Parenting & Families

Writer Cynthia Heimel is a columnist for The Village Voice, and a witty observer of what goes on between men and women in this society. Her books include, "Sex Tips for Girls," "Enough About You," and "If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead Yet?" Her latest book is "Get Your Tongue out of my Mouth, I'm Kissing You Goodbye!" (Atlantic Monthly Press). The book begins with an intro by her son, Brodie, who Heimel has written about in her columns. Terry will talk with Cynthia and Brodie Heimel.

Writer Anne Lamott on being a good mother AND a phone addict.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Manhattan Murder Mystery," the new Woody Allen movie.

Andre Dubus III He's the son of writer Andre Dubus, and he's recently come out with his first novel, a coming of age story called "Bluesman." Dubus continues to work construction and write on the side. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Ellroy sets his novels in 1950's LA, where he grew up. His series of novels, "LA Quartet," was a bestseller. His latest novel is called "Hollywood Nocturnes." When Ellroy was ten, his mother was murdered near their LA home. He wrote an article about returning to LA to go through the police files on his mother for this month's issue of GQ, where he is a contributing editor. He'll talk today about how his mother's murder led to his crime writing.

Today's first half is about children who are orphaned after losing their parents to AIDS. Studies estimate that by the year 2000, up to 125,000 U.S. children will be left parentless because of the fatal illness. AIDS workers are now beginning to realize their next step is to help these secondary victims by providing homes, food and counseling. We interview two people on the subject; a single mother with AIDS, and the head of a project designed to address the needs of orphaned kids:

Writer Anne Lamott teaches her son about death. She's the author of the book, "Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year." (Pantheon Books).

Poet, writer, and teacher Nancy Mairs. She's a Catholic feminist, who started out Protestant, and who late in life became a feminist. She calls herself, "the connoisseur of catastrophe." She's known for writing honestly about her struggles with multiple sclerosis, depression, and the life-threatening illness of her husband, also about being a woman, a mother, and a wife. Her newest book of personal essays is "Ordinary Time," (Beacon). One reviewer calls it "a small miracle of honesty mediated by dignity and humor."

Writer Anne Lamott continues her chronicle of life with her young son, Sam. Lamott is the author of Operating Instructions: A Journal Of My Son's First Year. (Pantheon).

Correspondent for CBS's Sunday Morning and the Sunday edition of CBS Evening News, Bill (William) Geist. He's been a Little League coach for over 10 years and has written a funny book about it, "Little League Confidential: One Coach's Completely Unauthorized Tale of Survival."

Writer and single mom Anne Lamott explains to her son why he has no father.

A concert with the McGarrigle sisters, Kate and Anna. There are new CDs of their first two albums, released in the late 70s: "Kate & Anna McGarrigle" and "Dancer with Bruised Knees." The McGarrigles are known for their close and "subtle harmony." Their music is considered hard to categorize, although it sounds folky. The sisters absorbed an eclectic blend of music when they were growing up in Canada: Victorian ballads, blues, jazz, French-Canadian folk songs, Broadway tunes, and country music.

Behind the scenes during the golden age of the Broadway musical: Susan Loesser, daughter of Frank Loesser, composer of the classic songs "Heart and Soul" and "Baby It's Cold Outside". He also wrote the score for "Guys and Dolls" which is now being revived on Broadway. Loesser's new memoir of her father is called "A Most Remarkable Fella."

Spark has been said to "uphold the great tradition of the English Catholic novel." She's a prolific writer, having written 19 novels, including "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," and "Momento Mori." Spark has a new memoir about her first 39 years, called "Curriculum Vitae." It includes stories about school teacher Miss Christina Kay (the character of Jean Brodie was based on her), Spark's marriage at 19 to a man 13 years her senior, their life in Africa, and Spark's early literary career. She's now 74 years old.

Lamott has written a new book about being a mother for the first time (and single, at that), called "Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year." One reviewer says the book is "an emotional roller coaster ride. Painfully honest, laced with humor and poetry and moments of profound insight." Lamott is also the author of the novels, "Hard Laughter," and "All New People."

Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Bartholet, author of "Family Bonds: Adoption & the Politics of Parenting." In her book, Bartholet --the mother of two adopted Peruvian boys-- examines transracial, single and older-parent families, and challenges current societal priorities about parenting, adoption and infertility.

McElwee's new documentary is "Time Indefinite", an autobiographical film about his family. McElwee's earlier movie, "Sherman's March" started out as a documentary about Civil War General William Sherman's march to the sea and ended up a examination of personal identity and the mysteries of love.

Baca co-wrote the screenplay for the new movie "Bound By Honor," about three young Chicano men from East Los Angeles and the different paths they take as they grow into adulthood. Baca is a Chicano who grew up in an orphanage in New Mexico and ended up in prison at the age of 20. He taught himself to read and write there. His collections of poetry include Black Mesa Poems and Immigrants in Our Own Land.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the "This Boy's Life," based on the book of the same name. The movie stars Robert DeNiro and Ellen Barkin, and features a great performance by star Leonardo DiCaprio.

O'Toole is the star of "Lawrence of Arabia," "The Lion in the Winter," and "My Favorite Year." He has a new autobiography about the start of his career, called "Loitering with Intent.