With her career on the rise, American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino has decided to go public with some difficult personal demons. In her new book, Life Is Not A Fairy Tale, which came out on September 30, Fantasia admits that she can barely read or write. She explains that she was so ashamed of being poorly educated that it kept her from ever applying for a job, and after winning American Idol, she signed contracts she couldn't read. Fantasia is now working with a tutor to get her G.E.D. so that she can be a high school graduate, and she hopes to be an inspiration to others who are illiterate.

Fantasia is doing a number of book signings in different cities to promote Life Is Not A Fairy Tale. She'll be in Washington, D.C. and Hyattsville, MD on October 6, Philadelphia on October 7 and Ridgewood, NJ on October 8. On October 12, the singer kicks off her tour with Kanye West and Common in Miami, FL. That trek runs through December 12 in Vancouver, Canada.

Last but not least, Fantasia has been nominated for two American Music Awards: Favorite Female Artist (Soul/R&B) and Favorite Album (Soul/R&B) for Free Yourself. The 33rd annual American Music Awards will be held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 22 and will be broadcast on ABC.