What was your favorite part of writing Secrets of My Hollywood Life?
I love entertainment! Give me a bowl of popcorn and my TV remote or an hour’s worth of movie previews and I’m a happy girl. I started my career as an entertainment editor at a magazine, so I’ve always had a huge appreciation for movies, TV, and celebrity culture. Secrets has been a great way to keep a toe in that world. Whenever I buy a new magazine or see a movie, I say it’s part of my research for the books!
What will you miss most about the series?
Um… everything? Kaitlin’s world is so much fun to explore. Sometimes I’d read about some catfight in a magazine and think, “That has to happen to Kaitlin!” Or I’d see Selena Gomez wear some gorgeous gown to an event, and I would say to myself, “Kaitlin should wear something like that!” Most of all, I’ll miss the characters, who have become like family to me in many ways. (Sky is one of my absolute favorite characters to write.) It’s going to be hard putting these characters to bed, but I know it’s time for Kaitlin to try something new, and it’s time for me to do the same.
What are you working on now?
I’m really excited about a new teen novel I’m writing called Belles. It’s about two girls named Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe who come from completely opposite cultures and backgrounds, but find themselves suddenly living under the same roof. Mira’s dad is a state senator hoping to run for the US Senate, so her life is all about glitz, glamour, and little responsibility. Izzy’s life up until now hasn’t been as charmed. She’s grown up with much less than Mira has, but she is proud of where she’s come from, she’s a fighter, and she has a lot of heart. I love fish-out-of-water stories, and Belles is definitely that, with, of course, a lot of romance, drama, and splashy parties thrown in too. I love a good party! The book will be out in spring 2012.
As a girl from Long Island, New York, what inspired you to set this new book in the South?
I think I’ve always secretly wanted to live in the South! I’m fascinated by the culture and the beauty of it all. I would love to hear friends of mine who went to college below the Virginia state line tell me stories about cotillions, elaborate private schools, and how football was practically a religion. I knew I wanted to write about a privileged world set in the Carolinas that gets rocked by an outsider who has very big ideas that don’t always jive with the culture.
How are your new leading ladies similar to and different from Kaitlin?
Isabelle and Mirabelle, despite their very different lives, have the same issues that Kaitlin has always had— Who am I? and What do I want for my life? Where do I fit in? And Why are boys so hard to understand? Whether you’re the biggest star on the planet or a girl who counts every penny, I think you have the same problems. It’s how you handle those issues that makes it different.
What are your new characters’ favorite movies? TV shows? Things to do when they’re not in the spotlight of Mr. Monroe’s political career?
Mira would be into whatever is hot at the time, but I could definitely see her being hooked on the CW and everything on it! She and her friends spend a lot of time planning and going to Emerald Cove events, which require incredible clothes and lots of shopping! Izzie, on the other hand, rarely shops and doesn’t go to parties. She’s busy, but in ways that don’t allow for a lot of TV time. Izzie is a lifeguard and spends a lot of time at her community center, but if she did have a night off, I’d expect her to veg out and watch MTV.
Would Kaitlin Burke have any advice for these characters?
I think Kaitlin would tell both girls to do what makes them happy and not to get hung up on the small things. By the end of There’s No Place Like Home, Kaitlin has finally learned to do just that.
Secrets of My Hollywood Life novels by Jen Calonita:
Secrets of My Hollywood Life
On Location
Paparazzi Princess
Broadway Lights
Other novels by Jen Calonita:
Sleepaway Girls
Reality Check
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
ONE: Goman Nasi Means “I’m Sorry” In Japanese
TWO: Do You Want Fries with That?
THREE: This Party Is a Real Turkey
FOUR: Another Sticky Situation
FIVE: An Offer You Can’t Refuse
SIX: A Slice of Real Life
SEVEN: How Quickly Things Unravel
EIGHT: Crash Landing
TEN: A New Reality
ELEVEN: Déjà Vu
TWELVE: Everything Is Not What It Seems
THIRTEEN: Be Careful What You Wish For
FOURTEEN: Party Poopers
FIFTEEN: Boston or Bust
SIXTEEN: The Magic Maker
SEVENTEEN: Wishful Thinking
EIGHTEEN: Welcome Back
NINETEEN: Finishing the Puzzle
TWENTY: Back on Track
EPILOGUE: Eight Months Later
Acknowledgments
Jen Calonita on the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series finale, There’s No Place Like Home
Secrets of My Hollywood Life novels by Jen Calonita:
Copyright
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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First eBook Edition: March 2011
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
ISBN: 978-0-316-12287-0