Professionals In Media (PIM) a LinkedIn group is having their annual summer party and you’re invited.  It’s Friday, July 22nd from 7 pm to 9 pm at Les Saisons, 304 Elmwood Avenue, Maplewood 07040.

The party will include a panel on blogging, featuring Montclair’s own Janice Harayda of “One-Minute Book Reviews,” recently named one of the best bloggers in the state by N J Monthly, Karen Faxio a blogger for NJ.com/pets and a contributing writer for the Star-Ledger.  The panel will be moderated by Michelle C. Hollow, of “Pet News and Views.”

You’ll learn what makes a blog popular, how to grow it and how to make it profitable.  And you’ll get to eat, drink, network and have a good time in a beautiful Queen Anne bed and breakfast.

Cost $10,  Bring a food item or beverage to share.  RSVP to Jacqueline Herships at 973-763-7555, jacqueline@jacquelineherships.com or Michelle Hollow at michele@petnewsandviews.com.

2nd Thursday of the Month rolls around again -
Thursday May 12, 7 to 10 pm. potluck.
Speaker: Julia Roberts on The Story in Your Head – how life coaching tools can help you do your best writing.

If you’re on the Supper Club list – I’ll be in touch. If you’re not yet on the list but you want to be – send me an email at julia[at]beingjuliaroberts.com.

We had a great dinner gathering in April – about 25 people – and a great presentation on epublishing by Phil Simon (The New Small.com). Thanks again to Phil.

If you’d like to make a presentation that you think will serve the group, let me know.

Starting Thursday, April 14th – MEWS members are invited to a MEWS Monthly potluck supper on the second Thursday of the month from 7 to 10 pm. To RSVP or ask to be included as a presenter or reader, email Julia Roberts at julia@beingjuliaroberts.com Each guest will be asked to bring a a dinner contribution: main dish, side dish, salad, beverage or dessert. BYOB for alcohol.

This is an opportunity to create a more face to face writers’ community, allow for conversations, readings, and even presentations by local writers. I’ll host, and/or hosting can rotate. don’t miss the first, as we decide what we would like this MEWS Monthly club to become.

All are welcome to attend the Professsionals In Media annual holiday party on Friday, January 14, at 7 p.m. at Les Saisons, 304 Elmwood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040.

We won’t have a speaker for this event because we want to spend the evening networking and spending more time getting to know one another.

There is a $10 fee, which covers expenses, and we ask each of you to bring a snack, appetizer, dessert, or bottle of wine to share. (We like to eat.)

On-street parking is highly regulated. There are spots at the Maplewood Pool, 187 Boyden Ave., Maplewood.

Professionals In Media (PIM) is open to writers, editors, publicists, and people in the media.

RSVP to Jackie Herships Jacqueline@jacquelineherships.com 973-763-7555 or Michele Hollow michele@petnewsandviews.com.
Hope to see you there!

Come one, come all and raise a cup of cappuccino to celebrate the publication of Debra Galant’s third novel, “Cars from a Marriage.”

The party is Thursday, May 6 from 7 to 9 pm at Cafe Eclectic, 444 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair. Watchung Booksellers is providing books for sale.

The book release party for STUART LUTZ’s oral history book, “The Last Leaf: Voices of History’s Last-Known Survivors,” will occur Friday, March 26th at 7:30 PM at Words Book Store in Maplewood. The Last Leaf contains nearly forty interviews with the final survivors or last eyewitnesses to historically important events. Chapters include the last Civil War widows, the final American World War I soldier, the last Iwo Jima flag raiser, the final living person to have flown with Amelia Earhart, the last pitcher to surrender a home run to Babe Ruth, the final Medal of Honor winner for heroic actions on Pearl Harbor Day, the last Houdini stagehand, the final employees of Thomas Edison and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and many, many more. For more information, including excerpts, book photographs and a trailer, please visit www.TheLastLeaf.com.

The MEWS Party last Saturday night at the Diva Lounge was wonderful — at least it was for me.  About 100 Mewsies showed up, familiar faces as well as new people.  There was drinking, talking, eating, and even dancing, plus our scholarship fund now has $500 in it!  Some party pictures:

Front: Literary agent Liza Dawson, novelist Christina Baker Kline, Money Magazine editor Diane Harris; Back: Literary agent Havis Dawson; Dave Kline of Showtime; Frank Albanese, Harper Collins

John Mutter of Shelf Awareness and Cynthia Clark of the Metropolitan Museum

Book and magazine writer and editor Gail Belsky

Frank Albanese; Larry Dark of The Story Prize; Magazine writer and editor and anthologist Maureen Connolly

Leslie Brody of The Record

Novelist Benilde Little

Fiction writers Nancy Williams, Dionne Kurrti, and Pat Berry

Publishers Susan Weinberg and Frank Albanese

Pam Satran and dessert

Yes, they are dancing!

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night at the Diva party.  Since my own husband asked me to repeat these details last night, here it is one more time: Diva Lounge on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, 6:30 till 9:30, $39 per person CASH at the door includes food, unlimited soft drinks, two other drinks of your choice, and the chance to commune the all your fellow mewsies.

We’ll also be collecting for the first MEWS Scholarship, so if you’d like to donate by check, bring your checkbooks or a check made out to Montclair High School, with MEWS Scholarship in the memo line.  You can also mail donations to me at Pam Satran, 64 Myrtle Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042.

Meanwhile, I received reports this morning of a spam attack over on the mewsie ning site.  Apparently someone named Lucy David was offering to show everyone her pictures, and we’re not talking head shots.  “Lucy” has been banned from the site and I hope will not be attempting to lure us into sin again.

A week from Saturday night, January 30, is the ANNUAL MEWS MEGA-PARTY – except it’s the first one we’ve had in two years.  Naturally, this is causing a lot of confusion, which is why we once again feel obliged to bring you the……

MEWS Party FAQs:

Oh, I forgot all about this.  When and where is it again?

Saturday night, January 30, from 6:30 till 9:30 at the Diva Lounge at 373 Bloomfield Avenue, near Willow Street, in Montclair.

What exactly is the MEWS Mega-Party, and why should I be there?

The MEWS Mega-Party is the one time all of the writers and editors in MEWS get together for a big blow-out event.  It’s your chance to see old friends and colleagues and meet new ones – and not just your same old cronies but people doing even more interesting things than you’re doing.

Why should you be there?  Because you’re lucky enough to live in probably the only town in America that has a group like this, and it’s the right thing to do.  Because it will be good for your career and your social life.  And because I’ll be really pissed if you’re not.

Yeah, but, you know, like many people in Montclair, I claim to care about community, but I really just care about myself.  Will I find an agent there?  Get an assignment? Meet a colleague I’ve always admired? Or will I just drop $39 with no tangible payback?

Most likely, the one with the $39.  But if you don’t show up, you’ll not only miss the best party of the year, but we will have to ask you to move to North Caldwell.

All right, already, I don’t want that to happen to me.  So what do I get for my $39?

Unlimited soft drinks and two alcoholic drinks of your choice.  Lots of hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and coffee.  All in the relaxing and convivial atmosphere of the Diva Lounge.

The Diva Lounge – isn’t that kind of a scary place?

Exactly, which is why we love it!  The Diva is actually gorgeous, comfortable, fun, welcoming, and makes a fantastic cocktail.  And listen, we know what you’ve been doing all winter, and you need a little more danger and excitement in your life.

Are there any other costs?

If you want to get totally smashed, you’re going to have to pay extra.  And we’re also going to be collecting donations for the First Annual MEWS Scholarship for a Montclair High School kid interested in a career in literature, journalism, writing, or anything related.  But you can donate what you want.

What if I want to donate to the scholarship but I don’t want to go to the party?

Send a check made out to Montclair High School with MEWS Scholarship written in the memo line, to me at Pam Satran, 64 Myrtle Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042.  We already have a couple hundred in donations.

Okay, okay, I’ll be there.  So what do I do again?

Just show up at the Diva on Saturday night, January 30, between 6:30 and 9:30, and pay your $39 at the door.  See you then!