New York Lunch with Carmindy, Kristin and Dr. Diana

Last week as I raced to finish my manuscript revisions, my publishers sent me to New York for a magazine editor's lunch. The publicity team sets up a swanky lunch for various magazine editors, while a few authors talk about their upcoming books. The goal is to generate interest in the books, get a magazine or TV interview, or a review, etc.

I was stressed out with my looming deadline--I had hoped to be done with the revision before the lunch, but my computer died only a week before, so I was behind schedule. But to be chosen for a lunch like this was a boon for the book. And, they flew me to New York! I was honored to be in the company of the other authors. Carmindy is best known as the makeup artist on the show What Not To Wear. Dr. Diana is a relationship guru and appears on lots of TV shows; her book is about techniques and disciplines to help you find finding love in 90 days. You know who you are. Kristin Armstrong is best known as cycling champ Lance Armstrong's ex-wife. She's authored a few devotionals about divorce recovery and is a beautiful woman, inside and out.

The night before the lunch, the FaithWords publicity team took Kristin and me out to dinner. I was so impressed my publicity team, they are funny, real, women of faith. And Kristin? Well she is prettier than Sheryl Crow (if that could happen). And after spending just an hour with her, I saw how beautiful she is on the inside too. She's got so much grace in her life, grace and forgiveness. Here's a devotional she wrote about divorce recovery. She's got another book coming out next year called, "Work In Progress: An Unfinished Woman's Guide To Grace." Hers is being released the day before mine. So buy them both.

I'm great in front of a theater crowd, I know how to perform and entertain. But this was a totally different venue. A chichi restaurant, thirty sophisticated magazine editors, three already-famous authors, and me. Then Carmindy walked in. She's bubbly and gorgeous and wears so little makeup. We all turned the other way and tried to mute our eyeliner. Carmindy’s upcoming book is called, "How To Get Positively Beautiful." She refused to do celebrity interviews for this book. “This is a book for real women.” You go, Carmindy.

The other women went first, pitching their books over the salad or the entrée. As they spoke, I started to panic. Wow. They are beautiful, famous, polished, experts, polished .. and I'm .. who am I? Nobody! But I got over it. I got laughs, always a good sign. They went home with the first four chapters of the book, and I know they're strong.

The publicity team gave away swag bags, and this is the item they put in for my book. It’s a Jesus compact mirror from BlueQ, the people who bring you miso pretty and other snarky, spiffy stuff. Their website is a riot.
Check out their "About Us" Page and find out why their products aren't available at the "Mega Crap Mart." They rock.

I had originally expected to be done with the manuscript and was going to meet friends. But had no time to visit! I just holed up in my friend Mim’s pad. However I did make a pit stop at Fairway, where I got into a long conversation with a really cool lady named Judy. We stood out on the street and chatted for a half hour. I love that about New York.

My brother Jim’s girlfriend happened to be in NYC at the same time. I wasn’t going to leave the apartment, but Annkatrin was on her way back to Switzerland. If Jim doesn’t marry her I’m going to kick his butt. I went back to my apartment, wrote all night, went to sleep at 5:30am, and woke up at 2pm, just in time to wake up and get the subway to JFK. The one good thing about being that stressed, was that it didn't allow me time to miss Larry, until I woke up and it was time to go home.

My editor got my new draft. She loves it. I still have several things to clean up. Then the manuscript goes off to the Legal Deparment to be vetted. I’ll probably have to lose the line about Jessica Simpson’s dad being a skeevy youth pastor. Ahh too bad.