December 2008

Great good news! Target is planning a promotion for Things Good Mothers Know and it will be for Easter as well as Mother’s Day. My publication date is now moved up to February 15th, and the “on sale” date is February 10th. This is a Valentine’s Day gift to me. I’m very pleased and so is my publisher. There are some other wonderful possibilities for special sales being pursued.

Caroline, my new editor, informed me that Things I Want My Daughters to Knowhas just gone into its 26th printing. My publisher plans to do a special ship-case of Things Good Mothers Knowand Things I Want My Daughters to Know as a nice gift package.

I absolutely love the cover of my new book. The two yellow roses are so happy, and I’m glad the publisher selected “A Celebration” for the subtitle. The book design has lots of a pretty blue color and we’re changing the purple on the cover to match the blue. It’s always thrilling to see everything come together. I learned that the new designer, Ashley, is from Stonington!

It was painful for me to learn that I had to edit 30,000 words from my book due to cost considerations in our tough economical times: The cost of paper, printing, and shipping keeps rising, and we want to keep the price of the book $19.95. But with the skillful hand of my former editor Toni, who has been my editor for thirteen books, I believe the book has more clarity now. I am quite pleased and hope you will be too!

Things Good Mothers Know will be my twenty-seventh published book. There is a certain feeling of joy and excitement just before I receive my first copy from my editor, when I actually hold the book in my hands. I will probably receive my copy in early January – what a perfect New Year’s present!

Our new granddaughter Cooper Lily is delightful! Spending time with her the first month of her life has been so rewarding. We’re friends! Cooper loves to hear her name. When Brooke and I took her to see the doctor for her one-month checkup, she grew to be 22” long and is in the 90th percentile for height. Laughingly, I said to Brooke, “Good genes.” This is an extremely happy chapter in our lives.

Thanksgiving was celebrated in Chevy Chase with our daughter Alexandra’s three adorable children, Nicholas, Anna, and Lily. Peter especially loves being with their dog Homer, a golden retriever, who feels Peter’s positive spirit energy. I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. When we give thanks for our abundant blessings, we’re in the season of love, family, and friendship

Peter and I have experienced the most amazingly beautiful sunsets this autumn season in Stonington. Our cottage renovation is in full force, but we have our downstairs study as our “hide-away”. Both Peter’s and my desks face the harbor, and after the talented and dedicated crew leave to return to their families each evening, we come here, usually from the Stonington Free Library, to work. We’re often distracted, in complete silence, over the sheer majesty of the colors of the sky.

The scenes of awesome natural beauty connect us with all our loved ones, alive and dead, who have encouraged us to live up to our full potential and who have shown us first-hand what the good life looks like and have led us toward a path of greater, lasting happiness.
The cottage renovation is rounding a corner. We’ve put up bathroom mirrors and towel bars. While there are more weeks and months ahead, we feel the great satisfaction from all we’ve accomplished because of the excellence of our creative master craftsman working brilliantly toward the goal of safety, happiness and health.

In the meantime, we feel enormously nourished and grateful to be guests at our wonderful Inn, where we have our Happiness Weekends. As the seasons change from being on the terrace for breakfast and afternoon reading and writing, we’re luxuriating in the glow of our warm cozy fire in our bedroom in the mornings and sitting in the common room by a fire in the evening.

Happy December. We all are feeling differently this year because of our knowledge of all those whom we love who are deeply suffering from their loss of their house, or their job, of their sense of hope. Let us, you and me, you and your family and friends, Peter and me with our family and friends, reach out to our communities where we live and work and where we raised our children and grandchildren, and do whatever we can for those who are not as fortunate. Aristotle believed that we can all achieve happiness in our earthly lives so long as we have “good luck.”

I feel enormously fortunate this holiday season. The arrival of Cooper Lily into this world has increased our sense of well-being and life satisfaction. We feel a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in our lives, and, as a result, feel great faith and hope for all our futures.

I embrace our new President Elect, Mr. Obama, and look forward to his positive influence in all our lives. Even for those of you who did not choose Obama or vote for him, I trust that you will support him in earnest as he becomes the next President of the United States.

In closing, I want to thank you for all the love and kindnesses you’ve lavished on me these past months. I’ve held so many of you in my heart each day. If I have not called or written it is because I am taking this time to study and work whenever I am not with our children or grandchildren. Please do keep Peter and me in your mind and spirit-energy as you enjoy your days of celebration and appreciation this month of live and sharing. I’m wishing you and your loved ones the most joyful season, and great contentment and joyfulness in these precious days ahead.

Joy to the world. Joy to you and your family and loved ones. Abiding happiness forever…

Love & Live Happy

Have you taken photos at one of Alexandra's events that you'd like to share? If so, you can email them to AStoddardInc@aol.com. Please be sure to include the names of those in the photo and where and when it was taken! We will try to include them on the website in the future.

Alexandra autographing The Gift of A Letter to a dear friend.

Doug and Peter welcoming the re-publication of The Art of Questioning

Peer admiring the hand marblizing in The Postcard as Art at the cottage

Ginny happily balancing some Roger Muhl prints

Alexandra holding Cooper Lily as a newborn baby in the hospital.

Alexandra and Peter holding precious Cooper Lily

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If you would like to order a personalized copy of Alexandra's book, please send your order (including inscription information) to:
Jane Hannon
Bank Square Books
53 West Main Street
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-3795
banksquarebks@msn.com