The Power of Fabulous Thinking and My Whirlwind Week!

The Power of Fabulous Thinking and My Whirlwind Week!

Before I write anything, I want to first say this: THANK YOU. 

Thank you to all of the amazingly dedicated and loyal fans of this blog who have supported the release of my book, and my dream. I am blown away at this network of women we've created together and I would be nowhere if it weren't for all of you.

I have not been able to wipe this Kool-Aid smile off my face for days. My book is an Amazon bestseller! Saying that sounds so strange, yet so wonderful (and really, quite strange). I have to stop myself from approaching total strangers in the supermarket and squealing: "My book is a bestseller!" I came very close this morning. It's surreal!

I decided to write this book in 2008. I had just gone through a difficult time in my personal life and I was, in a nutshell, miserable. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship that was not good for me, I had put on a couple pounds and was eating as if every night was The Last Supper (Coors Light and twelve slices of pizza anyone!?) and I was stuck in a boring, mind-numbing job. In short, I was passionless.

I had to make a quick decision and figure out a way to turn it around. I was not going to be miserable. I was not going to be unhealthy. And I sure as hell wasn't going to be bored. I launched this blog a few months later as a diary of sorts; a way to document my road to happiness. I hoped that somehow, someway, it would touch another woman who was maybe going through the same thing. I wanted to turn my pain into inspiration. I wanted to let other women know it would be okay, and it was up to us to make it that way. It was a scary time for me, but it was also a time filled with hope and possibility. I had nowhere else to go but up, and boy, have I come up.

If you would have told me back in 2008 that this blog would inspire a book, and that book would become a bestseller that would become #1 in the Self-Help Happiness category on Amazon with no publisher or publicist behind it, I would have told you that you were nuts. But I am here! I did it! I am living proof that with passion and purpose, you can do anything you want. 

Every single thing is possible.

Hey, I just published you. And this is CRAZY.

I also want to talk about something I write about in SPARKLE. It's something I created called The Power of Fabulous Thinking. It's a spin on The Power of Positive Thinking (but it's a bit more glam than that, naturally!). Before this book came out, I wrote this note to myself in my phone. I had no idea how I'd pull it off, but I told the Universe (and myself) that my book would become a bestseller. I believed in myself, and I believed in all the women out there who have come to rally for me. I knew we could do it. And we did.

The Power of Fabulous Thinking in action!

I also had no idea SPARKLE would be released the day it was. I planned for an October 9th launch date, but Amazon (and The Universe) works in mysterious ways, so I'm pretty sure there was a bigger reason for this book to come out a month early. Part of the reason may have been the fact that I just so happened to have Happy Hour plans with my girlfriends on Thursday night (the day SPARKLE was released) -- plans that only took us two months to make due to everyone's hectic schedules. Clearly, The Universe wanted me to have my besties around to toast with! And toasting we did!

So here we are, three days after SPARKLE's shimmering, dazzling release into the world and I feel like it's only just the beginning. There is so much more out there to write about, talk about, and toast to. Thank you again to my beautiful, bubbly readers for appreciating and sharing in what I do.

I hope you enjoy the book and I look forward to reading your reviews!

Love, love, love,

Cara

SPARKLE is Available NOW on Amazon! (and a Bestseller!)

SPARKLE is Available NOW on Amazon! (and a Bestseller!)

I KNOW right!?

 You know that saying, "We make plans and God laughs?" Well I bet God, and all of the little sparkle fairies up in heaven are having a BALL with this one!

Never a dull moment in the world of indie publishing. I researched, prepped, and anxiously gulped red wine in an attempt to calm my nerves over the past few months to time the release of my first book, SPARKLE, perfectly. Arranged for press, radio interviews, launch parties, all meticulously in line with the magical date of Tuesday, October 9. The date I obsessed over for the release of this book that I spent FOUR YEARS working on.

And guess what? I logged into my Amazon account this morning and saw that not only was it available now, but it had been selling copies like CRAZY! Someone started the party without me! I am learning (quickly) that I can't control everything, so I'm rolling with this one and counting down the hours until I can responsibly pop a bottle of champagne (the second I escape from my office).

Not only am I dealing with the shock of my book being released a month early, but it's ranking in the TOP 100 in Amazon's "Self-Help ---> Happiness" category! At 11 am this morning, SPARKLE was #39 in the category, and is also being featured as a "Hot Release!"

You can click here if you want to purchase this hot little mama!

I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who supported this project. I started this book four years ago, and had no idea where it would lead me. I feel so blessed and lucky to have found myself in a place where I am happier and more fulfilled than I ever thought possible. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it and bringing it into the world.

With so much love and gratitude,

Cara

UPDATE! As of 9/6/12 SPARKLE became a #1 best seller on Amazon! I can't thank everyone enough for their support! It means the world to me!

Labor of Love

Labor of Love

A lot of people (mothers included) say that writing and publishing a book is much like having a baby. I have no idea what it's like to be pregnant, but I have had pregnant friends, and I can attest that we all share in the same sentiment that by the time you're about to birth whatever it is you're excited about, YOU ARE READY. You're tired, you're excited to "meet" your new work of art, and frankly, you just want it out.

I'd say I've been "expecting" this book for four years now; much different than the nine or ten months an excited mother awaits her new addition, but since I'm not actually producing a human being named SPARKLE (though how awesome would that be?) I'd say we even out with the timeline thing.

Last night, I (read: my husband) began the arduous process of laying out the interior of the book. All 142 pages. After nearly chucking my little pink laptop out my fifth story apartment window, we came to a mutual decision that we'd utilize his graphic design skills and turn this mother out in Adobe InDesign as opposed to a word processing program. The result is a much sleeker, aesthetically pleasing book, but a hell of a lot more work. But Ryan is truly amazing and has dedicated himself to this project (as has Cara, my kick-ass cover designer who I seriously could not live without) and I am so blessed to have all of these awesome people in my life who truly care about this book just as much as I do.

To show you just how laborious this process is, Ryan and I spent seven - yes, seven - hours yesterday getting all of the pages prepped for publication. And after those seven hours, we are still worlds away from having a finished product. Between spacing, layout, choosing fonts, and studying every single book I own, there are so many details you need to pay attention to. Self-publishing platforms are wonderful, and I can't say enough great things about Amazon's customer service, but there are still major things that nobody tells you. And even after having spent years scouring forums, tweets, and articles, I still found out last night that you have to add a category to the back cover of your book so book sellers know where to stock it! And that you need to add your own barcode to the back if you own your own ISBN number (many self-publishing companies will do this for you, but if you own the rights to your ISBN, ball's in your court).

But I have to say, I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. Through all the tears, all the cups of coffee, and all the moments of sheer insanity where I find myself ready to gauge my own eyeballs out, I am still in love with what I'm doing. I am learning so much and I know that the second that little pink bundle of joy is in my arms, it will have all been worth it.

mission control

 

what would bethenny do?

what the hell does "kern" mean anyway?

COVER Girl!

COVER Girl!

Three months ago, I made the decision to independently publish my four-year-in-the-making book, SPARKLE. I had envisioned what the cover would look like long before I decided to publish it on my own, but because I assumed I'd get a traditional book deal, I never imagined I'd get to have the cover of my dreams designed. But things don't always work out as planned, and before I knew it, every single detail of SPARKLE was in my hands. 

And I couldn't have been happier. 

I turned to Cara Loper of Loose Lid Creative to help me turn my sparkly vision into a reality, and after three long months of planning, designing, starting from scratch, planning some more, and designing again we finally arrived at a book cover that I could not possibly be more excited about. Every single piece of this book has been an absolute labor of love, and I am so blessed to get to work with some of the best people in the business. Cara's talent, patience, vision (and did I say patience!?) has made me even more excited about publishing this book, and I am thrilled to have her along for the ride. I couldn't have chosen a better designer.

So, without further adieu, I present to you the cover of SPARKLE!

SPARKLE will be available on Amazon and in select book stores on October 9, 2012!

SPARKLE Cover Update AND FAN CONTEST!

SPARKLE Cover Update AND FAN CONTEST!

When I first started thinking about what the cover would look like for SPARKLE, I knew it would involve a few things: the color pink, something that represented The Champagne Diaries, and something that screamed "there is a gay man trapped inside my body and he loves glitter." 

I went back and forth with ideas; at first I thought I'd do something really glitzy (think scratch & sniff meets pop-up book with George Michael in a motorcycle jacket rising from the center), but then reality hit and I realized I am publishing this book myself which means I am responsible for all costs involved. And unfortunately (or fortunately), I don't have thousands of dollars to pay a company to make that bizarre fantasy a reality.

After weeks of discussing (read: harassing) cover concepts with my designer Cara Loper, we finally decided on something so beautiful, so clean, so girly, and so representative of a champagne girl, and I cannot wait to share with you ladies! 

I will be unveiling the cover VERY SOON, but there's MORE! To thank everyone for their support throughout this process, I am also running a contest leading up to the big unveiling of the cover of SPARKLE!

Here are the official rules:

All you have to do is tweet using the hash tag #SparkleBook between now and August 10th, 2012. And if you don't use Twitter, have no fear! The contest will be valid on Facebook as well, just post something about Sparkle on The Champagne Diet's wall between now and Friday August 10th, 2012. It can be something as simple as "I can't wait to read this book that Cara has been talking about for seventeen years!" or "I can't wait to SPARKLE and shine and get my hands on this fabulous book!"

I will select a winner at random by August 15th and announce on the blog using your Facebook name and/or Twitter handle, and that lucky person will win a very special hand-selected Goddess Gift courtesy of The Champagne Diet! Here's a hint: it involves champagne!

Good luck!

Note: Winner must confirm they are 21+ to receive champagne

*SNEAK PEEK* Read an Excerpt From "Sparkle!"

*SNEAK PEEK* Read an Excerpt From "Sparkle!"

 From Chapter 2: "Uncork Your Best Self"

We all have “energy vampires” in our lives. Those people who always seem to know how to zap the fun right out of us. The ones who call our phones relentlessly, until we pick up, and only talk about themselves. Unless you’re a cold-hearted snake, you probably let these people steamroll you from time to time with their mindless drama. I am guilty as charged, but I’ve put an end to it. I’ve given myself a “get out of jail free” card and realized that I cannot – and should not – try to save the world. It’s draining, and it takes away from time that you could be focusing on yourself (a much more exciting project).

And then there are the criticizers. The people in your life, be it friends, or family, even lovers, who love to pass judgment on everything you do. The ones whose phone calls you can’t ignore, and when you pick up, they are ready to jump down your throat about anything and everything. Maybe it’s the shade of lipstick you’re wearing, or the new haircut you just got, or the career choice you’ve made – whatever it is, these people have a way to rain all over your parade. And they can have a serious effect on our confidence.

So how do we ignore the negativity and let that bubbly lady out to play, regardless of the naysayers? It might seem like one of life’s most impossible tasks when you’re “in it.” When you’re in that toxic relationship – whether it be with a man, or a family member, or even a friend – who constantly tries to bring you down, it’s hard to see past the ridicule. Well, I’ll state the obvious here: the first step is to get the fuck away. Honestly, run. Easier said than done, believe me, but it’s a must. The longer you keep those people in your world, the longer you will remain controlled by their wrath. A good rule of thumb is: if someone is around who brings you down, it’s time to take out the trash. And if you can’t eliminate them completely, then seriously reevaluate how much time you give them. Life is way too short for drama and negativity.

...more to come! Stay tuned for the release of "Sparkle" on October 9th!

Looking for a Few Good Women!

Looking for a Few Good Women!

Hello dahhhlings! I can't believe we're just about 12 weeks out from the launch of Sparkle! I'm working my boobs off to bring you a really fun book, but I can't do it all on my own.

Here's where you come in! I'm looking for a few good women to be my champagne soldiers and get the word out to everyone they know about the book. This virtual "street team" will be assembled over the next few weeks, and I'm calling it The Bubbly Brigade. Want in?

Duties will be:

• Post about the book regularly on your Facebook page and on Twitter

• Email your friends and let them know where they can buy the book!

• Ask your local bookstore to stock it!

• Write a review of the book on Amazon when it's up

• Host a book club and read & discuss Sparkle

But I'm not expecting you to join the ranks without some giving you goodies in return! Members of The Bubbly Brigade will receive an advanced signed copy of Sparkle before it's released, as well as some other "sparkling" surprises. If you're interested in helping out, please email me at TheChampagneDiet@gmail.com!

Cheers ladies!

-

Sneak Peek: SPARKLE Cover Inspiration Board!

Sneak Peek: SPARKLE Cover Inspiration Board!

Putting a book together from soup to nuts completely by yourself is not for the faint of heart. In the past 3 weeks, I have been totally and completely consumed by this book baby I'm pregnant with, and if my observations are correct, I have skipped the first trimester of bebe bliss and flown right on through to the third and final trimester, where you realize there is so much to do, with so little time, or as I call it: PANIC.

After playing with a few ideas for the cover art, and realizing that what I love on a computer screen will not necessarily translate to a paperback (what? you mean I can't have each book hand-sewn with glitter attaches!?), I've decided to expand my team of creative women geniuses and hire Fifi Flowers to do some custom illustration work for the cover of the entire Champagne Diaries series. If you haven't seen her work, then check it out here and prepare to have your mind blow. Her designs literally make you feel like you've been whisked away to Paris and you have unlimited funds to drink as much Champagne as you like, cart around really cute poodles and wear the finest fashions France has to offer. Her whimsical, feminine drawings are the epitome of what the The Champagne Diaries is all about: luxury, glam, booze, a little bit of fantasy, and feelin' good, and I know she will nail it! Of course, the wondrous Cara Loper will still be doing the cover layout and graphic design (and she will also be keeping my sanity in check), so together I think we will make an amazing team!

Check out some of the inspiration I've been pinning (as if I needed another reason to be on Pinterest 24/7) and tell me what you like!

 

Doesn't she look like SHE'S living an effervescent life!?

Maybe replace the coffee with bubbly? (always a good decision)

J'adore the way Fifi draws Champagne!

Submitting My First 10,000 Words of SPARKLE Today!

Submitting My First 10,000 Words of SPARKLE Today!

Hello Champagne girls! I posted last week about my decision to self-publish my first book, SPARKLE, and promised that I'd be posting updates here to keep everyone involved in the process from start to finish. Because, well, I keep you involved in everything. And I wouldn't have it any other way. So here's our first update! I will be submitting my first 10,000 words to my editor, Cara Lockwood today! We are officially in business. Here's a quick video post talking about it (note: I have not had nearly enough caffeine in this video, or at this very moment, for that matter). Hope you enjoy the video! Off to grab a coffee and get ready to submit!