May '08 Authors on Virtual Book Tour

Island Living Picturama!

My son came over tonight and he finally showed me how to download pictures from my camera to the PC so...now I can show you where I live! This picture below was taken from the second floor balcony. The street going to the left leads you down to the marina.


And as you see, there's lots of boat traffic...behind the boat is my dock...can you see it?

Here's a better picture of the dock...this actually was taken last Thursday night when I found out I didn't have to work. I leashed up Max and we strolling down to the end to watch the sunset...


I don't know if you can see this but there are two benches - one to the left and one to the right. I sat down on the one to the right and turned my camera on the neighbor's dock and this is what that looked like...


Water was so calm and peaceful...hard to break away from this to go to work! Below we're finding the sun slowly setting...


Look at those clouds, baby. Tomorrow, I'll take more pictures, but at least this shows you a little something. Oh, one more...I was standing on the dock, turned around and took a picture of the condo. We're right smack in the middle...


I'll have more pictures now that I've learned how to download them. But, now do you see why it's so hard to work and not play?

I'm going to download one more thing and not sure if it's going to work, but I tried to get some video footage..it's real short so we'll see if it's worth showing or not. This was taken from the 3rd floor, from my daughter's bedroom balcony. My son hates to have his picture taken...can you guess? The sound you hear are my doggies panting...I was wondering that myself when I heard it!

CARTOON TIME!

Spring is in the Air...

Hello all...yesterday was spent either shopping or entertaining (don't tell my clients because I was really supposed to be working on their tours...shhhh....).

My daughter and I are looking to for furnishings and accessories to Feng Shui our condo and I must say the pickings around this area are so slim, it makes you want to move to California just to find the things you are looking for.

Actually, not the area I'm living in right now..I'm talking off the island. Okay, Wal-Mart isn't exactly the top of the line in the furniture and accessories department, but I did get a black vase for a steal at $7 and what I call "sticks" to put in it. These "sticks" looked like shaved pine but they stand about four or five feet tall. I will take a picture one day when I can figure out how to hook it up to this computer.

I also found at Walmart what I call a fake plant that is beautiful. I know the Feng Shui masters will have a field day telling me no, no, no, REAL PLANTS, but this one is beautiful and looks so real!

So for the Feng Shui masters' Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, we headed to the garden department and I picked up a beautiful yellow and red-petaled dahlia. I had never seen one so pretty. When I saw it, I immediately got the Feng Shui thing going on and I snatched it up. It's sitting on top of my wooden steps out back so that when I open the door, it's the first thing and I see and when guests visit, that's the first thing they see. Immediate Feng Shui Heaven because it's nestled in between the red geraniums and other flowering annuals. I will take pictures soon.

After Walmart, we headed to the seafood store and bought a couple pounds of crabmeat (for crabcakes) and a dozen soft crabs for my son because he was coming for dinner after we got home.

But, before getting home, I stopped at the plant store and bought me two more plants. Two beautiful hanging hybrid Fuchsias. I had one many years ago and just loved the way the flowers looked like tiny ballerinas and because they brought positive vibes, I just had to have one - errr - two.

So, they're sitting on my balcony waiting to be potted and hung but when I get the balcony finished, it's going to be paradise. Again, pictures will be forthcoming.

And then...when I knew I should be working on tours...I fell asleep on the loveseat in the living room after American Idol and just now got out of bed. I'm exhausted, so I knew that was the reason for that, but work must be done so I'm off to tour land...hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Love Is What It's All About

I just have to share this with you. I have an author going out on virtual book tour in May. Her name is Bonnie B. Cuzzolino and she's the author of a children's book titled Letter of Love From China. Let me post a little blurb about what this book is about:

The story is based on a Chinese birth mom in China who writes her daughter a letter explaining her love for her.She explains her reasons for daughter's relinguishment which are due to poverty and the rule to keep families in China small due to overcrowding. Birth mom describes the beauty of scenic China and the Holidays of Chinese Moon Festival and Chinese New Year in the hopes her daughter will forever have a connection to her birth land of China.She prays for, meaning hoping for but not certain of, her daughter's adoption by a loving family from a foreign land.Birth Mom ends by using the moon as a mirror to
envision each other's faces in times of thinking of one another.She promises
that birth family will always remember her.

I interviewed Bonnie for Divine Caroline, which will be one of her tour stops on her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion, and the interview itself will bring tears to your eyes once you realize why she wrote the book.


Little Jillian Mei was but one year old when her mother could no longer take care of her. In China, they have this rule where you can only have one child and we don't know whether that had anything to do with it or not, but it does make you wonder. If a couple in China already has one child and the mother gets pregnant, what does happen to this child? Are they forced to an abortion? What if they refuse and they have the child? Do they have to give the child up for adoption? Can you imagine living in a democracy where you had to give up one of your children?


In this interview with Bonnie for Divine Caroline, she tells me she never knew little Jillian Mei's mother and had no idea what the circumstances were as to why she had to give her up. But, she is thankful that she could could provide a home and love for her newest addition to the family. I don't know who is more thankful, her or Jillian Mei, but the Cuzzolino household is now a happy and thriving one and the family plan to adopt another Chinese baby soon.


In time, Bonnie began to wonder how she was going to approach Jillian Mei when the time came for her to explain about her natural mother and the end result is a wonderful and inspirational children's book called Letter of Love From China. Letter of Love From China helps children who are adopted understand that it is not because they are not wanted by their birth parents but because of extenuating circumstances that are out of their control. Bonnie approaches the subject delicately and with a tender touch and is a book that will serve as hope and inspiration for adopted children everywhere. If you would like to visit Bonnie's website, you can feel the love and dedication Bonnie has for little Jillian Mei who she will always consider her very own. You can visit her website at http://www.plumblossombooks.com/.

And, Jillian Mei, when you grow up, I hope you understand that love is what it's all about. You have a good teacher.

Virtual Book Tour Workshop

This Friday, April 18th, Cheryl Malandrinos of Pump Up Your Book Promotion will be Dennis Griffin's guest on Blog Talk Radio for a Virtual Book Tour workshop. They will talk about virtual book tours and also answer questions from callers.
The link to Dennis' show is www.blogtalkradio.com/dennisngriffin. The show will be archived on the site shortly after its completion and can be played backor downloaded. The number to call in is (646) 478-0982.

I hope you'll join them on Friday, April 18th at 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern for this Virtual Book Tour workshop!

Michael Johns Goes Home...

Did anyone see who got eliminated from American Idol last week? Michael Johns??? Have they flipped??? I was over to Lisa Jackson's blog a few minutes ago and even she was talking about it even though she tries to keep her blog book-oriented, but this is something you just can't hold back.

That guy had star potential. And I'm pissed.

But, you know, did you see him lean over to Randy, Paula and Simon and they were whispering something into his ear? Do you think...yeah, I'm hoping that, too. My daughter says that Randy has connections and I'm sure Paula does and I think Simon does, too. So, there you go.

But, still. Look, here's the way it was shaping up for me...

When the first week started, David Archuleta just blew my socks off. I kept with him for a couple weeks, then there was something about Jason Castro that really touched me. No, he's not the best vocally I think and I do believe that's because he's so soft-spoken when he sings, but he is really a truly truly charismatic and gifted singer. But, hell, they're all great and I do believe, and it's been quoted by other people, that this year had the most talented performers I've seen since I started watching the show religiously three years ago.

But in the last couple of weeks, Michael Johns...there was just something about him. He had the look, he had a fantastic voice and he had great stage presence. I know he could go far. And I believe he will.

So, looks like my favorite right now is Jason Castro. Last week, he sang a wonderful rendition of Over the Rainbow...

Now, you tell me...is this an American Idol, or what?

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Death by Blogging?

It's 1:40 in the morning. I am sitting here visiting other blogs when I should be in bed. Actually, I SHOULD be putting blog posts up for the authors I represent or at least put their tour pages up. Or, I SHOULD be looking for bloggers to host my authors coming up next month. Or, I SHOULD...

Instead, I'm playing.

I think I have blogged about this before, but blogging in my own blog about my own life is my relaxation. So...with that said...I was over on Sandi Kahn Shelton's blog tonight and she posted a link to an article in the New York Times about these guys who were dying because they virtually blogged themselves to death.

To be fair to the deceased, I am presuming they were "professional" bloggers which means they get paid for content. Not sure about this, but if it's not that, then I would presume they became quite fanatic about blogging to the point where they did it 24/7. I can't figure out how else. Maybe it was just their time and maybe they just happened to be bloggers. I mean, come on now...who doesn't blog? My whole business is based on blogging but I don't see myself keeling over because of it.

Wait a minute, though. Do I go to bed when I'm sleepy and about to keel over from exhaustion or do I lean back, catch a couple winks, then finish the blog post I had to have done before the morning? Do I stress at my offline job because of a particularly stressful online day?

Do I kick myself in the head because I took on too many authors than I could possibly handle in a month all for the sake of well...you're not supposed to know I like the financial benefits so I won't mention it.

Well, yes, I can see where blogging can be stressful.

On the other hand, not paying bills can be quite stressful, so blogging wins hands down in my book.

I love the Internet. I love NY Times. They always find something for me to blog about. ;o)

But Does it Sell Books?

I just have to share this video with you. It reminds me of the guy I met in New York years ago...forgot what they called him but he was landing on all the talk shows, but he had a guitar on his back and nothing on his bum but a pair of briefs. He had crowds around him...I wish I could remember the name of him but it might be The Singing Cowboy.

Anyway, another dude has hit the NY pavement with nothing but briefs, but this time around, it's not to sell his singing, but to sell his book. It's cute...the guy is cute, too...;o)

YouTube video for Yael Naim's new song, New Soul

When I first heard this on the commercial for the Apple Air computer, I fell in love with it. Just found the video...this is so cute! This is the YouTube video for Yael Naim's song, New Soul...love it!

Radio Show Revisited...

Ever had one of those days when you just want to play? Been a long time and I should be putting blog stops up for my clients, but after the last three days, it's time for play.

So what I did tonight was hunt up an old radio show interview with Fran Silverman I did last year. Before Pump Up. It was interesting listening (this is the first time I've heard it because I now have broadband and didn't have it before and, frankly, I hate listening to myself talk as hard as that is to believe, lol) to it because it's actually not as horrible as I thought it was going to turn out to be. All my old values on book promotion still stands strong today and what was neat about it is that I talked about virtual book tours and this was before I started Pump Up or anything.

What a blast from the past interview. If you go to http://www.achieveradio.com/fran/#arch, scroll 1/3 way down, find my name, click on "listen," take the blue ball and move it about halfway down (another author is the first part; I'm the second), you can hear me talk about online book promotion and virtual book tours.

Anyway, enough playing for the night...must get back to work!