Who wrote "Belle du Jour: Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl"?

Search: belle du jour

Why: In "Famous Diaries by Women" on TresSugar:

A little bit more of a memoir than a journal, but Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl is the only book here based on a blog, the modern-day diary. Belle du Jour, an anonymous writer, is a good girl turned call girl who recounts her time working for an elite escort agency in London.

(Alternate title: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl)

Answer: Dr. Brooke Magnanti!

Her specialist areas are developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and is now working at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health. She is part of a team researching the effects of exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos on foetuses and infants.

Fancy!

She worked as a call girl from 2003 to late 2004, and the memoir was published in 2005. After much speculation about her identity (and threats from an ex-boyfriend to out her), she revealed herself (in this Times interview) in November 2009.

Source: Wikipedia , The Sunday Times

The More You Know: I need some pocket money. I want to read that book. Or the blog (which is apparently the exact same thing). Start here in October 2003 (from the bottom):

I spent all morning getting ready to meet the manager. This involves no small amount of eyelash curling, hair straightening and wardrobe panicking. Sexy, but not slutty? You'll be wanting the dark silk top, then. Young, but serious? Well-cut coat. As much cleavage as I could muster. Boots, of course - it is autumn in London after all. My nails are an acrylic nightmare but there was simply no time.