Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 7:30 pm
Join us and Newsday Live for a free virtual talk between author Dan Mathews and actor Alec Baldwin, with introduction by Newsday’s Mark Chiusano! To register please click here.
Dan Mathews knew that his eccentric mother, Perry Lawrence, was outspoken, foul-mouthed, and, at seventy-eight years old, unable to maintain her fiercely independent lifestyle—so he flew her across the country (with his ex-boyfriend as her escort) to live with him in a dilapidated Victorian townhouse in Portsmouth, Virginia. What he didn’t know was that she was schizophrenic. LIKE CRAZY: Life with My Mother and Her Invisible Friends is an uplifting, funny, and heartbreaking memoir about a mother and son on a journey of self-discovery and the rag-tag community that rallied together to support the most unconventional of mothers as she entered the last phase of her life.
Dan Mathews was born and raised in Orange County, CA by a single mother who encouraged her boys to bring home stray animals. In high school, he was beaten up for being gay and credits those rough times with helping him develop the thick skin needed to be an animal activist. He began working at PETA as a receptionist and within a year was organizing protests. As PETA’s Director of Campaigns, his job is to increase awareness of the rights of animals through high-profile events.
Award-winning actor and activist Alec Baldwin is the author of three books: A PROMISE TO OURSELVES (his critique of the California family law system), his memoir NEVERTHELESS and, along with Kurt Andersen, a Trump parody memoir entitled YOU CAN’T SPELL AMERICA WITHOUT ME. Since 1980, Alec Baldwin has appeared in numerous productions on stage, in films and on television. He has received a Tony nomination (A Streetcar Named Desire, 1992) an Oscar nomination (The Cooler, 2004) and has won three Emmy awards, three Golden Globes and seven consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on NBC-TV’s 30 Rock. He has been a regular host and guest star on Saturday Night Live. Alec hosts the MATCH GAME, the classic television game show, on ABC, a portion of the proceeds going to charity.
Special thanks to Book Revue for providing the books at a 10% discount, with proceeds going to Newsday Covid charities.
My friends and I want to hear the authors but aren’t interested in workshops. How are the authors being scheduled? Is there a talk and then a workshop and then a talk, etc?
Thanks for asking. The workshops are FREE with admission and optional. They are running at Noon, before LitFest begins at 1 pm. Our author reading schedule runs in two sessions, with a book signing break in between. Please take a look at the schedule of events, here. We look forward to seeing you and your friends! It’s going to be an amazing day!
Typo in my name. My fault.
Is there an essay contest this year?
Thank you.
Pamela, We have opted not to include an essay contest this year.
I wanted to come to the Long Island LitFest 2017 for a couple of reasons: 1 of them is that I am in the process of what I hope to be a book about my experience with life in the past 10 or so years. I’ve experienced extraordinary circumstances and I believe that I could be of use to people out there if they read my story period I dealt with most of my tragedies and my dealings by being sober and by believing in something other than nothing. And I wasn’t really too much of understanding of the readings but I was very much interested in the workshops. Unfortunately my financial situation is such that I don’t even have that money to put aside for this function today. What I would like to know is if they offer free workshops anywhere and what do I have to do to sign up for those? Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and I hope to get a reply from you soon period thank you so much Toni Ann lettenberger
Please sign up for updated news and events. We may hold workshops in the future…
I’d love to hear Nelson DeMille, Kristin Hannah, Jodi Picoult, and Lisa Genova. Loved listening to Anna Quinlan- thank you!
Thank you, Maureen! Great suggestions — and we loved Anna Q. also. She was fantastic. Thanks for attending that!
Maureen, have you heard? We are hosting an event with Nelson DeMille on Oct. 10th!
Johnathan Goldsmith. The Most Interesting Man in the World. New Book: “Stay Interesting”
Thank you for that suggestion, Dean! We’ll work on it!
I cannot wait for the book! The tee shirt is awesome.
All the best,
Matt
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU WON A TEE SHIRT! Please email your address to cgc@ClaudiaCopquin.com and we’ll send it to you right away.
Hey, Matt. Please send us an email with your address. cgc@ClaudiaCopquin.com
Anxiously awaiting for your trip to The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ. Can’t wait to read your book.
Can we take a photo with Rachel Ray ?
Working on it!
I ordered the book from Barnes and Noble – at your request/behest – right before I registered. Is Barnes and Noble still committed to their promise of 10% contribution?
Oops, I ordered it from Book Revue. (I got my bookstores mixed up). I did order it right before i registered. Please check with Book Revue
Yes, Susan. Book Revue is providing books at a 10% discount, with a percentage of proceeds from all sales going to Newsday’s Covid charities. Hope you enjoy the event!