Lindsey Kelk Hearts NY Too

Posted by Rachael Wright at 01:14 on 22 Dec 2009

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Just before I moved to New York in September, I was perusing the glamorous shelves of Sainsburys when a book called  I Heart New York caught my eye.  I'd sent my editor the chosen title for this series of blogs only days before, so it seemed serendipitous and into the trolley it went.

The story follows London girl Angela, who ups sticks to New York after catching her boyfriend with his trousers down.  Literally.  Now Angela's escapades are being turned into a series and installment no.2,
I Heart Hollywood (out 7 Jan), is guaranteed to keep those January Blues at bay.

You've been reading my musings from across the pond for three months now, so I decided to invite the author of the I Heart... series, Lindsey Kelk (who made the move to the Big Apple last July), to tell us about her life in New York - just in case you didn't take my word for it that it's so fabulous...

What inspired you to write about New York?
I'd just come back from a trip to NYC with my brother and was incredibly, ridiculously depressed to be back in dark, cold London with no money, a crappy job and an even crappier boyfriend (I do not spare the guilty), so I started writing an ‘anywhere but here' story. Basically, I wanted to live in New York and it really wasn't an option at the time, so I wrote myself there instead.

When you wrote I Heart New York, did you ever dream you would be living there yourself?
I had no idea. I worked for a publisher who had offices in New York and spent four years stamping my little feet up and down trying to get a transfer, but it just wasn't on the cards. A year later, someone decided my stamping was dangerous under health and safety laws, so they transferred me.  Yay!

How are you settling in?
New York is amazing. Ignore everything you've ever heard about it being cold and unfriendly. I've met the most amazing people, who are so incredibly sweet, I'm practically diabetic. Also, there's so much to do here, as long as you throw yourself in head first - and you must - you don't have time to miss anything about home.

What's your favourite thing about your New York life?
It's going to sound clichéd, but New York makes me feel completely alive and like I can achieve anything. London was all about trudging on day in, day out - just getting on with life instead of living it. There's so much going on, I'm constantly on the go, constantly full of ideas, constantly looking at shoes and handbags I can't afford...

So you write books, the Beauty Mecca blog and Angela's blog, you have a full time job in publishing, you're out most nights AND you moisturise from head to toe twice a day.  How on earth do you fit it all in?
I have no idea how I fit it all in. Maybe I'm narcoleptic and sleep through the day without knowing. My office has a door and no one checks on me... it's totally possible. But moisturising is crucial - you'll thank me for that advice when you're old and wrinkly.

What's been your favourite New York moment so far?
Oooh so many... Halloween was amazing. I made my own Fraggle Rock costume and was ridiculously pleased with myself. I also kicked Thanksgiving's ass and had everyone over for a massive turkey feast, which was really lovely. Every day has something good in it, even if it's just a three-hour Jonas Brothers marathon on the Disney Channel. Oh yes.

THE 411 - The Lindsey Kelk Special Edition

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