I love this segment

I do segments for BETTER almost every day, but sometims there's a segment that just stands out. I love this one - not because of my amazing producer skills - but because the topic is so heartfelt.

Peter Yarrow, of 60s folk legends Peter, Paul and Mary, is continuing his work in the peace movement by empowering school children through a program called "DON'T LAUGH AT ME."

Take a look!

Oh and yes, I got to hear Puff, the Magic Dragon sung live and in person. My life is complete!! :)

Marianne

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

While yesterday we were out and about, running five miles, going to eat BBQ at the famous Dinosaur in Harlem, and then watching Terminator Salvation, today has been much more low-key. Which is fine - sometimes you need a down day to recover from the week.

On Weds I had dinner and drinks with my agent and we brainstormed some for The Camelot Code. I really think the story is starting to click for me. It's such a bigger tale than when I started the first version - in fact, likely the biggest story I've ever written. In this version there's a lot more fantasy elements and plot threads drawn from Arthurian legend. Which I like, being a big King Arthur junkie and all. At times it feels like The Neverending Story but I think when it is finally completed it will be the best thing I've ever written.

I was just thinking how this fall/winter is going to be a big release time for me.

October: BOYS THAT BITE re-release
November: STAKE THAT re-release
December: GIRLS THAT GROWL re-release
January: BAD BLOOD
MY BLOOD VALENTINE ANTHOLOGY
Spring: GAMER GIRL trade paperback release

And then what next? I'm not sure. But I have a ton of ideas! It's just a matter of picking one. I will say I'm having fun writing the fantasy elements of Camelot Code so a fantasy novel wouldn't be out of the question.

Let's see, what else? Last week at work I interviewed actress Julianne Moore. She was very nice and down-to-Earth. She was talking about her new children's picture book, Strawberry Freckleface. Wonder who that was based on? *smile*

This weekend is BEA - The Book Expo of America. I'm going to attend on Friday for my day job to see what I can find for books/story ideas for the next year. Should be fun. One of the media breakfasts I'm going to has both author Meg Cabot and actress Julie Andrews.

And then on Saturday Jacob and I are having people over for a THANKSGIVING IN MAY party. Which is basically just as it sounds. We'll be cooking a turkey with all the trimmings. Cause really, Thanksgiving is too good not to come twice a year. It'll also be kind of a housewarming party for the new apartment. Hopefully we'll have good weather so people can hang out on the balcony.

Then the following weekend we're going to the horror convention FANGORIA and then the following weekend after that Jacob's parents are coming for a visit. So lots of great summer stuff coming up.

OK I'm off! Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!
MARIANNE

Florida Fun!

This past weekend Jacob and I headed down to Hobe Sound, Florida to spend some time with my mom on her birthday. She lives about a mile from the beach and it was great to relax and enjoy some warm, non-rainy weather for once.

We stayed at a great hotel called The Jupiter Beach Hotel which was right on the water. Two thumbs up. Except that their waffles tasted like vinegar. Or maybe orange juice. Bad after taste, whatever they were.

ANYWAY...

We swam in the ocean, ate out at my favorite chain steakhouse, Longhorns, danced to a 60s/70s cover band at a local bar, and I even signed books at a local Barnes and Noble. A very good time!!

Some photos:

The beautiful, greenish waters of the Atlantic, right outside our hotel.

And there was also a nice pool.





Doesn't Jacob look relaxed?




That was before he had to fix Mom's computer!





Me, reading a book at Mom's. Ravens of Avalon by Diana Paxon, in case you're wondering. Pre-Arthurian fantasy.





Mom and I outside the hotel.





Signing books at Barnes and Noble. They get more excited when you come down south to sign books. Most NYC booksellers could care less about authors. I guess they're a dime a dozen here.





My mom found it amusing that I wanted to go in Hot Topic. I have to admit, I did feel like a bit of a narc in there. But hey - it's research. And besides, I bought some awesome flip flops.





Of course no visit to the 'burbs can be complete without a visit to Dairy Queen! Oh Blizard - I love you so!





All in all, it was a great trip! Happy birthday, Mom!

Teen Read Night

Last night I went to the monthly Teen Read Night at the Jefferson Market NYPL in the Village. (Great library, btw. It's like a freaking castle.) These nights, hosted by the amazing David Leviathan of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist fame (as well as Executive Editor (or some similiar such title) at Scholastic). David was the BEST moderator. He was funny and interesting and, most importantly, kept it all on track and on time.

The authors reading were also great. All funny, contemporary stories, which was refreshing, seeing the current overload of dark paranormal. (Author Melissa Walker, who was also there, said these nights are often full of contemp authors and suggested perhaps the dark fantasy authors live somewhere else? An interesting theory, to say the least...)

My favorite read of the night was for my Dutton sister author, Sarah Cross, and her book DULL BOY(just released today!) I've been hearing a lot of buzz on this book, but had no idea how awesome would actually be. So funny! I totally need to pick up a copy this afternoon.

Also there were Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus - authors of "The Nanny Diaries" who evidently are writing YA now. Their first book, The Real Real, is about a reality show. Or behind the scenes of one, I guess. The authors were fun and down to earth, esp considering their high profile status. And the excerpt was funny.

Other authors included Nick Burd, The Vast Fields of Ordinary - a gay coming of age story. Susane Colasanti, Waiting for You. (I liked that Susane told us (when someone asked how did she know how to speak YA) "My internal age is 16." I'm going to have to use that from now.) Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty and Kieran Scott, Geek Magnet. There wasn't one bad book in the bunch!!

After the reading, Leanna and I went and grabbed Thai food and caught up. All in all a very fun night! I'm definitely going to go again next month!

MARIANNE

Romantic Times Convention Recap Video

Liz and I put together a little 10 minute documentary on the Romantic Times Convention that took place in Orlando, Florida last month. Take a look!

Romantic Times Convention Recap from Marianne Mancusi on Vimeo.

Molly's new haircut

Everyone keeps asking for pics of MY new haircut. But to hold you over - here's Molly's!! :) And yes, I made her howl for the video!

It's her birthday on Monday - she'll be 13 years old! Quite the old lady. But everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) asks if she's a puppy when we go on walks.

:)
Marianne

My deck view

This video's for my dad, who wanted to see my Statue of Liberty deck view. (And anyone else who's curious.) They've been shooting fireworks over it every Saturday night. Maybe one weekend I'll have motivation enough to set up my videocamera to catch them!

Pardon the wind noise on the video - windy morning on the water!

Friday

It's Friday! And I figure I haven't blogged in a while and should do a quick update before my family thinks I'm dead.

NEWS IN MY WORLD:

Got a grill! It's a Weber Q 200 which is perfect size for our balcony. I believe my dad has the same one. Works great and Jacob's already fired it up several times this week. We've had steak and chicken and hot dogs on it and all were delish. Of course most nights he's bbq'ing in the rain - hopefully the weather will clear up SOMEDAY and we'll be able to sit out on the balcony to eat. Hmm...maybe tonight.

Speaking of the balcony - saw some great fireworks over the Statue of Liberty from it last weekend. It's going to be the perfect Fourth of July party pad.

This week's surprise in the writing world - I saw a big jump in booksales for my vampire series and when I investigated, I discovered Barnes and Noble had done a huge nationwide buy for all three books in the series. Which is awesome, seeing as these are the old covers and it's not even re-release time! I chalk it up to vampires being so hot right now. In any case, I checked out three Barnes and Nobles in my area and in each one all three books were displayed prominently on walls that advertised "VAMPIRE BOOKS". Yay! It makes me so happy cause this is what I always wanted for the series - good distribution and placement - and could never seem to get. I admit in the past I always felt a little envious passing through the YA sections and seeing the vampire wall without any of my books on it. So it's so nice to be included at last! :) Fingers crossed they do well - I so want to write a fifth book in the series!

Celebs I interviewed this week: Peter Farrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Ivanka Trump, and two of the Real Housewives of NJ. Thumbs up on Peter and Real Housewives. Thumbs way, way down on Ivanka.

Molly got a cute summer haircut today. We used a mobile groomer - meaning they come to your dog and pick the dog up and do the whole thing right in the van. She looks adorable and like a puppy again!

That's all I can think of right now! Happy weekend everyone!

Marianne