by Robin Palmer
Instead we do things like go for walks in Central Park and to different bakeries around town. And next weekend we’re going to ComicCon (have you heard of it? It’s a comic book festival) which, to be honest, I do NOT want to go, but I am because sometimes with friends you do things they want to do. Even if you have no interest. Laurel says that we’re just taking it slow, which is a good thing and the best basis for a relationship. At least that’s what all the articles in the magazines she reads say. I’m not in a hurry or anything. I’m just happy I have his name in the crush log. Although I still have to find boys for the other two crushes…
I got back from the wedding to a ton of e-mails from kids needing advice. Because my fingers got all crampy typing up the responses, I came up with an idea that I hope doesn’t make you feel like I’m a total copycat when you hear it. In order not to have to type so much, I decided that once a week, I would hold a meeting after school where kids could come and ask their questions and get advice right then and there. It’s not filmed and aired on TV, so it’s not like I’m COMPLETELY copying you and I have my own show or anything, but I guess it’s a little like what you do.
Well, it totally took off. To the point where I had to move it from the classroom where Spanish class is held to the cafeteria. I don’t think you’ve ever been to my school, but if you had, you would know that the cafeteria is REALLY big. It doesn’t get completely filled, but sometimes it’s close. I’m even thinking of continuing it during summer break.
So, as you can imagine from your own show (not that this is an actual show), I’m very busy. Plus, ever since the Week with Wendi episode aired back in February, I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from different kids around the country asking me for advice about their own blended-family issues. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but there are a lot of us blended-family kids. In fact, not to tell you what to do, but you might want to do an episode on that subject.
I don’t know if you saw it, but the show turned out great. There was some stuff with Mom acting all stressy, but it was balanced with footage where we were all getting along and acting goofy. I guess to the average viewer, we may seem a little weird, but according to Mom, EVERY family is weird in its own way. For someone who isn’t big on reality shows (unless she’s super stressed out about getting married), Mom was very happy with how it turned out.
Marci—that’s Laurel’s publicist—got the network to agree to repeat the episode again in January right before the Academy votes for the Oscars. Hopefully it’ll help. Although from the dailies of the movie that Laurel let me see, she won’t need any help at all because her performance is AWESOME. (In case you don’t know what dailies are, that’s the footage from the day’s shooting on a movie or TV show.)
Well, I should get going. Beatrice is coming over so we can take photos of Miss Piggy and Dr. Maude to submit to this Animal BFFs contest I saw advertised on the Animal Planet website. They’re so BFF now it’s a little on the nauseating side. I know I said I wanted a kitten to make up for the fact that my other cat hated me, but I didn’t think about the fact that THIS would happen.
I hope everything’s good for you. This is going to sound weird, but even though you never wrote me back, you’ve really helped me over the last few years. It’s hard to explain, but just knowing you’re out there somewhere has made me feel better as I’ve dealt with stuff.
Maybe we’ll run into each other in the elevator one day.
Or not.
yours truly,
Lucy B. Parker
When I’m not busy overlistening to my mom’s conversations or keeping the Official Crush Log of the Center for Creative Learning, I’m updating my website!
LUCYBPARKER.COM
Check out my site for:
• A sneak peek at upcoming books
• My personal “Why Me?” diary
• The purr-fectly funny “As Seen by Miss Piggy” feature
• Author Robin Palmer’s advice column (She’s a LOT better at responding than Dr. Maude!)
• Fun downloadables and more exclusive content!
1: Girl vs. Superstar
Sixth grade is hard enough for Lucy B. Parker, but it gets so much worse when her mom announces that she’s going to marry Laurel Moses’s dad. Yes, that Laurel Moses—the TV-movie-music star. All Lucy wants is to just get through the day without totally embarrassing herself, but that’s hard to do when you’re the less-pretty, less-talented not-quite-sister of a mega superstar.
2: Sealed with a Kiss
Lucy B. Parker is spending her summer vacation off in L.A., visiting Laurel on the set of her new movie and meeting teen heartthrobs left and right. Life is good, until Lucy develops a crush—and unlike previous crushes, this one is not on a character in a book or a movie, but on a real living, breathing boy. Unfortunately for Lucy, nothing ever seems to go as she plans.
3: Vote for Me!
Lucy B. Parker is running for class president! And she’s up against the most popular girl in school. Sure, Lucy could let her frister (friend + sister), teen superstar Laurel Moses, campaign for her, but Lucy wants to win as Lucy. How is Lucy going to manage the campaign of the year?
4: Take My Advice!
When Lucy becomes the advice columnist for her school paper, she suddenly has a lot more on her plate than she bargained for. Lucy’s not really sure how she’s going to pull this off, but with the Sadie Hawkins dance coming up, it seems like everyone in her class needs some help.
5: For Better or For Worse
When Lucy’s mom and soon-to-be stepdad announce that they’re finally getting married—in a month—Lucy’s life turns upside down. Wedding planning is hard enough, but when a reality TV crew ends up following the family around while it’s happening, the results are disastrous. Can Lucy save the day—not to mention, the family—or will everything fall apart?