Take The Espressologist Out for Coffee-- Contest Results!

Thanks for entering everyone-- I LOVED seeing the pics! And the good news is, since there were only 5 entries and 5 prizes, you're all winners! Whoo hoo! :-) So I'm just drawing for first place. Here's a reminder of the prizes:

1st place: Signed copy of The Espressologist, a custom made $25 Starbucks gift card (with Jane's (the main character) name and favorite drink on it), some bookmarks, and a big box of my favorite TJ's dark chocolate covered espresso beans. Here's a peek:



2nd-5th place: $5 Starbucks gift card and signed bookmarks.

Now onto the picking of first place:





And the winner is:



Congrats Ari! You get the prize for first place! But like I said, everyone is a winner so Ari, R, Sharmaine, Deena, and Gary, e-mail me your mailing addresses and I'll get your prizes in the mail

Thanks for playing! :-)

Take The Espressologist Out for Coffee Entry

Hey, today is the LAST day to enter the contest! Tomorrow I'll be drawing winners. :-)

Today we have three awesome pics from R in Singapore!!

The first two are taken at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and she's having a white chocolate coffee ice blended.






And this one is taken at Coffee Club and she's having a toffee coffee ice blended.




Last day to take The Espressologist out for coffee! Just read the details of the contest here and mail me a pic by midnight. I'll post winners tomorrow!

Holidaze with the Debs

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! And a fun Black Friday! If you've got book lovers on your holiday list and need some help picking out books, check out the Holidaze with the Debs tour! Find out what YA & MG Authors are Writing AND Reading. Tour stops are across the country and in Canada. I'll be at two signings next weekend in the Chicagoland area. Details below!

DECEMBER 5th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, BORDERS IN BOLINGBROOK, IL

Holidaze with the Debs: Find out what YA & MG Authors are Writing AND Reading.

Authors appearing:
Kristina Springer, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST
Cynthea Liu, PARIS PAN TAKES A DARE and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA
Saundra Mitchell, SHADOWED SUMMER
Darcy Vance, THE GEEK GIRL'S GUIDE TO CHEERLEADING
Lara Zielin, DONUT DAYS
Aprilynne Pike, WINGS

161 N. Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL
Signing, chatting, personalized book recommendations, and prizes.

DECEMBER 5th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, THE BOOK CELLAR IN CHICAGO, IL

Authors appearing:
Kristina Springer, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST
Cynthea Liu, PARIS PAN TAKES A DARE and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA
Saundra Mitchell, SHADOWED SUMMER
Darcy Vance, THE GEEK GIRL'S GUIDE TO CHEERLEADING
Lara Zielin, DONUT DAYS
Aprilynne Pike, WINGS

4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL

Signing, chatting, personalized book recommendations, and prizes.

Take The Espressologist Out for Coffee Entry

This pic is too cute! Here is Ari at her grandpa's house in Arizona. He made her espresso and fresh pumpkin cookies to have with her book :-)




Thanks for entering Ari!!

There is still time for you to take the Espressologist out for coffee too! Just read the details of the contest here and mail me a pic by 11/27.

Interview with L.K.Madigan, author of FLASH BURNOUT

Wow, it's been too long since I've done one of these! L.K. Madigan is stopping by today to talk about her debut, FLASH BURNOUT.

About Flash Burnout:

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.

When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.


Our Interview:

KRISTINA: What's your very favorite thing about your book (Certain chap? Scene? Cover?)

L.K.: My favorite thing about my book is that it exists in the world. It sits on shelves in cities I’ve never even seen, waiting for readers who are not related to me.

KRISTINA: Where do you do most of your writing?

L.K.: I write at home, but I move around a lot – red chair, kitchen table, desk, green chair, and once in awhile … bed.

KRISTINA: What's the naughtiest thing you did in high school that you DIDN'T get caught doing (Fess up now!)

L.K.: Um, heh.

I, uh, (wracks brain for appropriate answer) once had a party when my parents were out of town. Nothing gone broken, no one got hurt, and they never found out.

KRISTINA: What did you do on the release day of FLASH BURNOUT?

L.K.: A book signing at Powell’s Books!

KRISTINA: What's your favorite coffee drink? (If you don't like coffee, WHY NOT?! Really, what do you like to drink then while you're writing?)

L.K.: Very favorite coffee: 100% Kona.

Favorite fancy coffee drink: iced caramel macchiato.

KRISTINA: Thanks for visiting L.K.!

Take the Espressologist Out for Coffee Entry

How cool is this? Sharmaine from Sydney, Australia took The Espressologist out for coffee! She walked 10 blocks down to Circular Quay, ordered a short white chocolate mocha at the Starbucks on Alfred St, and took a picture of The Espressologist in front of Sydney's two most famous landmarks.









Thanks for entering Sharmaine!!

There is still time for you to take the Espressologist out for coffee too! Just read the details of the contest here and mail me a pic by 11/27.

Take The Espressologist Out for Coffee Entry

The Espressologist was sighted in the Pittsford, NY B&N Starbucks cafe -- but she's sipping on an ICED TEA instead of a coffee! Oh no!



Thanks for entering Deena!!

There is still time for you to take the Espressologist out for coffee too! Just read the details of the contest here and mail me a pic by 11/27.

Take The Espressologist Out for Coffee, Entry #1!

Hey, we've got an entry! This is Gary and he took The Espressologist out for an eggnog latte at Cutters Point in Lacey, WA and note the Landon Pigg CD nearby featuring his song, "Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop". I love it!!



Thanks for entering Gary!!

There is still time for you to take the Espressologist out for coffee too! Just read the details of the contest here and mail me a pic by 11/27.

The Espressologist Launch Party

My launch party was yesterday afternoon at Fat Bean Coffee Bar in Naperville, IL. Fat Bean was such an awesome place to have a party! The place was huge and comfy. And of course it had lots of coffee. I estimated we had about 75 people in all come to the party-- it was a nice steady flow the whole time.



Here's the yummy spread I put out:



And the super wonderful Bolingbrook Borders' manager herself came and sold books. Isn't the display pretty?



The Holidaze with the Debs tour will have a signing at her Borders on December 5th and I can't wait-- it's going to be so much fun! It will be me, Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Darcy Vance, and Lara Zielin. More info to come on that soon.

I had so much fun signing books:



Here's me and my big brother (he insists that he's my muse. :-) ):



It was great to see so much family and friends (writer friends, neighbors, local friends, high school and college friends, book club friends and more). Here's a great shot of a bunch of the fabulous women from my book club:



And here's me and one of my fave authors and super cool friends, Kristin Walker:



The atmosphere was really great-- lots of chatting, lots of laughing, lots of treats, and lots of coffee of course. And the kids were so, so good too!



The one on the right is one of mine.

You're probably wondering, being The Espressologist Launch party and being in a room with so much coffee, was there any matches? And I'm happy to say that there was!

My littlest, Gavin, met this cutie pie Lily there.



Neither likes wearing shoes, both are fans of the Gerber baby cheetos (Lily shared hers with Gav) and both like a warm milk, hold the coffee. Total match. :-)

As people left I gave out the favors I made:




They are little espresso cups full of chocolate covered espresso beans. Yum.

It was such a super fabulous party and I'll remember it for a long, long time. <3 <3 <3