500 books

Today I'm signing 500 copies of my books for the 4pm Wedding Salon in New York City. My hand's not cramping yet, but it's still early. I absolutely can't wait to attend this upscale show at Gotham Hall, as some of my most-admired wedding colleagues will be in attendance as well. Plus, it's always terrific to talk with the very-excited brides and grooms who attend these showcases. Now to find something great to wear....

Last night I looked back over my new novel. Feeling the pull to get back to my characters, and my subplot is writing itself. I got the best feedback from someone who read "It's My Wedding Too." She said 'Don't take too much time away from your novels because you really do need to keep doing this...' It's funny that I've come back to fiction after so much time in nonfiction. I started off with short stories and novels when I was in the 6th grade, writing with my friend Dawn. I hadn't seen her for over 20 years after she moved away, but shortly after I published my first novel, our paths crossed again. How amazing to see that she stuck with her music (her band played at CBGBs in NYC) and I stuck with writing. She says she has a collection of our earliest writing efforts, and we'll soon be getting together to take a look at them. I'm simultaneously thrilled and terrified to see what I wrote in the 6th grade. But mostly, I'm grateful to have reconnected with her. Those early days of being creative with a gifted friend formed my path in life...

And speaking of old friends, I ran into a high school friend at Whole Foods Market and we caught up by phone last night. A get-together to catch up is in the works. Funny how many 'blasts from the past' are happening right now, all of the friends I admired and learned from, exceptionally talented and intelligent friends who motivated me in one way or another whether it was the comfort of friendship or adolescent envy. Dawn and Kim were both the girls who had it all together, ahead of their time. And now we'll be sitting down with a bottle of wine and touring our pasts, our successes, our challenges. I consider reconnecting with them to be a reward for getting through the last year and a half, certainly a blessing...