NEW TEXT CHALLENGE – YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS

Tristan Murray-Middleton from YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS loves nothing more than writing lyrics for his band's songs – now it’s your turn to put pen to paper and release your inner poet.

We want to see some lyrical wordage inspired by YLF – anything goes, from a limerick about a crush inspired by Tally’s crush on her teacher, to a rap about clothes inspired by Alice’s sense of style, it’s completely up to you – the best ones will go on display on The B Word!

We’ll give you plenty of time for this one so that you can read the book if you haven’t had the chance yet so the closing date is February 20th with the winners being announced the following week.

And of course there's a little prize up for grabs...at the the recent launch party for the book (check out the pictures here) we managed to blag two of the goodie bags that were being given to guests – we'll send one to each of the two winners.

While you're thinking about YLF - make sure you check out the download section for the new YLF wallpaper!

NEW VIDEO CHALLENGE – TEMPTED: AN IT GIRL NOVEL

In TEMPTED Jenny Humphrey has to find the perfect outfit to wear to the annual masquerade ball…put together your perfect masquerade costume and film yourself wearing it while you tell us why you’d make a great IT girl.

Post your video to YouTube and then submit the link using the form on the B Creative page… The director of the best vid (decided on February 20th to give you plenty of planning time) will be awarded the much coveted B Brilliant award and a £10 book token.

New IT GIRL extract...

Make sure you check out the new details for INFAMOUS the seventh book in the fabulous IT GIRL series - the first chapter has just gone up in the download section to give you a sneak preview of what to expect when the book comes out on February 5th 2009!

YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS Launch Party Pictures!

Kate Kingsley really is one of the most fabulous authors we know. Not only has she written a totally brilliant book but she is totally glam too. Check out these pictures taken at her recent book launch at Soho House…

Lots of copies of YLF…

Kate signing a copy of YLF

Some young and fabulous party goers

Kate chatting to friends

Fan comments...

We've been recieving comments from IT GIRL fans so thought we'd share your thoughts with everyone - let us know how much you love the IT GIRL books (or, indeed, any of our other books) and we'll add your comments!

"i love GG and the it girl it's so ah-some!!!!! jenny humphrey rocks!!!!!!"
Tess

"The it girl is such a great book I think Ceclly von Ziegsar is such a talented writer she can really relate to girls."
Boniwe

"I love The It Girl!"
Becca

"I Love The It Girl novel series. Unforgettable my Fav. But am i the only person who doesn't think Jenny is a total bitch? xox"
Holzz

YLF reviews

Kate Kingsley has been a busy lady in the run up to publication and her new book YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS has been getting some great reviews:

Chicklish say 'I absolutely loved this book...Highly recommended to fans of gossipy, intrigue-filled books and anyone who enjoys being immersed in the fantasy-like world of troubled rich people.'
read the full review and an interview with Kate here.

Lisa Clark at pink-world asks 'Do you heart Gossip Girl? Er, hello, can I just say Dan Humphrey? Swoonsville. Have you read the books and watched your season one box set a gazillion times? If so, then I’m guessing you might be in need of a new glam-girl, label-crazy fix, right?
Well, get your manicured mitts on this, the most addictive, glamorous thing since…well…Gossip Girl. Young, Loaded & Fabulous by Kate Kingsley.'
For a chance to win one of five copies of the book and read another fabulous interview with kate visit pink-world.

Love Reading call YLF a 'wild read' that is 'not for the faint-hearted'. Check out the full review here.

And finally Sara Ann Leslie at Dragon Fly Book Reviews says 'set in 'posh-nosh' (for want of a better... ahem... word) boardings schools in England, this book is just un-put-downable and full of brilliance.' Read the full review here.

All fabulous stuff!

B Involved - YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS

It's review time again and the B Involved team seem to be loving YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS - take a look at what they think so far:

What a brilliant book this is! Kate Kingsley's first book about Alice and Tally, 2 young, rich and popular girls, is flipping amazing!!One of the best books I have ever read, and I totally recommend it. One of those few books you find hard to put down and so I read it in 2 days!!If you liked Gossip Girl and The It Girl, you will certainly love this!!
shopoholic

YLF is a brilliant start to an addictive new series set in the UK. We are introduced to a group of instantly likeable teenagers, who are both realistic and outrageous. Alice is just about to figure out her feelings for her best friend T, when his ex-American girlfriend unexpectedly turns up - bringing with her a whole host of trouble for the British socialites.If you're a fan of Gossip Girl or The It Girl, then you'll love the YLF series. It's a fresh take on teen life and the author, Kate Kingsley, has written a contemporary story of love, scandal and friendship.I would highly recommend this book, and look forward to future installments.
Prophecygirl

It's about two young, rich and fabulous girls and about their lives!!:P The best book ever - it's one of those books once you start reading it you cant put it down !!!!!! Definitely would read it again!!! Amazing.
wdycoov

OMG! YLF by Kate Kingsley is THRILLING, BITCHY & ONE OF A KIND! With so many different personalities for each character, the encouragement for reading on is HUGE! It's the first book I've read by Kate Kingsley and it definitely won't be the last! Kingsley has kept me up late every night, with it being so hard to put the book down. Great job Kate Kingsley! xox
Amber.x.

If you want to send your own review then post it into the forum or use the contact form - and make sure you tell your friends too keep an eye out for the totally wonderful Kate Kingsley!

GOSSIP GIRL gossip...

We've just heard a rumour from ITV2 that the second amazingly addictive GOSSIP GIRL series will be hitting our screens in the UK in early January 2009 - how exciting!

Keep an eye on the B Word Blog for updates.

B Involved - GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES: YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH

Our first B Involved read was GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES: YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH and here are the first reviews to come in. If you were lucky enough to get a copy of this book then submit your reviews soon and we'll add them to the blog!

Here's what our B Involved members think so far:

Once I started reading the book I wasn't able to put it down. The storyline in the book had me hooked from the very first page; and made me want to keep on reading the book. I think that the author is the best author in the world. The way the story has been written is so amazing and this makes me want to continue to read all the books in the series.
*Laura2008*

This book picks up straight after the first in the new Gossip Girl The Carlyles series and already I am enthralled by the new characters, the 3 triplets all have fascinating stories and there's enough scandal going on aswell, after all these books Gossip Girl is still as fun as ever and I really hope this series will continue for many more books just like the first one did!If you like the original Gossip Girl series or the TV show I really recommend this new series of books to you!
popprincess

Bye Bye Blair, Serena and Nate and a big hello to the Carlyles. This is the 2nd book in the series following Baby, Avery and Owen's move to New York. I really enjoyed the book and I'm looking forward to the next...
lola

Cecily Von Ziegesar has done it once again. She has written another book which you just can put down! You could say, You Just Cant Get Enough! I absolutley love the way that she writes. She really knows what every girl wishes to be able to do. This book is a must read. But be prepared as what you are going to read is not for good girls. Enjoy! I hadnt actually read the first one, but found that I didnt need to, I am really looking forward to the next book...
manisha2006

Just a quick review about GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES: YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH, i thought that it was a great book...it was 'unputdownable' for me. When I started it, I really could not 'get enough' as the title of the book said. But I guess Cecily Von Ziegesar is just a GREAT teenage book author!!!
hello95

YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS

YLF is a hot new series by Kate Kingsley that we're all very, very excited about. If you're a fan of THE IT GIRL and GOSSIP GIRL books then we're sure you're just going to LOVE Kate's totally scandalous new book.

The book hits the shops on November 13th but check out the sneak preview first chapter we've put up in the download section of the YOUNG, LOADED & FABULOUS page and let us know what you think.

Attention all IT GIRL and GOSSIP GIRL fans...

Make sure you go take a look at TEMPTED and GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES: YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH - we've added the first chapters to the download section so you can get a sneak peak of what's coming up! Don't forget - the new GOSSIP GIRL book is hitting the shops next week!

Rave review for GHOSTGIRL

The lovely ladies at chicklish have written a fabulous review of GHOSTGIRL!

'This is the story of Charlotte Usher, who is dying to be in with the popular girls at school - and, more importantly, with one popular boy: Damen. But she's invisible to them; she might as well not exist. And then one day she chokes on a gummy bear and dies. But that doesn't stop her plans to go to the dance with Damen...
Now, I know I should be focusing on the story, but I can't help but point out that this book looks and feels gorgeous! Its has a black coffin-like appearance, with pink and black flower decorations and beautiful silhouette cartoons throughout. This is definitely one to buy as a present...' (to read more click here)

GHOSTGIRL goes pop!

French group Telepopmusik are showing the GHOSTGIRL love with their fabulous new track!

Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpXjMVBXS24 and let us know what you think...

So gorgeous you're Gossip Girl worthy...

We've just received these totally fabulous Gossip Girl mirrors and want to share the wealth by giving them to you!

We're going to keep a beady eye on the forums and the writers of our favourite five new posts each week will get sent one of these handy and super-stylish mirrors (very useful for discretely checking you haven't got something in your teeth - the horror!).

The It Girl Creative Challenge

We realise we didn't give you very long on this month's creative challenge but we LOVE the three entries we got - definitely useful words of wisdom to live by!

"An It Girl should always know just how hot they are. I mean, how can you possibly be any fun to be around if you're worrying about what people are thinking about you?"
Annelise Quattrociocchi

"Remember every detail for the future...except the ones that need to be forgotten."
Danielle Bann

"One of my many rules in life is that you can never have too many pairs of shoes. lol. It's vital because when you're a girl, having any amount of shoes is a dream come true, and plus you need shoes, different types for different places or different weather, so my rule is you can never have too many pairs of shoes."
Stacey knutsen

We can't choose between the three so congratulations to Annelise, Danielle and Stacey who will all be getting a copy of LUCKY, book five in the IT GIRL series.

Keep an eye out for the next challenge - coming soon...

GHOSTGIRL creative challenge - Dead Certs

Our first creative challenge is linked to the absolutely wonderful book GHOSTGIRL.

Charlotte Usher feels invisible at school but she has a plan to make sure she becomes popular - she's a girl on a mission and will do anything it takes to achieve her goal. She also won't let anything get in her way... not even death!

Tell us what you want to make a 'dead cert' in your life and the best video submitted by October 1st will win a fantastic Halloween Party Pack which includes: A limited edition, signed copy of GHOSTGIRL, a £15 iTunes voucher so that you can download the music mentioned in the book to get your party going, a 'trick or treat' sweet selection and some fancy dress and halloween-style makeover essentials.

Click here to send in the YouTube link to your video.

ITV2 Spends a weekend gossiping

A very exciting date for your diaries: ITV2 will show the entire first series of GOSSIP GIRL on the 23rd, 24th and 25th August.

Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here - your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite…

Spotted at Grand Central, bags in hand, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively). Was it only a year ago our IT Girl mysteriously disappeared for boarding school? And just as suddenly, she’s back. But how will her privileged prep school peers learn that ‘S’ is back in town? The way they learn all the important news in their lives: from the blog of yours truly the all-knowing but ultra-secretive Gossip Girl. No one knows my identity, but everyone in this exclusive and tangled vicious circle relies on my website and text messages for the latest scoop. Even S’s closest friend, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), doesn’t welcome her mysterious return to Manhattan with open arms.

One thing is for sure, when S was out of the picture, B enjoyed her time in the spotlight, and she has no intention of going back to living in Serena’s shadow. The tension between the pair isn’t lost on anyone in this crowd, who live for gossip and scandal – along with fashion, shopping and partying in Manhattan’s trendiest hotspots…

And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. Xoxo, GossipGirl

The DVD of series one is out from the 18th August.

Jenny Humphrey stars in her own series...

So, we all love Jenny Humphrey from GOSSIP GIRL but did you know that she stars in her very own series?

THE IT GIRL is all about what happens to Jenny after she leaves her up-tight Manhattan all-girls school, Constance Billard, for Waverly Academy – an elite boarding school where glamorous rich kids don’t let the rules get in the way of a good time. She’ll do anything it takes to become the It Girl…

Gossip Girl pulls in the prizes...

This week saw the Gossip Girl TV show scoop six prizes at the 10th annual Teen Choice Awards in California. We always said it was the best show ever!

And the winners were:
Breakout Male: Chace Crawford (Nate)
Breakout Female: Blake Lively (Serena)
Breakout Show: Gossip Girl
Villain: Ed Westwick (Chuck)
Actress Drama: Blake Lively
Drama: Gossip Girl

Here lies a girl who was just dying to be popular...

Charlotte Usher
1991 – 2008

Dearly Beloved,
We are gathered here today to commemorate the life of Charlotte Usher, a girl who felt invisible but left a lasting legacy.
We first met Charlotte in November 2007. She made us laugh with her quirky sense of style and her wry wit, and she impressed us with her determination to achieve her goals in the face of adversity. Let’s be honest, death would stop most others in their tracks, but Charlotte was never one to give up. She truly is outstanding and we knew instantly that she deserved the popularity she strove for.

It is a tragedy that Charlotte’s life was cut so short (particularly in such embarrassing circumstances) but we must not view her death as the end, for, in Charlotte’s case, it is only the beginning… She leaves with us her story and returns to touch the lives of many as ghostgirl.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
And if I should die before I awake,
I pray the popular attend my wake.
Click here for a sneak preview
And check out this spooktacular website: http://www.ghostgirl.com/

Annabel Lee

By Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;-
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
She was a child and I was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee-
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud by night
Chilling my Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me:-
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling
And killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in Heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:-

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea-
In her tomb by the side of the sea.

Gossip Girl on Facebook

‘Welcome to New York City’s Upper East Side, where my friends and I all live in huge, fabulous apartments and go to exclusive single-sex private schools. We aren’t always the nicest people in the world, but we make up for it in looks and taste.’

Enter the world of Gossip Girl and the exclusive Manhattan private school Constance Billard, inhabited by the city’s most fabulous crowd; a world of jealousy, betrayal and outrageous behaviour! The delicious prequel to the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series goes back to the hot and sultry summer when the love triangle between Blair Waldorf, Serena van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald started. There's a lot more to this story than anyone realises and you might find out just how the legendary GOSSIP GIRL column began…

Click here to find out more!

Gossip Girl Guide to New York!

Courtesy of Socialight!

http://socialight.com/channels/gossip_girl_guide_to