A STRANGE THING HAPPENED

A very strange thing happened this Thanksgiving. We aren't even sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but it has just about changed our lives. We're not sure we should even share it, but I guess that's what blogs are for. The best part of blogging is you can pour your heart out and never see anyone's reaction. Hmmm, is that really so good? Oh well here goes.

As many of our friends and fans have learned, each time we have of book signing or a presentation, we bake some of our best recipes. It's part of the entire story of our writing experience. Happily, the audiences seem to love our goodies. Over the past year we have baked quite a bit. As any good baker knows, one must taste the finished product, at least once. Maybe, actually more than once...just sayin'.

Anyway, we've done our fair share of baking and tasting. Now comes the biggest American holiday. It's the one when our respective families request the same old, same old. After all, these treats are tried and true. As nurturing moms we would never want to disappoint. Once again we relied on our baking skills. Oddly this was the first time we found that neither of us did any tasting. We had had just too much of a good thing. We left the tasting to Thanksgiving day.

Everything looked delicious. The family dove in. Expressions of ecstasy spread across their faces. Everyone, that is, except us. At that point both of us did taste our goodies, but oddly we were not experiencing the same ecstatic reaction. Why? Rethinking our processes, which we now knew by heart, we had done everything right. So what could it be? Then we understood...grateful as we are for the many public appearances, we had also indulged in our "test tasting" a wee bit too often.

As a result, the Thanksgiving finale, the part we usually look forward to, was somewhat anticlimactic. Eating the same desserts throughout the year had taken it's toll. It definitely is a very good thing, with a bit of not so good. Happily we learned that our taste buds are a barometer for the number of public appearances we make.

We now know our 2014 New Year's champagne toast. As we clink glasses, we will wish that next Thanksgiving we will really, really hate our own baked treats! Amen!


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SEE WHERE WE ARE!

Planning, writing, public appearances, and now even fan mail are some of the things we are thoroughly enjoying. But the absolute best, so far, is seeing our book on the shelves of our very own library. This is where Lucette spent many hours researching her thesis, where our children went to story telling hour, where we've been entertained by movies, concerts, and art exhibitions. It's been a local meeting place for people from toddler age to 100. Lucette has conducted TV programs including large studio audiences with Geraldine Ferrara, Roe v. Wade, and shows about college admission. As you can see, The Great Neck Library is a major hub in most resident's lives. Seeing our book sitting tall on the bookshelves in the front of the library is a huge thrill!

The next exciting factor is that we will be speaking there on January 15th. Somehow it's always easier to speak to an anonymous audience, but when the group is made up of your neighbors and friends...well, that may be another matter. Do you think it will be easier for us if we resort to that old idea of trying to imagine everyone in the audience sitting in their underwear?

All the fringe benefits of writing a book are rarely discussed. What a shame, because though the writing itself is hugely fulfilling, the other pluses are like the icing on a delicious cake. Uh oh, there we go again. Even our analogies include cake. Oh well ENJOY!






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HERE WE GO AGAIN

Tomorrow night, Thursday, we will be speaking at the Manhasset Library on Northern Blvd, opposite Marshall's. Come and join us for an evening of laughs, important self publishing tips, and yummy goodies 7:30 PM.

We love doing these appearances, but think we may take a break so that we can concentrate on the writing of the new book. We're very excited about the plot. So far it seems to be a bit spooky, but imaginative. I guess we'll have to see as we go along.

Give us your feedback...would you prefer a book that's scary or sexy, or maybe both? We'd love to hear from you. We welcome your thoughts and ideas.

As we did in our last book, we intend to use the names of those we know and love in various roles. Our friends really enjoyed seeing their names in the book. And it is fun for us too. Hey, you'd better be nice to us or you never know which sinister character may carry your name.

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A SLOW BEGINNING-BUT A GREAT FINISH!

As you can see at yesterday's book signing all was in readiness. Alas, we waited and waited, but the shop remained disappointingly empty. Then, as if the dams had burst, people flowed into the shop in large numbers. It was odd, until we learned there had been a parade blocking the entire town. Some told us it took over an hour just to be able to get through Main Street,

The exciting news is that Stone Cold was a major success! We want to thank our new and old friends who came and supported us. At each book signing we are making lots of new friends. Hope you all enjoy the read.



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THIS SATURDAY!

We're loving our book signings. Meeting interesting people, good conversation, and being introduced to different communities...it's all fun!
Join us this Saturday at Dolphin Bookstore on Main St in Port Washington from 11-1. Feel free to bring your family and friends. Oh yes, and of course we'll have our now famous home baked goodies.
See you Saturday.
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Work, Work, Work

This researching can be tough. We're dining on a patio overlooking the water solely for the purpose of being sure our writing is authentic. Will the work never end?


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Hoping For Writer's Cramp

We are loving meeting all the folks who are coming to our book signings. Many have already read the book and are there to meet the authors. Others are there to buy our book. either way, it's great fun feeling a bit like celebrities.

Recently a woman approached Lucette and said, "I hate you!"

Needless to say we were all shocked. Lucette calmly asked why. "because after the beginning I got so involved in the book I couldn't put it down and read until 3:30 AM. I'm totally exhausted today."

Those kinds of comments are reaffirming. Makes us want to drop everything, run home, hit the computer and write, write, write.

Our next book signing is Saturday, Sept. 28th at Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington. There will be plenty of paperbacks, our now famous home baked goodies, and fun conversation. We'd love to see you and your friends between 2-4PM.

Here's hoping we get writer's cramp!




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Couldn't Resist Sharing

Loved this...Did you hear about the cross eyed teacher who got fired because she couldn't control her pupils?


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Now What?

How can we write, when we have committed to no more chocolate cake and Sharaz? What's a writer to do?

Just finished our work session for the day. The entire time was spent creating different presentations for various venues. Obviously, one good presentation should have been perfect for all venues, since they are in different locales. But no such luck, each place has asked for a different approach and topic. So here we go, creating something for our fancy footwork.

It's fun and challenging. We both are enjoying the process, but a bit sad that we are not getting enough time to work on our new book. We have been discussing the plot a great deal. In the process it is becoming more and more interesting and exciting, but as yet, not a written word. We've promised ourselves to get down to business in September.

Wish us luck!

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Exciting Events Coming Up

Not only have sales picked up for "Stone Cold Allegiance To A Dead Man", but so have the book signing appearances. We are thrilled to say that September is proving to be a busy month. We are so active scheduling events and preparing that it appears we have very little time to write. We never realizes that writing and publishing a book is truly a full time job.

Having said all that we want you, our friends, to know...WE ARE LOVING IT ALL!

Thank you for your support and devotion. Lots more exciting stuff on the horizon


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WHAT TO DO FIRST?

Remember the old adage, beware of what you wish for?   Well we are  learning, first hand exactly what that means.  Between working the PR system, setting up speaking engagements, and responding to fan mail, we are left with precious little time to write.  Mind you we are not complaining, but it does change the geography of our work days.  It also necessitates a reworking of priorities.  Hey we were just into a very workable groove, and then whamo we're now minor celebrities.  It's a total learning process.

Right now we are creating and planning our upcoming presentations.  We are almost totally booked for September and October.  Soon we will be in the winter months.  Wouldn't it be nice if we got some gigs in a warm, sunny climate?

Though we have our plot well in hand, we have not been able to begin the actually writing.  We decided, like the school children, we will begin in the Fall.  Wish us luck!

Now We're On A Roll!

Now we're good to go.
Uh oh just realized there is another problem...we've left ourselves no more excuses.








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Each day we revise the plot of our next book. We talk and think and talk some more. What we have found lacking in our thinking process is the very thing that was essential in creating "Stone Cold".

With all the excitement and hoopla surrounding the publication of the book, we forgot the greatest motivator for


creating...the Sharaz and chocolate cake.

This is a problem, since we both swore off. The real question is can we succeed without it?

Stay tuned...


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What's Next?

This kinky sex thing is definitely getting out of hand.  It seems we can't stop talking about it.  Mind you it's only in a purely intellectual manner.  Do you think practical research would be helpful?  What about personal interviews?  There's no end to this topic.

Hey guys stay tuned.  Who knows what will come next?

Do You Want Kinky Sex?

We're now in the planning stage of our next novel.  We can hardly believe it.  The plot is becoming increasingly fascinating and creative.  But our last writing session was comical.  We've all heard the Shakespearean quote of "To be or not to be".  We now have a new take on it.  Kinky sex, or not kinky sex.

After much deliberation, going back and forth, and certainly being hip grandmothers, we couldn't come up with a decision.   We know sex sells, but is that the overriding motivation?  Harrumph, guess it depends on the day.  We vacillated to a clear point of indecision.

At long last we we had a solution...leave it to the readers.  We would love it if you could weigh in on this.  Tell us what you think.  Leave us your messages either on this blog or on our FB page, Stone Cold: A Novel.

However, there is one major obstacle for us being able to get an accurate read on this issue.  We do NOT yet have enough FB friends or blog subscribers.  You can help, by sharing this with your FB FRIENDS etc.  Ask your friends to join and enter their opinions.  This is an opportunity for them to have an influence in a new book.

OK guys, let's think...do we want lots of seductive, erotic kinky sex, or not?

SIGNING UP A STORM

Every hour for the entire day we both kept checking the weather.  The forecast had originally been for high winds and torrential rains.  This was the day of our first book signing, and the weather was most definitely not cooperating.  It appeared we would be drowned out by forces beyond our control.

We were expecting over 65 people and now if we had three, it would be a lot.
Oddly we kept bolstering each other's spirits, though Lois was nervous, she was still excited as was I.  Ever optimistic, we toodled off to Book Revue in Huntington, toting our yummy home baked treats.  We had enough to feed an army, which meant we might be eating sweets for a month.

Suddenly the gods were on our side.  The mini hurricane held off until we finished our presentation and book signing. It was an exciting and responsive crowd.  Gratefully everyone got home safely with our signed novel in tow.

What a great night!

The Book Divas & Friend

Here we are in all our glory.  What a great night!  More pics to come.

PR IS STALLING THE PROCESS, YUK!

Murder can be a laughing matter, but the PR business is not.  We are not having fun with this part of the process.  People think it's the rejection issue that bothers someone, but that isn't the case.  At least not with us.  We're finding it's learning to whom we should pitch our book and how.

Fortunately most people we've approached have been positive, but we need to expand our list.  Recently someone told us that the book would make a really exciting movie.  OK, now where do we go?  Is it a lawyer, a production company, a director?  Maybe all of the above, but which one would be more effective?   Ah, so many questions.

The best part of this process is learning new things and meeting people.  That is truly fun!   Now we're ready to move on.  While we are struggling with this PR business, our second novel, which is hugely suspenseful and based on fact, is languishing on the shelf until we can finish promoting "Stone Cold".

We welcome all ideas and of course wishes of good luck.

Longing For our Sharaz & Chocolate Cake

Boy, were we eager beavers when we sat down to work this morning.  It was a glorious, spring day in New York, and all systems were "GO"!  It is now three-thirty and sadly, all systems are "gone".  We managed to laugh a lot, and  go out for lunch, sans wine.  Oh boy, do we need a mentor!  PR is definitely not our forte.  We're beginning to think we are far more productive on rainy days with our Sharaz and chocolate cake.  Hey, at least that keeps us smiling.

It's Here!

A lot of excitement here!  A big carton was delivered today, and you know, no one can resist opening a mysterious box...neither could we.  We didn't wait long enough to drag it inside.  Right there on the door step we ripped it open.  The first thing we saw was the vibrant cover of "Stone Cold" jumping out at us.  As you can imagine, we were thrilled to see the book in print.

Now the really hard part begins.  No more messing around.  We need to publicize it like crazy.  All suggestions and assistance welcome.  Please guys help us spread our words.