I'm a bad blogger....

I know.

It's been an entire week since my last post.

To be honest, I thought it more like two weeks, so now I feel a little less guilty. But because I was raised Jewish, I can't not feel a little guilty. About anything. Or everything. Depends on the day.

Anyway, the reason I haven't written here is because I've been busy writing elsewhere -- namely working on the revision of my second book. Hopefully I'll be posting a picture of the cover (designed by the incredibly talented Kristin Smith, who did CE as well) soon. It's super cute.

I use a lot of birth metaphors when I talk about writing, and I was thinking about how each book really is like a kid. With CE I felt like I had all this time to...prepare. And I did, because I didn't have a lot going on. But now, in addition to writing the second one, I also have a close-to-full time job at MTV (Did I mention that? I can't remember. Well, I do. I develop the original movies) and I'm busy promoting CE. So now I'm that frazzled working mother who feels guilty (there's that word again) that she's not giving the kids enough attention and worries (another byproduct of Judaism) that they'll begin acting out in inappropriate ways and end up having Lifetime Original Movies based on them.

Hopefully not. Hopefully they'll remain upstanding, well-written citizens and everything will get done and everything will be fine and I can stop worrying.

At least that's what people tell me will be the case. I don't really believe them , but just for today I'll nod and smile and pretend that I do.

LA-LA-Land Appearances

Next month I'll be going back to L.A. for the first time since I moved to NYC and in addition to taking class with my favorite yoga teacher Lucy Bivins and eating as much Red Velvet Cake as possible from Doughboys Bakery with Amy, I'll be doing some bookstore signings/appearances...so if you're in the neighborhood, please stop by.

Saturday, April 19th
12noon
Chevalier's Books
126 Larchmont Blvd. (the very street where a lot of CE takes place!)
Los Angeles

Sunday, April 20th
1:00pm
Storyopolis
12348 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City

Thursday, April 24th
7:00pm
Barnes & Noble
7881 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach

Saturday, April 26th
Los Angeles Times Book Festival
UCLA

10:00am-11:00am
Border’s Booth

2:00pm-3:00pm
Penguin Young Readers Group/Mrs. Nelson’s Toy & Book Shop
(Booth 813)

MySpace...

...is NoPlace to go when you're trying hard to scrub the memory of someone off the surface of your brain with a Brillo pad.

Too easy to do what my Deb calls an "internet drive-by" and find out what they've been up to.

Spring has sprung

Okay, not really, but a girl can dream.

Before I moved, all I heard (from ex-NYers) was "Sure, you'll like New York--but let's see how you feel in February, when it's cold and rainy." And I'd just smile and say "Yeah, well, I grew up in Boston and remember the Blizzard of '78, so I think I'll be okay." And I have been okay. In fact, I haven't complained AT ALL about the weather.

Okay, not exactly true. I didn't start complaining until a week ago and that's only because everyone else started complaining--we're talking native NYers--and therefore I thought it would be okay if I started chiming in.

It's not that the cold is bothering me--it's that it's been going on so long. And the fact that every store window has cute little sleeveless sundresses isn't helping the situation.

So, yes, I'm ready for spring. I'm ready to start wearing flip-flops.

And I won't complain the heat either.

As you can see, I'm really stretching here with stuff to write about. That's because I highly doubt you want to hear about how I spent most of the weekend doing my taxes and working on my rewrite on the second fairy tale.

Oh! I almost forgot. How on earth could I have forgotten this?!

BIG BIG NEWS...

On Saturday I discovered Pell Street in Chinatown. More specifically, I discovered the hair salons there. Where I can get my hair washed and blown out for $15.

$15!!!

This discovery officially made my year.

So as I am writing this, it's with my sleek, soft, straight hair.

I'm officially addicted.

Because if I'm going to be wearing cute little sundresses and flip-flops soon enough, I need to have pretty hair.

10 Things About Cindy Ella You Might Not Know

Okay, here's the deal -- I've been way too busy working the last few days to have much of a life. Not that I'm complaining though--seriously--I'm so grateful for the work. But unfortunately that means that I don't have a lot to write about.

(Meanwhile, I'm watching the news about Governor Spitzer. I mean, come on, man -- what on earth were you thinking?!)

So, anyway, for your reading pleasure, here are 10 things about Cindy Ella--the character and the book--that you may not know.

(Meanwhile, how cool that the (most likely) new governor of NY is blind?!)

Okay, so back to the 10 things. Here they are:

1. Cafe Du Village, where Cindy and Noah have lunch, really does exist. And it really is on Larchmont Blvd. And they really do have great fries.

2. I wrote a lot of the book while sitting at the Starbucks on Larchmont Boulevard.

3. Cindy's English teacher Ms. McManus is named in honor of my high school friend Dawn McManus who teaches English at Monmouth Regional High School.

4. It took almost one year to the day from the time I came up with the idea for the book to the time my fabulous agent Kate sold it to my fabulous editor Jennifer.

5. The day Kate sent the book out to publishers I started crying during yoga class because I felt like I had sent my kid out into the world and I could no longer protect her.

6. I used to own tons of expensive high heels but I had to sell them on eBay to pay my rent because that's the kind of thing struggling writers have to do and now when I put a pair on, I find it almost impossible to walk in them, which is why I wear either flip-flops (summer) or red cowboy boots (winter).

7. The reason Cindy wears the t-shirts in the book with the funny sayings is because I always wanted to make them and sell them, so instead I gave them to her. But I am in the process of making some up to sell on my website.

8. I am so not organized like Cindy is.

9. I used to work in the movie department at Lifetime Television, and a lot of the movies I mention in the book were ones I actually developed.

10. Michael Rosenberg is based on my friend Michael Rosenberg and he's more than willing to sign autographs.

Prom pictures, people, prom pictures...

I can't believe I have yet to receive ONE Scary Prom Picture picture from you people.

SEND THEM IN!!!

Cami Lavoie wants to be famous

Yesterday I spent the day with Cami Lavoie, her six-month-old sister Ellie, and their mother Joli Gross, who was one of my college roommates. As Cami already has a godmother, I am her official fairy godmother, which obviously makes sense considering what I write.

As was appropriate for a fairy godmother/goddaughter outing, we went to Serendipity for lunch (well, really, we went for the frrozen hot chocolate, but seeing that that's not exactly a healthy lunch, we coated our stomachs with food first). Cami will be nine in a few weeks, so I got her some Judy Blume books and an origami kit, and she made us matching friendship bracelets which include a sparkly shoe (natch), a taxi (because we met in NYC), an I Heart Dogs(because we like dogs), and a Best Friends Album. It has officially become my most favorite piece of jewelry and I am wearing it as I type this.

During lunch when I asked Cami what she wanted to be when she grew up she said she wanted to be famous. Thankfully Cami is incredibly smart and precocious and funny and kind and as 9-going-on-30, I have no doubt that she will achieve her goal of making an indelible mark on the world that is more in line with coming up with a cure for cancer rather than ending up on Page Six for being seen at the Beatrice Inn.

Right, Cami?

That being said, her birthday invitation says "Come dressed as a rock star or in your favorite outfit to stroll down the red carpet."