I just got home yesterday from the first leg of my book tour.  A big thank you to Bensenville Reads for selecting FUNNY IN FARSI. My hostess there was a superhero named Jill Rodriguez. She is the county librarian and has the most amazing, devoted staff you can imagine. Not only do they work with the community, but they are very innovative. For example, their library stays open 24 hours every September 11th since they believe libraries are the antithesis of what happened that day. Kelly, another librarian, started a program “52 Books in 52 Weeks.” You see what I’m talking about? These people are DEVOTED to literacy.

I also visited Fenton High School. (Hi Esteban! Hi Sal! Hi Mansoor!) I met kids from Blackhawk Middle School (I will not embarrass Blake or anyone else since I seemed to do plenty of that when I was there.) I also visited Bridgeway, which is a huge senior home.  Great audiences everywhere I went, except for…  Apologies to Barbara’s Bookstore where I drew a whopping crowd of THREE people. (Thank you Bob, Madonna and Hannah.) Oh well, it has to happen to all authors at some point but I would like not to experience that again!

In Ohio, I particapated in Dayton’s Big Read where they had selected FUNNY IN FARSI. (Thank you Dayton!) I spoke at Meadowdale High School for Kristen Mills’ classes. They were a GREAT audience and had even made me a banner with all kinds of drawings related to FUNNY IN FARSI, including a camel/llama/lamb. I think the final consensus was that it was a llama. No matter since I loved it.

The Big Read event was very interesting because they also gave awards to volunteers in the community. Let me tell you, there are some amazingly generous folks in Dayton. (Did you know there is even a peace museum there?) It was a very fun evening.

I also spoke at Books & Co. What a store! Thank you to Sharon for doing so much behind the scenes. When an author event goes well, it’s not just because of the author. It’s also because of the people who planned it and advertised and set out the chairs, etc. It was an enthusiastic crowd  with lots of questions. I had a blast.

And a final thank you to Becky from Project READ for everything, including driving me to the airport. (90 minute drive!) I hope to be back in Dayton again.

Until then, keep reading! 

Only two days left until LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT is released and I am NERVOUS! I leave for Bensenville, Illinois the same day so I will not be able to sit at my computer neurotically checking the Amazon rating and believe me, that is a good thing.

I have only read a few reviews on blogs and so far, they have been good. Having your book reviewed is not for the thin-skinned and I am thin-skinned! Of course these days, everyone with a computer is a reviewer which is both good and bad. So next time you see a good review of my book, think of me smiling and when you read a nasty review, cry with me, okay?

Thanks again to all my readers, without whom, none of this would be happening. I sincerely hope you all enjoy my next book. God bless you all. (And no, I am not referring to a specific God. Whatever works for you, be it Allah, Jesus, Buddha, Judy Garland,…)

xo,

Firoozeh 

A few years ago, I received an email from a reader in Tasmania who had read FUNNY IN FARSI and really liked it. I asked him where he had found my book. “The library,” he answered. Aren’t libraries fantastic? I am now getting ready to send a couple of copies of LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT to his library in Tasmania. I hope you are lucky enough to live near a well-stocked library.

I am also getting ready for my book tour. Because I have three kids, the youngest not yet two years old, traveling involves more logistics than planning a wedding. For part of the time, my husband stays home and helps. Of course this means he has to work twice as much at the office when I return. My parents also come up sometimes. My mother being here has added benefits, namely Persian food! She actually travels with fried eggplants to save time. Within an hour of her arrival, my kitchen smells like Persian food, and for those of you who know what that smells like…ummm, I’m getting hungry just writing about it!

I look forward to meeting many of you during my tour. Keep reading!

Cheers,

Firoozeh 

One of my fellow writers, Patry Francis, has a new paperback, The Liar’s Diary. In fact, her book just came out in paperback today, Jan. 29. Normally, she would be out there doing everything she can to sell her book. Unfortunately, she is ill and can not be out there so this is why I am telling you about her book. Check out her book and her website: www.patryfrancis.com

Get well soon Patry!

Hello everyone,

LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT will be in bookstores on April 29, 2008. You can already order it on the internet.

What do you think of the cover design? I love it. (I had nothing to do with it. Random House has its own designers.) The color is called “cinnamon.” I hope it’s as popular as those Cinnabons in airports. The book won’t smell like glaze though. (If you have walked through an American airport lately, you know what I’m talking about!) 

First of all, I want to wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year. Let us hope that 2008 brings more peace to our troubled planet. I wonder if there has ever been ONE day in the history of mankind when there has been no war. We should all visualize that.

Secondly, I am SO excited about going on my book tour in May and June. I will be visiting some places where I have never been. I know that for a lot of authors, book tours are a drag but meeting readers is what keeps me going. Writing is a lonely profession and I find it quite invigorating to meet those humans who actually read books. It reminds me why I do what I do.

Lastly, I want to thank all you of you for your support. I wouldn’t be here without you so THANK YOU!

It’s been a while since I have updated my blog. This time of the year is always so busy. My parents were just here for Thanksgiving. My in-laws are coming next week, then my parents again and one of my brothers.  Welcome to the Hotel California!

The good news is that LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT is finished and will be published in late April. I CAN NOT WAIT!! I just got a great blurb from Alexander McCall Smith. I was a huge fan of his anyways, but I now officially love him.

I hope to meet many of you on my book tour. More info to come!

For all you NPR listeners, tune in to Weekend Edition on Saturday, Nov. 3. I have a piece about me and Kathryn Koob, the former hostage in Iran. I think you will agree with me that she is pretty amazing.

In case you miss it,  you can go to www.npr.org, search for my name and listen anytime after Nov. 3.

For all of you who have been asking if I will be coming to your hometown for my LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT book tour, here is a tentative list:

San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Detroit, Milwaukee, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Chicago

We will also add cities if there is a demand, so if you have a venue in your town that invites authors, let me know! 
 

Now that I have finished the first draft of LAUGHING WITHOUT AN ACCENT, I am on to my next project, losing the baby weight. My baby is now a year and a half  years old so I’m not sure how much longer I can call the souvenir pounds from pregnancy “baby weight.” I used that excuse for about seven years after my first two but this time, I am determined to move faster! Writing is not the best career for losing weight…a lot of sitting, interrupted by breaks to get a snack.

Wish me luck! It’s easier to write a book than to lose weight…