Sarah Tomlinson: Blog

How did I spend my summer vacation? Writing a book with MySpace superstar and reality TV survivor Tila Tequila, of course. And the fruits of her labor (I helped a little), "Hooking Up with Tila Tequila," was published yesterday. By Scribner. I'm in the Library of Congress now. For real. You can buy it on Amazon or at your local independent bookseller (even better!) and dig into all of Tila's secrets. Seriously, she taught me how to flirt, and she is good! Be warned, it's a little, um, spicy (my mom will not be stocking it at the Bremen Public Library), but Tila has a great story and some really interesting thoughts on gender relations and pop culture and, yes, SEX. It's been a dark week in publishing, so any dollars you can throw at the declining empire would be appreciated. (I've still got a novel to get into print, and there needs to be some publishing houses left in order to do that). Plus, it would make a great holiday gift for your grandma, rabbi, prison pen pal, or, well, anyone. And, finally, Tila was truly a pleasure to work with, and she inspired me on a lot of levels with the courage it took her to get where she is today, so you should support her for that reason, if no other. See a shout out Tila gave me during an interview here:

http://tv.msn.com/tv/tila-tequila-interview/?icid=TV1>1=TV1

I know the blog has been dark for about a year now. But I'm bringing it back, so check in regularly for reports on the latest and greatest concerts I've attended (Ray Lamontagne guesting with my friend Lucinda Williams on her song "Fruits of My Labor" in Boston in October = pure joy), news on my next project (there's some juicy stuff in the works), and updates on my ongoing efforts to find a publisher for my first novel (yes, THAT one, the 8+ year-odyssey), Because the Night. When it happens, oh, you'll know...

I gotta part ways with Morrissey on this one...there's nothing lovelier than seeing deserving friends get recognized for their talent and heart. I was thrilled to watch The Dead Trees (nee Furvis) get pressed to sign CDs following their opening set for local soon-to-be-favorites Little Joy (featuring Fab from the Strokes). It was so good to see the lads from my days back in Boston looking good (with an assortment of dapper tour facial hair) and sounding even better during a short but spirited set that showed off songs from their amazing new album, "King of Rosa." I felt like the ghost of late- nights-past, sneaking up on them without warning, but it was a very happy reunion.

Here's some indie rock insider knowledge for the nerds out there: Todd from the Dead Trees once did a guest turn as the bassist for that other Strokes' side project fronted by Albert Hammond Jr. That band featured Longwave frontman Steve, who was also in attendance at the Troubadour, and who I happen to be interviewing tomorrow evening for The Boston Globe. I've known Steve long enough to have a story about drinking tequila with him the night they got dropped by their label (it happens to the best of us), and it was great to catch up and wage that age-old debate: NYC vs LA.

But our focus was soon hijacked by the amazing Little Joy set, which featured guest turns from all of the Dead Trees on just about every song. The Little Joy album is one of my top five favorites of the year, and they killed it with joyous (adjective intended; pun unfortunate) renditions of their Bossa Nova-flavored indie rock, which I adore for being so refreshingly uninterested in being too cool for school. Highlights included the introduction Fab's bandmate (and girlfriend) Binki Shapiro gave to the song "Unattainable" she wrote for him, which made him beam like a goon and stick a shiny pink heart in the middle of his forehead, and their inspired cover of one of my favorite songs ever, "Eat at Home," from Paul McCartney's entirely perfect album "Ram." They ended their set with album track "Brand New Start," which is a perfect love song; sweet and a little old fashioned, with just enough of a sexy swing.

Then it was off to the East Side bar Little Joy that first inspired the band's name for last call, more catchup conversation and a few games of pool. Little Joy (the band, not the bar) will be taking the Dead Trees to Europe in January, which is amazing for them, but I'm already looking forward to their next visit to Los Angeles.

For years, I asked the questions during interviews with everyone from Deepak Chopra to Miley Cyrus. Plus, I've had the thrill of speaking with so many musical heroes -- Joan Armatrading (my first concert, ever, in Augusta, Maine, and the best soundtrack for a bitter divorce, according to an informal survey of my friends' moms), Conor Oberst and Chan Marshall (who sang me a bit of the Bob Dylan song that inspired my name).

So it was a little unnerving to sit on the other side of the tape recorder for once. Luckily, my colleague Mark Shanahan from The Boston Globe went easy on me -- he was charming and exceedingly generous with his time when he put together a piece about me and Tila, which ran in his column "Names and Faces" on 12/18. But he still kept me on high alert, quickly cutting to the juicy questions (see below), even though I told him it would be indiscreet to "write and tell." He pulled the gem about my mom right from this blog o' mine. Who says that said mom is my only reader? What says she gets her own show (day-in-the-life-of-a-small-town-librarian) before me (author of two TV pilots)? As long as she lets me be an intern.

A shot of Tequila
Would you take dating advice from Tila Tequila (above)? Didn't think so. But it's great that the MySpace star and host of MTV's "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila" has written a book. It's even better that Tequila's tome is ghost written by Sarah Tomlinson, a former Boston freelancer whose work regularly appeared in the Globe and the Phoenix, among other publications. "No, I did not sleep with her," Tomlinson said of her sexually ambiguous subject. "But she did teach me how to flirt - it's all in the eyes. . . . You have to use your eyes." Called "Hooking Up With Tila Tequila," the book includes revealing pictures and plenty of bawdy language. "My mom's a librarian in Bremen, Maine," said Tomlinson. "But she can't stock it because it's too racy."