My Daughter Has Big Plans for My Book

That gorgeous young lady in the photo to the left is my daughter Amber Rose. She's bubbly, funny, and sweet. I'm one lucky mom. Because Amber has major plans for my book How to Court a Duke.


On Friday night after we got home from the movies, Amber couldn't find anything on TV to watch. She wished for another book like Twilight to read. The romance between Edward and Bella really captivated her. So while I mused over which of the hundreds of romances on my keeper shelf to give her, she said, "Mom, can I read your book?"


I printed out 100 pages of How to Court a Duke, figuring she would stop reading long before she reached the last printed page. After all, she'd told me several times she didn't like historical settings. She's more of a Sophie Kinsella kind of girl. She started reading,and a bit later, she asked me to print out more. I blinked and said, "I'm out of paper."

She demanded I go get more paper.


By now, it was 10 PM, so I told her it was too late. That frustrated her. Finally, she decided to read it on the computer. Once again, I figured she'd abandon my manuscript for the lures of Facebook or texting her friends. Nope, she kept reading. At one point, she gasped. So we had a discussion about the plot point that surprised her. She kept reading and started laughing again. Naturally, I just had to know what she found so funny. At one point, she told me to be quiet because I was interrupting the love scene. I decided this was my cue to go to bed.


Late Saturday morning, she woke up and told me she'd cried while reading. So I explained about the black moment. Then she said she'd cried at the end when the hero, Tristan, proposed to Tessa. To my utter astonishment, I realized she'd read the entire book.

I confess I teared up a little bit.


Then came the Big Plan. Amber concocted the idea of writing to Oprah about my book. Amber is a bit like me. She has lots of ideas and a wild imagination. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "Honey, Oprah doesn't buy books, and mine is in Submission Land."

Amber: "Yeah, but those editors will buy your book if you end up on Oprah."

Me: "Yes, but ..."

Amber: "I'm writing to her. I'm going to tell her all about how you're a single mom and went back to college and ..."

Me: "That's nice, dear, but remember I have a Great Agent."

Amber: "Can I play Tessa in the movie? Do I look like her?"

Me: "Sure. You could play her in this hypothetical movie."

Amber: "No, I'm serious. Does Tristan look like Rob Pattinson?"

Me: "No, he actually looks quite a bit like Henry Cavill." I find a photo of Henry online.

Amber (frowning): "No, I want Rob Pattinson. He's British, too."

Me: "Henry is British."

Amber: "No, it has to be Rob. He has blue eyes like Tristan."

Me: "Rob it is."


In the comment section, please vote: Henry or Rob ...

Hollywood, here we come. Right after a stop in Chicago.

I love you, Amber!