Debra Garfinkle's Journal

Friday Five
1. I am reading VALERIE BERTINELLI's memoir. Don't laugh or stick up your nose. Sarah Dessen just read it too, okay? And there's great dish, including details about her fling with Stephen Speilberg. She's just a few years older than me, and I used to watch One Day at a Time every week with my (divorced) mom and older sister. At the time, it was one of the only shows that didn't present a single-parent household as a tragic "broken home." And it was funny.

2. Saw the cute, cliched (female protagonist gets drunk and dances on bar; each protagonist has wacky sidekick best friend; protagonist makes reconciliation speech in front of big crowd and gets applause; final scene is a wedding) movie 27 DRESSES. I'm sorry, secret boyfriend Matt Damon, but I have to break up with you. My heart now belongs to James Marsden.

3. My agent wants me to do MORE REVISIONS on my YA manuscript. Now that I've put away the knife, gun, and poison, I really appreciate her feedback and think her suggestions are good. I think I need a few days away from it though, and plan to draft my Shiny New Manuscript instead.

4. My ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER editor told me my humor column is now in a third local paper, the Laguna Beach one. Ooh la la! Laguna Beach! It started in one local paper almost four years ago.

5. The first two SUPERNATURAL RUBBER CHICKEN books were used in a book club for boys going into fourth grade, and I was told they were a big hit. I just love, love, love when my target readers enjoy my work.