The death of Gossip Girl as we know it...

by Brittany Geragotelis

There's a new book coming out later this year that's got me super excited! I mean, so excited that I could just DIE.

The book? Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer

photo credit: Poppy

No, this isn't a joke. Like other reimaginings of classics like, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Slayre and Little Vampire Women, the author who created the famed series Gossip Girl is taking her beloved UES darlings and turning them deadly. I for one am beyond psyched...I mean, would you look at the book cover? Is there anything cooler than that?

In a move that brings her books to a whole new level, Cecily von Ziegesar has taken the book which first introduced us to Blair Waldorf and Serena Van der Woodsen and given it a darker twist. Instead of backstabbing gossip, think actual backstabbing. As in beautiful, popular serial killers!

Now, I happen to have certain connections that have put a copy of the book into my hot little hands and can't wait to check it out. In the meantime, here's a summary of what you can expect:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep—sometimes with each other. It's a luxe life, but someone's got to live it...until they die.

So begins Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer, a reimagining of the groundbreaking first Gossip Girl novel, featuring all-new, hilariously grisly scenes and over-the-top gore, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Cecily von Ziegasar.

Just as in the original story, Serena van der Woodsen returns from boarding school hoping to make amends with her BFF Blair Waldorf—things just haven't been the same since Nate Archibald came between them. But here's where our tale takes a dark turn: Serena decides that the only way for her to make things right with Blair is to eliminate Nate. If that means killing him, well, c'est la vie. The attempted murder doesn't go unnoticed by Blair, however, who isn't about to let Serena kill whoever she wants—not when there's Cyrus Rose and Chuck Bass and Titi Coates and everyone else who's ever irritated Blair to get rid of first...

American Psycho's Patrick Bateman has met his match in Manhattan's newest, most fabulous trendsetting serial killers, Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen.

Now this is some gossip, I'd love to hear about! What do you guys think? Pick it up or leave it on the shelf?

5x5,
B.

Disappointed in Men, but happy with "Glee!"

by Brittany Geragotelis

photo credit: The CW/Angel

I don't want to dwell too much on the negative, but I am NOT happy with a certain former vamp right now. What is with this trend of leading men cheating on their wives? Has this always been happening but for some reason the shit's hitting the fan now? David Boreanaz, the broody Angel from (my fave show) "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" & "Angel" has just spilled the beans on his secret affair.

Is it really that hard for people to stay faithful these days? In my opinion, cheating is a conscious decision. No guy just falls into bed with a woman other than his wife by accident. Falling out of love with someone—I don't think that's something you have control over. Sleeping with someone else when you're married (or even dating)? Uh, uh. Sorry. THAT you have control over.

These men just make me disappointed. For some reason, I expected more from them.

But on to better, happier things...Anyone watch "Glee" last night? Once again, a wonderful episode ripe with celeb guest stars. Olivia Newton-John looked amazing and did a good job playing a not-so-humble version of herself (at one point, she mentioned she was in the biggest musical movie of all time and that her records had been HUGE hits). And the remake of "Let's Get Physical"? Well, Olivia and Sue Syllvester (Jane Lynch) were hilarious in matching track suits swimming in a sea of hard-bodies.

And then there was Molly Shannon as a pill-popping alcoholic who recently transferred to the school. You can never go wrong with that woman.

The music was an incredible mash-up of old-school 90s, including "Hammer Time" and "Ice, Ice Baby". Will Schuester is such a cheese-ball that I sometimes cringe when I watch him, but you can't say he doesn't commit to his part. And he brought back some of the dance moves I did growing up, which was fun. When the cast paid homage to M.C. Hammer, I was rolling. And of course, I'm falling more and more in like with the ditzy cheerleader, Brittany (not just because we share a name). She's got such a deadpan comedic delivery of insane lines that I can't help but cheer for her.



My only gripe? Has anyone else noticed that they've been really obvious lately with their show themes? It reminds me a little of "7th Heaven" with their "this is the moral of this episode" stuff. Less than 5 minutes in, I was like, "Okay, this episode is about reputations." I really think the show's audience is smarter than that and don't need to be hand-held through the eps.

All in all, another great night of my favorite glee club! What did you think?

5x5,
B.

I want a theater in my house

by Brittany Geragotelis

When I was younger, my mom used to take me to look at houses. We'd be in the car and we'd drive to the ritzy areas and we'd ooh and aah over the million dollar houses. May sound strange, but I loved looking at those houses, picking out my favorite one and imagining myself living in one. Wondering about the person that I'd have to be in order to afford a place like that. The parties I'd throw. The other cool things I'd fill my McMansion with. Even now, I like to walk past the brownstones near the Central Park and choose the ones I'd buy if I were rich.

But how much is too much house? Do people really need 12 bedrooms? A theater? An Olympic-size pool, tennis courts and an indoor basketball court? A private plane hanger? Would I really be comfortable in a house that large, when I would probably only spend my time in a few of the rooms? (And think of all the places a burglar or psycho killer could hide as they wait to jump out at me in the dark...Hey, I know what happens in scary movies!)

I recently saw the house that Gisele and Tom Brady are having built. It's ridiculous. It's an eight bedroom, 22,000 sq ft mansion worth $20 million. When it's finished, the couple's house will boast a butler's room, a cardio room, a weight room, a pool house, a lagoon-shaped pool and spa, a wine room and a covered loggia.

Is a place like this too big, or given the chance, would you do the same? What would be in your dream house if money was no object? For me, I'd have a fireman's pole that went from one floor to the other....and a hidden room!

5x5,
B.

I want a theater in my house.

by Brittany Geragotelis

When I was younger, my mom used to take me to look at houses. We'd be in the car and we'd drive to the ritzy areas and we'd ooh and aah over the million dollar houses. May sound strange, but I loved looking at those houses, picking out my favorite one and imagining myself living in one. Wondering about the person that I'd have to be in order to afford a place like that. The parties I'd throw. The other cool things I'd fill my McMansion with. Even now, I like to walk past the brownstones near the Central Park and choose the ones I'd buy if I were rich.

But how much is too much house? Do people really need 12 bedrooms? A theater? An Olympic-size pool, tennis courts and an indoor basketball court? A private plane hanger? Would I really be comfortable in a house that large, when I would probably only spend my time in a few of the rooms? (And think of all the places a burglar or psycho killer could hide as they wait to jump out at me in the dark...Hey, I know what happens in scary movies!)

I recently saw the house that Gisele and Tom Brady are having built. It's ridiculous. It's an eight bedroom, 22,000 sq ft mansion worth $20 million. When it's finished, the couple's house will boast a butler's room, a cardio room, a weight room, a pool house, a lagoon-shaped pool and spa, a wine room and a covered loggia.

Is a place like this too big, or given the chance, would you do the same? What would be in your dream house if money was no object? For me, I'd have a fireman's pole that went from one floor to the other....and a hidden room!

5x5,
B.

Gossip Mill

by Brittany Geragotelis

Well, after a few days of beautiful dress and skirt-wearing weather, we're back to overcast and damp. Blech. Bring on the summer already! I'm so pasty white, I'm pretty sure I glow in the dark. Oh well, I guess this gives me a good excuse to sit around and write all weekend, right?

Speaking of writing, I'm up to page 152 in "Painless." Lately I've been channeling my inner "angry chick" to write my main character, Bliss. She's very pissed and lonely and fearful...all emotions I have no problem tapping into, based off of my own health issues in the past. I just wrote my character's first sexy scene. It was (hopefully) hot and primal. Sometimes I'm as surprised by the encounters myself, because I don't always know they're going to happen (and how) until they just do. Good times.

photo credit: Jackson Pearce

On a similar note, I'm happy to announce that I will be interviewing Sisters Red author, Jackson Pearce in a future blog! I'm beyond psyched to talk to her about her writing schedule and where she gets her inspiration from. If you have any questions you'd like to ask Jackson, leave them in the comments section below.


This week's been rather quiet here in the office...well, sort of. The past two days, it's just been me and my co-worker Toni, and today we also have our lovely intern, Steph, in the house (who just told me she reads this blog! Yay!). This means that basically there are three of us on the 22nd floor today! It's as scarce as a scene in a zombie apocalypse movie—you know, before the zombies show up in droves. But it's also sort of nice...I'm currently blaring Avril Lavigne and have very few distractions around me, so I'm getting quite a bit done.

photo credit: The CW/Gossip Girl

On the other hand, the beginning of our week started out the exact opposite. I don't want to get totally into it, but there were some big changes here at our company this week, and ever since then, people have been INSANE. Seriously, I don't think I've witnessed this much gossip since I was in high school. And even then, it was sort of expected. With the exception of the people in my department, everyone seems to have their conspiracy theories about the future. There's been more than one occasion where I just wanted to say, "Grow up! You're not a teenager anymore. Don't you have anything better to talk about?" The fact of the matter is that just like in life in general, none of us knows what's going to happen in the future (unless you're a psychic like Allison DuBois on "Medium"), so what's the point really in worrying about it? How about channeling that energy into something positive, like doing your job well, asking a friend how they're doing (instead of just focusing on yourself), or writing a blog (wink, wink)? So, in the meantime, I'm just trying not to engage in or get caught up in other people's drama. And to be honest, it's not all that hard a thing to do...

Now, to brighten your day, here's a story that made me smile this morning. Another reason your children should be cheerleaders.

5x5,
B.