Book Review: Remember the Time

My mom always used to say she knew exactly where she was when she found out JFK died. I feel our generation already has two of those "moments": knowing where we were when we found out about 9/11 and where we were when we found out Michael Jackson died.

I had been driving home from work when I got text messages from two friends. I was really in disbelief and told them both that until I heard it from a reputable news source I wouldn't believe it. But when I got home and turned on the TV, there was the news on CNN, NBC, Fox News: Michael Jackson had died.

Most of my MJ memories consist of dancing to the Dangerous album with my little sister. My family had just gotten a CD player, and that was one of the only CDs my dad had. Emily and I would bop around to "Jam," "In the Closet" and "Who Is It" before dinner.

Others have many, many more memories of Michael, some of them personal. This includes Theresa J. Gonsalves, a writerwho shares her memories of Michael in her new book "Remember the Time."

Gonsalves is the muse for one of MJ's most well-known songs "Billie Jean," but she starts her story before the King of Pop penned that tune after her. Gonsalves was a schoolgirl in love with the Jackson 5, specifically Michael. She wrote hundreds of letters to the pop star, and made a decision she was going to fly out and see the singer perform with his brothers in Las Vegas for her 16th birthday.

It's amazing how easily the young Gonsalves got in contact with Michael. She called the hotel she knew they were staying at and asked to speak to the road manager, Randy Wiggins. She asked Wiggins if she could meet Michael when she flew out to Vegas, and Wiggins arranged for her to spend an entire week with the family.

Gonsalves and Michael bonded during her trip, and they started to talk on the phone -- all the while, Gonsalves continued to write Michael letters, something he really looked forward to receiving. They continued their friendship through Michael's solo success, with Gonsalves visiting him while he lived in New York with his sister La Toya to film The Wiz. During this time, Michael and Gonsalves started a more intimate relationship.

Gonsalves eventually moved out to California to be closer to Michael. Over the years, Gonsalves stopped writing as many letters, and just as Michael was slowly pulling away from his family, the same happened with his relationship with Gonsalves.

Through it all, Gonsalves told Michael she would always be there for him, and she kept running into him over the years, the final time being in 2003 in Las Vegas.

Through her recollections of her memories with the pop star and excerpts from her letters to them, Gonsalves sews together the special bond she shared with someone she saw as the man she loved, Michael, and not mega pop star Michael Jackson. Gonsalves showed she was more than just a groupie to the King of Pop; their relationship went much deeper than that.

Gonsalves also gives an interesting glimpse at the other Jackson family members, especially Katherine Jackson, who was kind to Gonsalves and showed her around California; a very bubbly and talkative Janet; and the religious La Toya. Gonsalves' one interaction with father Joe Jackson is memorable as well.

Included is a letter from La Toya to Gonsalves and a bunch of pictures of Gonsalves with Michael. Through reading "Remember the Time," people can get a feel for the Michael Gonsalves got to know: a kind man who loved his music and giving back to others.

Music Review: Heather Marie Marsden

I've always been a Disney girl, and I probably always will be. My first movie was Cinderella, and I used to act out The Little Mermaid with my friends when I was 4. I've been to Disney World multiple times, including this year, and even at the age of 24, I still get that "magical" feeling while I'm at the park.

One great thing about Disney movies is the music. Heather Marie Marsden must have realized this when she came out with her album, So, This is Love. Marsden, a singer/songwriter/actress who has appeared in Austin Powers and That Thing You Do!, has had her music featured on TV shows such as Las Vegas and Law & Order: CI.

For her newest projuct, Marsden lends her bluesy vocals to three Disney songs: "So, This is Love" (from Cinderella), "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" (from Aristocats) and "Baby Mine" (from Dumbo). Marsden's smooth, jazzy voice blends in perfectly with the piano and other instruments on these tracks. She gives a grown-up vibe to these classic Disney songs.

For more information on So, This is Love and Marsden, visit www.heathermariemarsden.com.

Book Review: Rock to the Top

Not many women can say they've been a top rock radio personality, created an e-commerce venture and started an online community to encourage girls to go into fields such as science and math. However, Dayna Steele can say she's done all these these things.

How did she do it? When she was one of the top female rock-and-roll air personalities in the country at KLOL in Houston, Steele got to hobnob with many major rock stars, including but not in any means limited to, Gene Simmons, Joan Jett and Bon Jovi. Through her experience with these rockers and her hard work at the radio station, Steele learned some key pointers on what it takes to be successful, whether you're a rock star or you're starting up your own company. She shares these insights in Rock to the Top: What I Learned About Success From the World's Greatest Rock Stars.

Steele teaches future rockers and business owners how to market themselves, stay organized, network, and most importantly, how to say thank you to those who have helped you along the way (Steele is known for her personalized, handwritten thank you notes).

Steele's advice is helpful and easy to comprehend, and her stories of her rock-and-roll life are fun and interesting. Some of my favorites include how she helped Steven Tyler stretch before a gig, a rude note she got from Shaun Cassidy, an eerie experience with Michael Jackson and his entourage, and her elevator ride with Carlos Santana.

An added bonus are a collection of photos in the back of the book with Steele and many of the rockers. Also, check out the foreword by the great Simmons himself.

For the novice entrepreneur or just the average rock and roll fanatic, Steele's book is a great read!

Book Review: Love Is a Mix Tape

I love music. Who doesn't, right? I like to think I'm openminded and have a vast array of musical tastes. What I like may not be "good" to some people (looking at you, music snobs!), but hey, I like what I like.

My favorite thing about music is how it can take you back to a time or place, a special memory. This happens to me all the time. For example, "I Need To Know" by Marc Anthony (I know, I am not displaying my good music tastes right off the bat with this pick) reminds me of 9th grade, inside jokes, my mom and football players (remember, Tanya?). Every time I hear "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel (my all-time favorite performer), I remember being 5 and listening to it on a record player (!!) in the Gurleys' basement. Adam, Ryan and I would play with the speed on the record player to make Mr. William Joel sound like a chipmunk. Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" brings me right back to my 21st birthday, jamming out and dancing in Ter's car on the way to Applebee's. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey (Steve Perry!!!) gives me a montage of bar memories.

The best way to bring back memories is a mix CD. Mix CDs chronicled pretty much every year of my life from freshman year of high school until today. I can pick up my "Spring 2006" mix CD and remember how I was feeling second semester of my junior year of college.

But long before the mix CD was the mix tape. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield pays homage to the gloriousness of this invention in his book Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time.

Sheffield's book uses mix tape playlists to recreate time periods in his life, and mostly to tell the story of his time with his now deceased wife. Each chapter starts with the songs on the mix tape, which he references throughout the chapter. Filled with late '80s and early '90s pop culture references, this book is a pop culture lover's friend.

But even if you're not down with tunes from the times, you will like this book for Sheffield's writing alone. It's humorous and heartwrenching all at the same time. I laughed at the tales of his unconventional counsleors during his time at Catholic summer camp. My heart broke as he described the dismal days after his wife's passing. I was intrigued by his thoughts on Kurt Cobain's death and how it changed a culture, and entertained by his notion that he pictured himself and all girls he dated as part of a boy-girl synth-pop duo. But most of all, I loved how he describes his late wife Renee. He brings her fun, quirky spirit to life. He does such a good job describing her that I feel like I know her; she's someone who I'm sure everyone reading this book wishes they had a chance to know.

This is beautiful, well-written autobiography from a talented entertainment writer. I finished the book inspired and thinking about all the ways music has influenced me and has been interwoven into my life. I highly suggest picking this one up!

Love is a Mix Tape is a Crown Publishing book.