The Glory of Tori

Guest post by Tracey Meyers

I have two confessions:

Confession Number One: I have read all of Tori Spelling's memoirs. Yep, that's right! I've read "sTORI Telling," "Mommywood," and "Uncharted TerriTORI."

Confession Number Two: Not only have I read all of these books, but I also like them!

Phew! So glad I got that off my chest!

In some ways, saying I am making "confessions" is more of a joke than anything else, and in some ways not. If you don't "get" Tori Spelling than I just outed myself to you BIG TIME! If you do, than you understand that I am one of the many of others who just adore this one-of-a-kind actress/entrepreneur/mother/wife.... well, you get the point! Either way, in 2009 I liked her just enough to purchase a mp3 version of "sTORI Telling" using a credit I had received as part of an Audible.com trial membership. At first I did wonder how good of a writer she was. As a friend of mine said to me after I told her about this book review, "Tori Spelling has published books? I didn’t know she could write." Yep, that’s what I wondered at first too. (Sorry, Tori!) I also wondered what this "privileged princess" could possibly have to say that would make me feel as though she was just like you and me. However, it was a FREE purchase so I figured I'd take the gamble.

I started "reading" "sTORI Telling" on a sunny June day back in 2009 as I took my regular Saturday afternoon walk. I figured listening to an audio book would be a nice change and this particular one was the only one I had loaded on my iPod. I'm glad it was. My walk lasted about two and a half hours that afternoon, but it didn't feel that way. The whole time I was listening to Tori, and it was if she was walking right next to me. I distinctly recall at one point looking at the 2 mile marker on the path I was taking and trying to decide if I was going to turn around, or keep on going. It didn't take me long to make my decision -- I wanted to continue listening to "sTORI Telling" so I kept on going.

It didn't take me long to finish the book -- about 2.5 walks to be exact. I remember coming to the end and thinking, "That's it???" I was sad as I felt as though I had just made a new friend whom I wasn't ready to say goodbye too. Even though I promptly acquire both "Mommywood" and "Uncharted TerriTori" after their releases, I didn't read them right away. There were other things going on in my life that took my attention away from reading. However, I still intended to pay a visit to my friend Tori as soon as I could. Those visits with Tori were completed this past December. As with "sTORI Telling," I was sad to see my visit come to an end.

So what is it about these books that inspire me to tell the world that they also need to get on the Tori Spelling bandwagon? It's simple -- she is in fact like you and me. I know it sounds cliché, but it's true. When she talked about her experience getting the evil spirits lifted from her life, it made me think of the energy healing experience I had and was too embarrassed to admit to others. Furthermore, it made me begin to wonder if maybe I should go see a Vodou Priestess just in case I had some evil spirits of my own hanging around and needed a cleansing, as well. There are many other ups and downs Tori has experienced which I could relate to -- family drama, men drama and friend drama. Chapter after chapter, I found myself nodding in agreement with all she was saying.

Surely the people passing me on the walking trail, or on the streets of where ever I was thought I was a bit odd for this, however I didn't care because I, like Tori, am my own special person with my own special personality. Oh, personality! That is another thing that kept me coming back for more Tori's stories. Each and every one of these books exudes with Tori's own unique personality and style. From the book jackets that are very Tori-esque, to her tongue and cheek humor that jumps right out at you -- you just can't not pay attention to her memoirs!

After reading her fantastic memoirs, I have not only developed a greater appreciation for her as a performer, businesswoman, mother and wife, but also as a human being. I know she is a celebrity and shouldn't expect totally privacy as she is her commodity, but on the flip side I can understand why Tori, as person, would get aggravated by the media who pry into all aspects of her life. I felt for her when she talked about her struggles to keep her pregnancies private until she and her family were ready to announce them. Amongst my many stories she shared was the one about a Paparazzi, with whom she had apparently established a balanced relationship, offering to help her carry into her home some items from her car because it was a lot for just one person.

It would be cool to meet Tori Spelling one day. Once I got over being star-struck (because I totally would be) I could see us having a coffee and chatting about ... well, a lot of things. I'd probably ask her a lot of questions about the farm she has in her backyard as I'm interested the urban farming movement and one day would, at the very least, like to raise chickens. More realistically, I imagine if she were to write another memoir, I'd meet her at one of the local book signings. (Btw Tori - Hint, hint! Wink, wink! Nudge, nudge!) Until that day, I will share in her life journey through her reality show, "Home Sweet Hollywood."

If anything has come out of reading these books, it's that I have a greater appreciation for who Tori Spelling is. I believe she is a magnificent role model for all women. She has not only shown me that she is in fact "just like you and me," she has also shown me that you can achieve your dreams no matter what they are -- and you can do it with your own special style.

Tracey Meyers lives in the Chicago suburbs and enjoys photography, running, roller derby, knitting and, of course, blogging. She is currently helping us with social media and blog stuff, so you may be seeing her around more often.You can find her at her personal blog.