Memoir

April 17, 2020

Diane S. Nine – Through My Eyes

Esteemed and undaunted, journalist Helen Thomas (1920-2013) asked the tough questions and reported on the White House and national affairs. Conversely, she’d have her time in the spotlight when she peaked as a hot topic. Privy to it all was Diane S. Nine, author of My Life With Helen: The Dean of the White House Press Corps Through Her Agent’s Eyes.

In an interview with writer Patricia Anstett, Diane S. Nine talks about the time she lived in the home of Helen Thomas during the beginning of her career in Washington, D.C. Helen mentored Diane and taught her the ropes of working with government officials. She also emphasized to Diane the value of asking questions, followed by fact-checking answers multiple times and having two other sources.

Helen Thomas was more than qualified to mentor Diane. As a member of the White House press corps, she covered the administrations of ten U.S. presidents, from John F. Kennedy through Barack Obama, a portion of her many accomplishments. A powerhouse in a time when women reporters were few and far between, Helen Thomas broke many barriers, a benefit for all women.

In My Life With Helen, Diane S. Nine, who was Helen Thomas’s literary agent and her close friend for more than 30 years, readers are invited into Helen’s home and workspace, which essentially grants an opportunity to know who she was beyond her public persona. As intriguing as she was as a White House journalist – traveling and hobnobbing with presidents, politicians, and their families – she was even more so after she experienced an embarrassing, life-changing incident when she was secretly recorded making remarks to a rabbi that were, and still are, considered anti-Semitic. Helen suffered the fallout with the loss of her job, which meant Diane also suffered. Emails began pouring into Diane’s company, Nine Speakers, Inc., that expressed anger for continuing to represent Helen Thomas as her literary agent; however, Diane and Helen’s relationship was constant and remained so until Helen’s death.

My Life With Helen is filled with first-hand accounts of Helen Thomas’s personal life and career. It’s destined for staying power because that’s what Helen Thomas had – for better or worse – staying power.

———

Diane S. Nine is president of Nine Speakers, Inc., a global, full-service entertainment agency that represents clients in the literary, lecture, film, theatrical, and television arenas. With degrees from Denison University and George Washington University Law School, and a CV filled with positions in politics and media, Diane and Nine Speakers, Inc. specialize in individualized attention and contractual representation. Also reflective of Diane’s skills is her other book: Be An Author: A Guide to the Basics and the Bewares of Getting Published.

To see some great and fun pictures of Diane S. Nine and companions, including a couple of U. S. presidents, visit her About page. Also, Like her Facebook page, @Ninespeakers, and Follow her Twitter account, @DaisyCatNine. Daisy the cat, is the company’s mascot and chief tweeter. Her bio says, “I’m a literary cat and I tweet about books when I’m not napping.”

Diane, I used to watch Helen Thomas in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room as she commanded attention. Kudos to you for recording another piece of history!
Thank you for the signed book cover card. The engaging photo shows mutual admiration and is perfect for your book.

~Anita~

April 10, 2020

Sandra A. Miller – Deeper Meaning

Most of us have a variety of trinkets. Sandra A. Miller, author of Trove: A Woman’s Search for Truth and Buried Treasure, has an abundance. Her collections began as a child – lost hair pins, shiny bits of broken glass, beach stones, and other things – all finding their way to her shoebox treasure trove after temporary residence on her bedroom shelves.

Some of Sandra’s adult finds were similar and still perplexing in the eyes of others. On her desk sat a ceramic bowl that contained items found on streets, such as coins, metal washers, and a brooch that was crushed by a tire. But when Sandra had an opportunity to find valuable treasure in an Armchair Treasure Hunt, she took it! She and David (not her husband) spent a significant amount of days and time traveling from Boston to New York City to search for $10,000 worth of buried gold coins. Her husband Mark and their two children, at times, pacified her with support; however, Mark’s true feelings were hard to suppress.

Ultimately revealed in Trove, is the background and reasons for Sandra A. Miller’s obsessions. She talks about her difficult childhood and the relationships between her mother, father, sister, and herself. Sandra’s treasures hold the clues toward discovery, deep down, of what she has always wanted.

One of the highlights of Sandra A. Miller’s writing profession has to be her essay that was turned into a short film called Wait, directed by Trudie Styler and starring Kerry Washington. Celebrities, talk shows, a premiere – how fun! She also wrote award-winning scripts for 11 Central Ave., a radio comic strip that ran for three years in major public radio markets. Sandra’s writing has appeared in more than one hundred publications, and along with Trove, has several outstanding reviews and blurbs, including one from Kirkus Reviews. A “features” list and a few of her stories for Globe Magazine are on her website.

Sandra A. Miller also teaches writing at the University of Massachusetts, undoubtedly, a treasure to her students.

The Trove Armchair Treasure Hunt

Readers, there is an armchair treasure hunt associated with Sandra’s book! Sign up with Sandra, read Trove: A Woman’s Search for Truth and Buried Treasure, and follow the clues on her blog. As of this posting, the handcrafted bejeweled sterling silver cuff bracelet, valued at $2,200, has not been claimed by a winner.

Sandra, the numerous places you’ve lived and traveled have surely contributed to your writing and the precious things you’ve collected along the way. Imagine my surprise when I received this 30-year-old postcard from Japan. After reading your blog post about postcards, I felt a “postcard sisterhood” with you and had an Aha moment of why you still had it. Thank you for sending it for my collection! It’s lovely and serene. Maybe I’ll get to see the impressive Mount Fuji sometime in my life. 🙂

~Anita~

January 30, 2020

Charlotte Harrison – The Voice of a Young Poet

Author Charlotte Harrison writes poetry that engages readers with an infusion of tenderness, strength, and vulnerability. In her first book, Fourteen, she begins with a poem that expresses her inspiration and invites us to embrace the process of getting her voice onto the pages. Her poetry anthology delivers self-reflections, coming of age stories, and beyond. It is twelve chapters for each month of being fourteen years old. Charlotte writes: -it has begun
(excerpt)

In Fifteen, Charlotte writes: -it continues. It is the second year of sharing her life in twelve chapters, which gives the reader a perspective on how each month has a particular influence.
(excerpt)

Prolific and gifted, Charlotte Harrison (bio) was a speaker at TEDxYouth@RVA 2019 Fusion, another accomplishment that reflects her social consciousness. Her talk was titled What Are You Waiting For? It began with a poem that flowed into a speech about how fulfillment can be attained by sincerely trying.

Charlotte Harrison is one to watch, as they say!

Charlotte, I saw the Edward Hopper and the American Hotel exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on January 23! This postcard represents You; however, it will also serve as a memory of that day, hanging out with two friends. We admired his paintings and reading the captions and stories. I’m glad you have a visual depth of art that gives you words for your poetry and that you’ve chosen to share it. Thank you. 🙂

~Anita~

Charlotte\’s Instagram Purchase Charlotte\’s books here

November 6, 2019

Sy Montgomery – Love, Animals & Nature

Author Sy Montgomery, a naturalist and documentary scriptwriter, has written nearly 30 books for adults and children that are available in up to 13 languages. In 2015, she was a National Book Award Finalist for The Soul of an Octopus, which was my introduction to this amazing woman who seemed destined, since the time of her first memories, to have a special connection with animals and nature. In The Soul of an Octopus, Sy developed a relationship with Athena, an octopus at the New England Aquarium. By slowly trying and increasing physical and mental contact with Athena, Sy was able to gain her trust. It’s a scientific love story.

The anthropomorphic pig on the postcard was Christopher Hogwood, one of the many animals who shared their existence with Sy Montgomery. She wrote a book about him, The Good Good Pig, a runt who grew to 750 pounds. He taught life lessons to Sy and all who took pleasure in his wonderment and wisdom, bestowing self-acceptance and the value of family and community upon them.

Sy Montgomery’s latest book is How to Be A Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals, in which she reflects on the personalities of animals that have passionately affected her life.

The extensive research for her books involved traveling the world, exploring, studying, and encountering the rarest and most beautiful animals. She writes about how they fit in our world, and we in theirs – a world that would benefit from everyone and everything by sharing it.

This post is a fragment of Sy Montgomery’s accomplishments. Visit her website to read about extreme adventures and unplanned confrontations with dubious creatures – one example: a silverback gorilla. There are great pictures and stories on the News Page!

Sy, thank you for the postcard! I keep staring at little Christopher Hogwood, enjoying his cuteness, and imagining his good good life with Mama Sy & Papa Howard Mansfield. 🙂
May his life last forever in your memories.

~Anita~

September 17, 2019

Jennie Lee – Yoga, Peace, & Joy

People have needed purpose in their lives since the beginning of humankind, but many have not had the freedom to seek and discover it for possible fulfillment. Though we have a way to go, thankfully, we have progressed.

Author and Yoga Therapist Jennie Lee shares her professional and personal wisdom to those who are seeking or maintaining peace and guidance. Jennie’s first award-winning book, True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness and Spiritual Fulfillment, offers practitioners tangible strategies to apply the ancient science of yogic living today. Her second book, Breathing Love: Meditation in Action, deepens the conversation and delivers a powerful message about loving as a necessary and universal spiritual practice. Jennie\’s third book will release from Sounds True in September 2020.

Jennie Lee began practicing yoga more than 20 years ago as a vehicle to make sense of the losses and challenges that life had delivered. As she studied the ancient teachings of yoga, spiritual psychology, and yoga philosophy, she began to overcome the adversities in her life, and ultimately, became the teacher, therapist, and mentor who she is today.

Jennie’s outstanding credentials and accomplishments are numerous; however, it’s the personal statements from her students and clients that characterize her as someone who truly cares. They feel that Jennie is trustworthy, authentic, and a person of integrity.

In addition to yoga meditation and practicing the various forms of hatha yoga (she does “balances” on cliffs in Hawaii!), Jennie’s playtime is spent surfing, which also gets a Wow!

Visit Jennie Lee’s website to learn more about her other interactions. Beyond being a yoga coach and author, she is a writing coach, a speaker, and a wellness retreat organizer.

Reading Jennie Lee’s books can be the beginning of a change or enhancement in your life. Contact her by email or phone. Jennie\’s social media is listed at the bottom of the contact page.

Jennie, the postcard is a beautiful depiction of the various sites in Hawaii, and I love your message. Thank you for choosing it as a gift to me. 🙂

~Anita~

Waimānalo Beach, O\’ahu | Kama\’ole Beach, Maui | Lava flow, Hawai\’i\’s Big Island | Wailua Falls, Kaua\’i

September 5, 2019

Karen A. Chase – #ChasingHistories

I’m glued to the homepage of Karen A. Chase, author of Carrying Independence, set during the Revolutionary War, when I see #canuckinthesouth. I wonder, “Is this canuckin’ the south or canuck in the south?\” Segue to Google and I find the probable answer – the latter. This gives you a little sense of Karen’s personality.

Originally from Canada, Karen A. Chase grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Her lifelong love of history began during family R.V. trips in the United States. In 1990, the U.S. became her home which is now Richmond, Virginia.

Combined with Karen’s history buff status is her love of travel, acquiring knowledge on each new adventure. One of her life-changing discoveries was an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution, which helped to secure her membership with the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Karen writes about the organization’s purpose and contributions in a blog post titled, A Million Daughters.

There\’s no doubt that Karen A. Chase composed a compelling script for Carrying Independence. It has been well received by many, including authors Kathleen Grissom, Beth Macy, and Colin Calloway. Also, Karen\’s enthusiasm is sprinkled throughout her social media, and book event audiences love her high energy and dedication to the story. Readers are in for a historical thrill!

Carrying Independence is summarized as:

In 1776, with pressure mounting to join the American Revolution, an intrepid young Post rider, Nathaniel Marten, accepts the task of carrying the sole copy of the Declaration of Independence to seven congressmen unable to attend the formal signing. British generals and double-crossing spies are eager to capture both him and the document so they can divide the colonies already weakened by war. Through encounters with well-known original founding fathers and mothers, and by witnessing the effects of the Revolution on ordinary Americans, Nathaniel must learn that independence—for himself, for those he loves, and for the country—is not granted, it\’s chosen.

Thank you, Karen, for adding this eye-catching postcard to my collection. And to answer your question – I can imagine myself as the rider on the cover of Carrying Independence, but carrying it for us all? Hmmm… 🙂

~Anita~

Karen\’s social media links can be found on her webpage, along with descriptions of her other books, an email publication sign-up, and contact information for book clubs, events, comments, and questions.

September 2, 2019

A. J. Jacobs – Gratitude

Reviews from top-notch people in the literary world have characterized A. J. Jacobs as witty, quirky, intelligent, funny, charming, unpretentious, and self-deprecating – to mention a few. If you’ve read any of his books, you probably agree! The Know-It-All, his account of reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica, catapulted him onto bestsellers’ lists and TV appearances, followed by the success of his other inventive books. His latest is Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey. The idea was conceived when A. J. Jacobs and his 10 year old son were thanking farmers, grocery store cashiers, etc., for their breakfast. His son tells him, essentially, that the workers should be thanked in person, and there begins the journey of A. J. Jacobs’ goal to thank every single person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee.

In his TED Talk about the book, which has over 1.7 million views, A. J. described his process. It began with the barista, Chung, and would continue for months as he thanked people worldwide. By the end of the project, he’d thanked over a thousand people and said he was in a “thanking frenzy.”

In the midst of global turmoil, the practice of gratitude continues to grow. A. J. Jacobs experienced life changing lessons and rewards while researching and writing Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey, and encourages us to follow our gratitude trails.

I’ll begin by thanking you, A. J., for writing your books and for coming to Richmond, VA in 2010 to be a guest speaker for the Weinstein Jewish Community Center Forum (at Collegiate High School) where I was entertained by your speech and had my book, The Year of Living Biblically, signed along with a photo op. Thank you for answering my fan mail a few days later and for putting me on your email list, a precursor to the now popular newsletters. You have been instrumental in the joy I’ve had from reading books, attending book talks, and chatting with authors and other bookish folk – seeds that have led to this website.

And the postcard… it’s a keeper! Your compliment is much appreciated, and the coffee cup on the mailing label is spot-on. And I, too, thank the post office. 🙂

~Anita~

Author A. J. Jacobs is a husband, father, and editor at large at Esquire magazine. Visit his website to read more of his bio, and subscribe to his newsletter while there!

August 20, 2019

Karen Rinaldi – SucKiTude

While traipsing through the Internet, I chanced upon a fun and engaging conversation between Karen Rinaldi and Mitch Albom on his radio show. Karen’s latest book, It’s Great to Suck at Something, was the topic and I immediately related. I’ll spare you my lifelong list of pursuits and suckitude, but at the top of Karen’s list is surfing, which is not on my list! Of the many things she’s tried and sucked at, surfing has remained constant for twenty years. Karen has said that it’s the most difficult thing she’s ever done and that she will never, ever surpass mediocrity.

However, in It\’s Great to Suck at Something, Karen Rinaldi explains The Exceptional Benefits of Being Unexceptional, which is the subtitle; primarily the research and life experiences of achieving joy when you let go of perfectionism, working too much, and similar habits that often cause anxiety and depression.

Do you need an episode of Suckitude in your life? Visit Karen’s Suck at Something website for inspiration and more info on the contents of her book. She also welcomes you to share your Suckitude story!

When Karen Rinaldi isn’t sucking at surfing, she’s flourishing as SVP & Publisher at Harper Wave, an imprint of Harper Collins that she founded in 2012. Likewise, her first novel, The End of Men, inspired the feature film Maggie’s Plan. Karen has also been published in The New York Times and other prestigious publications. One of Karen’s many essays, Bruce and Gio and Me is about her extreme Bruce Springsteen enthusiasm that began during her teen years. Thirty years later, Karen\’s teen-aged son Gio is repeating the Springsteen love. Heartwarming.

Thank you, Karen, for this postcard featuring a beautiful and delicate Japanese image from the Meiji period. I see the crane and the turtle. 🙂 And yes, I will find and keep my joy in Suckitude! You\’re a good example.

Kyoto National Museum

~Anita~

July 22, 2019

Meghan Cox Gurdon – Reading Aloud

Meghan Cox Gurdon has written a book that readers will undoubtedly reach for upon discovery. I was that person when I read the title, The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction. Every word fosters curiosity about its well-researched and in-depth content. And who better to give us this book than Meghan, a mother of five and the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer since 2005. Critics and readers are applauding its value and literary contributions.

Reading aloud is what we experience in school, at playtime and bedtime; however, Meghan Cox Gurdon’s topics also delve into brain and behavioral science that aid our understanding of its importance. In other chapters, Meghan includes funny and heartwarming family stories, hers and those of others. Reading further will convey the impact of classic novels on current literature. And, there is a list of interesting books included.

Readers of all ages will enjoy and take away ideas of how they can incorporate reading aloud into their lives. Find someone to read to!

Visit Meghan’s website for more book details and her bio, which is filled with fascinating career accomplishments. Her contact info is available, as well as her management company, speaking agent, and publicist.

Meghan, I adore your postcard story of time spent at Old Parsonage Hotel, or as you and your husband call it, “Old Parsnip.” And what an achievement for your daughter – Oxford! It had to be those read-aloud stories. 🙂 Thank you for this beautiful Parsonage Grill postcard. It is indeed, fabulously elegant.

~Anita~

Meghan\’s Twitter & Instagram accounts

January 1, 2019

Saeeda Hafiz – Journey to Yoga & Wellness

On her website, Saeeda Hafiz is in an array of photographs exhibiting various yoga positions. In the first photo, she appears to be ready to take flight from the rocks along the shore! It’s followed by others in her at-home yoga gallery. If I begin (and stick with) yoga classes, and adapt to healthy eating, will I be able to outstretch my arms and legs to form body lines that look like an angled letter of the alphabet?

Saeeda’s memoir, The Healing: One Woman’s Journey from Poverty to Inner Riches, reveals a life that was tainted with domestic violence, addiction, and poverty that she witnessed as a child. Later, a college education led her to a professional job and the “middle class” life she’d wanted; however, the demons would not go away.

Today, Saeeda is a yoga teacher, an author and a wellness expert. You’ll have to read her book to learn how this amazing transformation occurred! One factor – a cooking class. A bit of humor: she thought it was to learn to cook “sophisticated” meals, but instead, was surprised to be in a class that taught about holistic nutrition and food.

Saeeda’s website is full of engaging info. I was fascinated to see Salma Hayek on her client list page. On another page, the sight of her creamy carrot ginger soup had me salivating. So go check it out! I’m learning new words, like hijiki and savasana. 🙂

Thank you, Saeeda, for the beautiful, “wavy” postcard! I love your mind and soul message.

~Anita~

Saeeda Hafiz – Journey to Yoga & Wellness