Bride today, author always...

by Brittany Geragotelis

I have a confession to make. I'm ALWAYS thinking about writing. When I'm walking down the street, watching a movie, reading another book, talking to my husband (don't tell him though)....I'm always thinking about storylines and characters and the series I'm working on. It's just how my brain works. And right now, with LIFE'S A WITCH just under 80 days away from being released, I'm all WITCH all the time.

So, when I found myself taking pics on my wedding day, I had to think of a way to bring Hadley Bishop into our happy day, too.

Yes, even on my wedding day I'm thinking about writing. 

After taking some super-fun pics with my bridesmaids, the photographer and I snuck off to take a few of my true love and me....and this was my fave.

I'm proud to announce that I am now happily married to my book (as well as the only guy in this world who surpasses any male character I could make up in one of my stories. Love you Matty).

So what do you think? What book would you walk down the aisle with?

5x5,
B.

The Intern Diaries: Meet Rose!

by Rose Kahn

Meet Brittany's new intern: Rose Kahn!

“The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.” 

--F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hi everyone! 

My name is Rose Kahn and I’m Brittany’s new intern. I wanted to introduce myself to the Brittany fan world: 

A) because Brittany asked me to, and 

B) because you guys are seriously some of the best fans ever! 

When Brittany first asked me to write this post I panicked. What would I say? Would people be interested? I know sometimes my thoughts even bore me. It can cause problems when I’m trying to tan or meditate (makes yoga tricky sometimes). But then I took a deep breath, a yoga technique, and realized that I could just be honest with all you great readers out there. We all have a mutual love for reading and writing, so why not share that love and chat a bit. Here it goes….from the beginning. 

"Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet." --Seneca

Just a few (too many) subway stops away from Brittany's place on the UES!

It was a nice pre-spring day in March when Brittany and I met up at her favorite Gluten Free Bakery (Pip’sPlace) on the Upper East Side.  As I came huffing and puffing off a delayed train from Brooklyn (same name as her character from What the Spell!) she greeted me with a megawatt smile and generous attitude (and cute sweat-suit outfit that I wish I could pull off). She introduced me to the entire bakery staff and then raved about their pastries for a few minutes. I was salivating over the spread but decided to be professional and order after our chat. My eyes kept wandering over to the chocolate babbka that was calling my name and I lost focus many times. When I was finally able to take my eyes off its chocolaty goodness, I got to know Brittany a little better.

Best cakery in town!

She’s seriously awesome you guys! She loves to read and write, and loves her books, characters and fans so much! She told me about how she got her start and how much work goes into achieving your dreams. She was honest about hard work, rejection and drive. When you want something bad enough, you’ll throw away your ego and make it happen. I truly believe this. You have to work hard to achieve your dreams. If you stay the course, and work your butt off you can succeed. It won’t be easy and lots of people will say no. But you have to be strong and approach it from a different angle. If one road is blocked take another route. Never give up, and never surrender. (Yes, I did just quote Braveheart. But hey if it works…)

"If the apocalypse comes, beep me!" 
--Buffy Summers 

Into the second hour ( we talked so long we lost track of time) we discovered our healthy (or not so healthy) obsession with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” When Brittany and I started talking about our mutual love for all things Sunnydale, our voices raised an octave or two and we began to babble about Buffy’s hair, Xanders clothing and shot quotes back and forth like teenagers (I’m sure the bakers enjoyed that). We spoke about Whedonisim (that’s Joss Whendon’s genius for all you non Buffyverse people out there) and what shows we are currently watching. We both watch “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Vampire Diaries” (hello, Ian Somerhalder!) and think teen dramas have evolved so much over the years, that individuals of all ages can enjoy them without feeling immature.

Best show EVER.

I am proud to say I love all things pop culture—but I still make sure to stay on top of what’s going on in the world. I love ENews! (Giuliana is my spirit sister) almost as much as I love CNN. I can read PerezHilton with my morning Greek yogurt and still check the NewYorkTimes.com a dozen times a day. I believe myself a post-modern feminist who can be awed by Hillary Clinton’s work as Secretary of State, but still cringe at the state of her wardrobe. I can watch Kevin Spacey’s new Netflix show House of Cards with rapt interest about the seedy underbelly of the government and give the same captivated attention to ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars” (Who is “A”? Tell us already! I think its Aria, I don’t know why, I just do.).

Deliciously devious

I watch all types of movies and all kinds of television. I don’t discriminate. Good writing, good acting and good directing…I’m in. Buffy was my heroine. I looked up to her and her strength. She went through so much and came out triumphant in the end, while never forgetting her friends. She was also insecure, and although very pretty, never thought too highly of herself, but she knew that because she was a human being she deserved happiness. She deserved good friends, love and a good family. Brittany’s books display the same themes and I greatly appreciate that. We are all human beings who deserve to be happy and treated with respect and love no matter who we are or what we look like. Yay for the human race!

"Last but not least."

So, in my first week I tried downloading all the apps Brittany told me about when we should’ve been working (loved my fishtail braid tutorial), but I’m attached to my iPhone and am scared to download anything else for fear it won’t be able to hold any more of my Drake and Mumford and Sons songs. I love to read almost as much as shopping. I’ve read Twilight and The Great Gatsby, both among my favorites and peruse “Publishers’ Lunch” daily. I sometimes try on everything at Saks, then go to H&M and try to replicate my couture dreams. I get daily emails from GiltGroup and RueLaLa.com but only to buy baby gifts. I live for the organic ginger snaps at Wholefoods but die for Magnolia cupcakes. I’m a walking contradiction, but at least I’m an honest one.

Look at those arms!

I am both equally outraged and intrigued by things like “The Atlantic’s” Why Women Can’t Have it All?, and the idea that Michelle Obama’s bangs might be a mid-life crisis (They are stunning! Why all the hate?). I see equality and freedom as a choice, and I believe that freedom allows us to choose between what we want to pursue and what we each individually consider to be our biggest happiness in life. I try to keep myself abreast of all topics and not judge too harshly, be opinionated but never take myself too seriously. I believe in being young at heart but being mature in my decisions. I love all types of books and music, and hope to make an impact on the world some day, however small it may be. I’m so excited to be working with Brittany and to talk to you all every week! This is going to be such an adventure. So glad you’re all coming along for the ride!

Cheers everyone, until next week….

Rose

                                                                                                      

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.

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.

Help Someone's Dreams Come True

by Brittany Geragotelis

I'm a huge believer in people going after their dreams--and the bigger the dream the better! I also really love the idea that I have the power to choose who might become the next big thing! There's something really empowering in that....and I know first-hand how important having people believe in you can be to making your dreams come true. As many of you know, I got my start on Wattpad, where fans championed me into reaching 18 million reads of my book, Life's a Witch online. It was because people gave me their support that I ended up getting my book deal with Simon & Schuster.

And since my first published book came out Jan 29th, I've been asking my fans to continue to support me by buying my book. As much as everyone LOVES free stuff (music, movies, books, etc.), the bottom line is: it takes major time and money to create these things that you love to watch, listen to and read.

So I think that one of the coolest things a person can do is use their influence by getting involved in things they believe in. For some of us, that starts by believing in a person. Stephanie Lynn is a friend of mine who is both an awesome actress and a phenomenal singer. I met her when my fiancé was promoting his feature-length indie film, The Graduates, about five years ago. Stephanie played the "hot girl" in his movie (yes, she's hot, but don't hate on her) and when I first met her, I admit, I thought she'd be sort of mean or snooty. But she is nothing like that. She turned out to be as nice as she is pretty, and majorly talented....even outside of acting. I remember one of the nights we were promoting the movie in Ocean City, MD, and we were sitting around and Steph was singing a few songs she had been working on. And guys....she was SOOOO good!

Fast-forward five years and Stephanie Lynn is now working toward making her own dreams as a singer come true. I totally admire her dedication and love for music and would do anything to help her reach those goals. Including helping to fund her first album. Stephanie Lynn just launched her Kickstarter campaign and I've already donated $100 to her future career as a singer! I know you don't know her like I do, but take a listen to her music and decide for yourself if you'd like to hear more from her. You can donate any amount (and trust me, every little bit helps), and if you don't have the cash, you still have your voice. So, if you can't give, please post about this on your social media. You could help make someone's dream come true. And I think that's pretty awesome!

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.

Wear your heart on your NAILS

by Brittany Geragotelis

A friend pointed out to me recently that I have a healthy obsession (I like to think of it more as a hobby) with painting my nails. I've done marble nails, drippy blood nails (for Halloween) and splatter paint nails...I just love getting creative with nail polish!

So, decorating them for Valentine's Day was a no-brainer.

If you're looking for a festive way to show your love this holiday, here's a cool nail tutorial that I came up with which is inspired by my book, WHAT THE SPELL?. It's just the kind of way that Brooklyn would express herself on a big V-day date with her honey, Asher.

So check it out and then try it for yourself! And then buy your copy of WTS (It makes for the perfect V-day gift!).

And LASTLY, because I want YOU to have something sweet this Valentine's Day, here's a magical countdown for my long-anticipated upcoming novel, LIFE'S A WITCH!

Wishing you all lots of love today!

5x5,
B.


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