How to Talk to Girls

I love the last paragraph.

............................................................................................

Dating tips from 10-year-old
Best-selling writer schoolboy Alec Greven has never had a girlfriend but talks to girls all the time
By Rachael Boon
American schoolboy Alec Greven may be only 10 years old, but he has already written a book that shot to the top of the New York Times bestsellers list last December.

In his book How To Talk To Girls, he dishes out simple, precocious advice that resonates far beyond the schoolyard.

Nuggets include 'Comb your hair and try to look clean. But whatever you do, don't act desperate. Girls don't like desperate boys' and 'Pretty girls are like cars that need a lot of oil. The best choice for most boys is a regular girl'.

While Alec has never had a girlfriend, he believes he knows enough to write on the topic.

'I talk to girls all the time because they are my friends,' he tells LifeStyle via e-mail from Denver, Colorado, where he lives.

The book, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and is licensed in 17 languages, started as an assignment in his school when his teacher asked the pupils to write about something they observed around them in everyday life.

'I saw a lot of boys in the playground having trouble with girls so I wanted to write a book that would help them,' he says.

His essay, which took one week to write, impressed the teacher so much that it was turned into a book and sold at the school's book fair.

Then, a local TV station picked up the story and it soon snowballed into an appearance on the highly rated Ellen DeGeneres talk show, a book deal with HarperCollins in New York, spots on news network CNN and even a promotional tour to Italy which was 'so awesome', says Alec.

Now, he is promoting two follow-up books, How To Talk To Moms and How To Talk To Dads. His fourth book, How To Talk To Santa, will be out by Christmas this year.

Asked for his reaction when Girls hit the bestsellers list, he replies with typical boyish animation: 'I screamed tons because I was so super-duper excited.'

Alec's mother Erin never thought his book would be published, let alone sell so well.

She says: 'Alec didn't write much when he was very young, but he talked to everyone about his thoughts and ideas. He has always had opinions about things and likes to share them.'

Alec, who has two younger siblings, Tyler, eight, and Keira, four, insists he is still a 'regular kid' after being catapulted to fame. But he does enjoy being an inspiration to others.

'Some fans have written to me. I think it is really cool when they say they like my book or they are writing their own book now.'

He has even started a writing contest in school where more than a third of the pupils took part.

He says he is still too young to have a girlfriend.

But when asked which particular tip he would use himself when he is old enough to have one, he says with a flourish: 'I think it is good to remember not to tease and not to show off. Also, if she ditches you, remember life is hard. Move on.'