Greetings from Orlando!

Submitted by Lisa Steadman on April 30, 2007 - 7:15 pm

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Ah, the glamorous life of a recently-published author. The VIP treatment at swanky hotels, the jet-setting at someone else’s expense, the personal stylist. NOT.

Greetings from Orlando! I’m literally in town for 24 hours for my iVillage Live taping which happened this morning. I think things went really well but haven’t seen the actual broadcast so who knows? In any event, the folks at iVillage Live were fantastic. The crew, hosts, staff were all very welcoming and friendly which made my job – promoting my book in two segments about celebrity divorce and surviving divorce – so much easier.  And yes, they had fab hair and makeup people on set who redid my sorry attempt at made-for-TV glam. (Thanks, Ladies)

While I’m killing time waiting for my return flight, I thought I’d comment on the faux glamour of it all. Yes, I flew to Orlando to tape a tv show. And yes I stayed at the super swank Hard Rock Hotel complete with rock memorabilia at every turn. And yes, my book comes out this week. But that’s where the fabulous glamour ends. Yours truly footed the bill during my stay. This is what nobody tells you when you write a book – how much work and expense there is.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. I’m just exposing the reality of the sitch. I got up at 6 am this morning to workout (I’m a cranky beast if I don’t), do my own hair and makeup, iron (a first!) my clothes, and wait for the toothpaste the Concierge allegedly sent over last night.  Oh yes, and wait for the 7 am breakfast I ordered yesterday that didn’t arrive until after several phone calls around 7:45.

Have I become a diva overnight? Hardly. But this is hardly the VIP treatment. Maybe they provide a different level of service to guests who get the discounted production rate on their rooms. Who knows?

In any event, this soon-to-be published author knows better than to cop a ‘tude. I’m just grateful for the experience, even if the reality is less shiny than what you see on TV.

Now it’s back to LA and Mr. XY - a reality I can really dig.