All posts tagged celebrities

A girl with a dream

This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me

Throw your sticks and stones

Throw your bombs and your blows

But you’re not gonna break my soul

This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me

- Katy Perry

When I was writing the draft of my MS (I don’t like to call it a novel until it’s published) Sticks & Stones, Katy Perry released her single Part of Me. I immediately heard the title of my MS in the song and realised the message of the song fit the theme of my story. In fact, it could have be an anthem for my main character. It was the first of several songs I heard while I was writing that had the lyric “sticks and stones” in it. At the time, I noted on Facebook that I hoped this was a good sign. We shall wait and see whether it was

At the weekend, I watched Katy’s film Part of Me – part documentary and part concert DVD. I would have called myself a mild fan of Ms Perry but actually I have both her albums so I may have been deluding myself. After watching the film, I’m fully on board with her. I found it hugely inspiring to watch her journey. When she started out, she struggled to be heard in the music industry – record labels wanted her to sing what they wanted her to sing but she stuck to her vision, she wanted to be herself and five years of hard work paid off when her first single was finally released and went huge.

For anyone who has a dream in life then listening to her story will definitely help you. Her manager notes that when things were hard, when she had no money and no record deal, he didn’t give up because Katy didn’t give up. There have been moments I’m sure for anyone working to make it when you consider giving up. When you face rejection you want to crawl away and hide. I’ve sat in front of my computer and thought wow my writing sucks, why am I doing this? But I knew I loved what I was doing and wanted to carry on doing it. I don’t know if my writing dream will come true but I’m glad I didn’t give up when I wanted to because I’ve already come further on my journey than I thought I ever could.

Even if you’re not a fan of Katy Perry, her success has been amazing. And when she started out she was just a girl with a dream.

Do stories like this help you to follow your dreams?

Victoria

xoxo

22 Comments

by Victoria-writes on November 12, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Celebrity, inspiration, Music

Tagged celebrities, inspiration, Katy Perry, music, Part of Me

Posted by Victoria-writes on November 12, 2012

http://victoria-writes.com/2012/11/12/a-girl-with-a-dream/

Coachella cool

Every year I get completely jealous when I see photos of the Coachella music festival in California. Cool people, trendy bands, fashion fun and lovely warm weather. Festivals over here are usually about the rain and mud in comparison. Hopefully one year I’ll get to go myself but for now, here are my favourite outfits from the event.

Fab summer dressing, love it!

Anyone going to any festivals this year?

Vix

35 Comments

by Victoria-writes on April 27, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Celebrity, Fashion

Tagged celebrities, Coachella, fashion, festivals

Posted by Victoria-writes on April 27, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/04/27/coachella-cool/

I’m a celebrity so I write books

I read the news that British TV presenter Tess Dahly (Strictly come Dancing) has been given a fiction book deal with a sigh. The trend for celeb fiction writing is growing and that seems to spell disaster for us wannabe writers. Publishers are stumping up big advances to pay for a name to write a book, which may be sub-par, whilst new writers will get a tiny advance, they may actually been more talented at the craft but can’t compete. Obviously publishers are hoping fans of the celebrity buy the book in big numbers, regardless of actually how good it is.

The celebs with fiction book deals ….

Tess Daly
Katie Price
Kerry Katona
Sharon Osbourne
Lauren Conrad
Hilary Duff
Martine McCutcheon
Cheryl Cole
Ulrike Johnson
Fern Britton
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

There is also the question of whether the celebrities actually write the book themselves. Katie Price for instance has a “ghost writer” – she says she comes up with the plot and the writer puts it on paper. As we know, plot is only part of what it takes to create a novel – it’s also about language, style, tone, pace – I could go on. It seems that as long as the celeb name is on there to draw people in, how much they actually work on the book is irrelevant.

Most of the celeb authors tend to stick to the chick-lit genre, probably because it appeals to such a wide audience and their fans. Hilary Duff, however, has written one in the young adult fantasy genre, my favourite, so maybe I need to shallow my pride and check it out. It might even be good

I just hope that this growing trend doesn’t push out new authors as a result. We need a diverse publishing industry so everyone can enjoy reading because I personally love a good book regardless of who has written it. So the moral of this story – more good books please!

Have you read a celeb fiction book – did you enjoy it? What do you think of this trend?

Vix

22 Comments

by Victoria-writes on April 8, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Celebrity, Writing

Tagged books, celebrities, celebrity, getting published, publishing, writing

Posted by Victoria-writes on April 8, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/04/08/im-a-celebrity-so-i-write-books/

Is Twitter the new Marmite?

I once tried Twitter. Last year, I thought I’d give it a go curious about the hype and quite fancying becoming a celeb stalker online as well as in print (yes I’m the person in the office people go to for ask celeb questions!) but I dropped it almost immediately. I did not get it. Firstly, none of my friends were on Twitter so I was reduced to following celebs who never follow back and trying to jump into conversations amongst strangers with no clue how to get my own followers. I was also unconvinced I’d have anything worth saying in under 140 characters.

I feel like Twitter is a love or hate thing. Some people spend their lives on it and seem to build up a huge network, others can’t understand the appeal, and these people may or may not use Facebook or blog instead, like me.

What has struck me lately is that some people can’t make their minds if they love it or hate it. Celebs seem to first embrace Twitter, building up a following and using it to thanks their fans or berate the press. Then the love affair ends. They flee Twitter, suddenly embarrassed about how they tweet every part of their lives and have more connections online than offline. Then they do a 180 and go back to it like an addiction they just couldn’t break.

Two cases – Miley Cyrus and Lily Allen.

Last year, Miley a popular Twitterer abandoned the site claiming it was taking up too much of her time and was making her forget to live. A quote at the time (found from goggle):

“I was that person who was like, ‘I’m so sad. I have no real, normal life, everyone knows what I’m doing’, and I’m like, well that’s my own fault because I’m telling everyone.

“I just think it’s kind of lame. I feel like I hang out with my friends and they’re so busy taking pictures of what they’re doing and putting them on Facebook that they’re not really enjoying what they’re doing … So I think just enjoy the moment you’re in, and stop telling people about it. Just enjoy it.”

This week, Miley posted on her record label Rock Mafia’s page on the social networking site at the weekend, declaring she would use the site when she needed to speak out. Is her own page just a short step away?

Back in 209, Lily Allen also fled the site along with all of her electronic devices – her laptop and Blackberry and stopped emailing. Her last message on Twitter read:

“I am a neo-luddite, goodbye.”

This year she has returned however, posting to her fans to denounce her new documentary on TV as not representing who she is.

Why the turn around?

Both mentioned boyfriends when they quit Twitter, mentioning they wanted to spend more time with them and the boyfriend’s confusion about how much time they spent on Twitter and the like. Miley is now no longer with Liam Hemsworth and has suffered some setbacks press wise – hello lap-dancing, drug taking and her parents relationship issues. Lily has also suffered in her personal life, her tragic miscarriage and constant press intrusion and the fact her new show revealed she suffered an eating disorder.

Both seem keen to get back online to tell their own stories, for people to get the words from them and not the press or PR. What the men in their lives think about the return to Twitter, I don’t know. Maybe breaking with Twitter gave them more perspective and they’ll use it more sparingly and perhaps wisely in the future. Time will have to tell.

I remain unconvinced about me finding love for Twitter but I do understand the need to use the online world to speak out, to share your voice with the world and to tell the truth from your own lips.

So do you love or hate Twitter?

(What about Marmite? I hate it )

Vix

25 Comments

by Victoria-writes on March 25, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Celebrity, Musings, Pop culture, Technology

Tagged celebrities, Lily Allen, Miley Cyrus, musings, pop culture, technology, Twitter

Posted by Victoria-writes on March 25, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/03/25/is-twitter-the-new-marmite/

Talking it out (but not to dogs)

Mariah Carey is reportedly putting her dogs into therapy so they won’t get jealous of her twins when they arrive. I mean – seriously?! That lady is hilarious and just a little crazy. But hey if I lived with her, I’d probably need therapy too. Good luck twins, you’re going to need it

This actually got me thinking about therapy though. I went through a stage of wanting to be a counsellor until I saw how much work it is and how there was no way I could fit it all in but I am fascinated about how people can talk their way through problems and how counsellors can really add value to people’s lives. I’m talking about people with actual issues though – someone who has been through grief or addictions or been a victim in some way.

I’m not talking about celebs who need to go for abnormally high self-esteem! It is mind-boggling to think about what they actually talk about with their therapists, I’d love to be a fly on the wall! Maybe I’m being harsh, some obviously do struggle in the limelight but why choose it then?!

I’ve never gone to a therapist or counsellor myself, even suffering through the loss of a parent when I was a child. I don’t know if it would have helped then or not. Sometimes, like everyone, I struggle with things but I rely on my own analysing and the support of those around me to get through it, I haven’t turned to a professional. I think it’s great though if you choose to get help that way for a genuine issue, particulary if you’re unable to talk to those close to you or if there is no-one you can share things with.

It’s a shame though that the whole therapy thing has been twisted for so many and it’s part of the course for celebrities to have their ‘shrink’ and now apparently dogs too as well!

I’m reminded of the episode of Sex and the City when Carrie is forced to see a therapist because her friends are tired of listening to her over-analyse her relationship with Mr Big. She ends up sleeping with Jon Bon Jovi, another guy who is no good. Therapy it seems can be ironic too!

Is Mariah Carey making a laughing-stock of therapy?

Vix

30 Comments

by Victoria-writes on March 16, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Celebrity, Life, Musings

Tagged celebrities, life, Mariah Carey, musings, therapy

Posted by Victoria-writes on March 16, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/03/16/talking-it-out-but-not-to-dogs/

Celebrity craziness

So another week, another celeb meltdown. Only this time there’s been two very public meltdowns – Charlie Sheen whose rants on TV and Twitter have led to his children being taking away and Christina Aguilera who was arrested for being drunk and whose boyfriend was arrested for drink driving.

Sigh. What is it about being a celebrity that makes you so likely to literally crack up?

These people have money, fame, the world at their feet yet they throw it away on drink or drugs or crazy lifestyles like Charlie living with two women and end up having brushes with the police, checking into rehab and often losing all their work and respect - hello Lindsay Lohan.

I often wonder why is it so many go off the rails? Of course, there are many who stay out of the tabloids and concentrate on work but there are so many cases of people going crazy on fame. I suppose insecurities are magnified in the public eye, you’re busy travelling so you can’t sustain relationships with family or partners, people will do whatever you ask so your demands get wilder and you have so much money you spend it on frivolous things that will never make you happy or that make you so high / drunk you can’t focus on the work that made you actually rich and famous to start with.

It does make me angry though because there are so many people who have nothing in this world, who could not even begin to imagine the lives these people head and the opportunities they have yet they waste it all and throw it away. Yet they also expect us to feels sympathy for them – to share their woes and think they are amazing for trying to get help.

What would earn our respect so much more is if they didn’t lose it in the first place but used their position to do some good whilst they rake in the millions. And if they stopped bleating to anyone who will hear about how they are struggling - it’s your own fault! Note to Charlie Sheen – yes it’s sad your children were taken away but how about some responsbility from you as to why that happened? No, I thought not!

Why do you think celebs go off the rails? should we have sympathy for them? How would you live if you had their lives?

Vix x

9 Comments

by Victoria-writes on March 5, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Celebrity, Musings

Tagged celebrities, Charlie Sheen, Christine Aguilera, musings

Posted by Victoria-writes on March 5, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/03/05/celebrity-craziness/