Partying with Rachel Hollis!

Are you ready to party?!? If so, you might want someone like Rachel Hollis to plan your next big shindig!

Rachel Hollis is the founder of Los Angeles-based event planning firm, Chic Events. In 2009, she was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30.” She has designed and produced fabulous parties for many of Hollywood’s elite, including Bradley Cooper, Al Gore, Rashida Jones, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ivanka Trump, Jaime King, and Cuba Gooding Jr. (just to name a few). Most recently, she planned the nuptials of actress Sara Rue’s wedding, which garnered national coverage in magazines such as People and US Weekly.

With all this party planning experience under her belt, Rachel decided to channel it into a chick lit novel! Party Girl made its grand debut last week and has already received a bunch of great reviews on Amazon. It's like The Devil Wears Prada for the party planning industry.

You can find Rachel at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

What insight do you hope readers will gain from Party Girl? 
Oooh, I love this question! First and foremost I hope that readers enjoy the book. I hope they laugh and have fun because that’s ultimately what books are for me, a little escape. Beyond the entertainment value, I hope they’re inspired. Landon isn’t a real person but her experience is completely based on my own life. I grew up on a street called Weedpatch Hwy (no joke!) and I found myself thrust into this glitzy glamorous world of celeb parties. 10 years later I’ve created the life of my dreams... Anything is possible if you work hard enough!

What was the biggest challenge with writing a novel? Biggest reward? 
Finding the time! I have three boys (ages 7, 5 and 18 months) and a company to run, so finishing this meant getting up at 5:30 every morning so I could write before they woke up. Biggest reward? The pride in having finished it! I think every would-be author starts and stops a thousand times but to actually finish the manuscript is incredible. I have a bracelet on my wrist that I never take off, it has “81,311” engraved on it which was the word count of the first draft of this book. Even if no one buys it but my mom, no one can ever take away the fact that I wrote that many words down in coherent sentences!

If Party Girl were made into a movie, which celebrities would you cast in the lead roles? 
This is SO tough because I can’t figure out who would play Landon! I take the southern aspect really seriously so I’d want someone who could get that... I haven’t figured out an actress yet that makes sense. Best guess, I thought Teresa Palmer was really cute in Warm Bodies. Brody is based on a model named Devin Paisley (yum city!) and Taylor was based on Dave Franco (equally yum city!). Selah Smith was based on Rose Byrne who would be SO good as the evil boss. As for everyone else, I’m not sure.

What chick lit novel that you've read recently would you consider to be "chic?" 
Wow, tough question, too many to choose from! I haven’t read it recently, but I absolutely LOVED Unsticky by Sarra Manning. It’s hilarious and such an unexpected wonderful love story. I adore that book!

What was the most unique party you've ever had to plan? 
A Bar Mitzvah that cost more than the annual budget of a small island nation! It was at an airport... Helicopters were involved. Gloriously over the top!

What is your must-have for each of the following: party food item, party music, and party decoration? 
I like to say that the things that made a party great 100 years ago are the thing that make a party great today. Delicious food, excellent cocktails, and great music... Spend your money on those three things and a clean house is the only décor you need ;)

Thanks to Rachel for visiting us today! Party Girl is now available for purchase!