Blue is the colour!



I know it's normally pink but just for today, I am ALL about the blue, because my local football team, Portsmouth FC are playing in the FA cup final!

Now, I'm not your usual football fan kinda girl, but this is BIG stuff.
Portsmouth is an island so you really cannot escape the football fever that has taken over right now. There are flags in every house, blue balloons in windows and yesterday was offish blue day where everyone in the city wore blue...

I however am a rare breed, I have a Man who doesn't dig the football, and it was all I could do to persuade him to stay home and watch the game, because sshh, don't tell anyone, I'm a little bit excited!

I should be finishing up the first draft of the next book - I'm lovin' this book btw - but I really wanna watch it, I don't fully understand the game but I know I could shout 'come on you blues' and seriously, it's really only about the singing, isn't it?

COME ON YOU BLUES!

I LOVE this book.



Fact.

I bought it in San Francisco two years ago, but I also bought A LOT of other books at the same time, and it kinda just found it's way onto the book shelf to look pretty, because that's kinda what I do.

Y'see, I love reading, but I love actually buying books more. I love surrounding myself with them and hoping that all the fabulous words seep in through the process of osmosis. Anyway, I was doing a chazza bag over the weekend (I am offish the queen of hoarding, so this is always a hugely painful task in my world - more 'bout that later...) and I re-found this book. I read the first page and just couldn't understand why I'd not read it yet, but books are funny like that though, aren't they? They kinda find you when you need them the most and this is deffo the book I needed right now, a chance to re-channel my inner-fabulousity. It's h-i-larious and is a total must-have for any Viva la Diva lovin' Pink Lady!

I haven't loved a book like this for ages, and the good news is, after I did a google search of the author, that he has lots of other fabulous books about Eccentric Glamour and Beautiful People that I am gonna totes order today - it's offish, I'm a Simon Doonan fan, and if you love Think Pink and Viva La Diva, I can absolutely, positively guarantee that you'll love Wacky Chicks too!

The Wacky Chicks blurb:
Wacky chicks are women who turn heads, get people talking and start trends. They dare to wear the outrageous and live life any way they see fit. And now New York Observer columnist and savvy social commentator Simon Doonan trains his most discerning eye on sixteen of these exceptional creatures, and shows how a fiercely embraced sense of individuality can be an inspiration to us all.

Doonan interviews wacky chicks like Amy Sedaris, host of Comedy Central's hit show, Strangers with Candy; Suzanne Bartsch, the woman who taught Madonna how to vogue; and lower profile wacky chicks like hip hypnotist Jessica Porter and Isabel Garrett, a freestyle fashion designer working out of a trailer in a Florida nudist colony. As different as they are outrageous, these women share a powerful nonconformist bent, and in these pages offer their priceless guidance on beauty, business, fashion, love, motherhood and unleashing your feminist wacky chick without losing your femininity.

Hola!

I'm writer-girl today and have offish started book 3 of the Lola Love fiction series - it's so much fun, I'm beyond excited that I get to hang out with Lola on a daily basis now - like I've not got the best life ever?!!

So, as you know, when I'm writing, I LOVE me a visit to the procrastination station, which is basically anywhere, or anything, that is NOT what I'm actually supposed to be doing, so when I received this emailage from a gal-pal entitled Fun Things About Me, I thought answering it would be fun time frankies...

Four things about me that you may or may not know in no particular
order:

Four jobs I have had in my life
1. shop assistant
2. runner on SM:TV live
3. workie at Just Seventeen magazine
4. author-girl - whoop, whoop!

Four movies I would watch over and over
1. Beaches
2. Moulin Rouge
3. Hairspray
4. Clueless

Four places I have lived:
1. This is lame-o, but I've only ever lived in Portsmouth, but that's set to change v.soon!


Four TV Shows that I watch:(FYI: I watch a LOT of TV these are just my faves right now...)
1. Jordan and Peter - love it.
2. I'd do Aything
3. The Girls Next Door
4. Kimora: Life in the Fab lane

Four places I have been:
1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Croatia
4. Verona, Italy

Four People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. Sophie
2. Lindsey
3. Julie
4. Cordelia

Four of my favorite foods:
1. chocolate
2. chocolate cake
3. Chocolate brownies
4. Chocolate ice cream

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Dublin, Ireland
4. Cathy's writer room on her day bed - sigh.

Four Things I am looking forward to in 2008:
1. My first fiction books coming out in July - whoop, whoop!
2. Edinbro book festival - I'm actually appearing as a writer-girl, beyond excited!
3. Going to LA for my 30th birthday
4. Going to Iceland on my first ever mum/daughter holiday...

Four Books I Could Read Over and Over (and have)
1. Namedropper - Emma Forrest
2. Diary of a Crush series - Sarra Manning
3. Weetzie Bat - FLB
4. Gingerbread - Rachel Cohn

So have fun with this...take out my answers and send the questions to friends. Or, I'd love to hear your answers...leave me a comment.

I am still poorly - I'm not going to lie, I'm beyond bored with these germs now.

I did have a pink flash of fabulousness in my otherwise grey, germy day - I had a phone interview with One Night Only.

FYI: I tried inserting a picture here, but apparently I'm not allowed to upload pix right now - how rude - I suggest you go google 'em to share the love.

I know, I'm no longer 13, but I've developed a HUGE crush on these indie-boy-cutesters. I do love their music, honest. No, really I do, I just happen to think the lead singer, George, is very easy on the eye too. He is totes the boy I would of crushed on at college. Sigh.

Anyway, the interview was too cute - the keyboard player and I bonded over marching bands - we were both in one, he played the trombone, I played the side drum - cute.

Seriously though, like writing books, being an agony aunt for Mizz mag, hosting Think Pink workshops isn't the best job already, as ed-girl of the brand-new www.lolasland.com, I get to interview pop boys too - happy, happy days! I also get to interview kick-ass chicks and write fab features - it's freakin' awesome!

If you haven't been to visit yet, please go over now - www.lolasland.com - it's super-cute and has lots of ah-mazing treats for you to devour, including my interview with the soon-to-be huge Jonas Bros - they're nice to look at and wear neck scarfs - they do sing Busted songs though, they really shouldn't mess with the Busted.

The Pink Parade is still rockin' and rulin' in our favourite city, NYC - we are now hanging out with our favourite author-girl Melissa Walker - go visit us!

I will soon be moving to www.pink-world.co.uk so be sure to go over and bookmark it as this blogginz will be de-funct from May 1st, 'k?!!

So, I've got so much to tell you, 'cept it's all I can do to type right now as I'm beyond poorly, for the last week I've had the flu.
Boo
Not man flu, real life achey, can't eat, flu.
It sucks.
A lot.
And nearly a week and a half on, I'm substantially bored of it. I've not told you about The Man b'day musical weekend - we went to see Wicked and Hairspray, how Expedia messed up our hotel and I was less than pink thinkin' about it all, I also haven't told you about my celebrity encounters, my new favourite music and my love of guitar boys Elliot Minor...and that's just for starters!

But I'm still poorly so all that is going to have to wait, I'm not gonna leave you empty handed though, because while I've been poorly, I've been LOVIN' teev watching and my absolute favourite has to be Gavin and Stacey - if you've never seen it, shame on you. I'm off to order the boxset, I suggest you do the same...

I declare today, Thursday 10th April, Spring sunshine day!

Ohhhh, I love the spring, don't you? I am not however, ready to bare tightless legs yet. I started my spring body cleaning this morning, I've got some yummy new Organic Blue body scrub - totes recommend it - and am now ready to start with the moisturising lotion with a hint of tan, if anyone knows of any without that funny tann-y smell, I would be much-o appreciative! I know I have mentioned previously that I am all about the Kelly O pale, which, FYI, I still am, but really, if you were to see my legs right now, you'd get snow blindness. So, to save getting sued for hurting your eyes, a touch of colour is most deffo the way forward!

But who'd have thought that after Sunday, we'd be frolicking in the spring sunshine today - this is me on Sunday morning...



I LOVE the snow, I totally forgot until I woke up on Sunday morning to find a text from Vix saying: "Oh my, the sky appears to have fallen down!" so I checked, because that would be all kinds of crazy, turns out she was only blimmin' right, so the man and I rushed out in our PJs to have a snowball fight! Hurrah for snow!

Then, on Thursday, today, it goes and turns into a Sunshine Spring day and I LOVE that too, check out me getting my art-girl on in my garden this morning...








I am in such a good mood right now, not just because it's spring, but because I'm doing a Think Pink workshop today - unfortunately, today's session is all booked up, but don't worry, I'll be doing lots during June and July, and I would love for y'all to come along, I'll post the dates up as soon as I know!

Workshops rock! I love writing books and all, but workshops really are my very favourite thing - I get to hang with super-cool Pink Ladies and we get to do some kick-ass bravado boosting in person - what's not to love about that?!!!

Exciting news! All you fabu blog readers get to have a sneaky peek at Lola's new website of fabulousness: www.lolasland.com next week - I know, I totes spoil you, don't I?!! - It's offish launch is the 22nd April, but if you head over next week, you'll be able to get yourself an exclusive look at Lola's new home - it's increds, I want to move in myself!

Oh, and while I'm popping up pics - this is me this morning, in pre-workshop mode - I feel like a cross between Frida Khalo (who I am toally obsess-o with right now!) and Lola Love!



Have a great Spring Sunshine day, chicas!

YAY!

It's offish book release day - HURRAH! I'm doing a happy dance right now at the thought of people other than my editor and I getting their hands on not one, but two new fabulous Lola books - they're so freakin' pretty it's ridiculous!

As promised, I have a too-cool-for-school 'Pimp My Books' competition that will have you shouting Viva La Diva from your rooftop - so what are you waiting for?

Get pimpin’!

THE PRIZES:
To get your manicured mitts on a swag bag of fabulousness that include: a signed copy of both Viva La Diva and It's a Girl Thing, Lee Stafford hair prods, Barry M lipglosses and nail paint, NYC make-up, Miss Eyleure false eyelashes, a Heidi Seeker treat, ladyluckrulesok earrings and a sleepover pack of face masks and pampering prods - what's not to love?

THE CONTEST:
STEP ONE: Simply copy and paste this whole message (including the info about the contest) into any website, blog, message board, email list, or myspace/bebo/facebook bulletin.

Viva La Diva and It's a Girl Thing the brand-new books in the Lola Love series by Lisa Clark are IN STORES NOW!

Viva La Diva is your ultimate guide to the luxe life - with tips on walking and talking with confidence and to have enough charm to have everyone joining you on the pink carpet. After all, no one is going to start treating you like a goddess until you start to act like one!

It's a Girl Thing has everything you'll ever need to know about being a girl. Packed with upbeat, encouraging and practical advice on how to cope with just about anything, so you can concentrate on celebrating being a kick-ass girl in Girlsville!

These are the absolute must-haves for anyone who wants to be fun, feisty, fearless and fabulous on a daily basis!

IN STORES NOW!

Check out: www.pink-world.co.uk

STEP TWO: Email Lisa at lc@pink-world.co.uk and let her know you’ve posted about the contest and the book, and you’ll be entered to win the swag bag of fabulousness!

The winner will be picked at random on April 30th 08

The more places you post, the more entries you get. Have fun and good luck!

Ssssh! Don't tell The Man, but I've hooked him up - and me, obv. - tix for Bon Jovi this June - I am so freakin' excited!

It's The Man's b-day on the 14th April, so I've gone and become one of those hella cute-as-a-button girlfriends and bought him tix for his B-day - I am hanging on in there for my Bestest Girlfriend in the World EVER award that I'm sure he'll award me on the 15th April - tee hee!

Oh, don't worry, he doesn't read my blog so I'm safe with him not finding out and I'm also safe in letting you know that his pressie is a li'l bit about me too - yep, I crush on JBJ!



Now I know I crush a LOT, and I know my crushes vary quite considerably - from the far-too-young Zac Efron and One Night Only lead singer, right through to John Barryman, Ronan Keating and yep, Jon Bon Jovi but at least I'm not predictable, right?
So The Man's B-day present is a win-win love in - hurrah!

Can I say, I've just watched Gavin and Stacey and it is by far the funniest programme on TV right now, my jaw is aching!

Anyway where was I? I've admitted to my crush on JBJ...Oh, I know, I was quoted in the blimmin' Guardian yesterday!
How swank am I?

It was an article written by a journo-lady who didn't have much love for the colour pink and thinks it's damaging to young girls, as you can imagine, Author and Mizz magazine agony aunt, Lisa Clark - that's me! Tee Hee! - was telling the world how great pink was and how it's the colour of all things girl!

Swanks and I went for yummy scrummy dinner on Friday and drank pink wine - it was my first interaction with people I dig, well apart from The Man, obv., and it was lots of fun. Swanks, who went to Japan earlier in the year - not jealous. Much. - bought me some super-cool Japanese magazines and I bought him... a diet coke. That's fair, right? The mags are awesome and are total proof that I've really got to get myself a trip to Japan soonest! In my journal I've even created a wish page where I'm planning that an ah-mazing Japanese publisher might buy the books and that I get to go on a book tour there and eat yummy sushi and buy kawaii cute accessories by the truckload!

Oh, and guess what?
The Man and I have been going to The Edinbro book fest for the past four years now, and last year I said to him, "I'd really love to appear here next year!"
So, in my journal I cut a picture of me signing a book, along with the Edinbro book fest logo and guess what? I've been asked to host a Think Pink workshop - whoop, whoop! I did a rather embarrassing happy dance when the letter came through the door, and every time I think of it, I have to sit on my hands to stop me busting an 80s body-pop move with excitement! A date hasn't been confirmed yet, but as soon as it has, I'll post it up!

I'm now watching the car-crash that is Kerry Katona: Crazy in Love - this is bad and not even in a good way, I'll still watch it though - I'm a sucker for reality TV.

A Friday treat of fabulousness on this grey, rainy day - I LOVES it!

Something weird is happening here at the Pink Palace.

Very weird.

The Man is cleaning.

He's clearing cupboards, there's bin bags involved and most importantly, he's not involving me.

Hurrah.

I don't know what's initiated this sudden burst of spring cleaning in my beau, but I'm not complaining, we both HATE cleaning, but I get attacks of the girl-guilts and give in way before The Man ever does, so this sudden get-up-and-clean 'tude is completely welcome! Well...that is until he discovers bags and bags of accumulated 'stuff' and 'nonsense' that I hoard in every ickle space of our teeny tiny house - I do work from home remember, and I do need every issue of every magazine since 2000 - I really do, and yes, I do need 84 pairs of shoes and I absolutely positively need ALL my bags...Does that sound convincing enough for you?

I think I'll just keep my head down and work at pretending to be really, really busy!

I've got lots to do actually, but do you know what I've gone and done?

I've gone and started reading Jordan: Pushed to The Limit - it's so bad, yet so, so good! I knew this would happen, I'm a totes sucker for autobiographies, and the way they're written is so highly addictive that I know that when I start, I just can't stop!

This is no exception, I'm finding it really hard to put down, when I take a green tea break, I keep snatching a few pages in between - I also plan on watching the teev show tonight too - it's offish, Jordan/Katie is my guilty pleasure!

Don't know why my pictures were so teeny-tiny last time...Weird.

This is my dream car, have never seen it in this colour before, I signed up for driving lessons on the basis that this car WILL be mine - j'adore!



I don't know if I've mentioned, ahem, but this time next week, April 1st in fact, I'm going to have 2 brand-new books in the shops - it's not even an April Fools joke - it's real factuality.






C'mon, look at these li'l beauties - between them, they have EVERYTHING a girl needs to rock and rule in the world and, most importantly, they're gonna look hella cute in any boudoir. Fact.

I would LOVE it if you could buy one, or even both of the books. There, I've said it, I know it's cheeky, but I really would love it if people bought 'em.
You can buy them online - Viva La Diva here, It's A Girl Thing here or you can pester your local bookstore to stock them if they're not already - that would be just coolio-a-go-go! I'll thank you by running allsorts of fabulous comps next week to celebrate - I've got some fab goodies up for grabs!

While I'm biggin' these books up, but I don't think I've really got my head round it, when the review copies arrived, I got really excited - The Man and I had a green tea and hot cross bun to celebrate and well, that was kinda it, I just got back on with the job of writing, but this week, knowing they're going to be out there for everyone to see, I keep getting big rollercoaster-sized belly flips of excitement - two books, out at the same time? That's just freakin' awesome!

The Pink Parade is coming to town!
I'm gonna confirm dates with my fabulous blog tour hosts tomoz and I 'll be posting the dates over at www.pink-world.co.uk on Friday - whoop, whoop!

Blog tours are the bestest - you get to hang out at your favourite blogs, they treat you like you're a superstar and you get to travel the world in your cupcake PJs - it's the dream! Although, two of my tour visits are in NYC and I really wouldn't mind hanging out there in person!

Web world
I have been all about www.lolasland.com this week - I've been working on the website and have discovered yet another perk to my job - interviewing cute boys!

I know, what's not to love about that?

As if writing about Lola all day and getting to call it a job wasn't fabulous enough, I now get to interview famous people too, and guess who my first interview is?

One Night Only!

OMS! So excited, have retreated back to my 15 year-old self and am trying with all my might not to be an embarrasmond-o type, but hey, I can't promise anything!

Can you believe I only got one Easter egg? The queen of all things chocolate, got one Easter egg...It may have had something to do with the fact that I asked people not to buy them for me, but I didn't actually mean it, did I?
Well, I did as I'm working at cutting sugar out my life - won't bore you with the deets - but I was totally expecting the man to maybe share some Cadbury's Creme egg love - they're my weakness, but apparently, in the interest of my well-being, everyone did as they were asked, the mumma gifted me money instead which was much more fun than chocolate and will be spent on make-up goodies from Debenhams later today - hurrah - prods are the new chocolate! Anyway, I polished the one I did have off in one sitting last night while watching Pride and Prejudice and am now pretending that I didn't.

So Friday was date day for The Man and I, we had some quality boy/girl time and went walking in the countryside, we went to castles....



I love me an old castle - this is really near where we live, yet we've never visited it before!



This was The Man attempting to be all arty...



This was my attempt at being arty...



We ate yummy food and then curled up on the sofa to watch the recent Take That concert on DVD - he asked to, I didn't even have to make him! It was a much-needed fun day in the world of The Man and I - hurrah!

Saturday I went for a 2 hour walk at 7am in the morning in the pouring rain - loved it, 'cept I felt a bit poorly for the rest of day so was spent lounging and reading and drawing and making Easter cards and watching bad TV...

Sunday - Egg Day! Did I mention I only got one? I spent the day with my mumma - we went to a craft fair in the morning where we chatted to lots of arty people and I discovered this lady who's work I am now totes in heart with - she's going to do art classes in a teepee, I'm signing up!

I admired my mumma's Easter tree - who said Christmas has to have all the tree fun? It's gorgeous isn't it? I love it and it makes me smile just looking at it!



We went to my Auntie Val's for yummy Sunday roast - I defy ANYONE to try and beat my Auntie Val's Sunday roast - it's just not do-able, I am now the size of a substantial house, but it's worth it, coz it's so freakin' yummy!

Today I am 'spring cleaning' - not housework - I'm not crazy! - but my head - I'm making the vision board I said I was going to do back in January, I'm going to make a list of all the things I want to do before I'm 30 and music-wise, I'm going to alternate between Moldy Peaches and The Clueless soundtrack - yep, I'm going retro, y'all!

Oh, I also discovered I love toasted hot cross buns, I've totes been missing out on a taste sensation!

Okay, life update...

book
Finished Candy Girl - big thumbs up! Am reading a book called The Red Book it's about being a Spiritual Cowgirl - I'm loving it. The author Sera Beak is brilliant at making all things spiritual completely accessible to girls who also like to shop and eat chocolate too - also revisiting one of my favourite books, Succulent Wild Woman by Sark, it fell off the bookshelf last night, so I figured it was telling me to take a li'l look, so I did and I forgot how much I loved it - Sark rocks!
You got any recommendations?

song
Rockstar by Nickelback - cannot shift it from head and don't particularly want to - love it!

frequently worn outfit or item
A really un-attractive grey fleece hoody - It's 3 sizes too big, but it's so freakin' warm and comfy I feel like I'm cocooned in cotton wool, I bregrudgingly take it off to sleep at the mo, if I'm not going out then this baby goes on!

perfume
Charlie Red - slightly retro, stupidly cheap but never fails to get a compliment!

food
My auntie Val's sunday roast - if I didn't put on a stone every time I ate it, I'd pay her to make it me every single day - that's how nice it is...

drink
Green tea - have taken to drinking it through a straw as I'm worried it might stain my teeth!

guilty pleasure
A pleasure should never be guilty should it? These four days hve felt a bit guilty though as I really haven't opened a word document once which just feels so weird, I have been scribbling in a note book though, and I remembered how much I love writing in felt tip pens so that's what I've been doing, it makes me feel 5 again!

bane of my existence
there are things that are slightly annoying and irritating, like my bank balance not being bigger than it is and the fact I'm not sat on a veranda in San Fran looking out over the bay, but I'm pretty bane free right now!

anticipation
My next two books Viva La Diva and It's a Girl Thing coming out in just over a week's time - agggghhhhhh! I'm also looking forward to hanging with my Lola buds Lindsey and Sophs on Thursday - they make work fun x 1000!

wishlist
Um...will post that after an afternoon of cutting and pasting and dreaming and wishing...have a pink glitter-filled day!

Please tell me about your current loves and wishes!

This weekend has been all about the mumma.

She deserves a lot of lovin' right now, especially after losing my step-dad only two months ago, but despite dealing with all the sadness and loss and re-adjusting to being on her own, she has totally been there for The Man and I. Spending this weekend with her was not only a welcomed relief from the non-stop workload, but it's made me realise just how lucky I am to have her. We haven't always got on, and sometimes we still don't, but the way she's dealing with it all is a total inspiration - mumma, you rock!

So, on the subject of things I currently love and heart, beside my mumma....

Boy:
The Man, natch. Oh, and I'm still crushin' on Chris Fountain - go, Chris, go!

Book:
Candy Girl - Diablo Cody - it's a bit rudey, but I love her style so much I want her to write a million books/films. And why is she not my gal-pal?! We would totes be BFFs.

Song:
Alphabeat - makes me want a tambourine to bang. Now.

Frequently worn outfit:
A black jersey wrap dress from New Look - so comfy, v. flattering and can be completely funked up with pink accessories - j'adore.

Makeup item:
Wanna B lip creme by www.Bnevertoobusytobebeautiful.com - lasts forevah.

Perfume:
Pink by Lee Stafford, it's dee-lish and I've had compliments-a-go-go since I've been wearing it, quite possibly about to become my signature scent...

Food:
White chocolate hot sauce - if you live near a Slug and Lettuce gastro pub, check it out - heaven.


Guilty pleasure:
White chocolate hot sauce. I was so planning to give up sugar, but then I discovered this. it's a freakin' taste sensation. Sigh.

Bane of my existence:
Deadlines. Pah.

Anticipation:
Spring. I'm totes over this winter thing.

Wishlist:
To become Diablo Cody's BFF, a pug dog and Chanel's holographic nail varnish please.

Tell me what you're lovin' and hearting right now...

oh, and if you're lucky enough to have a mumma, go give her a hug...

So, just when I was saying how my whole life was about writing and wearing my PJ's, like all the time - I went and got myself a date with a powerpoint presentation in front of 60 super-important people at publisher HQ!

It wasn't my ideal choice of dates but it was with some rather important people from the world of schmooze who could potentially make Lola a big star, so I had to work it for my girl, right?!

My ed-girl, probably for the best, had NOT warned me quite how big this whole thing was.
Now HC are a big-ass publisher, they print books by crazy-famous types and instead of the famous-type books greeting me on arrival, the entire foyer was filled with Lola Love books, my books - whoop, whoop!
Everywhere I looked, Lola was working it on the cover of style="font-style:italic;">Think Pink and bathing in fabulousness on the cover of Beauty*Licious, I was giddy.

In fact, I was giddy and I was beyond nervous.

And the nerves did NOT go away.
I was briefed on what I had to say by my ed-girl and ed-girl's boss - yep, that's how important it was, there were bosses of bosses - 'cept when all these super-important people came into the room I froze. I got a serious attack of the frights. I got pink in the face, I stumbled on words and for the first time in a long time I really felt scared.

Y'see, I'm actually quite a shy girl. I know it's hard to believe, but I've learned a whole lot of Think Pink techniques to make sure I'm able to do all the fab stuff I want to do in the world, but speaking in public, well, that freaks me out.

When I worked as a youth worker, I loved talking to young people, but if I had to talk to a group of people I worked with, I would get so nervous, that sometimes I'd ring in sick just so I didn't have to do it.

It wasn't 'til I worked the pink thinkin', that I realised I wouldn't get good unless I practiced, so that's what I did.
I learned to prepare, know my stuff, take deep breaths and speak clearly and slowly - except yesterday, I couldn't flick the pink switch.

I was prepared, and I deffo know my stuff - it was all about Lola for goodness sake, but I'd forgotten to channel my inner fabulousness, I hadn't taken five minutes to take deep breaths, instead I'd spent my prep time getting all eaten up with worry.

It was all over before it had begun. I'd felt the fear and I did it anyway. My first instinct was to run, but I muddled my way through with cheeks so pink they matched my Bnevertoobusytobebeautiful lipstick, but the important thing was I did it. I didn't do it well, but I did it. I messed up, but I did it.

Luckily, my ed-girl and my ed-girl's boss worked their much-practiced magic on the crowd, reminding them just how fabulous Lola is and that they should all totally fall in love with her.

My ed-girl told me that my nerves had translated as passion, and that these usually crazy-cynical types had actually liked me, so much so, that they stayed after the presentation to discuss my concept with me, the crazy pink cheeked lady and some even asked me to sign books for them...

Turns out not being perfect is really okay.
That's not to say that I won't try harder next time to be better, because I will, I wanna be good at what I do, but I also won't beat myself up for not being perfect this time round...

On the way home, I got on the tube to Waterloo with an amazing looking woman, she was about 70 and had a whole lady-about-town look going on. She had a full face of make-up and was ultra-glam. She pulled me to her side and said, "Well, don't you look just fabulous, I love all your colour, the world needs more people like you."
How adorable is that?

And just in case there was any teensy tiny bad thoughts left over this morning, The Man put on the Hairspray soundtrack and made me dance it out! There really is nothing like a Hairspray soundtrack to turn a frown upside down.

How am I EVER going to get any work done now I know my latest girl crush and now OSCAR winner, Diablo Cody has a blog?



Can't hang around here, I've got a LOT of reading to do.

Hola chiquitas!

I am totes aware that I'm being a hella tardy blog-girl right now.

It's not that I don't want to share Lisa Land with you, it's just that right now, if you came to visit it would be like taking a one-way ticket to yawnsville, Arizona...

For shizzle. (Yes, I am still lovin' JUNO!)

I have very little to report, because I've rarely left the Pink Palace - in fact, this past week, I've only seen daylight for an hour a day to go do my beach walkin' this isn't due to a five day fab film fest incuding such greats as Pretty in Pink, Ghost World, Amelie, Clueless or a read-a-thon of epic proportions - my to-be-read list is a book in itself, no, these scenarios are just the stuff of my pink tinted dreams, what's really happened is, I have become what people who wear suits a lot say they are...a busy person.

I always thought I knew what that term meant, and if, on my to-do list there were more than three things to do, which there usually were, I would go; "Oh my stars, I'm so busy right now" 'cept I wasn't. Not even close.

I'm not busy in the way those people in suits are either, you know, flying from here to there, flitting from meeting to meeting, no, I'm in my li'l house sat at my dining room table, sometimes on the sofa if I'm feeling really crazy, typing.
Words.

It does however, mean the following:

* I have very little, if anything, to share with your sweet selves - I could make stuff up, what with me being a writer and all, but then I'd be using up all my imagination on blog entries and not on writing books...

* My social life suffers - I know my postman better than my BFF right now...

* The house is a TIP - I'm not known for my ability to keep a clean house at the best of times, but right now, The Man and I are literally stepping on a carpet of magazines and papers and the shelves are inches thick with dust - it's not attractive...

* We get our shopping online - nothing you actually want ever comes - they make you up a new bag of treats instead. I'm hanging in there for the day I can replace my Tesco van with an Opodo one - that's when I'll know I've made it!

In other news, of which there is very little, my crush for Chris Fountain has developed into a li'l bit of unhealthy lovin'...



There's an interview over at www.pink-world.co.uk with the lady behind my new favourite website: www.lovelula.com go visit them both!

If you love your books about LA to be slightly trashy, but so well written you can't put them down then can I recommend The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare - I read The First Assistant first which was the wrong thing to do, but both are equally fab and have been such a treat to lose myself in before bedtime - Less TV, more reading should be my motto!

I have a longer than long to-be-read list, but would still very much welcome your fave chick lit recommendations please...

I LOVE me the chick lit - I do read other stuff, but when I really want to escape from the world and lose myself in a book - chick lit is like a big bar of chocolate and a comfy blankie - two of my favourite things! I'm quite particular in my chick lit reading though - right now, I like anything set in NY, LA and San fran other faves have been Jemima J by Jane Green and Lipstick Jungle by SATC author whose name has totes escaped me right now, needless to say the book was awesome and is now a TV show - someone in the UK please buy it!

Oh, I'm mucho excited about Gossip Girl - will it hurry up already? I got sent the entire set of books the other day and obviously won't be able to read them all before it starts but I am told they are so wrong, but so right - will let you know.

Ugly Betty still isn't back. That makes me sad.

Think that's everything.

Happy belated V-day!

Hope you gave yourself lots of love and treats and didn't wait for a boy-type to do it, coz while boy-types are nice and all, they don't always know what we really want, that's why I bought myself Diablo Cody's book from amazon - happy V-day to me!

The Man was a sweetster though, he pre-ordered me Stardust on DVD - happy, happy days, wrote me a poem - cute, and we sneaked off for an afternoon cinema double-bill! We watched Juno and National Treasure 2 - I LOVED Juno so much, everything about it was just increds - the music, the dialog - ADORED the dialog, the acting - quite possibly the most perfect movie. If you LOVE Ghost World which I absolutely, positively do, you'll LOVE this. And National Treasure, well, it was lots of fun! While I didn't believe for one minute you would ever be able to actually have a high-speed car chase through the streets of London, it was very funny and made me feel like a proper adventure girl!

WEB NEWS: The launch date of www.lolasland.com has been moved to mid-April - grr. It's outta my control but I've been assured that the extra time is needed in order to make it as prettylicious as possible - it will be worth it, I promise!

BOOK NEWS: Ed-girl has given fiction book 1 a tick v.g! Whoop, whoop!

This is goooooood news, except she's now kicking my bee-hind to send her book 2 - not so good news.

Why?

Because I'm really not happy with it yet. As this year got off to a not-so-nice start, I've been finding it soooo hard to find my Lola groove - I've tried, lots of times in fact, it just didn't happen. But the threat of an angry ed-girl and the synopsis for the book already being on amazon.co.uk is more than enough to make me feel the fear an do it anyway!

I am also filled-to-the-brim with crazy-assed excitementos about It's a Girl Thing and Viva La Diva hitting a book shelf near you in about 6 weeks time - AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!
I haven't seen finished copies yet, but if the last two are anything to go by, they're going to be so freakin' pretty, that it won't even matter what the words say!

Actually, I was in my ed-girl's office last week and I caught sight of the possible new covers for the fiction books - ohmystars, they're gonna be so adorebells it's untrue.

What else?

Oh, I'm still lovin' Pilates, which is good news and do my indie rocker DVD at least twice a week. I'm also doing lots of beach walking in this lovely sunshine while listening to my current muso-boy faves: Nickelback and The Wombats.

I'm totes beside myself with excitement that the Writer's Strike is over - I've been having serious Ugly Betty withdrawal symptoms - there really is only so many time a girl can watch series 1 on repeat, y'know...

Oh, happy days - I've got a pink Blackberry - how freakin' swank am I??

Have a sunshine-filled weekend - I'm off to Watch The Bratz movie!

So, I know it's a long way off and all, but this year is a BIG birthday in Lisaland, and I don't plan on being grumpy 'bout it, oh no, it's going to be a totes celebration and I'm going to LA baby!



Yep, my b-day present to myself is a vacay to the City of Angels - I've had a slight obsession since I read Weetzie Bat my favourite book by my favourite author, Francesca Lia Block - I want to put my hands in Marilyn's handprints, I want to go to a FLB writing workshop, I want to meet my idol-girl Hilary Carlip, I wanna hang with the gorgeous Jess Weiner in her amazing city, I wanna go on a tour of celeb homes, I want to walk along Venice beach, I want to...you get the picture, right?

NY is still my abbo-fabbo favourite US city, I most deffo left my heart in San Francisco and The Man and I have a detailed plan to buy a bee-yoou-tiful pad there like Mia's in The Princess Diaries when we're successful writer-types, but LA...well, LA is LA, and I want to experience it!

When did that happen?

It's lent already!

I'm not a religious type, spiritual yes, organised religion? not so much.
So, when I asked The Man if instead of chocolate, I could give up returning calls for example, or maybe eating sprouts - you know, things that you wouldn't actually mind giving it up, but he said that, while they deffo sounds like good things to give up, that wasn't really the idea.

Oh.

Apparently, you have to give up something you dig to know what it's like to be without it. Who knew? Well, religious types, I guess.
Which is why I shall be giving up the chocolate.

Sad days.

I know I don't have to give up anything, but it's a good exercise in self-control, and will also mean that I won't feel ANY guilt when I get munchin' on a whole lot o' chocolate egg in a few weeks time.

Happy days.

Oh, I'm also gonna give up trash mags - I mentioned it a while back, but still the odd sneaky one would make it's way into my shopping basket, but no more.

As I'm working at not putting trash in my body, I'm also going to work at not trashin' my mind either - pics of celeb girls with their so-called bad bits circled is now off the menu.

I'm not sure I can stop reading Perez yet though, one thing at a time, 'k??

Things I'm loving right now...

Honey dew melon - I didn't think I could love a food type as much as I love chocolate, turns out I can AND it's good for me - chances!

Jeffery Lewis - he writes cute songs and makes comics to sell at his gigs, I'm really annoyed however, that I discovered him by watching a re-run of The Culture Show - that is NOT cool.

Pilates - ohmystars, I have worked muscles I didn't even know I had - it's good though - I've done the DVD twice now, but do think I'll seek out a class, The Man is into it too so we could be Bendy Wendy's together!

My crystals, colour and chakra course - it's so good and I feel very om-like when I do it!

Sophie - she's the new addition to Team Lola and is working on the site - she's too cool for school - love her!

LA Ink - which is not as good as Miami Ink, but much better than Tattoo Wars...

Not to mention he fact that I have two new books out in April. AGGGHHHH. How freakin' exciting is that? Not one book, but two books, at the same time - Whoop, whoop!

One of my perfect-o life moments was going to see Wicked, starring the UNBELIEVABLE talent that is Idina Menzel.
She made being green a completely do-able option and, ever since, I've had something of a girlcrush.
She recently appeared in feel-good film Enchanted, and this very morning I discovered this:



J'adore and totes perfect-o for a Monday morning...Sigh.