It took me quite a while to make up my mind on whether I was going to write this book or not. I knew I had a story to tell, that it was something out of the ordinary and thanks to diligent diary-keeping during the time it happened, I had the material. But then I had other things to take into consideration: could I mention real names? Would I be able to do the story justice? Would B, the famous actress I had worked for and the main character in this book, give her consent?
There were loads of question marks, but in the end I only needed one answer and it was B’s encouragement to get the story told. She said she preferred it from getting a half-assed biography written by some ghostwriter who didn’t know her and she liked that it was more about our friendship than her fame. It was a gutsy move on her part, because this story tells you about the most trying time in her life, a time where she hit rock bottom in her personal life, made a fool out of herself in front of millions of viewers and fans and experienced a close shave with death. I can’t express enough how thankful I am to her for not only allowing me, but also helping me, tell it.
Because it is in many ways our story. And I have tried to treat it with the respect it deserves by not mentioning real names. I think it would make it more about their fame and the careers, and not the lives and events around them.
I wrote this book not only because I think it’s an interesting tale about people’s struggle with fame and relationships, but also because it has something to say about life and how unpredictable and magical it can be. It’s a story I hope my future kids will read to get to know me better, because I think it teaches them exactly what my parents taught me, that everything is possible and your dreams are always within reach, if you just act through your heart and not only your mind.
Ultimately, I see this book as a tribute to friendship.