Aside from the joy of being a multi-published author with AvonBooks, one of the best perks of being in their stable was being introduced to fellow Avon author and Long Island novelist, Ellen Meister.

The first time we met, we couldn’t believe that didn’t start out in the womb together, let alone not know of each other. Here we were toiling in the mommy minefields with three kids, married to husbands who worked in finance and we both started writing novels after careers in marketing/after the last diaper was thrown out. AND people ask all the time if we were related. “Are you sure you’re not sisters?”  Not that we know of, but boy would that make one helluva story!

Anyway, Ellen is a warm, witty, generous woman who is blessed with great beauty, talent and the ability to calm me down when I’m freaking out about something (kids, writing, politics, American Idol!) That’s why I am always happy to spread the word about her fabulous projects. Ellen is the author of THE SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA and THE SMART ONE. And soon, coming to a bookstore near you is THE OTHER LIFE (Putnam/2011). More on that in uno momento.

Right now, Ellen is offering readers a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, just for signing up for her newsletter (only comes out a few times a year- you won’t be bombarded). All you have to do is add your name to her mailing list to be entered. Just click here, fill out the form, and remember to click through when you get the confirmation email.

THE OTHER LIFE (Jodi Piccoult meets THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE) tells the story of a suburban mom expecting her second child who discovers that she might be able to slip through a portal to the life she would have had if she never got married. When a routine sonogram reveals unexpected problems, her grief lures her to escape to the life that might have been …  in which she discovers that she stayed with her neurotic ex-boyfriend, and that her mother, who committed suicide several years before, is very much alive.

And here is what moi had to say about it:

“In her riveting breakthrough novel, THE OTHER LIFE, gifted storyteller Ellen Meister doesn’t just peek in on a young mother who straddles between love and doubt, she blows it open with a story of one who straddles two parallel universes, each with its own perilous decisions. It is a brave and honest exploration of the precarious limits of motherhood that will make readers wonder if Meister followed them with a probe and felt their racing hearts and hopes. If you have ever second guessed the biggest decisions of your life (and who hasn’t), THE OTHER LIFE is a captivating homage to the question, does love conquer all?”
–Saralee Rosenberg, author of DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD and FATE AND MS. FORTUNE

And wait, there is more. Ellen also just sold her latest project, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, which is a totally original, high spirited novel about a mousy film critic who channels the indefatigable writer, Dorothy Parker.  Oh yes, you do want to keep up with Ellen’s latest news. This woman never stops! And aren’t we glad!!!!

April 5, 2010

You know the saying, it’s an honor just to be nominated. And it’s true. But it’s sure nice to win, too! That’s why I was so pleased to learn that my latest comic novel, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD was just chosen by Freshfiction.com as their latest fresh pick! The great thing about the selection is that none of the people who voted are related to me. They “picked’ the book because they totally enjoyed it and want other readers to share the fun. Sounds good to me!

Here was their review:
“The best neighbor is the one who is never home.”

Reviewed by Jennifer Vido
Women’s Fiction Contemporary

Mindy Sherman spends her days like most suburban moms…in the car. From one end of town to the other, her day can best be accounted for by the mileage she puts on her not-so- new mini-van. Add laundry, household chores, and a part- time job at her father-in-law’s office, it’s a wonder she gets any sleep at all. And if that weren’t bad enough, she just happens to live next door to the most perfect Ivy League Barbie-doll-type imaginable, named Beth Diamond. Where is the justice in this world?

From cat fights to petty squabbles, these two women are constantly at each other’s throats. Sadly, Mindy just wants someone to share the daily fodder but as far as Beth is concerned, sharing fences is close enough. Health conscious upper class socialites and bargain basement middle-class housewives simply don’t have much in common. Despite Mindy’s best efforts to raise the white flag, these two moms are like oil and water. They just don’t mix.

As luck would have it, an innocent mistake turns Beth’s idyllic life upside down. Before she knows it, her marriage is on the rocks, her children hate her, and God has thrown her a curveball that she never could have expected. With nowhere else to turn, she chooses to befriend the only person she has left…Mindy. Armed with compassion and humility, these two women find themselves exploring the beauty of falling into an unexpected friendship as they face the drama and harsh reality of the trials of life.

DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD is a hilarious spin on what happens when two polar opposite housewives join forces to battle the daily grind better known as life. From her tongue-in-cheek slap-happy humor to the poignant moments depicting the fragility of life, Rosenberg adeptly captures the true essence of friendship and love. Move over Desperate Housewives. Here comes the true grit.
Learn more about Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead

Thank you Freshfiction readers and pickers! Emerging authors like myself need all the free love they can get. Appreciate the kind words.

If you don’t know about this wonderful site for booklovers, please check it out. They really do make the best picks!!!
www.freshfiction.com