Jen - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Hi! I'm a YA author whose series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life, is all about the a mega teen starlet named Kaitlin Burke who is trying to manage fame and having a life at the same time. Secrets is now in paperback and the sequel Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location, came out this spring. I just finished the third book in the series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Family Affairs, which will be out in spring 2008, and have just started writing the fourth Secrets, Secrets of My Hollywood Life: in Chaos, which will hit stores in 2009 along with a book I'm working on called Sleepaway Girls, which is about a group of counselors-in-training (CITs) at a sleepaway camp. (If you're sleepaway girl yourself, email me! I want to hear stories!). Before I wrote Secrets, I worked in the magazine world, first at Mademoiselle (which is sadly no more) and then at Teen People (RIP too. Sniff), where I got to write about my favorite topic--entertainment! I interviewed a lot of young stars (many nice, some I'd rather forget, but I'm too nice to name names). The experience inspired my series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life.When I'm not writing about Kaitlin, I freelance for different magazines like TV Guide, play with my son Tyler, who is two and a half, and our chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, hang out with my husband Mike and basically try to see as many new movies as I can!

My Interests

Writing, scrapbooking, home decorating projects, and taking lots and lots of photos. I also love musicals and my favorites are Wicked and Hairspray (I thought the movie was awesome too).

I'd like to meet:

Friends, fellow writers, people who've read my book...please say hi if you find me!

Music:

Okay, I'm cheesy when it comes to music--I love whatever is on Top 40! I like the Fergie, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Norah Jones...um, and anything I can bounce along to in the car, like the High School Musical 2 soundtrack or the Hairspray film soundtrack, which I'm addicted to. But to be honest, if I'm in the car, my son Ty has control of the CD player, which means I'm listening to a lot of "Eensy Weensy Spider" these days.

Movies:

Anything girly and romantic like Love, Actually, Sleepless in Seattle and Notting Hill. For girls' night it's The Devil Wears Prada, Legally Blonde, The Parent Trap, Bring It On or Never Been Kissed. I love watching the Star Wars movies (the original three please) or any of the Pirates of the Caribbean flicks. If I need to laugh, The Wedding Crashers is the perfect medicine. I'm also currently addicted to High School Musical and can't turn off the soundtrack for the first or second flicks that are constantly on repeat in my car.

Television:

I'll admit it. I'm a couch potato. I live for Ugly Betty (my current favorite), Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Prison Break, American Idol, and Charmed reruns (only the episodes with Cole).

Books:

I love anything by Meg Cabot, adore Sarah Mlynowski's Bras and Broomsticks series, worship the Harry Potter books and am currently enjoying the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella.

My Blog

Secrets 4 and Secrets 5 are on their way too!

Yay! I'm so glad I can share the great news with you guys: there is going to be a Secrets 4 and a Secrets 5! I'm actually starting to write Secrets 4 as we speak. It's going to be called "Secrets of M...
Posted by Jen on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 03:07:00 PST

Secrets 3 is coming!

I know many of you have been asking if/when there was going to be another Secrets novel and the answer is yes! Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Family Affairs will be in stores spring 2008. Secrets: Fami...
Posted by Jen on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:44:00 PST

If you're on Long Island this summer and fall, come out and see me!

Hi guys! I'm coming to a library (hopefully) near you this summer or fall. Read below for the dates and times and email me with any questions. I'll be reading from Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Loc...
Posted by Jen on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:31:00 PST

Come see me in Chicago!

Hi again everyone. Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location will be in stores next week as will the paperback of the first Secrets (which has the first chapter of On Location inside along with a funn...
Posted by Jen on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:03:00 PST

Secrets 2 Tour Dates Trickling In

Hi everyone! I know a lot of you have been asking for tour information for San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago and I promise it will be up soon. I'm waiting for final confirmation on the events. I...
Posted by Jen on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:25:00 PST

Want to know what Secrets 2 is about? Read here!

Here's what I can tell you guys: Kaitlin's fabulous Hollywood life is still going to be full of drama in "On Location!" Everyone from the first book is back for more--and that includes her vindictive ...
Posted by Jen on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 11:42:00 PST

The Secret is out--again

You may have noticed my picture has changed this week to the new Secrets book jacket and that's because the book release is just around the corner! Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location will drop ...
Posted by Jen on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:47:00 PST

Secrets 2 and tour info coming--oh my!

I'm excited to tell you guys that I'll be going on my first-ever author tour and I so hope you all come out and see me! I'll be doing a bunch of events on Long Island this April and May and will be he...
Posted by Jen on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:36:00 PST

Ta da! What do you think of the Secrets sequel cover?

I'm so excited to share the cover of the Secrets sequel with you guys (look in my pictures section for a peek). Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location won't be out till May 2007, but the cover is h...
Posted by Jen on Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:10:00 PST

On Long Island? Come meet four cool authors (including moi)

Join Sarah Mlynowski (Frogs and French Kisses), E. Lockhart (The Boy Book), Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars) and I for a teen author book panel discussion at Carle Place Barnes and Noble on Saturday...
Posted by Jen on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 09:43:00 PST