When I was in high school and college and I imagined myself at almost 31, I could never have envisioned what would be. I didn’t think I’d end up a single mom, working in the travel industry and searching for myself and my confidence again and again. I had no clue my love of books and my need to write my way through my feelings would someday give me the title of blogger, or especially, a blogger who gets invited to book launches and author meet and greets with some of New York’s press and PR and blogging elite.
Pause for a moment and think about that: events, parties, press, ME. Cyber-pinch me, people.
But that’s exactly what life is like for me these days.
Last Monday I took a train into New York City and after a slight navigational error (oops), I found my way to Yotel New York, an uberhip-looking hotel right near Times Square.
When I say uberhip, think neon purple lighting at the entrance and a futuristic interior, filled with both modern furniture and people. Somewhere in there was Jackie Collins, top-selling and well known novelist and my current interviewee, with a new book called quite aptly The Power Trip.
I was already late, feeling a little embarrassed for my knack at getting lost even when I’m sure I know exactly where I’m going. So I felt like the nerd trying to fit in with the cool kids, the loser about to enter a world I didn’t belong in, the powerless outsider joining some of the influential writers and journalists and blog-Gods of the literary circle…
power trips indeed.
Cue the woman I’ve become, the one who takes a deep breath and steps forward even when it’s the hardest thing to do.
I stepped through glass doors into a room filled with people all mesmerized by a quiet British accent in the corner, a voice that resonated with strength and self-awareness and a bit of raunchy humor.
And then it was all sushi and laughter, old friends and new, and you know, playing a trivia game and posing for pictures with Jackie Collins-
Jackie Collins and I are so empowered we emit a white glow… which no amount of photoshop could completely hide. We’re that awesome 
the usual New York night.
It was a reminder that I AM part of this world. I AM meant for hors d’oeuvres and open-minded conversation.
I AM A POWERFUL PERSON.
And so it was that I learned that the author of The Power Trip is invested in strong characters with major flaws and just as major desires and dreams. That she believes in women using their own intelligence and power instead of their sexuality in professional relationships, but also that a woman’s sexuality isn’t something to be afraid of or kept hidden away because of outdated social mores and considerations. That an early experience as the wife to an addict left her broken in some ways and even more capable in others.
Hmmm, it seemed like Jackie Collins was someone I could actually get along with very well!
The novelist was captivating and sexy in person, and her writing is even more so.
Full of the escapades and private lives of the rich and famous, this new book gives you a glimpse into how the other half lives-
money, sex, manipulation, self-doubts, addictions, and the art of preserving a perfectly crafted public image.
In addition to the salaciousness of the characters’ bedroom scenes, the novel also becomes a bit of a thriller and a cautionary tale to those who think their celebrity status gives them any real power.
Jackie Collins warns them all about how little they truly have control over, and how quickly they, too can feel powerless.
If all this isn’t to your liking, think about it this way: this book is your very own Spring Break, an escape from your reality that Jackie calls “a sexy, sun-drenched thriller.”
So even if you’re stuck working and waiting for winter to go away, The Power Trip will give you an escape route to a luxury yacht off the coast of Cabo San Lucas.
And if you’re like me and you have moments of insecurity or wondering if you really can identify with the uberhip lifestyle, this book reveals the simple truth that even the ultracool and ultra-famous are just people inside, damaged and seductive, powerful but nowhere near perfect.
And we can join them you guys. We can start by taking a deep breath and stepping into their world, because once we do it’s absolutely clear:
we belong here. This is our world, too. We are full of power, and we’re just getting started.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Get Red PR, as in, they invited me to an event to meet and interview the author and stuffed me full of tasty appetizers and fancy drinks while I did it. No request to share any particular point of view was made. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and that includes thinking I’m one of the uberhip…and that I’ll always be a nerd at heart.
