By Chandra Clewley

 

Wondering where this photo came from?  Currently, on Bravo's website, there is an option to create a post card with your favorite "Bravolebrities" and email it from the site. Of course, just like at Jill Zarin's  charity event, history has been repeated with the exclusion of a photo of The Real Housewives of New York castmate Kelly Killoren Bensimon. The real question though is, what do all of the women above (and Kelly Killoren Bensimon) have in common besides being part of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise?

 

 

In December, Vicki Gunvalson of The Real Housewives of Orange County celebrated the publishing of her first book: More Than A Housewife.  Vicki’s book launch party was held at The Abbey in Los Angeles’s West Hollywood and although the rest of the Housewives’ were not present; Donn, Vicki’s husband was actually extended an invitation *this time*. Also in attendance were Patti Stanger of the Millionaire Matchmaker (which starts a new season this month!), Jackie Warner of Work Out and Tabitha Coffey of Salon Takeover.  The Abbey, which is the Mecca for gay West Hollywoodites couldn’t be a more perfect venue for a Bravo inspired party, since Bravo really gained momentum originally with Queer Eye for The Straight Guy.

 

The Real Housewives franchise has become a launching pad for marketing whatever product these gals (and their families!) are pushing, from tequila to jewelry to wigs. It seems though, that the most common form of shameless self-promotion in order to cash in on new celebrity status is coming in the form of the written word.

 

NeNe Leakes from The Real Housewives of Atlanta has a book titled Never Make The Same Mistake Twice: Lessons On Love and Life Learned The Hard Way.  The Real Housewives of New York Bethenny Frankel ‘s book is titled Naturally Thin-Unleash Your Skinny Girl and Free Yourself From A Lifetime of Dieting. Bethenny also has a new cookbook called The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes For Your Naturally Thin Life which she will be demonstrating Monday, January 4, at 10:48 a.m. on The Today Show with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford. The Countess LuAnn de Lesseps (also of New York) book; Class With The Countess: How To Live With Elegance and Flair, was also released in December and according to Amazon, there are only five  copies left before it sells out. 

 

But that’s not all folks! This spring The Real Housewives of New York’s Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen are releasing their book Little Kids, Big City: Tales of A Real House in New York City (With Lessons on Life and Love For Your Own Concrete Jungle). Also of New York fame, Jill Zarin, will be releasing her book Secrets of A Jewish Mother and according to her Twitter and Facebook, she has offered to send a signed postcard to anyone who pre-orders the book. And, lastly, let’s not leave out our Real Housewives of New Jersey!! Perhaps the juiciest book expected out  will also be released this spring, when Danielle Staub releases The Naked Truth. According to Twitter, she is just finishing up her acknowledgements.

 

Wow! It seems like the only people NOT getting book deals these days are writers!

 

Although, to give credit where credit is due, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Real Housewife of New York, has a degree from Columbia and has worked not only for the New York Post, but also has published three books previous to her stint on the show: The Bikini Book, American Style and In The Spirit of The Hamptons. She also edits a local Hampton's glossy magazine.  You Go Kelly!

I wonder, have I forgotten anyone else?

 

 

Catch an all new episode (FINALLY!!!!) of The Real Housewives of Orange County this Thursday at 10 p.m. 

You can also check out this great website for more dirt on all these FAB Bravo shows: http://www.bravofan.com/

and don't forget to follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChandraClewley

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 

For more The Real Housewives Links visit Sirlinksalot.net