Kelly Ripa Unveils Cover of Her Memoir 'Live Wire' After 18 Months of Writing: 'A Labor of Love'

Kelly Ripa joked that she hopes that her resemblance to Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover of her memoir Live Wire will result in more book sales

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Published on April 11, 2022 01:09 PM

Kelly Ripa's upcoming memoir Live Wire has been described as "funny" and "honest" — and she kept in that same vein when she revealed the book's cover on her show Live with Kelly and Ryan on Monday.

Specifically, the co-host joked that she hopes that her resemblance to Sarah Jessica Parker will result in more book sales!

"So my thought process was — now stick with me — I think that maybe people might think that it's Sarah Jessica Parker's book. We were like, 'Oh, it's Sex and the City!' " Ripa, 51, told her colleague Ryan Seacrest after showing the audience the book's cover, which features Ripa in a black top and billowing pink skirt, much like the iconic look worn by Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw.

"From a distance," Seacrest responded.

"Right, that's how people buy books! From a distance!" Ripa joked.

"Oh, I thought she was posing for the cover. That's not Sarah Jessica Parker?" he asked.

"That's not, that's me!" she said.

Kelly Ripa book cover reveal of Live Wire — Dey Street Books

Self-deprecating humor is just one of the many tones of Ripa's personal essay collection. Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, which will be published by Dey Street Books on Sept. 27, "will feature a collection of personal essays on childhood, motherhood, marriage, her career and the intersection of all the above — putting her thoughtfulness, assertiveness and deep understanding of the dynamics of gender and power on full display," according to the book's description.

It will include a "sharp, funny, and honest collection of real-life stories from Kelly Ripa, showing the many dimensions and crackling wit of the beloved daytime talk show host."

Additionally, Ripa — who shares sons Michael, 24, and Joaquin, 19, and daughter Lola, 20, with husband Mark Consuelos — will show readers "what really makes her tick."

"As a professional, as a wife, as a daughter and as a mother, she brings a hard-earned wisdom and an eye for the absurdity of life to every minute of every day. It is her relatability in all of these roles that has earned her fans worldwide and millions of followers on social media," the description continues.

Ripa joked that Seacrest and the others she works with have watched as she's "agonized, stressed, lost sleep, broke two chairs," while writing the book. The talk show host even pulled from her old journals while writing her story. In an Instagram post on Monday, Ripa gave more fun insight into the writing process.

"My husband said writing a book is like giving birth. He's never done either," she wrote on Monday. "Although it would be like giving birth, if giving birth lasted 18 months. A labor of love nonetheless."

Unlike many celebrity authors, Ripa hasn't leaned on a ghostwriter to put her memoir together.

"I have to tell you, the book publishers want me to read the talking points. They were like, 'Try not to screw it up,' because they realize my editor had her work cut out for her because I, as you know, I wrote this book myself," Ripa explained on the show.

"I did not use a co-writer, I did not use a ghost-write," she continued. "If you were to look at the Google searches on my phone right now you would find things like, 'Synonyms for good.' 'What is a semicolon.' I'm not kidding!"

Ripa even came up with potential titles, including the final one, herself.

"I wanted to call it Uneducated because the book Educated was so good, and I was like, 'Maybe people will also be confused and think they're buying Educated, they'll miss the 'Un' part," she joked. "Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories will be released on Sept. 27. It'll be available wherever books are sold — and I do mean wherever that is."

RELATED VIDEO: Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Discuss Their 'Traditional and Almost Old-Fashioned' Marriage Roles

The star wasn't done with her humorous announcement. Ripa teased how much she's "dreading" the release of Live Wire.

"It's horrible, I'm dreading it. It's like, I keep referencing Kal Penn because he said it best to me," Ripa joked. "When he was here promoting his book, and you had told him I was writing my book … he said to me, 'What level of self-loathing are you?' And I said, 'I've been actively dreaming of trashing the manuscript and giving them their manuscript back.' And he goes, 'You're almost done.' "

Her anxiety didn't stop Seacrest from showing his support.

"It's a great legacy to have," he said. "You'll have that book forever."

Live Wire goes on sale on Sept. 27.