For those of you who didn’t see my email, I’m delighted to announce that HarperCollins will publish my first novel, A REMARKABLE KINDNESS, on August 11. Perserverance pays off! A REMARKABLE KINDNESS is the story of four American women who are members of a burial circle in a small beach village in Northern Israel. The women forge a friendship that sustains them as they come to terms with love and loss, and the outbreak of war. Their intimate bond is strengthened by their participation in a burial circle, a traditional ritual that closes the circle of life. As their lives are slowly transformed, each woman finds unexpected strength and resilience.  Advance Praise Reviews: “A Remarkable Kindness is a story about the bonds of friendship and family; how they are made, broken, and come full circle. Diana Bletter writes with such lush and insightful prose that a foreign landscape and culture becomes warm and familiar; exploring the power of friendship, love, and ancient traditions, the novel makes you wonder just how far you would go (literally and figuratively) for the people you love.” — Amy Sue Nathan, author of The Good Neighbor and The Glass Wives “Bletter brings this quartet of complex, gutsy, smart, passionate women to life with rare delicacy and depth.” — Janice Steinberg, author of The Tin Horse A REMARKABLE KINDNESS will be featured in HUDSON NEWS bookstores in airports around the USA and Canada during their fall promotion. If you’re white-knuckling it until you can read the novel, it helps if you pre-order. Other readers as well as the media pay attention to pre-orders, so your pre-order does help A REMARKABLE KINDNESS reach a wider audience. You can find the novel here: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062382443/a-remarkable-kindness I’ll be speaking at the following venues if you’re in the New York/Connecticut area in August: Thursday, August 13 (Book Launch) WESTHAMPTON FREE LIBRARY 7 Library Avenue Westhampton Beach, NY  11978 6:30 PM Thursday, August 20 DARIEN LIBRARY 1441 Post Road Darien, CT  06820 7pm Wednesday, August 26 WILTON LIBRARY 137 Old Ridgefield Road Wilton, CT  06897 7pm Thursday, August 27 RJ JULIA BOOKSELLERS 768 Boston Post Road Madison, CT  06443 7pm Thursday, August 28 Temple Beth Tikvah 196 Durham Road Madison, Connecticut 06443 7:15 pm (during services) The book will also be sold in Steimatsky bookstores in Israel. Thanks to all of you who believed that I could (eventually) make it happen.  For review copies, questions, please contact:  Joanne Minutillo / Associate Publicist / 212.207.7224 / joanne.minutillo@harpercollins.com Thought of the day: We can do one positive thing for ourselves today to make this day part of our best chapter.