For any writer, one of the most enjoyable parts of creating a book—is FINISHING one! No doubt about that. Then, once the book is done, it’s time to hope that people who read the manuscript in advance will actually like it—giving it a literary thumb’s up, which is certainly the best feeling in the world.

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Anyone who has written a book knows, of course, that completing a book is just the start of the work, as mapping out the marketing and advertising campaign is essential to any book’s ultimate success. And one of the necessities of book promotion is procuring advance testimonials from prominent people with the idea that their quotes appear on the back of the book, enticing readers to take a second look and buy it.

With this goal in mind, for the last two months, I’ve been collecting such quotes and have been very lucky that celebrities I’ve interviewed in the past have kindly offered to read Katie Up and Down the Hall and provide their viewpoint on it.

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Mary Higgins Clark

Last night at celebrity hot spot Elaine’s, in came the Queen of Suspense, the great Mary Higgins Clark, looking radiant in a fur-trimmed evening wrap at the publication party for her latest thriller, a fantastic book titled The Shadow Of Your Smile. It’s all about a deceased nun who’s a candidate for sainthood and 31-year-old Manhattan pediatrician who becomes the target of those who don’t want her to inherit a fortune, the taut story featuring many of Mary’s trademark twists and turns.

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Marlo Thomas

A few nights ago, at 9 p.m., the phone rang and, when I absently picked it up, there, to my utter surprise and delight, was the unmistakable voice of the great Marlo Thomas, my frequent interview subject and friend, still known to millions as That Girl, the spunky, upbeat, always-independent heroine who won the heart of a nation.

That Girl - Marlo Thomas

Unforgettable in that role and many others since, Marlo is also a philanthropic powerhouse, working tirelessly for her father’s great charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the top children’s cancer center in the nation. As the National Outreach Director for St. Jude, Marlo also hosts A Place Of Hope, an hour-long television special that documents the lifesaving work of St. Jude, which provides free medical services to desperately ill children while also devoting itself to research and new treatments.

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Joan Rivers

Last night was the funniest, most enjoyable evening I’ve had in months thanks to the inimitable JOAN RIVERS, who performs periodically at Manhattan’s West Bank Cafe, trying out new material while also raising money for her two favorite charities–Guide Dogs For The Blind and God’s Love We Deliver.

You must not miss her at West Bank. My dog-loving book guru, HARRY HELM, brilliant editorial director at Hachette Book Group, and his trusty assistant, Adlai Yeomans, were at my table, along with Broadway actor Brandon Williams and his wife, photographer Sheila, the fantastic life coach Peg Wallis, the adorably congenial real estate rep Taylor Yunis, accessory designer David Cohen, and my “youngest” friend, octogenarian Bud Klauber, energetic and stunningly dressed as always.

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