So I’ve been sitting on it for months, and have just gotten permission to post my book cover on the tGGtH blog for you guys to see!

Final approved cover!!!

Can I just say that I am in serious lust over that wingback chair?  I so want it.  Although, I think that model needs to eat a few slices o’ pizza and dye her hair red  ;)  Also, I would never willingly wear Pepto-Bismol flamingo pink, but that’s just me.  I have a hunch they chose that color to play up the “girly” part of The Girl’s Guide to Homelessness.

Just so you can see, below is the original concept art that Harlequin sent me back in February.  I was staying with Vicki Day and her daughter Alice at the time, for a few weeks, and going through something of a rough patch.  However, the concept art landed in my inbox unexpectedly, and totally put a freakish smile on my face for days (ask Vicki, she’ll tell you!) and made the entire personal mess of a situation that much more bearable because it gave me something positive and exciting to focus on.  I really loved what they were going for and think it fits the tone of the book.

Since then, I’ve been just waiting to share it with you guys!

Original concept art from February.

As you can see, everything’s pretty much the same as the final product except for the chair (which I’m not a fan of – much happier with the wingback one!) and the model, who they had to kind of recreate and reshoot themselves because of copyright and such (I think they cobbled together the concept art from stock photos or something).  Though to be completely honest, I secretly like the concept art model a wee bit more.  I like her pose (I would totally sit on a chair arm like that, haha) and I like the fact that her hair hides her face, and I like her vintage-y dress (or maybe just really flowy pajamas?  Either way.)  But in any event, LOVE the final product, and so very pleased with what they came up with!

I would love to hear your guys’ input and comments!  Squee!!!  It’s so hard to believe.  Seeing your name on a cover makes everything that much more real (which is actually pretty scary!)

Image credit: Rollingstone.com

Check it out:  John Mellencamp has recorded a PSA for World Homeless Day, the brainchild of my good friend and esteemed colleague, Jon Glackin (aka “Beat on the Street”).  Congratulations, Jon (and thank you to Mr. Mellencamp)!!!  World Homeless Day, an international initiative “thinking outside of the cardboard box”, is coming to a city near you on 10-10-10 (catchy, huh?)  Learn more and find out what you can do to help at http://worldhomelessday.org!  It’s truly astounding; the people that Jon has somehow been getting on board.  I’ve been told that HBO and Oprah picked up on it and will be broadcasting a show about WHD.  My mind is blown.

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An existential metaphor for my futile existence. Or, you know, just an adorably heartrending turtle. "Almost there...yeeeesssss...FREEEEEEDOOOOOM! (Aw, fuck)."

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Also, I sold my engagement ring today.  I was lowballed for much less than I’d hoped (and my asking price was already waaaaaaaay below the appraisal value), and it made me a bit sad to watch the guy walk away with it, but at least I’m unburdened of it and it’s on to greener pastures with somebody who will love and cherish it (I hope).  Now I just need to sell my ex’s Georgian ring, and it’s all outta sight, outta mind.   *adds mental note to the to-do checklist*  What can I say?  Beggars can’t be choosers.  Times are tough.

But right this moment (caution: vanity full-steam ahead), the first thing I want to do is color my hair.  Finances have been tight and since I’ve practically been a shut-in while finishing the book, it took the backseat to more pressing, if less fun, issues…like, you know, food.  My poor hair; falling casualty to practicality  :-\  I don’t think I’ve ever gone 3 months without coloring my hair since I started dyeing it when I was 9.  So to me, my roots are disproportionately horrifying and must be vanquished at all costs, but the friend who cuts my hair assures me that it’s not all that noticeable, since there are red tones in my natural dirty blonde hair.  Sage said the same thing, so I guess that’s consolation.

I’m also a bit puzzled, since my stylist friend said she spotted several gray hairs this time around.  I’m kind of hoping that she’s wrong and mistaking “blonde” for “gray”, but she’s adamant.  So, great.  Stress has driven me to premature aging!  Seriously, 25-year-olds are not supposed to go gray.  What am I, Steve Martin?  In any event, it doesn’t really bother me as much as you might suppose.  I mean, I’ve been pretty damn committed to my redheadedness for over a decade and a half.  Other than this isolated incident, when do I ever get the chance to see my natural hair color?  NEVER.  I’m on that shite almost as soon as it sprouts, even if I’ve had to hide in a gym bathroom for an hour to do it.  Actually, to be perfectly frank, up until now I wasn’t even completely sure what my natural hair color was anymore.  So who gives a fuck if I’m secretly a little old lady underneath?  Nobody will ever know, not even me.  I’ll be rocking the red hair all the way to my grave.  Even if it comes out of a bottle, way too much of my self-identity is wrapped up in my Titian tresses.

"Homeless: The Motel Children of Orange County", airing on HBO this Monday (permission granted to use promotional material on this blog)

OK, so I know I’ve taken a month off, and you might not believe me, but I really needed it (in my defense, I have been working – mainly on business plan-related stuffness, just not on the blog.  Oops.)  The book is currently going through the refining/editing process and there are lots of little tweaks to be made, and it’s also been the worst heat wave in SoCal for who knows how long.  I’m serious, there have been days here where the heat reached 115 degrees, and the swamp coolers don’t seem to be working all that effectively in that kind of heat.  I don’t do well in the heat, and that just kind of makes me want to sprawl out like a fried eel, twitch a little, and die.

But things are better now, heat is abating a bit, and I’m feeling in a much better frame of mind!  So, without additional fanfare, here are some links for you, my lovely loyal readers:

Homeless Californian man breaks into closed-down bar, re-opens it, and sells drinks.  I’ve gotta admit, this one is my favorite.  No, I don’t advocate violating liquor laws, trespassing on private property, etc.  It can and will get you arrested, as you’ll read.  BUT, this guy is epic.  It takes vision and creative thinking to do what he did (OK, and also desperation and a set o’ big brass balls.  But still.)  He lasted for FOUR DAYS before he was busted.  That’s oddly brilliant.

Andrea Star Reese photographs underground homeless living in Harlem.  Check out the photoblog.  What I really loved about this story was how much respect and dignity Reese treated these people with.  She took a long time to slowly gain their trust, never photographed them without explicit permission, and never did so in an exploitative manner.  She established lasting friendships with them and allowed their humanity to rise to the surface.  She also uses aliases for their protection.

“Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County” documentary.  I’m an Orange County native, so this really hits home for me.  The documentary explores the interesting dichotomy – one of the wealthiest counties in California, with more bajillionaires per capita than almost anywhere…with over 30,000 homeless children, many of them living out of motels.  The documentary is premiering this Monday, July 26th, on HBO.

Panera Bread opens a St. Louis, MO nonprofit community café where customers pay only what they can afford.  That’s right, they’re on the honors system.  Homeless and needy people pay nothing at all, and others are trusted to donate what they can afford.  Watch the video; it’s pretty amazing!  Panera Bread is planning to open two more community cafés within the next two months.

And of course, the Obama administration has unveiled a plan for ending homelessness.  They say that their goal is to wipe out family and child homelessness within 10 years, and chronic homelessness/veteran homelessness within 5 years.  Which is all fine and dandy, but the lack of details leaves me a bit cynical, to be honest.  How are they going to achieve this?  And what are homeless people supposed to do in the meantime?  1 year is hard enough.  What do they do for the next 5 or 10?  4,000 Section 8 vouches is a start, but to be honest, it’s not going to make all that much of a dent, overall.  I’ll hope that this initiative makes some difference, but again, I’m kind of skeptical.

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Brief self-plug:  I was in Publishers Weekly a few days ago!!! They were interviewing my editor about how Harlequin is expanding its nonfiction line.  True, I was only in 2 sentences, but hey, out of 39 nonfiction books they’re releasing this year and next year, only 4 titles were mentioned, and mine was one of them, so I’m feeling all warm and squiggly.  Also, they have “high hopes” for me!  Wow, no pressure or anything, haha.

Also, I’m apparently going to be in Writer’s Digest magazine (just did the interview today).  I’m not sure when that will be, but when I know the publication date, I’ll let you guys know.  I’m going to be brave (or foolhardy) and put my complete ignorance out on display:  Is Writer’s Digest like Reader’s Digest, but for writers?   :-\  Update:  Readers, Facebook friends, and the interviewer himself have all e-mailed me to say that Writer’s Digest is apparently a BFG (Big Feckin’ Deal).  So, woot!

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Disclaimer: If you're on the more conservative side, please don't send me hate mail about the album title. I didn't name it, I just like listing to it. It IS (excellent!) ballroom music...

Additional (non-homelessness-related) shameless plug for a friend and all-around nice guy:

So, I won Lee Presson’s new ballroom album by answering a trivia question correctly (yay! I never win anything!!!) and it’s fantabulous and such. You guys should all check it out. Lee Presson and the Nails do quirky/gothic-y/awesomely slightly creepy swing, mostly. But this album puts their unique twist on several other kinds of ballroom, too. My favorite tracks are “The Resurrection Waltz”, “The Mr. Crowley Tango”, and their swing cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium” (the album is available on iTunes, but you only get the “Lithium” bonus track if you order directly from Lee’s website at the above link, so I advise going that route!)  Lee’s been having a rough-ish time lately (his beloved car just broke down, etc.) and he could really use the support.  Plus, the album is great listening.  So, yeah…I highly recommend. Buy it ‘n stuff!

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