... but soon you find out, maybe he's not as shy as anticipated. Maybe driven in the world of science--but not scared of the world.
All of these characters that I love so much entwine, twist, turn, and then question every decision they've made (and might make) into this wonderful story. Another that I will be keeping up on my shelf. I just couldn't put the book down for a WHOLE NIGHT. I kept putting myself in the shoes of the characters... what would I do? How would I react? Would I challenge Matthew? or Ben? Or Amelia? Would I kick out Danny and Isabelle? The book was addicting. As were the characters.
Here's the back jacket blurb to get you started:
Matthew and Amelia were once in love and planning to raise a family together, but a decade later, they have become professional enemies.
To Amelia, who has dedicated her life to medical ethics, Matthew's job as a high-powered pharmaceutical executive has turned him into a heartless person who doesn't care about anything but money. Now they're kept in balance only by Matthew's best and oldest friend, Ben, a rising science superstar -- and Amelia's new boyfriend.
That balance begins to crumble one night when, coming home to his upscale Philadelphia loft, Matthew finds himself on a desolate bridge face-to-face with a boy screaming for help. Homeless for most of his life, ten-year-old Danny is as streetwise as he is world-weary, and his desperation to save his three-year-old sister means he will do whatever it takes to get Matthew's help. What follows is an escalating game of one-upmanship between Matthew, Amelia, and Danny, as all three players struggle to defend what is most important to them -- and are ultimately forced to reconsider what they truly want.
The Cure for Modern Life is about what it means in the twenty-first century to be responsible, to care about otherpeople, and to do the right thing.
But don't take my word for it, check out the book for yourself! While your waiting, check out the other stuff online:
I'm married to an Only. To which, I am not. I have one sister a couple years younger. One who, we don't always see eye-to-eye (toy-to-toy, life chance-to-life-chance) but, we are nonetheless sisters to the core. Mess with her, you mess with me (yes, that's the Big Sister/Brother Mantra. And it still stands today). Sibling life, after being married for over 9 years to an Only, I realize is different. At least to one that is an Only.
Early on, when my husband was only a boyfriend, we did the obligatory holiday visit to the families. We started at my parent's home. Hugs, kisses, presents, tree-decorating, food, and of course, the annual sisterly fight. That particularly year, it only took about 5 hours.
My sister was still in high school. I'd come home from college with my boyfriend and, for once, was ready for a little family time. It didn't bother me to chit chat with mom and dad in front of the illuminated fire place and reminisce, discuss politics, and even come to terms with my last term's grades. I was, what-can-I-call-it, being treated almost like an adult. And with a man at my side, I almost felt like one. At least until my sister decided she was bored. Friends started calling non-stop and she expected to be able to take the car for a night on the town. On Christmas Eve.
Initially, whether I was showing off for this boyfriend or to my parents my new found grown-upedness, I kept my trap shut. I think I even offered a thin smile to what-would-become-my-future-husband and tried to let it roll off my shoulders. My sister, barely sixteen, kept badgering my parent's authority. Chiming in to say how "she never gets to do anything," and about how "unfair it was that they were keeping her home." She even went so far as to say that they were "ruining her life." Remembering my year at 16, the feelings were normal. Ones I likely shared too. Not in that way of course. I was the eldest. Surely, I didn't storm off in tantrums and slam doors. But then of course, my sister, master of pushing my buttons (as all siblings are), did the abdominal--she pulled the sister card. "You would have let Beth do it!" she screamed from the top of the stairs.
Whether this was a dig at my parent's parenting ability or at at myself didn't matter, my blood immediately boiled. I digressed into behaving like a ten-year-old and stomped upstairs to have an "adult" word with my sister. Why didn't she want to spend time with me (it wasn't every weekend I was home from college)? Did she not want to meet my boyfriend? Be with mom and dad?
The fight, accusing, combative, combustive--all sisterly, all sibling related. Even the jab at my adolescent rights (and no, my parents wouldn't have let me take the car to visit friends on Christmas Eve. This was notoriously a "family night"). Nothing really out of the ordinary. Except maybe that I had a boyfriend sitting downstairs, foolishly grinning and trying to get along with my parents without my presence at his side.
But for my eventual husband? This "argument?" The futility of it all. Unreasonable explosiveness. The very fact that it turned into a sister fight over nothing--appalled him! How could I? She was my sister! I had a sister, one that albeit immature sometimes (at least at 16), but a sibling nonetheless... why fight? He obviously was oblivious. I reasoned my actions to him--showed the bones of contention, why her jab had wounded my feelings, why if my parents DID let her take the car it would dishonor me... and well, it all fell on deaf ears. He was still laughing at my pointed list of reasons why I was mad. All he could understand was that she was my sister. Period. Who cares if she left to visit friends? We'd visited over dinner. After dinner. Tomorrow... and of course, put in those terms. He was (probably) right. At least in that moment.
The thing is--by experiencing that moment then, and reliving it now--I can see, how as an only child, the moment was funny. If not excruciatingly embarrassing for him. He didn't get it. The fighting. And the fact that she's my sister, getting on each other's nerves is part of the big picture. Part of being siblings. Part of who we are and our relationship.
That is where I missed the point. He didn't know. As an Only--it was him and his parents. And that relationship would require an entire post itself to dissect. It was tumultuous in good times. Being a girlfriend (and now wife) of an only son had a mountain of expectations to complicate matters. Family names had to be taken into consideration. What about future children. What about holidays--we have no other children to make them special. The need and wants for their son's (full) attention. Being on-call for parents when they need them... the list was endless. And here I'd thought this one-ness might make it less complicated.
ONLY CHILD dissects the Only mystery. It's full of insight and honesty for all the nuances of what being an Only means--whether that is content, lonely, jealous, insightful, always feeling on the outside. Each essay gave me a little ity bit more insight into my husband's brain. His hard-wired one-ness. It's complicated! I had no idea that the idea of turning to a someone special instead of one's parents for advice was so life changing (Laundry Distance by Lynn Harris). Or the burdens of losing a parent (we all know that is hard, really hard)--can be especially burdening on a single-child (Dodging Laurie by Daphne Uviller). Sure this seems obviouss, but THINK about it some more. Only child, only responsiblity (and unfortunatley, this year, The Husband has had first hand experience at this). Or the fact that no matter what you do as an only child--you're it. The everything--and mostly high expectations follow (You're It by Betty Rollin).
All of this is nothing new--if I thought about it enough. But coming from the writings of other Onlies? Well it gives me more of a perspective of what it might have been like growing up like my husband. Or why, when we decided to have children--it was always children, not a child. His deepest want was admitted, he always wanted a sibling.
Thoughtful, heart-wrenching, honest, and funny--these writers brought it to life for me. The life of an Only is just as complicated as those with Siblings. And now you have a little insight into why. Take a look at the author's websites, blog, interviews (all below), and more:
This ain't no parenting advice book. Well not really anyway. Sure we get a handful of children's television show reviews, toy suggestions (or not), the holiday dos and dont's, as well as how to find a good mom friend (or playdate). But it's not all fact-bound or stuffy. It's more--how shall I put this?--candid. And freaking HILARIOUS. Stefanie takes the fun and puts it back into motherhood. Not to mention a dose of much-needed reality. All that mom-poser stuff--my kid is better than yours because we don't watch TV, never have a lick of sugar, and know seven languages by age 3--is given a much needed bitch slapping.
I don't know about you, but life on the playgroup scene hasn't been to kind to me. I tried on a few (six) when The Kidd was a baby. And then again when he turned 118-month(ish). I figure he needed a friend or two (and hell, I needed someone to talk to that wasn't providing me a paycheck or eating Cheerios off the floor). So, my misadventures in the playgroup scene began. Much like Stefanie, I met the Holier-than-Thou Moms. The ones stuffing so many activities in a day they were afraid to stay home, and Those that Like To Compare Milestone Notes. It was awful. So much so, I just gave up and went back to working from home countless hours a week and sat The Kiddo behind me to watch hours of television.
Stefanie's experiences in NAPTIME don't end with playgroups though. She runs the gamut with the reality checks, sarcastic toddler humor, and I'm Gonna Die moments. These are a few of my favorites in the book:
- Suburban Boredom (let me fess up... Stefanie and I, different backgrounds. But that doesn't mean that this essay didn't have me crying in I-can-relate tears.) - Supermom or Superlair? - Playdates: and Other Potentially Irritating Ways to Spend an Afternoon - Television: It's Not Just For When You Are In the Shower - Food: It's Not What's For Dinner - A Little Help, Please? - It's All About Date Night: And Other Urban Legends - Going for Broke--Or a Second Baby
Okay, really I liked them all. Making this list was like cutting off an arm.
I've never had so much fun reading a parenting book before. And I've read plenty. This one was poignant, hysterical, and one I'm adding to my list of Read This Before Kids pile for baby showers gifts. Mostly because, I want new mothers to see the funny in the chaos of what life becomes.
BOOK REVIEW: THE BABY LOTTERY by Kathryn Trueblood
Sunday, March 30, 2008 by Bethany
Simple put, this book ain't for sissies. It tackles all the hard stuff--abortion, alcoholism, life, death, infertility, friendships, single-motherhood, relationships, divorce, career. And there isn't a reprieve throughout the entire book. It's wonderfully crafted, throwing you into the lives of five women in their late thirties--all of them having known each other for years--and let's you live their lives for a moment.
From the beginning THE BABY LOTTERY by Kathryn Trueblood tackles tough issues, Nan, the OB nurse is the first of the characters we meet is in the midst of her work day. Which, for this nurse, isn't a good day. She loves her job and was made to do what she does (mom a nurse in WWII and a minister dad who ended up helping pregnant mothers in need), but has become a bit hardened with time. Why wouldn't she? She was a single young mom earlier than all her friends. Responsibility wasn't a choice, it was her only option. But... I am getting ahead of myself.
Here's the rest of the characters: Jean, the recent divorcee and a woman torn because of failed pregnancies and her inability to conceive. She's wrought between a past and her current life. And being burnt out by her previous career as a social worker. It only gets more complicated when Charlotteget's pregnant (bear with me, I'll cover Charlotte in a bit). Virginia (also a divorcee), the lecturer and now single mom of Milo. Her soon to be ex-husband tried hard (and could fix everything), but seemed to never know that there was a bank account that did run out of money. Eventually. Ginny's trying to balance now a full course load, this new single-mom thing, and of course living alone. Believe me when I say it's not all fun and games.
Tasi is the forever career woman. Has literally climbed the corporate ladder from an Admin to now a PR director of sorts. Honestly, knowing women like her in real life, she rocks! And one would think she has it all right? Well, she's not married, no kids... and she'd Vacation Dating a married man in the office. It get icky. So does the rest of Tasi's life when her mom's health gets a blow, as well as her Dad's dealing with her mom's health. And then there are her brothers, her ulcers... and you'll have to read for the whole of it.
And lastly Charlotte. It is no secret that this is the catalyst for this entire story... hell, it is on the jacket copy. Charlotte is the immature friend. You know the one--parties, naive, gets married for all the wrong reasons. Yes, that's her in a nutshell. And then she becomes pregnant. And delays the abortion til the second trimester. How's that one for a cliffhanger? Well, it's what gets all these women talking. And questioning. And wondering. And faltering.
The book is honest. Open. In a Tell It Like It Is sorta writing style. Each woman has a different perspective. Different opinion. And let me be the first to tell you they clash. This is a hot topic, why wouldn't it mimic real life?
Kathryn doesn't back down one bit from the heart of the matter on all accounts. Even including the pasts of every character, down the the truth of it all--they've shared one common element. Abortion. And now it's finding its way back into their lives again. Riveting commentary. Heartbreaking choices. And real life women adorn the pages of the book. And keep you reading until the end.
Yes, that's Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks--the latest release for Fox Home Entertainment. They (as in some industry PR guy) gave me an e-mail to see if I'd like a screener copy. I figured my son would be a good a "screener" as any for this movie, as we never made it to the theater to watch it (and the commercials caused a ruckus of "Mom, can we go watch that's" that I was ready to be done with. Damn the kid that can't be happy with a TiVo hard drive full of his personal television network).
Now is a good time as any to admit the obvious--I haven't watched the movie in its entirety. It was what we call in this house a Distraction Movie. Something we put on the television when we want a little adult interaction time. Well, if we didn't have a 6 month old that wanted to nurse and cuddle all the while the 5 year old was occupied. But that is another post all together.
Anyway, I know that the adult critics of the online (and some print) varieties slammed this movie--but apparently they don't have a mind of a 5-year-old. My son, glued to the television set for the entire 120 minute (or thereabouts) viewing time. Not one peep escaped his mouth from the other room-nor did he come barreling into the living room to interrupt our conversation (a first and a record for our house). Not only did the movie entertain him, that is all he's talked about for the last week. And the folder the screener DVD arrived in.
The Kiddo is dead set on getting the music CD (a friend at pre-school has it) and as been singing nasal-voiced versions of Funky Town since viewing this movie (and hearing the song CD at school). Not only that, he has told me numerous stories about the chipmunks. That they get lost in a basket full of muffins. That they visit Uncle Leo. And he's wondering if he can get a suitcase like Alvin's. Because, if I didn't know this already, Alvin is the coolest. But Simon is smart. And Theodore funny. Even though he falls a lot.
So, no matter what the ADULT critics have said about this flick, it seems a hit with the younger crowd. At least in this house. I can't sneeze at that for the moment. Granted when he wants to watch it again for the 100th time, I might re-nig this glorified review, but for the time being--from one kid to another, he gives it 5 starts. And a hollering, "Won't you take me to, funky town!"
Remember Patry Francis and my plea for you to go buy her first book? As I stated, I joined the 300+ bloggers (and more now) to help a fellow writer--one who's book debuted just recently, but also a woman who's been suddenly diagnosed with cancer and is under going treatment. Right when her book is being released.
Well, I finally got her book in my hands, THE LIAR'S DIARY. If the large dark rings under my eyes prove anything today, is that the book did not disappoint. Not in a million years. It was heart-wrenching, real, frightening--and an all very well written thriller that will keep you page turning (like I did) until you find yourself at the end. An end that will have your swirling and whirling (again, like me).
I can't give away too many details. For one there are just too many and I won't give the book (and author) justice. And secondly, I just want to let the story unfold for you--the way it should. It's a thriller! I can't give a thing away. I just can't!
BUT, I do want to say this, the characters in this book, well, are to die for. Very real, riveting, and keep you guessing. I guess you could say they are very human, very real, and complicated. As each of us should be (don't you think?). Read and watch as the story unfolds. It will take you to dark places inside each of us. And into the hearts and minds into a cast of characters that will have you thinking about them--even after you put the book down 12 hours earlier.
It's a little like being thrown into suburbia, into a woman's life, into her families life, into her communities life, and learning about it all. How precarious it all is. Especially when something dreadful goes really (really) wrong. It's got all the pieces of a great literary read. Throw in the suspense. The sticky parts. And all the love that goes along with families, friends, and life. That's THE LIAR'S DIARY. Fabulous read to get lost in--make it your bathtub read this weekend. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down (might consider getting out of the bath and moving to your bed so you don't shrivel up into nothing). Oh, and you'll want to hug all that are near and dear to you when it's over.
Here's some more links to take a look at before you book arrives:
Again, if sly, thrilling, suspense is your thing, get this book. It's really good.
This post was brought to you (again) by the lovely ladies at MotherTalk. I love them. So will you. Stop by to read what others have to say about this book, and many others they help promote. The author's will love you.
THE SKY ISN'T VISIBLE FROM HERE by Felicia Sullivan
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 by Bethany
If asked to describe this book in 3 words, I'd have to pick breath-taking, touching, and heart-wrenching.
I wish I could say it is in one of those Happy Ever After Ways, and it is--sorta--but instead it is more of a I Can't Get Over That Felicia Survived It Way. And by It I mean a childhood wrought with hardship, little money, a mother obsessed with drugs, alcohol, herself, and men that were no good. And an adulthood that managed to get her "out" of one lifestyle and into another one. One that was full of more money but just as much alcohol and unfortunately just as much cocaine. Only good point, Felicia got out of it. She found a way to push herself past her mother and let go.
Sorry, if I gave the ending away, but seriously, she wrote the book. She'd have to NOT be high. Right? (And Felicia, this is meant as sarcasm. Really. you go girl, because after what you went through, well, no one can play victim anymore. You just go out there and keep writing. Knock 'em dead. Kinky hair and all. Hell, you should see how stringy mine is!)
THE SKY ISN'T VISIBLE FROM HERE is wrought with childhood stories of the haunting kind. For me, an ordinary girl from the Midwest with a "normal" mom, it is almost unfathomable that a child could grow up and out of this environment. I'm not that naive to know that it doesn't happen though. I'm just again happy my life was pretty normal.
The most touching portion of the whole book is Felicia's love for her mother. Still. Even though she hasn't heard from her since the night of her college graduation and the fact that she has indeed let her go. Forever. In fact, the entire book revolves around how she is trying to "shed" this love. Her mother haunts her dreams, her decisions, and even her adulthood. That is, until she finally (finally) decides to let go. Let her mother be who she is, without trying to hide it from the rest of the world. And, by doing that, be who she is without her mother. It's breath-taking and honest. A path not many of us would want to take--breaking ties with a parent. And standing firm on it. But it's one Felicia took full heartedly.
Really, I just wanted to cheer as I neared the end of this book. And cry at the same time. Felicia was honest, open, and earth-shatteringly real throughout the book. She told the world about the worst moments of her life (and likely the most embarrassing). But yet when I read the book, I wasn't thinking it was embarrassing for Felicia, it was for her mother. She had a good thing going for her--a really good thing--and look at where "Lisa" is now?
I can't think of any better cause to go out and get this book other than to support a woman who has done it all by herself. She's come from out from under one of the biggest struggles of her life and made it out on top. Without the parental validation we all crave. And without a mother. So go buy her book.
Here's the official blurb:
Felicia Sullivan’s volatile, beautiful, deceitful, drug-addicted mother disappeared on the night Sullivan graduated from college, and has not been seen or heard from in the ten years since. Sullivan, who grew up on the tough streets of Brooklyn in the 1980s, now looks back on her childhood—lived among drug dealers, users, and substitute fathers. Sullivan became her mother’s keeper, taking her to the hospital when she overdosed, withstanding her narcissistic rages, succumbing to the abuse or indifference of so-called stepfathers, and always wondering why her mother would never reveal the truth about the father she’d never met.
Ashamed of her past, Sullivan invented a persona to show the world. Yet despite her Ivy League education and numerous accomplishments, she, like her mother, eventually succumbed to alcohol and drug abuse. She wrote The Sky Isn’t Visible from Here, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, when she realized it was time to kill her own creation.
Book Review: THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST AND FOUND by Allison Winn Scotch
Monday, February 11, 2008 by Bethany
Cancer sucks. No matter what the form--colon, lung, prostate--it is a definite buzz kill in any conversation. And completely a downer when "it happens" to someone you love. Which is exactly what happened to Allison Winn Scotch, the author of THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST AND FOUND.
Although the book is far from autobiographical or memoir, it is in honor of a close friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer. And the book itself? Completely compassionate, honest, raw--and well, a real look at what it would be like to be young and diagnosed with the big C.
The book follows Natalie Miller from the day her very normal (if not hectic) life as a top political aide for a New York senator and girlfriend of a gorgeous boyfriend gets turned around. The boyfriend dumps her, the doctor finds cancer, the job she'd given her life too suddenly takes a turn for the worse, and she finds herself addicted to the Price is Right on her couch in her darkened apartment.
But don't think this book is a downer. Far from it. Natalie is a fighter. And one determined to figure out where it all went wrong. She fights back from the stares at work when she does venture in to help the "good" senator out and back into her past when she looks at her last 5 boyfriends. For old times sake. And sanity sake. Natalie's personality alone makes this book. She's headstrong. Vivacious. And plain determined to beat the cancer right out of her. Even if she is in a bit of a depression (I mean, who wouldn't be).
We get a dose of the real Natalie by way of her diary at the beginning of each chapter. And those entries and full of honesty, fear, and courage. Outwardly she puts on a face--but the truth behind that face is a wonderfully afraid person doing the best they can.
The book is full of jovial fun, as well as every day nonsense that keeps you laughing, even in the face of cancer. And having Natalie go down the path of past loves of her life? Well, makes you love her even more. Don't be afraid of the heavy subject matter here, Allison does a wonderful thing as an author, you laugh through a bit of tears, but come out the other end smiling. Beautifully written and a wonderful tribute to a friend.
Here's the official blurb for the book from Allison's web site:
It didn’t start out as the worst day of Natalie Miller’s life. At thirty, she is moving up the political ladder, driven by raw ambition and ruthless determination. As the top aide to New York’s powerful female senator, she works hard, stays late, and enjoys every bit of it, even if the bills she’s pushing through do little to improve the lives of the senator’s constituents. And if her boyfriend isn’t the sexiest guy alive, at least he’s a warm body to come home to.
Then he announces he’s leaving. But that news is barely a blip compared to what Natalie’s doctor tells her: She has breast cancer. And she can’t cure it by merely being headstrong. Now the life Natalie must change is her own.
All her energy, what little of it she has left, must go into saving herself from a merciless disease. So when she’s not lying on the sofa recovering from her treatments and indulging in a curious addiction to The Price Is Right, she realizes it’s time to take a hard look at her choices. She begins by tracking down the five loves-of-her-life to assess what went wrong. Along the way, she questions her relationships with her friends, her parents, her colleagues, the one who got away, and, most important, with herself: Why is she so busy moving through life that she never stops to embrace it?
As Natalie sleuths out the answers to these questions, her journey of self-discovery takes her down new paths and to unexplored places. And she learns that sometimes when life is at its most unexpected, it’s not what you lose that makes you who you are . . . it’s what you find.
BOOK REVIEW: CONFESSIONS OF A PREP SCHOOL MOMMY HANDLER by Wade Rouse
Thursday, January 31, 2008 by Bethany
I'm a sucker for a little dirt. You know, the insider track to the "behind the scenes" stuff. And Wade Rouse doesn't disappoint in CONFESSIONS OF A PREP SCHOOL MOMMY HANDLER his second memoir.
Sure, sure, he reminds us up front in the Author's Note that he's changed names, combined a few people into one, and even hidden the "real" name of the school he was the PR director for--for what seemed like a life sentence of hell. But still--there's dirt here. Plenty of dirt. And I couldn't put the book down, I was enthralled with this life that is very foreign to what I'd grown up in (as Wade too... he shares the rural upbringing with me).
It all starts in Wade's office at the prestigious, private school "Tate Academy" on the first day of school for the year with a few deep cleansing yoga breaths. That is until the phone rings and he's summoned to the Carpool Lane. I'll warn you now, it all goes down hill from this point. Wade was appointed to handle public relations for the school--but it's no secret his job is to deal with the mommies. In particular the high-profile, rich moms who he terms "Mean Mommies" (or M2s). Or course there are the "Pink Ice Barbies" too (these are the daughters of the M2s, and appropriately wear pink. Always. Just like their mothers. And are quite fond of whispering and the term "Oh. My. God!"
Of course, I can't forget the Queen of the M2s--"Kitsy" Ludington. The source of Wade's pain. And what pain it is! She orders, plays, befriends (sorta), teases, pushes, and well basically makes this poor man's life a living hell. Especially for a man who's gay and playing it straight (the tolerance policy at Tate is officially open, but unofficially, not so much). And that is just one twist in this really twisted tale of high society at a private school where there is more money floating around in clothing than I make in an entire year of working my ass off.
This book was extremely touching, real, and well written--remember it is a memoir. It's from the point of a man trying to make it into the "in crowd." Much like what I spent my entire childhood trying to do. And to be honest--like Wade--a lot of my adulthood and career pursuing as well. And he doesn't give up. Ever.
The book twists and turns through this weird lifestyle giving away not only the secrets of the rich (well, their image anyway) but also through a "coming out" for Wade. And by coming out, I mean, coming out of his shell to be the person he wants to be in his life. I gotta respect the man, it hadn't of been easy dealing with that crowd--gay, straight, man, woman, whatever denomination. It had me chuckling, gasping, and even shouting a few of my own "Oh. My. Gaaawwwwds!"
Here's the official teaser:
On the nights following the Monday Morning Muffins with Mommies, I typically have the same dream: I have come to Tate as a gay man. Passing as a straight man. Who works only with women. And gets abused by mothers. I dream that I write a Broadway play called The Stepford Wives: The Musical. I cast the play first with Barbie dolls, but they just stand there, motionless, staring at me, so I hold auditions, telling the auditioning actresses to pretend to be robotic imitations of real women who have actual hearts and souls and minds of their own. No one gets my concept. I then try and pitch it to movie executives. "It's Victor-Victoria meets The Nanny Diaries meets The Crying Game meets The Devil Wears Prada." I do not get backing for my project. I, do, however, wake up and get to go into work.
Fun hey? I was hooked too. Thanks Wade, for going into work. This book wouldn't have been born without it. [grin] Here's some more fun to check out before you go out and buy the book (or after):
Elisha Cooper never wanted kids. Or at least he thought. Until he and his wife were expecting their daughter Zoe. And then life took a whole other turn--into parenthood. That's the entire premise of Elisha's book CRAWLING. And let's be honest, I am not sure Elisha knew it, but he probably really did want to be a Dad. Deep down inside (come on, why else would he, ironically, illustrate children's books?).
As much as I read (and write) mom lit, I thought I had the whole parenting psyche down. But Elisha proved me wrong. His perspective on the father side of parenting--diapers, breastfeeding, sharing his wife, building cribs, sharing his morning walks, breaking his routines, and well--everything called fathering is absolutely enchanting. Enchanting in that ever so-truthful it hurts sorta way. In fact, Cooper is so honest in these essays it almost hurts to read them. He admits rightfully, about how he was clueless and at the same time enchanted by his daughter. About how he and his wife had favorite outfits for his daughter--and the moment his wife left the house, he changed the clothes.
The essays are arranged in order--from birth to 12 months of the first year of parenthood for Elisha, his wife, and new little daughter Zoe. The essays are definitely from the heart. Earth shatteringly honest. And one of the freshest prose I've read this year. I was chuckling. Crying. Shaking my head in recognition in almost every chapter. And at the same time shaking my head in disbelief. Not that Elisha said anything that wasn't true--far from it! He said what was all to real no matter what side of the parenting is yours.
So pick up a copy today--you'll remember your child's first years like yesterday. Or maybe it is just me, I'm starting all over with number 2 right now. And this grasps all those emotions and feelings exactly! And let's be honest, what woman doesn't swoon over a man that has eyes for his child?
Exactly. So, here's the linkage for more Elisha Cooper and CRAWLING:
* This post and review is brought to you by the mom's at Mom Central. Love them! They give me free books for review. I get a small Amazon gift certificate. Woo hoo! Gotta love great books!
[Nope, this post isn't about my first day(s) back at work. Those are incoming, because as always I have something to share about them. Just know I am managing. Exhausted. And juggling a kid that doesn't seem to want to sleep anymore even when lying next to me. But, I am making it this week.]
The folks over at Mom Central have asked for my opinion again (oh, oh!)--and as always I am more than willing to give it. This time it is about Jump Start World Software. We've had Jump Start World Advanced Preschool and in our house for about a year. The Kiddo loves it. In fact, he will just play the music tracks from the game and start singing them on his own most of the time. Which bring me to why we purchased it (at least initially) for him--it works on Apple/Mac computers. Yep, we are mostly a Mac house. And this software boasts its compatibility. So playing those music tracks was easy--iTunes. Now with the pre-populated 10 songs or so, my kid's started his own music library (awww, he grows so fast)!
So, when Mom Central offered to send me Jump Start World 1st Grade--I was jiggy with it. The Kiddo would love to jump into a new world of games (he's got a game collection you know! I mean, how could he not--we are a house of 3 laptops and 2 desktops. None of which are my work machine, but I digress). Only when it arrived I realized the one, itybity problem--it's PC only software. See the above paragraph--the machine he uses for his games is a Mac. Sigh.
Now, we do have a PC in the house. We have 2 really--but one is just a server in our basement (it's ancient, but can hold files just fine). Another that sits unused in the extra bedroom just in case we just can't use a Mac for something. And I guess this is the first time it is going to be used in a while! (Seriously, he did have 1 or 2 other PC only games we loaded for him on this machine, but we typically by Mac games for him. Which he likes, because then he can play them in his room. That's right, he has his own computer).
And this software didn't disappoint--as I didn't expect it to with our previous experience with the Preschool version. The Kiddo is just a tad bit young for the games, he still had fun. And in fact did quite well at the "levels" (as he calls them). I'll keep the software on the PC for a while in case he wants to venture some more through the 1st grade game--because as with other reviewers of the software, i have no qualms about letting him jump ahead. And as you can tell--no qualms about him using a computer to learn new skills. If you've seen him click around on the Noggin, Nickelodeon, Disney, and Lego web sites--well, you'll know he's quite on his way to being a computer super genius (snicker here).
Also, we're pretty smart parents. We have parental controls on the computer in his room. Not only is it a modest iMac G3 relic, it also won't connect to the Internet unless we've approved the website. And he can't install a thing. Or print anything. Or well do anything that we won't know about. I am all about teaching him responsibility, and this is just the start!
BLOG TOUR: The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J Buchanan & Miriam Peskowitz
Thursday, November 15, 2007 by Bethany
Not too long ago I reviewed The Dangerous Book For Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden (in fact if you are curious, that review is here). And this is its sister book, sorta. It's The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz. And in fact, both of these women are behind my favorite place on the web MotherTalk. Not only have Andrea and Miriam allowed me through MotherTalk review many of the books you read about here, but well, then insisted that this book get created for girls. Mostly because of the out-pouring of comments on The Dangerous Book for Boys tour from women wanting the same sort of book for their daughters. And now being a mom to a girl too--well, I couldn't agree more!
In that first review, I told a long-winded memory about all the things I had learned from my Dad--a man who never had a son. He taught me so many things--how to tell the age of a tree. How to fish for Brooke Trout, Salmon, Pike, and Walleye. We also stared for hours at the various cloud formations, learned to tell the difference between types of trees by their leaves and bark. Followed animal droppings on trails in the forest on camping trips. Learned how to throw free throws, throw a baseball, plant and care for apple trees. And not to mention tricks about math. Which leads very nicely into The Daring Book for Girls. You see, leafing through this book, I became that 8 year old girl again. Remembering. Feeling. Creating. It was a fantastic trip down memory lane. I remembered things I thought I'd long forgotten.
There's palm reading (come on! who didn't want to know the future of your life?), Chinese jump rope (Mississippi anyone?), playing cards (I was a Hearts fan myself), Sleep out details, Ghost stories, Light as a Feather, Thick as a Board (did I get that right?), Campfire stuff (songs, building fires, hiking), God's Eyes, Canoeing trips, Tree climbing, roller skating, friendship bracelets. And boys. Who could forget boys! (well, that is not true, there are quite a few boys I could do with forgetting, but you get the idea. As much as they were a mystery then, they are now!). Oh, and I can't forget changing a flat tire and Math Tricks (thanks Dad! I learned both of those from you!). Or, my favorite chapter in the whole book: Books That Will Change Your Life.
The girl classics have some of my favorites of all time: A Wrinkle in Time, Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte's Web, Harriet the Spy, Little Women, Matilda and Ramona. Oh, how I loved escaping my world into those stories. But it gets better--the chapter goes further to indulge me into even more memories of books and places I'd imagined I'd be-- ESPECIALLY Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden.
I had almost every book in both series. My family were avid garage salers. Not only did we have 1 - 2 garage sales every year while growing up, we ventured out on weekends to find others. And this is where my love affair with books began--since I was able to purchase almost every book I got my hands on. They were 25 cents-- and well, my mom never said no to a good book. So I started collecting.
I remember my collections so well--I just wish, years later I hadn't sold them myself. The bottom 4 shelves of our rec room in my parents home were filled with Trixie and Nancy. And not only did I have them all, but in hardcover. Can you imagine? And I read them all. More than once. And most of the time, during my 4 week camping trips in the summer. I was the girl with my head in book on the beach. Or on the picnic bench. That is, when I wasn't riding my bike through the campground. Of fishing, swimming, or hiking.
This section of the book almost had me in tears. Each of these books--24 years later--still hold a very special place in my heart. So much so, I'm off to re-read them. To find the simple joys that brought me to them in the first place. In fact, it will be my personal gift for my daughter, her very first library (well once she hits about 8 years old). I can't wait for her to find herself in all of these books like I did (and don't you worry--my son who will be 5 in 2 weeks. I'm thinking there are a handful of books he might like too in a few years. What do you think?). And I want to share with both my children my love of books. What better way than to start with some classics.
Anyway, please check out this book. If not for a trip down memory lane, but to pick up some new tricks of the trade that don't rely on electronic gadgets and text messaging (yes, I am a self-confessed gadget geek, but we all need a little down time).
If my blabbering didn't entice you, maybe the official blurb will:
For every girl with an independent spirit, here is the guide to everything from school yard games to great women in history! The Daring Book for Girls is the essential manual for everything that girls need to know—and that doesn't mean sewing buttonholes! Whether readers consider themselves girly-girls, brainiacs, athletes, or a little bit of everything, this book is the girl's invitation to 21st century adventure.
Please--really--take a look at all these spots on the web. They are absolutely stunning. And fun. And so true to the Daring Girls' book, that you just can't miss them:
There are a few reasons why I am touting this book as a fabulous fall read--but mostly it is because the main character Miranda "Rannie" Bookman was so down to earth. And funny. And not for one iota attempting to become an crime investigator. In fact, she completely falls into this role in the book because she is a mother that is trying to protect her son. It makes for a fantastic believeable read that you really shouldn't miss.
Beyond Rannie, there are a whole cast of loveable characters. Particularly her son Nate, the girl of his dreams Olivia and then some "popular" but viscious high school friends The Lilies (Lily B. and Lily G) and Elliot (think Heathers and you'll get their sarcastic wit). Jane completely grabbed their adolescence and ran with it. In fact, I grew up in an area far from New York City but, the insecurities of that age are universal and Jane didn't miss one of them. Even with the teenagers in families that have a bit of money to throw around.
And again, Rannie. I love her. Not only is she believable in the role as of mother, well, she's a person. With a past. And it haunts her and we, as readers, believe every ounce of it. And I mean not only her divorce, but sex life. And she doesn't hide her premiscuous past. That being said, there is a steamy love interest, definitely some spicy sces, and a reunion of sorts with an ex-husband. How fun is that?
Honsetly, I loved the book. It was fun, funky, believeable and had so many plot twists and turns... well, it kept me reading for two whole days. Here's the official blurb (but please stick around, an interview with Jane O'Connor herself will follow):
Miranda "Rannie" Bookman—43, divorced mother of two, with a recent love life consisting of a long string of embarrassingly brief encounters—is beginning to feel like a dangling participle: connected to nothing. Her career as a copyeditor is down the toilet (she makes one little slip—a missing "l" from the last word in the title of the Nancy Drew classic The Secret of the Old Clock—and suddenly she's Publishing Enemy #1!), so she's been forced to take any gig she can get. And that means giving tours at the Chapel School, the ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive, private academy that her children attend. Certainly not the most interesting of employments . . . at least until someone stumbles across the dead body of the Director of College Admissions.
Investigating a murder was never in her job description, but with her soon-to-be-college-bound boy Nate a prime suspect, Rannie has little choice. Besides, who better to dot all the "i"s and cross all the "t"s than a self-proclaimed "language cop"? Her diligence might even lead her to a brand-new love. Or to a killer. Or to another corpse—hopefully not her own.
Isn't that a hook that grabs you? Really, they had me at the missing "l" in the Nancy Drew title.
Now if that blurb doesn't grab you enough, please join me in welcoming Jane to the blog! She was wonderfully kind to answer a few questions for me--and after you read them you will agree--that will completely have you convinced you need to go out and grab yourself this book (and her next one).
Hi Jane! It is such a pleasure to have you here! I am so glad to have had a chance to read you first adult novel DANGEROUS ADMISSIONS! It's smart, fun, fast, fall read... that had you guessing until the end. My favorite part (aside from a copyeditor that had to correct grammar throughout), is that Rannie doesn't intend from the beginning to be a detective. Nope, she's just a concerned mother. That little detail definitely made her character believable and down-to-earth.
But let me not waste too much of your time, on to the interview questions!
1. First, an obvious question, with all of your success writing the FANCY NANCY children's book series, why an adult fiction novel? Why now?
The truth is I started writing Dangerous Admissions before the first Fancy Nancy book. I am an incredibly slow writer so it took me eons to finish the mystery. I sent it to agents right at the same time the first FN hit stores in December 05.>
2. Your main character, Rannie has at least one trait of yours--her eye (or ear) for grammar since you both share a background in editing. What other traits do you and Rannie share? And could you see yourself, if put in the same situation as Rannie, as a closet sleuth? Would finding the detail(s) that everyone else missed be your advantage over others?
Yes, like Rannie, I love language and words (actually, Fancy Nancy is a vocab devotee too!) Mistakes do jump out at me and often in weird situations. Last weekend my family paid a yearly visit to the cemetery to say 'hi' to our loved ones and I noticed that there was a hyphen missing on my uncle's headstone. It said: Died in his seventy seventh year. It bothered me -- of course, everybody else thinks I'm crazy.
3. Being a writer myself, I am always fascinated by the whys and hows of the book ideas (the stories behind the stories). So would you mind sharing with us how you came up with the idea for DANGEROUS ADMISSIONS? What was the spark that started this particular story?
When our sons had to apply to college, my husband and I both went loco (there, I said it…not ‘stressed out’ or ‘anxious’ but truly ‘loco’). We acted as if we were the ones waiting for the proverbial fat envelopes. Come acceptance day in early April, I remember that the mail was all I thought about. (This was pre- the day when kids can log on and find out if they’re in.) And almost as soon as we dropped our younger son off at his freshman dorm, the title for a book – Dangerous Admissions – popped into my head. It would revolve around the nasty doings at a high-pressure Manhattan private school on the Upper West Side, not all that different from the one both our sons attended for the full K-12 ride. Although the college guidance counselor at our kids’ school was an absolutely great guy, I planned on killing off his fictional counterpart in the first chapter. I’d never written an adult novel; never written a mystery; never even read mysteries. (I now do and I just finished Michael Chabon’s “The Yiddish Detectives’ Union which is amazing – funny and utterly original.)
I stopped working as a fulltime editor at Penguin; took Wednesdays and Thursdays (non-weekend and consecutive) as my days home for writing; took three writing classes over the next two years; and then was part of a writers’ group with three women novelists – Nina Solomon (Single Wife is her first novel and wonderful) and Pamela Jackson (Becoming the Butlers, very funny but hard to find now) and Yona Zeldis McDonough (her last novel was In Dahlia’s Wake).
It took me more than three years to finish Dangerous Admissions. It was hardest, most frustrating, but ultimately most satisfying piece of writing I’ve ever done. The stories for my children’s books often come to me in a flash – that’s how it is with the Fancy Nancy books. But I had to push the plot of the mystery every step of the way. I kind of hate authors who say that they just sit at the computers and let their characters speak to them. I anguish over every sentence…I think that’s one of the drawbacks of being an editor; I edit and re-edit the same paragraph until I become snow-blind and can’t tell whether my last version is better, worse or basically the same as the first.
I am blessed – or cursed – with a bulldog nature. When I decide to do something, I sink my teeth in and don’t let go. So I eventually did finish the book and I’m still startled to see that it is a physical object sitting in bookstores. And if you are wondering whether it’s easier writing the follow-up, the answer is yes but really only infinitesimally so.
4. Rannie and her A-list of supporting characters in this book (Nate, Olivia, Tim, Elliot, The Lilies, David, Daisy, Mary, Peter, Grant, etc.) seem prime for another book--do you see this book as part of a series? If yes, what can we expect for the next book? If not, will it be hard for you to "let these characters go?" I ask, because of course, as with any attached reader, well, I am having a hard time letting go!
I’m already slaving away on the second with Rannie et al. She’s copyediting the latest tell-all by a reclusive writer of snarky, trash-and-burn celebrity bios…when Rannie comes to pick up the ms, however, she finds the writer (I’m still fiddling with her name) tied to her bed and strangled – with an Hermes scarf. A lot of the book involves a famous art collection and I am getting to do a lot of interesting research. (In my next life, I am going to be an art historian, concentrating on Flemish 15th century stuff.
5. Lastly (because I ask all my visiting authors), if you could have any super power, what would it be? For example, this week for me, it would be an extra hand/arm (or two). Seriously. With a new baby in tow, an extra hand would give me the extra reach to fix dinner for the family while holding the baby. How about you-- super power of your dreams and why?
Okay, a little preface is required: What I’d like most is to be able to spend time (say, an hour or so) with each of my boys at different stages of their babyhood and childhood – to be able to hold them again and smell that delicious baby smell, to hear what they sounded like at 3 or 7, to be walking down the street and have a small hand in mine. I think we forget so quickly what a child was really, really like so my superpower would be to teleport in time but only over the past 28 years. I don’t have to go back to Elizabethan England or meet Cleopatra. The superpower would be strictly for a mother thing.
Thanks Jane! Lovely adult novel debut! You have me hooked. Can't wait to read more of your work. Just make sure bring back the down to earth quirky characters. Please.
And did you not just love her? I mean, did you READ that super power wish? Because right now, it is making me (double) cherish the little every day things with my son and daughter (the little hand in mine thing killed me. Utterly).
Jane, if I had a way to bottle up that baby smell and send it to you--you'd have it over-nighted pronto! I have a 5-week-old full of smell for the taking.
Anyway, please take some time and visit Jane online (see below) and go buy the book. It is was fun and absolutely great for this time of year!
I'm going on vacation in 1 day. One, bloody more set of 24 hours that constitute a day. Which means I'll have not one more ounce of work to think about for 13 days. And that seems blissful. Especially if I would have had A SUMMER AFFAIR to read while I was ON vacation, as it is perfect for one of those times you just want to be whisked away into someone else's existence for a few hours. Or days. I mean, look at that cover? Does that not just scream flip flops and Capri pants while basking in the sun?
