No, not the one accompanying this post, but this one: My daughter Rachel is going to be a “cheerleader” in the audience of Oprah’s Surprise Spectacular!!!

That’s right. She was selected from thousands of other applicants to be in the audience during the five and a half hour taping, serving to keep the audience revved. She was chosen because of her enthusiastic and outgoing personality, as attested to by this photograph taken a few weeks back when the “mommies” played soccer against their sons. (Luke, on the left, is on the team. Lawson is in Soccer Tots, not yet ready for the big time!) The moms were asked, if they could, to dress in pink. As you can see, Rachel went all out! She sent this photo in with her application, and, I suppose, Oprah’s staff was convinced that she was the person for the job of keeping audience members hyped!! When you watch the Surprise Spectacular (and who would miss that?!?), if you see a tall redhead jumping up and down and waving her arms about, it’ll probably be Rachel!

Now. . .back to my question of what’s wrong with this picture? I’ve been writing for longer than The Oprah Show has been on the air. I’ve had 60 New York Times bestsellers during 30 years of publishing. My books have been translate into 33 languages. And I never got invited onto Oprah! Ryan, Victoria and Raff appeared on the show in November. Now Rachel.
What’s wrong with ME?????

Michael’s documentary film, The Quest, premiered to a full house in Carlisle, PA, home of Corvettes at Carlisle, on May 6. The movie was enthusiastically received by Vette aficionados as well as by people who just like a heart-warming story. Because the film is as much about the relationship between a father and his son as it is between a man and a car.
In attendance that evening was racing legend, John Fitch, who drove the Corvette at the 1960 LeMans race, where it won its class — the first ever to do so. Fitch, now 93, was treated like a rock star by racing fans. He gladly shared the spotlight with the car itself, which went missing after its spectacular win in 1960, but is now restored to its race day condition.
Fitch wasn’t the only star. Michael was lauded for bringing this incredible story to life and for bringing attention to amyloidosis, a fatal disease about which little is known. The proceeds of the premiere went directly to the Chip Miller Foundation. Chip was the car’s owner. Amyloidosis took his life in 2004 at age 61. I can’t help but feel he would have been touched by the May 6th event and the film dedicated to him. Well done, Michael!

Kudos!

While Victoria was covering the royal wedding from Buckingham, Ryan 

and Raff almost had a better view, especially Raff from atop Ryan’s shoulders! They were about thirty feet from the carriage when the  newlyweds rode by.

Raff swears that he and HRH Catherine made eye contact and that she gave him a special wave. You can see by the Bobbie’s expression that Raff’s jubilation was infectious!

This great shot was captured by their friend Will Mann.

On Sale 9/20/2011

I’ve been in cell phone hell!!!  Which is what I should have titled this book!  Because that’s what it’s been to write.  Cell phones have done more to destroy good plots than any other single thing I can think of.  Just when I’ve devised ways and means for my characters to remain in touch, but unfindable, I discover that new cell phone technology has dashed my devises.  These discoveries have brought words from my mouth that would cause a Quentin Tarantino character to blush.

I long for the days when we had to dial only seven digits.  Yes, children, we didn’t always have to dial the area code.  We didn’t take our phones with us everywhere we went.  They were left at home – one wall-mounted in the kitchen, one in the living room, and sometimes one on the bedside table.  The only way anyone could listen in on your calls was if you were a suspected criminal and your line was tapped.  Or you were on a party line.  I won’t even try to explain that one.  If you don’t remember party lines, watch PILLOW TALK with Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  Who are they?   Never mind!

Back to the phones. . .just when I think I’ve got it figured out, someone on “CSI” or “Castle” says something about the bad guy’s “burner” and I’ve got to go look that up.  (For you equally untutored, a burner is a disposable phone that can be bought at several outlets, including your local supermarket.  In my store, the display is between produce and paper products.  And, yes, I bought one for “research” — and felt like a drug dealer.)  There was a time when a cell phone couldn’t be tracked unless it was turned on.  Which seems like the good old days, except that it was only about a month ago.  Now, my phone guru tells me that “If I have the phone number, even if the phone is turned off, so long as there’s a battery in it, I can track it, tap into it, and gain total access.”  If he weren’t such a good guy, I’d be very worried.  The point is, the technology is there for your cell phone – your life – to be an open book  (No pun intended.)  It’s scary… And it’s HELL on a fiction writer.

So the reason for this blog is to apologize in advance for all the cell phone gaffs I may make in this new novel or in any future ones.  Between the time I send the manuscript to the publisher and the book goes on sale, the entire cell phone industry could have undergone several radical advances in technology.  And if you must write and point out a mistake I’ve made, please be kind.  I remember party lines!

Now, on to more important matters….LETHAL.  Yes, LETHAL (I still haven’t been able to stop ogling the cover) which goes on sale SEPTEMBER 20, 2011, is set in coastal Louisiana and has one over the twistiest plots I’ve ever written.  Visit the website soon for more information on its publication and the story behind the story.

I’m pleased to announce this year’s ELF recipient, Bill Hamlett.  He’s a rising junior writing student at  TCU with a 3.99 GPA who wowed the impartial, outside judges with his portfolio of fiction.  I commend his hard work and look forward to meeting him personally on March 29th at an official Creative Writing Awards ceremony on campus.  Congratulations, Bill!

Don’t forget about fellow author, Karin Slaughter’s SAVE THE LIBRARY fundraiser…You can pick up signed books and collectibles and help a very worthwhile cause!  Speaking of worthwhile causes, I’ll be offering up an “I”d Rather Be Reading” gift basket for this year’s Brenda Novak auction to fight diabetes.  The auction starts May 1 and you can find more information here.

If it seems that I’ve been a bit out of touch lately, that’s because I’ve been nose to the grindstone to finish my book before my March 1 deadline.  I’m pleased to tell you that I made it with ten days to spare!  Unfortunately the book went in without a title attached.  I had one – a really great one.  But, to my dismay and supreme aggravation, I discovered that one of my colleagues in the thriller genre (I won’t name names, but you know who you are.) also thought it was a great title.  And, although his book is several years old, it’s been recently reprinted and he probably wouldn’t appreciate me riding the coattails of his bestseller.  So. . .I’m stuck.  But thinking.  Check back soon to see what I come up with and — as soon as we’re allowed to show it — some cover artwork!