Learning The Ropes

I just learned that if you want to use the name of a celebrity in your book, you can do it without permission. As long as you don't say something libelous. Bing Crosy, Kate Hepburn and Spency tracey have nothing to fear.

I do need permission to make a reference to 'Desperate Housewives'. They don't have an E-mail address, so I'll have to ask via snail mail. I was surprised to learn they are owned by Disney. I can't picture the cast of 'Desperate Housewives' being there with Mickey Mouse.

I'm still waiting to hear from 'Le Jules Verne Restaurant' and 'Caribbean Cruise Lines'. They don't seem eager to write back to me. The restaurant people may not speak English though, so I'll have to give them a little slack.

I am planning to make my own book trailer. Amazing the things you can do at home these days. I'd like to take a very dramatic picture of my heroine (played by my daughter, of course) leaning over a casket, holding a rose. It will depict Kate's immense sorrow over her husband's tragic death. Of course, I don't know anyone who happens to have a casket lying around. I'll have to see if I can convince a local funeral director to let me take a picture in his place of business. I deal with many funeral homes where I work, so I'll give it a try. I'm sure they will think I'm demented. I just hope they don't call the police!