I’m writing this post while watching Tuesday nights’ election returns, so expect it to be choppy and disjointed. I only decided on Sunday what I’d write about, but had life things in the way and was feeling ugh then, suffering from what my oldest daughter (also ugh) and I have decided is election stress. I should be celebrating having one book on the shelves, and another due to hit in three weeks, but instead I’m doing galleys, writing, still recovering from vacation, and counting the hours until my psyche is no long bombarded with the candidates’ ads. I was in line to vote forty minutes before the polls opened. That’s how ready I was to do my part to see this come to an end. And now it has.
So what I was thinking when wondering what to write (and how to sneakily tie it into my November Blaze, KISS & TELL, heh), was that here I am, 
living in the nation’s fourth largest city, one with the largest medical district in the world, with four major sports teams, with a wonderful theater district and numerous entertainment venues, and yet I think the only “celebrities” I’ve ever seen in person are Frank Billingsley, a local weather man I once saw while in Taco Milagro (a restaurant I put in one of my books), and Dr. Neil Frank, another meteorologist and former director of the National Hurricane Center. I think I saw two of the Houston Astros walking with their families into a local mall, but it was dark and I couldn’t be sure.
I don’t travel, and in fact, am rarely out and about these days, not in the way I used to be when the husband and I both worked downtown and frequented many of the trendier restaurants. Now I’m a stay at home writing hermit, which is totally fine with me. I’ve never been a rabid fan of any entertainer, except maybe when I was a teen and had my David Cassidy crush. I’m just not interested in celebrity news. Or I wasn’t until the husband introduced me to a little thing called TMZ. 
I don’t read the Website or follow the stories as they’re posted, but I love watching Harvey Levin and the crew of paps do their stalking and mocking routine. (I actually think it’s the mocking I love more than anything.) I love it so much, in fact, that I created my own version of TMZ in KISS & TELL, and made my hero, Caleb McGregor, the brains behind it. He thinks my heroine, who he knows as Candy Cane, has a secret, and makes uncovering it his goal.
I’m not sure why I’m not interested in the lives of the rich and famous. I’ve never asked a single celebrity for an autograph – except for celebrity authors who are my rich and famous of choice! I have three that are ones that tickle me to have, er, four, really. 
My original copy of OUTLANDER is signed by Diana Gabaldon, and Tami Hoag signed my hardcover of NIGHT SINS. Susan Elizabeth Phillips signed my copy of IT HAD TO BE YOU – my second copy, since I gave away my first. The one I most loving having is Christopher Vogler’s who wrote a wonderful personal note in THE WRITER’S JOURNEY when I met him at a local conference about eight years ago. I have lots of signatures from writer friends, but I don’t think of them as celebrities, even though they are! I even chatted via Skype with NYT author Julie Leto just last month or so ago!!
What about you guys? Do you collect autographs? Do you love celebrity gossip? Do you have signed items that you love? Who is the most famous person you’ve ever run into at the airport or at a restaurant or even walking down a city street? And do you enjoy the TMZ mocking as much as I do, LOL? 
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A quick note from Leslie regarding the winners from yesterday:
Maureen # 28 and Lois # 3
Congratulations ladies! Write to me at author@lesliekelly.com and let me know which of my books you’d like, plus your snail mail addy, and I’ll get them right out to you.
Oh, heck, I’m in a good mood. How about five winners instead of two?!?
Barbara-Jo, # 19
Tricia # 44
Jenn C # 9
Congratulations!! And THANK YOU everyone for being such great Americans and voting!!
Welcome to the jungle where the monkeys run wild . . . Carly Phillips, Janelle Denison, Julie Leto, Leslie Kelly
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Hey Alison :wave: I’m not a fan of the paparazzi, but I admit to having seen that show and having been totally hooked on it LOL. Man, the comments, and I recall the one blond cute really young guy who talked about model Helena Christensen, calling her “old and saggy”. Jerk. But it didn’t stop me from watching. Nope, not one bit.
I live in Chicago (‘burbs) and we have our fair share of celebrities around here too, but I don’t head downtown to stalk them. I’d rather meet favorite authors. Recently I got to meet Julia Quinn & Laura Lee Guhrke, and SEP lives in a town about an hour from me, so that gets me giddier than any actor…well except maybe Gerard Butler *g*
It’s sooo great to have you here!
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Stacy – I’ll see celebs on our local news. Dan Aykroyd was recently here for the opening of our new House of Blues, and he was walking downtown in a T-shirt and shorts, LOL! If I traveled, I imagine I’d see more of the rich and famous at the airport, etc. The husband has seen a lot more than I have, as he used to be out there a lot for work in the past.
I’m with you on authors being my celebs of choice!
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Good morning jungle friends and my beloved :danmonk :danmonk…I am on the mend….
I am sorry I have been out of touch for the past couple of weeks…
Welcome to the jungle Alison…I absolutely loved Kiss and Tell…I can’t wait for your next book…guys if you haven’t read it yet, you should…it is definitely worth…Candy was awesome choice for main character’s name…don’t want to give too much away…haha….
I absolutely love collecting autographs from my favorite authors…I collected quite a few this summer at RWA San Fran, which I will treasure for ever….especially those I got from my fav plotmonkeys…I think the most famous person, imo, I met was the coach for the Tennessee women’s basketball team, Pat Summit…she is awesome…I didn’t attack her like I thought I would because I felt she needed her space, but I gawked a little…I actually met her in one of those news stands in the airport…she was looking at books, and I was in awe…oh, does anyone remember Dynasty? Well, as a teen I got an autographed photo of Linda Evans, loved her…I still treasure it, even though one of her lackey’s probably signed it….
Other celebs that I have met and have autographs for are the monkeys…they were the reason I went to SF in the first place…it was good to get autos from some of the other authors I like, but I had to make sure that I got theirs first…
Maybe next time, I will get to meet you and get your, because I am digging your style…
What an awesome election year!!!
Talk to you all later…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Welcome to the Jungle, Alison! Great to have another BLAZE author visit.
I have never been on the TMZ web site nor do I keep up with celeb news except for what I read on the front of rag sheets and magazines when I’m in the check out line at the grocery store or the drugstore. The only thing I have signed by a celeb is Michael Caine. He wrote his autobiography and had a signing at the Tattered Cover. He was so gracious and warm.
I too get gaga over my favorite authors. When I see one of them at national I find myself wanting to curtsy. The first really famous author I saw was years ago when Nora came to Denver for a book signing. I was a very green writer at the time so it was like meeting a goddess. I couldn’t talk. I was stunned speechless and then after I left I got all emotional. It was weird.
So glad the election is over!
Have a great day all,
Cher :gobbler:
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Paula R – So glad you enjoyed KISS & TELL! I missed going to SF this year, but love to go to the literacy reception at RWA’s conferences so I can act like a fan girl!!:cheer:
Cher – I don’t visit the TMZ site either, but the thirty minute recap show is on here on Fox at the same time as the local news airs on the other stations. Since I often watch the early news, I watch TMZ then! Just hysterical at times! :happy2:
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My husband once saw the guy who hosts “Talk Soup’ (before he was on the SOUP) in a used record store. At the time, he was a local comedian (on a local comedy show, similar to SNL).
No other brushes with fame (yes, I like TMZ, I only look at it when something full of drama happens).
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New emoticons!
:bigturk
G’morning, Alison! Welcome to the Jungle! I live in the middle of Oklahoma but I’m managed to meet my share of celebrities. The late Ben Johnson (cowboy actor actually best known for “The Last Picture Show”). Robert Conrad (Wild, Wild West and Baa, Baa Black Sheep). Actor Sam Elliott (whom I fell into a potted plant over –
– Yes, Alannah, that’s another story, too. ). Actor Barry Corbin. Toby Keith. I used to hang out with a bunch of Dallas Cowboy players when I was young, single and exiled in Dallas by my job. Yes, I met the cast of Dallas while there (was even in some of the crowd shots of the show when they filmed near my office building at it was lunch time). Have I bored ya’ll to death? The list is longer. I think I just manage to be in the right place sometimes and other than Sam, I don’t tend to loose my cool and make a complete :bootyshak: of myself.
I have a few “celebrity” signatures but I have more autographs on books (though I haven’t always been fortunate enough to actually meet the author) and through RWA, OKRWA, and here, I’m at least meeting (either RL or online) a goodly number of lovely ladies who write romance.
I figure I can’t come out from under my rock (where I’ve tried to hide from the election) for at least a week until the talking heads stop analyzing it. Good thing I’m heads down
the newest project. Have a great day all!
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Dudettes! Remind me not to try to type and think at the same time until I’ve had a least one
My inner editor is
over those typos. But my mea culpa gives me another chance for EMOTICONS! :gobbler: :givethaks that y’all can type and spell better’n me! :givethanks
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Welcome Alison! I have Kiss & Tell in my TBR pile right now. I live in Nashville, so you can see country music stars almost everyday. I have seen Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban a few times in Starbucks. My friend got to meet Jon Bon Jovi in Starbucks several years ago(seems to be a pattern for seeing stars). I’ve never really gone up to any of the people I see. I do love to get books authographed by authors. I’ve never watched TMZ, but read People magazine every week.
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Silver – I would probably fall into a potted plant over Sam, too!
Liza – How fun to have real Starbucks sightings! I really can’t believe I haven’t seen more celebs in person, especially when I worked in the heart of downtown Houston for so many years and was out and about, but never have!
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Welcome, Alison! Always happy to have you here! I’m not a celebrity stalker. I get excited when I get the occasional autograph but then I don’t know what to do with it a year or so later, when it’s cluttering the house, LOL! I’ll pick up your book next time I’m in the store!
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Hi, Alison!! I’m not much for celebrity watching, but I do love my signed books
I haven’t had the pleasure of actually meeting my favorite authors in person yet, but I’m looking forward to doing that someday!
Here’s the smilie my youngest picked: :yumturk
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Most of the celebs I’ve met are musicians– Bono, Eddie Vedder, the guys from Offspring. Although, the first time I met SEP was very exciting– I babbled like an idiot.
Others I’ve seen on the street date back to my L.A. days– Johnny Depp, Brooke Shields, Chris Rock. It is my everlasting, sorrow, however, that I haven’t seen Matt Damon anywhere– no matter how hard I look X17
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I don’t watch many of the TV gossip shows-but I do watch Entertainment Tonight when I have the chance. While I think it would be beyond cool to meet some of my favorite actors/actresses, I can say quite honestly that I would rather meet my favorite authors. Actors typically live a life that I cannot relate to and writers seem like real people- and they remain accessible to fans (blogs, contests, signings etc). I go absolutely ga-ga over winning an ARC, I love having books signed, and I would love to actually meet authors. Reading is my hobby and when I have that rare spare minute I can be found with my nose in a book.
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Probably the most well know person I’ve gotten an autograph from is Former President Clinton. Back when he was President-Elect, he visited his physician in Little Rock. I worked in a dentist’s office next door and went out to get his autograph.
I’m really not an autograph seeker though. If one falls into my lap, like in the above story, fine – but I don’t go out of my way to get them.
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I already picked up Kiss & Tell! :devilbanana
Yes, I’m guility of watching TMZ, and occasionally checking out the site, too, if something is going on with a certain celebrity. My guilty pleasure is getting my weekly US magazine in the mail. It keeps updated on all the celeb stuff — though I don’t know why it fascinates me in the first place!
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I’m not as much into celebrity gossip as I used to be. It’s basically just the same scenarios happenning over and over again, just to different celebrities.
I have only met two celebrities, John Michael Montgomery and Kenny Chesney, and I got both of their autographs. I love my John Michael Montgomery autograph. I was crazy about him when I was a teenager and it was so exciting to finally meet him.
I have never met any authors but have always wanted to. I do have a book signed by you, Alison, and by Leslie but it’s not the same as meeting you in person and seeing you sign it. Besides all the plotmonkeys and Alison, I would love to meet Lori Foster, Nicholas Sparks, Linda Howard, and Linda Lael Miller.
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I’m reading galleys today that are due back on Friday, so I’m doing a lot of nodding and laughing as I read comments, but am not able to check in as often as I like. I love that we all enjoy meeting our authors! I had Nora do a Q&A on my blog last year, and was like blown away that she agreed to do it! I’ve also emailed with Tess Gerritsen, and she is the most gracious person ever. I went to one of her signings once, but missed out on seeing her due to some mix up. I always watch her schedule to see if she’s touring down this way!
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Hi, Alison! I’m not really into celebrity gossip and pretty much ignore it and the celebrities themselves. The only signed things I have are some books the authors have signed for me after winning a contest – thank you, Leslie! :wave:
As for a celebrity sighting, though, I did see Diedrich Bader (formerly of The Drew Carey Show) in the French Quarter of New Orleans last July. He was walking on the street while my brother, his friend, and I were looking for the guy who was running our treasure hunt so we could get our packet of clues to figure out in New Orleans that day. As I was looking, I spotted Diedrich, who looked at me at the same moment and then waved at me from half a block away.
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Hello, Fellow Houstonian,
Living in this city there are always celebrities around and about! Seen up close and personally: President
Lyndon B. Johnson, President George H. W. Bush, Rockets Coach Rudy T., Houston Oilers Coach Bum Phillips, Fred Willis & Dan Pastorini & the Houston Oilers football team (@ the airport), a variety of area government officials and astronauts, and in nursing school, I scrubbed for Dr.Michael DeBakey and his team and for Dr. Denton Cooley, himself!!
Pat Cochran
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I am a little bit more awake….I will have to say that if I ran into a Soapbox Queen or Plotmonkey, I would probably hide.
I love my People magazine. I don’t know why. Perhaps because my life is stressful (not that I don’t enjoy it, but it is busy) and need some escapism. Thus the reason I read romance.
I got your book and it is on my TBR pile.
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Didn’t you run into Wayne Dolcefino once too?
I used to go to show and meets the bands and get autographs all the time. But you know that already.
You’re my one true celebrity and hero! :flower4you:
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Awww, #2! (My daughter!)
Yes, I did run into Wayne, almost literally, in Linens ‘n Things near the house! Who knew he lived out here.
For those NOT in Houston, Wayne is this annoying investigative reporter with a Napoleon complex. And he’s really about that tall, too. Er, short.
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wtg winners
:bigturk :gobbler:
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Hey, Allison,
If I had run into Dolcefino, I would have run quickly in the opposite
direction! I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who feels he
is a total aggravation!!
Pat Cochran
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Pat – I’m sure he does some good work, but most of the time I just flip the channel when he comes on because I can’t deal with him. And during Ike? Oh, major aggravation, grrr!
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Welcome to the Jungle Alison. I’ve enjoyed many of your books. I’ll be looking for Kiss & Tell.
I’ve never watched TMZ but I do watch Entertainment Tonight. There are some celebrities I enjoy hearing about. Sometimes it is on & I don’t pay to much attention to it!!
At RWA I was luck enough to meet all the Plotmonkeys & get signed books. A great experience, all gracious ladies.
I also met Jill Shalvis, Lori Borrill (she is almost a neighbor!!), Roxanne St. Clair and a couple of others. It was a fun experience.
I just have to share this with all of you. When I was about 12 or 13 I was spending some of my summer in Bend, OR with my grandma. My uncle & aunt also lived there & had a small travel agency in the lobby of the hotel (at that time I think it was the only hotel there). Anyway, Kirk Douglas was filming a movie there along with other actors that few people would know. I got to meet almost all the cast, got authographs, hung out in the lobby in the afternoon when they were all coming in from filming. Some of the minor actors were so nice to me, talked to me almost everyday and treated me very well. Michael Douglas & his brother visited Kirk during this time so I saw Michael when he was just a little boy. My claim to fame is tripping Kirk Douglas!!!
I was sitting in a chair by my uncle’s desk when Kirk came out of the bar, he was looking over his shoulder talking to some one & tripped on the chair I was sitting in!! He was most apologetic & I was star struck!! No he wasn’t drunk!! I have some other celebrity stories but I don’t want to make this long post any longer!!!
Thanks for letting me share that story. I still have the autograph book with all their signatures. It was such a fun time for me at a young age.
Love all the new icons! :bigturk :gobbler:
:givethaks I’m giving thanks the election is over!!!! :jiveturkey:
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Hm, I actually don’t know much about TMZ other than it exists :X Haha, I feel so boring. Ah well.
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Donna M – I love that story! My husband tells one of being a kid in Connecticut, and riding his bike up to a stop sign where Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were in their car. They lived in the same area!
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You have Tami Hoag’s autograph?! She’s so awesome. I’ve never been into the whole celebrity watching thing. I like Talk Show with Spike Ferguson when he does idiot paparazzi. It’s pretty funny when they chase normal people who don’t even look like the star they’re calling them. :jumpleaf These smiley’s are awesome!
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Totally forgot to mention my celebrity sitings. Had the lead singer of the band Emery approach me and ask where he could buy some weed. Had the drummer of Atreyu ask directions to a stage at Warped tour. Got autographs from the rest of the band and Fall Out Boy. I was dehydrated when I got FOB and totally blacked out while talking to Peter Wentz. That was embarrassing. My friend was like, “Dude, he was talkin to you and you just stood there!” What a dumbass I am!!
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Hi Alison–thanks so much for being here!!
I have had a few celebrity encounters. Particularly when staking out stage doors in NYC. Met Bernadette Peters after seeing her in Gypsy (she was wonderful. Brooke Shields was also sitting nearby that night!) Met Hugh Jackman after seeing him in Boy From Oz (YUM!) Also met John Lithgow after Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Sat right in front of Gary Cole at Wicked, and after that show my family met Idina Menzel & Taye Diggs. My kids also met most of the cast of Spamalot, including Tim Curry (love him!)
I love New York.
Hubby used to see celebs at the space center when we lived in Florida. They filmed scenes from Space Cowboys right on his floor and he was in the bathroom with Tommy Lee Jones and watched Clint Eastwood & James Garner during filming. And they were right down the hall doing Armageddon and he was joking around with Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis! (Demi Moore and her kids were there with him when he was making that movie and all of them ended up at a Cocoa Beach church carnival, making all kinds of local headlines!)
I also confess to being star-struck when meeting some of my fave authors including Linda Lael Miller and Jayne Anne Krentz. Wow!
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Oh, celebrity sightings! Love them!
I met Tommy Shaw, the guitarist for the rock band, Styx, back when I was in college. (This was the night of the infamous red leather miniskirt.) I might have gotten his autograph, but I know I got a kiss. On the cheek.
I met Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) after he appeared in The Nerd on Broadway. He was brilliant…as was Peter Reigert, who was also in the play. (He was in Animal House). We met him before the show and then afterward, he stopped by our table at Sardi’s to ask if we liked the show. We (my friend and I) were all of twenty-one, so I think we looked particularly cute. He was really nice.
I met Oprah Winfrey once, too…sort of. I was in a coffee shop in Chicago early one Sunday morning when a black woman with no make up, a hat and sunglasses came in and got herself a coffee. She was right next to me, putting cream and sweetener in her cup, when I realized who she was. I was with a friend who would have gone nuts and made a big scene, so I very quietly whispered to her, “Excuse me, but I just wanted to say I love your show.” She smiled and said a very quiet thanks. When she left, I saw she’d been driving a very hot red sports car and the valet outside the hotel next door was watching it for her. She was in and out in five minutes. My friend was so mad at me! But he would have embarrassed her and caused a scene. I know this because he did it when he went to the Superbowl with my husband and they met Tony Randall in the hotel lobby.
I hope Oprah was grateful!
Alison, thanks so much for blogging today. Great topic!!!
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I’m not really into celebrity gossip, except for a select few. I’m envious of my sister, she got to meet Lynda Carter and she is my all time favorite actress. At the top of the list with Lynda Carter is Barbara Eden. I would love to just sit and have coffee (or something) with her and just chat. She seems really funny.
Yes, I’m stuck in the past. I don’t even know half the names of today’s celebrities.
I did take a ballroom dance class at the community college I attended in Orlando, FL, and Howie, from the Backstreet boys was in my class. This was before they became known all over. We participated in the same dance competition, though we weren’t partnered together. He was very good. And a really nice guy. I ran into him a few times afterwards, and he gave me his phone number, but sometime after the band became famous, he changed his number to an unlisted one and I never ran into him again.
I’ve met a famous Portuguese singer, Jorge Fereirra. When I was a teenager (living in CT), he and his band used to play often at the local Portuguese restaurant and I always went. I had several cassettes signed by him too.
That’s it for celebrities and me…Unless you count my cousin. She was once Miss Southern New England.
Debbie
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I’ve loved everyone’s stories of celebrity sightings today! Thanks for stopping by to share!
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