Vicki Lansky

Feed Me I'm Yours, my first book, began as a local fund raising cookbook in 1974 and turned me into an author. I thought it was the only book I'd ever write and then for a while, I thought that each new book would be my last. Was I wrong!

When you write parenting books, everyone glances critically at your children. Thank goodness mine had the good graces to turn out well.

I think my mother would be astonished to know that I gave out cleaning and household advice to millions of people for 9 years as a columnist for Family Circle magazine. After all, she—not I—had made a career of homemaking. In 1988, when Family Circle asked me to be a contributing editor to their "Help" column, I was delighted. This would be a place for me to share "grown-up" tips. I was now moving beyond the days of needing to know that peanut butter removes gum from children's hair!

Along the way I also became a publisher. Feed Me I'm Yours was first published from my then- husband's and my home on Meadowbrook Lane (i.e., Meadowbrook Press). Our company grew very fast as we learned the publishing business. After our divorce 8 years later, I left Meadowbook Press with no plans of being a publisher again. However, as the books I wrote for others went out of print, I established my own imprint, Book Peddlers, which now publishes 28 of my 30 titles.

Getting divorced was not part of my long term plan. It was not even my idea. I guess I never realized that it takes only one partner's wish to make a divorce happen. And it took me a long time to realize it was happening to me.
What's most amazing to me is that I now know that my divorce was one of the best things that ever happened to me! It was also the worst and certainly one of the most painful things that ever happened to me. Because I am a writer, I looked to the printed word for help in dealing with what felt like the end my life. I decided early on that I would put together the kind of book I had looked for in those dark, difficult days. My book, Vicki Lansky's Divorce Book for Parents, was not published until the sixth anniversary of my divorce so it contained wisdom I gained from hindsight. (It is also available as an eBook.) It's companion book for children, It's Not Your Fault, KoKo Bear, is for ages 3-7 when both parents are involved in their children's lives. It is also available in Spanish.

Through my Practical Parenting on-order catalog as well as at Amazon.com, my titles are always available. When you can't find these books in stores or elsewhere, you'll find them here.

VIcki Lansky
bookpeddlers@aol.com
www.practicalparenting.com