The former E! Channel host, Elite model and daughter-in-law to Ed Asner (she's now married to Steven Soderbergh) has a new novel landing tomorrow. "Whacked" is set in Hollywood, of course. Her main character is obsessed with her figure and has a TV director boyfriend who cheats on her. The publisher is pitching it as a beach read. Ya think? It's got a dishy side, the New York Daily News says:

Jennifer Aniston and Ryan Seacrest should be happy with the way their pal, Jules Asner, portrays them in her fun new mystery novel, "Whacked," but other celebs may want to put a hit on the author....

While Asner has always been fascinated by Tinseltown tragedies like Marilyn Monroe, she wouldn't speculate on whether Lindsay and fellow train wreck Britney Spears will end up dead of self-inflicted party excess. But Asner does have ideas about why certain actresses stand the test of time.

"Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Catherine Zeta-Jones - you don't hear about them being all messed up at a club, because they're actually working," she says. "This young set, I guess they're actors, but I can't remember actually seeing their movies."

Previously on LA Observed:
It's Giuliana's show now
Never lie to the Queen of E