August 15, 2011
Well, it's been quite a day. We have Men-ipulation live on Nook and Kindle, and I'm sitting in my closet as Wilma produces her kittens.
Wilma's first, Wilburt. He'll be Burtie.
So far Wilma's only given me one: a male orange tabby. I can feel there are still more inside her, but she doesn't seem to be in any hurry. She's off having a leisurely bite to eat and a quick drink of water. Meanwhile, I'm watching her son, Wilburt–Burtie for short–wander blindly over her birthing bed, looking for Mommy. Wilma sure doesn't have the focus that Willow had when she had her kittens. Four hours and she'd spit out five babies. This one's been working since early this morning and we only have one so far. Of course Willow had had a few litters before she came to live with us.
Men-ipulation's Cover
As for Men-ipulation, well the birthing process for that puppy was a whole lot longer. I can honestly say it was just as satisfying. Our first review was five stars.
Here's what the reviewer had to say:
In Men-ipulation, an unforgettable and moving true-life tale of sorrow and joy, "pulp nonfiction" meets a gritty love story of failure and success in this candid, courageous tale of addiction and recovery from a pasta heiress-by-marriage with a heroin habit and a heart of gold. From the drug neighborhoods of Kansas City to long stints in rehab to a dinner party on Senator Barry Goldwater's elegant patio to charity functions for underprivileged children in the Phoenix area, Monica Sarli has proved herself to be a survivor and a conqueror of adversity. She survived her drug addiction, her toxic friends, her husband's family's wealth, and her husband's penchant for getting them into hot water, so hot that they were offered a spot in the witness protection program in exchange for testimony against a dangerous drug kingpin whom they considered a friend. Readers will be appalled, aghast, and shaken by the drug world of a woman who loved without fear and never abandoned her husband, even though he dragged her down to the worst abysses of her entire life. Men-ipulation propels the reader on a reckless journey from inside a "shooting gallery" where her husband overdosed and nearly died that night (but for her bravery) to her recovery and her powerful presence in corporate boardrooms. Monica Sarli's life story is a loud warning cry against hard drugs, a rally to love one another unconditionally, and a resounding triumph of the human spirit. Brava to Denise Domning, an adept and insightful chronicler of Mrs. Sarli's life story, and brava to Monica Sarli, for telling it like it is, fearlessly. I was riveted, heartbroken, and amazed. This memoir packs a wallop. Without apology, Men-ipulation is the naked confession of a life gone wrong but a love gone right. Five stars. – Eve Paludan, author of three editions of The Romance Writer's Pink Pages, Letters from David, and Taking Back Tara.
It's available through Amazon and for on Barnes and Noble. I'm still working on getting the iBook version to appear on iTunes.
So, it looks like I'm going to have to chase down Wilma and get her back here to take care of her new baby!
