DIARY OF A GIRL-NEXT-DOOR HEAVY METAL NOVELIST

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August 4, 2005
You know who is super cool? Bruce F-ing Kulick, that's who. He not only provided a really cool review quote for the next press run of Won't Get Fooled Again, but he emailed me today to prod me about giving my book a big official launch. "I'm a fan!" he wrote. Last week, he wrote to me to say thanks for the thank you note I sent him. How many people do that?

A couple months ago, I mentioned that I never wanted to lose the feeling of being starstruck when it came to the members of KISS, but I added that I hoped someday they might be fans of mine, too. "You have a gift," Bruce told me when he finished my book. The next step: conquering the world.

I've got a radio interview with a station in Kentucky on Monday. Does that count?

August 5, 2005
I had one of those "Oh $#!& I quit my job! What was I thinking!?!" moments yesterday, which lasted only long enough for me to tell myself "That's right, honey, so you'd better get rich and famous in a hurry!" I worked hard today, contacting large and small media outlets for Rolling Stone to the Columbia, SC library. You never know who will love you at any given moment.

But I still have memories of my glory days in Friendship, NY, and I posted pictures at my "In the News" page. If I never sell another book, at least I can say I was on the air with Danny Neaverth. Damn, that was cool.

August 6, 2005
According to www.DeansPlanet.com, I'm a celebrity! Check out my interview.

August 7, 2005
Whenever I hear "Won't Get Fooled Again" on the radio I take it as an omen of good things to come. I'm recording a radio interview tomorrow and getting ready for a big trip later in the week. I hope my silly superstitions bode well.

August 8, 2005
I'm having a tough time staying focused, although I'm plugging away. I pecked out another 1000 words of my next book a couple days ago, and last night, I woke myself up twice to wrote down some notes.

Today, I did a phone interview with WTTM-FM in Kentucky. Everything was going pretty well until the host asked me to do a reading. Holy crap! I've never read anything from Won't Get Fooled Again out loud, so I did some not-so-graceful panicking. She was very nice about the whole thing and talked me into reading two pages. In the end, I may have ruined her interview, but I realized that the first two pages are wonderful, and I should be prepared to revert to my old theater major days when asked.

August 9, 2005
In a very cool coincidence, Bruce Kulick is the new "celebrity interview" at Dean's Planet. The serendipity is too strong to ignore.

Man, remember in the old days when my journal was sexy and fun? I feel like maybe the lavender has choked the life out of my cheeky observations and clever allusions to my behind-the-scenes romantic life. Now, I just sound like a boring old writer in need of a life. Who wants that b*!!s#!&t? Certainly not this goddess of the laptop. Seriously - when was the last time I mentioned Paul Stanley's ass? or the sexy guy who worked me over last night? Sounds kinda fishy, right? Thank goodness the next KISS Expo is less than a month away. I think a pair of kick ass boots should kick me right in the...uh...well...you know.

August 10, 2005
Thanks for the offers I received to help me sexify my journal! I appreciate the spirit of giving among readers. I'll let you know if I decide to start living the fantasy in a way other than writing. ;)

As for my most pressing concern, I have to get rich and famous. Actually, I have to get famous so I can get rich so I can do good deeds on a larger scale. Tomorrow morning, I leave for a writers expo in Virginia, and I kicked ass tonight developing a new information sheet for book clubs who might want to consider Won't Get Fooled Again for their upcoming schedules. I'll be posting it online as soon as I return. I also packed up my car, filled my gas tank and made my meals for the trip. I'm getting good at this book star tour routine.

Now, I'm going to take some allergy medicine to knock me out so I can get to sleep at a normal hour. Sex, drugs and rock & roll. I think I covered all three in this entry.

August 11, 2005
I hit the road nice and early and pulled into Abingdon at around 4:30 this afternoon. I did my hair tonight while I watched VH1's "100 Best Hard Rock Artists". KISS made the top 10. Perhaps the hair/metal combo inspired me to insert my first KISS-ism in my second novel, when now has 800+ more words.

I'm not sure what to expect tomorrow, but I'll get there plenty early so I can check the place out. I'd better pop some benadry soon so I can get to sleep before midnight.

August 12, 2005
"Hey! Why are you the only one mentioned in the newspaper?" asked one of the other vendors at the writers expo. The local calendar of events listed the expo and wrote "Colette Shaw to do book signing. www.ColetteShaw.com." It could be because I'm a big big big celebrity. But probably it's because I'm the only one who sent a press release.

It's all about the sizzle, people.

I forgot how great it is to have a long solitary nighttime car trip. On the 7 hour drive back, I figured out the meaning of life, learned a bunch of Juice Newton songs for karaoke, and decided I need to get on Jay Leno pronto. (continue)