A Lid For Every Pot

When single people ask to clone my hubby or where will they find their one and only, I always reply with, “there is a lid for every pot.” I don’t know when I first heard that term, but I have always believed it. Now as far as whos’ lid and who’s pot fit together or when and where you will find the lid to your pot, I’m not so sure. Matchmaking is not for me. But…have you met my friend Marla? What can I tell you about my darling friend Marla, she is the Lucy to my Ethel and a bright light day or night. She is kind, generous and insightful. She finds fun wherever she goes. She is an accomplished and talented woman and it is a joy to call her my friend. She is an award winning author too. Her spiritual memoir, The Buddha Made Me Do It, won an IPPY (Bronze). Her book Hearts on The Line won a Reader’s Favorite and an honorable mention in the Paris Book Festival Awards. Marla writes books like she’s sitting with you enjoying a glass of wine and sharing her thoughts with you. When I read her first book, a memoir, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, I smiled and nodded throughout the whole book. I Laughed and giggled and snorkled ( my snort-laugh- giggle combo.) so much I’m surprised the neighbors didn’t hear me. Humor, spirituality, humility and wonder abound in the pages of her many books. Today it is my pleasure to have Marla share how she became an award winning author.

Hi, my name is Marla and I’m a Gemini. That means there are two women here trying to cram in as much excitement as possible into this lifetime. I envision myself leaving my mother’s womb, tap dancing and twirling my way into this third dimension! I love my work as a matchmaker and dating coach, but my creative endeavors are what I live for.

My interest in writing was sparked as a toddler. My parents used to read to me everyday.  Even before I could read, I would pretend that I could, looking at the words and reciting gibberish. As well as trying my hand at baton twirling, ballet, tap, jazz, playing the cello, piano, singing, ventriloquism, (yes, ventriloquism) and acting, I wrote poetry and short stories. I loved reading and writing so much that I even wrote fan letters to my favorite authors. I felt disappointed if I didn’t get a reply. I vowed to always answer my fan mail when I became a famous writer. When, not if.

As I got older though, I let writing go by the wayside while pursuing an acting career, but it was always in the back of my mind nudging me to get back to it.

Then one day in 2006, I was in the living room of our Hollywood apartment and my hubby, Adolfo came out from his home office and said, “I have something to tell you.”

“What is it, mi amor?”

“God told me to tell you to write. You need to be a writer.”

I was completely shocked because I had never shared that dream with Adolfo. He only knew about my interest in acting.

“I can’t believe you are saying this,” I told Adolfo. “How did you know?”

“I have this vision of you being a successful writer.” His face held the intent glow of sincerity. “Forget about the acting, Marlita. You need to write.”

“But, I still love acting. I don’t want to forget about it.”

“I’m telling you Marla, I got the message, and you’d better follow up on it.” His voice was gentle. “I’m very perceptive. Don’t waste your time and gasoline going on all these auditions that never pan out. Focus on writing. I see you as a bestseller.”

Again, I marveled at his words. This wasn’t just something to keep my mind off the virtual impossibility of an acting career. He truly believed in me.

I remember one day while driving to an audition, hearing Salma Hayek on a radio interview. She said, “As women, we need to make our own projects. We can’t just sit around waiting for someone to give us a job.” Hearing her say that with such confidence and knowing what she had accomplished in her life had already planted a seed in my head. So, Adolfo’s intuition or revelation was perfectly timed.

“Well…I have been keeping a lot of notes since I started in the matchmaking industry. I have an idea for a dating book.”

His smile always won me over. “Excellent, put it together. I am so proud of you Marlita.”

From that day on, he has always guided me and kept me on track, not only with my writing, but with getting out of debt, saving for retirement, prioritizing my goals and being more creative. He likes to tease me by saying, “Don’t forget, I am responsible for you being a writer.”

I’ll never forget the night of my book signing for my first book, Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate Is Waiting. My friend Bruna, a professional makeup artist did my hair and make-up as a gift.

Adolfo loved the glam look and planted a lip-lock on me before we headed down to the Grove in Hollywood, a mall so L.A., it’s a tourist attraction. The same people that did the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas designed the pond and dancing fountain. The Barnes and Noble there is one of my favorite places on earth. Just the smell of that place has me in heaven. Forget diamonds and Jimmy Choos, give me a gift card to Barnes and Noble, and I’m so buried in the stacks, it takes an expedition to find me.

Outside of the B&N, an obelisk stands twenty-two feet tall, topped by bronze angels, male and female, soaring an additional eighteen feet in the air with wings spanning ten feet, frolicking ever heavenward.  And there, beneath their glorious protection in the City of Angels, hung a poster with my picture on it in the window of Barnes and Noble. I felt faint, dizzy, and delirious with joy.

Inside, a good crowd arrived and stacks of my books appeared on one of the front tables next to some of my favorite authors such as Deepak Chopra, John Gray, Wayne Dyer, and Marianne Williamson.

My girlfriend Aura surprised me with a cake with the cover of Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate Is Waiting done in frosting. Little roses and lighted candles outlined the borders. I was so overwhelmed that I let the candles burn until the cake nearly caught fire. Since that magical night, I’ve had the thrill of attending more book signings for another dating advice book and three memoirs.

Thanks to Adolfo’s message from The Divine, my re-ignited passion for writing continues and I’ve even delved into travel writing for the luxury travel site, www.wonderlusttravel.com. Life certainly is Wonderful!

It has been a pleasure sharing my blog with Marla today.  A Lid For Every Pot!

I hope you will get to know her even more through her books and social networks too.

★ Marla’s Website

★ Follow Marla on Twitter

★ Connect with Marla on Facebook

★ Marla’s books:

★ The Buddha Made Me Do It

★ Diary of a Beverly Hills matchmaker

* Hearts On The Line

* Amateur Night 

* Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate Is Waiting

* Worthy of Love

Have you found the lid for your pot?

I look forward to seeing her Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker on film some day.

Hallmark channel and Lifetime channel are you listening?

I look forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow!

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