LIAR'S DIARY BLOG DAY

Fellow author Patry Francis's book THE LIAR'S DIARY has just been released in paperback. Patry, however, is fighting an aggressive form of cancer and is unable to promote her book. That's the bad news.

The good news is that Patry's prognosis is good. And while she is busy recovering, her friends and colleagues haven banded together to get the word out on her behalf. Over 300 of them. I'm honored to be counted among that number. Susan Henderson's Lit Park blog explains how it all came about.

The even better news is that she has probably one of the sweetest husbands in the universe by her side as she fights this battle. Here's a letter he wrote to share on this day:

One of the happiest days of my life was the day I met my wife, Patry Francis for the very first time. I had just moved to Northampton, MA after graduating from Penn State University and had stopped to eat lunch at a restaurant where she was working. It was love at first sight. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever set my eyes on and it took me about two months to get the courage to ask her out on a date. Little did I know at the time how she would transform my life from a shy, insecure, college grad into a happy and proud father and minister; a better and holier person. She has so many qualities I have tried to emulate and she continues to inspire me with her enthusiasm for life and her ability to enkindle others with her actions, as well as, words.

She taught me the meaning of compassion and has the ability to make everyone around her feel important no matter whom they are or what they do, especially the poor and least among us. She has been given a gift to see situations from the heart which she uses to help others bring out the best in themselves and no one is turned away who asks for advice or help.

She exemplified the meaning of sacrifice as she forfeited many years of her writing career to help support our family. Working the difficult and physically demanding job as a banquet waitress and raising our four children left her little opportunity to spend doing what she loved most, writing. She also put off her endeavor to get back into serious writing while I attended the seminary for five years. She never once complained always putting everyone else’s needs before hers, including mine.

In short, words can’t describe how lucky and blessed I am to have Patry as my spouse. She is a woman filled with love, peace, and goodness and every day I marvel and am amazed what an awe-inspiring twenty five years it has been to be with her. Of all the gifts I have been given in life, wonderful parents and sisters, four beautiful and talented children, the miracle of three special grandchildren (one more on the way), none have been greater than the day God introduced me to my beautiful wife.

Finally, I would like to thank Susan Henderson, Laura Benedict, Jessica Keener, Karen Dionne, Tish Cohen, Alice Tasman (the Best Literary Agent in New York) and *all of you* who are trying to help make Patry’s book a success. Yet again, we have been blessed to be part of such an inspiring community of talented writers and to witness the goodness and love that all of you have shown to Patry as she journeys through her difficult situation with cancer.

Now, once you have wiped your eyes, take a peek at THE LIAR'S DIARY book trailer. Intrigued? You should be. Go grab a copy! While you're at it, grab a couple more. It would make a great gift.

Meanwhile, here's a list of the other authors and creative types who have joined to make this day possible. Go visit them when you have a moment. Great people all. I love being a part of such a supportive writers' community!

Patti Abbott
Mario Acevedo
Susan Adrian
Samina Ali
Christa Allan
Anne-Marie
Joelle Anthony
Jorge Argueta
Vicki Arkoff - MAD Magazine, Nickelodeon, MW Book Review
Melanie Avila
Tricia Ares
Backspace
Backstory
Terry Bain
Gail Baker - The Debutante Ball
Anjali Banerjee
Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Elizabeth Bartasius
Carolyn Burns Bass
Brett Battles
Laura Benedict
Pinckney Benedict
Janet Berliner
William Bernhardt
Alexander Besher
Bev
Marcie Beyatte
Brenda Birch
Roberto Bonazzi
Bookfinds
Raven Bower
Laura Bowers
Beatrice Bowles
Tara Bradford
Gayle Brandeis
Stacy Brazalovich
Susan Breen - Gotham Writers Workshops
Heather Brewer
Eve Bridburg - Zachary Shuster Harmsworth
Sassy Brit
Heatheraynne Brooks
Debra Broughon
Josie Brown
Pat Brown
Ruth Brown
Ken Bruen
Rachel Kramer Bussel
Aldo Calcagno
Austin S. Camacho
Bill Cameron
Lorenzo Carcaterra
Vincent Carrella
Karen DeGroot Carter
Rosemary Carstens
Cynthia Clark - Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine
Jon Clinch
Kamela Cody
Oline H. Cogdill - Sun-Sentinal
Tish Cohen
Eileen Cruz Coleman
Myfanwy Collins
Dan Conaway - Writers House
Laurie Connors - Penguin
Eileen Cook
Richard Cooper
David Corbett
Auria Cortes
Bill Crider - Pop Culture Magazine
Kim Cristofoli
Ann Mare Cummins
Sheila Curran
Kristie Cutter
Jordan Dane
Josephine Damian
Daryl Darko
A.J. Davis
Kelli Davis
Alyssa Day
Alma Hromic Deckert
Jim DeFelice
Mike Dellosso
Katrina Denza
Bella DePaulo
Karen Dionne
Felicia Donovan
Julie Doughty - Dutton
Gerry Doyle
Terri DuLong
Firoozeh Dumas
Christine Eldrin
J.T. Ellison - Killer Year
Sheila Clover English - Circle of Seven Productions
Kate Epstein - the Epstein Literary Agency
Kathryn Esplin
Rachel Fershleiser at SMITH Magazine
Ryan Field
Michael A. FitzGerald
William Floyd
Natasha Fondren
Jamie Ford
Connie May Fowler
Heather Fowler
Therese Fowler
Jenifer Fox
Thaisa Frank
Michelle Gable
Gary Gach
Leighton Gage
Neil Gaiman
Colin Galbraith
Jayson Gallaway
Jane Ganahl - Red Room
Erika-Marie S. Geiss
Linda Gerber
Shane Gericke
Tess Gerritsen
Karin Gillespie
Anne Glamore
Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Jewelle Gomez
Susan Helene Gottfried
Deborah Grabien
Elizabeth Graham
Caroline Grant
Robin Grantham
Bob Gray - Shelf Awareness
Nancy O. Greene
Robert Grudin
Lisa Guidarini
David Habbin
Jim Hanas
Lynette Hart
Melanie Harvey
Michael Haskins
Melanie Lynn Hauser
Bill Hayes
Maria Dahvana Headley
Susan Henderson
Heidi the Hick
Georgia Hesse
Billie Hinton
Vicki Hinze
Lori Hope
Khaled Hosseini
Eileen Hutton - Brilliance Audio
Gina Hyams
International Thriller Writers
David Isaak
Susan Ito
Lisa Jackson
Arachne Jericho
Allison Johnson
Jen Jordan - Crimespree
Jungle Red Writers
Lesley Kagen
Polly Kahl
Jessica Keener
Charles Kelly
Lisa Kenny
Beth Kephart
Jackie Kessler
Merle Kessler
Kristy Kiernan - Southern Authors Blog
A.S. King
Jeff Kleinman - Folio Literary Management
Sandra Kring
Kyra
R.D. Laban
Rebecca Laffar-Smith - Writers Roundabout
Clair Lamb
Daphne Larkin
Larramie
Judy Merrill Larson
Caroline Leavitt
Leah
Virginia Lee
Leslie Levine
Mary Lewis
Richard Lewis
Liane
Sharon Linnea
Julie Anne Long
CJ Lyons
Jonathan Maberry
Amy MacKinnon - The Writers Group
Tim Maleeny
Ric Marion
Nancy Martin
Adrienne Mayor
L.C. McCabe
Damian McNicholl
Ellen Meister
Melba
Christa Miller
Kyle Minor
Jacquelyn Mitchard
P. A. Moed
Terri Molina
Pat Montandon
David Montgomery
Alexis Moore
Joe Moore - Inkspot
Amanda Morgan
Sarie Morrell
Murderati
Amy Nathan
Nathalie
National Post
Tia Nevitt
Nicole
Carolyn North
Aurelio O'Brien
Martha O'Connor
Andrea Okrentowich
Lori Oliva
Aimee Palooza
Pamela
Michael Palmer
Stephen Parrish
Marie Peck
Marcia Peterson - WOW! Women on Writing
Jason Pinter
Anthony S. Policastro
Douglas Preston
Publishers Marketplace
Terese Ramin
Jody Reale
Martha Reed
Janet Reid - FinePrint Literary Management
Kamilla Reid
Lance Reynald
Michelle Richmond
Maria Robinson
John Robison
James Rollins
M.J. Rose - Buzz, Balls & Hype
Renee Rosen
Jordan Rosenfeld
Russell Rowland
Anneli Rufus
Hank Ryan
Marcus Sakey
Harris Salat -Visual Thesaurus
Rachel Sarah
Maria Schneider - Writer's Digest Magazine
Nina Schuyler
Dani Shapiro
Rochelle Shapiro
Charles Shaughnessy
Jessie Sholl
Robert Siegel
Clea Simon
Lynn Sinclair
Jen Singer
Shelley Singer
Sisters in Crime
Robin Slick
BPM Smith - Word & Bass
Bridget Smith
Claudia Smith
Kim Smith
Stephie Smith
Alexandra Sokoloff
Char Solomon
James Spring
Emilie Staat
Kim Stagliano
Maryanne Stahl
Bella Stander
Kelli Stanley
Marta Stephens
Bronwyn Storm
Jennifer Talty
Judith Tannenbaum
Mindy Tarquini
Alice Tasman - the Jean Naggar Literary Agency
Charles R. Temple
David Thayer
The Outfit
Theresa
Joyce Tremel
Danielle Trussoni
Louise Ure
N. L. Valler
Barbara Vey - Publishers Weekly
Bev Vincent
Brenda Wallace
Therese Walsh - Writer Unboxed
John Warner - Tow Books
Gary Wassner
Brenda Webster
Sarah Weinman
Kimberly M. Wetherell
Dan Wickett - Emerging Writers Network
Jennifer Weiner
Laura Wellner
Susan Wiggs
Liz Wolfe
Cheryl Wyatt
Stephen Wylder
Irvin Yalom
Belle Yang
Dawn Yun
Michele Zackheim
Victoria Zackheim
Ernie Zelinski
Crystal Zevon

Keep the Faith!

Check out this article on SI.com. Go, Cannucks! Keep the dream alive.

Message to the IOC. Please reconsider your stance.

You are wrong.

Let's put this whole silly thing behind us and LET THE WOMEN JUMP.

Heath, We Hardly Knew Ye

What an incredible loss.

I fell in love with Heath Ledger way back when in Ten Things I Hate About You. Since that time, he has continued to endear and amaze with his selection of projects and his performances. We lost one of the greats today.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

Very, very, very sad.

For Those Who Dream

We honor a great man today. A man who looked for a better world than the one he was faced with. On this day, as we reflect on the dreams that Dr. King dared to articulate, let's take a long, hard look at where we are as a nation and where we need to be.

My challenge for you today is to learn all you can about Dr. King. Listen to his "I have a dream" speech. Take his words and think of what you, as an individual, can do to make this world a better place.

Dare to dream. Then work to make that dream come true.

In Memory

She was always laughing. She had a fabulous sense of humor and made you feel happy just by being around her. She had a strong Minnesota accent and liked to draw out her o's much longer than necessary. She was the first one who introduced me to Yaya's Greek seasoning. She stored her baked goods (store bought) in her oven because she no longer had any desire to use the oven for its intended purpose. She collected dolls - the quirkier, the better. Even when she became ill and lost her eyesight, she was able to joke about it. She was a delight. Gila, you will be missed.

Aaaaaaagh!!!!

Can you hear me screaming? What is up with the IOC??? Once again, they have stubbornly refused to even listen to the growing number of voices asking them to revisit the women ski jump event decision. Once again, they cite their rules and criteria, conveniently forgetting the fact that they have disregarded that same criteria for inclusion of other events.

In a statement issued yesterday, the IOC reiterated in no uncertain terms that it's their ball and they get to decide who plays. In fact, they seem to be getting a little huffy about the whole issue. Emmanuelle Moreau, a spokeswoman for the IOC, said it was "inappropriate and misleading" for people to suggest that the IOC is discriminating against the ski jumpers on the basis of sex.

I find it inappropriate and misleading for the IOC to continue to cry "technical merit" when they have accepted other events that do not meet this same criteria. On what basis are they able to bend the rules for some athletes and not others? What would they lose by allowing women ski jumpers in the Olympics???

A News 1130 story this morning stated, "Experts warn women ski jumpers to walk carefully on this subject, suggesting diplomacy is key in dealing with the IOC."

In other words, play their way, or they'll take their ball and go home.

I never did like playing with those kinds of bullies.

Oh, puhleeez, Mr. Pound!

Dick Pound is confused. Canada's senior Olympic official, responding to the call for the Canadian government to look closely at the gender bias barring women ski jumpers from competing in the Olympics, told CTV, "It's not the Canadian government that is hosting the event, it's the International Olympic Committee. They have rules that are technical in nature and that's what's been applied here. It's not a human rights issue, no matter how you dress it up."

Sorry, but I don't buy it. The IOC is claiming that they're only following the rules, which state that an event has to be practiced by 25 countries on three continents to be adopted by the Games. And yet when the IOC voted to exclude the women ski jumpers on these grounds, they also voted to include ski cross, which only lists 30 women from 11 nations. In the case of women's bobsleigh, there were only 26 women from 13 nations, according to the ISF. Hypocrisy, much?

No matter how you dress it up, Mr. Pound, the IOC is not playing fair. Don't insult our intelligence by throwing your guidelines in our face when you don't play by the rules yourselves.

O Canada - it's up to you!

There might just be hope for the 2010 Olympics...

FINALLY, some politicians who are taking the issue of gender bias and the IOC seriously! Check out the recent news conference featuring WSJUSA President Deedee Corradini, and the Canadian response HERE.

Wouldn't it be great if Canada could convince the IOC that it is in their best interest to put this shameful stonewalling of women's ski jumping behind them?

Go, Cannucks!!!

The Irony and the Ecstacy

Hey, IOC... are you awake??? Did you see Lindsey Van set the 90M hill record? Did you notice she was jumping at the Callaghan Valley ski jumping complex - venue for the 2010 Olympics? Did you take note of the attention this event has received? No?

START PAYING ATTENTION!

In the inaugural jump competition at the Callaghan Valley hills, Lindsey Van took first, setting a 90M hill record of 105.5 meters. Teammate Jessica Jerome came in second, flying 102 meters. On the 120M, Van sailed 128.5 meters and Jerome jumped 118. These are Olympic-worthy performances at an Olympic venue. How ironic and shameful that the IOC still claims the women are not ready to compete at the Olympics.

Message to the IOC - get with the program. We the public are watching and we are Not Happy.

HAPPY YEAR OF THE MOUSE

It's a new year! Celebrate! Enjoy! Make this your best year ever!!!