I was born in St. Helena, California, and raised in a small town East of San Francisco. I began writing thirteen years ago after leaving a career in Human Resources and starting my own consulting practice.

Where did you get the idea for your first novel, Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever and how did you come up with the title?

I’ve always wanted to write about the value of enduring female friendships. I have been blessed with the friendship of a group of women I first met in high school. We’ve helped each other through many a crisis in our lives. The title was an actual toast made by one of my friends after the announcement of a divorce.

Tell us a little about the heroine of your book.

Elizabeth Reilly-Hayden is a successful executive about to turn sixty and a divorced mother of two. Emotionally armored and living alone, she wants only to maintain the status quo: her long-term significant other, her job, and her trusted friends – five feisty women whose high school friendship has carried them through multiple marriages, dramatic divorces, and maddening menopause. Yet in a matter of days, the three anchors that have kept her moored are ripped away.

What is your favorite scene in Husbands?

I have so many favorite scenes, it’s hard to choose. It’s like asking me which of my children I love more. One of my favorites is the scene where the six young woman attend a sex toy party in the late seventies. I cracked myself up writing that scene!

Are the characters in this book based on people you’ve personally encountered?

My characters are combinations of people I’ve known, met, or observed. Fleshing out interesting characters is one of my favorite parts of writing fiction.

Tell us about your writing process.

I’m pretty traditional when it comes to my writing process. I use a computer in a room set up as my office. When I start a new book, I start with Chapter One and don’t stop until I’ve finished the first draft. I don’t outline because I like to see where the characters take me.

Many of our readers are creative types, but struggle with balancing time for creative pursuits with the mundane tasks required to live life. Walk us through a typical day in your life.

I get up, have breakfast, then go to my office to check email, do a little social networking, and do at least one thing to promote Husbands each day. Then, if I’m feeling creative, I’ll work on my second novel, Staying Afloat. If not, I’ll leave it for another time. I worked for more than twenty-five years and the last thing I want to do now is be confined to a strict schedule. I have to have time for my tap dancing class and my Zumba lessons.

In what ways did your childhood influence you as a writer? As a person?

As a child, I spent a lot of time at the movies, slumped down in the dark feasting on Milk Duds and Jujubes. I always dreamed of someday writing something that would appear on the big screen. But life got in the way. I admire people who can write and hold a full-time job as well. I couldn’t. It wasn’t until I left Corporate America that I was able to pursue my dream of writing.

Most writers are also avid readers. What authors did you read as a child? What authors do you read today? Do you have a favorite book or author?

I didn’t read as a child. I had ADD (although we didn’t have that label then), and much preferred movies. As an adult, I enjoy reading. Reading has made me a better writer. One of my favorite books of all time is The Other Side of Midnight, by Sydney Sheldon. I also love Richard Russo.

What projects are on the horizon for you?

At present, I’m negotiating an offer for the screen rights to Husbands, which is very exciting. I’m almost finished with my second novel, Staying Afloat, and have started a third, Bitter Acres.

Tell us where readers can learn more about you?

JudithMarshall.net. I also have a fan page for Husbands and a fan group for First-Time Authors on Facebook, and I Tweet occasionally.

If you read my July column in the main ‘zine, Skin Deep, you know that I’ve recently been channeling my late grandmother when it comes to facial moisturizer, having switched from the $22/bottle Aveda Tourmaline Charged lotion I’ve been using for years, to Oil of Olay “Complete.” I’ve been using the latter for several weeks now, and I wanted to share my thoughts.

First, while this version of Oil of Olay doesn’t come in the classic pink jar, it still has the trademark black lid, and the clear glass container is solid without being uncomfortably heavy. The scent of the cream is faintly floral, with just the hint of a medicinal undertone, at least to me, but I suspect what I detect as “medicinal” is actually another, deeper, floral note, that my nose just doesn’t process completely. It’s a comforting scent, pleasant, without being overly frilly, and yet with a hint of cleanliness I generally associate with my other favorite face product, classic Noxzema.

I have classic combination skin - oily in the t-zone even as I approach my 40th birthday, and dry in other areas, so to be honest, anything with the word “oil” in it freaks me out a bit, but, as my mother recently reminded me, my grandmother’s olive skin stayed soft and smooth til the day she died, and she used Oil of Olay nearly her entire adult life. I’ve found that the Complete version is a bit lighter than the classic, and it never feels greasy. I wouldn’t mind using something similar as an all-over body lotion - and I learned, as I was preparing to write this post, that there’s actually an entire line of Complete Olay products. How wonderful is that?

Judging from the condition of my skin lately? Pretty wonderful.

I have a pool in my back yard, and, from May through September or October, swim every day (weather permitting), and I rarely remember to wear sunscreen on my face. This is one of the reasons I make sure to select a moisturizer that has an SPF in it, and while SPF 15 (Complete’s level) may not seem like much, under make-up, it’s more than ample.

In fact, my skin has responded so well to Oil of Olay Complete, that I’ve been leaving my house with nothing on my skin but moisturizer, lip gloss, and maybe a touch of bronzer. It’s THAT good.

Obviously all women have different skin care needs, so your mileage may vary, but I can promise that Oil of Olay Complete is not your (grand)mother’s Oil of Olay, and neither are any of the other varieties of skin-type specific products they sell.

Of course, the classic pink cream in the jar with the black lid is also still available, next to all the other Oil of Olay products, in your local stores, or at the Oil of Olay website.

I spent too many years eating vicariously, drooling over menu options while munching on a dry garden salad. I collected recipes and window-shopped in grocery stores, convincing myself that the vision of ice cream just as good as actually dipping in my spoon. I tried to outsmart the system, to figure out a way to eat the cake without the perceived consequences. You can use cancer-causing sweeteners, substitute applesauce for butter, skim milk for cream and you’ll get a round item you can cut in slices, but that’s where the cake resemblance ends. Still, if you try hard enough, forgo any nibbles that might suggest the original, memorize the fears and lies and horrible endings that cake might bring, you might be able to persuade your tongue that this sad looking slice is the cake of your dreams. If you never have licked icing from a spoon or blew out the candles on a chocolate mocha cake, then this might be enough.

But there is a difference, even if we don’t know what we are missing. It’s the difference between surviving and thriving. I can live on the minimum, the substitutions, the quick drafts, and the hints of color. My brain will work overtime to meditate on the mantra of gratitude, a very useful trait, but also can be a mechanism for settling. I am a settler. I get a glimpse of happiness, laughter wafting through the window, and I lean back, ready to call it a day. By comparison, it’s better than what was before. It’s an improvement, progress, and one baby step into a well-lived life. I stick my toe into the pool of joy and believe that I’m floating in the ocean. It’s the small vision that preaches not to be too ambitious, not to threaten the equilibrium that holds us still. The misconception that a bite of cake is all we get, is all we should hope for, is all we deserve.

We buy into the distortions of our minds and tread water, defending our location to those that swim by. “Look, I’m still above water. I’m surviving. I have my life jacket on and I’ll be okay.” And that’s all true. And maybe some truly are content with the survival mode, this level of happiness that keeps their nose just above water. Perhaps you do prefer the fat free, sugar free, taste-free cake. I thought I did.

I thought my cake was just as good as the one in the bakery window. I thought that dessert was an addendum, the so-called ‘icing on the cake’ of life, extraneous to finding joy. I thought that being happy with what you had was the objective, and that having dreams and goals was arrogant. That’s what we do. We don’t know to long for butter cream icing if it’s never been on the menu. We never find out what we’re missing.

So we learn to appreciate our lot, to be comfortable, to smile in the breeze. We catalogue the blessings of the day and stockpile gratitude for the small gifts, like the look on a puppy’s face as she takes her first elevator ride. However, we can still cherish our days while advancing toward our dreams. Survival is the absence of dreams. It is subsistence on leftover’s, the blindness to anything past our own doorstep. Survival is ordering the piece of cake without a fork; it is the life we lure ourselves into, certain that this is as good as it gets. I’ve found that sometimes survival is all you can ask for. It’s enough. It’s progress and movement. It’s waking up to another day, which is better than the alternative plan. Survival is enough…for a while.

But survival can become it’s own quicksand, keeping you small and limited, dictated by borders and rules, offering miniscule bites of cake but never the satisfaction of delicious fullness. Not knowing what the menu contains, it’s easy to go about your days without a craving for sweetness. And if this is good enough for you, then okay. But for me, I’m tired of surviving. I’m tired of the narrow place I carve out to live in, tired of the tidbits of joy I feed myself, tired of the fat-free, sugar-free, taste-free outlook I employ. Because once you get a taste of a real piece of cake, you know what you’re missing. Even if you don’t believe that it’s possible for you, that it’s only something They can have, that you’re not good enough, not smart enough, not funny enough, not enough…you still know what you’re missing. And all of those enough’s are just another way to keep us in survival mode, to keep us from dreaming and wishing and hoping for better things ahead.

Thriving is a whole different world. Thriving is incorporating the laughter of today with the imaginings of tomorrow. Thriving is gripping the recipe even if your pantry is bare. Thriving involves believing in success stories of others when you don’t yet have your own. Thriving requires faith – faith in the unknown, unseen, un-tasted; faith that all is available to us but it might be a messy meal without napkins. Thriving means a willingness to learn what we’re missing so we know what to dream of.

It’s easier not to know, isn’t it? If we don’t know what we’re missing, then there are no longings, no cravings, and no displeasure with what is. It’s easier to stand still and sit outside the bakery, because then we never have to change. It’s easier, but dull and taste-less, ending with unlived lives spent sleepwalking. Easier doesn’t mean better. Usually the challenge offers the greatest prize.

So it’s a choice. Am I willing to find out what I’m missing, risk the craving and the loss when it’s not available, when it’s not baked yet? Or do I want to spend a lifetime staring at the frosting, content with having the cake but not eating it?

The truth is that it’s time to bake with real ingredients, lick the batter off the spoon, and learn that if you order the cake and can’t find the fork, lean down and take a bite…even if it means you emerge with frosting on your face.

Lauren Bottner is a Jewish writer living in Los Angeles, California. She also is a 30 year old licensed therapist with her own therapist, a reader, sister, daughter, friend, library fanatic, obsessively neat, compulsively early former Hero child who plays at being a grown-up. View her writing at HellintheHallways.com.

I am a practicing electrical engineer in the electric utility industry. I have also worked for more than 30 years to get more women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I served as National President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in 1991-1992. I was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2010. I have a B.S. in Applied Mathematics (minor in electrical engineering) from the University of Virginia (in the third class of women admitted as undergraduates – by order of the United States Supreme Court) and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

We know about Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America, but what else have you written that we may not be as familiar with?

I have written many articles and been profiled in many publications. I have four other books: 1) Keys to Engineering Success, published by Prentice Hall – a college textbook used for introduction to engineering courses usually for freshmen, 2) three books in the Setting the Record Straight series. One book is an overview of the women’s rights movement and women’s entry into non-traditional professions. One is a history of women in engineering. One is a history of women in accounting.

My co-author Charlotte Waisman and I write a monthly column for the Kalon Women digital magazine. We also issue a monthly ENewsletter. We have written curriculum which is available on our web site (www.herstoryatimeline.com). We have also written a number of book club discussion guidelines that are also available on our web site.

Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America is a huge undertaking. You’ve profiled 850 women in history. What inspired you to tell this story?

My story starts with an outreach program for sixth graders in Colorado and Wyoming – an essay contest on great women in engineering and science. When that project was proposed to me in 1987, I knew one historical scientific or technical woman anywhere in the world – Madame Marie Curie. As my SWE colleague and I did the research to be able to sponsor the essay contest, I was amazed at how many historical scientific and technical women there were and the magnitude of their accomplishments. When I was elected to the SWE National Board of Directors, at my first meeting, the President held up the nomination forms for the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology (the U.S. equivalent of the Nobel Prize) and asked for volunteers. No one held up her hand, so I did. My first successful nomination was Admiral Grace Murray Hopper for the National Medal of Technology in 1991. Admiral Hopper could not attend the ceremony and asked me to accept; I did – from the first President Bush in the White House Rose Garden. My first successful nomination to the National Women’s Hall of Fame was Admiral Hopper in 1994. She had died 1/1/92 and the family asked me to accept that medal. I have now successfully nominated 17 women to the National Women’s Hall of Fame (more than anyone in the country) and now sit on the Board of Directors of the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

In 2003, when I was introduced to my co-author, Charlotte Waisman, she had the concept of showing women’s accomplishments in a timeline format. At the end of our first lunch, she said “We’re going to write a book together.” And we did. Our backgrounds and interests completely dovetailed.

How did you select the women that would be profiled in this book? Was there a common theme you were looking for in these women?

At our very first meeting in April 2003 we established the criteria we would use to select the women to be profiled in our book:

1. the first woman to accomplish something (e.g., Madeleine Albright – who wrote the foreword to our book – was the first female Secretary of State),
2. a woman outstanding in her field of accomplishment (e.g., Maria Tallchief, a Native American prima ballerina),
3. women who provided an educational or “aha” moment (e.g., Margaret Knight who received a patent in 1870 for the square-bottom paper bag – the grocery bag) and
4. women who have made significant contributions to our standard of living and quality of life (e.g., Rachel Carson whose book Silent Spring led to the first Earth Day in 1970 and the revitalization of the environmental movement in the last quarter of the 20th century).

In retrospect, the women profiled in the book share three common characteristics – passion, determination, and persistence. They did what they were driven to do. They did it despite being told that they shouldn’t or couldn’t do it; particularly because women didn’t “do” certain things (speak in public, play the violin, join the military). And, they kept on keeping on to accomplish their dream.

Tell us about three of the amazing women in this book that we might not have heard of before?

Almost every parent reading this blog will remember the Apgar score for his/her child. But that same parent will probably not know that the score is named for and was developed by Dr. Virginia Apgar. Dr. Apgar was a pediatric anesthesiologist who in the 1950s noted that the mother was receiving all of the attention at birth. She wanted a way to very quickly assess the status of the baby and, in 1952, developed a maximum 10 point score that has 5 elements, each one using one letter from her name: A for Appearance; P for Pulse; G for Grimace; A for Activity; R for Respiration. Each element receives a score of 0, 1 or 2. A baby that scores less than 8 needs immediate medical attention. The score is administered worldwide at one minute and five minutes after birth. I have spoken many times about Dr. Apgar and have heard many stories about babies whose initial score was significantly less than 8 and how the medical attention that they received saved their lives.

Gertrude Elion determined that she would develop drugs to combat diseases after watching her beloved grandfather die a slow and painful death from stomach cancer. In 1988, Elion received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of the first effective childhood leukemia drug. Elion was not able to get a PhD (which is the normal requirement for the kind of work she did her entire career) as she was a woman and Jewish and graduate schools in the 1940s would not admit her. Elion also developed an immunosuppressant drug, thus making organ transplants possible. She worked on the development of AZT for the treatment of AIDS. In addition to the Nobel Prize, she received the National Medal of Science in 1991 in recognition of her tremendous accomplishments.

In 1947, Marjory Stoneman Douglas published her landmark book Everglades: River of Grass. She is credited with being the driving force behind the efforts to save the Everglades, In 1947, Everglades National Park was established. In 1970, she established a voting constituency, Friends of the Everglades, to buttress the efforts to save that national treasure.

Who is your favorite woman profiled in this book and why?

My favorite woman in the book and the woman that I consider the catalyst for my entire effort is Admiral Grace Murray Hopper. Little did I know when I began researching her work for the “Great Women in Engineering and Science Essay Contest” that I would be where I am today. It took me two years to prepare her nomination for the National Medal of Technology. She was the first individual woman to receive that Medal. I did not get to meet her, but I did speak with her on the phone and I do have a copy of a biography about her that she autographed for me. To be in the White House Rose Garden to receive her National Medal of Technology. To successfully nominate her to the National Women’s Hall of Fame and to receive that medal at the request of her family. To be at the launching of the destroyer Hopper (nicknamed “Amazing Grace”) at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Those are landmark events in my life.

Admiral Hopper developed the first computer compiler – the software that allows us to speak to a computer in English (or any other human language) instead of the zeroes and ones that a computer understands. She developed the first English-based software language, Flowmatic. She was instrumental in the development of the business software language, COBOL. She always carried around an 11.86” length of wire – a nanosecond – to explain how computers work. Computers work at the speed of light – a nanosecond is a billionth of a second and 11.86” is how far light travels in that time. And, she loved to take credit for finding the first computer bug – it was a moth. It was stuck in the relays of the computer at Harvard where she was working during World War II in support of the war effort, calculating missile trajectories. When the big boss came in to find out why the computer wasn’t working, the answer was that it was a “computer bug.” Admiral Hopper got it out of the relay with her computer and tweezers and taped it into the logbook. I am told that you can see this moth today still taped to that logbook at the Computer Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.

Why was it so important to tell these women’s story?

Women’s accomplishments throughout history are invisible, forgotten, marginalized, and minimalized. This is the case since throughout most of time, women were not writing that history. Women of today need to know about the accomplishments of the women who came before us and on whose shoulders we stand. We don’t learn about these women in school and we need to understand how hard they worked for us to be where we are today. Women fought for 72 years for the right of women in the U.S. to vote. They fought for women’s right to an education, for women’s rights to own property, for women’s rights to have custody of their children in the case of a divorce and many, many other rights. We need to know about the hard fights that were required and not take the rights that we have today for granted. And, particularly, women today need to vote – every time and every election!

What do you hope readers will take away from this book - both men and women?

Women can do everything – they have accomplished in every field of endeavor. Young women of today should and can be encouraged to pursue every career and every field of accomplishment. As Pat Schroeder says in her endorsement of our book on the back cover, “Too many Americans think men fought their way to this country on dangerous sailing ships while women arrived on cruise ships. Her Story sets the record straight. Men and women came on the same ships and, shoulder to shoulder, built this great country together. Her Story is a must read. We have had 400 years of sexagrated history – it’s time for the holistic view!”

How has writing this book impacted you personally?

I have learned so much about so many things. First and foremost, I have learned about the women who came before us and who fought so hard for the women in the 21st century to live the lives that we can today. I have learned about the publishing world. I have learned that 95% of the effort in writing a book is marketing and promotion. I can speak anywhere at a moment’s notice – I am speaking more than 100 times per year all over the country and I love to do it. I have learned how to do radio and television interviews and how videos are shot. I am having so much fun. I have learned that people are captivated by the book – they are so amazed about the women profiled in the book and stunned that Americans are so uninformed about this aspect of our history. They buy many copies – to give as gifts to their family members and friends and to their role models and mentors.

Did you leave anyone out who you felt really should be in the book?

Yes and no. We included every woman that we uncovered in our research who needed to be included and whom our readers expect to see – covering every ethnicity, every field of endeavor, every way of defining diversity and inclusiveness. We continue to uncover women – particularly as we go around the country speaking – and women continue to accomplish new firsts. We had to stop recording women’s accomplishments in our book in 2007 – as the book had to go to press!

I am currently maintaining a spreadsheet on my computer of women to be considered for inclusion in the second edition that has more than 550 names on it. Women really do amazing things and so often without recognition! Charlotte and I are determined that women will be recognized and known for their accomplishments throughout American history.

Apparently, Maya and Saber met briefly at a shop and struck up a conversation. Things progressed and they ended up having a casual sexual encounter. Saber did lie about being single (he’s married with children), and claims that Maya never asked him if he was Jewish. Even the courts have admitted that this is not “a classical rape by force” and the presiding judge, Judge Segal, stated in his verdict:

“If she hadn’t thought the accused was a Jewish bachelor interested in a serious romantic relationship, she would not have co-operated. The court is obliged to protect the public interest from sophisticated, smooth-tongued criminals who can deceive innocent victims at an unbearable price – the sanctity of their bodies and souls.”

Reading that, I do wonder how Maya could have thought this was any sort of bachelor “interested in a serious romantic relationship”. I haven’t dated much in my life, I admit, but surely having sex with a man after just meeting him isn’t exactly a sign that he’s interested in a “serious” relationship.

If we accept that Maya had consensual sex with Saber, how can there be a charge of rape? Adultery - yes, deception - maybe, but rape?

I take the issue of rape extremely seriously, as I am sure many women do, and it is cases like these that I feel undermine the true cases of rape, which in turn, undermine the women who endure them. If Maya feels so strongly about not having sex with an Arab man, surely living in an area where 20% of the population is Arab, she would perhaps ask a man more about his background before having a quick tryst with him?

For future cases, can a woman then argue that she didn’t know a man was previously married before having sex and it goes against her religion/ethos/principles to sleep with a divorcé? How absurdly far could this be taken? How it is justice to charge a man for rape because he didn’t tell you about his background?

For argument’s sake, let’s say Maya did ask Saber about his background and Saber lied stating he was Jewish. Maya then consents to have sex with him. Later she finds he lied and is in fact Arab. Did rape occur? She was mislead, yes, but she did consent. Can rape be “retroactive”? You consent at the time, but realise afterward you made a mistake and so claim you would have actually said no and therefore it is rape? How many drunken one-night stands would result in rape claims?

I’m a doctor of physical therapy that has been involved in performing massage, fitness training, physical therapy, and postural re-education for over 20 years. I’ve worked with Madonna, Al Pacino, Rene Russo to name a few. I currently work with Laker coach Phil Jackson, Laker executive VP Jeanie Buss, Burt Bacharach, and NBA star Kevin Love.

What did you notice, in working with many of your celebrity clients, that moved you to write Red Carpet Posture?

There has been a recent trend of poor posture amongst young starlets that is emulated by young women who look up to these celebrities. I want to reverse this trend, and go back to the glory days of Hollywood when celebs were “Glamourous!” and they all displayed great posture.

We’ve heard parents and teachers tell us to sit up straight. Explain to readers why correct posture is so important.

Proper posture helps with the health of the spine, but it also gives you a look of greater self confidence, and also makes you look thinner, and who can argue with that.

What are some of the most commons mistakes you see when it comes to posture, particularly for women?

Many women don’t realize that they are letting their head and shoulders come forward, and letting their bellies hang out. Often, women don’t even realize that they have poor posture.

What are some of the major benefits of improving one’s posture?

Aside from a look of greater self confidence, it will help you to decrease back and neck problems. It can help to decrease headaches, disc herniations, and wear and tear on the muscles and ligaments of the body.

What are three things we can do to improve our posture?

1. Remind yourself to keep your shoulders back and your stomach in. This is the easiest way to immediately correct poor posture.
2. Perform exercises to strengthen your abdominal core and shoulder stabilizers.
3. Stretch the hip flexors and chest muscles.

Where can readers go to learn more about you and about how they can achieve a red carpet-worthy posture?

My website www.RedCarpetPosture.com has my book Red Carpet Posture which gives advice and exercises to help you look “Glamourous” and RCP Apparel - a clothing line that is active/couture wear that helps to remind a woman to maintain proper posture.

ATG Interviewer Confession: I have horrible posture. (In fact, I’ve been sitting slouched in my office chair the entire time I’ve been typing this interview.) I sometimes - like now - experience lower back pain that often results from such bad posture. I have a review copy of Dr. Paul Drew’s Red Carpet Posture in hand. I’m dusting off my excercise ball, sucking in my gut, and following the advice and exercises in his book over the next several weeks. I will share my experience and a review of the book when my Red Carpet Posture experiment is completed.

For most people who have experienced the disease, this is indeed a painful read, but it also offers hope and reasons to smile. When Cecily was diagnosed, an unbelievable number of family members and friends offered to help in any way they could, making Cecily, Jim, and their little Maddie feel a little less alone in their fight.

Jim is honest in relating his thoughts and emotions. Reading about his anger, resentment at the unfairness of the disease, and profound fear makes it easier for people to accept these feelings when they experience them themselves.

What struck me most about this book when I first read it was the immediacy of the narrative. Naturally, this stems from the form of the book: a sequence of e-mails written for family members and friends. Consequently, this means that the story was not edited.
Moreover, as the e-mails were written daily, the author was only hours or minutes removed from the actual events that took place that day and that he then reported in his e-mails. The emotions, opinions, reactions didn’t have the luxury of hindsight. There was no time - and due to the situation probably no desire - for any embellishments that would distort the story in any manner.

It’s the raw emotions, the development of the narration in real time that makes this book such a valuable read, not only for people who’ve been faced with cancer, but for everyone who wants to understand the weaknesses and strengths of men and women pushed into extreme situations that life can inflict upon us.

Brigita Orel’s short stories and poems have been published in Autumn Sky Poetry, All Things Girl, Rose & Thorn Journal, BluePrintReview, Foundling Review, Storm at Galesburg collection, and others. She is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in writing at Swinburne, Australia. Brigita lives in Slovenia, where she works as a translator.

I’m a mixed media artist working with vibrant, lush colors and layers of eclectic materials. I paint on canvas and wood panels with varied elements of collage materials that integrate poetry, photography, printmaking and unconventional materials, sometimes all in a single piece.

I am passionate about enjoying life and traveling. I love to experience different cultures - their food, wine and art. I also love a good night out dancing to great music.

I’m committed to making art as a healing path for my students.

I also work with interior designers creating custom art works for their interior design needs.

When did you first fall in love with art?

I fell in love with art in my mid twenties and then it started to develop and deepen as my practice grew. The first painting that really spoke to me was Monet’s “Water Lilies”. I went to the Tate Gallery in London and they had a special Monet exhibit showing his “Water Lilies” series and I love the images of the sunlight playing on the water and the haystack.

What artists have influenced you?

Joseph Cornell, Robert Rauschenberg, Hannelore Baron and Carol W. Slade who has been my coach.

What is it that intrigues you most about their work?

The vibrant rich colors by Robert Rauschenberg thrill me. Hannelore Baron created small delicate collages that I find very compelling. I love art that makes me curious about the creator.

How would you describe your style as an artist?

My style is emotional, playful, romantic and joyful. I use deep layers to show history - there is a story in every painting and the work is very personal.

Tell us about the first piece you ever sold.

In 2003 I sold my first two works of art; they were created after the loss of my husband. Art was healing for me and so my work came from my heart. I felt that creativity helped me in my healing process and that came across in the work.

What inspires you to paint a particular subject?

Certain materials that I find in nature while hiking and at the beach inspire me. I play with coffee grounds or tea leaves and tea bags - they have wonderful textures. I also love wine and sake bottle labels, flowers and sea pods or even soil from Hungary, which is where I’m from.

My clients inspire me as I create commissioned artwork at their request. That inspiration may be the personal story from an individual collector or the challenge from an interior designer to provide to balance the color and style of a room.

Infusing homes and offices with beauty is exciting. I’ve created an extensive collection of art for my line, BertaArt. My inventory offers a spectrum of imagery and I carefully select color harmonies to evoke an atmosphere the client desires. Since some of my work is made from reclaimed materials, the art is eco-friendly and whimsical, yet sophisticated.

I find inspiration in my students. I especially enjoy teaching, my students grow and so do I through the process. I believe that the more we connect, the more creative we get. When making art we are releasing our creative energy and this stimulates all areas of our lives, business and personal. The more creative you are the more passionate your life will be.

What is it that you hope people will take away from your art?

My intention is to move people to feel something in their heart and find moments of inner peace and joy.

What projects are on the horizon for you?

I am pleased that Crussell Fine Arts has selected my artwork to include in an upcoming printed collection of artwork book called “Santa Monica” as well as making that work available for sale through their website.

Today’s artists are also entrepreneurs. How do you approach the business aspect of being an artist?

I’ve organized a team to support my goals and desires of the business aspect of my artistry. They work in areas of social media networking, online marketing through relevant organizations, and maintaining my web presence and marketing materials, such as my Electronic Press Kit and maintaining my database of professional contacts and art-loving community.

Many of our readers are creative types who want to be sitting where you are today. What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

I highly recommend having your own website and eCommerce presence and then get those seen via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and as many social networks that are interested in your field of work. This is the most important emerging venue available to any entrepreneur today.

Stay in touch with your fans and audience with weekly, monthly, and quarterly newsletters. Using Constant Contact as a newsletter and event invitation tool has been an exciting tool as a way to communicate with my growing community.

Hold live events that engage your audience both online and onsite through exhibits, art shows, art releases, art signing parties and more. I always follow up with a personal note after I meet someone stimulating at an arts-related networking event.

Tell readers where they can see your art, how they can learn more about you, and where they can connect with you via social media.

• Website: http://BertaArt.com
• Posterous Blog: http://modernmixedmedia.com
• Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/BertaArt
• Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BertaArt

George Steinbrenner, 1930 - 2010

I’m not a particularly athletic person, and my family tends to be largely anti-sports, with small exceptions for the artsy kinds of sports like figure skating, and the quick ones, like horse racing. Our holiday gatherings are marked by the total absence of professional football, and even if millions of dollars were at stake, I don’t think any of us - my husband included - could correctly match the Stanley Cup and Heisman Trophy to their respective sports.

Knowing this, it might seem strange that I’m at all affected by the passing, on July 13th, of George Steinbrenner. He was the principal owner and managing partner of the New York Yankees, from 1973 on, though in the last four years, his kids did most of the hands-on work. He wasn’t merely the owner of the baseball team I grew up rooting for (hey, I may sound mostly like a Californian, but deep down, I’m still a Jersey Girl), he was an American institution. In fact, it could be said that Steinbrenner was as much a part of the American landscape as apple pie, the Fourth of July, and baseball itself.

When I was a little girl, with blonde braids and a berry-brown tan, my summers were largely spent at my grandparents’ house in suburban New Jersey. Most days, I’d spend among the women my grandmother referred to as her girlfriends, or gal-pals. There were days, however, when she’d want to go shopping, or have a “gals’ day,” without me tagging along. Those days were always marvelous treats, because I’d spend them solely in the company of my grandfather.

Some days we’d go out to the fishing beach, or to the pier, and try to catch blue fish (which I now know are a variety of sea bass). I remember the salty smell of the bait store, and the murky tanks full of night crawlers and baitfish. They never seemed to have oxygenators, but every so often I’d be startled by a cascade of bubbles. To this day, I remain convinced that nothing in Professor Snape’s dungeon laboratory contained anything as mysterious as the things that swam in the bait store tanks.

Other days we’d stay home. If it was cool, we’d bake bread. I remember turning the crank on the copper dough mixer, only giving up when it was too thick for me, and then Grandpop would take over. Often, we’d spend the day in the yard, which wasn’t all that big, really, but to me it seemed like it went on forever, with different regions - here the garden, there the wild raspberry patch growing out of the compost heap…lemon grass on that side of the house, sticker bushes and stray rose thorns on the other…and in the deepest, darkest, back corner, beyond the giant tree that hosted my tire swing, a fence all tangled in honeysuckle vines. We’d dig in the dirt, play on the swing, and even, when I was very young, on the see-saw he made for me out of a 2×6 or 1×8 and an old sawhorse.

Then, there were the baseball days. These generally occurred in August, when it was too hot, and too humid, for even the most ardent gardeners to leave the air conditioned indoors. My grandfather would strip off his striped cotton shirt, and leave only a white t-shirt on with khaki pants and his “work shoes.” They were leather lace-up shoes, with sturdy soles, and uppers strong enough to support the weight of a small granddaughter who would plead, “Dance me around, Grandpop.” Of course, he never refused. (As I look back, now, at almost-forty, I realize that I’m still attracted to men in plain white t-shirts and sturdy shoes, in much the same way that other women are drawn to men in tight jeans, or military dress uniforms.)

My grandfather would sit in his mustard yellow recliner, with a tall glass of iced tea at his side, and I would bring my Tinker Toys, sprawl on the carpeted floor of the den, and half-listen to whatever game he was watching. Most of the time, this scenario ended with him snoring through the last inning, but every so often, if the Yankees were playing, and playing well, his attention would be kept, and while I played he would explain what was going on - telling me what it meant when the umpire called balls or strikes. I don’t know how much I enjoyed the game, but I still love the old pin-striped classic Yankee uniforms.

When I got a little older, my grandfather taught me some actual baseball skills. Thanks to him, baseball was the only sport I held my own in during grade school gym class. In fact, I think some of my teachers were shocked by the tiny girl with the golden-blonde hair throwing spitters (which, yes, are technically illegal. Mastering them is fun, though.)

My grandfather died the year I turned twenty-one, but his influence and his presence are all around me. The red leather chair he used to sit in when I was a baby, and small enough to be balanced on one of his arms, is mine now, and so are a lot of the toy trains we collected together (HO scale, thank you - including a replica of the Merrimack Railroad). I think of him whenever I see men in fishing hats, or men in work shoes, or whenever I catch the sounds of a baseball game on television.

I don’t know if George Steinbrenner has any granddaughters. I hope that if he does, they have wonderful memories of a special man whenever they hear the resounding crack of a bat connecting with a ball, or the distinctive slap of a ball into a leather glove. I know I do.

My grandfather never met George Steinbrenner, but even though they came from different backgrounds, probably had wildly different political beliefs, and never met in life, I’m quite certain that my grandfather made room for George on that set of bleachers in the sky, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them spent the rest of forever watching the New York Yankees play baseball.

My grandfather, Edward F. Klindienst, 1911 - 1991

I am grateful to say that although I have given my sons just about 80% of their raising, their father has played his part to the best of his ability. Yet this is about a woman’s place in the raising of sons so I digress. Although I would never presume to know all it takes to raise a man I know that the basic lessons I have given my sons as a woman have made them better men. I know that the stepping stones I have set before them have hurdled them toward a better future in relation to love, relationships and how they view and treat women.

My sons are from a divorced family as I was. Knowing this has given me great respect for the need to have a child’s father be a part of the life he helped create. There are things that no matter how much we know as women we will never be able to teach our sons yet by respecting those things that you know are of value to your sons you become the teacher of the most valuable lesson, that you as a woman value their manhood. I know there are many women out there who might disagree with my point of view. I thoroughly however believe a mans strongest learning in becoming a well balanced man comes from other male influences. I know there are women who have raised wonderful men, I am one but even I know I must never pretend to take all of the credit for their upbringing. It has taken the help and love of many men to give my sons the blueprint of what a well balanced man should be. Their father, uncles, grandfather and friends have all given them that which though I would have loved to have supplied, could not. What I do believe I did supply was the open door, the refusal to allow a divorce or anger to prevent my boys from getting all they needed from their father. I supplied the open mind that allowed my sons to go forth without fear and get from those male influences what they needed to become the brilliant men they are becoming.

Through me my sons I believe have learned pathways to what will make them good examples to the children they might one day have be they sons or daughters. I am a proud mother of two sons and as a mother I believe I have done all that has been required to see them grow, develop and achieve all that is necessary to be good men. Could I have done it alone? Yes, my mother did. Would I ever choose to? No. Out of all the choices I made regarding the raising of my sons I must say the one I am most proud of is a mothers greatest role, to step aside let it all go, and allow her growing men to take the front row.

The author of this blog, Ellie Bloowriter Estrella is a Dominican poet raised in Washington Heights. She has been writing poetry for over 25 years and is currently working on her first book of poems due for release in October 2010. Her first novel Growin up Heights is due late 2011. She is a mother of three fabulous children, two of which are college students themselves. Ellie is a proud member and performance coordinator for the New York City Latina Writers group performing her work along other fabulous poets in places like The Bowery poetry club, Camaradas, CUNY and other venues in New York. She resides in New Jersey with her 3 children.

I am the mother of three children now grown all born within three years of each other. I am a parenting writer and attorney who represented children in court for 13 years. My essays and features have been published in the NY Times, NY Daily News, Newsday and other large urban dailies. My print writing and a live cable TV show I hosted for several years won several awards.

Tell us a little about your family and your experience parenting teens.

My kids were normal teenagers. They lied to me, were sneaky and once, despite extensive planning to avoid same, they threw a party while I was visiting the oldest child in college. They were good students but lazy about doing homework and one of them sometimes was disrespectful to teachers. Which I put a stop to. I soon learned to be a firm but loving parent, who initiated consequences for bad behavior which worked most of the time. I share my secrets in my book.

Love the title of your book, 35 Things Your Teen Won’t Tell You So I Will. What led you to write this book and who did you have in mind when you wrote it?

Thanks, I kinda like the title myself. I wrote this book because I could have used this book. I learned along the way, and made some mistakes which could have been avoided. And, because I was an attorney for teens at the same time my teens were in their own teenagerdom, I had occasion to observe many families, talk to the experts (educators, psychologists, psychiatrists and the like) and ask all the questions I needed to know. Plus, I wanted to write a funny helpful book because parenting teens can sometimes be very stressful and at times make a parent feel like a dismal failure. I do some cheerleading in the book to parents. I want them to succeed in the task and I have the answers they need. I’ve been in the trenches.

Parenting can be tough, especially nowadays. But things get especially tricky when our kids become teens. What is it that makes parenting a teen so challenging?

The developmental phase they are in makes it hard. They think they’re smart and savvy and adult-like. But their judgement is impaired, and they are all immature and impulsive. They don’t think things out. They act first, and ask questions later, so to speak. Their minds are not fully formed. That’s where we must step in. We must keep on them, and out-stealth them and catch them in their lies and bad behavior before the fact.

You remind parents that all teens have an agenda, even the good ones. Explain to parents why their sweet-faced teen in likely no exception.

Teens’ friends are far more important to them than their parents. They crave the approval of their peers, and their peers, even the “good kids” do bad and sneaky and dangerous things. As I say in my book, while sometimes your teen might not do some bad thing because he or she knows you wouldn’t approve, don’t count on that to happen with any regularity.

What are some of the biggest mistakes that parents of teens make?

They give their teens too much freedom, they have unreasonable expectations regarding their judgement (they think their teens are going to be sensible all the time or most of the time.) They don’t put in rules in their household. (I have a chapter on house rules, which I think are a must). They don’t give their kids chores. They don’t have appropriate consequences when their teens do bad things or flout a rule.

Your position is that the family isn’t a democracy and parents should take the role of “enlightened despot” rather than trying to be their children’s best friend. Explain.

The biggest mistake a parent can make is to act like a peer of their child. Children need reliable, responsible, mature parents, not adults who want to look and act like overgrown teens. Teens aren’t our social equals. They shouldn’t be given an equal voice in the household. An enlightened despot knows she knows best or better than the teen and makes no bones about who is in control. If you don’t have the final word — and I’m against extensively debating your teens when they want to do something the parent doesn’t approve of — you do yourself and your teen a large disservice.

If parents haven’t set clear boundaries and they’ve made some of the mistakes you talk about in your book, is it too late to try to correct those behaviors once our children are teenagers?

Great questions. I do a lot of speaking to groups and one woman asked me the other night after I laid out my philosophy and how to implement it. “My teen is 17. Is it too late?” I say it is never too late. If you haven’t put these things in place from Day One — Day one being when your tween becomes a teen — don’t worry. Put those rules in place. Enforce that curfew. Help your teen get a job if he has lots of down time. I walk the parents through the process. Lord knows, I didn’t do all the things from Day One. Some of them I did. Others I learned along the way. But it’s important to get them in place, the earlier the better.

To learn more visit Ellen online at EllenPoberRittberg.com or connect with her on Twitter @Ellen_Rittberg.

Davie is an ugly duckling growing up in small town Mississippi. She’s never known her father and she wishes she didn’t know her mother - a woman who would just as soon beat her senseless as have a conversation with her. Davie is dark-skinned and considered ‘ugly’ by her classmates (and many of the adults who loathe her mother). She is tormented by classmates who call her “Monkey Night.” Growing up, the thing she wishes for most is to just be ‘invisible.’

Davie - who ceases speaking, as a way to truly become invisible - finds escape in her vivid imagination and in a movie that changes her outlook on life - Sixteen Candles. Suddenly she believes that happy endings are possible, even for ugly ducklings like her. The object of Davie’s happy ending obsession is Glass, Mississippi golden boy, handsome football player, James Farrell. Just when Davie thinks that her happy ending might be in reach, a school prank goes way too far. Davie decides she’s had enough. She leaves behind the only life she’s ever known and hitches her way to Los Angeles at the age of fifteen.

The once ‘ugly duckling’ puts her years of practicing Tina Turner songs in the mirror to good use. She reinvents herself as a lounge singer in an up and coming nightclub. She makes a new family with the club owner - Nicky - his aunt, Mama Jane, and the rest of the club’s cast of characters.

Just when Davie is satisfied with her life she runs into her once obsession - James Farrell. It took a lot of years and a Psych degree for Davie to get over her obsession/hatred of James Farrell and his sisters. When he reappears, and doesn’t recognize her, Davie can’t bear to tell him that she was the pitiful Monkey Night from Glass High. But just when it seems that she might be due for a happy ending, the past comes back with a vengeance.

Ernessa Carter’s story of Davie Jones physical and emotional transformation is inspiring, funny, and heartbreaking. After a superb first effort, I look forward to her next novel.

My name is Peggy Li and I make and design handmade jewelry that I sell at PeggyLi.com. My work is feminine and flattering, featuring semi-precious stones and charms. My work has been seen on TV and in magazines. I’ve loved owning and running my own business and having the freedom to be creative.

Every woman has a different path to success. Tell us about your journey to where you are with your business today.

I never really thought I’d own and run my own business, although I guess I’ve always had an entreprenurial streak and a crafts streak. I wanted to be a writer coming out of college, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting. It was in LA where I was making my own jewelry (because I couldn’t afford to buy pieces I wanted) and people started stopping me on the street to buy them that a business was born. I always wanted to have more beads and materials to work with, so selling what I made made sense to me — it would allow me to keep buying more beads!

Your jewelry can be seen on Audra McDonald and KaDee Strickland on Private Practice. How did they discover your pieces and how has this impacted your business?

I sent in my work to the TV show Buffy, the Vampire Slayer because I loved the fashion on the show. Before I knew it, the costume designer was asking if I had more pieces. Through that connection I’ve been fortunate enough to see my jewelry designs on many other TV shows, including Private Practice for the past two seasons! It’s been awesome. People find my website when looking for jewelry those actors have worn. It makes me feel like I’m a good designer and so proud to see them being worn on such beautiful, powerful women!

What advice would you give to other creative women who want to follow a similar career path?

To GO FOR IT. And, to do your homework. Today there is tons and tons of information and resources to help the small business owners. A lot of that information is free. And with the web, the tools to start and run your business are easier than ever. Get the business side nailed down, then you can focus on the creative. Do you understand your product? Who are you selling to? What makes you unique? You can capture all these ideas in a business plan — it’s always a good idea to start there when conceptualizing your business.

We’re strong proponents of women helping other women. Is there a role model, mentor, or other woman who helped you along the road to success? Is there a woman you mentor?

No one woman has helped me — dozens of women have! I’ve asked questions of other business owners and other folks I’ve met who are all striving to do the same thing, run a business, and everyone has always been open and helpful. I frequent the online forum The Switchboards (http://www.theswitchboards.com/forum), and while it isn’t that active anymore, there is a lot of info you can search for that has been archived. It’s mostly women business owners and it was a great forum for me to air questions and share experiences. I am not mentoring anyone specifically, but I try and participate in forums like The Switchboards, my Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as post FAQs on my blog for others looking to start a business like mine.

Many of our readers are professionals who struggle to balance work, home, and personal pursuits. How do you find balance in your life?

I believe that it’s important to ASK for what you want from your work and your home. Don’t be intimidated to carve out your vision for your life and take charge of what you want to do. When you put your dreams out into the universe, that is the first step towards making them happen.

I was torn between running my biz full-time and leaving my job. I went ahead and spoke to my manager and we worked out a part-time schedule for me. I never would have thought to ask for a part-time opportunity, and luckily my job was able to work with me. But it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t push the issue.

As a creative person, sometimes we struggle with a mental block. What advice do you have for overcoming a creative block?

For creative blocks, go outside, do something, talk to people! Getting more imput, whether it’s watching a movie or being out in nature is sure to inspire. Keep a notebook handy at all times so you can jot any thoughts or notes as they come to you.

For business, it’s important to remember that owning a business is *hard*. You have to have a thick skin, persevere, be persistent, and arm yourself with knowledge. Everyone’s path to success is different and there are many ways to get there. Be sure you have short term goals as well as long term goals and don’t beat yourself up!

You’re passionate about your work. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I am totally into playing golf! I also love eating, watching movies and other crafts like sewing. I also love reading fashion/gossip magazines. Preferably on a tropical, sandy beach!

Where can readers learn more about you and see your jewelry line?

Many places! My online shop: PeggyLi.com. On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peggylicreations. On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/plcpeggy.