Life is incredibly unpredictable. Five years ago, I was a practicing corporate lawyer, sitting at my desk, probably writing a summary judgment motion or getting ready for a deposition. If you'd waltzed into my office and shown me a crystal ball back then, I wouldn't have believed you. . . . .
Well, last week, I unexpectedly had the chance to appear on The Ellen Show with Liam Neeson, when Ellen called me up from the audience to dunk Liam in a dunk tank for charity. . . . .
When I sat down at my computer to write a book for no apparent reason, I never imagined that, a short time later, I'd be posing for a picture with one of my heroes, triple negative breast cancer survivor Robin Roberts of Good Morning America, as she enthusiastically held up my book -- or that it would contain her endorsement on the front cover! . . .
I got a copy of my actual book today in the mail from my publisher (the wonderful folks at Seal Press). I squealed when I opened the envelope. It was so . . . shiny. So pretty! A work of art. It felt like the culmination of an amazing journey.
We're almost there now. Two and half months more, and I will be able to walk into a book store and pull my book off the shelf. I told Sophie, my daughter, she is going to have to videotape this ritual for me, and she rolled her eyes (but said yes). It's gonna be one of those special milestones to savor!
The book cover is finalized. There's a quote at the top from ROBIN ROBERTS! Can I tell you something. When I looked down at my iPhone and saw an email from Robin Roberts, I almost had a heart attack. She emailed to say YES she loved my book, and YES she would do a quote to support it. What a wonderful woman! Robin overcame the same type of breast cancer I had -- triple negative -- so it is especially great for me to have her support. I will never forget how it felt to receive that amazing email from her. Thank you, Robin! She extended herself for me, for our shared mission and message, and that is a true blessing.
We've got quotes in support of the book from so many amazing people. Jack Black, whom you all know, I am sure. What a wonderful guy to support my book. Mark Hudson, an amazing songwriter and producer of all the greats who has become a dear friend and mentor to me. Joni Rodgers, one of my all-time favorite writers. I read her book Bald in the Land of Big Hair when I was going through chemo and it was a little ray of light for me when I needed it most. Jennifer Griffin, a Fox News correspondent and fellow survivor, who has supported me from day one. She is my sister. Martha Lawrence, an amazing novelist who is lightness personified. Truly, in her presence, you feel love and nothing else. SHe is beauty. David Fishof, the founder of Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp! Thank you to all of you for believing in me. This dream realized is yours, too.
Today, we released the book trailer for Rocking the Pink. What a labor of love that was. You can see it on the Book page here, and also in my Videos page. It was very emotional to create this video because it required me to watch hours and hours and hours of footage of my entire life, and then edit all together (with the help of my dear friend, David Robles and some finishing touches from the Wizard himself, Kurt Zendzian). Who does that for him or herself? It was like a video for that show This Is Your Life. Very surreal!!!! But in the end I believe the trailer accurately conveys the gist of the book, and that is the point, of course.
Next, we are planning the book launch party on March 8. The party will be in downtown San Diego, so mark your calendar! Details to come!
Thank you for all your support. This has been a dream come true for me. Thank you for sharing the ride with me.
Xo Laura
Gratitude. Overwhelming gratitude. Abundance. Blessings. These phrases come to mind as I sit here to write to you, whoever you may be!
You know how the ocean sucks in just before a big wave comes? For the past month, I have felt as if my life had retracted into stillness in advance of a big wave. I could feel it coming, rumbling, rushing toward me . . . and yet everything was eerily still and waiting. Anticipatory. And now, I am happy to say, the CRASH has arrived! I am so excited to feel that rush of completion and arrival wash over me. . . . .
. . . one of my all-time favorite writers, Joni Rodgers (author of Bald in the Land of Big Hair and co-author of Promise Me) agreed to endorse my book!!! I read her book Bald in the Land of Big Hair during my chemo treatments, and it changed my life. It was so honest, so funny, so heartbreaking. I just loved it. AND, it was a revelation to realize that someone could be so irreverent during a battle with cancer. It was so . . . sassy. It planted the seed in my brain that maybe I could try to tell my story one day, too. Through her book, Joni was a friend to me when I really needed one. I hope Rocking the Pink can do for someone out there what Joni's book did for me.
. . . What attracts a reader to that book on the shelf? Things like titles, and book cover designs are suddenly part of the process, though I initially sat down to write without a thought for these things. What will make a potential reader pick up a book and read the back cover? . . .
. . .This past weekend, I was honored and thrilled to attend the ASCAP "I Create Music Expo" in Hollywood. . . .Of course, I attended the expo as a giddy and wide-eyed indie artist myself, eager to learn and absorb, but I was also invited by the ASCAP organizers to speak to attendees in one of the panel discussions, AND I was asked by Billboard Magazine to cover the event as a "special correspondent" and write an article about what I found out. . . .
The biggest thing in my life right now is that my memoir has been picked up by a fantastic publisher --Seal Press, an imprint of publishing powerhouse Perseus Books (publisher of the year in 2007).. . .