Any idea to what the number 400,847 refers? Well, that's the exact number of relationship books you'll find if you searched on Amazon.com. You'll find everything from How to Be an Adult in a Relationship to The DNA of Relationships. If that's not crazy enough, take a stroll through your local bookstore's relationship book aisle. I'm sure you'll see exactly how overpopulated the shelves are with different perspectives, lifestyle choices and ideas. It stands a reminder of how we all want to get some kind of life-altering piece of information.

Now, if you look on those shelves, you'll probably see my name. Yep. In 2006, I joined the others on the jam-packed relationship bookshelves. I'm now in competition with people like Dr. Phil to dole out our own breed of advice and battling for a spot on Barnes and Noble's shelves. All kidding aside, though, Don't Use My Sweater Like a Towel is my own entry into the popular relationship advice books category.

Why did I jump into this huge field of books? I wanted to offer a unique perspective of the dating scene. I hoped that maybe I had some piece of advice that maybe - just maybe - someone out there would find to help change their lives.

It was 2005 when I broke up with a long-time boyfriend. The thing I've always done after a break-up was to start looking through books for some glimmer, some little shard of advice that I could use to help me through the tougher times. But, all of those self-proclaimed experts could give me, 39 years old at the time, a hint of light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to know why we ended up there with so many books. I wanted to know how I got there. Most importantly, I wanted to know why happily married people were writing about being single. What could they tell me - a single woman who's not ready to mingle - that would help?

I had the opportunity to do my first major television interview the other day on ABC. My publicist told me that this would be a good opportunity to promote my book, and she said she and the show's producer had decided to make the five-minute segment fun and light-hearted. It sounded like a great opportunity, and if you've read my book, you know there are some really great stories that would've made the interview hilarious. I was truly looking forward to the interview.

However, the mild-mannered mid-day anchor decided he'd take another angle on the interview. He hadn't even read the book, admitting that he had just skimmed it after getting shortly before the interview. Looking back on this, I'd bet this guy has never even opened a relationship book before, let alone really read anything about dating and mating. So, after the interview, I headed back to my office. I'll admit: I was curious about the anchor man, so I looked his profile up online. Sure enough, he was married with kids - in fact, he had been married for quite some time - so, how'd he be able to discuss the 21st Century dating scene if he had never been in it?

In the end, however, I think I realized something profound. It doesn't matter if we're married or single, but we all need to have companionship, to have security and to be loved. As the anchor went for the kill during the interview - he didn't really see anything behind my book other than sex - I'm sure he considered me a sinner. This interview is one I won't forget and was certainly a learning experience.

Now, when I settled in to write my own relationship book, I did so without the intention of telling people the way they lived their lives was wrong. Yes, I knew I wanted to be blunt, but I wanted to write a book people would be to relate to and one that they'd enjoy, too. I shied away from telling people what they should be doing or shouldn't be doing and what they should or shouldn't say. Why? Because everyone has their own answers right inside themselves. Sometimes, all we need is a key to unlock those ideas. I wanted my book to be the key that people would use to unlock their own source of advice: themselves.