Why She’s An “It Girl”:
Her latest project, The Secret of the Secret, reveals the truth about and the history behind the runaway bestseller The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. St. Martins/Thomas Dunne publishes the book – and it has already sold to publishers around the world, including the UK, Australia, Brazil, and France and has a first printing of 100,000. She has collaborated on several book projects as writer or editor, including Starring You! The Insiders Guide to Using Television and the Media to Launch Your Brand, Your Business and Your Life by Marta Tracy and Terence Noonan; The Look by Randolph Duke; Invest in Your Nest and Room for Improvement by Barbara Kavovit; and many others. Karen is a member of The Author’s Guild, and writes regularly for Natural Health magazine, and has also been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Yoga Journal and a number of Wall Street publications. As an editor Karen was known for acquiring and editing cutting edge and popular culture best sellers, including books by Montel Williams, Darcy O’Brian, and Victoria Moran. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and Milford, Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and two cats.
That’s my third person bio – but personally to me an IT girl is a loyal end enthusiastic friend, hard worker, true to herself and her ideals and loves to have fun – those are the things I strive for!
What Inspires Her?
My son, Bix William Sandke, my husband, Randy Sandke, and my parents William and Constance Kelly all inspire me. My son because it just seems like a miracle that he is ours – he’s beautiful, funny, and very strong (we think he’ll be a ball player)! My husband because he is such a great friend and a virtuoso musician who still creates new music despite the tough climate for jazz players. My parents because they are so energetic and interested in the world, I can only hope as much for myself when I hit my 80s.
New York City and Brooklyn inspire me – they are gritty, elegant, monstrously impersonal, and small town friendly all at the same time. What’s not to love? Best museums (the Metropolitan, Cooper Hewitt, Natural History). The best pizza (Grimaldi’s on the Brooklyn waterfront), Italian food (A Voce in Manhattan), best American food (Gotham Bar and Grill) and best ice cream (Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and Laboratorio Del Gelato – both Manhattan), and best cheese and wine shops (Stinky and Smith & Vine in Brooklyn to name two). Best “noir” bars – Hanks on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn and of course The Blarney Stone in the city…
Traveling is always inspiring – my latest faves are LA, Rome, the waters off Alaska, and Nantucket Island.
Music, especially anything by Randy Sandke.
Working with amazing people helping them grow their ideas into books – I have been privileged to collaborate with truly talented, fascinating individuals at the top of their fields. Their knowledge and insights always inspire and enlighten me.
It Girl picks: [beauty products, things she cannot do without]
My son, Bix William Sandke, is my latest “must have “ accessory!
EO Hand Sanitizer in Organic Lavender. Clean hands are a must with a new baby around but most hand sanitizers seem filled with chemicals and don’t smell very good. EO brand is natural, plant-based alternative – it’s baby safe, and the lavender scent is really refreshing. Even if you don’t have a baby, this product is great. Plus, the blue bottle is pretty enough to makeup on the bathroom or dressing room vanity.
AmLactin 12% moisturizer. An over-the-counter special order product for super dry skin (you know who you are) – gets rid of dry skin bumps on upper arms, thighs, etc, like magic within a week or so. I absolutely cannot live more than a few days without this product.
Cetaphil moisturizing cream – my dermatologist recommended it and I use it everywhere that the AmLactin does not go…a really good all over moisturizer – effective enough for elbows and knees yet safe enough for my face.
Molton Brown warming eucalyptus bath therapy. After a long day the wonderful bubbles and aroma are better than a glass of pinot grigio.
Origins Clear Head mint shampoo – this is an absolute must if I plan on being productive. I write for hours each day and Clear Head really wakes me up. The minty tingle is a treat for scalp and nose alike – and the shampoo makes hair soft and silky.
Benefit Brow Zings – makes my light brows lively without looking overdone or drawn on. Lasts forever so well worth the price tag!
Benefit Boi-ing Concealer – the ultimate concealer for tired eyes (and believe me with a newborn – my eyes look pretty tired).
Poppy King Saint Rose and Sinner Coral…the best lipsticks bar none. So glad Poppy is an It Girl – after years of never finding a lipstick that looked good on me or stayed very long, Poppy King’s colors fit both bills.
Trumpet After Dark CD by Randy Sandke – and anything else by Randy too!
Vintage Lanvin shirtdresses – shirtdresses will be a trend this fall and probably into next spring and summer. Lanvin made fabulous ones in incredible prints in the 1960’s and 1970s. I’ve been scooping them on eBay for months and have amassed a nice collection. Easy to wear and sexy, depending on how many buttons you leave undone. Wear ‘em with heels or over a pair of jeans for a layered look. When I have time I will post them on MySpace.
Who does she consider an “It Girl”?
There are so many women who are IT girls but here are some of my favorites:
My mother, Mrs. William H. Kelly and Connie to her friends. She’s still slim, elegant and fabulous at 80-something. She mixes the meanest martini on the East Coast and she’s never without her string of 9mm pearls.
Interior designer Celerie Kemble – she definitely has got “IT” – her rooms evoke comfort and beauty in a timeless not trendy way.
My friend and colleague Marta Tracy is definitely an IT girl – warm, funny, loyal and smart. If that’s not “IT” I don’t know what is.
CBS newscaster Tamsen Fadal has got abundant IT-ness! How she gets up at 4am, reports on the news and then manages to do a million other creative things I will never know. If she could bottle her energy and enthusiasm she would be a trillionaire!
Nicki Parrot – fabulous bass player, singer and songwriter – plays with Les Paul at Iridium and is a consummate musician and total IT girl! She sings and you melt.
Barbara Kavovit – How man girlfriends do you have who can fix your sink? Barbara can! Amazing how to and tools for women entrepreneur! Single mom, business exec, and loyal friend – that’s IT!
Suzanne Nichols, an amazing lady and fabulous adoption attorney – one of the best and most honest in the business. Her IT cup runneth over.
Kate Winslet is one of my favorite contemporary actresses and certainly an IT girl – she takes on amazingly complex roles and makes them totally believable – you forget it’s her. I admire her sense of style and her views on girls and self-esteem and Hollywood’s obsession with thinness.
A few of my favorite It girls of the past: Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Elsie de Wolfe, Barbara Stanwyck, and Dorothy Draper to name a few…
http://www.karenkellywriter.com and http://www.myspace.com/karenkellywriter
