Beth Kephart's Blog, page 278

My little bit of news (a new book deal)

I am very happy, on this day, to be able to announce that I have sold my thirteenth book and my sixth YA novel to Laura Geringer Books/Egmont USA.  I've posted fragments from this book on this blog over the past few years.  I've written the story—about the irrevocable ways that an unthinkable kidnapping affects the lives of two young women—until it was alive and right, until it became a story pierced through with light.  I am entirely grateful to my agent, Amy Rennert; my editor, Laura Geringer; and Egmont USA's own Elizabeth Law for giving me this opportunity.  I cannot wait to share this novel with you.

An evening with Andrew Bacevich at Villanova University

Yesterday was another day of privileges—of a morning spent in a visionary's office reflecting on the fate and future of our city, of an evening spent in the company of Villanova University leaders and political commentator/New York Times bestseller Andrew Bacevich (The Limits of Power, Washington Rules) on the occasion of the second Lore Kephart '86 Distinguished Historians Lecture series. 



My father created the series with the hope of generating a sustaining conversation around important issues in our community.  He created the series to honor the memory of my mother.  Last night, again, hundreds of people turned out for the occasion—hundreds—students, faculty, neighboring residents, and long-time family friends.  A year of planning goes into a night like that one, and we Kepharts have a tremendous community at Villanova to thank—a president, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, and a dean, Father Kail Ellis, who spend the evening with us, who charm us; a committee of esteemed historians, including my friend, Paul Steege, who help identify the right lecturer (last year they chose Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. James McPherson); and a staff of individuals who make the evening seamless.



Toward the end of the evening, following a remarkable lecture and passionate Q and A, I received a text message from my son, who is off at school.  His thoughts, he said, were with my mother.  He imagined her looking down in peace.  I did, too.

Club La Maison and my Phillies moment

I love my gym, Club La Maison.



That's a sentence this strident-non-joiner, this independent, this I-take-my-walks-alone-(mostly)-thank-you-so-very-much person never thought she'd think, let alone write, let alone blog for public viewing, but I find that sentence creeping up increasingly as I make my way to the club at all hours of some days to dance cha-cha or to punch air or to knuckle down and sprint against my gorgeous friend Sarah.  I've found Joy there (both a woman and a feeling).  I'v...

A Conversation with Jay Kirk, Author of Kingdom Under Glass

I found this marvelous creature at the gas station today; he was taking a ride on a bike.  A wonder, I thought, and then I thought of the cabinet of wonders that are unlocked by Jay Kirk's book, Kingdom Under Glass:  A Tale of Obsession, Adventure, and One Man's Quest to Preserve the World's Great Animals.



Jay's book, his first, is due out in a month from Holt; I had the pleasure of reading an advance reader's copy. As one who majored in the History and Sociology of Science at Penn, I was fa...

News is coming

Stay tuned.

A Dangerous Neighbors review and radio talk

And since I seem to be posting inspirational images today, here's one I took at the Please Touch Museum—images of the Observatory at George's Hill.  My Dangerous Neighbors heroine Katherine seeks to see the world from places high above, and towers like these figure in my story.



I post this image, this towering image, to thank the 1st Daughter for her incredibly generous review of Dangerous Neighbors and for her extraordinary words about the book during her interview with Nicole from Linus's ...

Dangerous Neighbors interview and giveaway

I'd posted this image long ago, before Dangerous Neighbors was a book with a home or a future. But this is Operti's Tropical Garden, where some of the novel action takes place, and I post it now so that it might send you fluttering toward the Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia, who is hosting a me interview and Dangerous Neighbors giveaway.  She asked some great questions about sisters, inspirations, research.  I hope my answers lived up to her curiosity.



Oh, and Cecelia:  Authors are flattered t...

We've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication/Judith Warner: Reflections

I wrote last evening of spending time in the company of people I admire—of clients who become and remain friends.  That post was prompted, in part, by the all-employee meeting conducted by Shire Pharmaceuticals—an event that took place beneath a wide, white tent on a morning that recalled summer far more than it augured fall.



Judith Warner—bestselling author of Perfect Madness, former New York Times blogger, once a special foreign correspondent for Newsweek—was among those who, as an invited...

Safe Harbors

I want simply to say that, in this life, it is possible to know who your true friends are, and on this day I had the privilege of seeing or hearing from some of those whom I count dear.  The band of brilliant men at a favorite client company who make me feel welcome, who tell me their stories, who listen, absent all hierarchy.  Dear and beloved Reiko, who sends me light.  Sarah, who will meet me at the gym at the long day's end so that we can Cardio Jam our way to sanity (I need it more than ...

On Broken Glass: Loving and Losing John Gardner/Susan Thornton: Reflections

I find myself reading John Gardner these days—his thoughts about writing, his encouragements about teaching, a little of his work itself.  Last night, while waiting for an event to begin, I sat down with On Broken Glass, Susan Thornton's memoir about her tangled affair with John Gardner before, throughout, and after his marriage to the talented writer and teacher Liz Rosenberg—right up, indeed, to the day when a motorcycle accident took Gardner's life and foiled the plans for his wedding to T...