THE DREADED HEAD SHOT

Okay, this is so embarrassing, but I've been using a twelve-year-old photo for publicity these past few years. It wasn't that I wanted people to think I was younger than I am (ok, I didn't care if they thought I was thinner!), but I hate being in front of the camera. I always feel so self-conscious and nervous and every picture makes me feel worse and worse. But in gearing up for this winter's Woodstock Writers Festival (lots more info will be coming soon), the great writer Susan Richards (Chosen by a Horse, Chosen Forever) offered up her husband, the amazing photographer, Dennis Stock, to take my portrait. Okay, Dennis is best known for having taken those iconic shots of James Dean and dozens of other Hollywood luminaries and I was plenty nervous. But Dennis took exactly ten minutes, snapped off a dozen shots, and produced something I not only can live with, but one I actually like.

Woodstock Now and Then

This Sunday night at 7 (Oct 18th), Michael Lang, Barbara Kopple and I will be presenting Barbara's film, Woodstock Now and Then, at the Linda in Albany as a benefit for WAMC. We will be doing a Q&A afterwards. Truthfully, I was entralled by both Michael and Barbara long before I ever met them, and becoming friends with them has been one of the thrills of my life. The film is one of the best rock n roll movies ever. There are still some tix left. Call the Linda box office (518-465-5233 ext 4) or get them online at www.thelinda.org Tickets are only $20. Hope to see you there.

FALL

I love this time of year, when the nights and mornings are cool, when Mums and peaches and apples are begging to be picked and planted, when the playoffs are happening and the Yankees are heading to a pennant series.

I hate this time of year, when leaves are falling and frost is on the car in the morning, when baseball only happens every other day and you know that it will be over in two weeks, or three, but no more 100 games to go.

All this to say, I am so thrilled to be a lifelong Yankee fan.

GREAT COVER FOR NEW BOOK

I don't think anyone would argue with me when I say that my hardcover for Hats & Eyeglasses was a serious miss. Dark and intimidating, it looked like the Titanic, and turned readers off. On the up side, my paperback cover is delicious and everyone loves it. But I worried when we were deciding on a cover for my new book, BRAZILIAN SEXY (SECRETS TO LIVING A GORGEOUS AND CONFIDENT LIFE), which I wrote with Janea Padilha, waxer to the stars. As soon as I saw it, though, I knew we had the exact right image--- sexy, funny, something that both men and women would want to pick up. Here's your first look. (And not sure why it looks blue-ish in this blog. It's really all skin tones and beige, very classy)