Family Ties
I don’t usually talk about my books here, and use it more as a forum for sharing with you what I think or how I feel, or to tell you what I’m doing, or something exciting I’ve seen. But I do write the books after all, and I guess that’s worth talking about too. I have a new book out, in hardcover, called “Family Ties”, and I love the book. (It has a turquoise cover, with three eggs in a nest). It’s about a young woman (26 years old), in her first job as an architect, fresh out of school, with a brand new apartment she loves, and a terrific new boyfriend she is crazy about, and he is crazy about her too!!. Her life is on a roll!!! She has a married sister ten years older, with a great husband and three kids.The older sister and her husband die in a plane crash in the first chapter, and the younger sister inherits the three kids (who are 5, 8, and 11). Her life is instantly changed. She cant stay in the new apartment, has to work twice as hard at her job since she’s an overnight single parent, and of course the boyfriend takes a look at what she’s dealing with, and instantly takes a hike. Bye. The young architect loved her sister, loves her kids, and is totally stunned by what has happened to her life.
In the second chapter, you fast forward 16 years. The kids are pretty much grown up, the oldest is the jewelry editor of a fashion magazine and leads a high powered very stressful life (afraid to attach to anyone since her parents died). The middle child, a boy, is a law student, and the youngest child is an art student and a very independent kid (tattoos, piercings, and very much her own person). The aunt who brought them up adores them, and they love her. And she is now adjusting to their having grown up and moved out, and the void they have left in her life. For 16 years, her whole life has centered around them, so now what does she do? She has a successful business, but an empty nest, and hasn’t had the time or inclination to have a serious man in her life for 16 years, she was too busy bringing up the kids.
The book is about everything that happens after that, to the 3 young people, to the aunt, their relationship with each other, and with other people. The people they get involved with, the situations they face. There are a lot of touching things in it, and some funny ones (a series of terrible blind dates set up by friends who insist she has to find a guy, and she really doesn’t want to—particularly after those dates.). I love the book, and I hope you will too. It’s about 4 people, facing real life and the real world, and the situations that some of us face, with kids, and just trying to cope, particularly as single parents—-and in this case, the kids aren’t even hers, but they might as well be, she has been a wonderful stand-in single parent for them. And of course there is some excitement and adventure and a few hairy scary moments.
Anyway, I wanted to share with you that the book is out. I hope that you’ll buy it and love it. I have a paperback out right now too, “Matters of the Heart”, about the very unnerving story of a woman who gets involved with a charming sociopath. Parts of that are terrifying, and experiences like that must happen to a lot of people, because I got an enormous amount of mail from people who had survived similar situations. I try to write about the things that happen to real people, and affect us all. If you have time for summer reading, I hope you’ll buy the books!!! Love, Danielle
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Hi Danielle,
You write so beautifully, and never cease to run out of great and creative ideas! Where do your ideas come from, and how do you get so many of them 🙂 I would love to be a talented writer someday! ~Vanessa
I have grown reading your books. the first one being “Lightning”. Since then there has been no looking back. I have read every single book of yours. I have cried with every character’s agony and have rejoiced at every happy moment. I have lived in the world of the characters when I read the books.
Thank you for the lovely learning experience your books provide. Your books prove the fact that you have lived your life to the fullest.
Dear MS Steel,
I will be adding your latest novel to my already huge Danielle Steel collection.
Often people look at my book shelves and then ask to borrow one of your books. I get a sinking feeling as I know that is the last time I will see the book. I often wish I could just say “no” but that would be rude, so I end up having to buy the respective book all over again. But hey, every penny has been worth it, your books have given me so much solace, and happiness. I can’t wait to read the latest, it sounds wonderful.
PS:Do try to come out to South Africa for a book tour soon, plenty of your South African fans would love to see you at a book signing.
I just want to congratulate Danielle on her Birthday in August. I am a big fan. I am in South Africa and are vey proud to say that I have all 80 novels that are availble. I can’t wait for the 2 new books to be a available in South Africa. I love her books. Thank you for all these nice stories
I have bought “Family Ties” and I have your last four books, but haven’t had the time to read them. Winter will soon fast approach and I will be found huddled under the covers with my favorite author. I will be able to catch up. I usually am reading the one behind the newest, but this summer was a busy one as I babysit my grandson and I had a new grandbaby just two weeks ago. I hope things will calm down this fall and I can finally get some reading done, so don’t stop writing now. I also want to wish you a happy belated birthday. I hope you enjoyed your day. Love you and your writing. You are my silent mentor. Love, JM
Hi Miss Danielle,
Thanks God that i found you here.I really enjoy reading your books.All written well by you and many lessons u can learn reading it.I have the collections of your books and i hope i could complete it co’z you had written lots of novel romance books.I admired you a lot and i am the one of your biggest fans.You are a talented woman i hope i could write too the way you did 🙂
It would be a dream come true if u’ll reply to our messages here.Keep up the good work Miss D.S.
Love Angel:)
I just finished your book on Nicky. It was an amazing eye opener. It was so full of love and understanding. I am so sorry for you loss, but through his short time on earth, he touched so many people and is continuing to through your book. I realized while reading Nicky’s book why you wrote so many other books, it kept you grounded. God be with you.
Kathleen
Hi Danielle, I just finished Family Ties and I just wanted to send you my thoughts of which you could do with what you would like. I have read many books that you have written and find that none of them have the substance and quality that your older books had, like The Promise, Family Album, Now and Forever… I found numeorus grammatical mistakes in this book and I’ve never seen a book start a sentence with the word AND as much as this one. On page 29 you mentioned the family looking at “Annie’s” portfolio when it clearly was meant to be ‘. On page 154, when Annie went to NYU after injuring her ankle, you state that the nurse came out to help her in blue “pajamas?” I think the problem is that you yourself are not actually writing these books. I think that you have these books mass produced for no other reasons than to keep cranking out books, perhaps for financial reasons? I do know that if you, Danielle Steel were actually writing these books, I would again see the great novelist I saw in the very beginning. I think you’ve lost sight of yourself along the way and it’s a great shame……
Hi Danielle,
I have 64 of your books – 18 to go – and I have loved everyone of those I have read so far. Fortunately, for me, our local book store has a list of the ones I still need and will phone me as soon as they arrive.
I have been lucky enough to buy several copies (in good condition) from second-hand book stores.
I see that yesterday, 20th September, was Nick’s anniversary and know it must have been a very sad day for you all.
Love and God’s richest blessings.
Lilian