Author goes home with newest tome

Kris Radish left Oconomowoc for Florida, but she considers Martha Merrell's in Waukesha "home."

The 56-year-old author came back to the book store recently, to chat with her friends and fans and to sign copies of her latest book, "The Shortest Distance Between Two Women."

"When they (her publisher) said 'Skip Wisconsin,' I nearly had a heart attack," said Radish.

She added the Wisconsin stop at the end of a grueling tour promoting her book that began in August.

As always, Radish provided large doses of self-deprecating humor such as the reception she got when she visited her parents. "When I came home, I gave my dad a big kiss and the first thing he said is, 'I can't believe you haven't cut your hair. You used to be so pretty."

She smiled throughout her talk, kept her tongue squarely planted in her cheek much of the time and gave a sense of empowerment her mostly female fans have come to expect. Her new book deals with the notions of family and sisterhood. "Every woman is queen of her own life," she said, putting on a tiara to dramatize the point.

Guilt-free list

Radish then told the crowd of some 25 women that they should "make a list of things you should do for yourself without feeling guilty as hell."

Her own list included lots of wit such as "Stop worrying about what time of day you should have your first glass of wine" and "Stop agonizing about the number of pairs of shorts you have with elastic waistbands" as well as "Have two big Radish laughs a day to keep my arteries unclogged."

Toward the end of the list was some serious advice: "Believe in yourself and your instincts" (even though she doesn't always find that easy to do). She remarked, "Some days I think I'm a piece of horse ca-ca."

At the very end of the list came two of the themes of her most recent book: "Be queen of you own life" and "Never miss a chance to love." She read a passage from the book, which involved the story's protagonist, Emma Gifford, going through the bedroom of her missing mother to find clues to her whereabouts. Instead, she finds a whole lot of evidence that her mother is, perhaps, not the person she thought she was.

Radish also gave a bit of a preview of her next book, which she just completed and sent off to the publisher. The story is about five women who meet in the restroom of a Florida airport during a lengthy flight delay and end up renting a suite for the weekend. "Think of 'Thelma and Louise' on Prozac, wearing flip-flops," said Radish.

Writing without boundaries

Besides her new book, Radish also talked about her move to Florida, south of Tampa, which seems to be a good fit. "I just love it. I ride my bike everywhere." Her office overlooks palm trees and she admits she's "constantly distracted by the birds - and the big bugs. I think I'll name them." And though she loves Wisconsin, the cooler temperatures required some adjustment. "The hardest part about coming back was, I had to wear clothes," she deadpanned.

During the Q&A, she talked about the possibility of her books ending up on the silver screen. Radish's "Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral," the most successful of her eight books (having sold a half-million copies) had been optioned for a movie, but the option was dropped. Yet, she doesn't know if that is a bad thing. "Once you give away the rights to a book, you have no say in what happens to it. They can make a cartoon if they want," said Radish.

Radish was asked if she's ever had an idea that was so crazy she felt she couldn't write it. "Not really," she replied without hesitation. "I have no boundaries."

She was also asked about the isolation of a writer. "I'm lucky because I love to do this (speaking). Lots of writers don't. But at the same time, I would love to be back in my office, writing."

She said that, when working on a book, "I won't do anything for weeks. The only thing I'll do is ride my bike to the gym every day."

Radish feels a deep loyalty to her fans, especially the ones she's accumulated after "Annie Freeman," which has touched the lives of many women dealing with the loss of a loved one. "I've gotten 400 emails and I've answered every one," said Radish about the response to the novel.

Radish loves her life and realizes that being a full-time novelist has allowed her many unusual opportunities. "I got to hear a poem that was written by a character in 'Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn' set to music in an auditorium," she said.

No one would question her when she says, "I've lived a pretty funky life."