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One of our good friends in L.A., Ian, a television editor, is buying a new car. Ian is from the East Coast, his parents are artists in Maine, and one of the things he is looking for in a new car is simply “dignity at the valet.”

Everywhere you go in this city, you HAVE to valet-park. It is almost impossible to find street parking, and after going round and round the block several times, paying five bucks to have a guy wearing the standard white-shirt/black vest uniform park your car is a huge relief.

Right now Ian drives an old Toyota Corolla. At valet stands, he is not immune to looks of pity, and he confessed that part of him always wants to say to them, “WHAT??? I CAN PAY FOR THE FOOD!”

He just doesn’t buy into the snobby car culture, and he’s determined not to buy a flashy, expensive car just because everyone in L.A. drives one. But he DOES want a car which WON’T engender those looks of pity. Hence, a car with “dignity at the valet.”

Most people in L.A. go for INTIMIDATION at the valet.

I have to admit, for the longest time (ever since we moved) I have aspired to this level of car nirvana. In fact, as anyone who has spent anytime with me knows, I am OBSESSED with buying a Range Rover. I tell everyone that I can’t wait until the lease on my car runs out so I can buy the baddest, coolest, most pimped-out Rover there is on the market. I have become a broken record about this. I have made this car out to be the most awesome car in the world, and that owning it would definitely change my life…

See, the problem is, when we moved to L.A., Mike and I still thought like New Yorkers. And to New Yorkers, ANY car is awesome, because no one OWNS a car in Manhattan, it’s such a bonus luxury. (In fact, our friends back in NY still marvel at the fact that we own TWO cars. They think we live a life of total indulgence.) So, we bought New York-value cars, as in, practical, dependable, not-flashy. Back in NY, the few of our friends who do own wheels are proud owners of Toyota Camrys, (the quintessential Park Slope car I am told), Subaru stationwagons, Kias.

We bought a Honda Element for Mike, who loved the car’s design, and practicality, and it’s a Honda–it’s SO dependable. It’s very “architect” he said. (He also said that some guy at his old firm who drove a Mercedes was roundly scorned.) And we leased a VW Passat for me, since it was “on sale” the week we leased it–it’s so cheap it’s the same amount I pay our cleaning lady every month. I like my Passat, it drives really well, it’s nice-looking, and it’s one of the safest cars out there.

But it has no WOW factor at the valet. It’s a bit of a stodgy family car. And as we got acclamated to L.A., I realized, your car is like your handbag. And you know how I feel about handbags! I felt like I was rocking the Kate Spade of cars. Or maybe even a leather Coach bag. It was nice, it had a bit of style, but it wasn’t terribly expensive or cutting-edge. And I DON’T own any Kate Spade or Coach.

Whereas, you know, the Range Rover, now that’s like a Chanel handbag. Classic. Must-have.

But now that I’ve talked about this to anyone who would listen to me whine, I realize I’ve changed my mind. Status-symbol cars just aren’t going to do it for me anymore. I got grossed out by my rampant materialism, and remembered how when I was in college at Columbia, we were all youthful idealists who all agreed owning a statusy car was the epitome of disgusting bourgeouis values. (And this from a girl who grew up being chauffered in a Mercedes!)

And that’s the word I was looking for–idealism. When did I trade in my tie-dye values for logo aspiration? Now don’t get me wrong, I still love a great car–when Mike and I have the money, we are going to ask our neighbor, who restores vintage cars (he drives a vintage Citroen that I gave to Mitzi Goober in Skinny-Dipping), to restore one for us. (They are really expensive, around 100-200k.) And we call our IRA the “Lamborghini Fund” –we’re going to spend our retirement money on an Italian sportscar!

I think dreaming about cars just runs in the family. My dad, for instance, has for years been talking about buying a Porsche Carrera. He’s visted the dealer so many times, they know him by his first name when he walks in. And yet, even though he can afford it, he’s never bought it. Because although Pop likes to talk about how great the Porsche is, and how wonderful it will be to own it, Pop REALLY loves driving his ten-year old Plymouth Voyager minivan. He can’t seem to part with it, which is why he can’t bring himself to buy the Porsche. It would feel like a betrayal to his down-to-earth values. (The other car is a Mercedes but Mom drives it.)

In fact, when I bought my Passat, Pop always kidded me by saying I should have at least leased a BMW. When I told him how cheap it was, he said, “That’s not the point!” But then Mike and I counter by reminding him he drives a Voyager. Ha.

When I was a kid, my dad always talked about buying things, a bigger TV, a bigger house, a more expensive car… but he also always seemed perfectly happy with what he had. But he REALLY liked to dream and to fantasize about how life would be different “if”… But now I realize that what Pop was subconsciously telling us all along, was that even if you can afford the Porsche, or whatever it is you want, the pleasure really comes from THINKING about it, and not owning it.

Once it’s yours, the dream is gone.. and it just becomes some THING that you have…which is not that exciting.

I think, in the end, I’m really my dad’s daughter. Because as much as I have complained about my car being so “boring” I find I really can’t stomach the thought of being the kind of person who needs an expensive car just to have self-esteem. Mike told me that William Gibson, the awesome sci-fi writer, just drives a Jetta. And Neil Gaiman drives a Mini. Of course, Danielle Steele drives a Bentley…Mmmm….

But hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?

I was happy to find TeenReads.com had reviewed Blue Bloods! It’s one of my favorite Teen Book websites. Here’s what they say:

“Secrets, intrigue and suspense — it’s all here in this first installment of Melissa de la Cruz’s spine-tingling new series.” – Amy Alessio, Teenreads.com

And I also found this from B&N.com, another review from the trade press:

“While teenage vampire stories are numerous nowadays, this title adds new elements about vampires that keep the story and legend fresh…This book is a worthy addition to the vampire genre.” -Amie Rose Rotruck, Children’s Literature

Yay!

Yesterday we were in Santa Monica to run errands and I walked into the B&N and they had Sun-Kissed face-out on the new books shelves! Awesome! And Blue Bloods was prominently displayed in the middle of the “Tales of Love and Romance” section as well. And they had paperback copies of Skinny-Dipping and Fresh off the Boat. Which means I actually have four books out this month. And am competing with myself for space. Too funny.

I realize so much of my blogging is about seeing my books on shelves. How embarassing! But it really is a thrill to see them there, especially after years of having my books either all the way in the back, or categorized in an obscure shelf. (Our How to be Famous Book was always under “Sociology” or “Pop Culture” or “Journalism” and no one I know could ever find it in a bookstore. Ditto Fashionista Files, which was filed under Fashion next to coffee-table books. Karen and I always wondered why there wasn’t a category “Non-Fiction Chick Lit” to put them under.)

A couple of readers have been asking when I will write a new adult novel, a follow-up to Cat’s Meow. I actually had signed on to write “The Fortune Hunters”, which was a satirical/comic novel like CM, but for some reason I got distracted by my YA work, and my agent and I decided to cancel the contract for now. I even gave back the money. But the Fortune Hunters is calling to me again, as is a new idea for an adult book, so hopefully it won’t be too long. The only problem is my schedule is so packed right now, I don’t know when I can fit them in, and I really shouldn’t be thinking of other books when I have two that are DUE, DUE, DUE.

The guilt has taken over, I must go back to writing.

xoxo
Mel

I wrote ten pages of ANGELS today, Woo-hoo! Yesterday, I wrote ZERO pages. So, according to my schedule, this means I have to make up for yesterday by writing twenty pages tomorrow. The goal is to get 100 pages done by the end of the week. The story is moving really well, and I’m really loving my main characters, Taj and Nick. They’re so different from any character I’ve ever written–both of them are SO flawed, and yet so lovable… Anyhoo…

The reason I wasn’t able to write anything yesterday was that I got totally SUCKED IN by a book. You know how that happens, one day, you’re just bobbing along with life, and the next moment – VOOOMPF you’re sucked in the vortex of an awesome book, and that’s it, you’re gone… I can never not know the endings to books, or put down a book I’m reading if it’s really really good, so what usually happens is I read until wee hours of the night, after husband is asleep, forsaking dinner, until I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

The book that sucked me in was Dodie Smith’s “I Capture the Castle”. If you have not read this book yet, I urge you to run to your nearest bookstore and BUY IT. It is sooo good and sooo funny. I have not laughed out loud since Ignatius J. Reilly tripped over that old lady in “A Confederacy of Dunces.” There is a scene where one of the characters is mistaken for a bear, and, well, you will just have to find out for yourself! But it is HILARIOUS.

I have never heard of this book, but I remember seeing it on other author’s “favorite books” list. It’s a book from the 1950’s. The thing that drew me to the book was a blurb from J. K. Rowling. I have NEVER seen a blurb from J.K. Rowling on anything, so I immediately bought it, knowing it was going to be good.

Some of us authors are blurb-sluts. I know I am, if any of my editors ask me to blurb a book of theirs, I usually say yes, even before I’ve read the book. When I was starting out, it was hard to get blurbs from established authors, and I know there are some authors out there who are all uppity about the whole blurb thing (you know you you are!), and I truly despise that. If a few kind words can help a new author, who am I to withold them?

But that being said, I do pay attention to authors to hardly ever blurb–like the aforementioned Ms. Rowling.

Anyway, my only beef with “I Capture the Castle” is that it doesn’t quite end super-happily. And I love myself a happy ending. Its ending is hopeful, but not happy…which means we have to imagine how the characters turn out in the end. Come to think of it, it’s a little like the ending to Sun-Kissed, but I will say no more on that subject.

Still, it was a diverting, awesome read, and while I felt super-guilty not to have worked yesterday, I was also glad to have spent the time in the narrator’s company.

I bought it at Border’s, where I was happy to find copies of Blue Bloods face-out in the YA Fantasy section next to Cirque du Freak. Yeah! And I’m happy to report that Sun-Kissed is currently #145 on the B&N.com rankings. I still haven’t seen that book in bookstores, but readers are telling me that they have been able to buy it at theirs, so it must be trickling out…

Party pictures are imminent! We finally got them from Patrick’s office, and my webmistresses are busy putting them together…

xoxo
Mel

Yesterday was a great day, I banged out twelve pages of ANGELS, and we saw Jeremy Piven in Larchmont.

We were eating lunch at Cafe du Village, this cute little French restaurant in Larchmont, a very quaint East-Coast-y neighborhood in Los Angeles, near Hancock Park. And who else walks in but “Ari” from Entourage! Mr. Piven looked every inch the star, with his white v-neck T-shirt and dark black Aviator sunglasses. He sat in one of the sidewalk tables, and even from where I was sitting I could see chest hair.

And work is going well, I am gunning to have ANGELS done by the end of the month, so I can wrap up BB2 by next month. I was in a fog for so long about both of these books, and suddenly, I woke up and Hallelujah… everything finally clicked in my head. THANK GOD.

I’ve been reading Tess Gerritsen’s blog (directed to it by Meg Cabot’s fab blog-that should be one word- fablog!) and she was writing (Tess, not Meg) about how as you write more books, you actually get MORE anxious rather than more confident.

It’s SO TRUE. Every book is a struggle. A good struggle, but a struggle nonetheless. Sometimes I wonder if my life is one of those, “be careful what you wish for” scenarios. I wanted nothing more than to be able to write books–SERIES books, like the ones I loved growing up (Enid Blyton was my particular fave), and now that I do, why does it seem like life has become harder and not easier?

So many nights I just toss and turn because I am so worried about my story, my characters, and how I can’t seem to make it work, and it’s quite miserable, really. But then something happens–and haha–the machine starts to chug, and I get really excited all over again…

In between writing I’ve even started outlining the third book I have due this year, SOCIAL LIFE, and it’s going to be SO fun–totally outrageous social antics of three beautiful American girls in St. Tropez–full of topless beaches, champagne showers, and beach discos that open at noon! Woo-hoo! I’ve always loved the French Riviera…I can’t WAIT to start writing THAT…

xoxo
Mel

Last Friday, one of my MySpace friends, the fabulous Abbi Klausner, invited me to be a judge at her school’s yearly student fashion show, “Campus Couture” at CalState Long Beach. I was so flattered and tickled by this invitation–a little Project Runway action of my own! My husband and my parents accompanied me for my big Nina Garcia debut.

I am 34 years old, and yet my parents still come to all my events–just like when I was eight years old. How funny is that? Again, I think I’m just really lucky. I had the kind of parents who came to every talent show and school participation activity. (I didn’t play any sports but if I did, I’m sure they would be there since we were there for ALL of my brother’s games when he was kid.) Sometimes, my mom was the only mom there because all the other moms were at work. But my mom worked too–so I don’t know how she did it, maybe she just had more time off?

Anyway, I can’t imagine what life would be like without the support of my parents. They truly have always been there for me–at every reading, every book party. One of my friends said she cannot imagine life without her doting parents, because she still very much feels like a kid–taken care of, financially and emotionally, by them (even though she is married). I’m the same way. My husband says that my parents baby all of us kids (there are three of us) and he’s right. But we wouldn’t have it any other way…

The show was really fun–they made a runway right on the stage, and the judges were in the front row. The other judges were designers from Coach and Rock and Republic, and Michelle K. from Michelle K. shoes. We had to judge “computer designed pattern” and “flat pattern” and “experimental.” At first, I got really flustered because it was hard to keep track of which outfits I really liked, but I soon got the hang of it.

I realized the thing I was looking for most was some kind of flair, some kind of originality, and a really good eye for color. There was some great stuff on show, the kids really outdid themselves, there were a couple of outfits that looked like they could go head-to-head with the best of Chloe. And I was so happy when my favorite designer, Stephen Cateron won “Best in Show”. He made these gorgeous black chiffon dresses that were just exquisite. They really stood out, and I predict a great future in fashion for him.

My mom said she really enjoyed the show too, because she is a dressmaker. When I was in college, she sewed all of my cool black velvet shift dresses. I wore those dresses TO DEATH. We didn’t have much money, so mom would fill out my wardrobe by copying the dresses that I wanted to buy and making them herself.

Sometimes I feel like my childhood came out of the 19th century. It was very “Little Woman”, and I was Meg at Vanity Fair with my home-made dress. At the time, I hid the fact that my mom made my clothes from everyone, even my close friends.

One of the things I’ve noticed about going to an expensive Ivy League college, is that the kids either come from extremely wealthy parents who can afford the 45k a year (now I hear it’s more like 60k a year) tuition without batting an eyelash, versus kids like me who were on huge financial aid scholarships. There were very few middle-class kids. It always seemed it was either we’re-all-jetting-to-St-Barth’s-this-weekend crowd or I’m-on-workstudy. There was no middle ground.

When you’re a teen, it’s really hard to feel secure about yourself when so many things that you have no control over–like how much money your family has–matters so much to your peers. So I always said that I’d bought my dresses just like everyone else. And those clothes got me into Au Bar (this totally snooty private club in NY) and all the best places… But now I’m so proud of them, and of my mom for making such beautiful clothes all by herself on her sewing machine…

I guess that’s the best thing about growing up–you start to make your own money, you don’t have to hang out with people you don’t like, your life is your own, no one else can tell you what to do. As I’ve grown up, I have become really PROUD of my background, and how my family dealt with it… I wouldn’t exchange it for anything else. And I look back now, on the despearately-wanting-to-be-glamorous-and-popular girl I was, and I forgive her too… she had no idea that one day all of her dreams would come true, and more!

Anyway, it’s really hard to accept yourself at thirteen, fifteen, nineteen…but here’s the secret to life: thirty is really really awesome. Just like that Jennifer Garner movie. I promise.

xoxo
Mel

Got a nice surprise today–found out that the third Au Pairs book, SUN-KISSED is now shipping from Amazon and B&N.com! Wow! The book isn’t supposed to be out until June 1st, but I guess they got early copies and are now sending them out. I haven’t seen copies in the stores yet, so if you want an early copy of the book, order from Amazon or B&N!

Yesterday I felt soo dead, I was in New York for five days, and I had post-partum New York depression. The city was my home for 15 years, and though I go back every other month or so, visiting five or six times a year isn’t enough to get my New York fill. We decided to move to Los Angeles two years ago when we found out my dad had cancer.

It wasn’t a hard decision at all–we found out in June, and by October, we were in L.A. Nothing is more important than family, and even though I had SWORN up and down I would never leave New York, that I would raise my kids there, that I was a New Yorker through-and-through, when it came down to it, my heart was elsewhere. Our move was such a blur–and back then, when people asked me what I would miss most about the city, I always answered, “Everything.” And that’s still true…

Mike and I know we will be back one day, at least, we are hoping to buy a little apartment in Manhattan that we can always call home. Don’t get us wrong, we love our hotel life, but having a NY address matters a lot to me.

It’s funny because the things I miss most about New York are such little things–like the cheap egg-and-ham breakfast sandwiches at the corner deli (which you CANNOT find in L.A. – corner deli, what’s that?), rice and beans from La Rosita, the Cuban restaurant up in our old neighborhood, the Chinese food from Ollie’s — my sister said, you traveled all the way to New York to eat at Ollie’s? Yes, I did.

The cheap Chinese food here in L.A. sucks!! There is really great authentic Chinese food in Pasadena, Arcadia, Monterey–but they are thirty to forty-five minutes from Hollywood. I also missed how I got to know everyone on our business block (we lived on 101st on Riverside, and I did all my dry-cleaning, deli-shopping, newspaper-buying, etc on Broadway b/w 101st and 102nd)–I would literally walk down that little stretch and wave to everyone from the Korean dry cleaner to Jerusalem Gyro. It was like living in Sesame Street.

I was in SUCH a good mood while we were in the city, even though we were there for such a short time. On Monday, I was part of a panel of “Three Extraordinary Columbia Writers” for the Columbia College Women’s Alumni Group. I spoke about writing with fellow CC grads Jennifer Anglade, whose novel is Uptown and Down, and Tova Mirvis, author of The Ladies’ Auxiliary. It was really fun to go back and be on a panel at my old school, and we had a great crowd of students and alumni.

One of the questions I was asked was how do I work, and I kind of gave this rambling answer of how when I was at college, I was a procrastinator, and I have taken that lovely habit with me into the publishing world. Nothing gets done until the VERY last minute. Blue Bloods, for example–it was a hard book to write because I was really worried about the ending, and for the longest time while I was writing it, I was in a fog as to how the book would shape up. I remember EXACTLY when it all crystallized. I had 48 hours to deliver the final draft, and in those 48 hours, I figured out the book and sweated it out and finished it. It was crazy. And even then, after we published the galley, I still had to rewrite the book 24 hours before turning in the third-pass proofs–which is why there are 20 more pages in the final book than the galley.

So, I guess what I am saying is, if you are writing a book and it still is not clear, and you have 300 pages, DO NOT WORRY. It happens to the best of us, and it will come to you at the end.

It was really fun to chat about writing with other writers, thanks to Elena Cabral CC93 for inviting me! And check out Jennifer and Tova’s books – you will enjoy them!

The next night was the big PARTY. Oh. My. God. It was awesome!! I wore my Sass and Bide tunic, my skinny jeans, and these blinged-out South Sea pearls with diamonds that my mom bought me for Christmas (I’m such a lucky gal). And I also wore a little black jacket over the tunic. We had about three hundred people, or more–I know we had three hundred gift bags, and they are all gone, so we must have had that much…

My folks at S&S wore pink “Celebrate” Sun-Kissed t-shirts in the same font as the invitation, and my folks at Hyperion wore black with pearl necklaces for Blue Bloods appeal. Lexi Lehman and Kelly Brady from Lizzie Grubman PR made sure we had tons of fabulous teenagers there, as well as great press. And a few of my readers emailed me to say they came to the party, but were too shy to say hello. No worries! I’m TOTALLY the same way. Everyone did such a great job, the club, CRUSH, was such a hot space, and the music was getting everyone up on the dancefloor. It was also so great to see all of my friends there–another HUGE reason I miss New York–it felt so much like being home.

We had makeovers from the fab folks at Daniel McFadden, and shopping at Shop Caravan, which everyone enjoyed. There was a bit of a snag, sadly, with the fashion show which didn’t happen (don’t all fashion shows have drama?), the pink carpet (our um, sponsor, ElleGirl, their magazine got folded, and well, no more pink carpet for us!), and the blow outs (the electrical outlets did not work). It was kind of like a wedding in that way–you know, some things just aren’t going to happen–and it was totally fine. Next time, we’ll just be more prepared, although really, you can’t predict when your magazine is going to get killed, can you?

But the goodie bags were stuffed to the brim! Everyone loved their Paris Hilton cellphone holders (which a friend said were “surprisingly really chic!”), donna l’oren sexy camisoles, Prive hair products, Tarte liplgosses, ELF makeup, Ferragamo Dream Incanto perfume and copies of Sun-Kissed, Blue Bloods and paperback Skinny-Dipping.

For me, it was a whirlwind. I get really high at events like these, and I even did a little interview for a documentary that was being filmed at the party for two teens who attended. (I’ll let you know when it airs, and if I’m still in it!) I have published eight books now, and each of my books has been celebrated with at least one party (our How to be Famous book had six parties I think). I think I get the celebration gene from my grandmother and my mom, both of whom believe in always making a big deal of everyone’s birthday and graduation.

I remember my fifth birthday party was in the family compound in Manila, and there were carnival rides, huge pinatas, hundreds of people, and I was decked out in a pink ruffled dress down to my ankles, with a matching pink parasol I twirled around. Talk about being a princess! So really, having grown up like that, how can I *not* have a party for my books?

I’m still waiting for the pictures on the disk from our photographer, and once I have those, I’ll post them.

Tonight I have another fun event–I’m judging a student fashion show at Long Beach State! I was invited by a MySpace friend, and I’m sooo excited to have a Project Runway experience! I promise I will be as fair as Nina Garcia! 🙂

Have a great weekend everyone!
xoxo
Mel

I’m still sooo jetlagged and will blog more about my NY trip and the faaaaabulous party when my head clears… but for now, check out some fun pics from the event!

It’s on http://www.patrickmcmullan.com and here is the direct link to the pics:

http://www.patrickmcmullan.com/website/pmc_screens/event_Selects.aspx?event_id=5600

We had such a great time, we had so many of you fab teens there! And you can see pics of my husband Mike, my brother Francis, my editor at S&S Emily, my publisher at Hyperion Brenda, and the cool rapper Kulcha Don and a hot new band with very cute members…

More soon, I promise! I’ll also have the pics posted here and on my website once I get the disc from Patrick’s office!

xoxo
Mel

Yesterday I got two new presents in the mail–copies of the final, hardbound SUN-KISSED, and galley copies of MISTLETOE.

I love the cover of SUN-KISSED, I like to think of the girl on the cover is Jacqui and one of the hot new boys she meets this summer. (I think the one on the cover is Duffy, who is blond.) I had SUCH a fun time writing the book, and when I re-read it last night (which I do with all my books that I get final copies of), I was transported back to…no, not the Hamptons, but all the nights I spent right in front of my computer, conjuring up all that fun. And reading bits aloud to my husband–he helped a lot with the three new guys, and all their goofy jokes. And a huge debt to the guys at CollegeHumor.com, who inspired them.

Last night I also TORE through MISTLETOE, which has four holiday romance stories from four fab YA writers (moi included). I absolutely LOVED each story–Aimee Friedman’s is soo cute–about finding love in an unexpected place, as is Hailey Abbot’s (which is also about how college changes friends–very right-on, I thought) and Nina Malkin’s story is so hot and sexy! The book comes out in October and I like to think that the kids on the cover are Brenden and Kelsey from my own story, The Christmas Choos.

I also made a great deal of progess on the first 30 pgs I’m showing my editor on Blue Bloods 2: Masquerade. I always try to do a major polish before I show any of my work to anyone, but I’m really pleased with how it’s looking right now. (Ah, brave last words!) One of the things I was struggling with writing the sequel was that I felt I had put SO MUCH effort into making the first book great, I was really, really worried I had nothing left for Book Two. Like my brain was drained. But it’s been almost a year since I turned in Book 1, and in that year, my brain has thankfully come back to life (at least for Blue Bloods purposes!) and I’m so into the story again. PHEW!

When the writing is going well, everything else seems to fall into place. I notice I’ve been sleeping better since feeling better about the book. There are so many nights I just toss and turn because I was so worried about how I couldn’t get the story going. But now I’m so energized and sleep like a baby. Thank God!!

For those going to the book party–see you next week! And for everyone else, I’ll have the full recap when I return!

xoxo
Mel

Actually, Blue Bloods’ publication day was yesterday. But it STILL wasn’t shipping from Amazon. Thankfully, it is now! Have you ordered your copy yet? 🙂

Right now I am madly trying to polish the first 30 pages of Blue Bloods Two for my editor (a progress report) before we meet for lunch next Monday.

And I thought I would take the time to answer some questions readers have been sending in:

-When does Blue Bloods 2 come out?
-Right now it is scheduled for April 2007. I know, a whole year away. I’m sorry! It just takes a long time for me to write the Blue Bloods books, and my publisher needs at least ten months (they prefer a year) for marketing and pre-sales. But I promise it is worth the wait!

-When does Au Pairs: Sun-Kissed come out?
-June 1, 2006 is the official publication date, but it will probably be in stores a week or two before then.

-Is there an Au Pairs 4?
-Right now, no. I have no plans to continue the series for now. I know, I know. But I am working on a HOT new series called SOCIAL LIFE, which is coming out next summer, and it’s about three girls who zoom around the world in a private jet, and their adventures on the “international social calendar”–you know, the one that says one *must* spend New Year’s in Aspen, Spring in St. Barth’s, July in St. Tropez, and Christmas in Palm Beach. 🙂 It’s going to have all the fun, shopping, hot boys, scandal, gossip, social-climbing and intrigue as the Au Pairs, but with a new cast of characters I *know* you will love. Also, this is going to be a paperback series–I know a lot of you guys have emailed me saying you love to buy my books but hardcovers are expensive–we listened! And this one is coming out in paperback. Yay!

-What is Angels on Sunset Boulevard about?
-This book is about a cute tomboy girl from the Hollywood Flats, and a handsome preppie boy from Bel-Air, who discover a secret cult in Los Angeles that is exploiting and manipulating teens in the city. There’s a lot of L.A. club hopping, crazy parties, sexy drama and West Coast adventure! It comes out this December. Yay.

And in other news..

WOW. The Kaavya plagiarism story just keeps going doesn’t it? I am so curious to see what Meg Cabot says about it in her blog (which I am addicted to). She has such a great, funny take on the whole situation.

I’m also a little annoyed with all the chick-lit slamming going on in the Kaavya coverage. There is this conception on the part of the “serious” writers of the world that chick-lit is something anyone can do in their sleep. I’m sorry, but it is REALLY hard to be funny and entertaining. It is a craft, like anything else. It requires work. But it is ALSO a lot of fun. I can’t tell you how many times I sit at my computer and just GIGGLE because the scene I am writing strikes me as so funny.

For instance, in Sun-Kissed, I describe Mara’s high school graduation where the class had to sing the Class Song, “Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson” because their real choice “American Idiot by Green Day” was banned by the administration. Can you just imagine a class full of seniors half-heartedly singing the lyrics to “Breakaway”? How FUNNY is that??? When they really wanted to sing American Idiot?? LOL.

I also have to share that when my friend Jennie (my best friend from college) read the book and came upon this sentence, she GUFFAWED and yelled across the room, “They SANG Breakaway?? That is hilarous!!”

Don’t worry, I’m a huge fan of Kelly Clarkson and mean no offense. But you know, the whole “Class Song” deal is kind of ridiculous… We had to sing the Theme from St. Elmo’s Fire at my graduation. “We laughed, until we had to cry, we loved, until we said good-bye.” Blecch!

And the whole scene is inspired by my husband’s story that for his eighth grade graduation, they had to sing “Greatest Love of All” after their real choice, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was banned by the administration. The funny thing is, Mike said that after the class voted on Bohemian Rhapsody, the music teacher went out and bought the music so they could all practice. (The teachers had never heard of the song.) But once they saw the lyrics, which open with “Mamma, I killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled the trigger, now he’s dead”–they immediately put the kibbosh on it.

What strikes me as so funny about this story is that the schools always GIVE you a choice– a vote–democracy!–but when the real voice of the American teen is heard–Bohemian Rhapsody please! American Idiot!–they SQUASH it and make the kids sing some asinine song instead.

Although at my high school, the sad story is that all the popular girls CHOSE the St. Elmo’s Fire theme and made us all vote for it. And like sad little sheep, we did…

Oh well, at least it makes for a good scene in a book. See, it’s just one sentence, but there is so much HISTORY behind it. 🙂

Ok, back to work or my editor will have my ass.
xoxo
Mel

Woohoo! I just got back from The Grove (see, I told you I go there ALL the time – in fact, I shop at the Anthropologie, and one of the sales clerks once asked me, “Hey, did you write that book Fashionista Files?” It was SO COOL!)… and at the Barnes & Noble, they have Blue Bloods out already on the shelves!!!

YAY!!!!

I cannot BEGIN to tell you how exciting it is to see your book on bookstore (and library) shelves. It is simply a dream come true. It honestly, never gets old for me. One day I would like to see the books in one of those cool cardboard stands (I hear they are doing that for Sun-Kissed!). I won’t know what to do with myself then!

And I checked on B&N.com where you can now order it–and it’s number 227!! WOW!! (Remember that sitcom 227? With Thelma? When I was in high school my family watched it every week!)

Ok, so yes, all writers check their rankings. Obsessively. If any writer says they don’t, they are LYING.

I’m just tickled beyond belief, especially since I haven’t even sent the nudging email to all my friends and relatives to buy my new book (but oh yes, it is coming people). So that means it’s my readers who are buying it–yay!!

Again, if you are in the New York area, and would like to come to the Book Launch Party for Blue Bloods and Sun-Kissed please email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for an invite!!

I also want to tell you about a few books from my friends/colleagues…

BASS-ACKWARDS AND BELLY-UP – by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain. Liz is a dear friend of mine from college, and her new book is about four girls who take the year after high school off to follow their dreams. It’s a really funny, sweet, and entertaining read. I highly recommend!

DRAWING A BLANK: Or how I tried to Solve A Mystery, End A Feud, and Land the Girl of my Dreams – by Daniel Ehrenhaft – Dan is also a friend from college. His mystery series THE WESSEX PAPERS is one of my favorites. He’s a really funny, engaging, and quirky writer. I haven’t read this book yet, but I KNOW it is going to be good.

And lest you think I only plug books by CC’93 alumns..

IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY – by Ned Vizzini. Ned was a colleague from my New York Press days. He was this cool, high school sophomore who wrote these great essays about high school life in New York City. A very thoughtful and smart writer. The book is moving and life-affirming and a must-read.

I must say, it’s really fun to go to a bookstore and see books by friends and colleagues. It makes me feel like I am part of this cool group of writers, even though most of the time I am just by myself in front of the computer.

Anyway, I have to go and work on BB2 now, my editor wants to see some pages, and by golly, she’ll have some to see before we meet in New York in a week!

Have a great Saturday everyone!
xoxo
Mel