Does E! still do "E!'s True Hollywood Stories"? I haven't watched anything other than "The Soup" on E! for the better part of a decade.

NARRATOR: Beloved children's author Jake Bell pursued his dream of being a writer from early childhood... but when his first book deal came along at the age of 34, Bell quickly fell into the trap of glitz and glamor.

JAKE BELL INTERVIEW: I knew my advance was coming... and I couldn't stop myself. I was like "Hey, my glasses broke. I'm going to go buy a new pair." I figured my contract would be finalized in a week or two and I could float a pair of glasses on my credit card for that long.

NARRATOR: But Bell's taste for extravagance got the better of him. Not only did he get an eye exam to update his prescription, but he also got a second pair of sunglasses...

EYEMASTERS CHICK: Mr. Bell came in and had a coupon for two pairs for $99. It was clear he had money to burn.

JAKE BELL INTERVIEW: You're looking at yourself in those little mirrors and you don't even recognize yourself--not just because you're wearing different frames but because you're so out of control. The girl asked if I wanted polycarbonite lenses and UV protection and I just went with it!

NARRATOR: And the spending didn't stop there...

RUSS FROM MIDAS: Jake came in here with his 2001 PT Cruiser and the battery was completely dead. There was a flaw in the battery so we replaced it, but the warranty was just over a year old, so he had to pay $12 to replace it. He looked me right in the eye and said, "Why don't you go ahead and change the oil while you're at it."

JAKE BELL INTERVIEW: I think when I started to realize how far over the edge I'd gone was when I was getting in the car to go to get my hair cut. I've cut my own hair since 2002--back then free haircuts were part of my contract at WJHG--and can't remember when the last time I paid for a haircut was. Here I had a few hairs touching my ears and I was ready to go drop eight dollars? Who was this mad man?!?!

NARRATOR: Bell estimates he may have squandered up to $300 on indulgences like car insurance, prescription eyewear, and some cans of soup.

JAKE BELL INTERVIEW: My book's not even going to be published until 2010. What's next? A trip to the dentist? A non-emergency doctor's visit? Where does it end?