November 3, 2003 - Pennsylvania, USA

Q: So... how was it?
Colette: It was amazing in so many different ways... Randy and I started working on the movie over a year ago, and now it's real. And I got to share the experience with the people I love most. My brother told me once that he thought I found my identity in trying to make my family proud of me. That was certainly true on Saturday.

Q: Did you feel like a movie star?
Colette: Ha! I'd had such grand plans of getting my hair done and living in the moment of it all. In reality, I was nervous and we (my family and I) were scurrying around getting the catering supplies ready and loaded. I had the tremendous pleasure of singing "Strutter" with my Aunt Paula as we loaded up the trucks. Do movie stars do that?

Q: Were there any behind-the-scenes disasters that no one knew about?
Colette: 30 minutes before we were supposed to run the movie, I got a voice message from Randy saying that he was having problems with the DVD and he needed one of my older copies just in case. I had to book it home and turn my condo upside down to find a copy. Luckily, his worked fine. Almost worse than that, my dad and his wife almost missed the movie altogether because the coffee they were making at the "Rock & Roll All Nite" coffee bar was ruined 5 minutes before we rolled the film.

Q: What were the biggest surprises?
Colette: There were so many people in the audience I'd never seen before. They were just wonderful KISS fans who came out of curiosity, and then left as supporters of the KISSfiction project. There's a scene in the movie that explains the family-like quality of the KISS Army. I felt it deep-down on Saturday. Oh! Don't let me forget my friend, Tim. He flew in from El Salvador that day and drove straight to the premiere. If I never felt accountability to make sure my book finds a publisher, I certainly do now.

Q: How did people from your day job react?
Colette: I think some of the audience pictures tell the story. They were AWESOME!!! Students, colleagues... When I started telling people I was going to write a novel to tie my love of KISS and my love of writing together, they jumped on the KISSfiction train right at the station. I don't think I would have finished the novel without their support.

Q: What about the big-wigs?
Colette: My supervisor wanted very much to be at the movie, but just couldn't do it. He called me that night to pep me up, and it meant a lot to me.

Q: What about the others?
Colette: I hate to speculate. Of course, I would love to have seen them there. I think, if nothing else, the movie would have shown them how ridiculously normal my life is - rock & roll be damned.

Q: What happens next?
Colette: Now I have to start my barrage of KISSfiction postcards on publishers and Gene Simmons. The audience members each wrote a card asking someone to take a chance on Won't Get Fooled Again. I almost hate to send them because the pleas from the writers touched my heart so much.

Q: Are you going to show the film again?
Colette: Yes, of course. I just need a little rest first. The day after the premiere, I started researching festivals. I've already been invited to be a featured producer at the Old Domion Film Festival in March, which is a thrill.

Q: Any final thoughts?
Colette: I'm living as hard as I can. This is only the beginning (continue to diary)