Laura Nicole Diamond

In Which a Book Tour Masquerades as a Hudson Valley Retreat, with a Surprise Finish

The last (and only) time I came remotely close to the Hudson Valley in New York was while…
Tales of generosity (and good eats) on the road.

Traveling from one town to another, to see friends, family, and brand new people (a much…
Behind the Book Tour!

Greetings from Bucks County, Pennsylvania! It is verdant, beautiful, lush with luxurious gushing rain and thunderstorms…
Behind the scenes of Shelter Us

I thought I’d share some “behind the scenes” of how my debut novel, Shelter Us, evolved from…
Meet Laura

Originally posted on perksphillyspeaks: Shelter Us, a novel, by Laura Nicole Diamond Penn Grad, Laura Nicole…
The Fatherhood Economy: Spend Time, Pay Attention

Originally posted on Laura Nicole Diamond: When I was pregnant with our first child, a stack…
I’m Using You in My Next Book, Right Now

I’m sitting in my local library, taking an hour to write. It is not a commitment…
“Beautiful, Hopeful, Gorgeous…” OMG!

It is with humble gratitude (and a helluva a lot of glee!) that I share a…
Recommended Summer Reading: “a perfect book for the summer…more than fluff”

Shelter Us is a perfect book for the summer. There are layers of emotional depth without…
Launch Day

For almost a year, today’s date, June 8, 2015, has glimmered impossibly in the future: my…
How to Write a Novel: Start with a Journal and an Open Heart

One of the most unexpected highlights of publishing my first novel (hey, see how I’m calling it “my first novel”…
Words Meant to Be Shared

It may have been the glass of red wine with dinner. Or the 3-hour time change.…
Time traveling, to the present.

I know how to time travel. I do it all the time. Backwards: I see a…
Books Everywhere, For Everyone

Two book-related tidbits I’ve got to share, before I turn in for the night. First, I…
We Survived The Mother’s Day Camping Trip!

The Doritos in the dryer lint are a telltale sign that we’ve been camping. It’s one…
Best Mother’s Day Gift … Time Together in the Great Outdoors

Mother’s Day has been a bit of a fiasco in recent past. Police helicopters and lost children…
Recovering from Mother’s Day

Originally posted on Laura Nicole Diamond: I had my worst Mother’s Day, to date. No one…
To Welcome the Weekend…SHELTER US Book Giveaway!

We have been speaking a lot of Spanish since welcoming Maria into our family. To return…
An Exquisite Hunger for Action

I went to City Hall this morning to support the LAWomen15 — women fasting to advocate…
Will Leaders Listen to Hungry Women? #Women15

Women are starving on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. How is it possible that…
Sizzling Summer Reads Giveaway!

I have never before used the word sizzling in a blog post. (You can check me…
#IWishMyTeacherKnew: Teen Edition

If you’re one of the sage people who avoids Twitter, you may not have seen these…
Lost in Translation

It was the vehemence of the assault that surprised me. The attacker: my son. His weapon:…
Introducing Spring, and Maria

The bees are having an orgy with our bottle brush tree. It’s blooming like mad. Needle thin…
Embarrass Your Kids Now, They’ll Thank You Later

My kids keep telling me to stop embarrassing them. There are three general categories of embarrassing incidents…
Never a Dull Moment, With The Big Questions Kid

Have you ever told your children that it was good to be bored? Have you ever…
Open Letter to Jose Cardenas, One of “McFarland, USA”‘s Real Life Champions

Dear Mr. Cardenas, This past weekend I saw “McFarland, USA,” a movie about one phase of…
All together now: Ommmm and “Just Win, Baby”

Over the weekend I participated in a women’s retreat. It was filled with meditation, learning, spirituality,…
On Quitting, Committing, and Letting Go

Commitment. Responsibility. Perseverance. Quitting. These are the words released from my pre-dawn dream into my first…
The petty economies and small repairs…

“Yes, I am like you. I worry about the same things as you – the everyday,…
Afterlife, Ashes…and a Kickline for Al Diamond

Today as I stepped out of the shower, my mind turned, in that untraceable-to-first-thought, how-did-I-get-here way…
Resolution # 2: Find your heart’s calling, resist “prestige”

Yesterday morning I looked out on a winter’s day in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. My eyes absorbed the…
New Year’s Resolutions: Stress Less, Laugh More

It’s hard to get out of ruts in thinking and behaviors. With New Year’s approaching, I’m…
How to See Miracles

A person could think such extravagant exuberance could dilute genuine emotional power; if everything is grand,…
How to Have a Good Day (or “Believe Me, Mom! I’m Sick!”)

It’s the kind of morning where you are not sure which way the day is going…
Thanksgiving Traditions, Memories, and Spontaneous Reunions

Thanksgiving memories are enduring, even if some traditions are not. One Thanksgiving tradition is as deeply…
Thankful for: Kids Helping Other People’s Kids

A shout out for kids helping kids – good news in the midst of, you know,…
“Other People’s Kids”

I don’t want to be preachy, but sometimes I can’t help it. And that is okay,…
“How Do I Cherish Life More?” This Kid Wants to Know

Our fourth grader had a question: “How do I cherish life more? It goes by so fast.…
“Have a Great Day at School! Don’t Get Killed, Honey!”

Am I a lazy parent because I sent my sons to school knowing there’s a decent…
How to Procrastinate: Interview with Laura Diamond, on writing, mothering, philanthopy, and messing up.

If you’re like me, you go online with an idea in mind — like, “I’m going…
“Good Grief!” or How to Be a Friend (Grief Haven, Part 2)

I’m not trying to bum you out with all this grief business. But it’s life, right? And…
How One Mother’s Grief Led Her to Create a Haven for Thousands More

I hope I never know what it’s like to walk in the shoes of Sarah Shaw.…
How a Book Can Help Us Talk About Feelings: The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm

My friend told me that in her daughter’s Social Studies class, the teacher has allowed the…
News from The “Will Wonders Never Cease?” Department (aka How to Make Jewish Grandmas Kvell)

This just in from The “Will Wonders Never Cease?!” Department. 1. Not only did I not…
How to Reduce Stress in a Ten Year Old (And What Does He Have to Stress About Anyway?)

What I do know is that he is a kid for whom “unscheduled” is the highest…
How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Swimming, Hiking, and Ducking Bombs in Israel

I didn’t notice the air raid siren. Everyone else in our tour group was evacuating the…
I Would Totally Handle The Papparazzi Like Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield Did

I’m not all that with it, as my kids will tell you. To wit: I still…
To Honor My Dad on Father’s Day…Just Tell His Tales

To honor my dad for Father’s Day, I could tell you that the man never missed a…
Yes All Boys, Yes All Girls, Yes All Women, Yes All Men

The “girl as trophy” trope is being challenged again. The tragedy in Isla Vista has made…
NBC and Debra Messing Stole My Identity!

Imagine the shock to find this in my inbox from my on-the-case cousin: “Dear Laura, I…
My Mother’s Day Gift to You: What Not To Do

The greatest meaning a person can find in life is in service to others. (And also…
How to Make Mother’s Day Memorable

Although misplacing my nine-year-old son has become a commonplace experience, it is nonetheless still unsettling. The…
Best Birthday Gifts for Mom

Does a mom experience any sweeter feeling than watching quietly from the staircase as her child, unknowing…
Mother’s Day: Be Prepared

In anticipation of Mother’s Day… It has been a magical seven years since I first published…
Throwback Thursday: My Kid’s Words Take Me Way Back, Deep

If you’ve been on Facebook at some point in your life, you’ve seen people calling out…
“Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs” free eBooks for all…until tonight!

Thanks again to Susan Schaefer Bernardo for offering a free Kindle download of her beautiful children’s…
A Giveaway for International Book Giving Day!

I didn’t know there was such a thing as International Book Giving Day until my friend,…
Love Is in the Air

We’ve had the sex talk, my kids and I. It’s nearing the point where I’m going…
Ancient Words Speak: I’m Speechless

Hi, again. I hope you’ll forgive my absence. I was otherwise consumed. We had a Bar…
Cirque du Soleil, Blows Mere Mortals Away

Every time Cirque du Soleil’s Grand Chapiteau rises from the asphalt in the Santa Monica Pier’s…
New Years Wishes

I missed my window to send a New Year’s card this year. It was a question…
STOMP your heart out

This is totally how we sweep around my house. Of course not. This is STOMP, which…
Kids, We Are “The Capitol”

When The Hunger Games: Catching Fire alights on movie screens this weekend, I’ll be lining up…
Way Better than the Tooth Fairy: It’s “Dinovember”

I once read a great essay on the beauty and importance of believing in the Tooth…
How to Help a Homeless Veteran

My grandfather was a war hero. I don’t mean because of his actions as a soldier…
Dare to Dream, and Do

I turned on the computer with every good intention to go straight to my Word file…
Dare to Kick Self-Doubt in the Shins

It’s early in the week for the self-doubt to start, but there it is. “This is…
Halloween, in the Right Place

This is one of the days I love Venice. It helps that the boys are in…
Our Virus-induced Shutdown

My home has been taken over by scattered white flags of emptied out Kleenex boxes. The…
“It Might Be Wonderful”

I was searching for the source of a quote I read years ago, whose essence has…
How You Look At It: Perspective on a “Wasted” Afternoon

Morning confession: I let my son watch television all afternoon yesterday when he should have been…
Good Deeds and Good Eats

I am always drawn to non-profits that promise to help educate girls in parts of the…
No Time for This Food Fight

Jews all over the world, Republican and Democrat, read the following Torah portion this Shabbat: “And…
Unexpected Gifts

I sat at the car wash, wondering how much longer it would take, wishing I’d postponed…
Let the Sun Shine In

Originally posted on Laura Nicole Diamond: (Let the Sun Shine, cast of Hair; photo by Joan…
New Year’s Prayer for My Children: It’s Ancient History and So Two Hours Ago

Dear Rabbi Reuben, This time of year always gets me. I don’t think of myself as…
Theater: “Rapture, Blister, Burn”

It’s one kind of challenge to find a career that ignites your passion. It’s another to…
Driving Lesson 101: Don’t Be An A-Hole

Good morning lady in the SUV tailgating me, I want to start by saying you looked…
Sugar-Free Dare Takes a Dive

Last night, twelve days into the Thirty Day Sugar-Free dare, the temptation was too much for…
Sugar-Free? I Dare You.

There can be no doubt about who is the favorite for “Meanest Parents” award. After threatening…
Hanging up the iPhone: An Apology, Some Praise, and Five New Rules

Dear A, We need to talk. First, I am sorry. When I wrote about throwing away…
Hanging Up the iPhone

Knowing your gut and standing by it is the holy grail of parenthood. As a mom…
That (Absolutely, No Room for Doubt) Championship Season

Let’s be clear right off the bat: his team did not win the final championship game.…
That Championship Season

Some balls just get away. They fly over the center fielder’s head, past the white fence,…
Mother’s Day again: Vote for Wendy Greuel for Mayor

I’ve heard from friends today and the past few days asking — who should I vote…
Recovering from Mother’s Day

I had my worst Mother’s Day, to date. No one woke me with burnt toast. I…
Watch Your Language! Moms Talking Dirty

We interrupt this week of Grandma Power to get down and dirty with some real Confessions…
Grandma Power: Electing Women and Protecting the Environment

This week is the Grandmother Power Blogging Campaign, brainchild of photojournalist Paola Gianturco and writer/inspirer Tara Mohr.…
Countdown to Showtime(s)!

May is a big month for we thespians who make up the Diamond-Heisen parental team. Christopher…
DELIVER ME is Now on Kindle!

DELIVER ME is Now on Kindle! Some of you may be on your third or fourth…
Light at the end of the tunnel

A line was crossed tonight. At the usual “going upstairs to brush teeth” time, my twelve-year-old…
What’s in a name?

I’m renaming myself. Well, not my self. But my blog. I think it’s time to call…
What it takes to impress my sons.

I told my sons yesterday that their grandparents had had quite a day Saturday. “They got…
How to Impress L.A. Boys

I told my sons yesterday that their grandparents had had quite a day Saturday. “They got…
Get ‘Em While They’re Hot!

I’m thrilled to report I’m in the cast of Expressing Motherhood, coming up in May 2013.…
Little Guy, Big Ideas

I took Emmett out of school a little early last week. We were heading to a…
Little Guy, Big Ideas

I took Emmett out of school a little early last week. We were heading to a…
It Takes a Village, and Mine is Yummy

I’m noticing connections between parenting and writing this week. Both can be thankless pursuits. You do…
Spend Time, Pay Attention

It’s March, it’s spring, it’s green stuff blooming everywhere. That other kind of green comes into…