WHAT THE SPELL? on "Glee" and a wedding cake fit for an author...

by Brittany Geragotelis

I know this is a few weeks late, but I've been a little caught up with the whole "getting married and going on my honeymoon" thing, so I hope you'll forgive me for leaving you hanging. And as a thank you for your patience, here are a few goodies for you!

First off, although WHAT THE SPELL didn't turn out to have as big of a storyline as I'd thought it might, fans were still able to catch a quick glimpse of my book in the hands of Tina Chang on "Glee's" Guilty Pleasures episode. I can't describe how cool it was to see WTS on one of my favorite shows...well, you can imagine I'm sure. And in case you didn't catch it the first time around, here's a screen capture of the scene!

Second, if that wasn't already awesome enough, I just had the most FABULOUS time at my wedding! I don't want to brag, but people said it was the best wedding they'd ever been to...and I can't wait to show you all the pics! But for now, I'll just give you a teaser.

Of ALL the cool things we had at our wedding, one of my favorites was our cake. It was a stack of horror books, with monsters surrounding it and action figures of my husband Matt (I know, husband, can you believe it?!) and I on the top. Cake topper me was even holding a scythe from the last season of Buffy....how awesome is that?!?! Anyways, it was the perfect dessert for a novelist I'd say.

So, what do you think? Two amazing pics....which is your fave?

5x5,
B.

My book cover makeover!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Have I got something cool to share with you! At the beginning of my book, What the Spell?, my main character Brooklyn feels like nobody notices her. So, to remedy her "plainness", the twitch (teen witch) gives herself a magical makeover.

Well, in an example of life imitating art, we decided to do the same thing with What the Spell?! The truth is, the original cover we had was beautiful. The model was gorgeous and I loved the simplicity of it. BUT we knew we could kick things up a notch and make WTS? something truly magical.

So, my team at S&S worked their own magic and created the cover you're seeing on my site now! I think there's something so dynamic and energetic about the new cover. I love the colors, LOVE the magic flying off her fingertips and how it still has a bit of playfulness to it. I'd call this a makeover success.

What do you think of the new cover?

5x5,
B.

P.S. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, be sure to pre-order your copy of What the Spell? today!

Exciting News!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

Have I got some crazy-cool news for you!

FIRST, This Tuesday, July 10th, we're going to be doing something really special on Wattpad....we'll be unveiling the cover of the prequel to Life's a Witch, called What the Spell? EXCLUSIVELY right here! And because you--my fans--have been so amazing, you'll get to see it FIRST! So, please check back in on Tuesday for the exclusive look, and then let me know what you think.

SECOND, This Wednesday, July 11th, I will be joining Wattpad at a special Blackberry event to promote the company's latest playbook! Blackberry is setting up shop at an awesome little store in Chelsea Market in NYC and they've asked us to help them showcase all the awesomeness that is Wattpad! If you're in the NYC area, be sure to stop by around noon, and you'll get to meet me, grab an autographed copy of the first chapter of my new book What the Spell?, hear all about the cool things Wattpad has coming up and play with some new technology from Blackberry! I love to meet my fans, so don't be shy and stop on by! (HINT: summer's a perfect time for a road trip, if you don't live right nearby!) Chelsea Market is located at 75 9th Ave (btwn 15th and 16th streets). Let me know if you'll be able to make it!

Well, that's it for now, though there are a few other cool things in the works...so, stay tuned!

:)
Britt

Publisher's Weekly Follow-up!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

Have you heard? The super, sweet Calvin Reid from "Publisher's Weekly" did a follow-up interview with me last week and just posted the story online! If you haven't already, please check it out here. In it, Calvin talks all about what wonderful opportunities I've been given since my book was published. I can't spill the beans just yet, but I'm talking with a variety of people regarding several really awesome projects and my hopes are that a special publisher sees the potential in the Life's a Witch brand and wants to make a deal to rep the whole series! And of course, I've got other books just waiting in the wings, too.

We'll have to see though. Right now, I'm just content with the fact that those who have read LAW, have loved it, and are telling their friends about it! So....if you've read LAW and loved it, show your support by telling your friends by reposting this article on FB, Tweeting about it or mentioning it in your blogs. Every little bit helps!

Thanks to those who have helped me along the way and all of you for your love and support!

5x5,
B.

Help me choose my character's names!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

So, I've FINALLY started to write the sequel to Life's a Witch, tentatively called, The Witch is Back, and though I can't give you too many details, I can say that there are at least three new big characters in the book. And here's where my fans come in! I need your help on choosing names for them! Here's a brief description of the three characters (so you can get a feel for their personalities). Please pick from the list of names in the polls on the side of this blog to let me know what name you want each character to have!

Queen Bee--girl is gorgeous (think supermodel), blond, perfect, snobby, self-absorbed, used to getting her way, bossy and a bit of a bully.

Geek Chic--she's very smart, has a photographic memory, not totally a geek, but wears glasses, knows her stuff when it comes to magic and history, shy when it comes to guys.

Witch Teacher--freshly out of school guy; young but good looking, clean-cut, a gentlemen.

I can't wait to see what you all choose!

5x5,
B.

Readers: Take back your power!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

So, IndieReader.com (the premier site for everything Independent Books related) was kind enough to ask me to be a guest columnist on their site...please blow up their site and read my article if you have the time (Mine is the first feature you see on the homepage! Click on Mr. T!)!

Thanks so much and happy Wednesday!

5x5,

B.

Party excitement hangover...the cure? Kind words.

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hi all!

Sorry this is coming out to you so late, and unfortunately, I don't have photos (yet. Many were taken and I promise I will have a whole photo gallery up soon), but last night's book launch party? UH-MAZING! So many of my friends showed up to share in my very special day--I got to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in a while, hang out with buds I see on a daily basis and meet new people. The media was there. My friend Calvin from Publisher's Weekly who wrote such a lovely article on me earlier this week; a few lovely ladies from Y-Pulse who I had a ton of fun talking to about books; a publicist who reps a few literary industry peeps that I finally got to meet in person; and a reporter from the Post even crashed the party. Matt told me later that, "You know you've made it when the press is crashing your party."

Whether this is true or not, the night was truly magical. I usually get very overwhelmed when people are all focused on me, but last night I was on point. I don't know if it's because I've gotten so good at interacting with people and chatting with strangers through my job or if I was just excited to be talking about my biggest passion: writing, but I actually had an amazing time.

And I think everyone else had fun, too....but I guess we'll see when the pictures come out.

Anyway, I woke up this morning, exhausted from all the fun and satisfied with the turnout....ready to have a lazy day around the house. Which I did. But then I found out about this amazing blog that Famous Last Words wrote about Life's a Witch and it instantly perked me up. It's really very sweet, and is all about supporting authors. And then I had the pleasure of being interviewed by good friend and co-worker, Morgan McMurrin, earlier this week for our magazine's website! She did such a great job coming up with fun questions and I had a blast answering them.

Okay....so until I have pics from the party, I'll be sure to keep you up to date on all the happenings of Life's a Witch! In the meantime, enjoy these interviews!

5x5,
B.

Buy your copy of Life's a Witch today!

by Brittany Geragotelis

A note to all my TWITCHES:

I have a secret to share with you: before posting Life’s a Witch, I’d experienced about eight years of rejection. Rejection by agents, editors, publishers, etc. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “You’re a great writer, but this just isn’t for us.” After a while, I began to question whether I should be writing at all, and even took a hiatus from it.

Of course, as writers, we write. And before long, I felt the itch and decided that I no longer cared what a select few thought of my books. What mattered to me, I realized, was the opinion of the people who I was actually writing for: YOU!

So, I took a chance and decided to write something original for Wattpad and leave that choice up to you. And thus, Life's a Witch was born.

And I’m so glad that I did, because you all seem to have fallen in love with Hadley and the rest of The Cleri; you’ve rooted for her, gotten angry on her behalf, acted out her fight scenes in public and even threatened to kick her enemies’ butts for her. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all how much I’ve appreciated your continued support as I published Life’s a Witch. Your loyalty and kind words have been nothing short of phenomenal and you’ve each given me the encouragement to keep writing.

And because of all your support and encouragement, I'm taking another chance and am publishing Life's A Witch myself. So, if you love Hadley and the rest of The Cleri, go ahead and pick up your own copy today! Not only is there a BONUS CHAPTER that wasn't posted here on Wattpad, but there's a surprise in there for any fan who wrote a comment on the book (up until 3 weeks ago)!

And because of this exciting occasion, I've got a contest to share with you! Visit my amazon page, write a review of the book and then come back here and post the link to your review, and you'll be entered into a contest to win one of five autographed copies of Life's a Witch! Winners will be chosen on or around Dec 24th!

Please help spread the word about the book to your family and friends. Because you can have magical powers, too--You have the power to take matters into your own hands and decide for yourself what deserves to be a best-seller. So, use your powers and buy a book today!

Thank you and I love you all,

5x5,

B.

People are talking about....Life's a Witch!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

I can't believe it's only 2 days until the world launch of Life's a Witch in paperback! And I couldn't have done it without all of you....my fans, friends and family. Well, I've been blessed so far this week with a little press on the launch of LAW. Check out what people are saying about your favorite twitch!

Publisher's Weekly did a really nice interview about my journey to self-publishing and what made me decide to do it all on my own.

Crushable.com featured an excerpt from LAW that enticed readers to check the rest of the book out!

I can't wait until Thursday when everyone can grab their own copy! And log on tomorrow, when I'll talk a little more about my book launch party!

5x5,
B.

The mystery behind my cover for LAW...

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hi all!

I've got a full week of posts just itching to be read, so let's get started!

The wonderfully amazing Melissa Walker just did a cover story about Life's a Witch on her uber-popular book website! She was so sweet about it and is helping to spread the word that LAW will be available in paperback and ebook format on December 8th! I'd like to thank Melissa for including me and hope you'll all take some time out of your busy Monday back after Thanksgiving to read up! In the interview, I talk about the inspiration behind my cover and praise my talented designer Toni Misthos for her creativity and skill, because without her this book wouldn't be the same!

5x5,
B.

Light shows aren't just for Christmas anymore...

by Brittany Geragotelis

When Matt and I were shopping this weekend for our upcoming Halloween party, he mentioned that when we have a real house one day (yep, he said it) we're going to have so much fun going all out on Halloween. And then he promised that he would dress up, decorate, the whole nine yards...when we have a place to display it all. There were even talks of creating a haunted house.

Well, we may not have a house yet so I can't promise anything too flashy, but that doesn't mean that other households aren't doing their parts in celebrating the haunted holiday. Take a look at this family who either has way too much time on their hands, really loves Halloween or specializes in lights, wires and special effects. Either way, I've got to give major props to the genius who created what might possibly be the best damn Halloween light show EVER. Take a look and start celebrating early!



5x5,
B.

Running from zombies is excellent exercise

by Brittany Geragotelis

Okay, so some of my boyfriend's co-workers were over at our apartment the other night filming something for work and before they left, one of the guys was talking about a 5K run he was doing this weekend. Pretty typical, right?

Uh, not quite.

He went on to explain that the event is called "Run For Your Lives" and is an apocalyptic race that involves zombies who run after you and try to "turn you" as you attempt to complete 12 different man-made and natural obstacle courses.

By this time, I was totally fascinated and enthralled with the whole thing, so I took a look at the website and decided that this might possibly be the coolest thing I've ever heard of. Or the scariest. Because, although you'd logically know that the zombies are just people dressed as flesh-eating undead....I have a feeling part of me would be wondering if they really were zombies. Nobody wants to have an anxiety attack mid-race. Especially when some really cool medals are at stake.

Check out the video below to get your blood pumping and then visit the website for more info, including participating cities and dates.

5x5,
B.

What I've learned in 32 years....

by Brittany Geragotelis

On the day of my 32nd birthday, I'm taking some time to reflect on some of the things I've learned over the years. Here are my top-10 life lessons:

1. Life gets better. High school was hell for me. Today, so many kids in high school are bullied or judged for being gay or just simply being different and end up taking their own lives. I wish I could tell them all that things get better. The rest of life isn't like high school. If you can make it through those four years of hell, some really amazing times are waiting for you.
2. Good things really are worth the wait. I didn't have a relationship that lasted longer than four months until over three years ago, but growing up I thought I'd never find someone I'd click with. I actually thought that I would be the one person who would be alone forever. It only took me about 27 years, but I'm in an amazing relationship today. I fully believe that everything happens for a reason...even if you can't see what that reason is at the time.
3. Good relationships don't have to be hard. I have managed to be in a few relationships in the past, however there were reasons why none of those relationships worked out. I won't go into the gory details, but the bottom line was that they were all really hard. Sort of like trying to stick a square peg into a round hole. With my boyfriend now, things have always been pretty easy. Now, we're a normal couple who occasionally butts heads, but when it really comes down to it, the relationship is just—easy. In my experience, when it's right, it's right and you don't have to try and make a relationship work...it either does or it doesn't.
4. Do what you love, love what you do. My parents taught each of us girls to go after a job that we loved to do; that it was more important to have a job that didn't feel like work, but felt more like a passion, than one that made us gobs of money, but that didn't fulfill us. Even though there have been ups and downs and I don't always love all aspects of my job, I can come home at the end of the day and say I'm proud of the product we put out and that I love to write. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still choose the same career path.
5. You can find inspiration anywhere. If you know me, you know that I am a huge fan of Buffy. Sounds silly, I know, but there are things about this fictional character who's a regular teen by day, vampire slayer by night, that inspire me. Buffy is a strong female role model who cares more about those around her than herself; she's fearless, strong-willed and fierce; she has gifts and isn't afraid to use them; she's an outsider but doesn't let it stop her from doing the right thing; and lastly, at the end of the day, she knows that she's impacted the world in a big way. So yes, I know she's a made up character, but I also know what a hero looks like because of her.
6. It's better to be happy than right. This could also be described as not sweating the small stuff. There's so much that stress can affect in us: our moods, physical health, our personal lives, etc., why allow yourself to get worked up over something small and suffer the consequences than just letting it go? Now this isn't something that changes overnight—it takes time—but I'm trying to work toward this mindset instead of holding onto all the stress and anger. What will you choose?
7. If something's not working for you, switch it, change it, rearrange it. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If some aspect of your life is no longer working, that means it's time to change what you're doing in order to get a different outcome. I wonder how many more people would be walking around happy with their quality of life if they were just willing to change.
8. Develop an attitude of gratitude. I don't know about you, but I don't always wake up on the rosy side of the bed in the morning. For the last four years I've been doing a gratitude list with a group of friends. We start our day with lists of what we're grateful for. From the small things (like a great cup of coffee) to the big things (keeping a friend safe during a surgery), doing this one small act a day helps me to stay on the positive side of life.
9. I don't have it all figured out...and that's okay. Life's all about mystery. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or the next day or even next year, but I'm okay with it, because I know that whatever does happen, I'll either be given the strength to deal with it or the piece of mind to accept it.
10. No one loves you more—or makes you more crazy—like family. I've done some pretty stupid stuff over the years and my family has stuck by me through it all. And although they can drive me nuts (AKA, wedding questions, baby questions), everything they do and say is out of love. And no one has loved me as unconditionally as them.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEE!!!!

5x5,
B.

Moving on...

by Brittany Geragotelis

So yesterday, I took a pretty big step in my adulthood...I signed an apartment lease with my boyfriend, Matt.

Yes, we've found our new Home Sweet Home!

Yesterday, we headed out to see a slew of apartments (Five in total) and found the one we wanted on the fourth try. It's perfect. One bedroom in a luxury building. Huge living room and bedroom, tons of closets (even a walk-in!), good bathroom and a california kitchen with a dishwasher (not every apartment in NY has this), with lots of counter space to cook!

The building also has a fitness center, tenants lounge (with a pool table and ping pong table), a rooftop garden, outdoor space, and complimentary shuttle service to and from the subway! They also have maid services available and dry cleaning for additional fees. It's pretty awesome.

Our move-in date is December 23rd. Merry Christmas to us!

5x5,

B.

Big news!!!

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, since I don't have any good and exciting news on the book front (haven't heard back from any more agents and haven't gotten an answer from any of the others who requested my full manuscript), I figured I should give you SOME kind of news to tide you over until I can get on this blog and say, "I DID IT! I DID IT! I FINALLY GOT ANOTHER AGENT!!!!! HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS GOOD IN THIS WORLD SOMEONE'S FINALLY TAKEN A CHANCE ON ME!"

Then again, the news I've got for you instead could be described in a similar way:

"I DID IT! I DID IT! I FINALLY GOT A BOYFRIEND WHO LOVES ME ENOUGH TO SHACK UP WITH ME!!!! HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS GOOD IN THIS WORLD, SOMEONE'S FINALLY TAKING A CHANCE ON ME!"

Hahahaha. Okay, so a bit dramatic, I know. And not exactly how I'd describe the situation (I mean, I'm a pretty good catch, after all). But the bottom line is this: Matt and I are moving in together! Let's say it together now. Yay!

After nearly three (blissful and dorky) years of dating, we've finally deemed each other worthy living companions and are planning to combine our forces and find a place we can call our own. So, where will we live you ask? Well, we're not sure yet, but we're looking into a few places. And even though we're not planning to make the big merger until January, we're planning to look at a bunch of places this weekend.

Hey, we figure, we don't want to wait til the last minute to search for our little love nest.

So, what are we looking for then? Well, here are just a few of the things that made our apartment wish list:

—Fitness room/gym in building (Both Matt and I work out regularly and it would be nice if we didn't have to leave our apartment to do it. Plus, it would save us gym memberships!)

—A dishwasher (Yes, to those of you out there who live somewhere OTHER than NYC, most apartments here don't have dishwashers. You have to do this horrible thing called, "washing your dishes by hand." I hate doing dishes so much that there was a 6-month time period where I bought plastic silverware and paper dishes, so that I could throw them out after I used them. So, yeah, a dishwasher is a must.)

—Rooftop patio/Rooftop garden (Again, not a necessity, but it would be nice to have a place to relax and/or sunbathe that didn't involve a ton of strangers leering at you while you do it.)

—24/hour Doorman (My last apartment was broken into and both of us want the added security that a round-the-clock watchman provides. Feeling safe in your home is super important to us!)

—A large kitchen with more than one counter (Matt and I cook a lot and right now, my kitchen isn't even big enough for the two of us to stand in, let alone cook in. And there's about half a counter in there. I think it's time for a big girl kitchen.)

—Laundry on premises, preferably in unit (Again, not every apartment building has a laundry room. And very few actually have a washer and dryer in the individual apartments. Not only would having one in our apartment save us time and money, but we're going to have twice as many clothes to clean between the two of us now!)

—Balcony (Not a must, but think of how nice it would be to wake up in the morning on a nice weekend day and be able to sit outside and drink your coffee while looking out at the NYC skyline. A-MAZING!)

—A swimming pool (Okay, I never would have put this on the list before, but Matt and I have already sort of started looking and I'm amazed at how many places actually have pools in the buildings around here! So, now that I know they're available, I kind of want one, too. Can you blame a girl?)

So, I think that's about it for now. I'll keep you guys up to date on the apartment hunt and if you can think up any other cool things we should be looking for in a place to live, leave them in the comments above.

Happy (apartment) Hunting!

5x5,
B.

Love advice from the Professional Wingman himself!

by Brittany Geragotelis

all photos courtesy of Thomas Edwards

A little while ago I posted about a professional wingman whose job it is to help lonely people find love. Well shortly after I posted it, the wingman himself, Thomas Edwards, contacted me and thanked me for the shout-out. So naturally, being the journalist that I am, I asked him if he'd be willing to answer a few questions for my readers. Guess what: The real-life cupid said YES and was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule of hooking people up to give you all a few lessons on LOVE.


Book Slayer: What do you think is the most common problem people encounter when it comes to dating?

Professional Wingman: A wise man said: “Our imaginations are limited by our experiences.” If you don’t have experience when it comes to dating then you won't really be sure what’s possible and you’ll be nervous to put yourself out there. Too many people assume the worst and they psyche themselves out.

If you shift your mindset and focus on just becoming a better person through new and different experiences (dating or not), it’ll allow you to make better decisions in the future while exuding a more confident position, which ultimately leads to greater dating success.

Book Slayer: Did you ever think this would become your job?
Professional Wingman: Absolutely NOT. Ever since I was a kid, I’d always wanted to produce video games for a living. I mean, to me, that was the best job in the world—getting paid to play video games.

When I wasn’t having any luck finding an entry level position out of college, I started to look at other passions of mine. Self-development was one of those passions and it slowly led to where I am today. Two years ago, if you’d told me I’d be making a living helping people find love, I’d have laughed in your face.

Book Slayer: Any advice on places people can go to meet someone other than at a bar?
Professional Wingman: It’s been said that less than 5% of relationships start at a bar or club. So where do you go? Everywhere else! There are TONS of places you can go to meet people. Wine tastings, social sports clubs, cooking and dance classes, sporting events, the train, the bus, book stores, coffee shops, the grocery store, a concert, the park, the Apple store—literally anywhere.

If you shift your focus to allowing yourself to be open to meeting people at any moment, you’ll be very successful. It could be as simple as unplugging your ears and eyes from your phone or iPod and looking up (and smiling, of course) when you’re walking down the street.

One of the popular ways however, is through friends. One way you can create or find these opportunities is by going to or having your own house parties and inviting friends.

Book Slayer: What’s the most shocking pick-up line you’ve ever heard someone say? The most effective?
Professional Wingman: The most shocking line I’ve heard someone use was when a guy approached two girls and said, “Hey girls, I’m doing a survey on attractive women being approached by average guys.” The girls looked a little perplexed but were still game for what he was going to say next. From there though, he just asked silly and funny questions that made it clear he was making an excuse to talk to them. The girls laughed and obviously liked the line but after that, he didn’t know where to go, so the conversation died. I wouldn’t suggest using that one unless you know how to shift the conversation.

The most effective line isn’t really a line. It’s just a clear, simple and direct statement: “Hey, how’s it goin’? My name is [insert name here].” Women will respect your confidence in approaching them so boldly and if your body language doesn’t falter, she’ll reward you by having a conversation. Then, it’s up to you to prove you’re the real deal and build some attraction.

Book Slayer: What’s your most memorable success story?
Professional Wingman: About three months ago, a client called me, looking for help. His claim was that he was having too many one-night stands and wanted to find a more legitimate, long-term relationship. He was in college and under 20 so bars, clubs and his college campus were out of the question for him during the summer.

Over the phone, we strategized other places he could go during the day to meet girls and how to approach them. He started off very nervous about things but slowly started to improve. He was meeting girls at the gym, coffee shops, the mall and even online. He was progressing amazingly, considering most men dread trying to meet women during the day.

Eventually, it was time for school and I knew things were going to be drastically different for him in a great way. Within a week, he’d met a girl at a BBQ and they ended up having a couple of dates. He wanted to sleep with her but wasn’t sure if it was the right move, “considering his past.” I told him to “do what felt right. If you really like this girl, you’ll make it work.”

So then, I got a text message from him at 2:30 in the morning saying, “Mission accomplished!” I told him to e-mail me the details in the morning and when I heard from him, I was shocked to find out that he had something to confess. He told me that he’d been a virgin the whole time, and the night before, he’d lost his virginity. When I asked him about the “one-night stands,” he said that he’d had many—but they were of the kissing variety. In the end, he said it felt like seeing The Matrix for the first time!

Book Slayer: That’s awesome! So, since you’re a professional wingman, does that mean you’re lucky in love, too?
Professional Wingman: Indeed, I am! I have an amazing girlfriend with whom I’ll be celebrating our one-year anniversary with in a few weeks. The funny thing is, she’s also an online dating coach, and at the time, I was single by choice, so I definitely didn’t see her coming.

We’d been following each other on Twitter, because we were in the same industry, and one day she sent me a direct message wanting to meet up to talk collaboration. I happened to be on my way to NYC at the time, but I decided to go back to Boston a day early to meet with her. Best decision I’ve EVER made in my life. She’s an amazing woman and I’ve never been so happy.

Book Slayer: Awwww! Can you give us a few general dating tips for those who are still searching for love?
Professional Wingman: This may sound cliché, but love happens when you’re not looking. Why? Because your mind is focusing on everything else in your life, so when it comes to dating and relationships, your mindset is less pressured, which counter-intuitively, makes you more successful.

Having said that, you need to have some semblance of a plan. Dating doesn’t just happen, especially when you’re staying at home, catching up on TV shows off your DVR with your cat every night. Know what you want, find out where it is and go to the source. Go out with friends and try to create new friends. It’s important to have multiple social circles so you can have a variety of things to do, which will lead to meeting new people.

On top of all this, it’s important to push yourself out of your comfort zone and be willing to try things differently. If whatever you’ve been doing hasn’t been making you happy, it’s time to change things up. Different habits, create different results. You’re meant to find love. Truly believe that and you’ll get it!

5x5,
B.

Go get your GROUPON!

by Brittany Geragotelis

First thing's first, right after I got my first rejection for Painless last week, I promptly received a request for a full look and synopsis from another agent! So, WOO HOO! Can you say glass half full?!

So, since I'm riding the high of my first manuscript request, I thought I'd bring all of you a little glass half full news too! Anyone ever try Groupon? Well, if you go to www.groupon.com, you can sign up to receive daily deals that will knock your socks off! Each day the site has a super deal (like a month unlimited membership to YogaWorks for $15 or a $50 gift certificate to the GAP for $10) that you can get in on. The deals are so good that the other day I purchased 6 sessions of laser hair removal for $100 (this usually costs anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000!)!

So, the way groupon works is that there's a deal of the day and if enough people sign up for it, the deal is on! Seriously, check it out...signing up is free and you may just get a wicked deal on a deep tissue massage or a boat trip around NYC!

5x5,
B.

Change your mind, change the world

by Brittany Geragotelis

Sometimes I can't help it. I just look at my reflection and think....Ew. Like I said, it's not all the time, but I certainly have my off days. Those days where I think I'm a little too out of shape, my face looks fat, my skin's starting to wrinkle, I have bad breath, and an antelope nose—those days are the worst. And everyone has them.

Usually when I'm having one of those days I try to avoid mirrors, so as not to remind myself I'm feeling like shit thus making me feel even worse. But 24-year-old Caitlin Boyle wants you to look at the mirror. Look at the mirror and change the way you see yourself.

all photos courtesy of Operation Beautiful

It all started one day when she was having a particularly bad day and decided to write an inspirational note and leave it for someone else to find. "I wanted to do something nice for a stranger to lift my own spirits and wrote 'You are beautiful' on a Post-It and put it on a public bathroom mirror," says Caitlin. "Then, I took a picture of the note and blogged about the experience on my personal blog, www.HealthyTippingPoint.com."

What started out as a good deed, is now changing the world. Caitlin's book, Operation Beautiful: Transforming the Way You See Yourself One Post-It Note at a Time (out now!), shows just how beautiful people can be.

Q: When did you know this was something that could change the way women look at themselves?
Caitlin: I began receiving emails from women that began with, “I found a note and I feel like it changed my life...” These powerful messages convinced me that one small note really could make a big difference!
Q: Why do you think it's been so effective?
Caitlin: I think it’s so effective because if you find a note, it’s unexpected and surprising. To know that a stranger wants you to see yourself in a more positive way can really make the negative thoughts stop. When posting the notes, I think people are really writing the messages to themselves. And it’s impossible not to be positive when you’re flooding yourself with positive messages!
Q: What's been your favorite Post-It message? Why?
Caitlin: My favorite story is Vit’s. Vit was a teenager in Canada and was in a treatment center for severe anorexia. Her doctors were concerned that it was eventually going to kill her. She slipped into the bathroom to throw up and found an Operation Beautiful note on the stall. The simple message, “You are good enough the way you are,” made her pause and reconsider her destructive behavior. She followed up with me a few months later and said she was out of the hospital and healthier than ever. Vit knew a stranger had posted the note, but she felt like the timing was a message from God.
Q: What do you think are the biggest put-downs that we attribute to ourselves and what are the realities?
Caitlin: The biggest mistake we make is beating ourselves up for not looking like models or celebrities. Ninety-nine percent of the images in magazines are photo-shopped in some way. It’s time we stop emulating or striving for a type of perfection that doesn’t even exist in the real world. It’s OK to look human!

Q: How can one person make a difference?

Caitlin: A little kindness goes a long way—you never know the impact one little note or kind word will have on another person. It can literally change their lives.

I challenge every reader of this blog to go out and leave your own Post-It with a positive message for the next stranger who needs it. And for the full interview with Caitlin, visit americancheerleader.com
5x5,
B.

Feeling a little Jealous? I've got the solution...

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, last night I heard someone say something incredibly profound and I just had to share it with my faithful blog followers! The topic was jealousy and someone asked how they could stop themselves from comparing their lives to others and getting upset over it. Now, I've been in this particular position of wanting what somebody else had and didn't handle it all that well, so the topic hit a little close to home for me.

Curious to hear what others had to say about it, I remained silent and waited for someone else to answer. Finally, this guy I know said something that completely blew my mind. He said:

"You know, the world doesn't have a finite amount of happiness in it."

Uh....it doesn't?

He went on to explain that it's not like if one guy is lucky in love and gets himself into a great new relationship, that that's it for love in the universe. Just because he's found love, doesn't mean he's taken the possibility of finding love away from you. In other words, there's enough love to go around.

And he's totally right. Let's say a friend gets a raise at work and you're still experiencing pay cuts at your place of employment. Sure, you may feel that twinge of jealousy start to creep up, but it's important to remember: your friend isn't getting a raise instead of you (unless, of course, your friend is also your co-worker and you're both applying for a raise...then, this example wouldn't apply). Your friend might have worked their ass off to get that raise or maybe they were just lucky. The point is, his getting the raise doesn't mean he's taken up all the raises in the history of raises.

When you think of it that way, it sort of makes it silly to be envious of anyone...just because someone else got there first, doesn't mean you won't be next in line for happiness. So, wish others well, congratulate them on their good fortune and then wait for your own to come rushing in.

5x5,
B.

P.S. Happy Friday the 13th. My favorite Holiday EVER!!!
P.P.S. Congrats to my dear friend, Darcy for getting engaged! Lots of love, sista!

Project Husband

by Brittany Geragotelis

A lot of people criticize reality shows like "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" or even "Rock of Love." Haters say that it's not really love. That a couple couldn't meet and fall in love, get married within a short amount of time and possibly have a lasting relationship. But when more than 40% (stats are from 2008) of all marriages end in divorce, and most of those no doubt began with years of courting/dating, who's to say how much time is suitable to find a lifelong partner. For that matter, whose right is it to say that gay people can't marry the love of their lives...after all, if they think they can make the union last with the present odds, why deny them that opportunity.

But I digress.

My own parents had a whirlwind courtship: They met and married within 10 months and now, 24 years later, they're still going strong. My point is, is there really a concrete amount of time you need to know someone before getting hitched or is it more about just choosing the right person? Because if you think about it, it doesn't really matter how long you know a person...if they're not right for you, it's sort of doomed from the start.

That's why I sort of have to respect Lisa Linehan for her perseverance and initiative in finding a husband. See, she's lived most of her life as a happy, single, independent woman, but at the age of 35, she realized she wanted to get married. So, she started to plan. Now, she's got the venue, the date and the dress narrowed down to four; the only thing she doesn't have? The groom. Determined to find a partner for life, Lisa created Project Husband. And she's tackling this project with serious fervor. And who's to say that one of the men she meets over the next few months wasn't meant to be "the one" just because she gave herself a project deadline?

What do you think? Right or wrong? Doomed or genius? Leave your comments below!

5x5,
B.