Jan
02
Posted on 01-02-2008
First of all, I want to wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year. Let us hope that 2008 brings more peace to our troubled planet. I wonder if there has ever been ONE day in the history of mankind when there has been no war. We should all visualize that.
Secondly, I am SO excited about going on my book tour in May and June. I will be visiting some places where I have never been. I know that for a lot of authors, book tours are a drag but meeting readers is what keeps me going. Writing is a lonely profession and I find it quite invigorating to meet those humans who actually read books. It reminds me why I do what I do.
Lastly, I want to thank all you of you for your support. I wouldn’t be here without you so THANK YOU!
|
Print This Post
|
Email This Post
|
Read More |
January 7th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Dear Firoozeh, I have a selfish question. In your book, you talk about your talent in writing scholarhip essays. In February, I will be working with students to help them with such essays. I wonder if you have 1-2 suggestions which I might be able to share with them from you. If not, that’s okay as well. Just thought I would ask. Thank you for your amazing writing. The book has generated so many wonderful conversations in my classes, as well as such wonderful writing. I can’t wait to read the new book.
Sincerely,
Scott Sandler
January 9th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hi Scott,
I’m so glad to hear that my book is helping you in the classroom! I do have ideas about scholarship essays. Why don’t you email me your phone number and we can talk? (I will not publish the number on my blog.)
Best,
Firoozeh
January 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Salam Firoozeh jan
kheili kheili khoshhalam ke mitunam ba shoma ertebat bargharar konam , ketabe shomaro khaharam (Azade) be man moarefi kard va fek konam yeki az behtarin o mofidtarin ketabhaee ke man khundam , midunid chera? , chon vaghean man ro ba moshkelate america va kolan mohajerha ashna kard!va koli khandund! akhe manam dust daram baraie tahsil beram az Iran!man alan 17 salame!omidvaram ketabetun ro roozi ba emzaie khudetun az dasthaie khodetun begiram!
rasti Iran nemiad?
mazerat bekhatere in ke farsi neveshtam !
ba arezoohaie ziba baraye shoma va farzandanetan!rasti be pedaretun salam makhsuse man ro beresunid (ishun ye iranie kamele!!!);)
khodafezZzzZ!!!!
January 16th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Khayli mamnoon Ali jan. Omeedvaram yek roozi ketabat ra barayat emza bekonam.
Mohemtar az an, omeedvaram be arezoohayat beresi va betavani barayeh tahseelat har jaee keh doost darayi beravi.
Ghorbanat,
Firoozeh
January 29th, 2008 at 12:27 am
hi
Really enjoyed “funny in Farsi”. the part about taking an american name triggered a memory. My people immigaranted from Poland to Chicago about 1910. I remember my step-dad and his friends all had “american” nicknames — Iggy, Whitey, Blackie, Kitty & Scotty (my step-dad’s given name was Walter). Then & now Chicago is divided into ethnic neighborhoods — the fact that they all lived long & healthy lives attests to the fact that they didn’t venture out of their “neighborhood”.
My Polish Busia (grandmather) loved all John Wayne movies and watched wrestling on TV (her favorite player was maned “gorgeous George” — imange Hulk Hogan with Shirley Temples’ hair.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book.
A.D.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Thanks A.D., for sharing your memories. I don’t know if you still live in Chicago, but I will be going there on my book tour. Hope to see you if you can make it!
Best,
Firoozeh
PS My mother, like your Polish Busia, is also a fan of wrestling. I’ve never figured that one out!
February 21st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Dear Firoozeh,
Minor minor (2 minors!) possible error in your blog entry (above). You say “Reading is a lonely profession…” Did you mean “Writing is a lonely profession…?” I concede that reading is often a lonely activity, except when I’m laughing while reading your YOU-shoulda-won-the-Thurber humor. However, I never thought of it as a profession. If it is a profession, I should look into a making career change!
Take care and keep up the good work.
Esfandiar
February 21st, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Dear Esfandiar,
You are SO right. Thank you for pointing that out to me.
Yes, you should look into changing careers and becoming my blog editor!
Keep reading, even if it is lonely.
Best,
Firoozeh
April 30th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Hi…I hope you are doing well. I am glad to see you have a new book out..I so enjoyed your first one. I am sure that you don’t remember me, but our paths have crossed. Our daughter Liza Dernehl was your daughter Sophie’s “buddy” when Sophie was in kindergarten and Liza was in the 4th or 5th grade at Walter Hays. In the years since we have often wondered how that darling Sophie was. She was such a cute kindergartener and hardly said a word. Our daughter was such a chatter box that I am sure that is why Edie Chong put them together.
I am writing you to see if by any chance you would be willing to talk to a group of Social Workers from the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital on May 30th in the afternoon? There will be about 75-80 social workers who will be getting together at Michaels restaurant in Shoreline park in Mountain View. I am on the planning committee and we wanted a speaker who was fun and who also knew something about cultural sensitivity…I thought of you . So I am approaching you on the wild chance that you are in town and that you would be willing to talk for 45 minutes or so. This group of people work so hard and with such difficult situations. You would give them a lift. I think it would be great to have you
talk about your experiences and your books.
It will come as no surprise that we have no money for honorariums, but we would welcome you warmly…Please let me know if you would consider this.
Thank you
Kathleen McConnell
April 30th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hi Kathleen,
Of course I remember you and Liza! Edie was a genius in pairing our daughters together.
I am currently on the road on my book tour and I don’t have my calendar. However, I have a feeling that I will not be around on May 30.
This May is the busiest month of the year for me because of extenive traveling. Do these social workers meet at any other time or is it just once a year?
Best,
Firoozeh
May 1st, 2008 at 2:04 am
Thanks for your promt and kind reply…if by some chance you are in town we would love to have you…the social workers only have one retreat a year and this year it is on May 30th…good luck to you on your book tour!!!…kathleen