Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People [Paperback]

Linda Sivertsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

In Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People, writer Linda Sivertsten interviews many of the celebrities she came to know through being a professional dog-walker in Los Angeles. Her intention was to find people who were experiencing success in every area of life while living a purposeful and environmentally conscious existence. She wanted to discover the common thread in those who found a happy balance. Linda Siversten asks them about their fears, insecurities, and their spiritual discipline; whether and how they pray, and what they do to continue the good fortune in their lives. Read how celebrities such as Woody Harrelson, Leeza Gibbons, Arnold Palmer, Lord Robin Russell, Catherine Oxenberg, Robert A. Johnson, Beatrice Wood, Robert Townsend, Paul Williams and others answer the in-depth and personal questions that Linda Sivertsen presents. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A life charmed, how appropriate... a story of influences and odds beaten. Jiminy Cricket couldn't say it any better." -- Jim Huber, CNN

"From dog walker to celebrity biographer. I'd say Linda Sivertsen has a charmed life, too!" -- Kym Douglas, E-Channel Gossip Show

"Linda Sivertsen's story is truly a magical one, and her intimate conversations are truly extraordinary." -- Leeza Gibbons, on the Leeza show, NBC

"Lives Charmed is one of the best books I've ever read." -- Glenn Meehan, Entertainment Tonight, NBC

Linda's writing makes you stop, smile and remember your dreams. I only wish I had read her work sooner." -- Tom Squitieri, USA Today

About the Author

Linda began her writing career in the late 80’s, and wanted to shine a light on the causes she’d been taught were timely and of the utmost importance—saving the last stands of redwood groves, cleaning up the oceans, reducing CO2 emissions, and preserving the world’s diminishing top soils. But when she’d talk about these issues, people’s eyes would glaze over. Then Linda made the Celebrity Connection: 

“I knew readers wanted success tips. If I interviewed celebrities about how they’d achieved wealth and fame, and overcome things like incest, bulimia, and drug abuse, I believed I could capture people’s attention. Maybe then, I’d be able to slip in information about saving the last gray whale birthing spot, or why it’s good business to clean up pollution.”

Fortunately, Linda had VIP access. As a professional dog walker and pet sitter, she hung out with celebrities in their bathrobes every day when she’d pick up Ricky & Romeo in Beverly Hills, or Chewy & Tasha in Hollywood for their daily jogs. “People drop their formalities and embrace you when their favorite family member—their pup—waits by the door for two hours with his leash in his mouth before you arrive. I was living a reality show without the cameras (before anyone knew what that would mean), and was privy to incredible stories of healing that were going mostly untold.” Linda saw the darker side of La La Land as well, taking care of Brandon Lee’s cats the night he was killed on the set of The Crow, and warning Kato Katlin (a friend of a client) not to take the guesthouse job with Nicole Simpson, saying that, “House sitters tend to get embroiled in the very real dramas of whomever owns the big house,” something she had experienced on a small scale.

Despite the craziness (“hey, this is the global hub of the dramatic,” she says) most of Linda’s clients were “magical,” and after a vivid dream, she couldn’t wait to follow the dream’s instructions and publish their wisdom for a wide audience. Dogs or no dogs, other celebrities jumped on board. Linda especially sought out those who were using their time/resources to help save the natural world. Motivated by her enthusiasm, they in turn introduced her to scientists, activists, and leaders in the field. As her awareness about the issues expanded, so too did Linda’s ever-present passion and commitment to make “environmental education through entertainment” her life’s work. 

By this time, Linda had sold her business, and she and her now ex-husband built their solar cabin in the forest of New Mexico. Linda helped teach at their son’s local two-room schoolhouse while completing the book. She couldn’t even call her agent or the celebs she was interviewing from the remoteness of their cabin, but it was worth the years of effort. Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People (HCI, 1998) offered chapters on Woody Harrelson getting himself arrested on behalf of the redwoods and Julia Butterfly Hill’s record-breaking tree sit, Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith’s tireless efforts to enact the Dolphin Safe Tuna Act, and how Wyland’s life-sized whale murals have brought global attention to the plight of these threatened species, for starters.

Co-authoring books and ghostwriting for celebrities followed, and in 2001 Linda became the West Coast Editor of Balance magazine, where she continues interviewing amazing women and writing the magazine’s cover stories. While her editor sends her on non-environmental assignments (…going to NY to cover Paula Zahn’s September 11th anniversary with CNN … talking with Sally Field about her hit show, Brothers and Sisters … publicizing movie mogul Sherry Lansing’s ‘07 honorary Oscar), she especially looks forward to the interviews with celebs like Alanis Morissette (on narrating The Great Warming with Keanu Reeves), supermodel Carol Alt (about her 99% raw food diet), and actress Linda Evans (about banning together with locals in Washington to run environmental polluters out of town).

Product Details

• Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: HCI (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558745939
• ISBN-13: 978-1558745933
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to be successful and enjoy life, April 29, 1999

By 

Mr. D. J. Chamberlayne "Davidatpaulwilliamscouk" (Conwy, Wales) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People (Paperback)

As the author of the 'Paul Williams Music And Acting' web pages, I was first drawn to this book because it contains a fascinating chapter on singer, songwriter, actor and humanitarian Paul Williams. Being an avid fan of Pauls and Vice-President of the Official Paul Williams Fan Club I was interested to know what Linda could tell me about Paul that I did not already know.

What I found was that Linda has a gift for writing about those areas of her subjects lives which are usually 'hidden' from public view. Not that this book is a 'kiss and tell' book with lots of scandal. It is rather an account of what has made her subjects the contented people they are today.

Contentment is the over-riding theme of all the mini-biographies. Despite some of her subjects past histories of abuse and self-abuse, they have all come to a place in their lives when they have the courage to look back and understand the part their past history has played in making them the fulfilled people they are today.

After a brief introduction at the start of each chapter Linda then leaves it up to her subjects to 'tell their own story'. Rather than a 'question and answer' type of interview Linda has very effectively chosen to divide up each chapter into topic headings, and then leaves it up to her subject to tell his/her story in his/her own words. What makes this book the gem it is, is the topics Linda has chosen to focus on. Each of her subjects starts by defining what to them is 'Happiness' and then moves on to talking about their 'Early Years' and 'Influences'. Other topics regularly covered include 'Obstacles', 'Spirituality', 'Life Work', 'Family', 'Drives', 'Fears', 'Visions', 'Miracles' and 'Earth'. Not subjects one is used to hearing 'stars' talk about.

As well as Paul Williams, Linda also interviews people from a variety of walks of life. Linda interviews include a number of actors (Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Woody Harrelson, Robert Townsend and Catherine Oxenberg), film producers (Sandy Gallin and Janet Yang) journalists (Keely Shaye Smith and Leeza Gibbons), spiritual leaders (Guru Singh and Robert A.Johnson), sportsmen (Arnold Palmer and Chris Chandler), artists (Wyland and Beatrice Wood) as well as super model Tatjana Patitz and an English lord (Lord Robin Russell ) who works to save endangered animals through his English safari park Wobern Abby.

The fact that Linda is obviously a person who her subjects trust makes each account an extremely personal and hence fascinating read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lives Charmed opens the door to our own magic, February 16, 2002

By 

Linda L. Northrup (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People (Paperback)

Although Linda writes about the lives of celebrities, the quality of the writing and the anecdotes she chose from her lengthy interviews frames their humanity first. These people struggle, as we all do, with the trials and traumas of life and loss, love and tragedy, they just do it with a spotlight illuminating their struggles as well as their triumphs. Their generosity to share the lessons learned on their journeys and Linda Sivertsen's vibrant and focused writing makes this book a kind of treasure map to help all of us on our journeys to discover our own magic within. Thanks, Linda, for helping me believe in and create my own "Life Charmed"!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Life can be Charmed, too!, March 4, 2002

By 

Sandy K. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lives Charmed: Intimate Conversations with Extraordinary People (Paperback)

"Lives Charmed" shows you how the people who seem to 'have it all', created their lives to be that way. As I read this book, I found myself taking many things from the individual lifestyles and applying them to my own life.
I began to see a common thread of thinking, a way of looking at the world that makes sense. All of the subjects of the 'mini-autobiographies' have their own unique style, but the spirituality is the same. They all have a deep connection to their Inner Wisdom, the Earth, their Soul and their God.
Linda's personal anecdotes about how these extraordinary people came into her life are the real treasures in this book. I cried when I read about her father-like relationship with Paul Williams. I laughed from my own skeptical-belly when she described her first meeting with Guru Singh.
This book is a treasure for your personal library and a great gift for friends & loved-ones. I can't wait to read more of Linda's extraordinary conversations. I am looking forward to 'Lives Charmed II'!!