M.A. Cassata's Blog, page 2
January 24, 2020
Angelina Jolie, Fake News and How To Spot It For Kids
I've been writing about entertainment/celebrity news most of my adult life. I've been published consistently since I was 15. When I was learning my craft, I took my journalism training very seriously. "Report only the facts, verify your sources, keep clear of controversial topics, that kind of thing. Now, the rules seem to have changed and I am not so comfortable writing about celebrities and other public figures anymore.
There are so many "Fake News" stories and outlets as well as well as way...
January 16, 2020
2019 Best Indie Book Award Winners Announced
Best Indie Book Award has named the best independent books of 2019. Twenty-four authors, two illustrators, and one book cover designer are among the winners of the 2019 Best Indie Book Award (Otherwise known as the BIBAs). The winners were all presented with a physical BIBA trophy and their books displayed on the BIBA website.
2019 marked the 7th year of the BIBA contest, with two new awards being added to the lineup this year, an illustration award, and cover design award. The illustration...
November 18, 2019
Bobby on Beaverstreet
I'm always happy to help promote my friend, author Robert Rosen's latest works. Bobby in Naziland: A Tale of Flatbush is described as a darkly comic and deeply moving memoir of a New York City lost to time. He'll be doing a book reading along with a few local actor, writer and musican friends at NYC's Killarney Rose on Beaver Street. See ya there!
November 2, 2019
Interview: "Bobby in Naziland" By Robert Rosen
In keeping up with the "Author Speak" section on my website, I ask "Bobby in Naziland" author, Robert Rosen about his latest book. This article was originally published on The Mac Wire.
The Mac Wire
September 6, 2019
Bobby in Naziland (Headpress), a memoir about growing up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, in the 1950s and 60s, among Holocaust survivors and W.W. II veterans, is the third book from Robert Rosen. Best known for his John Lennon biography, Nowhere Man, he's also written Beaver Street, about his years as a men's magazine editor. In Bobby in Naziland, Rosen brings to life a New York City lost to time—a place where the Second World War lingered like a mass hallucination, racism ran rampant, and the candy store served as the nexus of neighborhood activity. Bobby in Naziland was published September 1st.
Why did you write this book?
The roots of Bobby in Naziland can be found in the opening pages of my previous book, Beaver Street. I describe the scene in my father's candy store, in 1961 when I was nine years old. I'm sitting at the window making change for newspapers, listening to my father, who'd fought in the Second World War, talking to his friends, the candy store regulars, about the Battle of the Bulge. As I was writing this scene, I knew that I was only scratching the surface. I knew that something was going on at that time and in that place that demanded further exploration. So I wrote down everything I could remember about Flatbush in the 1950s and 60s. When I looked back at the 400 single-spaced pages of notes, fragments, ideas, and anecdotes that had accumulated, what jumped out at me were Nazis. They were everywhere. And that's how the book came about.
How is Bobby in Naziland relevant to the world in 2019?
I talk about that in the Afterword: On a personal level, as I was writing the book, my two nephews, who live in Upstate New York, along with a number of their classmates, were being subjected to persistent anti-Semitism in school. They were beaten up; they were pelted with coins; scores of swastikas were drawn on the school's walls; and one of their classmates was held down while a swastika was drawn on her face. My brother, his wife, and two other families complained repeatedly to the school authorities. Nothing was done. Finally, they sued the school district, and the students were awarded $4.48 million. The story was on the front page of The New York Times. And Orange County, New York, is hardly the only place where this kind of thing is going on.Then there's Donald Trump. The racism and hatred that I describe viscerally and in depth in the book is the kind of racism and hatred that Trump knew intimately while he was growing up a few miles from Flatbush, in Queens, and that he and his father, Fred Trump, practiced when they refused to rent apartments to people of color. He knew that that kind of hatred lurked just below the surface, despite the progress American society had appeared to make over the decades. Trump was able to exploit that hatred to win the presidency.
How did you overcome that bigotry?
It was a gradual evolution. The big change came when I enrolled at the City College of New York, in Harlem, and joined the radical student newspaper there, Observation Post. The staff of the paper, most of whom were passionately dedicated to the antiwar movement, were also anti-racist, anti-corporate, and, not surprisingly, super-anti-Nixon. So, I met people who showed me there was another way to be than what I'd learned growing up in Flatbush. I grew my hair long; I became a hippie; and eventually I became the editor of the paper. It was simply a case of meeting the right people at the right time.
How have people in the book reacted to it?
Philip Roth said that it's a curse to have a writer born in the family, and Bobby in Naziland is a pretty good example of why that's true. I did what I could to re-create my family, my neighbors, and Flatbush itself as accurately and vividly as I could. I want readers to know how Flatbush looked, felt, sounded, smelled, and tasted. My brother is the only person in the book who's read it, and he's fine with it. So that's a relief. My father passed away 14 years ago. He hated the candy store, never wanted to talk about it, and after he sold it, pretended it never existed. I'm sure there are parts of the book he'd hate but other parts that he'd be proud of. My mother is still alive. She's 92, living in Florida, having trouble with her eyes, and can no longer read. The only question she's asked me about the book thus far is, "Did you write about the candy store?" I told her I did. She wanted to know why. I said, "Because it was such a big part of our lives for so many years, I couldn't not write about it." I have an aunt who plays a small but crucial role in the book. She asked me to use her real name. Another relative, who's well known in certain circles, gave me permission to use his real name. With most other people I changed their names to protect their privacy. Who knows how they're going to react? Maybe they won't even recognize themselves.
Do you ever go back to Flatbush?
For a long time, no. When I was writing the book I was doing it all from memory. But lately, by chance, I've been going back quite a bit, and it's changed a lot. Flatbush used to be a Jewish enclave. Now, it's primarily people from the Caribbean and Latin America. A section of Church Avenue, which is one of the book's main settings, has been renamed Bob Marley Boulevard. The place on Church Avenue where my father's candy store used to be is now part of the subway station. Not one store is the same. On my block, East 17th Street, the buildings are still there, but they've put up all these fences and planted a lot of greenery, so it looks very different from what I remember. The Parade Grounds, which used to be a dusty place with baseball diamonds and football fields, is now covered with artificial turf and soccer fields. Erasmus Hall High School and the Dutch Reform Church are still there, but the Flatbush Avenue movie theatres are gone, two of them converted to places of worship. The Loew's Kings, however, has been renovated and now it's a beautiful venue for concerts. I saw Crosby, Stills, and Nash there in 2015 and Bikini Kill a couple of months ago. It was surreal walking down the avenue and seeing those names on the marquee.
You can purchase Bobby in Naziland on Amazon. For more on Robert Rosen and his books visit www.robertrosennyc.com
View more on M.A. Cassata's website—www.macassata.com
The Mac Wire
September 6, 2019
Bobby in Naziland (Headpress), a memoir about growing up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, in the 1950s and 60s, among Holocaust survivors and W.W. II veterans, is the third book from Robert Rosen. Best known for his John Lennon biography, Nowhere Man, he's also written Beaver Street, about his years as a men's magazine editor. In Bobby in Naziland, Rosen brings to life a New York City lost to time—a place where the Second World War lingered like a mass hallucination, racism ran rampant, and the candy store served as the nexus of neighborhood activity. Bobby in Naziland was published September 1st.
Why did you write this book?
The roots of Bobby in Naziland can be found in the opening pages of my previous book, Beaver Street. I describe the scene in my father's candy store, in 1961 when I was nine years old. I'm sitting at the window making change for newspapers, listening to my father, who'd fought in the Second World War, talking to his friends, the candy store regulars, about the Battle of the Bulge. As I was writing this scene, I knew that I was only scratching the surface. I knew that something was going on at that time and in that place that demanded further exploration. So I wrote down everything I could remember about Flatbush in the 1950s and 60s. When I looked back at the 400 single-spaced pages of notes, fragments, ideas, and anecdotes that had accumulated, what jumped out at me were Nazis. They were everywhere. And that's how the book came about.
How is Bobby in Naziland relevant to the world in 2019?
I talk about that in the Afterword: On a personal level, as I was writing the book, my two nephews, who live in Upstate New York, along with a number of their classmates, were being subjected to persistent anti-Semitism in school. They were beaten up; they were pelted with coins; scores of swastikas were drawn on the school's walls; and one of their classmates was held down while a swastika was drawn on her face. My brother, his wife, and two other families complained repeatedly to the school authorities. Nothing was done. Finally, they sued the school district, and the students were awarded $4.48 million. The story was on the front page of The New York Times. And Orange County, New York, is hardly the only place where this kind of thing is going on.Then there's Donald Trump. The racism and hatred that I describe viscerally and in depth in the book is the kind of racism and hatred that Trump knew intimately while he was growing up a few miles from Flatbush, in Queens, and that he and his father, Fred Trump, practiced when they refused to rent apartments to people of color. He knew that that kind of hatred lurked just below the surface, despite the progress American society had appeared to make over the decades. Trump was able to exploit that hatred to win the presidency.
How did you overcome that bigotry?
It was a gradual evolution. The big change came when I enrolled at the City College of New York, in Harlem, and joined the radical student newspaper there, Observation Post. The staff of the paper, most of whom were passionately dedicated to the antiwar movement, were also anti-racist, anti-corporate, and, not surprisingly, super-anti-Nixon. So, I met people who showed me there was another way to be than what I'd learned growing up in Flatbush. I grew my hair long; I became a hippie; and eventually I became the editor of the paper. It was simply a case of meeting the right people at the right time.
How have people in the book reacted to it?
Philip Roth said that it's a curse to have a writer born in the family, and Bobby in Naziland is a pretty good example of why that's true. I did what I could to re-create my family, my neighbors, and Flatbush itself as accurately and vividly as I could. I want readers to know how Flatbush looked, felt, sounded, smelled, and tasted. My brother is the only person in the book who's read it, and he's fine with it. So that's a relief. My father passed away 14 years ago. He hated the candy store, never wanted to talk about it, and after he sold it, pretended it never existed. I'm sure there are parts of the book he'd hate but other parts that he'd be proud of. My mother is still alive. She's 92, living in Florida, having trouble with her eyes, and can no longer read. The only question she's asked me about the book thus far is, "Did you write about the candy store?" I told her I did. She wanted to know why. I said, "Because it was such a big part of our lives for so many years, I couldn't not write about it." I have an aunt who plays a small but crucial role in the book. She asked me to use her real name. Another relative, who's well known in certain circles, gave me permission to use his real name. With most other people I changed their names to protect their privacy. Who knows how they're going to react? Maybe they won't even recognize themselves.
Do you ever go back to Flatbush?
For a long time, no. When I was writing the book I was doing it all from memory. But lately, by chance, I've been going back quite a bit, and it's changed a lot. Flatbush used to be a Jewish enclave. Now, it's primarily people from the Caribbean and Latin America. A section of Church Avenue, which is one of the book's main settings, has been renamed Bob Marley Boulevard. The place on Church Avenue where my father's candy store used to be is now part of the subway station. Not one store is the same. On my block, East 17th Street, the buildings are still there, but they've put up all these fences and planted a lot of greenery, so it looks very different from what I remember. The Parade Grounds, which used to be a dusty place with baseball diamonds and football fields, is now covered with artificial turf and soccer fields. Erasmus Hall High School and the Dutch Reform Church are still there, but the Flatbush Avenue movie theatres are gone, two of them converted to places of worship. The Loew's Kings, however, has been renovated and now it's a beautiful venue for concerts. I saw Crosby, Stills, and Nash there in 2015 and Bikini Kill a couple of months ago. It was surreal walking down the avenue and seeing those names on the marquee.
You can purchase Bobby in Naziland on Amazon. For more on Robert Rosen and his books visit www.robertrosennyc.com
View more on M.A. Cassata's website—www.macassata.com
August 11, 2019
INTERVIEW: AUTHOR PAULA FINN TALKS ABOUT HER NEW BOOK ON CLASSIC TV COMEDY: "SITCOM WRITERS TALK SHOP: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH CARL REINER, NORMAN LEAR, AND OTHER GENIUSES OF TV COMEDY"
July 27, 2019
As the daughter of Honeymooners writer Herbert Finn, Author Paula Finn grew up in the culture, surrounded by the brilliance and wit of her father and his colleagues. A former college English teacher and TV documentary researcher, she's the author of ten gift books including When Love Isn't Easy and Make This Your Day.
"Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" features Q&A's with such writers as Carl Reiner (Creator, The Dick Van Dyke Show), Norman Lear (All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, Good Times), James L. Brooks, (Co-creator, Mary Tyler Moore, Taxi, The Simpsons), Matt Williams (Creator, Roseanne), Al Jean (Longtime showrunner, The Simpsons), and Phil Rosenthal (Creator, Everybody Loves Raymond). Topics include the influence of drugs, tricks for getting inspired, defining comedy, backstories of iconic series and episodes, demystifying the creative process, the realities of writers' rooms, and coping with fear (Norman Lear calls it "shit in the head").
Some of the Q&A's include relevant "Behind the Scenes" sidebar information from additional writers and answers to such questions as, "Was there real beer on the Cheers stage? How did Bill Cosby infuriate Danny Kaye? Which writer passed out mid-joke?"
The book's forewords are by Ed Asner and Carol Kane. It's endorsed by several celebrities including Jay Leno, Paula Poundstone, and Valerie Harper.
Paula chatted with us about growing up in Hollywood, the perks of having a comedy-writing father, and her process in writing the book.
What were some advantages of having a dad who's a comedy writer?
My dad's sense of humor made everything more fun. And one of the best perks was being invited to the closed sets of my favorite TV shows to watch them being filmed. My dad had connections everywhere. One time I wrote for tickets to the 1960's music show, Shindig. They sent back a postcard saying the waiting list was two years. My dad called the producer and got me four tickets for the next week's show.
What are some of your most memorable brushes with celebrity?
Aside from chatting with my favorite sitcom stars at their shows, I knew Jerry Mathers in college. He gave me rides home in his Porsche when my car wasn't running. I was in classes with Lucy Arnaz when I briefly attended a private Catholic school. Jay North went to my orthodontist. Steve Allen and Walt Disney went to my church. And a highlight of my teen years was visiting Sonny and Cher's home in Encino: they invited me in and treated me like an old friend.
Is "Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" your first writing effort?
I was always a writer. In high school I was writing a celebrity interview column for my local paper. After college I wrote magazine articles for several years, and then got into writing inspirational gift books and uplifting prose for a variety of gift products. I'm currently building a social media presence with my inspirational quotes (Gifts of Prose). Writing "Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" wasn't a stretch, as I'd done nonfiction articles based on interviews for years.
View more on M.A. Cassata's website—www.macassata.com
As the daughter of Honeymooners writer Herbert Finn, Author Paula Finn grew up in the culture, surrounded by the brilliance and wit of her father and his colleagues. A former college English teacher and TV documentary researcher, she's the author of ten gift books including When Love Isn't Easy and Make This Your Day.
"Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" features Q&A's with such writers as Carl Reiner (Creator, The Dick Van Dyke Show), Norman Lear (All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, Good Times), James L. Brooks, (Co-creator, Mary Tyler Moore, Taxi, The Simpsons), Matt Williams (Creator, Roseanne), Al Jean (Longtime showrunner, The Simpsons), and Phil Rosenthal (Creator, Everybody Loves Raymond). Topics include the influence of drugs, tricks for getting inspired, defining comedy, backstories of iconic series and episodes, demystifying the creative process, the realities of writers' rooms, and coping with fear (Norman Lear calls it "shit in the head").
Some of the Q&A's include relevant "Behind the Scenes" sidebar information from additional writers and answers to such questions as, "Was there real beer on the Cheers stage? How did Bill Cosby infuriate Danny Kaye? Which writer passed out mid-joke?"
The book's forewords are by Ed Asner and Carol Kane. It's endorsed by several celebrities including Jay Leno, Paula Poundstone, and Valerie Harper.
Paula chatted with us about growing up in Hollywood, the perks of having a comedy-writing father, and her process in writing the book.
What were some advantages of having a dad who's a comedy writer?
My dad's sense of humor made everything more fun. And one of the best perks was being invited to the closed sets of my favorite TV shows to watch them being filmed. My dad had connections everywhere. One time I wrote for tickets to the 1960's music show, Shindig. They sent back a postcard saying the waiting list was two years. My dad called the producer and got me four tickets for the next week's show.
What are some of your most memorable brushes with celebrity?
Aside from chatting with my favorite sitcom stars at their shows, I knew Jerry Mathers in college. He gave me rides home in his Porsche when my car wasn't running. I was in classes with Lucy Arnaz when I briefly attended a private Catholic school. Jay North went to my orthodontist. Steve Allen and Walt Disney went to my church. And a highlight of my teen years was visiting Sonny and Cher's home in Encino: they invited me in and treated me like an old friend.
Is "Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" your first writing effort?
I was always a writer. In high school I was writing a celebrity interview column for my local paper. After college I wrote magazine articles for several years, and then got into writing inspirational gift books and uplifting prose for a variety of gift products. I'm currently building a social media presence with my inspirational quotes (Gifts of Prose). Writing "Sitcom Writers Talk Shop" wasn't a stretch, as I'd done nonfiction articles based on interviews for years.
View more on M.A. Cassata's website—www.macassata.com
CELEBRITY AUTHOR MARK BEGO CELEBRATES SEPTEMBER 2019 WITH HIS 64TH AND 65TH BOOKS: "SUPREME GLAMOUR" WITH MARY WILSON AND "LIVING THE LUXE LIFE"
July 14, 2019
New York Times best-selling author Mark Bego breaks records by releasing two separate books titles in September 2019. One with his longtime best friend, the glamorous Mary Wilson of The Supremes. And, the second one with the brilliant millionaire hotel owner, Efrem Harkham. This brings him to a grand total of 65 published books!
In December of 1975 Bego first met his Motown singing star idol, Mary Wilson in Rochester, New York, while he was working for music industry trade magazine, Record World. At that first meeting Bego proposed that they write a book on The Supremes together. Finally 44 years later Supreme Glamour (Thames & Hudson Publishers), a lavishly illustrated coffee table book on the career of the biggest selling female singing group in the world: The Supremes, will be released in September.
To set the record straight, Bego worked on Wilson's two previous hit books, but Supreme Glamour is a true collaboration for the pair. This book finds the pair telling The Supremes' story with a fresh perspective and many new insights. Friends for five decades, Bego claims, "Mary has shown me how to live life glamorously with passion and flair for years. She is gracious and wonderful, and I am so excited about this book. It is like a Supreme dream come true!"
Mark Bego is the author of the biggest selling Motown book ever published: the eight million-selling Michael! (Jackson), with an Introduction by Mary Wilson. As Mark explains it, "Mary and I have traveled around the world together, and we have worked on many projects together, but Supreme Glamour is the absolute pinnacle." Wilson and Bego most recently worked together on Mark's best-selling celebrity cookbook,Eat Like a Rock Star (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017).
Then there is Living the Luxe Life (Skyhorse Publishing), which Bego wrote with Luxe Hotel chain hotelier-Efrem Harkham. Says Mark, "Efrem is a true inspiration in the business world. He not only owns the Luxe hotels on Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, but he shares his secrets to success in his inspirational book. He is a 'rock star' of hoteliers!"
Interestingly enough, the pair first met via one of Bego's rock & roll books. Explains Mark, "One of Efrem's friends had read the book I wrote with Jimmy Greenspoon of Three Dog Night, and recommended we meet. I was instantly impressed with his 'rags to riches' story. The first day we met I knew this book had to be entitled 'Living the Luxe Life." The book will also be released in September.
According to Bego, "I am genuinely excited to have two new books coming out at once. Thanks to Mary Wilson and Efrem Harkham, I truly am living the 'luxe life' with glamour and flair!"
View more on M.A. Cassata's site
New York Times best-selling author Mark Bego breaks records by releasing two separate books titles in September 2019. One with his longtime best friend, the glamorous Mary Wilson of The Supremes. And, the second one with the brilliant millionaire hotel owner, Efrem Harkham. This brings him to a grand total of 65 published books!
In December of 1975 Bego first met his Motown singing star idol, Mary Wilson in Rochester, New York, while he was working for music industry trade magazine, Record World. At that first meeting Bego proposed that they write a book on The Supremes together. Finally 44 years later Supreme Glamour (Thames & Hudson Publishers), a lavishly illustrated coffee table book on the career of the biggest selling female singing group in the world: The Supremes, will be released in September.
To set the record straight, Bego worked on Wilson's two previous hit books, but Supreme Glamour is a true collaboration for the pair. This book finds the pair telling The Supremes' story with a fresh perspective and many new insights. Friends for five decades, Bego claims, "Mary has shown me how to live life glamorously with passion and flair for years. She is gracious and wonderful, and I am so excited about this book. It is like a Supreme dream come true!"
Mark Bego is the author of the biggest selling Motown book ever published: the eight million-selling Michael! (Jackson), with an Introduction by Mary Wilson. As Mark explains it, "Mary and I have traveled around the world together, and we have worked on many projects together, but Supreme Glamour is the absolute pinnacle." Wilson and Bego most recently worked together on Mark's best-selling celebrity cookbook,Eat Like a Rock Star (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017).
Then there is Living the Luxe Life (Skyhorse Publishing), which Bego wrote with Luxe Hotel chain hotelier-Efrem Harkham. Says Mark, "Efrem is a true inspiration in the business world. He not only owns the Luxe hotels on Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, but he shares his secrets to success in his inspirational book. He is a 'rock star' of hoteliers!"
Interestingly enough, the pair first met via one of Bego's rock & roll books. Explains Mark, "One of Efrem's friends had read the book I wrote with Jimmy Greenspoon of Three Dog Night, and recommended we meet. I was instantly impressed with his 'rags to riches' story. The first day we met I knew this book had to be entitled 'Living the Luxe Life." The book will also be released in September.
According to Bego, "I am genuinely excited to have two new books coming out at once. Thanks to Mary Wilson and Efrem Harkham, I truly am living the 'luxe life' with glamour and flair!"
View more on M.A. Cassata's site
August 11, 2018
Laura Ingalls Wilder's Name Removed From Book Award
June 25, 2018
A division of the American Library Association has voted to remove the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a major children's book award, over concerns about how the author portrayed African Americans and Native Americans.
The board of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) made the unanimous decision to change the name on Saturday, at a meeting in New Orleans. The name of the prize was changed from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to the Children's Literature Legacy Award.
The association said Wilder "includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC's core values".
The first award was given to Wilder in 1954. The ALSC said Wilder's work continued to be published and read but her "legacy is complex" and "not universally embraced".
Wilder was born in 1867 and died in 1957. She is best known for her eight Little House on the Prairie novels, about pioneer life in the American west, which were published between 1932 and 1943.
In 2010, the British broadcaster Samira Ahmed wrote for the Guardian: "Wilder has a special status in American culture despite posthumous allegations of racism. The Osage nation, according to biographer Pamela Smith Hill, still condemns her work, which was based on their eviction.
"The novels are full of phrases that are unacceptable today. Even in her own lifetime Wilder apologised for her thoughtlessness and amended a line in Little House on the Prairie that said Kansas had 'no people, only Indians'. It now reads, 'no settlers, only Indians'."
See http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm
A division of the American Library Association has voted to remove the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a major children's book award, over concerns about how the author portrayed African Americans and Native Americans.
The board of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) made the unanimous decision to change the name on Saturday, at a meeting in New Orleans. The name of the prize was changed from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to the Children's Literature Legacy Award.
The association said Wilder "includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC's core values".
The first award was given to Wilder in 1954. The ALSC said Wilder's work continued to be published and read but her "legacy is complex" and "not universally embraced".
Wilder was born in 1867 and died in 1957. She is best known for her eight Little House on the Prairie novels, about pioneer life in the American west, which were published between 1932 and 1943.
In 2010, the British broadcaster Samira Ahmed wrote for the Guardian: "Wilder has a special status in American culture despite posthumous allegations of racism. The Osage nation, according to biographer Pamela Smith Hill, still condemns her work, which was based on their eviction.
"The novels are full of phrases that are unacceptable today. Even in her own lifetime Wilder apologised for her thoughtlessness and amended a line in Little House on the Prairie that said Kansas had 'no people, only Indians'. It now reads, 'no settlers, only Indians'."
See http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm
May 26, 2018
Writing/Publishing
At my author's site macassata.com, I have a Writing/Publishing section that dates back to 2014. I cover such topics as "How To Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal," "The Importance of Self-Promotion," "How To Boost Your Ebook Sales" and features on well known authors you love.
See http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm for more.
See http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm for more.
"Book Club" Stars Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, and Mary Steenburgen Share Their Favorite Books
Can books change lives? The wine-sipping friends in the new movie Book Club say "Yes!" Book lovers in real life, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Mary Steenburgen shared their favorite books in a Parade exclusive (and not one included 50 Shades of Grey, the movie's catalyst).
Drawn to Drama: "As a young girl, I was a big Nancy Drew person," says Candice Bergen, who'll be filming the reboot of her classic Murphy Brown TV series this summer. "The adult version is Michael Collins [author of the Dan Fortune series]." Most recently, she finished Matthew Weiner's Heather, the Totality. "I couldn't sleep afterwards," she said.
Strong Characters: An early fan of Pippi Longstocking, Steenburgen now shares the classic with her three granddaughters. "Pippi is strong and funny—a great role model for girls." Steenburgen loves reading to her grandchildren: "I have a rule that I never say no to a book." Recent adult read: A Gentleman in Moscow. "It's so good!"
Visual Inspiration: Keaton, who's also the author of several books, is obsessed with architecture and picture books, she says, like Rocks and Clouds by Mitch Epstein. When she looks at the books, "my mind is always racing with ideas," she says.
Life-Changing Reads: "Every time I'm in need of something, someone gives me a book that speaks to exactly what I need," says Fonda, who is a best-selling author herself. "When I was married to Ted Turner but knew the marriage wasn't going to last, I knew I wanted to write a book. A house guest brought me a gift—my first Anne Lamont book, Bird by Bird, a book about writing. Oh, my God—it meant so much to me."
Need more beach-reading inspiration? Find out what what's on the reading list this summer for author Ann Patchett, Emma Watson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and more!
For more visit http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm
Drawn to Drama: "As a young girl, I was a big Nancy Drew person," says Candice Bergen, who'll be filming the reboot of her classic Murphy Brown TV series this summer. "The adult version is Michael Collins [author of the Dan Fortune series]." Most recently, she finished Matthew Weiner's Heather, the Totality. "I couldn't sleep afterwards," she said.
Strong Characters: An early fan of Pippi Longstocking, Steenburgen now shares the classic with her three granddaughters. "Pippi is strong and funny—a great role model for girls." Steenburgen loves reading to her grandchildren: "I have a rule that I never say no to a book." Recent adult read: A Gentleman in Moscow. "It's so good!"
Visual Inspiration: Keaton, who's also the author of several books, is obsessed with architecture and picture books, she says, like Rocks and Clouds by Mitch Epstein. When she looks at the books, "my mind is always racing with ideas," she says.
Life-Changing Reads: "Every time I'm in need of something, someone gives me a book that speaks to exactly what I need," says Fonda, who is a best-selling author herself. "When I was married to Ted Turner but knew the marriage wasn't going to last, I knew I wanted to write a book. A house guest brought me a gift—my first Anne Lamont book, Bird by Bird, a book about writing. Oh, my God—it meant so much to me."
Need more beach-reading inspiration? Find out what what's on the reading list this summer for author Ann Patchett, Emma Watson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and more!
For more visit http://www.macassata.com/disc.htm
July 26, 2017
Entertainment Author M.A. Cassata Releases Updated Edition Of Fan-Favorite ‘The Elton John Scrapbook’ New Edition Features Detailed Information About The Music Legend’s Life
Entertainment author M.A. Cassata has announced the release of The Elton John Scrapbook: Revised and Updated eBook Edition.The original book was published in 2002, and over the years, fans have requested that a newly updated version be published. Cassata heard her fans’ requests and went to work on the new version that was just released.
Cassata has been an entertainment author for 30 years, in which time she’s written for popular publications including The New York Post, Hollywood Reporter, and Rolling Stone. She’s also written more than 20 books on popular celebrities including Cher, Britney Spears, Jim Carrey, Ariana Grande, and more. In addition, Cassata is the founder of the growing entertainment site themacwire.com.
Using her vast knowledge on Elton John, Cassata revised The Elton John Scrapbook to include updated information on the legendary entertainer, as well as in-depth interviews, critical commentary, anecdotes, information on collecting Elton John memorabilia, and more.
“In 2002, Citadel Press published The Elton John Scrapbook and it quickly became a fan favorite. For years fans have asked me to revise it, but the time was never right. It is right now. I am glad I finally did it,” said Cassata. “The purpose of this updated and revised edition, as with the original, is to celebrate the life and body of work of a man who continues to inspire millions and instills a sense of hope through his music and charitable works.”
The Elton John Scrapbook: Revised and Updated eBook Edition has received high acclaim from readers already. Mark Bego, author of 60 books on rock and roll and show business, including Elton John: The Bitch is Back, said, “M. A. Cassata has a long history of writing fascinating books about several of the pop world's true icons. This book shows off all of her strong points, which draws upon her vast knowledge about Elton, and about the music business in general. Music fans love Cassata for her adherence to detail, and with Elton John as a subject she truly has a true field day! From fascinating facts about Elton's vast catalog of music, to his addictions, his outrageous fashion sense, his personal life, and a complete discography, this book has it all!”
Robert Rosen, author of Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon, said, “The energy, the melody, and the poetry of Elton John and Bernie Taupin—a songwriting team equal to John Lennon and Paul McCartney—demanded my attention from the moment, in 1971, that I first heard ‘Your Song’ pouring from my stereo speakers. I’ve been paying attention ever since, and that’s why I find M.A. Cassata’s Elton John Scrapbook a delight. This revised and updated tribute—long awaited by many—contains a wealth of information and rarely seen photos that paint an intimate and unforgettable portrait of one of our most compelling performers. Cassata, a veteran rock journalist who has interviewed such icons as Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, McCartney, and Elton himself, has put together a book that his fans will treasure.”
The Elton John Scrapbook: Revised and Updated eBook Edition is now available on Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, and other online book retailers. More information can also be found at http://www.macassata.com/.
