After a weekend smothered in feelings and memories, I now have to incorporate all of this love into my work. I have to think about the joys of getting my new book, The Peanut Butter Birthday Party ready for publication this fall. 

It's off to a good start. The book has been chosen to be a part of 'Missouri's Own" panel at the 2014 Jewish Book Festival.  I feel very honored.

Tonight is a night of transition for me. A time to think rather than write. But I will be letting you know more about the book and all it stands for in future postings.

Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Do you have any peanut butter stories to share? I would love to hear them.

Do you have a 'Peanut Butter Kid' like Elmer Kay in your family? Maybe, you are a Peanut Butter Kid, too.

I look back on  my last post. As I realize that it is exactly 1 year ago today that we all lost our amazing Harvey. If he were here with me, he'd be cheering on the upcoming publication of my new book, "The Peanut Butter Birthday Party". He was my best fan. He was my advocate. I still feel him backing me up in everything I do. I feel his support.

It's a new era for The Peanut Butter Kid. He's having a birthday party - a very special party and he is planning it with his parents and close friends. My new book "The Peanut Butter Birthday Party" will be out this fall. Read about Elmer's surprise. Learn how his birthday party becomes a way to "give back". How do you give back. Please share .

Death and Birth

How much my life has changed since I last posted on this blog. I was looking forward to spending "Happy Hour" with my husband Harvey, daughter Betty and friends. And now Harvey is gone.

Life is not the same. I look the same. I walk the same. I talk the same. But I am not the same. It has been seven months since he passed away and still every day reveals a new side of grief.

Death. It is a different world when you lose your spouse - your best friend. So many stages of grief. There is such a strong longing to share with others who are coping with a similar loss. What are your stages? Do you want to share?

And yet there is a new Birth in my life. My new children's book, The Peanut Butter Birthday Party is in the stages of being born next summer. A different kind of book than my comical book, The Perils of the Peanut Butter Kid. A more serious story that will help raise money for "Kids Rock Cancer" and hopefully for other non-profits. Some parts of life do some how go on.

Death and Birth. They are coming together. Both seem to epitomize this journey of life.

Another lovely Friday night Happy Hour with people I love. Harv, Betty, Marisol, Bill and Vivian. Happy is the people you're spending your hours with - happy isn't what you're having to drink.

If you read my facebook sayings today you caught my first posted photo of my dog. He loved sleeping on my husband's head. This photo was taken when he was a little pup.

Now - just think - he's grown-up enough to be my title character, "The Peanut Butter Dog" in my upcoming book. Finally, we're getting much closer to publication and lots of unexpected tricks.

We've always given our dogs their pills rolled up in spoonfuls of PNB. It has never failed to work. Try it, your dog will like it

I already know my characters from "The Perils of the Peanut Butter Kid" but now I am getting to know them through the eyes and mind of their family dog.

Funny things happen. Of course, they all seem so much bigger to me.

Do you other writers feel the same about the grown-ups who people your books?