The world-renowned bestselling author, Danielle Steel, pens an autobiography for Us. Read on to learn 25 things you didn’t know about her.
1. Not a well kept secret: I love to shop. I love clothes and especially shoes. I can always find a pair of shoes I love (which explains the thigh high pink cowboy boots I bought years ago in Aspen, and have never worn … but maybe one day!). I love purses too … and fashion!
2. I binge-watch my favorite TV series, watch a whole season in one sitting and then watch it again and again later. All time favorite TV series: Downton Abbey. Current favorite: Call the Midwife (on Netflix). I watch my favorite movies many times too!
3. My first language is French, but I’m bilingual in French/English and went to French schools ’til college. And I speak Spanish and Italian, too.
4. I love to dance, and go to discos with my children when we’re on vacation, and dance ’til 4 a.m.
5. I wish I could sing! (Not a chance, I can’t hold a note to save my life!)
6. I hate most green vegetables. I’ve always said the only thing green I love are emeralds, and I stand by that. Most hated vegetable: Brussels sprouts. I have a current personal war with Kale, which is extremely popular now. My healthy living/diet-conscious daughters love it. I had T-shirts made for my family: Say No to Kale!
7. I don’t drink alcohol, and never have. It has always made me feel sick, even in food, so I just don’t drink it. I think I might be allergic to it. My father, grandmother, and one daughter never liked it either, so maybe it’s a family thing.
8. I sleep very little: four hours a night is standard for me. I’m fine on three hours and five hours is a rare, long night. I get a lot of work done at night! (Napoleon, Margaret Thatcher and Barack Obama had the same sleeping habits, so I’m in good company!)
9. I founded and worked on a street outreach team for the homeless for 12 years, bringing supplies (food,sleeping bags, clothes, etc.) to people living on the streets. I did it anonymously and worked with a 12 person team — one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.
10. I’ve always been very religious, and almost became a nun in my youth, and considered it again later on. Instead, I married and have nine kids, and am still very religious. I couldn’t get through the days without that.
11. I love churros, doughnuts and pancakes, but rarely allow myself to eat them. (Way better than Brussels sprouts!)
12. I passionately love dark chocolate, and always have a bar or two in my purse and on my desk for late work nights.
13. I love teddy bears and sometimes buy myself one. I collect them.
14. I don’t own any face creams, don’t use them and just splash cold water on my face. No beauty treatments, and have never had a facial.
15. I hate massages and all that oil (that gets in my hair).
16. I am fatally allergic to fish and all seafood, and bees. I’m careful about avoiding both.
17. I hate roller coasters and heights.
18. Pet Peeve: I hate texting — except to say, “I’ll be home in half an hour.” Texting depersonalizes human contact. I want to hear the voice of the people I call and have a live exchange. No one answers their phone anymore, they just text.
19. I’m super organized, and very disciplined, and make a lot of “to do” lists.
20. I plan everything I can months in advance, and my kids tease me that when I invite them to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, they want to ask me “What year?” And it’s probably two years away.
21. I don’t like people who don’t respond to calls, emails and invitations, and can’t get themselves organized.
22. I hate mess and am kind of a neat freak. I like my home tidy, and my desk!
23. I don’t like mean people and avoid them at all cost. What’s the point of being mean?
24. I hate the phrase (from salespeople in a store): “How’s your day so far?” They don’t care, they don’t know me, and why would I tell them that my day sucked, the plumber didn’t show up, I had a fight with one of my children, and the dog threw up? Do they care? No.
25. My favorite flower is lily of the valley.
Steel’s newest novel The Good Fight hits bookshelves July 10.
