When you hit the road, don't hit send

Congrats to all the graduates of 2012!

Please be safe on the road this summer. Your life and plans and your dreams are worth it!

I've told a couple of my friends not to text and drive or Google and drive and we all could use a reminder, espeically in this fast-pace, now, now, now, go, go, go world we live in that can cause so many distractions that can make us forget about what really matters. Like our lives and the lives of others. It's easy to be distracted and put aside what's most important. I'm not saying that's an excuse for being careless though. When you're in the car remember it's okay to tell your friend who is about to send a text message while driving, "Don't send that now, send it later."

When you sit in your friend's car passenger seat you are giving your friend trust on your life. But it's not only about your life, it's about the lives of others that should be on the driver's mind and you can and should speak up if your friend is texting, checking email on their phone or Googling something while on the road.

Some ways to tell your friends not to text and drive and prevent a car accident or worse.

First, if you are on a road trip or going somewhere and need an address, plan ahead and get the address before you hit the road.  Tell your friend what exit to look for and hold the directions. Your friend shouldn't be holding their phone and glancing down at the directions or GPS on their phone while driving, you can actually get you a ticket in some states for using a GPS on your phone and did you know that using a GPS on your phone while driving can be extremely dangerous? Read this.

-Offer to use your phone and you  (the passenger) send the text instead. If you have the same friends, you could just use your own phone and tell the driver to focus on the road. Although this can also be a distraction to the driver to see you texting, especially if the driver asks to see the text you are about to send, remember it's better if the driver focuses on the road and has their eyes looking ahead not down at a cellphone at any time while driving.

-Feel weird telling your friends not to text and drive? Then try this:
Before you get in the car get all the texting out of your system. So encourage your friend to finish the text before starting the car.
Tell your friend/the driver, "Let's pull over real quick and send it."
Or, "Wait, don't send it now, send it later, when we stop at the...gas station, store, etc."
-When your driver friend sends a text message before you both get in the car, remind your friend to include in the text, "I'll be driving but I'll text you back when I get there." Or "I'll be on my way, so if I don't respond right away it's cause I'm on the road."
When you hit the road, please don't hit send. 

Your life and the lives of others is worth a lot more than the risk.
~Isobella


http://www.petitemodelingtips.com/2012/06/does-your-phone-run-your-life-can-you.html

Check out the book trailer for my new book Careful, about the spirit of a girl who has died in a texting and driving crash.

My baby bump at the Apple Store 59th Street today

Check out the Book Trailer for my new book Careful

Hey Girls!

I'm excited to share with you the book trailer for my new book called Careful, it's the first book of the my new book series, Careful, Quiet, Invisible. Careful is due in July 2012. Check out the trailer here on my blog or view the trailer on Youtube or at my website http://www.isobelladreams.com/IsobellasBooks.html
 
To watch it here on my blog, it's best to pause my podcast that's heard on the right side of my blog so that you can hear the book trailer better. Scroll down on the right side and pause the podcast audio.

Long live love!

Isobella

 

Pre-order a signed copy of my new book Careful for a special price

Hey Girls,

Careful, the first book of my new book series called Careful, Quiet, Invisible is due July 26, 2012 at retail outlets and I'm offering to sign pre-ordered books for a special price. If you'd like to read the book before everyone else and pre-order a personalized and signed book (paperback) click the "buy now options" on the link below.  Includes shipping in the USA.  If you'd like to chat about shipping beyond the USA, no problem, send me a message through my website here.

The scoop on pre-ordered signed copies is here, under the illustration of Estella with her friends Zara, Eva and Jett:

http://www.isobelladreams.com/TheCarefulQuietandInvisibleSeries.html

Summary of Careful.

After Estella Montclair is killed in a texting and driving crash, what remains of her face and body is devastating.

But not all of her has died.

During the first month after her death, Estella’s spirit travels among her living friends and family. Her best friends Zara, Eva and Jett show her how pain and sorrow can break apart or strengthen a bond. She also sees for the first time that loss can spark revenge, catastrophe can come without warning, and we all have secrets. She wonders if her chance for love with Phoenix has passed her by, and if out of sight truly means out of mind.

And maybe one day the girl who caused her death will admit her mistake.

While adjusting to a new state of being, Estella struggles to face the limitations that come with death, but blossoms by recognizing she can still touch the lives of the people she once knew so well.

  Check back often for exclusive promos and the upcoming book trailer for Careful!

Love lives on!
Isobella

Today a new podcast about my new book Careful

Today at 12 PM EST a podcast chat about friendship, family, forgiveness, revenge, bullying, loss and love.

This July, Isobella Jade, best known as the petite model who wrote her memoir Almost 5'4" at the Apple store in New York City, releases Careful, the first book of a sentimental young adult novel series called Careful, Quiet, Invisible, about the spirit of girl who dies in a texting while driving crash. Jade chats about how the death of her father inspired her writing, the characters in the series and her writing process. For more on the Careful, Quiet, Invisible series and exclusive promotions visit: http://www.isobelladreams.com/TheCarefulQuietandInvisibleSeries.html

TunT 
Tune into the podcast here at 12 PM EST: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/isobellajade/2012/06/19/isobella-jade-discusses-her-new-book-careful

Listen to archived podcasts here or on iTunes: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/isobellajade

Does your phone run your life? We should grasp the moment in our minds, not just on the screen

At my girl's horse stable this weekend I was chatting with a 15 year old girl about her horse and although school's out we talked about what high school girls are wearing and why they wear certain bags and logos. The conversation inspired, "Before you flaunt the logo know something about the brand." :) ~IJ - Also we chatted about texting in the classroom and the girl said the teachers don't really... enforce a no cell phone rule anymore because they are texting too. That was annoying to hear. It must be hard to focus on school, that test, college application process, the SAT, having a goal, knowing your assets and skills, sharpening them, when there is a distraction by the teachers phone buzzing along with the chimes of other phones going bing, bing, ring tone jam, etc. WTF. I text every day now, but I remember a world without text messages. Sometimes I will put away my phone just to remind myself, it doesn't run my life and I can have a conversation with someone, look them in the eye and not look at my phone while we're chatting, I can focus and enjoy the experience without my phone constantly, because although this is a fast-pace, mobile-age there is a time and place for it and my phone doesn’t replace the experiences that make up real life.

No-Phone-Challenge: Does everything need 50 photos? We are lucky we have all these digital tools and resources that can capture the moment, every single moment...but can you make a memory without taking a photo of it, without the camera on your phone? Can you be in the moment and take it in with your mind, have the moment kept safe in your memory, without even your camera?  I feel like our memory is not being used enough with all these digital abilities, and being able to remember being somewhere, doing something, when it happened and where could get easily forgotten without the 5000 photos that were taken.  I find that sad. A photo is proof, not our own memory of being there and what it felt like and how it was. We should let our minds and souls take in the memory more often, every detail, the sounds, the way the room was lit, the energy or the calmness felt, the colors, the expressions, things that were said or heard. .

~IJ

Teen Night at the New Museum Tonight and it's free

I wish I was a teen again so I could go to this event, calling all teens who would enjoy and could use an evening of gallery conversations led by teens, explore exhibitions with your friends, there's live music and even button-making, haha, check out this FREE event TONIGHT June 15th, at the New Museum in the city (235 Bowery at Prince Street). Starts at 6:30 PM (bring your school ID)

Here's the scoop: http://www.newmuseum.org/events/668?utm_source=New+Museum+News&utm_campaign=4b3c592f13-2012_06_EVENTS_2&utm_medium=email

Although I'm not in school anymore I love learning and discovering. Fun to me is learning about something I didn't know, discovering something, expressing my thoughts about a conversation that allows many opinions. Learning and sharing should never end and should spread beyond the classroom. Use your mind and share your perspective, add to your mind and grow from a new experience that makes you think and wonder. :)

Isobella

To feed your soul just add the time

Make sure your feeding your soul, what's important to you and that nagging "Oh shit I didn't do THAT today." If THAT is something that makes your spirit feel alive and brings you peace, makes you feel smart, brings out the best of you or is simply something you feel you should do then make sure you are spending time, even 30 mins a day doing it. I have to remind myself of this sometimes. There is... so much in our worlds to distract our minds from what we REALLY need to do for ourselves and feeding our soul. Getting in touch with what really matters to us, what we know we should do, is something that shouldn't be put last or least important. I'm about to now go feed my soul with some writing this evening that I've been meaning to do, wanting to do, but push it aside because there's so much other work, writing, projects going on. But I'll regret it, if I don't spend some time on this one thing, so I gotta make an effort to make the time for it. Time is sure precious, so go dive into that moment in your day that's just for you and reflects the person you are inside. ~IJ

My pink DIY Belmont Hat and baby bump

Me, my hat and baby bump at the Belmont Stakes

First step: Get a hat! My hat, I bought it on 14th street for $10.  I went for a smaller summer hat but you can go super large if you want!

Then go to craft store and buy artificial flowers. The flowers came from JoAnn fabrics.

You'll also need a glue-gun: I think I got the glue gun a couple years ago in the city at a drugstore or Pearl Paint art supply store.

Heat up your glue gun. Trim/ cut the flower stem down and then grab your heated glue gun. Carefully glue a line across the stem and then press it on your hat. Or glue a line on your hat and press the stem down on it.

Then next to the first flower add a feather for down funky flair that will grab attention. :) hehe

To cover up some glue gun marks and for some more fun color, decorate your hat with flowers that are a different style than the first tall standout flower you added.

Add more! And get colorful! The more dramatic the better! Flowers, flowers, flowers and funky fabulous pretty.

Get creative and celebrate your artistic side.

Who knows what's ahead, keep your eyes clear and focused

When I was in the car driving to Maine with my husband for our baby moon, I held the phone with the Google map and directions. Mapping while driving isn't safe either, so add it to the don't-do's while driving, right next to texting, emailing, or making your Facebook or Twitter updates. Be safe! Your life is worth it and the lives of others are too! ♥ there's a lot to live for, and you can handle waiting a few extra minutes to text back your friend, it's not worth a ticket or hurting someone or yourself because of a stupid text message. Don't you agree? So keep your eyes clear and focused while making some fun road trips this summer. Summer is an inspiring, beautiful time of year--yes even pregnant in the heat of NYC I'm still going to enjoy it, and I hope your's involves accomplishing a goal or two. :) Aim high and strive!

I care about the texting and driving issue because it's stupid, it's foolish and careless and selfish to text and drive. I made texting and driving show up in my book because not many books have included texting and driving within their storylines and I find it an important social issue for all types of people. So I'm striking a voice on how texting and driving can kill. Just like how it kills the main character in the first book of my new YA book series, coming this July, called Careful, Quiet, Invisible.

Some buzz on texting and driving that caught my eye:
http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154533043/texting-and-driving-bans-may-make-roads-less-safe

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154519836/whatd-make-you-stop-texting-while-driving


~Isobella

Setting goals makes us bolder

Set a goal. It might not happen tomorrow, it might be a true challenge but a challenge gets us hyped up, makes us bolder and stronger and we grow our minds and hearts while striving. Sure you might through a hissy fit while trying to accomplish it or spaz out more than a few times worried it will never happen or that it's taking too long to reach, but you're working for a goal, it's a process, it'...s where you are today meeting up with the future you're planning and hoping for. During the journey you'll discover so much about yourself and prob also meet some people who could influence you, or you might even be that influencer for someone else. Setting a goal and moving towards it takes time, it can take hours, days, weeks and years but remember you're out there aiming for something you want. And if your goal helps others too, even better! Strive on! Isobella

Read an excerpt of my new book Careful, coming in July!

Hey Girls,

I've been sick with a cold and pregnant, then traveling around the coast of Maine on a baby moon trip, and now back and hustling to fill you in with the latest on my Careful, Quiet, Invisible series. The first book Careful is due in July and here is some recent news.

This summer please be ‘Careful’ on the road, please don't text and drive and please tell your friends and family not to take the risk. In my new book called “Careful,” due in July, the main character Estella dies from a texting and driving crash. The book is sort of a "Lovely Bones" meets "Gossip Girl" but with a lot more darkness and heart. It's a sentimental series and I just posted an excerpt of the book here: http://www.isobelladreams.com/TheCarefulQuietandInvisibleSeries.html and also here's a promo illustration of the 'girls,' Estella and her friends: Zara, Eva and Jett, illustrated by my graphic novel, “Model Life,” illustrator Jazmin Ruotolo ( http://www.angeltripstudio.com/ ).

I thought it would be fun to see a visual of the 'girls' together, even though the book is a novel.

 More about the book: After death and as a spirit, Estella experiences many self-discovery moments through her friends and family that involve diet pills, depression, beauty and body image, revenge and bullying, to forgive or not forgive and other present day self-growth moments, along with trendy topics like teens starting a small business together. I hope while reading the book and traveling with Estella's spirit you keep in mind how precious life. Although fictional, the book has a landscape of my hometown in Central, NY and there are some moments throughout that can reflect my own childhood and teen years as well. Yay for July! Read more about the “Careful, Quiet, Invisible” series and upcoming giveaways and exclusive promotions: http://www.isobelladreams.com/TheCarefulQuietandInvisibleSeries.html

~Isobella

P.s: Check out this site on the dangers of texting and driving:

http://www.distraction.gov/