( The Frisky ) -- Yes , yes , James Franco is going to Yale , the third stop on his tour of schools in the tri-state area -- before graduating from Columbia and going all Ivy League business , Franco had a brief fling with New York University . Amongst those precious days he spent at the latter , I was fortunate enough to share an elevator with him on the way to one of my classes . He was disheveled , kind of unwashed , but still pretty sexy . Most importantly , he spoke to me . He greeted me and asked me to press a button for his floor , and I pushed that button with more glamor , class , and subtle sex appeal than I have ever shown in any previous elevator-related activities . Throughout this enchanted encounter , I felt gifted and starstruck , but I did n't really feel like Franco had a way with words . Apparently , he 's out to prove me wrong because he has been hard at work on a collection of short stories called Palo Alto -- one of the stories , `` Just Before the Black , '' was featured in the recent issue of Esquire . Here are some highlights : It features a dragon bong , has a 268-word sentence , and also has quite a collection of f-bombs . The story has received an array of reviews , and most suggest that Franco 's fiction probably would n't have been published without the acting career . Ouch ! Let 's hope the book gets a little more enthusiasm . Of course , Franco is nowhere near the first celebrity to take on fiction . Read on to see what writings other famous folk have produced , and what the critics had to say . The Frisky : Freaks and geeks -- 13 shocking celeb yearbook photos . `` Baywatch '' babe Pamela Anderson Book : `` Star and Starstruck '' Summary : A poorly feigned attempt to pass Pamela Anderson 's real life off as fiction . Star Wood Leigh is flung into fame via a show called `` Lifeguards , '' later dealing with the gossip and drama that follows her marriage to rock star Jimi Deeds . Overall , an easy way for Anderson to reveal everything about her life but pretend it never happened . Review : `` Anderson 's range is predictably limited , and she abandons quite a few unrealized plot threads along the way . This thinly veiled novelization of her own life does n't pretend to be anything but trashy and cheesy , which gives it an amiable charm . '' -- Publishers Weekly . `` House '' star Hugh Laurie Book : `` The Gun Seller '' Summary : Before Hugh Laurie could be watched in our homes on the TV show `` House , '' we could read his wit in Seller . A spy-spoof about Thomas Lang , an ex-solider who accidentally finds himself in a James Bond-esque plot . The situation is ignited when Lang turns down an assassination job and tries to warn the victim before some else does the deed . What follows is a whirlwind of terrorists , espionage , guns , and gags . Review : `` The Gun Seller is fast , topical , wry , suspenseful , hilarious , witty , surprising , ridiculous and pretty wonderful . And you do n't need a permit to buy it ... .a delightful novel . '' -- The Washington Post Book World . The Frisky : Where will they be ? Future lives of celebrity kids . Material mom Madonna Book : `` The English Roses Series '' Summary : So the movies and Madonna did n't really seem to work out , so the next stop was apparently children 's books . The `` Roses '' book series for younger girls is about a group of four female friends who promise to stay best buddies forever . The foursome talks about and has some their first experiences with boys , frenemies , and young life in general . Review : `` Forget Madonna 's wild ways . She offers a vital message for girls . Judge the book , not the author . '' -- USA Today . Lauren Conrad of `` The Hills '' Book : `` L.A. Candy '' Series Summary : Following in Anderson 's hardly fiction footsteps , Lauren Conrad tells the story of a Jane Roberts , who is offered a TV show with her best friend Scarlett . The two think that a reality show in L.A. will be a dream come true , but it turns out there is a lot of drama on camera and off , aka this is the novelization of `` The Hills , '' which fits , since it is practically fiction anyways . Review : `` Is there nothing LC ca n't do ? Well , uh , yes . Write a 'novel . ' '' -- Entertainment Weekly . The Frisky - 10 reality stars with a shady past . Model Naomi Campbell Book : `` Swan '' Summary : In Naomi Campbell 's book , `` Swan , '' the most successful supermodel in the world decides to give it all up to create change in her life . This departure from modeling includes the famous face stepping down as the rep for her own company , Swan Beauty . The book follows the happenings of five different girls vying to be the new face of Swan . Review : `` Despite the insider perspective provided by Campbell -- herself a supermodel -- the narrative is somewhat disjointed , making the various stories difficult to follow . Not an essential purchase . '' -- Library Journal ( Whoever wrote that review should always keep an eye on the sky for falling cell phones , just saying . ) Actor Ethan Hawke Book : `` The Hottest State '' Summary : Ethan Hawke 's first novel about a young actor who moves to New York from Texas . In this coming-of-age tale the main character deals with the usual literary fare : a difficult girlfriend , bathroom sex , and a sense of confusion . This does n't really sound like a far stretch from the real Hawke , not even the bathroom sex . Review : `` Hawke does a fine job of showing what it 's like to be young and full of confusion . '' -- The New York Times Book Review . The Frisky : 10 stars who 've dated the `` help '' Actress Julianne Moore Book : `` Freckleface Strawberry '' Summary : Julianne Moore continues to prove she is a caring and classy lady with this children 's book . It is an adorable story about the title character learning to absolutely love who she is , even with the bullying-trigger traits of red hair and freckles . Something tells me this is Moore helping kids work through childhood esteem issues that she suffered through herself . Review : `` The four-time Academy Award nominee joins with illustrator LeUyen Pham to create an endearing picture book about a common childhood experience . '' -- Barnes and Noble . Comedian Steve Martin Book : `` Shopgirl '' Summary : The story of a shopgirl Mirabelle who works at the glove department of Nieman 's , `` selling things that nobody buys any more . '' She has a hopeless relationship that seems to fit her somewhat sad life , but then meets a rich older man . A man who seems willing to make her life little more interesting . The book has been made into a film starring Steve Martin , which makes me wondered if he had that planned all along . Review : `` ... a hilarious but intense first novella ... One of the nicest things about this novel is the way it effortlessly bridges generations . '' -- Vogue . Star Trek Book : `` A Lifetime of Love '' Summary : As if Leonard Nimoy is n't remembered enough for being `` Star Trek 's '' most memorable Vulcan , Mr. Spock , but he is also trying to touch our hearts through poetry . This collection offers an in-depth look at the basic urge of all people `` to love and be loved '' from the perspective of one man fighting through life 's complex emotions . Review : `` A talented writer whose words celebrate humanity and what is important in the world . A Lifetime of Love is a story told in poetry of one man 's journey to find a place of serenity and peace within himself . '' -- Barnes and Noble . 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Pamela Anderson and Lauren Holly turned their real lives into fiction . Julianne Moore 's children 's books encouraged kids to love who they are . Steve Martin starred in the movie version of his book , ` ` Shopgirl ''