Espressologist

First off, you've gotta love the title and this cover. This sweet story begs to be made into a movie, probably with Taylor Swift.

The 411 from KristinaSpringer.com: What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

The Recommendation: [Insert the Facebook "like" symbol here]. It was very good, very cute. As a coffee lover, I loved the setting. I gave it to my 11-year old to read. And for you teachers, it's fine for any age. Nothing risque.

Witch and Wizard

I love James Patterson books. Specifically, I love them on the beach, in the car, and on my ipod while walking. A lot of my literary-type friends criticize Patterson that his characters are shallow, chapters too short, and he's all about the plot. This is becasue writers-types like "character-driven" stories where everyone grows and changes. There are characters I really like, care about and return to time and time again: Amelia Bedilia, Harry Bosch, Stephanie Plum, Junie B Jones. But, often for me, (especially in the car, on the beach and while walking) it's all about page turning. That's what Patterson is awesome at.
This is the first of his teen projects that I've read. And in Patterson fashion, it didn’t disappoint.

The 411 From JamesPatterson.com: This is the astonishing testimonial of Wisty and Whit Allgood, a sister and brother who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Thousands of young people have been kidnapped; some have been accused; many others remain missing. Their fate is unknown, and the worst is feared—for the ruling regime will stop at nothing to suppress life and liberty, music and books, art and magic...and the pursuit of being a normal teenager.

The Recommendation: Holy page-turner, Batman. I read this in four days on my Kindle. I think it's best suited for high school age teens because of the mild violence. This story is great fodder to discuss “what ifs.” -- The "what-ifs" that are possible, and have been demonstrated in history, ie: The Holocaust, the Salem Witch Executions, and prosecution that sadly takes place around the world today. It's entertaining, but I found it to elicit some deep thoughts. I think this would be a great discussion/study piece for high school classes. It's also a great adult read.

Prada and Prejudice

This was my first Kindle read. IT WAS SO SUPER CUTE! Very clever too.

The 411 from School Library Journal: Fifteen-year-old Callie's class trip to England is, like most things in her life, remarkably unremarkable. Ever since she was overheard making a derogatory remark about cheerleaders by one of the most popular girls in school, Callie has been permanently on the D list. To her misery and embarrassment, she has been ditched by her class-trip buddy, leaving her stranded at their London hotel. A scheme to join fellow classmates on a surreptitious trip to a hot club leads to her tripping spectacularly over her new Prada heels. Upon waking from her blackout, Callie discovers that she has been transported to Regency England and is now the long-lost American friend of Emily, a well-to-do teenager. True to her character, she makes a series of faux pas with the titled gentry, earning her the disapproval of a matriarch and a dashing 19-year-old duke. Although her adjustment to an 1815 lifestyle is rough, she begins to appreciate her friendship with Emily and her surprising budding romance with the duke...

Recommendation According to Moi: Even though Callie is 15, this book is very appropriate for younger ages, I'd say 9 and up. The description is great - - transports you to 19th century England. This was a very satisfying read. I encourage you to find out what else Mandy Hubbard has up her designer sleeve at www.mandyhubbard.com

Shadowed Summer

I told you about my nightstand. Well, I've been racing through it at an amazing pace. I can't wait to tell you about Shadowed Summer which takes place in the heat of the deep south. Interestingly, I read it in the freezing, snowy Pennsylvania Mountains.

The 411:
Iris is ready for another hot, routine summer in her small Louisiana town, hanging around the Red Stripe grocery with her best friend, Collette, and traipsing through the cemetery telling each other spooky stories and pretending to cast spells. Except this summer, Iris doesn't have to make up a story. This summer, one falls right in her lap.

Years ago, before Iris was born, a local boy named Elijah Landry disappeared. All that remained of him were whispers and hushed gossip in the church pews. Until this summer.

A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she's certain it's the ghost of Elijah. What really happened to him? And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris to come back to?

The recommendation: Being a north-easterner, the southern references and dialogue took me a few pages to get used to, but once I did, I loved that it was true to the South. I flew through this and I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what happened to Iris.

You can visit the author at http://www.saundramitchell.com/

What's on my Nightstand

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions....who really needs all that pressure?

So, I am vowing to diligently work my way through my reading list this winter (what better time to curl up with a good read?) not because of any resolution, but out of fear -- I'm a little afraid of the girth of the pile.

My tower is not only huge, but diverse, both in terms of genre and medium. We Type-As like lists., so here's what I got going:
Adult Mysteries:
Look Again, Lisa Scottoline (autographed)
Pirate Lattitudes, Michael Crichton (1942-2008) - released in 2009
The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
Smoke Screen, Sandra Brown

Middle-Grade and YA
Eleven, Lauren Myracle - Just finished
The Year the Swollows Came Early, Kathryn Fitzmaurice - In-progress
Models Don't Eat Chocolate, Erin Dionne - DONE, highly recommend
The Hollow, Jessica Verday - On-deck
The Espressologist, Kristin Springer - On-deck
Shadowed Summer, Saundra Mitchell - Just finished
Prophecy of the Sisters, Michelle Zink - On-deck
The Wedding Planners Daughter, Coleen Murtagh Paratore - In-progress
You are So Undead to Me, Stacey Jay - In-progress
Dorie Dilts: School for Cool, P.G. Kain - On-deck - (Aladdin M!X sibling)
Just Another Day in my Insanely Real Life, Barbara Dee - In-progress - (Aladdin M!X sibling)
Hush, Hush, Becca Fitzpatrick - DONE, highly recommend
Devil's Kiss, Sarwat Chadda - DONE, highly recommend - (Greenhouse Literary sibling)

I also have books on my Kindle (which I LOVE):
Witch and Wizard, James Patterson
Prada and Prejudice, Mandy Hubbard - In-progress

In my car I have audio books:
9 Dragons, Michael Connelly .....the man, the legend...let's face it, he's my fav. - In-Progress
Thriller, Short stories edited by James Patterson - Just completed. Okay, so maybe I didn't listen to the whole thing, but it was like 16 CDs
And I I'm on the library waiting list at the library for: The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson

This doesn't include my newsletters and various local history pieces that are strewn around the coffee tables, and while I don't read them cover to cover, I do read them.

In fact, I'm off right now because I can't get Callie of Prada and Prejudice out of my mind.

My Holiday Vacation read - A great MG book - Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies

I got a lot of books and a KINDLE!! (more about that in another post) for Christmas. I want to tell you about MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES because it was a really good, fast, lol-funny book that is great for tweens (9-13, and even older).
The 411:
When Celeste’s meddling aunt enters her in the Miss Husky Peach Pageant for “larger sized girls,” the eighth-grader quails at the thought of the teasing that’s sure to follow, though the idea of modeling has its appeal. Reasoning that if she loses enough weight, she’ll be ineligible for the contest, Celeste finds the motivation to skip snacks and even to exercise. Along the way, she begins to express her individuality through the unlikely vehicle of a beauty contest. Successes, flops, humiliations, and recoveries are all part of the pageant process, and even girls who don’t see themselves as potential models will enjoy Celeste’s account of her experiences. The wry first-person narrative also provides convincing views of middle-school friendships, family dynamics, and incremental personal growth. The ending may be a bit too rosy for absolute realism, but readers rooting for Celeste won’t complain. A light, well-paced first novel.
The recommendation: Your tween girl will love it. Congratulations to Erin Dionne on her wonderful debut novel. Her second book can be pre-ordered from her THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET can be pre-ordered from erindionne.com.

The Christmas Post

It took Christmas in the air, twenty inches of snow, cabin fever, a blinking tree, and our favorite old Christmas book for us to huddle up for story time. We used to do this a LOT more when the kids were younger. But, now with our busy lives filled with work, school, sports, playdates, TV, computer and Wii, we don't much anymore, which doesn't make any sense because we all love it.

But recently the conditions were just right to snuggle and read from The Tall Book of Christmas (pictured). This well-worn book is a compilation of familiar favorites and lesser-known stories dating back to 1904. Reading together from this old book (origin long forgotten, maybe my dad's) has become a wonderful holiday tradition. Reading is like that, isn't it? Timeless.

The story we read was one you might not know: "The Story of the First Christmas Tree." In it a woodcutter has lost his way in the night. The good fairies of the forest light tree after tree in the snowy woods to guide him home. I just love that...the lights in the forest leading him home. Similarly this little old book has the ability to draw us "home"...around a twinkly tree sharing a story and a peaceful heart.

My holiday wish for my friends and family is just that: Hearts filled with peace that maybe, just maybe, with the help of an occasional good story, stays with you long after the snow melts.

Christmas Trivia: "The Story of First Christmas Tree" references Santa's eight reindeer. It's copywrited 1948, which led me and my three fellow researchers to question exactly when Rudolph became mainstream. Here's the answer: The character, story and song were invented as part of a retail store (Montgomery Ward) ad in 1939. While the original story is not in the public doman, rights were sold for a television special in 1964. It wasn't until that time that Rudolph then became part of Christmas folklore. (Thank you, Wikipedia. I just adore you.)

Announcement: I am NOT sending Christmas cards (again) this year

Does this mean I'm a Grinch? Not at all. I like Christmas. Not as much as Halloween, but I like it.

You can call me a Grinch and I wouldn't mind. He's cute, and furry and green, and, let's face it, his theme song rocks!
I wonder if Dr. Seuss knew when he sat down to pen When The Grinch Stole Christmas that it would be a classic? I mean don't all writers, somewhere in our private psyche, imagine that our current project will live on long after our deaths? Don't we imagine that Literature students at an ivy-clad University in New England will study our work and our lives and gawk at the genius??
Okay, reality pill, maybe we imagine favorable reviews, four stars on Amazon.com, a few on-line interviews, and cool tweets.

Back to the topic of this post - the Christmas Cards... Historically I've sent a vast distribution of photo cards. Last year I was pressed with work and chores that I said, "I'll take a year off." A weight fell off my shoulders. So when the decision "to send or not to send" came up this year, it was a no-brainer.

But, please don't stop sending me your cards. I love getting pictures of the kids.

In closing, some Grinch trivia: The town of Whoville and the mountain of which the Grinch lives were based on the Town of Easthampton, Massachusetts and the overlooking mountain named Mount Tom. Easthampton and Mount Tom are just north of Springfield, MA where Dr. Seuss grew up. (Thank you, Wikipedia. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've got a thing for you ;)

Formerly knows as KELLY QUINN'S SECRET COOKING CLUB

It's official. KELLY QUINN'S SECRET COOKING CLUB has a new title: JUST ADD MAGIC. It's exciting, snappy, short, commercial, and according to my market research (sample of 3), the audience LOVES it!
The change to JUST ADD MAGIC took a little getting used to, but with the support of a fantabulous agent and a wondertastic editor, I'm adjusting.
Remember the name: JUST ADD MAGIC.
ps- I've been really good and I'm hoping Santa puts some cover art in my stocking.

First Draft Mode

I am totally in the throws of first draft mode.
What does it look like? Not pretty.
I am just on-on-on all the time...except when I'm asleep. Actually, that's not true, because for the last several days, when I'm asleep, I'm noodling plot and character. The muses whisper in my ear, more ideas that any one human can possibly contemplate. When I'm awake, my fingers can't type fast enough to keep up with my brain. My synapses fire constantly, on overdrive, a thousand firecrackers in my head.
I have all the ideas, the outline fleshed out, the characters pictured in my head (most of them), a mental image of the backdrop. I know how I want the conflicts to pan out and be resolved. I know what the mystery is and how it will be solved. I also know some of my personal challenges with this project:
1) Keeping it middle grade when it creeps to YA.
2) Adding in a sweet girly relationship that hasn't yet made itself apparent. But, I have confidence it will come as I write the scenes. And if it doesn't, that's why I have my peeps, my writing group. The WIPS (Works in Progress can pin point issues, back those suckers into a corner, and suggest solutions.
This is like being on a wonderful first date that won't end until I get it all down on paper which is coming fast, but not fast enough.
I'm torn between rushing to get this rough first draft down, and not wanting this rush to end.
The project is under wraps for now, but if it pans out as fabulously as I see it in my head, I won't be able to keep it secret for long.

The Thing About Spelling Tests

Here's the thing with spelling tests: You HAVE all the answers before the test.

Some Days are Like That...Even in Australia

Just one-of-those-days.

A Time for Vampires

The 50s are known for Rock-around-the-Clock. The 60s for the Beatles and hippies, the 70s for bell-bottoms and The Brady Bunch, the 80s for big hair, the 90s for rap and George Clooney, but what will the first decade of the new millinium be known for?
I pose this: Reality TV, Uggs, Expensive Coffee, LOL and Vampires.
Each of these warrant meaty analysis, but since Halloween (the BEST holiday of the year) is days away, let's talk about Fangers.
Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1987, and while he didn't invent the notion of Vampires (we have multi-cultured folklore to thank for that), he did give us a vampire character with Count Dracul. Since Stoker, vampires have been part of stories, movies and TV. They've been scary, funny, and sexy. Not only has each subsequent writer taken the rules of vampire magic and added a bit, they've continued to main-stream the creatures. Today's Blood Suckers intergrate vampires into society. They're in high school, at our restaurants, even dating the living.
To take things to the next level, authors have invited Shapeshifters ("Shifters")to the scene more often. Who knows, maybe a Shifter will be the Clooney of the 2010s.

Was Stoker a genius? Was he before his time? Who knows, but it's a pretty awesome power for an author. The power to create something so fantastic that it lives on for over 110 years.

Kudos, Bram.

Devil's Kiss

You've probably heard the buzz about Sarwat Chadda's Devil's Kiss, which I am currently in the middle of and loving. Sarwat is a Greenhouse Literary Sibling, and pretty much a rock star at the moment as he's been touring and interviewing about this new release.
Here's the 411:
Billi SanGreal is the first girl in the Knights Templar, and the most kick ass weapon-wielding heroine around. At fifteen, her life is a rigorous and brutal round of weapons practice, demon killing and occult lore – and a whole lot of bruises. But then, she didn’t have much choice. Her father, the Templar Master, forced her to take this path. There is no sacrifice Arthur will not make in his war against the Unholy. But Billi hates the Order, and she hates him too. Tempted by a chance to live a different kind of life and reject everything her father wants her to be, she learns to her horror that she may unwittingly have brought down the Tenth Plague upon humanity – the death of all first born. Faced with choosing her destiny, she must make sacrifices greater than she could have imagined.
The trailer:
And, BOOKS have trailers now. Here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWWuTslNfYI

Some things I say to myself:

As my own best friend, I tell myself things. Recently, I've noticed that I'm saying some things (to myself) alot.

1. That guy/chick should get pulled over for driving like that.
2. You've gotta be KIDDING me...
3. That's one weird dude.
4. It is what it is.
5. No. Freakin. Way.
6. I'll let it cook and think about it later.
7. Verrrry interrresting....
8. THAT could be a great character.
9. I've gotta write that down. (Then, I don't and I forget what it was.)
10. I should make a list...