Well, it was a triumph, if I do say so myself. (Not that I’m prejudiced, of course.)

But my “Night of Beauty” at Bloomingdale’s – which featured a reading from my new novel “Water Music” – went, well, swimmingly. It helped that I had an appreciative audience of friends and co-workers and especially my sisters Jana and Gina. My heart leapt when I saw them. You know what a sister is? A sister is someone who comes all the way from Washington D.C. or leaves her event early in Connecticut just to hear you read. Because that’s what sisters do. (Afterward we went out for dinner in the neighborhood and fell into an easy conversation. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how long we’ve been apart, it’s like we were talking five minutes ago. Because that’s what sisters are.)

“A Night of Beauty” was a night for sisters and the sisterhood of all women. Elana was there with Yana, Mary with Annie. And mothers and babies (Andrea and Stellan). And colleagues and acquaintances and neighbors and old friends and new. (Like Joan, the psychic, who won the raffle. Figures.) I can’t thank them and Bloomingdale’s enough for supporting me.

But mostly it was a night in which I felt I aced the gold medal. I looked good, which made me feel good, but more important, I read with conviction.

And that has taught me a valuable lesson that I pass along to you, the reader:

Whatever you do in this life, believe it, own it. Because that’s the only way it will be a success.