Hilary Duff, Raquel Welch to appear in Naperville
Lizzie McGuire, meet Myra Breckinridge.
Two movie-stars-turned-authors Hilary Duff and Raquel Welch will share double billing Saturday during separate appearances at Anderson's Bookshop in downtown Naperville.
Welch will be signing copies of “Beyond the Cleavage, a memoir in which she also dispenses woman-to-woman advice on beauty, health and relationships. Duff penned “Elixir, a Young Adult mystery/romance.
We talked with both of them about why they decided to become authors and what they've been up to lately.
Hilary Duff
Newlywed: The 23-year-old is married to hockey star Mike Comrie.
Why write a book: “I kept having this story in my head that kept growing. I kept thinking about more elements and things I could do with it. My Mom said, ‘You should write a book.' (I thought) What, are you kidding, I didn't go to college, I don't know how to write a book.
So she started writing down her idea for a love story “that had lots of adventure and a strong female character. An agent put her in touch with a writer who “totally got my vision.
The plot: Clea, an aspiring photojournalist, searches for her father, a renowned surgeon who disappears while on a humanitarian mission. Her photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a man she's never seen before. “She goes on this mission to find her dad, and ends up finding a soul mate she's been connected to lifetime after lifetime.
Target audience: High school up to about age 25. “I definitely read YA books all the time.
What's harder, writing or acting? “Writing was a bigger challenge for me. It's scary territory when you've never done something before.
Favorite writing spot: “In my pajamas, on my couch.
Next book: “I'm so excited. We're going to start writing in November. I hope new ideas just keep coming.
Most famous role: Lizzie McGuire on the Disney Channel.
Latest role: A guest spot on the NBC comedy “Community,
Charity: Supports Blessings in a Backpack, which sends hungry schoolchildren home with backpacks full of food for the weekend.
What she thinks of Raquel Welch: “She's very beautiful, and ... I don't know that much about her.
Raquel Welch
Sexy at 70: “It's hard to take yourself too seriously when you're 70 years old and people are still calling you a sex symbol.
Why write a book: “I finally had something to say ... The public perception of me is all tied up in the sex symbol kind of thing, but it's so far away from who I really am. I thought it might be nice to strike up a conversation with my female friends out there, a kind of woman-to-woman dialogue.
The book: “My approach to being a woman, my sort of general philosophy and trying to keep it light at the same time, while saying a few things that need to be said. The memoir traces her life from her birth in Chicago, interweaving glamorous anecdotes, heartfelt confessions and tips on everything from age-appropriate dressing to her recipe for puree-of-vegetable soup.
Target audience: Mainly women 45 and older, but also younger women and men, too.
What's harder, writing or acting? “I loved the process (of writing), but it was also quite painful. It's not the easiest thing to say, in tone and verbiage, exactly what it is that you mean.
Favorite writing spot: “I have to keep changing it up. The computer can be kind of problematic. She wrote some of the book longhand, on a legal pad, while on the sofa with her feet up.
Next book: “I probably will write another one. I have a couple of ideas about that.
Most famous roles: The bikini-clad cave woman in “One Million Years B.C. or the transsexual Myra Breckinridge in the campy 1970 comedy.
Latest role: TV and print ads for Foster Grant, the sunglasses company.
Charity: The Raquel Welch Hair You Wear collection has donated more than $10 million worth of wigs to cancer patients.
What she thinks of Hilary Duff: “I think she's a very lovely, attractive young actress ... I think she handles herself very nicely.
Author appearances by Hilary Duff and Raquel Welch
<p>When: Saturday, Oct. 16</p>
<p>Where: Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville</p>
<p>Details: Welch visits the store at 1 p.m. to sign copies of “Beyond the Cleavage (Weinstein Books, $26.95). Duff appears at 6 p.m. to sign copies of “Elixir (Simon and Schuster, $17.99). Fans may join the signing line with the purchase of the author's new book at Anderson's.</p>
<p>Info: Call (630) 355-2665 or visit www.andersonsbookshop.com</p>