Sandra Z. Pesmen’s listed in Who’s Who; I’m in Who’s This?

Introducing my dear pal from Chicago Sandra Z. Pesmen; a well known journalist in Who’s Who while I’m in Who’s This?

In 1945 I met 14-year-old Sandy Zuckerman , who today, at 81, is Sandra Z. Pesmen, author, journalist, career columnist, speaker and Website host. We were in high school, where dating, dancing, partying and simply having fun were main goals. But the two of us, with our other special friend, Nancy Greenberg (now famous Chicago Artist Nancy Greenberg Plotkin) also were among the few girls in that class interested in art and literature-and making good grades so we could go on to college.  I went to Purdue while Nancy and Sandy went on to room together at the University of Illinois,

As often happens, we lost track of each other for many years. Then I wrote my first book, To Be Continued, a few years ago and contacted Nancy to tell her about it. She said Sandy could help me market it.

During the years we were apart, life changed. I married my pilot and moved all over the U.S.; Sandy and Nancy found their special loves and married to remain in the Chicago area; we all multiplied with children.

But during that same time, Sandy managed a full-time professional career downtown, as: three-time author and motivational speaker; report/feature writer for a leading Chicago daily newspaper,and features editor for Crain’s Chicago Business newspaper. She was inducted into both the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame and the University of Illinois Media Hall of Fame.

After her husband Hal died in 1979, Sandy developed a Website to help other widows also “strive and thrive alone.” It covers financial, emotional and every day practical challenges facing wives left without a husband. http://.www.widowslist.com

She also began to give slideshow presentations about famous people she interviewed during her career called “Celebrities I Have Known,” then wrote a companion memoir “Stairway to the Stars: John Travolta, Woody Allen, Joan Rivers…and Me.”  (www.Bocomedia.com $10) .An amazing story, not just about the celebrities but how Sandy worked her way up in the male dominated newspaper business back then.

Sandy’s long-time career gave her media contacts throughout the city, so she “called in some chips” and set up interviews about my book, and convinced me to fly to Chicago for a whirlwind-and pretty crazy-promotional weekend. She met me at the airport and we drove downtown to sleep at Nancy’s city home so we could be at WGN studio for a radio interview with Rick Kogan for his Sunday Papers show at 7 a.m. The next day we all went back to sleep at Sandy and Hal’s home in the burbs, so I could give a reading in the Chestnut Street Bookstore in Winnetka.She also managed to place column items about me and my book:” Chicago Native Charmaine Gordon writes first romance novel at 76.” Give or take a few years, who cares?

What fun we had remembering old fun days—and living some new ones! Three days of of laughing with my dear friends. Great memories.

 

 

To Be Continued: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7283 – the first ibookbuzz book club selectionhttp://bit.ly/pfjmjs
http://www.amazon.com/Be-Continued-Charmaine-Gordon/dp/1935407430

http://www.amazon.com/Sin-of-Omission-ebook/dp/B007XA9V2I
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinofomission-784842-149.html

  http://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Charmaine-Gordon/dp/193540797X
http://www.amazon.com/Reconstructing-Charlie-Charmaine-Gordon/dp/1935407910
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Charmaine-Gordon/dp/1935407791