The Language of Sand

It's that time again-- time for us to check-in with another one of our lovely and talented clients! This week we spoke to Brett Ellen Block, a young author who first came our way when her 2nd novel, The Lightning Rule, was prepping for publication, and she was in need of some stellar publicity shots. These days her latest novel, The Language of Sand, has hit bookstores and it's raking in rave reviews (check out Random House Readers' Circle Picks or Target's Breakout Books). We thought it was about time we checked in with Brett to hear more about her experiences shooting with Kelsey and to get a sneak peak of The Language of Sand, a story about life, death, grief and ghosts set on a secluded island on North Carolina's Outer Banks.

KEP: Hi Brett! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us about The Language of Sand. We've got so many questions, but first off, tell us how you first heard about Kelsey?

BEB: I knew I wanted a really evocative picture for this new book, so I asked some friends in the entertainment industry who they trusted to take their amazing head shots. Turns out the name to know is Kelsey Edwards! I’m thrilled I was referred to her.

KEP: What made you choose her over other photographers?

BEB: It’s not that I didn’t like my old author photo, but I was going for a different look, a different feel. After hearing the recommendations and seeing Kelsey’s work on her site, I knew she was the right photographer for me.

KEP: What went into the shot selection for The Lightning Rule and Language of Sand, how did you pick the image that you felt best represented you?

BEB: Kelsey really knew how to make me feel relaxed in order to get the right shot. I’m an author and would rather be in front of a computer writing than a camera! She had a calming demeanor and completely understood the look I was going for. Better yet, I wound up with a couple of images to use for alternate purposes, one for the book jacket, a slightly different option for my website, etc.. That was great!

KEP: Now, onto the book. How did you get the idea for The Language of Sand?

BEB: I was inspired by an island I’d visited in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The setting was charming and beautiful during the tourist season but I got the distinct sense that it was totally different once we out-of-towners would decamp. That got me thinking about the various sides of human nature, the public versus the private, and soon the characters and the plot evolved from there!

KEP: Abigail is such a real character, is she based on someone you know or personal experiences you've had? Do you know anyone who, like Abigail, is a Lexicographer (a person who authors and compiles dictionaries)?

BEB: Like most authors, my characters have a heaping dose of me in them, but Abigail especially. I’ll admit it – I enjoy reading the dictionary and while I don’t foresee a career in lexicography in my future, I think she and I share a true love of language. She talks to herself, which I do. Is a bit of a stickler, as am I. And likes to renovate and decorate, a passion I have too. But fortunately, I haven’t faced the losses she has. Nor have I lived in a supposedly haunted house. Luckily, that’s where Abigail and I are different. ;)

KEP: The book's chapters all begin with definitions of some very interesting but unfamiliar words. There are 26 chapters in all, one for each letter of the alphabet! What gave you the idea to use this chapter construction?

BEB: Dictionary junkie that I am, I couldn’t resist brandishing some of the wildly esoteric words I’d come across in recent years and I thought what better way to introduce the theme of each chapter while splitting the book into manageable sections!

KEP: We've heard the book is getting a lot of buzz, can you tell us more about that?

BEB: The positive feedback from reviewers and readers alike has been such a pleasant outcome. It’s easy for an author to be proud of their own novel, but to hear others talk about the impact the book has had on them makes all those hours of writing and editing even more worthwhile!

KEP: If our clients want to know more about you or the book, where can they go online?

BEB: To learn more about “The Language of Sand,” download book club questions and view the book trailer, please visit my website, www.ellenblock.net

KEP: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us Brett! We can't wait for the sequel! Oh yeah, and on that note, when can we expect it? ;)

BEB: I just got word from the publisher that the sequel to “The Language of Sand” will be released in the summer of 2011, just in time to see how Abigail deals with the Fourth of July on the island. Fireworks here we come!

Awesome! What a great read to bring to the beach on a hot, summer day. And to any of our blog readers who want to pick up their own copy of The Language of Sand, don't forget to look for it under Brett's nom de plume, Ellen Block. You can also find her earlier novels published under Brett Ellen Block. These include The Grave of God's Daughter (okay...I LOVE THIS BOOK) and The Lightning Rule (if you are a fan of stories set during times of historical upheaval with pulsing plots, this one's for you). Thanks again Brett!

Fate and the Fabulous Fabiola

If you've been enjoying any Primetime TV lately (Olympics anyone??), you've probably noticed the Verizon Palm Pre Plus commercial campaign featuring different lovely moms from eras gone by. You know...the nifty 50's mom with the chocolates and (our personal favorite) the stellar 80's mom with the post-its.



That lovely lady handling the sticky notes is our very own client, the fabulous Fabiola Cayemitte. Ms. Cayemitte was kind enough to take some time out of her busy auditioning schedule to answer a few questions about her shoot with Kelsey.

...But before we get to the interview, let's talk about how Kelsey and Fabiola first met.

It all started a while back at a local LA cafe, where Kelsey was having lunch with a friend. Kelsey's young daughter, Siara, was also dining and our favorite little lady was heartbroken when she discovered that the menu included no macaroni and cheese! A mac n' cheese meltdown seemed imminent until a charming waitress came to the rescue and went out of her way to keep both Siara and Kelsey very happy. Over a year later, a twist of fate would bring that waitress- Fabiola- through Catchlight Studio's doors looking for headshots. After recognizing each other, Kelsey and Ms. Cayemitte quickly scheduled a shoot and the rest is history.

Now, on to the interview!

KES: Thanks for answering our questions, Fabiola! Let's start at the beginning. How did you find your way to Kelsey??

FC: I'd met Kelsey incidentally prior to our shoot when I served her and her daughter at my restaurant. A year later I came across these photos of this gorgeous actor and decided to look him up on IMDB and made an appointment with Kelsey. It was then at our first meeting I felt we had met. It took us some time, but her daughter had left such a sweet impression that I remembered serving them a year prior.

KES: Have you shot with other photographers? What was your experience in comparison to your shoot with Kelsey?

FC: I find myself to be a very attractive woman; however, all the photographers I've shot with in the past some of which included high end magazine photographers never captured my real beauty. I'd walk into auditions and the casting directors would look at these recent photos and comment that I looked better in person. And I'd have to wait months to be able to afford to re-shoot. This just seemed to be an endless cycle.

I explained all my frustrations about my past experiences to Kelsey. What I most admired is that not only did she 'listen' intently to my needs I notice she never made me any false promises. She focused on who I was as an individual and what kind of person I was portraying to the world as an artist and that would in turn be our goal. And guess what? She gave me exactly what I wanted and more. It took me hours to narrow down the perfect shot as she gave me too many options.

KES: What were your impressions of Catchlight Studio's staff?

FC: Kelsey and her team were extremely professional. But most importantly they were very warm. I felt like I was at home with friends I had known for years. The studio itself is inviting which enabled me to let my hair down and leave my inhibitions at the door. Which in turn exuded my essence and gave me some amazing pictures.

KES: How have your headshots affected your career?

FC: And so it began ~ the calls from casting directors, theatrically and commercially. For years I kept thinking I had a bad agent or I didn't have enough credits. Who knew it was not having the 'right' picture that would just get you in the door. Casting directors stopped doing the double takes from the shots to my face but rather ask who shot the photos. And what's so refreshing is that I know I won't have to retake the pictures for many years to come. Because of Kelsey I was called in for a Verizon National commercial which I booked with one of the biggest Ad Agency's in NYC. I'm so grateful because I realize had I not had the perfect shot that got me in the door to begin with, I would not have had the opportunity to even audition. This was a great investment, I can't thank Kelsey enough for her part in making me a bankable actress.

KES: Thanks Fabiola! We look forward to seeing a lot more of you- both in the studio and on the screen!