| June, 2008 So, where have I been all year? Working like crazy on my album. My label, Universal Music, is supporting my effort to co-write all of my own songs and it’s been such a musical learning experience for me, but it’s also been extremely time consuming. I get to write with all different kinds of talented songwriters, both the music and the lyrics, and each song has its own story and style. After a year of hard work, I am just now starting to write my best songs, and can’t wait to share them with you. I’m finally in the studio cutting the first two songs for the album, while continuing to write at the same time. Some of the most recent people I’m writing with are Tim Myers (formerly with One Republic), Xandy Berry and Wally Gagel, Shelly Piken, Julian Bunetta, Jonny Mead and Charlie Midnight, and Adam Conway. You can check out my music myspace page (which I am also working on updating) at www.myspace.com/devonwerkheisermusic . I had a blast presenting at this year’s Kids Choice Awards on Nickelodeon. My co-presenter was the beautiful and really nice Jennifer Love Hewitt, and it was cool giving Chris Brown his orange blimp for favorite male singer. We all had a blast at the afterparty, check out the photo page for some “behind the scene” pics from the party. I got to catch up with lots of my Nickelodeon friends…Josh Peck, Drake Bell, Lily Collins, Christopher and Kyle Massey, JJ, Romeo, Christian Serratos, Victoria Justice, J Boogie, Pickboy and tons more. I signed a development deal with Nickelodeon for them to work on creating a spin-off for Ned to go to high school. It’s a work in progress and we’ll know in the next couple of months if it gets greenlit. I’m also slated to film an independent film later this year titled Wild Michigan set in the old west. My favorite charity, Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation, had their annual fundraiser gala at the Beverly Hilton in March and my family attended with me. Corbin Bleu (a good friend of my sister’s) hosted this year’s event and I got to hang out in the kids lounge with my volunteer buddies like Kyle Massey, Kay Panabaker, Kristy Frank, Rob Pinkston, Aria Wallace, etc. In January, I flew to New York City to visit one of the hospitals where Starlight maintains a fun center (video gaming equipment and lounge for the kids to have a place to go and have some fun during their extended hospital stays.) I helped kick off Starlight’s campaign to vote for which hospitals will get the fun centers this year and as always am in awe of the fighting spirit of these kids. If you want to learn more about Starlight or donate to help the foundation, check them out at www.starlight.org. My friend Kaza Kingsley finished her third book in the Erec Rex series and it’s the best one yet. Once again I got to read the manuscript before it was published (how cool is that) and write a quote for the book jacket. It’s called Erec Rex, The Search for Truth, and I highly recommend it. Check out Kaza’s website and her books at www.erecrex.com. Just last weekend I was a model for the second time for Fashion with a Passion, a fundraiser for Camp Ronald McDonald held at Fox Studios, another reallygreat charity. I walked the runway in two cool outfits from Val Surf and rocked some awesome jewelry (a diamond encrusted skull necklace) designed by Layna Friedman of Friedman Jewelers of Beverly Hills. She also designs the Barbie Rocks jewelry collection modeled in the show by Kay Panabaker, Melise Jow, Erin Sanders, etc. This event raises money to send kids with cancer to summer camp and allows them to have a fun summer experience with other kids going through the same thing along with their families, and I’m always glad to help out in any way I can. Last week I visited Kelso Elementary School in Inglewood, CA to talk to the kids and read to them as part of the SSHF (Stephanie Starks Hope Foundation) Celebrity Read Aloud Tour. Kelso has been recognized as a distinguished school and the kids were so smart and well behaved. I got to talk to all the students at a reading rally first then read to selected students from grades K-5. Shelia Starks heads up this awesome charity that promotes literacy and each student at Kelso was given 4 books each from the foundation, which is pretty great. My costar Cookie from Ned’s (Daniel Curtis Lee) also works a lot with this foundation and we’re hoping to go on a national celebrity tour in the fall together. For fun, I got to go to all 3 days of the Coachella concert this year in Indio, CA. I’ve had to work the past several years during the concert, so this is the first time I got to go for the whole weekend. I went with my buddies Drew, Tom and Brody in an RV which was an adventure in itself. My sister Vanessa met up with us there, so did Carlie Casey (Missy Meanie from Ned’s) and her sister Siera and we ran into bunches of people we knew from LA. It was the best concert I’ve ever been to but my favorite bands were the Raconteurs (Jack White was unbelievable onstage), Jack Johnson and, best of all, Roger Waters. Last bit of news, I decided to cut my hair for the summer. I’ve put up some new pics with my shorter “do”. My hair grows so fast that I have to get it cut every few weeks but change is good so I’m enjoying having less hair for the summer and it’s definitely cooler when the weather is hot. Less hair in my eyes when I’m surfing! I’ll try to update my blog more often but can’t make any promises. Summer is here, I’m heading back to Atlanta for a few days then to St. Thomas with my family for a much needed vacation. I’m continuing to work on my music and can’t wait for you to hear my songs when my album drops later this year. Peace
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