PUPPY LOVE: My Kiddies, My Husband, and Our Two Beagle Brothers!

Hello Friends,
 
I've not yet mentioned much about a couple of family member in the Ferry Farm who are very important to all of us, and who are an integral part of the dynamics of our household.
 
I am referring to "Buddy" (age 9.5 yrs), and "Diogi" (age 5 yrs). Both of our dogs were rescued, both are purebred 100% Beagles with papers and microchips but definitely not show dogs. One reason is because they both have been "fixed" and the other is that their personalities are not of the show dog type. Our doggies are brothers in arms, double-trouble, mischief makers, and loveable, sweet, kid-loving playmates.
 
Buddy came into our family before we had our oldest child, Carson. Buddy was my loveable "baby" after I suffered from a failed pregnancy. He loved me unconditionally, let me hold him, bond with him, kiss him and cry with him in my arms for many months before I felt strong again. Of course, my husband was also there for me as well, in so many ways I couldn't even begin to mention. But something about an innocent, sweet puppy nestling in your arms while getting used to his new family and "parents" is so comforting, so pure, and so secure.
 
Diogi was rescued when I found out that a "young, boy Beagle" near Vegas was in need of a home because his owner couldn't keep him due to military travel and mobility. He had been an indoor dog, but once he got to our home became Buddy's new outdoor mate. He had been taught to jump up on your lap, and was a wild, high-spirited dog. But he is fun, runs around doing laps in our yard at night, loves to play with the kids, climbs our play center ladder and slides down many times a day, and is a handful. The two dogs complement each other well, as Buddy is a bit older and less rambunctious, and Diogi gets Buddy up, moving and playing. Buddy is a calming presence for Diogi. It works well.
 
So I felt like introducing our pets because they are important and much-loved members of our family.
 
I know the true meaning of "Puppy Love" because of our two boy Beagle brothers.
 
Suzanne

Onward and Upward... Day by Day...

So as I write this latest and long overdue post to my "Ferry Tales" blog, I reminisce back to a few years ago... I was taking my son Carson, then about 5-1/2 years old, to one of his many auditions. Carson got his first on-camera job at age 9 months, and has since been in a few short films. I had so much fun watching him taking his acting workshops and going to auditions for the first few years. Slowly though, I found myself wanting to have the experience for myself. This secret dream of mine had been locked away for a long time. I never felt like sharing it because I always thought it would sound laughable -- I mean, ME? Acting? Yeah, I just did not have the nerve... yet.
 
But a few years ago I decided on my own to start jazzing up my stay-at-home mommy and writing jobs by adding a third job: acting. I went very slowly, one day at a time, by checking out the casting websites. I was familiar with these sites thanks to Carson and his wonderful agency (CESD), so I joined a few of them and created my own profiles, using "selfies" as my head shots in the beginning. I wanted to start out as a background actor, or "extra," to get my feet wet.
 
Once I had shared my new ambition with my husband and family, and then my closest friends, the loftiness factor kind of faded. I was welcomed with encouragement and cheers and well wishes. What a treat!
 
I  did a few background jobs, then I had some head shots taken, then I got my nerve up enough to audition for a small speaking role in a children's feature film. I practiced and practiced and sent in my audition via youtube.com (which is not all that unusual, by the way). I did not get the gig. But I don't get discouraged easily, so I kept trying. And I signed up for my first acting class since high school. I had done three musicals in high school, which was a great experience for me.
 
Anyhow, about a month after I submitted myself for the small speaking role in the children's feature film, the same producers called me. They had enjoyed my youtube audition but had already cast the role. They were interested in my auditioning for another part in a different feature film. A role of a mineralogist. I thought this was amazing because I am kind of a nerd at heart and I wear glasses most of the time.
 
Well, fate took its course and I got the gig. This led me to an amazing ten days in the Philippines shooting all my scenes in TREASURE HUNTERS  ( http://youtu.be/wgpo7ZsA6S4 ). My next post will be about my experience in the Philippines and all the great people I met. It will also explain how that let to me being in about ten more features (some parts small, some bigger, and one more lead role) plus about 20 TV appearances (some parts small, some bigger, and a couple of leads), two infomercials and two game shows later, plus landing an agent. Things are moving and I'm taking it all in and loving every minute.
 
My husband has been so very supportive that I could not do this without him. My father, who once was asked to direct with Bernard Kowalski and had directed theatrical productions in high school, has been very encouraging. Even my mom and closest friends, my sister, my kids; everyone is happy to see me going down this new, exciting path. I still have a strong passion to write, but this creative endeavor of acting is also bringing me much joy.
 
Thanks for reading! I'll be back soon to talk about the Philippines.
 

Suzanne

My Latest Adventures in Acting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz-xHle_OK8

My interview with Eileen Rivera last July about my path towards an acting career, a dream I have always harbored and finally took the plunge! I have been very busy as a working TV/film actress ever since, and will soon post about more of the projects I have done or am doing... Including some new twists. Stay tuned for more.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wgpo7ZsA6S4

Shameless Self Promoting: All in an Author's Workday

After my second book The Day the Stars Stood Still was published by BearManor Media in 2012, I started a crusade to publicize and immortalize my book "out there" via mostly social media channels. I used and am still using Facebook, Twitter, my own blog (this one), friends, my publisher's publicist (the best-selling author Michelle Morgan) and blog, LinkedIn, and email. I know there are other ways I've worked on promoting my writing career, including word-of-mouth, but there are too many to mention!

Of course, creating your own "buzz" (which I love to call "shameless self promoting" for up-and-coming successful authors such as myself -- hopefully!) is not always easy; it takes patience, creativity; more writing; spell-checking; inventiveness, and unique hooks.

My book launch party for The Day the Stars Stood Still was amazing. I've attached a few photos, and thanks to http://claibornelime.com/ and my husband Mike, everything went off without a hitch.

I've managed to have two interviews on YouTube; a television show for my first book titled Corinna the Christmas Elf (2009, Tate Publishing Enterprises) which was a national holiday special called "Happy Holidays America" and which played all across the US and into Canada, and had a segment featuring me at a book signing and being interviewed about my book. I was somehow squeezed in between Mariah Carey and Dolly Parton! Don't ask me how that happened... I've no idea, but I was very honored.

With lots of luck and even more perseverance (like, maybe 12 phone calls and four reschedules) I have also been interviewed by the infamous Mr. Joe Franklin on his Bloomberg Syndicated Radio Show (over 39 million listeners!) about my latest book -- this really made the Amazon sales spike; I've had several local book signings (one is coming up the day before the Academy Awards at Gatsby Books in Long Beach, CA http://www.gatsbybooks.com/ ), posts on Twitter, an article in the OC Register, Long Beach Gazette, Signal Hills Tribune, etc.

I'm on a quest to try to get some news coverage from a local news station, and perhaps more larger-scale book signings and radio programs. I'll travel a bit if necessary, and am always on the lookout!

My books are in many libraries, and have received several promising reviews. My latest baby, The Day the Stars Stood Still, has led me into a new world and introduced me to many amazing people and organizations devoted to Old Hollywood, such as Cinecon Classic Film Festival's book signings in Hollywood, The Hollywood Show http://www.hollywoodshow.com/ ,  Immortal Marilyn www.immortalmarilyn.com and the 50th anniversary of her passing (which included a book signing, pool party, private luncheon and tour at the Fox Studios with a raffle, which gifted me with a lovely Geoge Barris print of Marilyn herself).

I've met a handful of true artistic geniuses, wax figure artists, several who learned their techniques directly from Logan Fleming. I've also befriended some collectors of wax figures, including some gracious folks who loaned me "Spock" from the Star Trek TV series (made by Logan Fleming for Movieland) and "Granny and Jed Clampett" from The Beverly Hillbillies (made by Logan Fleming for Movieland) for my book launch party in Long Beach. I have been invited to do a book signing and presentation at Potter's Wax Museum in our nation's oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida this Spring.  I'm working on more local book signings. I had a great time doing a presentation and book signing for local authors at Vroman's Book Store http://www.vromansbookstore.com/ in Pasadena, where I practically grew up! The amazing video below gives a lovely testimony to Logan Fleming and one man's love of wax museums, wax artistry and Logan Fleming's creative genius.

 

As I continue on, trying to scrape up some spare time here and there for my passion to write (I'm working on two new books and have a new screenplay in my head), I will also forge ahead with my quest for shameless self promotions. All ideas are welcome: contact me at suzanne.ferry@verizon.net

 

I thank each and every one of you for your support and enthusiasm over my writing career!

Lime Avenue: Bixby Knolls' Best!

I am a very lucky girl to live in District 8 of Long Beach, the lovely Bixby Knolls community, and to have such fabulous neighbors. My neighbors have helped me find my dog when it got out, hold my child when a van came crashing into my kitchen on a rainy day so I could call 911 and calm down, and the latest good deed my wonderful community did was to plant 20 lovely Chinese Elm trees on my street. 

My neighbor and friend Melissa and I had a plan: I would write to our Councilwoman Rae Gabelich and simply ask for trees to be planted on our street to help beautify it, and because we are so close to Atlantic Ave (where it's all happening, especially on First Fridays each month -- so I'm not complaining), which causes a lot of cars to park on our street due to overflow. So to give our little block of Lime Avenue a "boost" in spirit and beauty, I wrote to Councilwoman Gabelich and she responded YES! After several more communications between myself, Melissa and our current Councilwoman, we set the plan into motion.

Petition was signed, names were written down, volunteers were lined up; a date was set, Melissa and I went to OSH to buy the mulch, and VOILA! We now have a lovely, tree-lined street. This not only helps with shade, privacy, aesthetics, but it also increases property value by up to 15%!

A special shout-out to our volunteers for all their hard work, for Councilwoman Rae Gabelich, who is completing her final term, for Rose in the Councilwoman's office, for Jerry Rowland, city arborist, for John Royce, who is President of the Cal Heights Neighborhood Association and a tree "expert" and to my friend Melissa Von Leffern for instigating this whole thing, down to the two of us watering all the trees on our street last night! It's been a joy and will continue to be one as we watch our baby trees rise above and grow great heights, much like the character of our neighbors on Lime Avenue in Bixby Knolls! Next on the list: Neighborhood Watch!

A New Year to Grow By

I can hardly wait as this Baby New Year grows into a toddler (hopefully without the tantrums!), then a young child (full of wonder and curiosity), then a teenager (out to conquer the world), a college student (ready to attempt being responsible in new ways, and find new goals and challenges), and finally, an adult who can sit back, kick up her feet and say, "I did it, and it was fun!" whilst listening to lovely holiday music, with the scent of cinnamon and pine and cocoa enveloping her. That sounds like a rewarding year, doesn't it? And it's beginning to unfold. I can feel it. I hope I am right about it.

Last year, the new adult in me who had learned new lessons, achieved new goals, made some new mistakes and mostly accepted herself more, winded down with the comfort of loved ones, filled with much gratitude... yet it was bittersweet. Literally two weeks before Christmas (my favorite holiday) I lost a dear friend who was and will always be very important to me and have a special place in my heart. His name is Logan Fleming, and he is the subject of my upcoming memoir (THE DAY THE STARS STOOD STILL: A Memoir about Logan Fleming, the Former Top Wax Artist of Movieland Wax Museum). This book will be published in 2012, exact date TBD (but soon!).

I am just sad that Logan will not be able to join us at the book launch party (date and venue TBD) and hold that first finished, freshly printed and published copy of his career memoir in his tired-yet-talented hands. Hands that had touched hundreds of the most famous celebrities of all time while measuring them for their wax likenesses; the hands which I had shaken many times, before our handshakes turned into true hugs of friendship. I do feel blessed that he was able to see an unfinished copy of the book with the cover very much as it will be in the final version, a copy which he will forever be holding in his hands and was so very proud of. I want to do everything possible to make Logan's book a success. It's very important to me to honor Logan in this way, and I'm going to work hard at it, praying it really catches attention and gets some decent reviews. I'm not a super-experienced, prolific or famous author and I cannot promise excellent reviews, but just finishing the book and getting a publisher makes me feel like a winner with good reviews. So in the end, I really just want to focus on the PR side of getting Logan's book out there for the world to read so they can get to know Logan just a little bit, and see what a clever, determined, kind, funny and talented man he was. I'm proud he chose ME to write his memoir. I'll be forever grateful. Rest in Peace, my dear friend Logan.

Houston, We Have a Publisher!

I'm so pleased and happy to announce that my latest book (memoir), The Day the Stars Stood Still: A Career Memoir about Logan Fleming, Former Top Wax Artist at Movieland Wax Museum by Suzanne Sumner Ferry, as told by Logan Fleming, has found a publishing home. We are in the process of taking the numerous and necessary steps to get our book into your hands. Please be patient, and I will keep you updated as frequently as I can so that you can enjoy this star-studded, Old Hollywood gem.

Logan is also over-the-moon about this latest news, and my dream is to hand him the first copy I receive from the publisher.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Best,

Suzanne Sumner Ferry