What's Your Guilty Pleasure?

by brittany geragotelis

I'm currently having one of those, "This is too good to be true," moments. If all goes according to plan, my debut novel, WHAT THE SPELL?, will be shown on "Glee" tomorrow night! Besides being one of my favorite TV shows ever, I'm just honored to be included in an episode which is all about "guilty pleasures." Because that's what I hope my book will become to all of you. Well, a pleasure anyways.....

I'm the first to admit, my novels aren't timeless pieces of literature that will be studied by students for years to come. They weren't intended to be. I write books to entertain, make people laugh, cry--feel something--and maybe even make you think a little. Either about the way you feel about the world or yourself, or to inspire you to take a stand, make a change or treat others differently. Sure, some could consider my writing to be "fluff," and others might even hide the fact that they like it since it's teen paranormal action...but why do things like WHAT THE SPELL? have to be a guilty pleasure?

Why should you feel guilty about what you choose to read, watch or listen to? The answer: You shouldn't!

There's no reason to be embarrassed because you like HUNGER GAMES more than THE GREAT GATSBY or prefer to watch "Keeping up with the Kardashians" rather than "Newsroom." And don't let anyone shame you into only listening to Taylor Swift when you're alone in your room or car. Go ahead and sing "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" at the top of your lungs no matter who's around (unless you have a terrible singing voice....then, you can settle for just cranking up the volume and humming along).

You should NEVER feel guilty about the things you like. First off, just because a person schedules time to watch "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" doesn't mean they're dumb or low-brow. It just means they enjoy watching other people spend their money and fight over who's defaming who while getting botox injections and air-kissing their friends at public events. (FYI: this show is a total-pleasure of mine! LOVE!). Next, why apologize for something you enjoy? Own your likes and don't be afraid to let others know that you don't feel at all guilty about liking them. Chances are, if your friends are being honest with themselves, they'll have to admit, they kind of love it, too.

And now that I think of it, this is EXACTLY what "Glee" is all about. Being honest about who you are and not apologizing for what that looks like. Teen books and reality TV aside....you are who you are, and that's perfect. Sooooo, whether you call it a guilty pleasure or a straight up pleasure (no guilt required), be sure to tune into "Glee" tomorrow night on FOX to find out which character can't get enough of WHAT THE SPELL? And don't forget to Tweet and post about it on Facebook when you spot it, #WhatTheSpellOnGlee.

5x5,
B.

WHAT THE SPELL is coming to GLEE

by Brittany Geragotelis

I have some really exciting news to share! A little birdie over at the New Directions told me that my book, WHAT THE SPELL?, is going to make an appearance on an upcoming episode of "Glee"! This is especially awesome, since I've been a huge fan of the show since day one. It's smartly written, the characters are amazing, it's hilarious, they have whole storylines set around cheerleading, incredible music....and it's all about the underdog.

Which is much what my own story is like! For about 8 years, I was knocked down, told I wasn't good enough, that my books weren't worth publishing....and now, well, my book's going to be on "GLEE!" I was the ultimate underdog and am so psyched to be proving everyone wrong! Glee is the place where the unwanted and misunderstood people (like me) can go to shine, and I for one feel honored to have my book affiliated with the show.

Now, I can't give you all the details yet....gotta keep you coming back for more, some way, right? But if you stay tuned, I'll let you know the details in the upcoming weeks.

5x5,
B.

WHAT THE SPELL? Part I available TODAY!!!

by Brittany Geragotelis

The big day is finally here! The first part of my debut novel, WHAT THE SPELL? is available to buy and read TODAY! Yep, that's right! For just .99 cents, you can read the first hundred pages of WTS? on your e-readers! That's less than the cost of 3 coffees at Starbucks!!!! So, save a coffee bean and read a book!, (and if you can't afford to buy right now, no worries...you can still do your part by telling your friends and family about it on Facebook, Twitter and Wattpad).

Next, if you're thinking, "I'm just not sure I want to pay .99 cents to check out another witch book," you're in luck. Because I've uploaded a short story based on one of the characters from WHAT THE SPELL? that will give you an overview of what you'll get with the prequel, without giving away everything that happens in the book. THE ABBY DIARIES is free for all who want to read it, exclusively on Wattpad! But the freebies don't end there...you can also read the first two chapters of WHAT THE SPELL here to see if it's something you want to take a chance on.

Lastly, in WHAT THE SPELL? my main character, Brooklyn, gives herself a magical makeover once she comes into her witchy powers...and I'm doing the same thing over on my YouTube channel! In celebration of the e-launch, we're doing a series of magical makeovers online to show you how to get the various character's looks. We've even re-created celebrity looks like Khloe Kardashian (up now!) and Ke$ha. The vids are super fun and we'll be holding a contest to win a $100 gift certificate to Sephora, so be sure to check it out!

So, that's what's going on with me! I hope you'll continue to support me by buying your copy today and be sure to let me know what you think!

5x5,

Britt 

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...

by Brittany Geragotelis

I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am that in just TWO DAYS, the first part of my debut novel, What the Spell? will be released for all to read! Yes, you read that right. On Tuesday, anyone who's pre-ordered their e-copies of my book will be able to check out what happened before Hadley and her crew got caught in a battle between good and evil. Before there was a Hadley and Asher. And that's what What the Spell? is all about. It's the story of Asher and his first girlfriend, Brooklyn, who's also a witch. But that's not all. Where there's magic, there's drama. And you know what they say...

Be careful what you witch for.

And just in time for the first e-release, reporter/writer extraordinaire, Calvin Reid, was kind enough to write this super sweet, super awesome article in Publishers Weekly about me and everything we've got coming up for the release of What the Spell? If you haven't already read it, be sure to check it out here.

Have you bought your copy of What the Spell? yet?

5x5,
B.

Exclusive Excerpt of What the Spell?!

by Brittany Geragotelis

There's nothing I love more than a good book. Well, except maybe a freebie. So, I decided to put the two together and give you all an exclusive excerpt of my upcoming debut novel, What the Spell? over on Wattpad! I'm beyond excited for you all to read it and want to hear what you think!

And don't forget...if you like what you read, be sure to PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY today!

5x5,
B.

Exclusive Worldwide Cover Reveal!!!

Oh, happy day!

 by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey guys!

Today, one of the most exciting things in my publishing journey so far is here: My big cover reveal for What the Spell?! I wish you could see me right now (but because you can't, I'm currently running around my apartment, doing my happy dance, and screaming out, "I'm Queen of the World!"), because you'd be able to see what a joy it is for me to bring this info to you....my fans who have made my whole publishing dreams possible!

As for the cover....I'm beyond-psyched about it! I think the model they chose for Brooklyn is PERFECT. She's just like I pictured her and I love her sparkly top. Also, I want to be clear....the background isn't just white. When the books are printed, it will be an opaque color, which fades into silver, and it will be all foil, so it will be super-dynamic--just like the book!

So, without further ado, check out the cover for What the Spell? and then tell me what you think!

5x5,
B.

DON'T CHECK YOUR BROWSER!!!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

So, before you change that web address, I want to ensure you that you ARE in the right place! This is the new home for my blog, Brittany the Book Slayer! Now, ordinarily, I'm not one for change. I like my schedules and I find comfort in the familiar. BUT there are some things that I don't mind pulling a little switcharoo on. For example....I just went to the salon and had them give me some seriously nearly-white blonde highlights. Matt says I look like Storm from X-men. I think it gives my look a little something new.

What do you think of my new white-blond highlights?

And in my upcoming book, What the Spell?, (The world premier of the cover is happening tomorrow!!! Log on to Wattpad.com to get the exclusive look! Eeeek!!!) the main character, Brooklyn, is looking for some change in her life. She's sick of blending in, so she uses her magical skills to give herself an extreme makeover. Sooooo, in honor of my book cover reveal, I decided it was time to give my website its own facelift. Something new and fun, classic but different. And this is what I came up with.

Change can be good....it keeps you on your toes and brings a little excitement to your life. So, what do you think? Do you like the new look of my site? Let me know in the comments below!

5x5,
B.

It's a Wonderful Life....

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all! This has been a CRAZY week for me, full of amazing announcements, opportunities and experiences.

First off, I did an impromptu photo shoot on Wednesday with Matt's brother, Ryan Gielen, because a few news outlets needed new headshots of me, and they turned out AWESOME. I'm not the most photogenic person, but I can honestly say I'm happy with the way they turned out....here are a few we liked....what do you think?


















Then on Thursday, Publisher's Weekly made the big announcement that Simon & Schuster will be publishing Life's a Witch, the prequel (titled, What the Spell?) and the sequel. I am beyond psyched to be working with the publishing powerhouse, as well as with my new editor, Alexandra Cooper. She's such a cool chick, who truly loves Hadley and her fellow twitches. How exciting is that?

Almost as exciting as this article that appeared in today's Wall Street Journal which focuses on how publishing companies are beginning to rely on prequel's being published online as a way to create buzz around a book series. The journalist was so sweet and wrote such a great article! It's on newsstands as well as online, so if you're at the bookstore or Starbucks, be sure to pick one up!

And I've got a conference call with my movie/tv agent today to discuss all the buzz that's happening right now! I'll let you know what I know, when I know it! What a way to end my week!

5x5,
B.

Ch-Ch-Ch-CHANGES!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

I've got SO much to catch you up on today....My life has changed drastically in the last two weeks. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating. My life as I knew it, is over...and thank God for that, because what I've got now is beyond my wildest dreams. Let me explain...

FIRST: ...Nearly two weeks ago, I went to Mexico on vacation with Matt and his family to help celebrate his Dad's 60th b-day and that was SO much fun! First off, it was a surprise that we'd been planning since his b-day in November. Matt's mom decided to plan a trip for her and Matt's Dad--and then have the kids all surprise him by showing up!

Well, the whole way down, we were coordinating with Matt's mom about how we'd surprise his dad: Showing up at dinner after they'd sat down to eat, us being at the dinner table when they walked up, surprising them while they lounged by the pool, showing up during the evening entertainment, etc. Well, we'd finally agreed that we'd surprise him by the pool and so we hurried up in checking in as well as going up to our rooms and changing.

Then we got into the elevator and started to head downstairs to go out to the pool....and Matt's dad walked in! He did a total double-take and was like, what the heck are you guys doing here? He was so confused and surprised and happy...it was really funny! I think it took him about a half hour to get used to the fact that we were there!

Anyways, so the trip itself was gorgeous and so much fun. We were staying at the Iberostar Cancun, which was an all-inclusive resort, and the food was UH-Mazing, as were the fruity, tropical drinks that we were served poolside. It was such a nice vacation and exactly what I needed because.....

SECOND: ...when I landed in Mexico, I found out that American Cheerleader had been sold to another company who'd chosen not to keep any of the staff. So, yes, I found out, on vacation, that I was now unemployed. And it was hard, because it was where I'd spent the past 10 years of my life and had put my heart and soul into my job--and that was ending. But we were on vacation, in this beautifully tropical place with amazing company, so I shed a tear, took a moment and then tried to let it go. And luckily, I was able to do just that and really enjoyed myself for the rest of the weekend. Part of the reason I was able to do that though was because....

THIRD: ...I knew that back home, I had a lot of interest in my book, Life's a Witch. After my last article in Publishers Weekly and the write-up in Huffington Post, my agent Kevan Lyon (from the Marsal Lyon Lit Agency) had started to get a ton of interest in my book from mainstream publishers. So, even though I had to come back to NYC and clean out my desk (10 years worth of stuff is no joke!) and say goodbye to that chapter in my life, I had something very exciting on the horizon.

Within a few days, we had interest from four major publishers who were all ready to bid on my book and we went into an auction (where publishers make offers until someone makes the final bid). And two days later, I'd made the decision to go with one very special publisher in a 3-book, 6-figure deal. I can't tell you who just yet, because we're officially announcing it next Thursday, but I promise it's coming, and it's AWESOME. But that's not all, because....

FOURTH: ...I was approached by a really talented, super powerful movie and television agent who is going to be selling the movie rights to my book. Her name's Brandy Rivers and she's with Magnet Management and she's worked with Jerry Bruckheimer and on the Twilight movies for Summit. She's the real deal and totally knows what she's doing.

So, needless to say, I might have more news to tell you very soon, but I wanted to try and get you all caught up. Thank you all for your support and love and here's hoping there will be much more exciting stuff to announce.

Oh, and if you want to be kept up to date on my happenings, be sure to follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheBookSlayer

5x5,
B.

Super-Secret, Super-Awesome Project

by Brittany Geragotelis

EXCITING NEWS!!!!

Hey all! I have some super-secret, super-awesome news.....

I just wish I could tell you about it!

Wait, what was that? You want me to dish you the deets even though I've been sworn to secrecy and had to practically sign away my first born if I told you all about it?

Ummmm.......OK!

I suppose it wouldn't totally be going back on my (contract) word if I just gave you some of the 411, right? Right?!

Cool, here goes:

Yours truly was one of a select group of Wattpadders chosen to be a part of a really cool new show that's being released in January! Yep, you heard that right....it's a SHOW! And for all of you out there who are thinking, "It's about time that girl had her own reality show!"—well, I agree with you, but this isn't it.

It's better!

I can't tell you the name of the show or even the storyline yet, but I can divulge the fact that I wrote TWO of the stories connected to the series! The project's unlike anything you've ever seen before. It's not quite a movie but not totally a TV show.

Like I said before: It's better.

And that's seriously all I can say right now, since I faintly remember the contract saying something about being hunted down by the FBI if I gave away too much—but stay tuned for more, because eventually I will SPILL. And if I don't, it'll all be out on Wattpad soon anyways!

So, please, keep checking back as I drop more hints to all my fans. I promise if you stick around, it'll be totally worth it!

:)
Britt "The Book Slayer"

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.

My apologies...but I hope this will make it up to you.

by Brittany Geragotelis

I'm so sorry to all of my loyal fans for having been away for so long. So where was I, anyway? I could say work's been crazy-busy, filled with lots of traveling and not a lot of free time (It has. We just put out our Debby Ryan issue, and our next one features Jamie Foxx's daughter, Corinne Foxx). Or maybe that I've been concentrating so much on publishing my stuff on Wattpad that I couldn't focus on writing anywhere else (I'm up to 9 million+ reads of my book, Life's a Witch, and just finished pubbing the first part in my book, Fate Reloaded). I could even argue that I've been enjoying life with my beau (Matt and I are doing amazing...nothing's better than spending a lazy weekend with my man). But the truth is....there's no excuse for me not popping on here to say something.

So, I'm here to say I'm sorry for the long wait....and I hope you can forgive me. (And just to sweeten the deal, here's an adorable pic of my nephew, Cash!)

Yes? You'll forgive me? Phew! Okay, now that that's all worked out, I wanted to let you guys in on a little announcement. After lots of encouragement and prodding, I'm moving forward with publishing Life's a Witch myself. That's right....within the next few months, I WILL be a published author.

I'm still in the beginning stages of things though, working out the details and all, but already, I'm finding out there's a lot more that goes into publishing a book than just writing the book and making the decision to supply it to the public. No, I'm learning that I have to deal with copyright, trademark, registration, legal issues, choosing a publishing service....ahhhh, there's SO much to do! But don't worry, I'll be taking you along for the ride with me, because I want you with me every step of the way!

Okay, so now that the word is out, I need to get back to preparing for my dream to come true.

5x5,
B.

New Interview by fellow Wattpadder...

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

Happy Monday! Just wanted to let you all know that a fellow Wattpadder recently interviewed me (yes, I was on the OTHER side of the story this time), because of all the success I've had on the site so far. People are really loving Life's a Witch so far, and I'm up to 1.6 million reads! This is an amazing feat in itself, but I also know I still have 6-8 more chapters left to write....so, things are looking up!

Thanks to all of you who have continued to support me over the years!

5x5,
B.

Somebody's having a baby!

by Brittany Geragotelis

First I get news that a co-worker is engaged (congrats Kathy!) and then I hear what I'd already guessed but didn't have confirmation of until today....Tori Spelling's preggers again! Woo hoo! Yes, yes, I know, I sound like we're best buds or like we even know each other (we don't), but I watch her show(s) and really think, given the chance, we'd be friends. Really. Of course, when I told Matt about this last night, he had a different perspective.

Me: "OMG! Tori's pregnant!"
Matt: "Tori?"
Me: "Yeah, Tori!"
Matt: "Oh." Pause. "You mean Tori Spelling?" Eye roll.
Me: "Uh, yeah! I'm so happy for her....I thought she was looking pregnant the other day. She had that pregnant glow she gets."
Matt: "Oh yeah, your good friend, Tori. That's exciting news." Sarcastically said with another eye roll and a chuckle.
Me: "Hey, we would make great friends!"
Matt: "Sure you would."
Me: "I want Tori to plan our wedding." Silence and end of conversation.

Ladies, if you ever want to get your guy to stop arguing with you, apparently all you have to do is bring up marriage and they change the subject. AMAZING!

Hahahah. Anyways, in light of all the great news on the baby/marriage front, I thought it would be a good time to post my latest Book Slayer video. Enjoy!

5x5,
B.