In answer to a special request…

You all know that the movie, Meet Joe Black, was a remake of the 1934 romantic classic, Death Takes a Holiday, right?

The critically acclaimed movie starred Frederick March as Death on holiday. It was based on an original play by Alberto Casella, and if you view the film, it’s actually staged in such a way that you feel as if you are watching a play.

I saw the original movie version when I was a kid. It both thrilled me and frightened me. Death was a pretty scary dude, but at the same time, he seemed so lonely. In order for Death to be with the woman he loved, he had to kill her. In the end, he couldn’t do it. Death returned to his eternal task, leaving behind the woman he loved, yet he became a better being after encountering a loving human heart. What does this have to do with anything? Well…

A friend, Katalina Leon, asked me to post about my recent book signing. Oh, it was pretty much all about death and dying and the event followed right on the heels of my own loss. I headed up to Oregon to read from my nonfiction book for a fund-raising group that represents four hospice organizations. This was their first anniversary and they’d made enough money in their first year of operation that they were able to provide eight separate grants to help support the extra services a hospice provides, such as music, specialized training, and a massage therapist for dying patients.

I thought I would spend the entire afternoon crying, but I deliberately picked a funny chapter to read - about a woman who returned from the dead for twenty-four hours and described her experiences in great detail - which was a big hit with the crowd, and then I sat for an hour and signed books. It was pretty cool. I gave the fund raising organization half of what I earned - it’s a good cause and I know first hand that most hospices operate in the red. We depend upon donations to provide the many services patients need in their final days, besides, no one is ever turned away from hospice. Every hospice accepts charity cases.

While I was up in Oregon, I got to be babied by my parents - who showed up at the reading, beaming with pride - they are such great Jewish parents even though I didn’t become a doctor. I hung out with my young nephew…I’m such a bad influence…I let him watch Risky Business…bad aunt! Bad! Bad! Bad aunt! I’m his favorite! He said his mom only lets him watch G-rated crap. Hey, he’s old enough! I’m already in trouble for introducing my other nephew to The Simpsons. Isn’t that my assigned role in life? To corrupt the youth?

In other news, Janna over at her site, Erotic Romance Reader, has posted a review of Captured. http://erotromreader.blogspot.com/

Tomorrow: Either Janna’s review or a blog about my brain on drugs.

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