The Blog

August 21st, 2008

Book Talk: What Influences Your Reading Choices?

I’ve always been a sort of cyclical reader. By this I mean that I find an author whose work resonates with me, and I read all of their work as fast as possible, and then I move on. There are a few authors I’ll return to, when they publish something new - Anne Rivers Siddons is one of my favorite guilty-pleasure authors, for example, and even though much of her more recent work has descended into monster-porn and faerie-porn, I’m committed to Laurell K. Hamilton. Sara Paretsky was a favorite when she was writing about V. I. Warshawski, but I’m not as fond of her straight fiction.

More recently, just a couple weeks ago, in fact, I participated in a week-long novel writing workshop. As part of preparing our pitches - the presentation of our premises to agents - we were asked to come up with our comps - the authors whose tone, style, or subject matter is closely related to ours. I went into this workshop thinking I was writing a sweet, proto-literary coffee story that just happened to take place on another world, but, as such projects do, by the time I pitched I had embraced the blatant sci-fi aspects of my story, and thus had to find new comps.

Our workshop leader kept throwing out Vonnegut (flattering, I guess, but I hadn’t read any Vonnegut since I was a kid), and Douglas Adams. Well, Adams was the first real science fiction I ever read. Or at least, the first I remember reading. Not including Star Trek books, and such. And he was funny. But is he really an influence on my writing style? I’m not sure.

What I do know is that the novel I’m now writing, the one I think will actually sell, because my voice is fresh, even though there’s almost no market (I am told) for sci-fi, and especially not sci-fi marketed to women, is much more “Christopher Moore in Space” than Vonnegut.

I know this because last week, after I’d been home a couple of days, I made a beeline for the bookstore, for two reasons. The first was that since April I’ve only read stuff to review for ATG (all of which was lovely, but YA isn’t ALL I want to read), or stuff that was assigned for the workshop - and let me tell you, with the exception of two short stories that were tacked on to our list at the end, the cheeriest of our assigned reading was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. You can see, I’m sure, why I was desperate for new things to read.

The second reason was that I wanted to read some more Moore, and some Vonnegut, to see which of them resonated with me. I also picked up some Haruki Murakami, because his name was tossed about during many debates of Magical Realism vs. Modern Fantasy (it turns out that a book long on my wishlist was one of his titles), and, yes, the most recent offering from the afore-mentioned Anne Rivers Siddons.

My reading choices, then, are influenced by people telling who I write like, by authors who come up in conversation, and intrigue me, and by old habits. Of course, I do browse, reading covers that attract me, or looking for titles I’ve heard mentioned on NPR - and sometimes, sometimes I confound my husband by walking out of the bookstore with nothing, claiming there is nothing to read.

What about you? How do you choose what you read? Who do you like? And who influences your writing?

August 20th, 2008

Your Turn: Paper or Plastic

It’s a question you are asked - or used to be asked - on a regular basis as you finalized your purchase at the grocery store - and I’ve realized that rarely am I asked these days because each store seems to have its own preference…. As we become more environmentally aware, some markets encourage the use of reusable canvas bags…

Your Turn:

Do you choose paper?  Plastic?  Or do you use (and re-use) canvas grocery bags?  Do you make a request or simply take what you are given?

August 19th, 2008

Inspiring Women: Annie Lennox

“Sing my sister sing
Let your voice be heard
What won’t kill you will make you stronger
Sing my sister sing*”

For years, Annie Lennox has rocked the masses with her strong, sultry, soulful voice and unique style. From the days when she was one half of the hugely successful Eurythmics to her award-winning solo work, the Scottish songbird has made an indelible impression on the music industry as we know it. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)… There Must Be an Angel… It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)… Thorn in my Side…Walking on Broken Glass… Little Bird… No More I Love You’s…Waiting in Vain…oh, the list is endless. And now, with an impressive collection of awards under her belt (some of which include Brit Awards, Grammies, Ivor Novello Awards, a Golden Globe and an Oscar), this singer / songwriter is not only continuing to create brilliant albums, but she’s also turning her attention to humanitarian projects.

One of the biggest and most serious issues plaguing the world is the HIV Aids epidemic. Right now, over 33 million people are living with HIV! Half of those are women and Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst affected. Last year, an estimated 370 000 children under the age of 15 became infected with HIV. Those are pretty shocking stats! Aids awareness, access to antiretrovirals (ARVs), the right to basic health care, mother to child infections etc. are issues that desperately need to be addressed - and Annie Lennox is one of the angels who has risen to the challenge. In October last year, Annie Lennox released ‘Songs of Mass Destruction’ which included the track ‘Sing’ – a collaboration with 23 well-known female artists. The list is pretty impressive and includes Madonna, Celine Dion, Pink, Dido, Sugababes, Joss Stone, Melissa Etheridge, Angelique Kidjo, Gladys Knight and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few. ‘Sing’ was released in a bid to raise money for the fight against Aids and begins with this message: “This is a call for the national implementation of the ‘Mother to Child Transmission Prevention Programme’ in all maternity hospitals across South Africa.”

She simultaneously launched a campaign by the same name to help South African women and children living with HIV. Lennox is an Oxfam ambassador, as well as a 46664 ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s HIV Aids Foundation and she passionately supports South Africa’s Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) – an organisation committed to campaigning for the rights of people living HIV Aids. Speaking at an international Aids conference held in Mexico City earlier this month, Lennox urged fellow artists, musicians, filmmakers and women to continue the fight against the epidemic and not to become complacent about the issue.

This brilliant songstress uses her ‘fame’ as a vehicle to contribute towards an issue that so desperately needs attention, actively getting involved in the fight against HIV Aids at a grass roots level. In my books, Annie Lennox is a truly inspirational woman.

If you’d like to read more on Annie Lennox’s ‘Sing’ campaign, why not visit the official website?…

* Lyrics from ‘Sing’ by Annie Lennox, off the album ‘Songs of Mass Destruction’

August 18th, 2008

Sound Advice: What I learned from the dishwasher repair man

It was a classic problem, dishwasher’s not running properly, call the repair man. I was sure the machine was defective, or perhpas that pipes weren’t properly connecting, causing one in four loads to end up with standing water after the cycle was complete. You can imagine my embarrasment when I learned that the dishwasher was only performing poorly becuase I wasn’t running it properly.

The repair man, let’s call him Pete, opened the door in midcycle to show me a half foot of suds. This is not good, Pete instructed. The suds are hurting the machine. But all I ever do is fill the suds up to the fill line, swing shut the lid and give a firm press to the rinse aid. That’s the problem, Pete explained. Apparently the detergent companies are in cahoots with the dishwasher manufacturers to get us to over consume on detergent, maybe even in hopes that you’ll break the machine and have to get a new one. Pointing to the extra detergent reservoir — the one you’re supposed to use for those particularly nasty Thanksgiving style loads, he said the detergent companies pay the manufacturers to design that spot. Next he pulled out a permanent marker and drew a notch about 3/4 of the way down the fill basin - that’s where you should fill to, about two tablespoons. And the rinse aid, ditch it. Not only does the rinse aid contribute to oversuddsing, it’s applied during the final rinse so basically, when your dishes come out, rinse aid is still on it. When I checked the rinse aid bottle for ingredients to better understand what I was consuming, all I found was a long list of chemical warnings and first aid recommendations. Next we’ll learn that rinse aid causes cancer in addition to removing pesky dried water spots.

Now to see what that noise is in my washing machine…

August 15th, 2008

Product Review: Maybelline Great Lash

I was gifted with long eyelashes, which isn’t as lovely as it sounds, because, for one thing, I can either wear mascara or sunglasses, but not both. Sadly, I also have the kind of skin that most make-up melts from fairly quickly, which means when I choose to wear mascara, I have raccoon eyes by noon. No, really.

This is why I’m a fan of Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara, and why I especially love that it comes in CLEAR. Clear mascara thickens without coloring, merely enhancing the lashes you already have. (I’m guessing it doesn’t work all that well for natural blonds, but for the rest of us…). Since it’s also a Maybelline product, it doesn’t have an overly chemical smell, and it comes in three shades of black, two of brown, and blue, as well as the clear I love.

It’s also washable, which means you can splash a bit of water on your face, and not end up looking like you were out all night, but it comes off easily with any gentle makeup remover. Additionally, it’s hypoallergenic, and safe to wear with contact lenses.

Maybelline says this product is their most popular mascara. I don’t doubt this. I mean, I buy it, and I’m an Aveda girl.

You can buy this product at almost any grocery store, drug store, or wherever makeup is sold.

August 14th, 2008

Book Talk: The Turnaround by George Pelecanos

I hope you’ve read our interview with the August Man of the Month, George Pelecanos.  Earlier this week, I attended a reading from his new book, The Turnaround at a nifty little independent bookstore, Politics and Prose.   I arrived forty-five minutes early to discover a huge crowd.  My wait was rewarded as one of the owners of the bookstore told a story about George applying for a job there before his first book was published.  By the time this introduction was made, it was standing room only!  George read  a passage from The Turnaround, about three white kids in the early 1970’s driving into an all-black neighborhood to harass the black kids living there, he was reading to a packed, standing-room-only house of fans.  George is a hometown boy in the city of Washington DC. His novels set in DC have captured the folks who live in the area, and his work on The Wire as a Writer and Producer has attracted a diverse crowd as well.

After the reading, he did a question and answer session and then a book signing.  Here he is, signing books for All Things Girl!

The Turnaround is about an event that changed many lives in 1972….and becomes more complex when, thirty-five years later, paths of two of the boys-now-men cross again. I was hooked by the story of every-day life that Pelecanos effortlessly engages you in.  We peek into the lives of two groups of teenagers living similar lives - with loving families and dreams of the future.  The contrast is, however, that one group of teens are black, and the other group are white.  When Alex, Billy and Peter head out in a car belonging to one of their fathers, you can hear the music and smell the testosterone.  They end up at a turnaround…where one got away, one was killed, and the other, scarred for life.  The lives of the black kids, Charles, Raymond and James are forever changed that night as well.

Thirty-five years later, the paths of Alex (who was beaten) and one of the black men, Raymond Monroe, crosses. Monroe is a physical therapist at Walter Reed Army hospital. Alex has lost a son in the Iraq wars. In the believable world created by Pelecanos in The Turnaround, we find that the bad guys have redeeming qualities and the good guys have faults.   Can the choices in life and the wounds we suffer cause us to lose our humanity?  Can the errors of our youth be redeemed and lives turned around?  Pelecanos shows us in a novel classified as crime fiction, but shown to be more…a fine telling of hopes, shattered dreams, courage and redemption.

We’d love for you to explore The Turnaround yourself.  In fact, during the signing, the books he signed for All Things Girl will go to FIVE lucky readers!!  How can you win?  Comment here!

August 13th, 2008

Your Turn: Time Out

When I was a teacher it soon became obvious that children who were unhappy were less able to learn. If a child was going through a trauma such as grieving or going through an unfriendly parental separation they would be unable to concentrate. Although this may seem blatantly obvious, it is often not obvious to those involved. For us as adults to be efficient at whatever we do, we also need to be happy. Consider for a moment anyone you have known who has been bullied. If it goes on for a while and is not dealt with, that person stops functioning well, stops believing in themselves and eventually becomes ineffective or breaks down.

We need to find ways to help us be happy and that can often mean time away from stressful jobs, busy families and never-ending chores. This space gives us time to breathe, reflect and assess what we are doing. In itself going to the gym can be someone’s “time out”. I once knew someone who went running and they did it, not for the physical exercise but for the mental freedom it gave them. For others they do their thinking while cooking or listening to music. Many gardeners enjoy the outdoors and their time to potter.

My new “time out” place is a garden room, where I go to write. (It may look quite big in the picture but actually it’s tiny. An estate agent once told me to make a building look bigger take the photograph from a corner view.) When I go there I can sit and listen to the birds, nobody can contact me by phone and I can avoid all the TV sports programmes my husband likes so much. One of my cats often comes and joins me and sits on the desk, which does distract me from writing, but when I come back to the real world I am refreshed and ready to go.

Your Turn

So where do you go and what do you do for “time out”? Does it help you sort out problems or just give you a breather and if you’re not managing any escaping moments, what could you do?

August 12th, 2008

Inspiring Women: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

Whenever I am looking at inspirational quotes, it seems that many of them come from Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman named by Time Magazine as the most influential First Lady of the United States. Born in New York City on October 11, 1884, she was a shy child who was orphaned by the age of ten. She was a favorite niece of President Theodore Roosevelt (her father’s older brother) and in 1905, married her distant cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She stood by his side as he ran for New York State Senate, served as Secretary of the Navy, when he was struck with paralyzing polio in 1921, and when he became President of the United States. Her pedigree, however, is not what is inspiring to me about Eleanor Roosevelt, her work as a humanitarian and her beliefs in the rights of blacks, women, and the poor.

Prior to marriage, Roosevelt worked to better the conditions in Public Housing in New York.  During her time as First Lady, she transformed the role of First Lady from Hostess to a role geared towards Social Reform. She gave a voice to those people who didn’t have access to power. She was also the first woman to cross the gender barrier, becoming the first woman to write a syndicated column, earn money as a lecturer, speak in front of a national convention, hold regular press conferences and be a radio commentator.  She traveled heavily, as the eyes and ears of her husband and was the perfect counterpart to her charismatic husband.

After her husband’s death, Roosevelt continued to work for social reform and in the political arena.  She was a spokesman to the United Nations and advised political candidates, including John F. Kennedy, until her death in 1962.

August 11th, 2008

Sound Advice: Zip-top Bags for Travel

For anyone who travels in the US via air, you know about the 3-1-1.  From the TSA Website: 3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is a security measure.”

Zip-top bags, however, are good for more than just your “3-1-1″.  When you prep for a trip, stop by the food storage aisle and grab not only quart sized zip-top bags, but gallon sized ones as well.  When you pack, place any kind of liquid/cream/gel product into the zip-top bags.  Trust me on this.  I can tell you from experience that zip-top bags can save your clothes from a sticky mess.    The pressurization that causes your ears to pop can also cause plastic bottles to expand a bit…

In fact, I would recommend splitting your different types of items into separate bags.  This one time (while recovering from bronchitis), a bottle of liquid cough syrup leaked during transport.  Fortunately, the bag was sealed…unfortunately, a bottle of prescription pills were covered in cough syrup.  That’s when I learned two valuable lessons:   zip-top bags are my friend and it’s OK to separate my liquids from my creams.  The large zip-top bags are good for other things in packing, by the way.  I’m still on the old-fashioned side and wear pantyhose with my suits, so placing hosiery (or other delicate underthings) into zip-top bags means things arrive un-snagged and in mint condition.

By the way, if you ever decide you need to pack and take “Dublin Dr. Pepper” from one place to another, give me a shout.  I’m well versed in transporting those old-fashioned 10-ounce glass bottles across state lines….  Happy (and safe) Travels!

August 8th, 2008

A Different Way

Sometimes the anomalies in life just hit me. We’ve been struggling with the rampant growth of greenery (for greenery read weeds) in our garden this year. Everything is so green and lush. I have spent hours losing the battle to clear the bindweed, dandelions, nettles and horses tail from the ground, at the same time East Africa has been struggling with land so dry that the ground is little more than dust.

Why did someone buy me a sparkly orange fridge magnet of an octopus, when there are children in the world without fresh water and enough food to keep them alive? I’m not intending to be critical. We all get on with our busy lives and just like everyone else I’m tempted (and often give in) to buying the latest gadgets or new clothes that really I don’t need. But how can we design games to play tennis or bowling on our TV set, yet fail to make sure that everyone in the world has fresh water and food?

I belong to a group called Soroptimist International and our local group has been raising money recently in partnership with WaterAid . They have also raised money for the campaign, “Born Free from Aids, to help provide medicines so that new babies are not born with the disease.

One of the things that troubles me is that making a donation isn’t enough. If I donated my entire income it really wouldn’t make that much difference. Today I was reading some literature from Oxfam. They seem to understand that we are all different and we can help in different ways. For instance if you were adventurous you could volunteer abroad; you could help by volunteering in your home country; you could buy fair trade produce; recycle your phone or lobby for a fairer world. I’m glad we’re not just being asked for money. As someone who writes maybe I’ll try and do my bit by writing. If you have other ways of helping fighting for basic rights and against poverty let me know. Check out the Oxfam website if you’re interested.

August 7th, 2008

Book Talk: On My Nightstand & Giveaway Winners

I‘m currently reading The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer.  It’s an intriguing tale, beginning with an assassination attempt of The President of the United States.  It’s told by Wes, a young aide to the President, and July 4th changed his life:  he was permanently disfigured and one of the President’s oldest friends was dead, and he blamed himself.  I picked up The Book of Fate in preparation for an upcoming interview with Author Brad Meltzer, who is to be our October Man of the Month.  If you like political intrigue, take a moment to pick it up.  It’s available in paperback from Grand Central Publishing, and was released in hardback last May.  Brad’s new book, The Book of Lies was an amazing tale of fathers and sons, secrets, and murder.  It’s due out in late September.  By the way, Brad also writes for DC Comics.  I’m looking forward to chatting with him!

Jane Porter’s latest, Mrs. Perfect, follows the suddenly changing world of Taylor Young.  for those who read Odd Mom Out (Jane’s previous book), you met Taylor, who was the Mom little Eva wanted her mom, Maria, to be more like.  Taylor will begin to find out who her true friends are when cracks begin to appear in perfect life.  Mrs. Perfect was one of those great chick-lit books that I devoured on a rainy Sunday afternoon (and into the night because I couldn’t bear to put it down).  Definitely two thumbs up!  By the way, keep an eye out for more of Jane Porter.  Her novel, Flirting with Forth is being made into a movie starring Heather Locklear.

I also read Sarah’s Key by  French writer Tatiana de Rosnay.  WOW, what an amazing and emotional read.  It’s the story of the 1942 Round Up by the French Police of Jews in Paris mixed with the modern day life of writer Julie Jarmound.  Julie is writing an article on The Round Up and discovers a personal tie to the horrific event.  I’d recommend the book to anyone, and in fact, have already passed it along to my mom to read.  It’s available in hardcover now, and out in paperback at the end of September.  We will also be chatting with author Tatiana de Rosnay in an upcoming issue of All Things Girl.

Books previously on my nightstand include books we are giving away!  Hannah B is the winner of Tan Lines by JJ Salem.  We had two copies of Live Alone and Like It, and those winners are Dawn and Kathy Conley.  Congrats!  Look for notes in your email from me.  There is still time to  be entered in the drawing for a copy of Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke.  And stay tuned to the blog for your chance to win other great books from All Things Girl!

I’d love to hear about what’s on YOUR nightstand!

August 6th, 2008

Your Turn: Health vs. Beauty

Each of us finds our own personal rhythm as we go about our days, and once upon a time, going to the gym was part of mine.   Life changed.  First there was a divorce.  Then there was a shift in my businesses, which lead me to living in hotels rather than in my own snug little bed.  The gym left my personal rhythm and became an occasional guest star in my life, rather than a regular cast member.  The healthy eating, by the way, has kind of gone the way of working out.  I have the best intentions, but my will power is on the weak side.

In recent months, I have discovered I have got to change that.  I need to renew my love affair with sweating to some great music, not indulge in late night cocktails and high calorie snacks, and get back in touch with what my body needs.  See, I need to lose some weight, and though I know it by looking in the mirror (and not fitting into some older jeans), I was comfortable enough with myself that the desire to look slimmer and more attractive wasn’t strong enough to get me off my and into the closest gym.  Last month, however, I joined a gym in Washington DC, which is where I am spending my time when I am not at home.

What has motivated me?  My blood pressure.   My HIGH (oh, much too high for a 40-year-old) blood pressure.

My weight has yo-yo-ed some 50 pounds in the last twenty years.  Some of that came with pregnancy and was lost.  Some of it came with weight lifting, and is sleek (and heavier) muscle.  In the last five years, though, I have battled the  with the same 15 pounds.  I didn’t worry about it (though I would bitch about it) until my doctor noticed the increase in blood pressure (as well as an increase in my cholesterol).  In research, I have discovered that in the United States, heart disease is the number one killer of women.  My untreated blood pressure also put me at a higher risk for other events, such as strokes.  A little more focus on my diet is helpful, but research shows that exercise is the most important change to be making in my life.

I am still struggling, by the way.  But I’m seeing the inside of the gym more than in the last month than I had in the previous year…..

Your Turn:

So, what about you?  What motivates - or will motivate you - to leading a more healthy lifestyle?  The desire to fit into a smaller pair of jeans or the desire to get healthy?

August 5th, 2008

Inspiring Women: Aurelia Kaitesi

During the month of May, 2008, South Africa was ravaged by a spate of xenophobic attacks that spread through its land like wildfire. As streams of foreigners crossed the borders from neighbouring countries, they sought refuge in the townships and informal settlements. Sadly, many locals felt threatened by the influx of foreigners, accusing them of stealing their jobs, their livelihoods. The xenophobic violence ignited in Gauteng’s Alexandria township, and soon flared in other parts of the country. As the death toll began to rise, the government was forced to establish ‘safety camps’ (essentially refugee camps) to protect displaced persons.

The xenophobic violence made the headlines on a daily basis, and was the topic of many news programmes aired on local television. One programme in particular, Carte Blanche, aired a segment on one of the safety camps established in the Western Cape, and in their coverage, they introduced to the TV audience a special woman called Aurelia Kaitesi.

Aurelia is no stranger to xenophobia and ethnic violence. At the age of four, she and her family fled from Uganda, in fear of their lives. Years later in 1993, she was living in Rwanda - married with four children. Her world came crashing down when, a few months before the Rwandan Genocide of ’94, she witnessed the murder of her husband (who was a diplomat) and her five year old daughter. She and her remaining children were given 24 hours to leave their home, and Rwanda. And so began a long journey, moving from one refugee camp to another throughout sub-Saharan Africa, losing her remaining daughter to illness along the way. After years of searching for a place to settle down in, Aurelia and her two boys finally moved to a place called Masiphumelele.

Taken from the Xhosa word meaning ‘We will succeed’, Masiphumelele began as an informal settlement during the 1980s, primarily inhabited by migrant workers from up-country. As the years went by, the number of residents steadily grew to over 20 000, and Masiphumelele evolved into a township. Like many of South Africa’s townships, Masiphumelele has a high unemployment rate (unofficially quoted at 90%). Another problem plaguing the community of Masiphumelele is the soaring rate of HIV/Aids. On the whole, it’s a pretty bleak scenario. And yet, in spite of all this adversity, Masiphumelele is a place of hope. Numerous organisations – both governmental and non – have focused resources on empowering the people of Masiphumelele. It’s a painstakingly slow process, but it has resulted in a lot of changes within Masiphumelele and its community. These include the building of houses (replacing tin shacks that serve as homes), schools, clinic, libraries, etc.
Anyway, back to Aurelia… Since moving to Masiphumelele, she has contributed towards the upliftment of the local community through her role as a school teacher. She runs a crèche called ‘Love and Care’ which looks after more than 70 young children. In spite of a turbulent past, it appeared Aurelia had finally managed to secure some peace and stability for her and her family. Or so it seemed, until the xenophobic attacks reached Masiphumelele. A safety centre was set up at the nearby Soetwater, which soon became ‘home’ to over 3 000 displaced people. As a foreigner herself, Aurelia was urged to seek refuge at the safety camp. But she made headlines when she put her foot down and refused to be put in yet another refugee camp. In spite of the terrible danger she faced, Aurelia stood her ground – refusing to be a victim once again. On Carte Blanche, she made an emotional appeal: “I feel sad to see that we Africans, we cannot live together. I feel sad seeing that you hate me. We hate each other. We discriminate. Why do we do it?”

The xenophobic attacks have since been curbed, and relative calm has been restored to Masiphumelele. Aurelia continues to teach at the ‘Love and Care’ crèche, and while there are still many challenges to be overcome, she has a positive outlook on life. She works tirelessly to create a better future – not only for her children, but for the children she teaches at the crèche too. As a mother… a teacher… and survivor, Aurelia Kaitesi is one of the many unsung heroines of South Africa - who through their inner strength and courage, help make the country – and indeed, the world – a better place.

August 4th, 2008

Colleen Gleason Web Event

Colleen Gleason, whom we interviewed in this edition of ATG sent us the following email, which we wanted to share:

I’m going to have a live webcast on Tuesday night to celebrate the release of WHEN TWILIGHT BURNS…and I’d really appreciate it if you could mention it on your blog(s) to help promote it!  

It’ll be like a virtual booksigning–I’ll talk, take questions (live) from the audience…and I’ll also have some door prizes. Including an Advance Copy of AS SHADOWS FADE.  All you need is an internet connection and speakers.

The event will be:   Tuesday August 5, 8:30 pm Eastern Time

Space is limited, so log in early!   Here’s the link:   http://learning.mihealth.org/mediasite/colleengleason/

Thanks so much for your help in spreading the word!

Colleen

Watch the blog on Thursday for another opportunity to get a copy of AS SHADOWS FADE.

August 4th, 2008

Sound Advice: Lemon Squeezing

First, let me introduce a new feature here on the ATG blog: “Sound Advice” is our tip of the week. Nothing earth-shattering, just commonsense tricks we like to share. Of course we invite YOU to share as well.

I have to confess, my step-father inspired this tip. You see, he loves kitchen gadgets, and last Father’s Day he asked me for a lime squeezer. Glad to be able to please him for the bargain price of $4.99, I bought a lime green lime squeezer (though it said it could be used for lemons as well.)

Now, I’ve been squeezing small citrus fruits for as long as I can remember, either on a regular squeezer or using a fork, but it never occurred to me that such a contraption would come with instructions, but it did, and while most of the information was less than necessary, one thing struck me: It recommended that citrus be at room temperature before you squeeze it.

I have, since then, conducted several scientific experiments in my kitchen (and no, not ALL of them resulted in lemon drops or limeade), even branching out to oranges and grapefruit, and I have to say: you get more juice when the fruit isn’t chilled.

So, that’s our sound advice for this week: Let your citrus warm to room temperature (nuke it for 15 seconds if you’re impatient) before squeezing. There will be more juice.

August 3rd, 2008

Guest Post: Lynn Biederman

Lynn Biederman is the co-author of Unraveling, which was reviewed in our July, 2008 issue. She recently took a few moments to jot down some of her thoughts for us, and here’s what she had to say:

* * * * *At the ripe age of 45, I’m going through some virgin moments: My first novel, Unraveling, co-authored with Michelle Baldini, was just published by Random House; this here is my virgin blog entry; ATG’s Melissa Bartell gave Unraveling its virgin online review; Bedford library hosted my virgin book signing; WOR aired the virgin radio interview; and last night at the movies, someone said I looked extremely familiar then realized it was because they’d seen my picture on the book jacket! (Almost daily, I’m mistaken for someone else wherever I am—local store, gym, restaurant, wedding, party, NYC, even Jordan!)

Googlable and for once not looking like someone other than me, I can’t help but think about who I am and some of the markers in my life, which brings me back to my virginity, and battles with low self-esteem. Like our fictional Amanda, a boy I cared about held out a deal to me— sex in exchange for a date to a big dance. This choice, this situation deeply affected me, but it wasn’t until 20 years later when I ran into him that I knew I needed to share what happened with my daughter. But as Michelle and I wrote Unraveling, it also became a mother- daughter story, which unexpectedly impacted, actually transformed another— mine with my mother. This relationship was the part of my life that had never looked or felt the way I thought it should, how others appeared to be. The fiction—Unraveling—repaired the fact; my mom and I are now very close. And a virgin realization: what distinguishes us is what we all have in common— a heart and the ability to change the direction of our relationships.If you have the time and care to know more about Michelle or me or Unraveling, please visit LynnBiederman.com. Thanks to All Things Girl for having me.