Close Up with Deidre Hall

That’s a problem familiar to most of us. We have a good idea, we need to get something done, but it just never seems to happen. There’s always something else to do. So how did Deidre get from a great idea to a book in print? "It was inspired by deadline," she joked. Now, however, this "labor of love" is out there, and, as Deidre told us, "every phase of it has been satisfying. Putting it into people’s hands has been especially exciting because the excitement it generates is wonderful."

One of Deidre’s deadlines involved a tour of Australia, which, as Deidre reminded us, "is a Days of our Lives town." She had been there before, with Days costars Drake Hogestyn and Thaao Penghlis, as well as with Our House, so it wasn’t, as she told us "unfamiliar to me. But I had the time â€" I had a week in both cities â€" and had the chance to really see the cities. I’ve always loved Sydney but I’m in love with Melbourne! I had lunch at the Parliament House ... I rode the trolleys and walked on the wharf. Just did it!" Not only did she do it, she "got into business with Myer’s Department Store," Australia’s largest chain of department stores. "They will be carrying the book exclusively for Australia."

Deidre loved Melbourne so much, in fact, that she’ll be returning soon. "As it happens in November they have a thing called the Melbourne Cup, which is sort of their version of the Derby. It’s the event of the season. It’s a week-long, shut down the town, Ascot-inspired event. It’s the horse race and the hats! Forget book publishing. Let’s get back for the party! So we’re going back in November for the Melbourne Cup and to do a big splash release for the next two or three books."

And, yes, you read that correctly. The next two orthree books. Number two is in process. When the first book was completed, Deidre told us, her publishers said "‘second book?’ And we said yes." Book number two "is going to be A Man in the Kitchen. It’s because there are so many male chefs in Australia. And, dare I say, we have so many wonderful gay men who follow Marlena that I ‘m thinking it’s also a gift for them. And also if you happen to have a man who cooks it will be fine for them. Once again, it’s a fun, easy to handle, not fifty ingredients kind of recipes that are just fun to read and fun to try and fun to share."

There are plenty of male chefs in Australia, and also plenty of fans of both Marlena and Days of our Lives. "I still get surprised that I’m spotted so often in stores," Deidre told us. "But the Australians are just wonderful and far more easy-going than Americans. I have wonderful fans there. I got to meet up with a number of them when I did two health and beauty chats."

These health and beauty chats were part of Deidre’s Health, Beauty and Empowerment tour. "One of my big issues is women’s health," Deidre said. "And that was a lot of what I was talking about in those chats. Let’s get on top of it because we are living in a country â€" America â€" where the FDA has little or no approval over what goes into anything that goes on our skin. And that means it’s in our bloodstream. So the things you put on daily - from toothpaste to shampoo to deodorant to cleanser to moisturizer to whatever sunscreen â€" very little if any of it is overseen. The chemicals you’re putting on to try to improve your health, improve your skin, give you moisture, resist sun damage, are doing more damage to you than what you’re avoiding... Skin care, health care, nutritional care, exercise, it’s what I’m about. That’s what the book is about.

"I’m not preachy about that in the book," Deidre continued. "It’s less about the health care issue, except to say we’re all about low sugar and no saturated fats and organic and farm-grown, home-grown produce, which is huge. I went to DC last year with the Child Nutrition Act. I’m still working with Elizabeth Kucinich on plant-based foods in schools. It’s a huge thing. When you really get into it, you realize how huge it is. What an essential change that needs to be made."

And this brings us back to Australia, where, according to Deidre, they have gotten it right. "Australia doesn’t have a school lunch program," Deidre told us. "Those kids take their lunch to school and there are guidelines. If you’ve forgotten your lunch, there’s a guideline. You’re going to get a piece of fruit, you’re going to get a little piece of protein … There isn’t a vending machine. They have outdone us â€" heroically â€" on the childhood front."