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Lately, I’ve been thinking about the legacy people leave after they die.
A favorite college professor of mine just passed away and he leaves two sons, grandkids and a whole bunch of students who wouldn’t be nearly as smart nor as creative had it not been for his bold teaching, personal attention, and flair for the dramatic. He ignited an intellectual curiosity in the classroom and I believe that fire still burns in us, his students. I will always remember Donn Finn with his cockeyed gaze, cigarette dangling from his finger-tips, reciting some snippet of poetry to illuminate a point. He was the smartest guy in the room and we wanted to be like him.
Last week, I found out about the death of another person with whom I was once very close. It was hard to synthesize all the feelings that came with the news, but I found writing helped. His name is Art Daane and he once was my husband. Read more…
–Beverly
It may have been just a Pilates class, but read how it also was the creative force behind an award-winning play and the collaboration of two authors who found they had more in common than good core strength!
Authors Hit the Airwaves to Talk about Life, Love and Health: Take a listen!
WOW, WOW, WOW.… Just finished @MeantToBeBook and it was absolutely brilliant. 5 Stars for sure! Read Suzy Turner’s full review.
Real Men Love Chick Lit. Here’s what one “real man” (a broadcast journalist in the Bay Area) recently said about Meant To Be…
A Book Club for Busy People. Read how one online community has created a Twitter Book Club and the very first “assigned reading” is Meant To Be!
ABOUT MEANT TO BE
There are two kinds of women in the world: those who read highbrow literature from distinguished authors…and the rest of us.
Beverly Butler and Sue Warhaftig have created a provocative page-turner for women who want “escape” reading at the end of their busy days.
The novel is about Judith McCoy, a middle-aged mom who hasn’t been taking care of herself because she’s too busy taking care of others. Today’s multi-tasking women readers will relate to Judith’s plight and root for her as she winds along the bumpy road of self-discovery.
The book is sexy, irreverent, moving, funny and, ultimately, uplifting. It’s filled with characters who try to genuinely help Judith and some who are the reason for her despair.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MEANT TO BE:
Sue (left) and Beverly at The Book Depot in Mill Valley, California, where their novel Meant To Be is featured as a “must read.”
“This was a fun, serious, light, creative and well written book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Nice job to two first time authors — I never would have guessed. Maybe that’s what helped keep it so fresh and entertaining! ”
– MS, CA
“Meant To Be is a clever page-turner that will strike a chord with all readers. I was cheering for Judith from beginning to end.”
- Kate U., San Francisco, CA
“Been laying in bed all day reading Meant To Be. It’s really good! Debbie so rocks with her skepticism and contradictory practicality. And I fell in love with Philippe! Some good laugh-out-loud lines too. A great way to spend a day off work!”
- Katherine B., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
“Sexy, sweet, sad and so funny! I thoroughly enjoyed this book.”
– Carol B., Grand Rapids, MI
“It’s like Barbara Cartland meets Candace Bushnell! Funny dialogue, hot sex scenes, and people I feel I know. What a fun read!”
– Penny R., Sarasota, FL
“We all need guilty pleasures and this book was mine! Curl up and treat yourself to characters you will love (and loathe!) and a story that will keep you engrossed from start to finish!”
- Pam S., Mill Valley, CA
“Fun and surprising humor throughout…a good story about midlife and marital struggles”.
- Tiner P., San Francisco, CA
“I was hooked from the first chapter! Great character development. The story rolled right along with no dull spots; and I loved the romance and juicy sex. Judith’s character was easy to relate to. Just enough plot twists and all were believable. Wow!”
- Nancy B., Belding, MI
“A poignant story of redemption and true love in real world suburbia.”
– Jeri W., West Orange, NJ
“Just finished Meant To Be and loved it! Perfect read for our peers!“
– Sarah Baitsell Oliver
Wonderful read! I laughed, I cried, I cringed as another Judith careened through her life, and I cheered as she finally triumphed. This book is full of love and laughs, and sexy as well.
Just finished Meant to Be. LOVED it!!! Couldn’t put it down!
Fun to read, and hard to put down. Judith’s struggles were completely relatable, a delightful mixture of silly and serious.
It was lovely to witness the way Judith’s relationships evolved over time: especially with her two adorable daughters and with her hilarious best friend Debbie.
I found Tammi to be a worthy antagonist with a very interesting backstory.
It does for married people what “My Horizontal Life” did for the promiscuous!
How did you get my photo for the cover shot?
I hated for it to end. Great book! I will tell my friends. Thanks.
What a page turner!! The story is well written, touching and true-to-life. Judith emerges as a very relatable, funny and sensitive character. I loved the book!
Meant to Be, which just came out in paperback last Monday, is a fabulous novel that keeps you intruiged from the first page. I couldn’t put the novel down for more than 5 minutes! I had to know what was going to happen next in this real-life story about people I began to feel I knew. The cast of characters include young and old and you get a peek into the world of real work relationships; marriage, friendships, and things that we are in the middle of all the time. The upshot is how we deal with those challenges. In this book, we find ourselves cheering for the characters like they were our friends and family, and until the end, you really don’t know how everything is going to turn out!~ The story line and plot make you think about your own world and just how important the people in your life really are to you.
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I’m taking my time to read it… but I’m loving it! I’m really feeling for poor Judith. Can’t wait to see what happens!!…
This book is a treat! Even though I’m not, I felt like I was at the beach on summer vacation with this book as my companion. It’s smart, sexy, funny and wise and I’d love to read a Part 2!
This is a perfect summer read. I truly couldn’t put it down! I’m glad my book club chose it. Thanks Sue!!
Perfect beach read! It was a real treat. Hard to put down. Thanks for a chick lit book! I sent it to my niece who is vacationing in the Hamptons.
Just read your book, “Meant to Be”! Read it on my way to Cape Cod, then passed it on to my friend when I got there — entertainment and hostess gift!! Thanks.
I really felt for this lady. What a fun read!!
WARNING! If you read the free sample you will be hooked on it like I was! I stll can’t believe I can read it on my droid x phone! This book sucked me right in! I’m trying to savor the last of it for vacation… but so hard to wait!!!
I read your book over our Hawaiian vacation. It was WONDERFUL!! In the beginning I thought I was reading about myself, which was scary — all the inner dialogue — “Am I a good mother? Am I good wife?, etc.” It truly is a fabulous book. One that really stays with you. I loved all the references to the PTA too, lol, and the many times that Judith made a fool of herself. Hope the book will be a big success for you two. Sequels??
I really enjoyed this story. Fun, easy reading that took me away from my hectic day. It made me laugh, blush and cry. There were things I could relate to in my own crazy life! This would make a GREAT movie.
Such talent! Engaging descriptions, clever dialogue, characters that draw you in (make you wince, worry, laugh), a story line that keeps you reading! Loved it! –Vivian A., Berkeley, CA
Eat your heart out, Tolstoy! The only thing more fun than reading “Meant to Be” must have been writing it. What a kick! As far as a team project goes, this beats the hell out of making a quilt or training for the Double Dipsea. You must have had an absolute ball doing this. Engaging story, clever dialogue, and some very steamy love scenes. (Am curious about where you did your “research.” It was obviously very exhaustive.)
Hats off, ladies! And please let me know when the Grrrrdle comes onto the market.