Leaving the world a little better than I found it by sharing my passions and dreams, what inspires me,
and maybe you too, and furthering the discussion about how we can listen to our better angels.
It's no secret that I LOVE everything Brad Meltzer does, so it should come as no surprise that I'm telling you to watch his new TV show Brad Meltzer's Decoded which will premiere Thursday, December 2nd at 10pm ET (that's 9pm for you Midwesterners) on the History Channel.
Brad Meltzer's Decoded (that's the title, not just me repeating his name a gazillion times) features Brad) and his incredibly smart team investigating some of the greatest unsolved historical mysteries.
So that's it. Now set your DVR, call in sick at work (okay, maybe don't do that), call all of your friends for a last minute viewing party, and show Brad the love. And remember, if you call me between 9 and 10pm on Thursday night, I'll be too busy to chat because I'll be watching Brad Meltzer's Decoded.
Here's a sneak peek:
P.S. For all you bookish types (and that should be all of you), Brad's new book, The Inner Circle, is coming out on January 11th. You can pre-order it now on Amazon. He'll be in Chicago on January 21st and you're invited to join me at his book signing. Let me know if you want to go. Really.
As I was sitting down waiting to meet a client for lunch this afternoon, I picked up today's USA Today and saw a blurb about the creation of Superman in the upper right corner. I thought, "huh, that's interesting, Brad Meltzer has a book about this exact topic coming out in a week." And then I opened the paper and found a huge above-the-fold story on the cover of the Life Section all about Brad's new book. Yeah Brad!
The USA Today story is below, but here's what you need to know: this book is AWESOME. I can't tell you exactly how I know this yet (I'm in the Cone of Silence until Sept. 2nd), but just trust me.
"Think about it. Your father dies in a robbery, and you invent a bulletproof man." Author Brad Meltzer, on the origins of Superman. Pic from DC Comics.
Prototype: Unpublished 1933 Superman proposal by Siegel and Shuster shows hero foiling a robbery. Pic from Superman: The Complete History by Chronicle Books.
Superman settlement: Artist Joe Shuster, left, artist Neal Adams, writer Jerry Siegel and Jerry Robinson, who invented The Joker in 1939, celebrate Siegel and Shuster's agreement in 1975 with Time Warner. Photo provided by Jerry Robinson.
On the night of June 2, 1932, the world's first superhero was born — not on the mythical planet of Krypton but from a little-known tragedy on the streets of Cleveland.
It was Thursday night, about 8:10 p.m., and Mitchell Siegel, a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania, was in his secondhand clothing store on the near East Side. According to a police report, three men entered. One asked to see a suit of clothes and walked out without paying for it. In the commotion of the robbery, Siegel, 60, fell to the ground and died.
The police report mentions a gunshot being heard. But the coroner, the police and Siegel's wife said Siegel died of a heart attack. No one was ever arrested.
What happened next has exploded some of the longest-held beliefs about the origins of Superman and the two teenage boys, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who invented America's best-known comic-book hero.
Past accounts suggest Siegel and Shuster, both 17, awkward and unpopular in high school, invented the meek Clark Kent and his powerful alter-ego, Superman, to attract girls and rise above their humble Cleveland beginnings.
But now it appears that the origin might have been more profound — that it was the death of Jerry Siegel's father that pushed the devastated teen to come up with the idea of a "Superman" to right all wrongs.
"In 50 years of interviews, Jerry Siegel never once mentioned that his father died in a robbery," says Brad Meltzer, a best-selling author whose novel, The Book of Lies, due Sept. 2, links the Siegel murder to a biblical conspiracy plot.
"But think about it," Meltzer says. "Your father dies in a robbery, and you invent a bulletproof man who becomes the world's greatest hero. I'm sorry, but there's a story there."
The first 'Superman' The evidence for such a psychological underpinning is strong.
It was just a year after Mitchell Siegel's death, 1933, that writer Siegel and artist Shuster came up with "The Superman," a grim, flying avenger they tried to sell to newspaper syndicates and publishers for five years. In the oldest surviving artwork, this early Superman, whom they call "the most astounding fiction character of all time," flies to the rescue of a man who is being held up by a masked robber.
Was it Jerry's alter-ego flying to rescue his helpless father?
"America did not get Superman from our greatest legends, but because a boy lost his father," Meltzer says. "Superman came not out of our strength but out of our vulnerability."
The more Meltzer looked, the more intriguing things became. A letter published in The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer on June 3, 1932, the day after the robbery, denounces the need for vigilantes in the harsh days of the Depression. The letter is signed by an A.L. Luther.
"Is that where (Superman foe) Lex Luthor came from?" Meltzer says. "I almost had a heart attack right there. I thought, 'You have to be kidding me!' "
In search of answers Meltzer was not the only one looking. Comic-book historian Gerard Jones first disclosed the fact of the robbery in 2004 for his book, Men of Tomorrow, after interviews with Siegel's cousins.
"It had to have an effect," Jones says. "Superman's invulnerability to bullets, loss of family, destruction of his homeland — all seem to overlap with Jerry's personal experience. There's a connection there: the loss of a dad as a source for Superman."
Although they never went public, the father's side of the family was told for decades that the elder Siegel had been shot in the robbery. That's the dramatic angle Meltzer takes in his conspiracy novel. Siegel was shot twice in the chest at his store, he writes, and "a puddle of blood seeped toward the door."
In an afterword to his work of fiction, Meltzer concedes that the facts remain murky. In an interview, Meltzer said that some in the family were told "since they were little kids" that Siegel died by gunfire. Others were told he had a heart attack. "It was probably a heart attack," Meltzer said.
And yet Meltzer is not ready to embrace either answer as final.
More definitive is Marc Tyler Nobleman, author with artist Ross MacDonald of this year's illustrated book Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, who concludes that Mitchell Siegel died of a heart attack during the robbery. The coroner, he notes, reported "no wounds" on Siegel's body, and the gunshot might not have been related to the robbery.
"I spent a long time going after this," Nobleman says. "I believe I have the first accurate account. Jerry's father wasn't shot and robbed. He had a heart attack during a robbery."
A fortune sold for $130
The rest of the saga of Siegel and Shuster is better known, but no less tragic. It wasn't until 1938 that the familiar red-and-blue-garbed Superman appeared on the cover of Action Comics No. 1. The creators got a check for $130. In return, DC Comics acquired rights to the character "forever."
Siegel and Shuster bristled as Superman grew in popularity — on radio, in wartime cartoons and serials in the 1940s. They went to court several times, winning settlements but never rights to the character. By the 1970s, Siegel had been working as a mail clerk for $7,000 a year, and Shuster was almost blind.
"A shameful legacy," says Blake Bell, author of The World of Steve Ditko, a biography of the co-creator of Spider-Man. Comic-book creators "had no pensions, no contracts, no health benefits, and companies didn't even pay for the artists' supplies. When these artists tried to negotiate greater rights for themselves, they were either collectively cast out or made false promises."
After hearing that Warner Bros. had paid $3 million for the rights to make Superman the Movie in 1975, Siegel and Shuster tried again to reap some benefits. This time, though, they had help from the artistic community and from fans who knew their work.
In a landmark settlement, DC Comics agreed to pay the two men $20,000 a year for life. More important, friends say, DC agreed to add "Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster" on all printed and filmed material in the future.
"Having their names listed as Superman's creators was the biggest victory of all," says Steve Younis, editor of SupermanHomepage.com. "It's worth more than any kind of monetary reimbursement."
The man who helped negotiate the Siegel and Shuster deal was artist Jerry Robinson, who co-created The Joker in 1939 but who received little recognition for decades. (He's now a creative consultant for DC Comics in the wake of The Dark Knight film.)
Robinson says he threw a party in his Manhattan apartment when the Siegel and Shuster settlement was announced.
"Kurt Vonnegut, Jules Pfeiffer, Will Eisner, Eli Wallach and his wife were there," Robinson, 86, says. "Walter Cronkite came on, and they showed Superman flying, and he described what had happened. At the end, he said, 'Another triumph for truth, justice and the American way.'
"We opened Champagne. Jerry and Joe were there, and it was a very emotional moment. There wasn't a dry eye in the place."
The struggle goes on Michael Uslan, executive producer of the six Batman movies since 1989, including The Dark Knight, says there has been a "sea change" in how corporations view comic books and their creators. "Here you have people in their 80s and 90s seeing their comic-book work being taken seriously," Uslan says. "They are deriving economic benefits now either directly or through consultancies."
Shuster died in 1992 and Siegel in 1996, but their legal battles have been never-ending. In March, a court ruled that Siegel's heirs (wife Joanne and daughter Laura) were entitled to parts of the billion-dollar Superman copyright. Because of the ongoing litigation, neither the families nor DC Comics would comment, not even about Mitchell Siegel's death 76 years ago or its implications.
But in an e-mailed response, the Siegel family did say, "It is gratifying to know people want to know about Jerry Siegel, and that he is getting recognition for his creativity."
I can't wait to crack open the spine. Inhale that new book smell. Hear the pages turn. I just know it will be everything I've been anticipating for the last 2 years.
Why am I so excited you ask? Well, you see, this isn't just any book. And as I've mentioned before, Brad Meltzer isn't just any writer. He's my friend. I've known him for about 10 years and was at his first book launch party for The Tenth Justice at The Mansion on O Street during the summer of 1997. What a crazy and fun party. I'm still not sure how I finagled that invitation, but I'm sure glad I did.
I've been keeping a BIG secret about this book.
In January 2007, while working on the character development for The Book of Lies, Brad sent out the following, which he also posted on his blog:
What one word describes your relationship with you parents? When has your mom or dad let you down? Describe an incident where your mom or dad broke your heart. Describe an incident where your mom or dad made you feel strong. Extra credit: Best or worst memory of mom or dad.
As always, feel free to reply and post here, or send them directly to me at [Brad's email]. Yes, this may show up in a book (so goodbye to your rights), but of course, no names will be named. We're not that crazy. :)
Thanks for playing and sharing. It means more than you realize.
Love, B
I'll be honest, I looked at the email (which he sent to a ton of people) and wanted to respond because Brad's my friend and who doesn't like to help their friends, but I had a great deal of trepidation because the truthful answers to some of the questions were things I rarely, if ever, spoke about. And I just wasn't sure I could.
My memory is that I sat on the email for a day or so before finally responding, but I didn't think it would go anywhere, so I responded. Imagine my surprise when a day or so later, I received an email from Brad asking if we could talk in further detail about what I'd shared. I think I threw up a little in my throat imagining talking about things I just didn't talk about (and, no, I'm not going to share them here either), but told him to call me. And we had a great conversation and he made it easy for me to share some really difficult and painful parts of my life.
In the last 18 months, Brad has shared bits and pieces of the plot, but I really haven't known what part, if any, of what I shared, made it into The Book of Lies. And I haven't thought about it too much.
And then last week, I read the prologue and first chapter on Brad's website and I was floored. I'm in the book! And there's a rumor (from Brad, himself) that I'm in the Acknowledgements too! I haven't seen that for myself yet, so for now, I'm just calling it a rumor.
So go buy the book and enjoy it. I promise you will.
And go see Brad at one of his book signings. He'll sign anything. His comics, books, anything. Just do it. Oh, and tell him I sent you. He'll love it. And then you'll know just what an amazing guy he is too.
Author Gets Slammed by Grandmother, the Press, the World
Save the Superman House
From an email last night from Brad:
So, as you may know, The Book of Lies goes on sale today and in honor of that, we're officially unveiling OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com. This is my core belief. This is what I stand for. And this is what every project I've ever worked on has been about: To remind us that there is greatness inside all of us.
We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day.
The fact that you're reading this means (I hope) that you believe this too. So I put my dream in your hands. I put my book in your hands. And I appreciate anything you can do to share the above videos with the people you love and know. Some of you love Superman and will focus on the last one. Some love the novels, so you prefer the little kids and my grandmother. Some of you will love all three (hi, Dad!).
In this tough publishing world, where sales of ALL books are down in double digits, it does really matter if you can share these on the places you go (email, blog, myspace, facebook, message boards, etc).
And now it's midnight, which means we can let all of these loose on the world. Take a few minutes...share it with those you love. Then make an enemies list and share it with your foes. Wherever you put it is appreciated.
And for those who want even more details on Saving the Siegel House and the auction, please see below.
I'm headed off on tour, but please do come say hey so I can thank you personally. I know this sounds so pretentious, but I truly think we can change how books are sold. As I've said to many of you before, I know every author has family and friends, but they don't have our family and friends. Thank you for always being there. Always.
Much love,
Brad
ADDITIONAL SIEGEL HOUSE INFO
As you can tell from the video, the goal of The Siegel & Shuster Society is to save the house where Superman was created. It would be ideal to post something in your own words, but you can post this FAQ as-is if you would like. Your choice.
The most important thing to do is to mention and link to the auction, encourage people to buy a shirt, and post the video (see below for link) on all the places you frequent. The video shows the state of the house and tells people about the auction starting today. As you'll see from the list of people involved, this isn't about DC or Marvel. This isn't about competition. It's about the comic community as a whole, pulling together for a place that launched so many of our best dreams.
I just hope you know how much I and everyone working on this project appreciate you being involved with it. And while we know it's just a house, it matters.
Attached are also two signatures for people to download or see on your sig. Feel free to share them. Below, is the full FAQ. And of course, lemme know if you have any questions.
FAQ (feel free to edit as you need)
What's this all about again? Today is the official launch of The Siegel & Shuster Society, with a celebrity charity auction that'll raise money to preserve the home of Jerry Siegel, creator of Superman. When you go to Brad Meltzer's charitable website OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, you can: - bid online for original Superman and comic book art and items by top writers and artists - buy a Siegel & Shuster Society t-shirt (designed by the legendary graphic designer Chip Kidd) - or just donate to the good cause. The best way to show it is here: Save The Superman House. All proceeds of the auction go to the restoration of the Siegel house.
Who's involved in the auction? This is a coming together of an entire community. The full list includes: Stephen Colbert, Jim Lee, Brian Michael Bendis, Brad Meltzer, Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, Joe Quesada, Neil Gaiman, Alex Ross, Dave Gibbons, Jeph Loeb, Murphy Anderson, Ed Brubaker, John Cassaday, Gene Ha, Greg Rucka, George Perez, Michael Turner, Adam Kubert, Andy Kubert, Judd Winick, Frank Cho, Eric Powell, Tim Sale, Walt Simonson, Joe Staton, Eric Wight, Dave Mandel, Mike Mignola, Rags Morales, Bill Morrison, Ivan Reis, John Romita Jr., Jason Palmer, Amanda Conner, Geoff Darrow, Ron Garney, Renato Guedes, Heroes, Dave Johnson, Chris Bachalo, Mike Bair, Allen Bellman, Dan Brereton, Ernie Chan, Travis Charest, and Ian Churchill, YOU, and even Jerry Siegel (see below).
How did this come about? While researching his new novel, The Book of Lies, Brad Meltzer visited the boyhood home of Jerry Siegel in Cleveland, Ohio, where Superman was created. As Meltzer says, "The house where Google was founded is preserved. The garage where Hewlett Packard was founded is protected. But the house where Superman was born? I was in shock." After contacting dozens of comic book creators -- and thanks to the hard work of many in the city of Cleveland -- The Siegel & Shuster Society was created and is dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the creation of Superman in Cleveland by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. "I think sometimes people take things like this for granted because it started in cartoon form, but this is a house were modern mythology was created," Brain Michael Bendis adds. "Mythology that will never die away or disappear. There is no difference, to me, between this house and Mark Twain's house. We have to honor and exalt such creation."
What are the items in the auction? You can win a walk-on part on Heroes, VIP seats to the Colbert Report, original Superman art (go see the art!), have your name in Bendis or Brubaker or Rucka's comic, or Meltzer's next novel. There's a rare original pre-Superman movie script from Geoff Johns, signed by Richard Donner. And Joanne Siegel told Meltzer that before Jerry Siegel died, he signed six Superman t-shirts that no one ever knew existed -- and then told her that if their family ever needed money, she should sell the shirts. Instead, she donated one of them to be auctioned off here. The signature is on a Superman: Quest For Peace(!) t-shirt. C'mon, baby, it's Jerry Siegel on a Quest for Peace shirt!
What can you do? Forward and digg the video. Go buy a Siegel & Shuster Society t-shirt. They're cool. They're designed by Chip Kidd. They can't be bought anywhere else. Bid on some of the auctions and spread the word by sharing the video, sigs, and OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com auction with your facebook, myspace, and live-breathing friends.
How much is the Siegel And Shuster Foundation trying to raise? Depends on how successful we are. Phase 1 involves working on the exterior of the house: securing the roof, making sure the paint isn't rotting, doing the concrete work. That will hopefully protect the place from the outside. Joe Shuster's house (a few blocks away) was in such disrepair, it was torn down. The first goal is to collect $50,000 to deal with the outside. If we do that, then we'll go and tackle the much-needed-repairs on the inside.
Who lives there now? The house is located in one of the tougher neighborhoods of Cleveland and is currently occupied by an African-American couple who have lived there for approximately 20 years, who have put up with all of us who have come visiting, but who don't have the money to do these repairs. Rather than kick anyone out on the street, the goal is to repair this place for them. Why? It's the right thing to do. In return, The Siegel & Shuster Society has the right to buy the house when it eventually goes up for sale.
Is there a long-term goal to make a museum? The long-term goal is still being decided, and that's why you're invited to join The Siegel & Shuster Society and help us with those plans. Meetings are held monthly in Cleveland -- when you buy a shirt, they'll have your name. But one of the dreams is that one day, buses full of students will drive from all over Ohio, from Michigan, from any nearby state, and come to the fully-restored house -- covered and decorated with children's artwork inside -- and see where one of the world's greatest dreams was born. Go to OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com to make it happen.
I'm so excited to read this book not only because I'm personally a huge Brad Meltzer fan, but also because I loved The Inner Circle and this novel features once again features Beecher White as the hero. I also love how much research Brad does for his books to make them historically accurate as possible within fiction. Brad doesn't skimp on the details which always prove to suck me in by about the bottom of the first page.
You should buy and fall in love with Brad's new book because in addition to being a phenomenal writer, he's also just one of the coolest people I know. Yes, I know Brad personally. You can find that story here where you'll also learned about how I ended up in The Book of Lies. But I digress. Brad does a lot of incredible charity work with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and City Year Miami, just to name two of his favorite causes. And no, he doesn't just write checks. He gives his time and his talent and he encourages those within his circle of influence to do the same.
Sure, Brad Meltzer is a guy who's achieved a whole lot of success in his life, but he's never forgotten where he came from and he believes in reaching back to help others achieve their dreams.
So buy his book. You'll be glad you did. Personally, I'll be at the book store during my lunch hour and then I'll be a bit exhausted on Wednesday.
Tonight was Brad's book signing at The Book Stall in Winnetka, IL. And you know I was there. It was a rainy night, so I wasn't sure what the turnout would be, but the place was packed. I had about 15 books, including comic books, for Brad to sign, so my plan was to wait until the end because I hated to make others with fewer books wait for me.
Brad started out reading parts of Chapter 2, one of the most pivotal of the book, and then taking questions. Once the questions started, it became obvious that Brad knew at least half the room.
Finally, the signing itself started. One of the things I love about Brad is that he takes the time to have conversations with people and develop relationships. And as long as he's talking to you, you're the only person in existence. He doesn't see anyone else. There was a guy Brad met when writing The Millionaires who took him through the underground tunnels at Disney. And Brad remembered him from 2002. Another woman from Hogan (in addition to me). College friends. Grade school friends. Relatives. Some he hadn't seen in years and years. And all the folks he met for the first time tonight. He'll remember them. Really. Another thing I love is that he tells people to bring everything for him to sign. There were guys there with a box full of Brad's comics. And Brad was happy to sign it all.
Finally, the line fizzled down to just two other women and me. It turned out one of them he'd known since grade school. So the four of us sat and chatted for probably 30 minutes before he left for Ann Arbor. He signed all our books. I won't tell you what he wrote inside my personal copy of The Book of Lies. That's private. You get to read what he wrote about me in the Acknowledgements, but this is mine.
And then he did something for me that I'll absolutely never forget. And this is why Brad is the greatest guy ever. He called my mom and wished her a Happy Birthday. And he didn't just talk for 7 seconds. They chatted for a few minutes. It made her night. And it made mine.
Here are some pics.
First, is Brad wishing my mom a happy birthday. Second, Brad and Me.
You know how much I loveBrad Meltzer. Not only is he my favorite writer, but he's also just an all-around super cool guy. I could list all the cool things he does, but that list would be a novel in itself. So just take my word for it and keep reading.
Over on his blog today, he proved once again, just how cool he is.
Brad announced that starting tomorrow (11/13), if you visit iTunes or audible.com, you can download his novel, The Millionaires, for FREE. Yep. For FREE. No catch.
He writes legal and political thrillers and I've read all of his books. I absolutely love them all. While his books aren't a series, I normally would recommend reading them in order because you can really see his evolution as a writer, and I've always preferred real books to audio books, but it's FREE! So since you can download The Millionaires for FREE, just do it! Oh, and of course, listen to it.
You can thank me later.
P.S. Thanks for letting me use the pic of The Millionaires Brad!
Brad Meltzer tweeted a couple (maybe a few) months ago that he was giving a TED Talk. Since then, I've been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see his talk.
Today's the day. Brad's Ted Talk is finally available on You Tube. And I love his topic.
How to Write Your Own Obituary.
Seriously.
Watch it. It's not really about writing your obituary. Well it is. But more than that, it's about the legacy each of us leaves. And it's powerful. Trust me.
As much as I can't stomach Glenn Beck's politics, I gotta hand it to him on a job well done (except for the part where he bashes President Obama - if he'd left politics out of this, I'd have liked it even more). This was one amazing hour. Heroes matter. Who we admire and want to emulate matters. Heroes teach us values. They help us be better. Heroes change the world and they also change just one life. They aren't necessarily famous, rich, or obvious. We can each be a hero.
I love the stories Brad tells about Superman, Tiger Woods (not a hero), Frank Shankwitz, and the wives at Fort Hood. You will too.
I am truly on pins and needles here. Three weeks. Three L.O.N.G. Weeks. Until my favorite author (and friend) Brad Meltzer's new book, The Book of Lies, is released on September 2nd. There are so many reasons I'm excited about this book, and I will share them as September 2nd draws closer. But for now, just know that The Book of Lies is a must-read. Just trust me.
You can pre-order it at Amazon.com (that link takes you right to the page), along with the Companion Soundtrack. And you can also see the video about the companion soundtrack here. Again, trust me, the video is very cool.
Just got the very first hardcover of the novel. Still looks fake -- like something a buddy made on PhotoShop (and believe me, I'm still waiting for Candid Camera to jump out and tell me the past decade has been a joke on me). But I love the Acknowledgments in there. Best part of the book.
Also, if you want to win a free copy, see below -- and thanks to Robert for doing it.
Have you ever wanted to be part of a New York Times Best Selling Author's next novel? Well, you're in luck! New York Times Best Selling Author Brad Meltzer is looking to cast your life in his next novel!
As you'll recall, Brad featured parts of my life in his last novel, The Book of Lies. And it started just this way. I'll be honest with you, when I answered Brad's email, I didn't have any idea he would find anything interesting in the stories I told him. And I was nervous. What I shared with him, I really hadn't shared before. But he took good care of deep secrets and I know he'll take care of your story too.
So take a deep breath and write Brad an email. It could be the best thing you ever do! And you could be immortalized in his next novel!
Yes, it’s that treasured time again: when I offer to cast your life in a book, in the hopes that you’ll share something private, real, and most important, honest about your personal life for the benefit of this imaginary character I’m working on. In the past, some of the best details for characters have come from friends and readers, so before we go forward, let’s go through the usual disclaimer: if you reply to this (whether you post or send me a private message), I actually may use it in a book, so you waive your rights to sue me, hate me, or give me Indian burns. In fact, at least three readers/friends from this blog were in the last book (see the Acknowledgments, though a few more asked their names withheld).
Now onto the personal question:
Are you (or have you ever known) someone who grew up with an absent parent -- or more specifically -- without knowing who one of your parents was? (could be by death, abandonment, divorce or because they left or you never knew who they were) If so, how did it affect your life? (And I mean that specifically. Not just, “It made me insecure, or strong, or whatever.” How did that insecurity or strength actually manifest?) As always, personal examples (incidents/dreams/fears/stories) are always best. And if you want to send something private, please send to bradmeltzer27 [AT] gmail [dot] com. And again, thanks for the honesty -- that’s easily the most vital and appreciated part.
It's no secret that I love Brad Meltzer books (and Brad himself) and that I plug them and him every opportunity I have. Well, it's time for Brad's new book to hit the shelves.
Heroes for my Son is Brad's first non-fiction book and contains "52 real-life heroes. 52 stories. 52 reminders that anything is possible." "Since the day my first son was born, I've been writing this book for him. It's a collection of heroes throughout history. Some are famous (Jim Henson, Rosa Parks, Mr. Rogers). Some you've never heard of. The result is this book - a gift to my sons. As I share it with them, I hope you'll share it with the heroes in your life." (both quotes from the promotional postcard for Heroes for My Son).
See the story behind the book below.
I'll be at my local bookstore on Tuesday getting my copy of Heroes for My Son. I'll probably have it read before I close my eyes. I can't wait. The world needs more heroes and I think Brad is a hero for reminding us that there is a hero in each of us.
Go buy Heroes for My Son. You'll love it. Trust me. And buy a copy for your favorite hero.
What are you getting for your dad for Father's Day? More than likely, he's a pretty cool guy, is deserving of a cool gift and doesn't need another silly necktie or bottle of Aqua Velva.
I suggest you pick up a copy of Heroes for My Son written by my friend, Brad Meltzer, who just happened to have a sit down with my 1990s love, George Stephanopoulos yesterday on Good Morning America. How Brad sat there looking at George without drool running down his face is beyond me because that's what would have happened to me sitting across from George in front of millions of people. But I digress.
My favorite part of Heroes For My Son? On page 106 you can add a picture of your favorite hero and on page 107 you can write a story about them. I'm going to find a picture of my dad and me and write a paragraph or two about how he was never to0 tired read me just one more story every night thus instilling a life long love of reading in me.
And watch the video of Brad's appearance on GMA yesterday and just try not to drool. I mean look how yummy George is. Brad looks great too. Must see TV at its finest. I'm sorry I missed it the first time.
Since it's not everyday that I get mentioned on the blog of a New York Times Best-Selling Author, go check out the post titled "DB BS" on Brad Meltzer's Blog. Yes, that REALLY is me he's talking about. I sent him an email about the parachute found not belonging to DB Cooper, as had widely been reported (including by Brad).
Oh and yes, that's Brad and me in the pic above. He came to town almost 2 years ago on his book tour for The Book of Fate and we hung out in his tent at Wal-mart. Seriously. It was cooler than it sounds. Really. Trust me.
Oh ya, and if you're new here, Brad and I are friends. I'm not just some crazy fan. I may be, but we're friends. Really. Check out the history.
Can I be honest with you? Well, I'm always honest, but this is a little secret I'm going to share between just you and me. No one else.
The truth is when Brad Meltzertold me a week or so ago that I was in the Acknowledgements of The Book of Lies, while I was excited and shocked, I didn't entirely believe him. And that was about me. Not him. Brad is seriously the most upstanding guy I know. If he says something, he's not lying. So there really wasn't any reason for me to not believe him, but that's one of my insecurities in life.
So this morning, I ran over to Borders to pick up my copy of The Book of Lies (I was going to pre-order it from Amazon, but they said I wouldn't have it until next week and that wasn't good enough). As soon as I walked in the door, I was bombarded with a huge display of The Book of Lies. Seriously, it never gets old seeing my friends in the limelight.
As I picked up my copy from the table, I took a deep breath and prepared for what I might find. Would my name be misspelled? Would my name even be right or would I be mentioned as "Jennifer Gardner" (a mistake that happens at least once a day in my life)? Would it even be there at all? Again, these are my insecurities and not a reflection on Brad. Seriously. He's a perfectionist.
And then right there on the 3rd page of the Acknowledgements, in the center of the page, was my name. Spelled correctly and everything. I don't even know that I read anything but my name. And I cried. Standing right in the middle of Borders tears rolled down my face. Not a ton, but more than a few.
Here's what it actually says, "[a few other people] and Jessica Gardner trusted me with traits I truly hold dear, especially the ones you see in the characters."
Wow.
Thanks Brad. Thanks for making it easy that day to share parts of my life that I never discuss. Thanks for being one of the coolest guys I know. Thanks for your friendship. I truly treasure it and you.
No, I haven't read the book yet. I'm saving it for later tonight when I can savor each page. Then I'll post my review.
Apologies to Carly Simon, but when I told four five of my guy friends (one even sent me his resume to prove his hotness!) I was writing a blog post about sexy men, they each said, "Oh, thanks for writing about me!" and the title of this post was born.
My new blog friend Fonzie Sox has a wonderfully exciting post about the celebrities she is crushing on and would like to get to know better, if you know what I mean. :)
That has inspired me to create my own Top 25 List of Celebs I'd Like to Know. And by "know" I mean do very x-rated things with. Hey, a girl's gotta have goals!
Hopefully this list will warm us all up on this cold winter Sunday.
With no further ado, here they are in no particular order.
John F. Kennedy, Jr., 1960-1999 Nana used to send me clippings about JFK, Jr. when he was single and I was living in DC. She seemed to want me to marry him. Probably a good thing I didn't.
President-Elect Barack Obama It may be inappropriate to lust after our President-elect, but I don't care. Just look at him. Off the charts smart. Smokin' hot body and face. Great with kids. And powerful. Yep, that's the complete package.
Michael Jordan I mean, seriously, take a look at those hands. You know what they say about a man with big hands!
He's so hot, he needs two pictures.
Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles My high school boyfriend looked a lot like Jake. Lucky me.
Ryne Sandberg I could certainly do worse than a Hall of Fame Second Baseman. I obviously have a thing for Chicago athletes who wear #23.
Vince Vaughn He's such a boy next door. Plus he's got the funny thing going on.
Brad Meltzer Okay, I'll admit, Brad almost didn't make the list. Not because he's not sexy. He is clearly sexy. But Brad's a friend of mine and that made it a little weird. But he's famous and sexy and that was the criteria. His sex appeal comes from his brilliance and being an all-around good guy. A guy who believes we all have a responsibility to give back is sexy.
Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman. Well, okay, anytime really. But seriously, Josh Lyman has it all.
Rob Lowe As Sam Seaborn in The West Wing, Rob was almost irresitible. But as Robert McCallister on Brothers and Sisters, ABC is must-see-tv on Sundays.
Anderson Cooper Okay, sure, I've heard the rumors that Anderson doesn't play for my team, but that's okay. I can still lust.
Jimmy Smits Sorry, Kelly, I had to crop you out of this picture at the 1997 Clinton Inaugural Ball.
The late great Paul Newman, 1925-2008
Robert Redford
George Stephanopolous Another hottie Nana used to send me clippings about and wanted me to marry. He actually had a condo in the same building as my friend Kelly in DC, but I never ran into him, as hard as I tried.
Daniel Radcliffe Oh my, has Harry Potter grown up!
Nate Berkus Nate was another one I was unsure about putting on the list because I was his RA in college and personally know him. I have had the great pleasure of seeing him in boxers. Again, it's a shame Nate doesn't play for my team, but that doesn't mean I can't lust.
One of my favorite things about Brad Meltzer is that he doesn't take himself too seriously. I mean, he's a New York Times Best Selling Author, MULTIPLE times, yet he's completely humble. He hasn't forgotten the "Little People" who helped him when no one knew his name. In fact, if you asked him, he'd probably tell you HE's one of the "Little People." He can also laugh at himself and he's often the first one to do the laughing. Remember the video he made in response to the critics harsh reviews of The Book of Lies (they were wrong, by the way, and not just because I'm in the book)? Or what about that April Fool's/40th Birthday prankhis wife pulled just a few months ago?
Tonight I'm watching "A Concert for Diana" on NBC celebrating her 46th birthday and 10 years since her tragic death. And I'm having a difficult time believing 10 years have passed so quickly.
My disbelief that a decade has passed in an instant has less to do with the death of Princess Diana, and more to do with what I was doing 10 years ago and how much my own life has changed.
In the summer of 1997, I was beginning my 5th year in Washington DC. President Bill Clinton was 6 months into his second term. The summer was relatively light at Hogan and I was working ONLY 40 hours a week (as opposed to the normal 60-80 hours I usually worked). I was playing in an intramural softball league through the Firm, enjoying happy hours with my friends and watching sunsets from the roof of Hotel Washington more nights than not. My friend Kelly and I attended the book party for up-and-coming author Brad Meltzer's first novel, The Tenth Justice, at the Mansion on O Street. Brad's wife worked at the Firm with Kelly and me, and although we knew many of the attendees, we were too intimidated to go meet Brad ourselves. He was a published author, after all, and while we were the same age he was, we believed him to be some larger-than-life figure who wanted nothing to do with us - the little people. Betsey and Ross were getting ready celebrate their first birthday, while I was still pondering how I'd ended up with two CATS! The Chicago Bulls had just celebrated their 5th NBA title in 8 years. And I was taking LSAT prep classes.
Politics and the law were my passions. It was because of those passions that I'd moved to DC in the first place. And I was headed to law school to pursue the dream I'd had longer than I could remember. I'd only ever envisioned myself a lawyer and it was finally the right time. So every waking moment and most sleeping ones too were filled with LSAT review questions. I even took my study guides to Watervale that August.
Like the SAT taken as part of college admissions, the LSAT is the Law School Admissions Test and quite possibly the worst part of application process. Law School is fiercelycompetitive and no place is more so than Washington DC - at least in my head. My undergraduate grades were not as stellar as they could have been, so my best bet for acceptance into an appropriate law school was my LSAT score.
Then came that night. It was a Saturday night and, although most single 20-somethings were enjoying the DC nightlife, I was sitting at my desk studying into the wee hours of the morning because The Test was just a few weeks away. Taking a break somewhere after midnight, I moved from my desk to my love seat and flipped on CNN. I don't think I ever made it to bed that night because I couldn't pull myself away from the TV. There are just some events that are permanently etched in our brains. My parents know exactly where they were when JFK was shot. For me, I'll always know where I was that night. The night Diana died.
Ten years later Princess Diana's boys are all grown up. And I never went to law school. Instead, I left Hogan, started my own business and moved back to Chicago. Yes, it all really changes in the blink of an eye.
Are you feeling a bit hungover from all the excitement of Super Tuesday? The revelry of voting and watching the results trickle in last night are gone and you just hurt?
If the rumor is true that the best cure for a hangover is to have a drink, then the best cure for the Super Tuesday Hangover is to vote again!
And I've got the perfect election for you!
Straight from the email sent out to millions of fans, Brad Meltzer is holding an election for the title of his new book (which is due out this fall!)!
I know what you're wondering: Where, oh, where is Brad and his pathetic, kinda sad way of choosing titles for the next novel? Screw the primaries. I want to vote on something that really matters. Like imaginary people. And thrillers. And stuff like that.
Well, have I got the answer for you.
You know how the game goes. We've done this beautiful (and yes, kinda sad) dance before. Just please vote for which title you like best. No, it doesn't matter what the book's about. I'll tell you later. Just pick what you'd rather read:
THE BOOK OF TRUTH or THE BOOK OF LIES
Okay, that's it. You've made your decision, just send it. Don't overthink it. And thank you thank you thank you for putting up with such nonsense. I keep telling myself that asking family and friends isn't the way to do this, but if it ain't broke, cliché, cliché, cliché.
Love to all from Florida. B
How to vote: send an email to bradmeltzer27 at bellsouth dot net. HURRY! The deadline is Friday!
In this election, I endorse "The Book of Truth" because I believe there are many layers of truth and everyone's truths are a bit different. I think "Lies" is a bit mundane. The challenge is finding Life's Truth. And from the little bit I know about this book (story for once the book is released, sorry), I think "The Book of Truth" is more fitting.
This book is going to be huge. How do I know? Because I do. That's how. Now go out and buy it because I said so. If you hit Barnes & Noble in Arlington Heights early enough, you'll run into me. Say hello.
And if you don't have anything to do next Friday, January 21st, come to the city with my mom and me to meet Brad (well, I already know him, but you know what I mean). He'll sign your book and tell you all kinds of cool stuff. Really. The book signing starts at 12noon at the Border's on State Street. Then mom and I are off to lunch at The Walnut Room, as the finale of her belated Christmas present. Remember, don't tell her. It's a big surprise. If you live in another city, you can click here to find out when the Rockin' The Stacks Tour will visit your town.
Brad Meltzer's Decoded Team
