The Flight Attendant report

OK, I'm not joking, this could have been me. I mean, she made a little mistake, she bought a little gift that her son would love.

So it was a hand grenade...it wasn't active.

Now, please realize I'm not saying I work for this airline, but hey, I have done stupid things like this - I mean not exactly like it, but I did show up at the airport last week, with 6 inch steel nails in my bag, because they were garden stakes and I'd put them in my purse from my last trip to home depo and I forgot about them...and was detained an hour...so, this sooo could have been me. She want to jail and all...aggghhh

http://wcco.com/local/local_story_026010403.html

To the top of the house, and then hitting the fireplace

OK, here's the point - I don't know how really famous people feel, I mean those people who are famous (more than just in their own minds) but here's how wanna-be-successful people feel - people like me who are getting some media lately and fielding calls from Magazines and stuff.

We think we are on top of the world, or at least on top of 'our house' for a minute - and then we land back into the fireplace. Which is where I just was...and am now covered with soot.

Why was I in our Fireplace?

Well, I was walking by the fireplace and noticed soot on the floor in front of the fireplace. A whole pile of soot. Then I saw little cat paws made in soot, leading away from our fireplace and across our cream colored carpet. Yes, folks you have guessed it, our cat must be deluded and think the fireplace is her litter box. She has never done this before, and I'm new to the whole cat thing.

But, I've just come back from cleaning soot off of everything, and taking everything out of the fireplace. Oh, and the cat thought she should roll around on the furniture while she was covered with soot. Maybe she wanted to clean herself.

But, there you have it, the ups and downs of running a small business out of your home, with no 'cleaning staff.'

AGGGHHHHHHHHH

What LEEZA SAID ON HER SHOW

RE: The www.LEEZAGIBBONS.com the LEEZA LIVE SHOW

OK, you guys, when I was interviewed on Leeza Live she said: (about Mary McCowski was not a Pretty Girl) ".....it's a tiny little book, with a great big message". OH MY, said Marsha, so excited, for a minute she forgot she was the President of a respectable publishing company with a first months payroll of $1.00 and for just a minute she thought - maybe she was dreaming. So, she kept the email from Lezza's producer to remind her, it wasn't a dream.

Can you believe it?!!!

(And sorry, but No, I can't give out the name of Leeza's producer - do ya think I'm nuts!)

Hear Marsha Live Monday, Feb 20th 9:30 AM EST

OK, you guys, there is this hilarious and fun Radio Host named Teresa Tomeo - http://www.teresatomeo.com/

whom I think is a clone of me...somehow.... And she and I will be chatting on her Nationally Syndicated Radio Show on Monday, Feb 20th, 2006, at 9:30 AM EST. http://www.avemariaradio.net

All about Mary McCowski was Not a Pretty Girl and of course, www.underdogpublishing.com

www.leezagibbons.com

Hey, next Tuesday Morning, Feb 7th 2006, 9:30 AM PST - I'll be on the Leeza Live National Radio Show. Talking about www.underdogpublishing.com and the new book MARY McCOWSKI WAS NOT A PRETTY GIRL!

SKYWEST MAG/ASA MAGAZINE

Hey, watch Atlantic Southest Airline in the MAY/JUNE issue on all ASA Flights! Look for the HOMETOWN HERO's section and read about Marsha Marks and www.underdogpublishing.com

Doing interviews while fielding interuptions

The weird thing about doing media interviews (at least those where the Radio Station or Magazine calls your home) is you can be in your old sweats, and a ballcap with no makeup on and food in your teeth, from inhaling your breakfast, and they don't care! As long as you sound peppy, funny and have a great story - they love you. I've been doing phone interviews now for years, from home. But this is the first set of media I've done for the new book Mary McCowski was not a pretty girl, and for my own publishing company. But, it's no different. The listening audience doesn't care who published the book - they only care about hearing tantelizing sound bites about the book - so they will want to buy the book. And that's why you do media...isn't it - to get the word out?

So, this morning I did a LIVE Morning Talk show, AM1310 with Mark Wayne in CT. And was on the phone for 40 minutes with a taped interview for www.briomag.com for the Career Column (to run in the July 2006 Brio and Beyond Issue). But, I think BRIO was more intersted in me being a Flight Attendant than a small business owner. Hey, I'm both. And there in lies the frustration. I'm also a mom who will have her 9 year old home from school soon, and 13 people for dinner tonight and NO STAFF (as they say) to help.

Back to interuptions - all phones have to be off when you're doing an interview from home. No interuptions allowed. So, of course I forgot to turn off my cell phone during the BRIO interview, but it was taped so not so big a deal, and she's going to trascribe from it. But, there was a time, when I was doing a morning interview, and it was summer and this little boy came to our door to play with my daughter. And just as I opened the door for him, our phone rang (I'd forgotten to write down the time of this interview) and after I said "Hello" The voice on the phone said, "Hey this is WWWW (can't use the real letters) and we're ready for our interview live in 50 seconds." I thought a friend was playing a joke on me, and said "You're joking right?" "NO" He said, we'll be live in 30 seconds. So, I just scooted the little four year old out the door and gave my 6 year old the odd sign that Mommy was on a business call and did the interview for 3 minutes until a commercial, and then opened the door and the four year old was still there, and I told him to go back and tell his mommy that Mandy couldn't play right now, cause Marsha was on the Radio. But, she could play in 15 minutes. The message that got delivered to her was "Mandy can't play because the Radio's on". But his mom got the point. I try to alert my neighbors if it's summer and I'm on a media tour - from home.

I don't know how other authors do tours, but media in the summer is with kids at home is fraught with potential problems. So, thank God for the fact that this tour is in February, and Mandy's still in School. And may I just say something else. Nobody pays you to do interviews. OK? It's free time you donate hoping the publicity pays off. That's all I'm saying, I used to think people got paid to go around and promote books, but they don't. At least not until the book really sells well - if it sells well. OK, that's all I'm saying right now.

Starting ones own publishing company - while being a Flight Attendant

OK, I'm trying to get this little publishing company out of the sky. I mean it took off all right, almost right out of my hand, like a kite, is what I mean, and I'm just trying to hang on to the string, and make sure the kite doesn't get into some highwires and freak everybody out, especially me. And my family. (The company is www.underdogpublishing.com and the only thing we've got out now, to buy, is this little book called Mary McCowski was not a Pretty Girl. ) You can read a bit at my website, www.marshamarks.com when you click on read excerpts. But, here's the problem. The book started selling hundreds of copies the first few days it was introduced to it's first retail store, and then we got the word out about the big sales (by writing a press release about it's great sales. We used www.publishersandagents.net they have a new service that sends out Press Releases to editors of newspapers and such.) And HEEEEELLLLLOOOOOO we were swamped with results. I've got requests to do interviews from big magazines, and little magazines, and New York Talk shows, and TV shows in Denver and SFO and ...it's just me. When I say just me, I mean, I'm the President; Author; Head of Marketing; Publicity Coordinator; Copy Editor; Art Director; Mail Room Clerk; Secretary; Lunchroom Manager; Office Manager; Billing Clerk; Secretary; Receptionist; Copy girl; and etc. YES, I use the word WE a lot, but by that I mean, I mean, my husband, who works full time on another job. My 9 year old who goes to school. Our Cat. And one manager, who has - a lot of other people to manage. Of course there is my Speakers Bureau, but they are not a Publicity Company...they book speakers...like me. So I'm fielding interviews, and trying to get our second book to the Printing company and approving final text, and mailing amazon.com orders. And everything. All I'm saying is you don't expect to have problems with success. You just don't expect that. But, then you do. That's all I'm saying. You don't have to feel sorry for me, unless you've ever been a small business owner. Then, I will accept your empathy! Gladly.

Seeing James Frey FRY

I think Frank McCourt’s memoirs are great. But, it’s a good thing he wasn’t subjected to the same scrutiny that James Frey was with a Million Little Pieces. And what about the book THE LIARS CLUB, by Mary Karr? Great Book! I totally enjoyed it, but …hmmm was every detail true? In fact, has there been a memoir written in the last 10 years in America that is all absolute facts --able to stand up to the meticulous sifting given to James Frey’s book? I’m thinking now of a former Presidents Memoir, you remember - “I did not have sex with that woman”?

The only reason Frey’s book was the sacrificial lamb, is because his book is so powerful, it cuts into the core of those who read it --- and success like that --- a powerful book – and powerful sales, just kills some people. It gets to them, they can’t stand it. I’m talking about the type of people who will gloss over a Presidents lies to his wife, and every person in the country he represents, as he testifies under oath; but will nail to the wall, a kid who writes a book, and has success in the writing.