From the "What Are They Thinking?" File

This was from People.com yesterday:

"She's already a reality star and a fashion designer, but Lauren Conrad is adding another title to her crowded resume: Author. Conrad, 22, has signed on to write a three-book series of young adult fiction for HarperCollins, the publisher tells PEOPLE. The books – the first of which is scheduled to hit shelves in the summer of 2009 – will be loosely inspired by Conrad's own experience going from an ordinary teen to a reality TV star. "It's definitely influenced by my own life," Conrad tells PEOPLE.

"The books are about a girl who moves to L.A. and stars in a reality show, so obviously there are some similarities." So will Hills costars like Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt or Brody Jenner wind up as in Conrad's series? Not exactly. "I'm not trying to do a fictional story based on all my friends in my real life because their stories aren't really mine to tell," says Conrad, who has gone through many dramas on her MTV show. "Some of the characters may symbolize people in my life, but it is in no way calling anyone out."

Conrad's best gal pal and The Hills costar Lauren Bosworth has already been offering advice. "I run ideas by Lo and I'll ask for her opinion because I value my friends' opinions," says the budding author, who has completed the outline for the first book. But not everyone in Conrad's life has been clued in to her plans to pen a series. "Honestly I haven't told everyone," she admits. "I've told my best friends and they have all been really supportive. Nobody was worried."

Great, just what we need, Lauren Conrad writing books. Aren't her 15 minutes of fame over yet? It's not that I dislike LC, I think out of the lot of them on The Hills, she's actually the most normal but still. Two reality TV shows, and she not only has a her own fashion line, a deal with Mark Cosmetics, but now a publishing deal?

Remember when people actually had to go to college and struggled before they had success?

Guilty Pleasures

Yes, it's soon to be another cycle of America's Next Top Model, and this time, there is a transgender model instead of a plus-size! And then there's Dancing with the Stars, with Erica Kane herself, Susan Lucci as one of the contestants (Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, Tony Dovolani was at the dance studio I go to with Susan Lucci filming. Shh!). Chloris Leachman is also rumored which frightens me greatly. I'm not sure octogenarians should compete on reality TV shows. That's not ageist, I'm just worried about her breaking a hip. Brooke Burke and Kim Kardashian are total eye candy. Edyta is going to have some competition in the skimpy costume stakes.

But that's in the future. My current guilty pleasure resides on CMT. Yes, Country Music Television has two of the best reality shows on TV, Gone Country and Outsiders Inn.

The first series of Gone Country came on earlier this year. The premise is take a bunch of celebrities, put them up in a house in Nashville, have them work on a song, and then John Rich of Big & Rich will produce the winner. Carnie Wilson (is there a reality show she hasn't been on?), Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Bobby Brown, Sisqo, Diana DeGarmo, Maureen McCormick and Julio Iglesias Jr. were the celebrities and it was hilarious. From Bobby Brown's sleepwalking pee fests to Dee Snider and his coffee fixation, this show was Must See TV. Although I'm a little puzzled as to how Julio Iglesias Jr. won apart from the whole trying to court the Latino community aspect. His song wasn't country at all.

Now we are on to Season 2, and it's a pisser. Sebastian Bach, Chris Kirkpatrick from NYSYNC (Bach hilariously had no idea who Chris was when they met at the airport. Lance Bass he knew, Chris no), Irene Cara (who skips out I think after tonight's episode), American Idol reject Mikalah Gordon, Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas, and drumroll please, that hot tranny mess herself Sean Young. Already in episode 1, Sean proved she was a car wreck waiting to happen. The kicker was Jermaine Jackson telling John Rich that the Jackson 5 were trying to be country singers before they went to R&B! (Can you just see Michael Jackson at the Grand Ole Opry?).

After that 1/2 of merriment, we get the Outsiders Inn, where Maureen McCormick, Bobby Brown and Carnie Wilson try to run the worst bed & breakfast inn in Cocke County, TN. Already, they've picked Larry, Darryl and his other brother Darryl as handymen. Bobby had his first taste of moonshine, and Maureen shook her finger at Bobby in the kitchen for bringing home guests for dinner without telling her. All's well that ends well, when the uninvited guests sang the favorite song of the old married couple who were staying at the inn.

I cannot wait to watch tonight's episodes.