Growing up, my parents always played artists like Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith and Michael Jackson, so I just grew to love their music. And I just love so many diverse artists for different reasons; some for their instruments, some for their edge, some for their vocals.

Growing up, I was so shy, but it was weird because I was the complete opposite on stage. I was just free to be myself.

The number one thing I look for is personality. For me, the personality of someone makes them more and more attractive over time ... and for those with bad personalities, less and less attractive. I look for honesty, intelligence, kindness, and a good work ethic, to name a few.

My book 'The Exciting Adventures of Boo' was first published when I was fifteen. It is a children's book with ten different stories. In each story, the main character Boo learns a lesson - one of the ten most important lessons I learned as a kid. I also donated all the money from my books I personally sold to my local ASPCA Animal Shelter.

TV family sitcoms have always been about fathers who know best and mothers who are so enchanted with everything they do. I wanted to be the first mom to be a mom on TV. I wanted to sent out a message about how us women really feel.

Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country.

Our family is mixed. My oldest sister married a black man in 1962, which was way out there then.

My own husband was divorced when we met, but without kids. I don't know what I would have done if he'd had them. I got the message very early on that the worst mistake a woman can make is marrying a man with children.