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Friday, February 27, 2009
When Hearts Conjoin
Monday, February 16, 2009
Book Updates
The Herrin book is getting very close to the release date. I've submitted the final draft to the printer, cover photos of the Herrin girls are being taken this week, and the web site should be up and running by March 1st, ready for pre-sale orders. They believe the book will be ready by the end of March or the first of April. The Herrins are going to Disney World in March to tape a TLC special (maybe along the lines of jon & Kate, Plus 8). I haven't heard a date for an Oprah appearance yet, but that should be coming as well, and Oprah will also link her website to the direct-sale site for the book. The book will credit me on the front cover, so it will say: "When Hearts Conjoin" Erin Herrin at the top, and with Lu Ann Brobst Staheli at the bottom. I'll post the cover, exact release dates, and website info for ordering copies as soon as that comes in from the publisher.
In the meantime, I've started my next book, a biography of David Osmond. Did you see him on American Idol? He had laryngitis and got kicked off the show during group auditions. That was hysterically funny to those of us who know him because he's been singing in a group since he was 4! Anyway, I've been running his blog, helping with his website, and writing some promotional materials about him as well, just like I used to do when he was a kid! Life goes in such circles. He's going to release a single on iTunes February 20th, so he's off on a radio tour for several weeks promoting the song. He performed it on Entertainment Tonight a couple of weeks ago and we've had lots of positive response.
I may be doing some signings of my own soon, but in the meantime, I will be presenting at the UVU Forum on Children's Literature in March and for the Wordcraft chapter of the League of Utah Writers in April. My topic for UVU is "When they STILL Won't Read," and for the LUW, "How Show, Not Tell, Can Help You Find your Voice." I'll also be on a panel for UVU, "Books I Wish I Had Written or Edited."
If any of you have conferences coming up and you need a speaker, please let me know and I'll send a proposal for a topic that could fit your need.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Insanity: Thy Name is Lu Ann
It was until the night we attended the symphony at the L.A. county arboretum, and I took my great fall. To make a long story short, when I got back to Utah and we got past the July 4th holiday, we discovered that what we thought was a sprain and a simple fracture in both of my arms, turned out to be a dislocated elbow and a crushed radial head.
I couldn't do surgery until my two day required face-to-face graduate class presentation was complete, so my left arm was in a sling for about six weeks once all was said and done. Two days after surgery I wrote my final grad paper, finishing the class and graduating with a 4.0, and I returned to my own classroom a couple of weeks later.
But that's not all that I've finished since then, while my arms were nearly non-functional. I wrote a screenplay adaptation of an LDS novel, "Seasons of Salvation", which is in pre-production.
I wrote and published several magazine articles, including "Bringing the Library Back to Life after the Library Dragon is Slain" which will be in the March issue of Library Media Connection Magazine and "Mr. & Mrs.: What's in a Name" in the current issue of Desert Saints Magazine.
But the biggest project of all is the book I wrote with Erin Herrin titled "When Hearts Conjoin". This is the true story of the Herrin family, including their daughters Kendra and Maliyah who were born conjoined in 2002 and separated in 2006 at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City. We're both excited about this project because the family will soon be featured on a TLC special and Oprah will have them on her show again as well.
One thing all of this has shown me is that, no matter what the obstacles, if I just keep plugging away at my writing, good things can be accomplished. Even though there have been times when I thought I was losing my mind, that a project was too hard or taking too much time, I managed to make it through in the end. I think it all turned out okay, despite the stress and pain.
But then of course, the insane usually do believe their lives are normal.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Good News for Joey + Rory
There is stiff competition:
Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry and Sugarland.
You can check out all the other nominees online at acmcountry.com