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Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is excited to have as our guest, Shelley Anderson author of Dealing With Divas: A Survivorīs Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistants (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss).
In addition to being an author, Shelley has more than 25 years as a professional vocal coach, singer and actress. Her work behind the scenes include being an executive assistant to a booking agent, a film producer, a repertory theatre manager, a president of a major record label, and, currently since 1998 as personal assistant to author and self-help guru, Louise L. Hay. A member of the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants (ACPA) since 2001, she served as their President from 2005-2007.
Good day Shelley and thanks for participating in our interview.
Norm:
Could you tell our readers what exactly is a celebrity personal assistant and how do you become one?
Shelley:
Thanks Norm. A celebrity personal assistant is usually the right hand to a famous person. We are hired for our secretarial/computer skills, so mainly I would say we are executive assistants.
We are rarely mundane errand runners and the word "personal" tells you that we work almost exclusively at the celebrityīs home. This is a big departure from working for the president of a major corporation, for example. You would be most likely in a corporate office environment. Most people who are in the business as personal assistants work on the movie or TV set and/or the home.
To be an assistant you either need to have a lot of prior executive secretary experience (like I did) or perhaps work in the hospitality field, such as, working as a concierge for a major hotel. Some start as interns or are an actual relative of the celebrity, but many come from a more formal background.
Norm:
As a follow up to the last question, if I am a diva, how do I go about selecting a personal assistant? Where do I find one? What should I expect from an assistant?
Shelley:
Thatīs a great question! To select a personal assistant (heavy emphasis on the word "personal") a diva really needs to look honestly at what they want. Every divaīs needs are different. Do they need a travel companion? Do they need a person to be at home overseeing the nanny, housekeeper, cook, gardener, pool guy, construction workers, while they are away? Do they need a person to run errands all day? So itīs very selective.
I should also point out that thereīs a personality or psychological element here that canīt be overlooked. The diva needs to be as clear as possible about the kind of personality they want. Some celebrities love to have a pal to hang out with them so they are almost looking for a twin. Others want a gatekeeper who is aggressive and not afraid to say NO. Others want a very quiet person. It all depends. If a diva asked me for help, Iīve recommend they read my book!
Finding an assistant is easier than you may think. If youīre based in Los Angeles or New York, there are agencies that work exclusively with placing estate managers and personal assistants. You can also go to my web site (www.dealingwithdivas.com) where I have a resources page, and some celebrities currently use the Job Bank referral system of the ACPA (Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants). There are many options.
Norm:
I understand that for the past ten years you have been the personal assistant to Louise L. Hay. How did you get the job? What does a typical day look like for you, from waking to turning in at night, and how does it compare to a conventional 9 to 5 job?
Shelley:
Believe it or not, after all that I just told you about how to find an assistant, Miss Hay put an ad in her local newspaper and I answered it! It was fate really. The ad was in the wrong edition of the paper. Miss Hay was moving to southern part of San Diego and the ad was supposed to be in the southern edition, but it was in the northern edition by mistake and I read it.
I kid you not, my cover letter to her said, I can deal with divas, call me and she did! No day is typical. I can tell you, now that Iīve been with her for almost ten years (our anniversary is in November), I do have a bit of a routine, but it can change at any moment.
Since she is a public speaker, some days our focus is on getting her ready for that. She was recently on Oprah, for example. So it was getting her to the private jet, making sure thereīs a car at the other end of the trip to pick her up, making sure the Oprah people knew her schedule, etc. On other days, we may just spend most of the day reading grant proposals from people seeking funds from her charity, The Hay Foundation. I oversee that foundation and we love hearing from people who are doing great work in the world, and we look at how we can assist them with their vision. (www.hayfoundation.org).
Norm:
What motivated you to write Dealing With Divas: A Survivorīs Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistants (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss) and could you briefly tell us about your book? How does it differ from other books that deal with the same topic?
Shelley:
As my title suggests, people have issues with their bosses! Initially, I really wanted to write a book for people in the entertainment industry that would show examples of myths we in the industry perpetuate about how hard it is to work in that environment, and to shatter those myths and to offer a positive approach to the world of celebrity-dom. I donīt think thereīs another book out there on this subject that comes from the positive angle. There are plenty of "The Devil Wears Prada" type of books out there, which I donīt deny are great fun to read. Definitely entertaining! But are they being of value beyond the entertainment factor?
Norm:
As a follow up, is there a message in Dealing With Divas: A Survivorīs Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistants (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss) that you want your readers to grasp?
Shelley:
Yes. If they are in a work environment that appears to be toxic, there is a way out! I devote an entire chapter to giving the reader the tools to take back their power and to see that there are steps that can be taken to create the work environment that is a win-win for everyone.
Norm:
It is said that writers should write what they know. Were there any elements of the book that forced you to step out of your comfort zone, and if so, how did you approach this part of the writing?
Shelley:
I hate to toot my own horn, but I had no problem with writing about this subject at all! Iīve been wanting to find a way to share what had worked for me and many other celebrity personal assistants and there just appeared a moment in time when I felt the time was now.
Norm:
What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?
Shelley:
I guess the biggest challenge I had was wondering what my peers in the industry would think about my writing about what is sometimes considered a "secret society". I truly wanted to show assistants in a positive light.
The entire culture of celebrity and their assistants is often approached as when in which it is a very mysterious relationship. I know that mystery is part of entertainment, but I just feel the time is right for one of us to step out of the shadows and tell the truth. By the way, I love my job and I have a strong bond with the other celebrity personal assistants I know. We love what we do. We are of service to people who are providing a service out there in the universe. Whether it be to a UNICEF ambassador, an athlete, a political figure, and, yes, to entertainers, we feel honored to make their lives a little less stressful so they can do what they do.
Norm:
Can you tell us how you found representation for your book? Did you pitch it to an agent, or query publishers who would most likely publish this type of book? Any rejections? Did you self-publish?
Shelley:
Ironically, since I work for a publisher (Hay House Inc.) I preferred of course to self-publish! This is a unique topic, and I wanted to do it my way. I went with iUniverse, Inc. which is a highly regarded publisher. Theyīve been great every step of the way.
Norm:
What do you think of the new Internet market for writers? How will you be using the Internet to promote your book and what will you be doing for other promotion and how much of it is your doing?
Shelley:
I think itīs the future and the future is now. I already belong to some author social networks which are great support when youīre first getting started. Now because I have an on-line newsletter and a blog, Iīve discovered how valuable the Internet really is. The newsletter keeps me in touch with my readers. Iīm building a subscriber base and that is made so easy by the Internet.
I am much more available to the media and also to readers by having the web site and blog. In fact, given the nature of what I write about (celebrity) my blog now has guest mystery bloggers! These are other celebrity personal assistants who prefer to remain anonymous, but my blog gives them a place to let down their hair.
My book has only been out a few months and I already have had one online interview, a radio interview (they found me online) and now this interview. I donīt think those interviews wouldīve come so fast without the Internet.
Donīt get me wrong. I still enjoy live book signings (Iīve done two) and speaking in public but you reach so many more people, as you know, through this medium. Iīve done a lot of this on my own, but Iīm only one person so I finally hired a company to run a "blog tour" that includes targeting relevant high page ranking blogs, social bookmarking, and article syndication. Iīm very excited about the article syndication, in particular. We are also running a "virtual author tour," which is designed to increase my exposure online through online reviews like this one, among other things.
Norm:
I noticed from reading your bio that you have worn many hats. Which vocation has been the most rewarding and why?
Shelley:
What a great question! Iīve actually enjoyed them all. Being a professional singer, way back when, brought me such joy. I loved entertaining people. Thereīs nothing like performing in front of a live audience instant feedback! Being a teacher was so rewarding. Almost impossible to put into words. And all the years with Louise Hay have been amazing. She is such a driving force in the world of healing, and has contributed to my own growth as a person. And now writing has been such fun. Itīs a different way of communicating for me. Iīm not sharing myself by singing in front of an audience, but Iīve found that I actually love conversing with people through my writing.
Norm:
Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)
Shelley:
To be honest Iīve been focusing mostly on my blog these days but I would like to take my current musings and compile them into a second book. I have so many stories to tell about my world, and as you may know, I now have mystery bloggers on my site. These are people who are also celebrity personal assistants but they prefer to remain anonymous. I would love to have their writings be read by a wider audience perhaps in a book form. We will see.
Norm:
Where can our readers find out more about you?
Shelley:
Please check out my WEBSITE AND BLOG
Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.
In addition to being an author, Shelley has more than 25 years as a professional vocal coach, singer and actress. Her work behind the scenes include being an executive assistant to a booking agent, a film producer, a repertory theatre manager, a president of a major record label, and, currently since 1998 as personal assistant to author and self-help guru, Louise L. Hay. A member of the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants (ACPA) since 2001, she served as their President from 2005-2007.
Good day Shelley and thanks for participating in our interview.
Norm:
Could you tell our readers what exactly is a celebrity personal assistant and how do you become one?
Shelley:
Thanks Norm. A celebrity personal assistant is usually the right hand to a famous person. We are hired for our secretarial/computer skills, so mainly I would say we are executive assistants.
We are rarely mundane errand runners and the word "personal" tells you that we work almost exclusively at the celebrityīs home. This is a big departure from working for the president of a major corporation, for example. You would be most likely in a corporate office environment. Most people who are in the business as personal assistants work on the movie or TV set and/or the home.
To be an assistant you either need to have a lot of prior executive secretary experience (like I did) or perhaps work in the hospitality field, such as, working as a concierge for a major hotel. Some start as interns or are an actual relative of the celebrity, but many come from a more formal background.
Norm:
As a follow up to the last question, if I am a diva, how do I go about selecting a personal assistant? Where do I find one? What should I expect from an assistant?
Shelley:
Thatīs a great question! To select a personal assistant (heavy emphasis on the word "personal") a diva really needs to look honestly at what they want. Every divaīs needs are different. Do they need a travel companion? Do they need a person to be at home overseeing the nanny, housekeeper, cook, gardener, pool guy, construction workers, while they are away? Do they need a person to run errands all day? So itīs very selective.
I should also point out that thereīs a personality or psychological element here that canīt be overlooked. The diva needs to be as clear as possible about the kind of personality they want. Some celebrities love to have a pal to hang out with them so they are almost looking for a twin. Others want a gatekeeper who is aggressive and not afraid to say NO. Others want a very quiet person. It all depends. If a diva asked me for help, Iīve recommend they read my book!
Finding an assistant is easier than you may think. If youīre based in Los Angeles or New York, there are agencies that work exclusively with placing estate managers and personal assistants. You can also go to my web site (www.dealingwithdivas.com) where I have a resources page, and some celebrities currently use the Job Bank referral system of the ACPA (Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants). There are many options.
Norm:
I understand that for the past ten years you have been the personal assistant to Louise L. Hay. How did you get the job? What does a typical day look like for you, from waking to turning in at night, and how does it compare to a conventional 9 to 5 job?
Shelley:
Believe it or not, after all that I just told you about how to find an assistant, Miss Hay put an ad in her local newspaper and I answered it! It was fate really. The ad was in the wrong edition of the paper. Miss Hay was moving to southern part of San Diego and the ad was supposed to be in the southern edition, but it was in the northern edition by mistake and I read it.
I kid you not, my cover letter to her said, I can deal with divas, call me and she did! No day is typical. I can tell you, now that Iīve been with her for almost ten years (our anniversary is in November), I do have a bit of a routine, but it can change at any moment.
Since she is a public speaker, some days our focus is on getting her ready for that. She was recently on Oprah, for example. So it was getting her to the private jet, making sure thereīs a car at the other end of the trip to pick her up, making sure the Oprah people knew her schedule, etc. On other days, we may just spend most of the day reading grant proposals from people seeking funds from her charity, The Hay Foundation. I oversee that foundation and we love hearing from people who are doing great work in the world, and we look at how we can assist them with their vision. (www.hayfoundation.org).
Norm:
What motivated you to write Dealing With Divas: A Survivorīs Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistants (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss) and could you briefly tell us about your book? How does it differ from other books that deal with the same topic?
Shelley:
As my title suggests, people have issues with their bosses! Initially, I really wanted to write a book for people in the entertainment industry that would show examples of myths we in the industry perpetuate about how hard it is to work in that environment, and to shatter those myths and to offer a positive approach to the world of celebrity-dom. I donīt think thereīs another book out there on this subject that comes from the positive angle. There are plenty of "The Devil Wears Prada" type of books out there, which I donīt deny are great fun to read. Definitely entertaining! But are they being of value beyond the entertainment factor?
Norm:
As a follow up, is there a message in Dealing With Divas: A Survivorīs Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistants (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss) that you want your readers to grasp?
Shelley:
Yes. If they are in a work environment that appears to be toxic, there is a way out! I devote an entire chapter to giving the reader the tools to take back their power and to see that there are steps that can be taken to create the work environment that is a win-win for everyone.
Norm:
It is said that writers should write what they know. Were there any elements of the book that forced you to step out of your comfort zone, and if so, how did you approach this part of the writing?
Shelley:
I hate to toot my own horn, but I had no problem with writing about this subject at all! Iīve been wanting to find a way to share what had worked for me and many other celebrity personal assistants and there just appeared a moment in time when I felt the time was now.
Norm:
What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?
Shelley:
I guess the biggest challenge I had was wondering what my peers in the industry would think about my writing about what is sometimes considered a "secret society". I truly wanted to show assistants in a positive light.
The entire culture of celebrity and their assistants is often approached as when in which it is a very mysterious relationship. I know that mystery is part of entertainment, but I just feel the time is right for one of us to step out of the shadows and tell the truth. By the way, I love my job and I have a strong bond with the other celebrity personal assistants I know. We love what we do. We are of service to people who are providing a service out there in the universe. Whether it be to a UNICEF ambassador, an athlete, a political figure, and, yes, to entertainers, we feel honored to make their lives a little less stressful so they can do what they do.
Norm:
Can you tell us how you found representation for your book? Did you pitch it to an agent, or query publishers who would most likely publish this type of book? Any rejections? Did you self-publish?
Shelley:
Ironically, since I work for a publisher (Hay House Inc.) I preferred of course to self-publish! This is a unique topic, and I wanted to do it my way. I went with iUniverse, Inc. which is a highly regarded publisher. Theyīve been great every step of the way.
Norm:
What do you think of the new Internet market for writers? How will you be using the Internet to promote your book and what will you be doing for other promotion and how much of it is your doing?
Shelley:
I think itīs the future and the future is now. I already belong to some author social networks which are great support when youīre first getting started. Now because I have an on-line newsletter and a blog, Iīve discovered how valuable the Internet really is. The newsletter keeps me in touch with my readers. Iīm building a subscriber base and that is made so easy by the Internet.
I am much more available to the media and also to readers by having the web site and blog. In fact, given the nature of what I write about (celebrity) my blog now has guest mystery bloggers! These are other celebrity personal assistants who prefer to remain anonymous, but my blog gives them a place to let down their hair.
My book has only been out a few months and I already have had one online interview, a radio interview (they found me online) and now this interview. I donīt think those interviews wouldīve come so fast without the Internet.
Donīt get me wrong. I still enjoy live book signings (Iīve done two) and speaking in public but you reach so many more people, as you know, through this medium. Iīve done a lot of this on my own, but Iīm only one person so I finally hired a company to run a "blog tour" that includes targeting relevant high page ranking blogs, social bookmarking, and article syndication. Iīm very excited about the article syndication, in particular. We are also running a "virtual author tour," which is designed to increase my exposure online through online reviews like this one, among other things.
Norm:
I noticed from reading your bio that you have worn many hats. Which vocation has been the most rewarding and why?
Shelley:
What a great question! Iīve actually enjoyed them all. Being a professional singer, way back when, brought me such joy. I loved entertaining people. Thereīs nothing like performing in front of a live audience instant feedback! Being a teacher was so rewarding. Almost impossible to put into words. And all the years with Louise Hay have been amazing. She is such a driving force in the world of healing, and has contributed to my own growth as a person. And now writing has been such fun. Itīs a different way of communicating for me. Iīm not sharing myself by singing in front of an audience, but Iīve found that I actually love conversing with people through my writing.
Norm:
Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)
Shelley:
To be honest Iīve been focusing mostly on my blog these days but I would like to take my current musings and compile them into a second book. I have so many stories to tell about my world, and as you may know, I now have mystery bloggers on my site. These are people who are also celebrity personal assistants but they prefer to remain anonymous. I would love to have their writings be read by a wider audience perhaps in a book form. We will see.
Norm:
Where can our readers find out more about you?
Shelley:
Please check out my WEBSITE AND BLOG
Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.
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