Girly Girl by Author Kristin Billerbeck

Hoarders...the Car Version

Tonight starts a new season of "Hoarders". I don't know why I love these reality shows where people deal with the outward showing of their inner pain, but I love them. You name it, "Biggest Loser", "Intervention", "Rehab with Dr. Drew" (though I didn't watch the sex addiction version.)

Anyway, as I was relaying my exciting evening of mental illness voyeurism, I realized the only thing standing between me and "Hoarders" is a camera.  No, wait a minute, not even that, because if my sons got the idea, it would be on YouTube.  My car looks like a Dollar Tree exploded.  The only thing that keeps me safe is I might find a pair of their chones on the car's floor and they won't be having that humiliation for themselves. 

I'm a car chick.  So this seriously disturbs me that my kids have no respect for my car.  I was irritated, until I saw just how much I keep in my car "in case".  I have every drug known to man, in case someone needs something, I have a First Aid kit, I have my hat if I'm cold, my summer hat if I get to run, my flip-flops if I have time for a pedicure, wet wipes in case someone makes a mess (ahem! or spills coffee), my Bible for waiting time, three pairs of sunglasses (you never know!) a stuffed elephant for my Dh's back if he's driving, a bag of snacks from Grandma (in case a kid gets hungry), a pillow in case someone's tired, a box of waters for soccer practice, my iPod for running, and an extra pair of shoes/socks for every kid because someone will get to the restaurant/soccer/church without them.

I think if I got locked in my car?  I could live quite well for a month.  Send in the cameras...I need an Intervention.  But if you had my memory and my schedule, maybe your car would look just like mine.

 
 
  Peter Walsh would be so disappointed in me.

Pray for Colleen McCollough, one of my very favorite authors of my very favorite books: The Thorn Birds



Author Colleen McCullough is due to have brain surgery in January in an effort to alleviate her trigeminal neuralgia, "an illness nicknamed the 'suicide disease' because it causes excruciating pain to all parts of the face."

Happy Back to Work Day...And Tiger

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I fought a migraine most of the week, so I didn't do much.  I did lay around and watch a lot of movies.  My list:

Blind Side (Loved it!)

Casablanca (One of my very favorites!)

After the Wedding (Danish and fabulous!)

Howard's End (As a Christian, I have to admit, I hated seeing Wilcox extended grace.  How bad is that?? I don't deserve it either, I know.)

Doubt (Loved it!)

The family watched "Star Trek" but I avoided it on principle.

In regards to Tiger Woods, I have to say, leave the boy alone.  I hope that his mistress rumors aren't true, and that he knows how to love his wife properly, but they're just a family trying to make it.  No one deserves that kind of scrutiny and he's trying (albeit maybe a little late in the game) to protect his wife and his life.  I can respect that.

Clearly, she loves him enough to get him out of the car...whereas maybe I may have left him there.  It's a good thing he didn't cheat on me, all I'm saying.

Bestselling Novelist Pens First for Teen Girls...

That's my headline in the Baker/Revell/Bethany House catalog for May through August, 2010 and I couldn't be happier to see it.  I was starting to feel like I'd never have another book out, and it's so satisfying to see the cute cover there.  My name under it and all my credentials -- like I AM a writer.  It just feels strange when people ask me about my books, and I've had nothing to mention -- after ten years of writing.  It's strange.

But I love the copy they've penned for the book too, and I'm excited about it all over again.  I think once you've gone through so many edits, the excitement can start to wane as you feel like a complete loser who "can't get it right".  Of course, editing only makes the book stronger, but it's the same thing, over and over again and that can feel overwhelming.  So without further babbling, here's the copy:

Daisy Crispin has 242 days to find the right date for the prom.  There's only one problem -- her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone.  Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, has to wear lame, homemade clothes, and has no social skills.  Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem.  Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom?  or will they succeed at their obvious attempt to completely ruin her life?

With hilarious and truthful writing, Kristin Billerbeck uncovers the small -- and large -- mortifications that teen girls encounter.  Readers will fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family and friendship.

Perfectly Dateless.

 
 

Dating Tips from Twilight

Someone suggested to me that I write a dating book, filled with tips of what to avoid.  I think everything is here in this blog and perhaps doesn't need to be written...I'm not a Twilight Hater, but I didn't fall in love with it, either.

Twilight Dating Tips 

Scott Hamilton Rocks the Ice Again...

I used to figure skate as a child.  I gave it up for cheerleading in high school, but because I was in the Bay Area, I had the privilege of skating on the same ice with some of the world's greats: Debi Thomas, Brian Boitano, Peggy Fleming and Rudy Galindo.

That being said, I never skated with my favorites.  No one rules the ice for me like Scotty Hamilton (1984 Gold Medalist) and Dorothy Hamil.  Scott has so much showmanship.  He always was like Fred Astaire on the ice.  My favorite thing about him was that he could do the footwork like no one else.  Contrary to popular belief, it's not the sheer strength of a triple axel that can force your face into the ice -- not like the footwork.  Or the upside down flip.  Scott was a master.  He could do things on the ice no one should attempt on dry ground.  And he proved himself worthy of my love yesterday on the Thanksgiving day special for cancer awareness.  Both he and Hamil are survivors.  (He, twice!)

My aunt used to have a professional figure skating judge who worked for her, and so I had the best seats for any skating event.  Once, I sat in FRONT of Scott Hamilton to see Viktor Petrenko rule the ice.  I kept wanting to turn around and gush, but I was too nervous.  I couldn't have expressed in words how much Scott's skating meant to me.  Figure skaters come and go, but true art lives on in Scott Hamilton.  Hope you got to see his very fun skate to "Everything Old is New Again"  Bravo!!

   
 
 

Black Friday. Are you up to it?

I had a migraine this week, and seriously, I haven't had one like this since my baby days.  I sort of missed out on a lot of the holiday.  Though I did get to nap with my baby Levi, so we had some great bonding time. Is there anything better than a baby snuggling into you and their little baby sounds and baby smells?  I think not.

Today, it's Frisbee Golf at our friends' house.  They have this very cool course on their property.  

I love the holidays and being with family and relaxing with movies and food.  I do have to brave Black Friday because my son lost his jacket.  My mom just told me KMart has some good jackets and I repeated what I told my editor when they wanted Ashley to tone down her shopping habit -- maybe trade in the Sheridan sheets for KMart's Martha Stewart -- imagine the hiccupy, ugly cry as this comes out..."Ashley...does...not...shop...at...KMart." And sadly, neither does her creator.  I'm not averse to Wal Mart, but something about Kmart -- maybe it's the wounded childhood and watching people run to the blue-light special, but no. I am not braving KMart for any deal.

Did you all brave the sales?

The new man in my life (my cousin Levi!)

Glee..An 80's Girl's Dream

I had a migraine all day yesterday, and I stayed in bed for most of it -- dialing the kids' father if they needed something.  I was not helpful and they were off. 

We left for my mom's at about 9 pm. after DH's long day -- though I could argue mine was longer, my one goal was to make the three hour drive without ralphing.  Goal met.  I did call my mother and tell her to tape "Glee".  So this morning, I'm still moving slowly, but I did get to my "Glee".

It was a mash-up of a lot of favorites.  Grease (which I saw about 10 times in the theater in sixth grade), Madonna's Papa Don't Preach, Bridget Jones's Diary's (and Beyonce's) Crazy in Love, the Beatle's Imagine and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors.  A lot of teen angst including story lines about sexting and why having a baby with the school cad isn't the best idea -- but the music, as usual, was great.  More Sue -- but still not at her best.  

I have to say, if my hubby came home with that minivan and wanted me to be happy, I'd have a hard time faking that.  Oooh baby, a 1990 Plymouth Voyager, you shouldn't have.  . .No, you really shouldn't have.

Favorite song of the night:  Papa Don't Preach -- and I didn't like Madonna's version.  

I'm still not all that coherent, so if this makes no sense, give me some leeway.  Happy Thanksgiving all! 
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, the holiday season is upon us again. To me, that means...bathtubs.  When we built our dream house, it included four gorgeous, incredibly-comfortable bathtubs.  Including my beloved clawfoot.  As you know, our only bathtub here in Silicon Valley has my head mere inches from my boys' toilet.  Somehow, it's hard to remember -- hey at least you have indoor plumbing when you share a bathroom with three boys.  

This year, I'll put it in a tub in my bathroom, but that's not going to happen yet.  So for this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for my baby cousin Levi, my Grandpa, my cousins and their families and of course, my Mommy, who will be cooking for us and waiting on my children while I write and take baths.  I'm thankful for my People and Us Weekly magazines that came in time to enjoy them in the bathtubs.  

And naturally, I'm thankful for my family, my friends, and the world's greatest job.  Where I get paid to live in la-la land!  Is there a better job for me?  I think not.

I got my offer today and am happy to announce besides the young adult novels for Baker/Revell, I will be returning to Thomas Nelson (they published the Ashley Series and Split Ends) to write "A Billionaire to Watch Over Me" -- a romance set around a family wedding in New Orleans -- with a 40's theme.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and have much to be thankful for.  Share with us the highlights!