Tulisa Contostavlos has one of the most fascinating and shocking life-stories in showbusiness. Her childhood included harrowing episodes of self-harm, bullying, witchcraft, drug abuse and suicide attempts. Then there has been the ever-present challenge of her mother's mental disorder which Tulisa - as the only child in a single-parent family - had to face alone. How did she rise from such a troubled and dangerous childhood to become first an edgy urban artist and then the much-loved people's princess of Saturday night television? This book, written by leading celebrity biographer Chas Newkey-Burden, tells her eventful and inspirational story for the first time. It uncovers the rich showbusiness heritage of her ancestors and then follows her through her childhood, unflinchingly examining the horrors she faced. It then traces how music became her salvation, thanks to the loving mentorship of Uncle B - the man who formed N-Dubz. The book then follows this never satisfied, always ambitious young woman as she moved into the mainstream and became the nation's sweetheart on The X Factor. The reader is taken behind the scenes to discover the reality of her successful first series on the show, as she guided Little Mix to victory.With a fine cast of supporting characters including Dappy, Fazer, Gary Barlow and Simon Cowell, this is a colourful, entertaining, insightful and shocking portrait of one of Britain's most popular female celebrities.

Tulisa Contostavlos is one of the most talented and high-profile recording artists working in the UK today. She has three platinum N-Dubz albums, four MOBO awards, a groundbreaking drama series, two documentaries, a MIND award and an X Factor judge's win under her belt. Not bad for a girl who's not yet twenty-four. But this is not just a tale of glittering success. Tulisa grew up on a tough London estate and left school with no qualifications as she struggled to cope with deep-seated emotional problems while caring for her mother alone. She has seen first hand what drugs, alcohol, gang culture and violent relationships can do to young people, but she has come through it all to become the confident, inspiring artist she is today. After taking her little muffins Little Mix to the winning spot of the X Factor at the end of 2011, and with her long-awaited solo album being released later this year, the future is bright for Tulisa. Told in her own words, this is her story.

Sean Smith tells the story of popular X-Factor judge and N-Dubz member Tulisa Contostavlos.

You've heard N-Dubz, even if you don't know it yet. Remember that boy driving you mad every morning on the No. 42? The one playing music on his mobile at full volume? He's listening to N-Dubz. So is his sister, his best mate and his best mate's older brother. Over the past year homegrown pop sensation N-Dubz have morphed from an underground phenomenon to a commercial monster - and the popularity of their catchy lyrics and funky beats is continuing to grow. The band transcended all expectations with their debut album Uncle B, selling over 500,000 copies in the UK alone and spawning six hit singles. Now, with a No. 1 single, three MOBO Awards, plus a critically acclaimed sell out UK tour under their belts, they are finally being given the recognition that they deserve. Although still only in their early 20s, N-Dubz are anything but an overnight sensation. The band was born some eight years ago, in one of the roughest parts of Camden. Still in school and barely into their teens, cousins Dappy and Tulisa met third member Fazer and set about making their first beats. Drawing inspiration from the then booming UK garage scene, the charismatic trio slowly honed their sound, developing their unique style for which they have now become known and loved. Living proof that you don't need to take part in a reality TV show to make it in the music industry, Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer have trodden a long and rocky road on their quest to become pop superstars. Here, for the first time, they will reveal all - a story which their thousands of loyal and dedicated fans are eager to hear. From being snapped up by Polydor and scoring their first top 20 hit, to being thrown into personal turmoil following the tragic death of Dappy's father and the band's devoted manager Uncle B. Urban, hip and packed full of never-before-seen photographs of the band, including exclusive backstage shots and personal family snaps, this book will give a unique insight into the N-Dubz can-do way of mind. With their second album going platinum within a month of being released, their second tour scheduled for April, and their sights firmly set on breaking the US as well, 2010 looks set to be the year of N-Dubz!

She is the creator of probably the most famous - and certainly the best-loved character in contemporary fiction. She is also the author of her own escaperom an existence on the brink of poverty, with no job and few prospects. Onhe one hand there is J.K. Rowling, who wrote, and continues to write, thearry Potter novels,a literary phenomenon. O the other, there is Joanneowling, a quiet, dreamy, rather shy woman whose brilliance in translatinger dreams into prose transformed her own life. JK - The Story of J.K.owling details her life from her childhood and schooling in the West Country;he effect upon her of the wasting illness that struck down her mother; herime at Exeter University; her long-term relationship and her career andarriage, which collapsed after thirteen months, leaving her to return toritain with her baby daughter. The Harry Potter novels are more than fantasy:here is a toughness to the writing, a sense of realism and a questingorality that go beyond mere adventure, magic and the battle between good andvil.;How those books came to be written, and the influences that shaped both

Top celebrity biographer Sean Smith tells the story of national treasure Gary Barlow, one of the UK's greatest songwriters and musicians. Throughout a stellar career, nobody has been more misunderstood than Gary Barlow. When he first found fame, he was perceived as too arrogant. Then, after a spectacular slump and amazing recovery, he adopted a modesty that underrates his lifetime achievements. In this book Sean Smith redresses the balance by revealing the real man, the romances that shaped his life and the passion for music that drives him. A singer and virtuoso keyboard player who performed in working men's clubs from the age of thirteen, Gary Barlow would go on to achieve phenomenal success as the musical force behind Take That, the most popular boy band of all time. Now recognized as one of the greatest songwriters and musicians the UK has ever produced, Gary is among the best-known faces on television, returning as head judge on the X Factor in 2013. Featuring original interviews with many people who have never spoken before, Gary is a celebration of a complex and unique talent.

Alesha Dixon has one of the most incredible stories of any star, yet she remains an enigma. Behind the fabulous smile and signature laugh is a private woman whose childhood was blighted by domestic violence, poverty and a lack of confidence. As a beautiful young woman, she has struggled to overcome professional failure and the devastating effect of her husband's infidelity. The UK's leading celebrity biographer Sean Smith has travelled to her home town to uncover the truth about her upbringing, her unconditional love for her mother, her loyalty to her extended family, her feud with her elder brother and her unsettled relationship with her Jamaican father, who left home for good when she was four. He discovers a sensitive and secretive woman, who managed to keep her long-term relationship with a member of one of the country's best-known boy bands hidden from public scrutiny. For the first time that love affair can now be revealed. He examines the circumstances that led to the break-up of her marriage to rapper MC Harvey and the effect that unhappy time has had on her life. Aleshadescribes a roller-coaster career that began when she was 'discovered' at a dance class in Central London. She achieved huge early success with Mis-Teeq, who had seven consecutive top ten hits before their record label went bust. Her subsequent solo career stalled when she was dropped by Polydor before her debut album was even released, but she turned things around with a spectacular victory on Strictly Come Dancing. Sean Smith lays bare her subsequent TV career, including the row over her appointment as a judge on the programme, as well as her triumphant switch to Britain's Got Talentin 2012. Aleshais the dramatic and uplifting account of her journey from a humble start in life and how she overcame all obstacles in her way to become an inspiration to women everywhere.