Check it out-- interview with Stephanie Kuehnert at Author2Author.

Look what was on Good Morning America today as a great summer read:




Yay E. Lockhart!! I LOVED this book!

I believe I also saw a Sarah Dessen book on the shelves in the background. :-)

Well, my copy edits are done! I'm off to mail momentarily. Then it's back to work. I'm pausing on the MG novel to work on an outline that is due. Anyone ever outline and want to share tips/advice?

I am having a horrible day (well two days really). Second time I went out of the house with the kids (swimming at Grandma's yesterday) and we were robbed. And it really sucked big time. I put more details here-- http://author2author.blogspot.com/2008/06/suck-suck-suck.html

I can't stand how the whole thing makes me feel. I already don't get much sleep with the new baby but now I CAN'T sleep. I've maybe slept two hours since yesterday total. I'm freaking out about every little thing. But people who rob your house don't generally come back I would think. That would just be stupid right? I mean, they already got all the good stuff.

Anyway, I had to come on and blog because a book-related thing happened-- my copyedits arrived. I haven't looked at them yet and I'm not sure when I will. So, so, so not in the mood to do anything but feel miserable.

1) I. Am. So. Freaking. Tired.

2) Thank God it is Friday. I mean really, I truly understand these words now. I am just about to survive my first full week of dh being at work full time and me being with all 4 kids and operating on 3-4 hours (spread out of course in 45 minute increments) of sleep a night. Dh will be home all weekend and I'm totally going to SLEEP.

3) There is a roast in the oven. Yeah. I'm not sure why. I haven't made a roast in like, I don't know. A year maybe? But for some reason I bought one and now I have to make it. And it's like 90 degrees outside. Well, I'm not positive about that part but it's hot. Maybe it is some sorta motherly guilt thing that is making me make a roast. I also got all ambitious and bought this book:



I've decided that I'm teaching the 5-year old and 3-year old how to read this summer. We're on lesson three so far and they seem to like it.

4) My three week streak of not doing any writing whatsoever is coming to an end! I'm totally going to have a writing date with myself either tomorrow or Sunday. I'm giddy. I'm back to work on the MG again until I'm stopped for revisions of something else.

5) If you haven't already heard (and how could you not? Even I heard!) stop by and see mandywriter's fabulous news!

Hey All--

Gavin James was born at 3:13 this afternoon. All went great and he's SOOOOOOO cute!!!

1) Today is my due date! Hooray! No baby though.

2) My oldest graduated preschool today. It was SO sweet. I ran with the other moms to take pictures up front and of course plopped right onto the ground. I got all teary watching my baby cross over the graduation bridge. Then I got all teary wondering how I was going to get up off the floor. Yay for other moms to help!

3) Grandma, me, and the kids went to McDonalds afterwards because graduation boy wanted to play. A woman at the next table kept looking at me with a crazy expression. Finally she said, "Excuse me, do you have three kids?" I said, "Yep." She said, "Does that mean this will be #4?" I said, "Whoo hoo for your quick math skills! You win a fry!" And threw a fry at her head. Ok, I didn't do this last part. :-) That would have rocked though. Back up to the part where she said, "Does that mean this will be #4?" I said, "Yep." She looked around, totally baffled. Looked at her own two kids. Looked at me again. And then said, "Oh. My. God." Seriously. I said "Thanks!" :-) Ok, I'm used to some people being like holy crap you're having 4 kids but this was one of the funniest reactions I've received.

4) It's another birthday weekend! Tonight is my brother's party and Sunday my little one is turning two! Fun!

5) I hope to have good writing news in the next few weeks!!

I had to pull ds out of his last day of preschool early so we could rush my 3-year old dd to the doctor for an emergency Polly Pocket shoe extraction from her nose. Good news: We got the blue pair. Bad News: dd says there is still a yellow pair up there that we can't find. SIGH.

I could have been in a fight today.

Here's what happened. I'm grocery shopping with my two girls and we're using one of those carts with the benches attached (so the girls were on the bench). I push my groceries out to the car and park the cart at the back of my car and pop open the trunk. I open the side door and I'm helping the girls climb in. Well, this woman, about as pregnant as me, is at the back of my car with her two daughters. Next thing I know, she's grabbing my bags of groceries and slinging them into my trunk. So I yell, hey, what are you doing? And she's still slinging. I rush back there and say Knock it off! She's still going. I grab her arm. I mean, the woman is loading laundry detergent on top of my strawberries here. I asked her what her deal is and she didn't speak English but from her wild gesturing and yelling I figured out that she wanted my cart. Ok, there are like 10 more in front of the store but whatever. I tell her fine, hold up one finger (no, not that one) in a just a second motion and start loading the rest of my groceries in the car. You'd think it ended there right? No, she starts going through my other grocery bags and commenting on what I bought (I don't know what she was saying though). I had to grab her arms again and push her away from my cart. I mean REALLY. She yelled something else at me while I continued getting my groceries out. I thought we were going to have a pregnant lady fight right there behind my car. She started strapping her kids into the bench WHILE I'm still unloading the groceries and then soon as I had my hand on the last bag she yanked the cart from me and yelled something else. I was so close to yanking the cart back and running it to the cart stall just to piss her off. Crazy pregnant lady!!

1. My poor little guy's nose might be broken. Ugh. He did a header into the patio last night and it was pretty bad. Looked HORRIBLE this morning. We went to the doctor and then to the hospital for x-rays. Have to wait for the doctor to call this afternoon.

2. I feel like I'm going to explode. Baby is due in a week!

3. Stealing one of lisa_schroeder's Friday Five. I got a rejection on RQ yesterday and I didn't even blink. She said lots of nice stuff but it wasn't right for her. How did I become numb to Rs?

4. My agent called last night about some interesting film stuff that could be happening in the future. This didn't really make me blink either. What's wrong with me? I'm dead inside, dead I tell you! :-)

5. I haven't felt like writing at all lately. But I got an idea the other night for Night at Claire's, my MG that I haven't worked on in a few months now because it needs to be like 10k longer and I was bummed about it. It's not a 10k word idea but maybe this will help me come up with more for it. I may even hit the coffee shop to write tomorrow.

Happy weekend!

ETA: RE: #1, SIGH. It's fractured. Have to cancel all summer sports now and he has to go back in to the doctor on my due date (when swelling is down). The excitement never stops!

I was tagged by Emily elmarshall. Fun!

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Preparing for college graduation, spending oodles of time with my boyfriend (the future dh), and packing up my college apartment to go back home!

What are 5 things you need to do today?

1. Finish laundry
2. Take the kids outside to play following nap time
3. Work on critiques
4. Clean, clean, clean
5. Finish packing

What are some snacks you enjoy?

* Trader Joe's chocolate chips w/ PB
* iced mochas (it's a snack right?)
* cereal (usually TJ raisin bran or trail mix crunch)
* grapes


What would you do if you were a billionaire?

* Buy lots of houses in lots of fabulous places so I could travel all over.
* Pay for my kids (and nieces and nephews) college anywhere they want to go (need lots of smart kids!)
* Take all of my family on a huge vacation (like a cruise or something).

What are 3 bad habits?

1. Worry too much (but who doesn't really?)
2. Spend too much time online.
3. Watch too much TV.

Name 5 places you have lived

Lisle, IL
DeKalb, IL
Normal, IL
Woodridge, IL
Bolingbrook, IL

What are 5 jobs you've had?

* Grocery Store Cashier
* Freelance Writer
* Technical Support Rep
* Technical Writer
* Adjunct professor


I tag anyone else who wants to play!

I've been banished to my bedroom with my laptop while DH and the kids make, I think, Mother's Day cards. I could be writing right now. But no, suddenly I had a really strong urge to see what the cast of Little House on the Prairie looked like today. And with a quick google search, I found a four-part interview that aired last summer! If you're interested in what Ma, Mrs. Beadle, Mrs. Plumb, Almanzo, Nellie Olson, Harriet and Nels Oleson and more look like today, check it out:

Part 1- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwE4gmwF2fE&feature=related

Part 2- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnJdu4XhTW8&NR=1

Part 3- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHYQkzKzQMI&feature=related

Part 4- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwwI3opgXVY&feature=related

1) Kindergarten shots SUCK! OMG, my poor baby cried and cried and cried. When did they start giving kids 4 shots for kindergarten? I always thought it was one. They wanted to give him another two (something to do with keeping you from getting sick if you eat bad food at a restaurant) and I was like nah-- not unless you have to. We don't really go out to eat much anyway. :-)

2) 2 weeks until baby time. This kid is HUGE! OMG! It's my prediction that this will be the biggest kid. I'm feeling like I won't be going early either. SIGH.

3) Good thoughts for seaheidi today!! :-)

4) I totally forgot about Mother's Day. Argh. Any ideas for what I can get my mom? She has everything. Like, 12 of everything. Her only hobby is shopping (hence the having everything) and I already did GCs for her birthday and anniversary.

5) I haven't been in a writing mood lately. What's wrong with me? Anyone else get like this? I don't think I've done anything in a week or two now (since finishing revisions). Maybe I'll just force myself to try and do something this weekend. I am in a reading mood however (just got e. lockhart's new book!).

I had a nightmare last night. It was HORRIBLE. Here's what happened:

I received an envelope with a tape cassette and a post card of my book cover. The cover was awful. I looked at it and it was all blues, greens, and browns and there were a lot of trees and a windy road. I was like HUH? I thought for sure THE ESPRESSOLOGIST would have some kind of coffee related cover. Then I noticed the new title. It was long. And BAD. It said something like "The American Society's Influential Something Something Something (I can't remember) Something Code". I was like WTH? What happened to THE ESPRESSOLOGIST? Then I noticed my name. It was VERY small and below another name. It said WRITTEN BY JACK CANNON and kristina springer. Who is Jack Cannon??? So I immediately called my editor.

Me: I don't understand what you sent me.
Editor: Oh, it's your audiobook and cover.
Me: My audiobook? On one cassette?
Editor: Yes, you'll notice it is read by two of the characters from the book.
Me: How is that possible? The book is from the POV of one character.
Editor: Not anymore.
Me: Um. Ok. What is with this cover? Why isn't it coffee related? The book is about a coffee barista.
Editor: Our art department adores that cover.
Me: But it's so plain and blah and has nothing to do with the book. Teens will walk right by that cover and never give it a second glance!
Editor: We disagree.
Me: And where is my title? When we sold you the book you said the title would never change! What does this title even mean?
Editor: We did a survey and this title is better.
Me: But it's so long. Who will ever remember it?
Editor: Don't worry. It has the word "Code" in it. Books with the word "Code" in them sell, sell, sell.
Me: But it's not about any codes!! (me screaming now) And who is Jack Cannon? Why is his name on my book?
Editor: Oh, he added to the book after you finished editing.
Me: What do you mean? You can't do that! It's my book! I'm calling my agent. This goes against everything in my contract.
Editor: Oh, I wouldn't do that Kristina. (evil cackling here)

And then I woke up.

OMG-- just driving home from a long day running around w/ the kiddos and see that they hiked the gas up another twenty cents since this morning. Our gas is $3.95 a gallon! UGH!

With three weeks to go until baby time I've started nesting. I know, you're thinking my house is all clean and the baby's stuff is ready and waiting. Pssssh!! No, I mean I've wrapped up all of my writing things and nothing else is pressing. Espressologist is in copy edits. I just e-mailed the revised Boy Swap to my editor. And I e-mailed the revised Revenge Queen back to my agent this afternoon. There is NOTHING that I have to do. It feels nice. I may even return to that WIP I was working on a couple of months ago. Or you know, clean the house and get ready for the baby. Or sleep. Yeah, I think sleep wins. :-)

1) I've lost my memory. Well, not totally. But I'm forgetting all kinds of things and it is freaking me out. One thing? I want to call one of my friends that I've talked to once or twice a week forever (known her since we were five) and I can't remember her phone number. Yes, the number has just vanished from my mind. I never wrote it down because I just always knew it. It's been three days now and I just can't remember it. And she never checks e-mail so I can't reach her that way. Ugh.

2) I love my son's preschool. This week they talked about earth day and now he and my girls have been cleaning up every scrap of paper etc. they find everywhere outside. They keep telling me they are cleaning up the earth. :-)

3) I received a big bouquet of dandolines today. :-)

4) I'm still happily revising Boy Swap. I have a feeling I'll be happily revising Revenge Queen again on Monday after talking to my agent.

5) I have a weekend off from birthday parties! My cousin is coming over for a play date tomorrow (the kids love her! And I love gabbing with her) and the girls are supposed to get their beds Sunday (sharing a room now to make room for baby).

Happy weekend!

Yep. I can totally see this.

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city soul with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian people - could life get any better?

1) Just had a doctor's appt and things are going along well! 4 more weeks until this little guy or gal is here (or earlier. Let's all cross our fingers for earlier).

2) Stealing this one from Seaheidi but YAY for new Thursday TV shows (like Grey's Anatomy).

3) I've been doing some big revisions on a book for my editor to consider and one of my CPs liked them so I feel like I'm on the right track. Yay!

4) I'm happy I got my Author2Author post to finally go up this morning. Our Internet was down all morning so I had to bring my post to my mom's and use her  S-L-O-W computer with her C-R-A-W-L-I-N-G-L-Y  S-L-O-W Internet connection to upload the post. Only took about thirty minutes.

5) I'm glad that I never ever ever ever have to do another ultrasound ever again. It is cruel and unusual punishment to tell a pregnant women  to drink 32 oz of water and not pee, then show up for an appt an HOUR later (still, no peeing), and then put her flat on her back with her big pregnant belly and giant child pressing on her bladder for an hour and half while a student tech plays around with the ultrasound machine. Yup-- that's 2 1/2 hours of NOT PEEING!! Pure torture.

Lauren Myracle, Sarah Mlynowski, and E Lockhart are coming to my bookstore in May (Tour details)! How cool! I'm totally going to go-- I'll be the big pregnant lady sitting in the middle of all the teens. :-)