Buckley, Kristen 1968–

PERSONAL:

Born 1968, in Upper Saddle River, NJ; partner of Brian Regan; children: Peyton (daughter) and Liam. Education: Attended Manhattan School of Music and Hunter College. Hobbies and other interests: Writing, music, sports, art.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Los Angeles, CA.

CAREER:

Author, screenwriter, guitarist. Worked in Hollywood as a production assistant and as a book scout.

WRITINGS:

(With Brian Regan, Bob Tzudiker, and Noni White) 102 Dalmatians (screenplay; based on the novel by Dodie Smith), Buena Vista Pictures, 2000.

(With Brian Regan and Burr Steers) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (screenplay), Paramount Pictures, 2003.

The Parker Grey Show (novel), Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Tramps Like Us: A Suburban Confession (memoir), Cyan Communications (London, England), 2007.

Also author of film adaptation of The Parker Grey Show; script doctor for The Accidental Husband, Dramarama, and The Champions.

SIDELIGHTS:

Kristen Buckley paid her dues in Hollywood as a production assistant, performing such tasks as holding the cigarette of Leonardo DeCaprio and reminding Sam Waterson to change his clothes between takes, before becoming a successful screenwriter with films that include How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, and 102 Dalmatians, starring Glenn Close.

Buckley wanted to write books in order to have more control over her work and spent five years writing her first novel at night. The protagonist of The Parker Grey Show is a guitarist (as is her creator) who works as a waitress in a New York City bar and who is recovering from a failed four-year romance with a man addicted to prescription drugs. She is befriended by Lil, who lives in a huge loft owned by her father and who is the mistress of a billionaire she refers to as Mr. Smith. During the day Parker watches soap operas in the loft and fantasizes about an actor named M.

Lil is mistaken for Mr. Smith's daughter and is kidnapped, and Smith, afraid his wife will learn of the affair, asks Parker to act on his behalf in negotiating with the kidnappers. Parker meets M., both at the bar where she works and the loft, which is chosen as the setting for a film in which he appears.

Buckley grew up in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. The title of her memoir Tramps Like Us: A Suburban Confession is taken from the lyrics of "Born to Run" by Jersey native Bruce Springsteen. Buckley is the oldest of four children, and she and her siblings were all adopted, they from Korea. She notes that contrary to the stereotype, they were mathematically challenged. She writes of her life from childhood to her teen years and recalls the divorce of her parents when she was six and the characters who populated her life, including mobsters. Included is an index of the period that ends with Elvis Presley's death.

Reviewing the book for the Blogcritics Web site, Glen Boyd wrote that this memoir "would be a keeper for its title alone, but Kristen Buckley actually lives up to it with a great read."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Buckley, Kristen, Tramps Like Us: A Suburban Confession, Cyan Communications (London, England), 2007.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 1, 2007, Michael Cart, review of Tramps Like Us, p. 45.

Library Journal, March 15, 2007, Maria Kochis, review of Tramps Like Us, p. 78.

Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2003, review of The Parker Grey Show, p. 54.

ONLINE

Bildungsroman,http://slayground.livejournal.com/ (April 20, 2007), Little Willow, author interview.

Blogcritics,http://www.blogcritics.org/ (May 27, 2007), Glen Boyd, review of Tramps Like Us.

Bookburger,http://bookburger.typepad.com/ (April 16, 2007), "Kristen Buckley—Between the Buns," author interview.

Kristen Buckley Home Page,http://www.theparkergreyshow.com (September 20, 2007).

Kristin Buckley MySpace Page,http://www.myspace.com/ (September 20, 2007).

PopGurls.com,http://www.popgurls.com/ (December 22, 2003), Michelle, Vanessa, "20 Questions with Author Kristen Buckley," interview; (April 19, 2007), Michelle, "20 Questions with Author Kristen Buckley (Again)," interview.

Smith,http://smithmag.net/ (June 11, 2007), "Interview: Kristen Buckley, Author of Tramps Like Us."