Happy Release Day for The Espressologist

Tip of the Day: today is not only the release day for our own Kristina Springer's The Espressologist, but it is also her birthday. Happy Double Birthday Tina!!!!!

Happy Release Day!!!!!


























Welcome to the world of books The Espressologist. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Coping with Too Much to Do

Tip of the Day: Tomorrow is the launch date for THE ESPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer! (*throws virtual confetti*)

Let's play a game today! Let's play "How many of these things go through your mind before you sit down to write on the weekend?" Check off all that apply.

1. I should really be doing the dishes.

2. I should really be doing the laundry.

3. I should really do some critiques for my lovely critique partners before I get to my own writing.

4. I shouldn't leave dinner until the last minute. What am I going to cook?

5. I should really be getting the kids' stuff ready for Halloween.

6. I definitely should not look at the carpet in this room before I start writing. When was the last time someone took out the vacuum in this house?

7. I should get the kids' papers off the dining room table and then I'll feel like I accomplished something around the house before I write.

8. This room is freezing. I should really put the summer clothes away for the year and dig up my sweaters.

9. I should pick up the kids' (choose one: new earring disinfectant, saxophone reeds, irish dance shoes, cleats, pastels for art class, or whatever weird thing is going to take you into a store in town you barely knew existed) before I totally forget again.

10. I should get more writing done than I did last weekend. Man, where do the weekends go?

Here are your test results. Count how many you checked off:

1-3: Congratulations, your significant other is a neat freak with anal retentive tendencies, leaving you lots of time to write. Just don't let him or her near your closet or your car.

4-6: Congratulations, your life is about in balance. Now tell yourself you're going to write until one of the kids or pets comes to you with an injury or problem of great tragedy. That should give you almost an hour!

7 - 10: Do you think that medicine for adult ADD really works? I wonder that. A lot.

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages

Congratulations Tina!!!

Tip of the day: Next Tuesday, go to your local bookstore and buy THE ESPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer, then grab your favorite beverage of choice and curl up and read this GREAT book!

I still remember when I heard the concept for Tina’s book. Match making based on the type of you coffee drink you like!? BRILLIANT is what I thought. I knew she would have no problem selling it. And she certainly didn’t, with multiple publishers interested!

So, I’m very lucky in that I got an Advanced Review Copy at the American Library Association conference last July. I was having fun reading it during an especially hot spell and carried it over to our neighbor’s to read during an afternoon by the pool. Remember this photo? I have proof! (You’ll notice the ARC had a bit different cover than the final book).

But then, after carrying it around with me for a few days, I went to look for it, and couldn’t find it! Isn’t that tragic? There’s nothing worse than losing a book you were in the middle of! I don’t know what happened to it. Maybe I left it at my neighbor’s and she wanted to read it so badly, she didn’t let on that she had found it? Who knows!? But I do know I’m dying to find out what happens and will be going to the bookstore next week to buy my very own copy.

There were some cover changes along the way, but I really think what they ended up with is just so perfect, don’t you?

Congratulations on your debut, Tina! I’m so very excited for you! May your book fly off the shelves and into the hearts of many, many teens, coffee-lovers, and anyone who is looking for fun, sweet read!

~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career

Espressologist: Concept to Pub Timeline

Tip of the Day: Want to read a fun interview with me and have a chance of winning a signed copy of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST plus a $10 Starbucks gift card? Go here.

Deena had the super fabulous idea that I should post a timeline of the publishing process for THE ESPRESSOLOGIST. Fun! So here goes:

7/19/06- I type up the idea for The Espressologist in a document cleverly titled “Another idea”. I open a new document, this one titled “The Espressologist is In”, and start writing the book.

12/20/06- Book is finished and I’ve revised as much as I thought it needed. Start sending chapters to critique partners for feedback.

2/2/07- Finished revising books based on critique partners’ feedback. Start querying agents. One agent asks for edits. Start edits for him.

3/1/07- Didn’t work out with that agent. Back to querying!

4/11/07- Receive two offers of representation from agents.

4/13/07- Signed with my agent, Jenoyne Adams (then, with Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. Now, BLISS).

4/14/07- Jenoyne submits THE ESPRESSOLIGST to 17 publishers.

4/19/07- An editor called my agent with verbal interest in having the book. Said more info to come.

4/25/07- First offer for book comes in! Whoo hoo celebration!

4/30/07- Second offer comes in! Yippee!

5/2/07- Agent sets up auction for 5/10/07 and lets all editors still reading know.

5/10/07- Auction day! Offers received from four publishers. Narrow it down to the two best offers. By the end of the day, decided to go with FSG for a two-book hardcover deal with paperback follow-ups a year after release.

6/27/07- Offer from German publisher comes in and we accept.

10/22/07- First Editorial Letter arrives and I start revising.

12/4/07- Turn in first edits.

1/31/08- First round of line edits arrive in mail.

2/28/08- Complete line edits and return to editor.

3/14/08- Second round of line edits arrive mail.

3/28/08- Complete line edits and mail back second round of line edits.

4/3/08- Third round of line edits arrive.

4/7/08- Complete and mail back third round of line edits.

4/9/08- Book goes to copyedits.

6/12/08- Copyedited manuscript arrives.

6/19/08- Make adjustments and mail back to copyediting.

7/1/08- Book flap copy arrives.

7/3/08- Second draft of book flaps arrives.

9/17/08- Book galleys arrive.

9/22/08- Make minor changes to galleys and mail back to editor.

10/6/08- Queries on proofread galleys come in.

10/7/08- E-mail back responses to queries.

10/31/08- First cover arrives.

2/20/09- Cover #2 arrives.

4/28/09- Cover #3 in the works.

5/2/09- Receive Advanced Readers Copies. So cool!

6/30/09- Final cover arrives and I LOVE it! Yay!

7/12/09- Attend ALA in Chicago for the weekend. Sign ARCs. First signing!

9/12/09- First copies of final book arrive! Beeeeautiful!

10/27/09- THE ESPRESSOLOGIST releases! Party!!!!!!

Phew. That was long. And it took me forever to compile. :-) I stuck strictly to Espressologist related stuff in this timeline but it wasn’t all I was up to. During this time I also wrote Revenge Queen, Boy Swap, Night at Claire’s, three proposals, My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours, and the first draft of Pumpkin Princess. Fake Boyfriend is my book coming out next fall and is in copy edits at the moment, just in case you were wondering. It might seem like a lot when it’s all written in one post like this but this process took almost three years from start to finish. Wow, huh?

Kristina, Miss Delighted to Debut (next Tuesday. Whee!!!!)

CP Score! (or Let Me Tell You 'Bout the Old Days)

Tip of the Day: Don't forget to wish Miss Delighted to Debut a Happy Birthday AND Book Birthday on 10/27!

Ah yes, I knew Tina back in the day...back before she had cutie baby #4, before she had an agent in love with her work, before she had a book sale.... But as soon as I read her second WIP, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, while sitting in my office at my old job, I knew -- I KNEW -- THAT would be The Book of hers to sell first.

Heck, when Tina and I became crit partners, as soon as she "pitched" her idea for THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, I was like, "YES!" So hooky! So clever! So cute! Then she started sending me pages of the novel and I laughed as I read. I begged for more pages. It was such a smooth read, so well plotted and paced. Such great voice. I couldn't stop reading it and remember waiting for Tina's agent offers to roll in after she finished and polished the manuscript.

Then it was there -- multiple agent offers. Then multiple editor offers! I refreshed my hotmail while sitting in my old office, watching the play-by-play and cheering at every step. This book needed to be published -- a bright piece of fun, romantic-comedy amidst the dark and scary vamps and wolves.

And now I'm patting myself on the back bc I was right! THE ESPRESSOLOGIST hits the shelves for all to read on Tuesday -- and I am so glad I was right. Read the book and you'll agree! :)

Order THE ESPRESSOLOGIST from an indy bookstore here!

CONGRATULATIONS, TINA! Hope on Tuesday you party like it's 1999! ;)

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

The Celebration Continues

Tip of the Day: I'm so excited for Tina's book release next week. Not really a tip, but celebration doesn't have boundaries :)

As a person who reads all of her favorite author's books, I'm constantly on the lookout for books like my favorite authors or favorite books. I love to look at "if you liked [this book] then you'd love [this book]" comparisons and lists. So today, I'm bringing you a list featuring our very own Kristina Springer's The Espressologist.

If you loved these books:











You'll love The Espressologist


If you love books by these authors: Meg Cabot, Lauren Myracle, Kate Brian, Niki Burnham, Louise Rennison, Melissa De La Cruz, Lauren Barnholdt, or anyone else that writes humorous teen fiction for girls.

You'll love The Espressologist


If you love books that make you laugh out-loud (which is exactly what happened when I first got the chance to read Tina's book).

You'll love The Espressologist


And if that's not enough to convince you, I went to the author and asked her this important question: Do you remember where you were when you thought up the idea for The Espressologist? And when you wrote it, did you know it was the One?

I was in a coffee shop. I know, I know, completely shocking! :-) But yes, I was sitting at the local Starbucks with my husband having drinks. We were just chatting and watching people come in and out and a particular person caught my eye and I remember thinking, I know what that person is going to order. So I sorta eavesdropped on her order and it turned out I was right. I told my husband I should write a book about what type of people drink what type of coffee drinks and call it Espressology. He thought this was clever and wonderful of course (he says that when I write the grocery list too mind you). Then I was watching the barista dealing with a customer and I thought no wait, I should have a barista who is an espressologist and matchmakes people based on their favorite drinks! That became my lucky spot and I wrote the whole book from the same table at that Starbucks. As far as knowing if it was the One, when I first started writing it I thought wow, this book is really fun to write and I'm really loving it. About halfway through though I did have the thought, Oh my God, I'm totally going to sell this book!

Now doesn't that book sound awesome! Who doesn't love a good matchmaking book. Especially one featuring coffee!

I loved The Espressologist when I first read it a few years ago. I had meet Tina online in a writing class. A few months later we decided to become critique partners. When we first exchanged work, I had joked with her that I was a good-luck charm as a critique parnter, since right before that I'd just joined an online critique group and two people sold right after I joined...even before I could read their work. Tina was probably, "yeah, whatever, Emily!"

But I had barely made it through three chapters of her book, before she quickly made the sale for The Espressologist. I'd like to think it was my good luck, but I really know it's because it's an awesome book. I knew from the moment I heard the concept it would sell. And Tina's love of writing really shines through. Within the first page, I was hooked. Tina has a wonderful ability of comedic timing. Something I'm sure we all want, but very few of us our blessed with. She just has it, and it makes her books all the better for it. Plus, her characters are sweet, but strong at the same time and completely relatable.

So run, don't walk, to the store next week to pick up your own copy of The Espressologist.

Trust me, you won't regret it.

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

The Espressologist Launch Celebration!!

Tip of the Day: Did you know Kristina has her own website? Check it out!

Our own Miss Delighted to Debut, Kristina Springer, doesn't have much longer to wait. THE ESPRESSOLOGIST releases early next week on October 27th! We're celebrating her success all week long. If you want to know how it feels to have your first novel hit the shelves (I do! I do!), this is the place to ask her questions and revel in the positive energy.

And put THE ESPRESSOLOGIST on your reading list! Here's a taste of the yummy reading awaiting you:

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?

With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

So, here's a question I couldn't resist asking Kristina. What happens when you tell your parents you have a novel coming out? Do you give them a signed copy of your book?

Kristina says: "Yep, my parents are so stinkin' proud. My mom tells absolutely everyone and passes out business cards with my book cover on it and bookmarks. And they introduce me to everyone as "This is my daughter, the author." :-) And nope-- they're buying books! I'd give them one of course but they want to buy a bunch just because. I gave my mom an ARC in her Mother's Day basket back in a May and she read the book that day and my Dad read it during the next week. They both loved it! And theirs were completely unbiased opinions, I swear. ;-)"

That is so freaking adorable, isn't it? Tina, I'm so psyched that your parents really get it. Your writing friends get it, too, and we couldn't be more happy that your hard work is paying off. Congratulations on your debut!

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages