Category Archives: Wendy Lawless

Scene of the Crime

It’s strange to find myself in Boston on Mother’s Day weekend.  I’m speaking to students and alumni at my old high school Beaver Country Day (scene of Mother’s arrest at my sister’s graduation).

And look what I found:


My old self, Wendy Rea, dreaming of Broadway.   And despite everything, ten years later that’s where I ended up in the Heidi Chronicles.  I talked to the students about Chanel and surviving a homelife I’d tried to conceal.  I think it’s important for kids, for people, who may think they’re alone in that situation to know that they’re not and that they can come through it and achieve what they hope to achieve.

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Betty Confidential

“If ‘Mommie Dearest’ and ‘Running With? Scissors’ Had a Love Child” — Meet Wendy Lawless, Author of This Summer’s Hottest Read, “Chanel Bonfire”

Meet the author of “Chanel Bonfire,” a must-read memoir of a fashionista-goldigger mother in the swinging ’70s.


The Fabulous Harvey Helms

Interviews me today on his amazing blog Betty Confidential.  LOVE him.  Read more at http://bettyconfidential.com/if-mommie-dearest-and-running-with%e2%80%a8-scissors-had-a-love-child-meet-wendy-lawless-author-of-this-summers-hottest-read-chanel-bonfire/#udhRjPyvFFc0e2IQ.99 

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Rock and Roll Lifestyles

She of the “rock and roll lifestyle”!

My friend Amy Wachtel, the Parliament smoking, Camaro driving rock-n-roll grrl from BU and WBCN, who was locked in our bathroom for eight hours and then told the world of Boston rock about it with me in New York.  She’s still a rock and roll chick.  Check out her “Night Nurse” radio show at www.radiolily.com

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Georgann Rea and Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ Superstar!

One of Mother’s London boyfriends, a TV producer named Herb Sargent, swept us all off to a Wings concert one night, and Robbie and I sat in the booth. We didn’t get to meet Sir Paul (Mother did), but we did get to meet Ted Neeley, who we recognized as super cute Jesus in the film of “Jesus Christ Superstar”. We had only played the record a million times, so it was a huge thrill for us!

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My Virtual Book Tour Continues

Grateful to be in such wonderful company!

Hope Ingram and her Cincinnati Book Club.
These ladies were fabulous fun to talk with.  I always get as good as I give with a terrific group.  I love learning about them and seeing the ways in which my book takes on a life of its own when read and discussed and incorporated into the lives of others.  Thank you!

If your group is planning to read Chanel Bonfire, I’d love to Skype with you too!  Contact me at chanelbonfire@gmail.com 

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Rags to Riches

From Kansas City to Versailles in one blog post!

A much quicker version of my mother, Georgann Rea’s journey from Iowa orphanage to Kamsas City Plaza dweller to Minneapolis actor’s wife to Dakota dwelling Broadway Producer’s wife to wealthy American Divorcee in London!  Thirty years from there to here and in ten more she’d be broke again.  

Here we are on an ASL trip to Versailles.  Note the crazy 70s styling.

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Winstead’s in Kansas City Today on Chanel Bonfire

Winstead’s in the Plaza Section of Kansas City
Home of Kansas City’s “steakburgers” since 1940 and the location of my parents’ first illicit dates.  My mother knew my grandfather would not approve of her marrying an actor or a landed alien from Canada.  When they were married they kept it a secret from him for as long as they could.  I wonder if the waitresses knew. 
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Fighter of Pancho Villa, bank president, rib maker, man of mystery.

My grandfather, William McAdams…

…ran away from home at fifteen, lied about his age to join the army and fight Pancho Villa, started a bank and later, adopted my mother.  Here he is the way I remember him, on his patio in Kansas City cooking his famous ribs.  Served with hush puppies (one of the most incredible things my sister Robbie and I ever gobbled down).  He’d spend all day back by the bbq slow-cooking them with a bottle of bourbon at hand.  The ribs had a secret ingredient.  Sadly, he took the secret to his grave along with many other mysteries we’ll never know the answers to. 

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