One of the things I love the most about my friend and fellow writer Mara Purl (www.marapurl.com) is her ability to visualize an opportunity and then bring that experience fully to life. Mara worked on the logistics of our Author’s Tea Event for months before the December date. One of the most important things she did was send me and all the others involved a “guided imagery” of what was to come. In this way she set the stage for success. I believe if each of us focused on turning our dreams into goals and then coached ourselves into firmly believing in a positive outcome, then that is exactly what will happen.

Come with me now to experience the New York City Author’s Tea at the famed Lady Mendl’s tea salon (www.ladymendls.com) through Mara’s incredible pre-event vision which happened in just the way she imagined.

“Our guests receive our attractive email, click on “Order” and immediately enjoy a sense of anticipation and inclusion in a special event.

Other guests receive our beautiful invitation by mail, and immediately know this is something they do not want to miss. They call or email for a reservation, mark the date on their calendar and post the invitation somewhere where they will enjoy seeing it.

On the day, guests arrive at 56 Irving Place in New York City and ooh and ah at the beautiful architecture and privacy of the location. As they enter the tea salon, they widen their eyes and giggle with joy at the [elegant] décor, ambience and sense of preparation especially arranged for them.

Laurie and Mara greet the guests, introducing and welcoming, showing the lovely book display, the carefully set tables, the flickering candles, Victorian furnishings, and at each place, a gift book [a copy of Mara’s Christmas Angels]. Place cards welcome each gift and explain their gifts and the charity to which we are all donating today.

As the event begins, Mara explains how the afternoon will go, and shares with them the connection between tea, women’s fiction, and generosity. Mara invites them to enjoy the exquisite afternoon tea and introduces our first speaker, Ellen Easton, who offers a unique perspective [because of her family’s multi-generational involvement in the tea industry]. As guests enjoy conversation and incomparable food, they learn more about the story of tea.

Mara introduces Marva of the Hue-Man bookstore who inspires everyone deeply with her Books-for-Kids charity. (www.huemanbookstore.com)

After the next course, Mara introduces Laurie, an accomplished multi-disciplined artist. Laurie and Mara are fellow members of Women Writing the West and both authors who write mostly for women….

Laurie gives an uplifting talk about her novel Side Canyons, which is based on a true life story. As she concludes she explains the small hand-chipped agate arrowhead at each place and invites the audience to “embrace adventure” and “explore the side canyons of their own hearts.”

As guests finish the next course, Laurie introduces Mara. Mara speaks humorously about discovering that she’s writing women’s fiction and shares her “theory” about the genre. The guests laugh and nod their heads in recognition and enjoy being swept into the story of Milford-Haven, the setting for Mara’s novel series. As Mara moves from the light-hearted description of fun reading to the deeper dimension of the space that women’s fiction opens uniquely for women, the guests enjoy even more the sense of nurturing and inspiration that is both private and shared.

As our guests applaud and finish their fifth course, they, by turns, move to the commerce table to look over Mara’s, Laurie’s, and Marva’s books. They chat with one another, making new friends and thinking of others who would enjoy receiving a book as a gift, and they think of the children who will benefit from the day’s charitable donations. As their purchases are rung up and beautifully bagged, the guests enjoy a sense of fun and excitement at making perfect gift choices. They leave the event fully satisfied. The leave inspired by new ideas and discoveries, eager to follow with interest the stories Mara and Ellen, Marva and Laurie have shared with them.”