The PR dept at Penguin should be held partly responsible for my
friend's premature and illfated and untimely death. What were they
thinking, sending a man solo on icy winter roads for a 40 person book
signing event? The New York Times is looking into this now. heads will
roll over this. I hope his family sues Penguin!

Becker Mueller had joined Zaslow at the book signing Thursday night in
Petoskey, and they were supposed to have breakfast Friday morning. But
Zaslow called her and said "he was nervous about the roads and wanted
to leave so he could be home when his daughter got out of school."

why was a bestselling author on a cold February morning driving solo
to and from a small bookstore in northern Michigan, when he did not
have to do such a minor book event for his new book. He could have
done an interview on Good Morning America or NPR and any other large
media outlet, and he could have had a much different arc in life. It
seems so sad and a pity that Jeff had to drive solo in icy conditions
from Detroit to Petoskey and back just for a minor minor book signing
event.

That he bothered to go there says volumnes about his own dedication to
his fans and readers, so on level, bravo to Jeff for agreeing to go
there to sign a few books. But on the other hand, one has to ask his
publishers and PR people: why on Earth was this small book event part
of his national book tour? What were people thinking? And why did he
go?

Solomon started a roundtable game among the 10 guests at the party — five couples — asking every individual guest for the secret to the success of their marriage. She said that Zaslow's answer to the secret of his 25-year marriage, in the form of a joke, brought the house down.

"It was his traveling schedule," Solomon remembered.

"We laughed so hard," Krieger-Cohen said. "I was sitting across from him and I have to say, I was a good audience for him, because not only did he make me laugh when he said something, but that his laugh made me laugh. He was so bright and funny."

Muskovitz's emotion turned wistful when remembering what Margolis said in response.

"Sherry turned to me when it was her turn and said, 'I'm just crazy about (Jeff).' I'll never forget that," he said.