These days, being a great writer will only take you so far. Good looks will get you media coverage.

In the September 2009 issue of, The Writer, I found an interesting article on page 8, about “The marketing of an author’s image.”

According to Harper Collins editor Gail Winston, attractive authors, “get a little bit of an advantage” when marketing their books.

Nicholas Latimer, director of publicity at Knopf, told National Public Radio what he heard from an editor at People magazine: “If you have an attractive-looking author, there’s a better chance that your book will get reviewed.”

This may not sound fair to struggling writers, but we live in a society where the media and consumers worship celebrity. So what can we do about it?

Perhaps authors should ask for a publicity and a plastic surgery advance in their contract with their publisher. (Yeah, right. I can just see that happening in the near future.)

With advances running between $500-$2,000 for unknown authors, it seems that writers today, not only have to be extremely talented, but also millionaires before they can get published.

Example of a writers out-of-pocket expenses:

1) WRITING CLASSES

University extension classes: $1,000
Local writers conferences, including hotels: $2,000
Freelance editorial fees: $1,500-$3,000
Other workshops, writers’ retreats, writers’ clubs: $800
Total: $6,000

2) PUBLICITY

Hiring a publicist: $3,000-$5,000/month. Easily $15,000 total
Media Training? no clue. Perhaps they’re included in publicist’s fees. Anyone know?
TOTAL: $15,000

3) PLASTIC SURGERY

If you’re over 40 and you want media coverage, maybe you need to budget. If you’re under 40, then no worries.
$15,000-$25,000 Facelift
Botox, Juvederm, MicroDermabrasion
TOTAL: $30,000

4) DENTAL

Teeth Whitening, other dental work, depending.
TOTAL: $500-$3,000

5) CLOTHING

Suits, clothing, accessories:
TOTAL: $2,000

If my calculations are right:
Author pays out $56,000, and receives $500 advance from publisher.

$56,000-$500 = $55,500 total out-of-pocket expenses for author. Sounds FAIR to me (Ahem!).

Please share your thoughts on this topic, whether you’re an aspiring author, already an author, or if you care to share your opinion.

I’m curious if this is the same for writers in other parts of the world.

Mix blogging, cooking and Paris, and what do you have? A recipe for success.

As an avid blogger, and an optimist who plugs in her cell phone every Sunday night, just in case Random House calls first thing Monday, I’m convinced Nora Ephron made “Julie and Julia,” just for me.

When I first saw the trailer for “Julie and Julia” two months ago, Meryl Streep, in the role of Julia Child, propelled me to my kitchen where I circled Friday August 7th with a giant red Target-like ring. Thanks to Meryl, I forgot my twenty-third wedding anniversary on August 10th.

What fascinated me in Julie and Julia, wasn’t only the life of Julia Child in Paris, but the way the publishing world works, and how an ordinary employee, bored with her day job, could get 70-80 publishers, agents and media people calling her, thanks to her blog being discovered, and one interview.

According to Drew McWeeny from HITFIX “Nora Ephron, thanks to this film and “You’ve Got Mail,” has emerged as one of the few filmmakers who seems to be actively chronicling the way the Internet is changing us socially. I don’t think anyone’s captured the lifestyle of a blogger on film until now, and the little ways they get it right impressed me.”

Catherine Sanderson, an English author I blogged about here, also succeeded in receiving media attention from her blog as an English expat living in Paris.

I’m trying to follow the footsteps of both Julie and Catherine Sanderson, and on Sunday, August 9th, received the best present I could wish for when my blog post was picked up by the OC Register, The Mom Blog. My wedding anniversary gift in disguise.

If you’ve seen the movie, what did you think?

Do you like the way the Internet is changing how we promote ourselves as writers, business owners, professionals?

Please add any other thoughts or comments that can stimulate a discussion.

Jordan still groggy, woke up to say “goodbye” to his brother Austin, on the right.

Driving Austin to his first day of college at the University of California Santa Barbara required leaving our house at 5:45 a.m., to beat traffic through the heart of Los Angeles.

As with most activities in California, freeway driving takes patience. I’ve spent years of my life standing in line, especially at Disneyland and Universal Studios where lines are so long, I’ve witnessed the birth of several new varicose veins on my legs. Patience is the only way to stay sane in Los Angeles.

According to my husband, I still haven’t mastered the art of patience, but what do you expect after living in Paris for 15 years where cutting in line, is an art in itself.

With a bicycle and a surf board attached to the roof of my husband’s yellow Chevy Aveo, Austin had all he needed to start a successful college career at UCSB.

Once on campus, we followed signs and waited patiently in snake formation, to off load Austin’s belongings. Staff and students waved us along, welcoming us with warm smiles. This made the waiting rather pleasant.

With giant hampers on wheels waiting for each student to dump their stuff: computers, printers, bikes and suitcases were being tossed inside. Everything ran smoothly.

Austin checked off items on the list. The lights worked, the bed and mattress were there etc.

The bike made it.

The nine foot surf board made it. Basically all the important stuff for college at UCSB, made it.

When I said “Goodbye,” to Austin during lunch, I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his peers, so I hugged him and turned away.

Two days later, I walked past his open door and peeked inside. Everything was missing except for his electronic keyboard, and the lyrics and notes to Bob Marley’s song, “One Love,” which Austin had been practicing the week before. The tears started as I looked at his favorite childhood photo from pre-school: the one with him sitting cross-legged and smiling, holding onto some giant crayola crayons.

It finally hit me that he was gone. Soon he will grow up to become a man, a husband with a wife and his own family. My little boy is now gone.