Serves on the board of PAL, the Police Athletic League, a charity for
underprivileged children.
Member of the Author's Guild of America Council and is on the board of
Girls Inc., the nation's leading voice and advocate for girls, whose
aim is to inspire young girls to be strong, smart and bold for the 21st
Century.
In 1990, the child who disappointed her parents by going to work on a
newspaper instead of pursuing a higher education received a Degree of
Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa from the Chancellor of Leeds
University. She received the award from HRH the Duchess of Kent.
Along with many fiction novels, she has written children's books and 8
books on decorating.
Wrote a syndicated column, Designing Woman, covering interior design
and lifestyles, which appeared three times a week in 183 newspapers
across America. The column was published for twelve years and garnered
several awards.