So, last spring I decided I needed to get a new headshot. I researched photographers, found one I liked, set up the appointment.

Then I chickened out.

See, I hate - absolutley HATE - having my picture taken. It makes me hyper-aware of every physical imperfection I have: dark circles under my eyes, uneven skin tone, acne, acne scars, a small gap between my two front teeth, a double chin. And I'm so self-conscious of these things, I have a hard time telling professional photographers that they bother me. I can't just say, "Can you find an angle that makes my face look less round?" or "Would you mind airbrushing out those horrible eye bags?"

But then an opportunity presented itself through the Fashion Alliance of Delaware. They were offering a Head Shot Day, and for a very reasonable sitting fee, you could have a professional headshot taken with - irony of all ironies - the very photographer I'd chickened out on last spring.

So I signed up and paid my fee, and I sweated it out. Straight up until the day of the actual shoot, I kept thinking, "Do I really want to put myself through this?"

I went anyway.

The shoot took place at this gorgeous, multi-million dollar house in Hockessin - the home of JoJami, one of the FAD founders and an image consultant. She's also one of the nicest people you'll ever meet - completely non-threatening even though she's GORGEOUS and completely stylish. They directed me to two reps from Arbonne, who were doing makeup application. I'd already done most of my makeup, but they touched up my eyebrows and added lipstick. One of the reps, Keira, I actually KNEW. We'd done a community theater play production of A LITTLE PRINCESS when I was 13. (This, my friends, is the magic of Delaware).

I was nervous about meeting Laura Novak - the aforementioned photographer - in person, as I still felt bad about chickening out last year. But she was completely gracious and comforting. She does a LOT of wedding photography, so I guess she's worked with people whose neuroses rival mine. Anyway, she adjusted the lighting and those little shade things that help direct lighting, and kept talking to me in this soothing voice. Then she told me which way to face the camera and started shooting, the whole time saying things like, "Oh, that's nice. That's really pretty." But not in a fake way, either. She even tried to tell me that she liked the gap between my two front teeth - "It's so Lauren Hutton!" - and how "perfect" people are boring to shoot, since real beauty is often found in the imperfections.

I wanted to hug her.

The first round of shots (she uses digital) were really nice, but my face still looked too round for my liking. So, Laura climbed up higher and had me tilt my head a certain way and one of the first shots she took from that position is the headshot I now have.

After Laura had finished photographing me, she turned the files over to Erin, her Photoshop guru. This was unexpected. I hadn't realized there'd be any retouching done on the photos, but what a relief! Erin used her magic to smooth out the bags under my eyes, highlight a shine on my bottom lip, even out the tones of my skin, etc. When she was finished, I was shocked. Between her work and Laura's great photography, I had a picture that made me look like the best possible version of myself - but still ME. I mean, that's my smile, and those are my glasses, and that's my nose, and those really are my cheekbones. The earrings I'm wearing are silver and garnet - a thirtieth birthday present to myself - and that's my hair, which got an extra curl boost from the moisture in the air.

I was so impressed with their work that I ordered two prints - an 8 x 10 for my mom and a 5 x 7 for me.

So, I wanted to tell this story for a few reasons:

1. A lot of you commented on the new headshot;

2. I wanted to give props to the people who made it happen (www.novakphotography.com);

3. I thought I should let people - especially camera-shy people like me - know that you can find good photographers who won't railroad over you, who'll do their best to make you feel comfortable, and whose goal it is to take the best picture of you possible.

But also: as an author, I've had a series of amateur headshots. The first was taken by Kate, who is actually a photographer, and did the headshot in like 15 minutes in the back room of a holiday party we were attending. She did a great job, especially since it was so rush-rush, and that's the photo used on the jacket in BONES. But when it came time to get an updated shot for CONTENTS, I paid a friend of a friend to do it, and the pictures were awful. I ended up sinking a ton of money into these god-awful photos I never used. Then I needed another head shot for an article for the paper, and I didn't have anything current so my stepfather took one of me (again, rush-rush) and his five minute impromptu photoshoot yielded better results than the friend of a friend I dropped serious money on.

I've realized, though, there are certain things as an author you shouldn't skimp on. Your website, for one. Your marketing materials, for another. But yes - the headshot is really, really important. It goes ON your website, and it's what people can use in articles of you, or in promo materials for upcoming events. It's worth the investment. I will most likely use this shot for two or three years before I feel the need to get another one. And it's perfect. It's not too posed, and it's very "me," with the glasses and the tilt of the chin and everything. Granted, the touch-ups make it look like the idealized version of me, but it's still me. I will no longer feel dread when someone asks for a publicity still, and I'll be sure to have this on the front page of my website, and you better beileve I'll be adding this to the jacket of my next book.

Anyway, that's the story of how I got my new headshot.