A Holiday Author's Party..and a Snowflake Ball

So what do Robin Meade from HLN, a reformed gangster, Muhammad Ali and I all have in common?...we all have written books and we were all out last night in celebration of the Holidays.

Robin, Kevin Pappas - the reformed gangster, and I all participated in Atlanta Press Club's Annual Holiday Author's Party.  A far cry from the UNICEF Snowflake Ball happening in Beverly Hills that Muhammad Ali attended and an event that I would love to attend.  But for me, just one month into being a published author, I was so honored to be a part of Atlanta Press Club's event.  Not surprisingly, Robin and Kevin brought a little more traffic to their signing tables. 

Robin happened to be our honorary chair at our annual Cabaret gala in 2007, so it was great to see her again.  Her book, Morning Sunshine!: How to Radiate Confidence and Feel It Too is a New York Times bestseller, and has been welcomed with much success by both critics and the public alike.  If my book made any list, I'd be pumped. 

I was certain to get some good chat time with Robin and (per her request) gave her an autographed copy of my book.  I'm sure it's still stuffed in her briefcase, but you never know right?...Speaking of my book, have you checked it out yet?...click on the button to the right and get a copy.  If not for yourself, it's a great gift to help someone else.

I don't have a picture yet of last night...but of course snapshots are already up of the UNICEF Snowflake Ball.  And I found a priceless one with Muhammad Ali - whom I've actually met a couple of times, so in some way I was there too. I love the Holidays.

 

My Dinner with Paula Deen

Tonight I had the chance to not only dine on the brilliant southern cuisine of Paula Deen (hey, that rhymes) but I also got the chance to meet her and hear her story.  I was invited by my good friend and fabulous mentor, Daryn Kagan - check her out at DarynKagan.com - to the Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Dinner here in Atlanta.  While Daryn was the varsity team member, I got to go as a member of the JV team.  This year’s event was all about ushering the next generation into the room.  Needless to say I was honored to be there.  (It also was a good evening for me to get out of the house, because it is the eve of my book release.) 

So here I was amongst 50 of Atlanta’s most ambitious, courageous, successful women and in the middle of the festivities was Paula Deen.   Now before this evening I had followed the success of Paula Deen professionally, but never really had the chance to connect with her personally.  I was amazed and inspired.  She gave us her story of struggle – one that included a great loss in her life, the death of her father, which of course resonated with me.  But because of her candor and honesty on how this event shaped her life, good and bad, I was able to receive a great gift of inspiration.   It reminded me that sometimes giving in our life can be as easy as sharing our story with others.  It’s that voice of understanding, sympathy, and belonging that can empower others to be better, to live better, and to do better.  Cheers to Paula Deen.  I can never get close to you in cooking – I barely can work a microwave, but I sure feel close to you as an aspiring young woman with many dreams ahead of me.

And thank you to Daryn for allowing me to be in the room on such a special evening.

6th Annual Kate's Club Cabaret this Friday!

It had been eight years after my mom had died when I finally shared my story of losing her with others.  I was volunteering at a camp for grieving children, 20 years old, and pouring out my soul to a group of 200 strangers.  Talk about a powerful moment.  But it was the moment that changed my life.... 

After moving to Atlanta and recognizing that there was a great need in the community to help children grieve over a loved one, I started Kate's Club to make sure that other kids didn't have to wait so long to find support.

Our Annual fundraiser is this Friday, August 21st at the W Atlanta Downtown.  The party starts at 8pm and it is guaranteed to be a good time, fabulous people, and great fun. 

For more information on the event you can visit www.katesclub.org

This event also means that its a bit of a media mania week for me.  Check out the segment from Monday's Good Day Atlanta with Mark Hayes, also a co-emcee for the evening! See you on the dance floor.

Laura Turner Seydel Hosts 3rd Annual Eco-Trunk Show

This Thursday, April 16th, join Mrs. Laura Turner Seydel and friends for the 3rd Annual Eco-Trunk Show.

What’s all the noise about:

Thursday, April 16 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

EcoManor – 348 Manor Ridge Road — www.ecomanor.com

Celebrate Earth Month in style with a day of eco-friendly shopping! This one-day event will bring together Atlanta’s premiere eco-friendly designers, artisans, and shopkeepers to display the latest in sustainable jewelry, clothing, beauty products, home decor, and accessories.

Featured Vendors:
Alejandra Dunphy Textiles www.alejandradunphy.com
Bamboo Studio www.ecobambooware.com
Cassavoy and Company www.cassavoyandco.com
Doodlebugz www.shopdoodlebugz.com
Indie Peace www.indiepeace.com
Kay Jay Collection www.kayjaycollection.com
Lancaster West www.lancasterwest.com
Mark Edge www.markedge.com
Pizza Fusion www.pizzafusion.com
Sally B’s Skin Yummies www.sallybskinyummies.com
Ruby Regis www.rubyregis.com
Verde Paperie www.verdepaperie.com
Yummy Spoonfuls www.yummyspoonfuls.com
Zoica Matei www.zoicamatei.com