Josselin and her Project Prep

For days there has been a certain tension in the office. And no, not for the reason you think I'm going to cough up again (coughbirthdaycough) but because our Josselin had the launch of her book Project Prep last night, for which she created all the illustrations, and we were of course incredibly and immensely involved.

Project Prep is a book about Isabel, a 13-year-old girl who understands very little about clothes. Unlike her friend Kate, who effortlessly pulls the coolest preppy outfits from her closet and always looks amazing. Kate helps Isabel with her clothes, lends her items, and Isabel then thinks that there should actually be an app from Kate. She teaches herself to code and then finally her app is there: Project Prep. Of course, there is also a boy somewhere in the picture because 13-year-old girls fall in love for the first time and that is wonderfully recognizable from when you were 13 yourself.

And yesterday the cork popped off the bottle because from today the book is in stores and in the virtual shelves of bol.com. Joss slept two nights in the most beautiful suite of the Conservatorium Hotel so that she was fit and rested in Amsterdam. Yesterday afternoon she went with writer Niki Smit and the initiator of the book Janneke Niessen in their prettiest dresses to the woman who was allowed to receive the first copy of the book, and that is quite a thing because pay attention.

QUEEN MÁXIMA HAS RECEIVED THE FIRST COPY. Honestly, I don't know how much cooler it can get in life. Neelie Kroes wrote the foreword by the way, so maybe it can indeed get even cooler. God, I’m bursting with pride as I write this down.

Together with Jet, I went high on the heels and dressed in black on the bike to White Space, the beautiful location where the launch party was held. With a large bouquet of flowers and an even bigger smile, we walk into the space, which is already well filled with people. And with children by the way, who are bouncing with excitement.

Actress Toprak hosts the event, Niki, Janneke, and Joss come on stage and Jet and I are in the audience. Josselin is the most beautiful version of herself we have ever seen, she really shines.

I may not be known as an emotional person, but I swear to you that a tear almost rolled down my cheek when I saw her standing there and heard her speak.

Afterwards, we grab a glass of Moët and throw our arms around her.

But then we have to let her go again because there are crowds of children around her who all want an autograph in the book. Joss is really such a huge superstar, it's unbelievable.

Aside from the fact that the evening was very nice, the book is too. And my feminist heart jumps for joy at the underlying thought: namely to show girls that they don’t only have to like pink sugary things, but that they can perfectly get started with apps, technology, and their own business.

So run to an AKO, Bijenkorf, Bruna, V&D or bookstore near you and grab this book. Or make it even easier for yourself and click here go to Bol.com, then you’ll have it at home by tomorrow. So I say cheers, cheers to Project Prep, and to our Josselin. Pop!