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Packing away those beach summer reads? It’s the perfect time to build up that fall reading list, because Kristina Springer, the author of the witty YA book THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, is back with a new one. But this time she’s ventured into Middle Grade territory. The hilariously titled MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS hits bookshelves tomorrow. How exciting!

About MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS:
Seventh grade was supposed to be fun, but Tori is having major drama with her BFF, Sienna. Sienna changed a lot over the summer—on the first day of school she’s tan, confident, and full of stories about her new dreamy boyfriend. Tori knows that she’s totally making this guy up. So Tori invents her own fake boyfriend, who is better than Sienna’s in every way. Things are going great—unless you count the whole lying-to-your-best-friend thing—until everyone insists Tori and Sienna bring their boyfriends to the back-to-school dance.

This is the first MG book to be featured on my GCC  posts. I’m always interested in YA authors who also write MG books. It’s something I aspire to also do one day. Glad Kristina took time out to answer some questions about her writing life. Enjoy!

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing? KS: Writing! I like the freedom of writing any way I want to. Cleaning it up later is the hard work.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
KS: I haven’t had one yet! But I’d like to think chocolate would have a role somewhere.

DR: What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
KS: Reality TV. I keep swearing I won’t let the next new show suck me in.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
KS: Nothing really crazy. I tend to go to the settings of places I’m writing about though—like coffee shops or pumpkin patches etc.

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at 15?
KS: Nerdy. I played the flute in marching band, sang and danced in swing choir, and loved being in the school musicals.

DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone?
KS: I went on a ton of water slides last weekend. I haven’t done that since I was a teen.

DR:What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
KS: Bed.

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate. What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile?
KS: Author/Mother/Wife/Master of the Universe (at home anyway)

Happy release day, Kristina!

Our bed & breakfast is hereby closed for the summer. We don’t actually run a bed & breakfast, but the frequency of guests has us feeling like we do. In the past 3 months, the hubby and I have hosted a string of guests. Cousins, friends, in-laws and an aunt flew in from Brooklyn, DC, Jersey and even Russia!

If you like the idea of experiencing Bermuda like a local, but don’t know anyone on the island you can crash with, I recommend staying at Aunt Nea’s Inn. It’s a gorgeous Georgian-style estate in St. George, a historic old town on the East end of Bermuda.

I was lucky enough to get a tour of the property. It’s all about connections, baby. The Inn has been in our Bermudian cousin’s family (following me?) for generations.

Yes, the Inn dog really does greet you as you enter. Here he is, after a long day’s work.

The architectural charm and lush grounds are stunning. The view from the second floor veranda.

A bit of history: Etching on the window made in 1846. (Couldn’t decide which one was clearer.)

You know I made a few mental notes during the tour. So, this is how the professionals do it.

I was equally enchanted by the interior spaces. Lovely.

When you make your reservations at Aunt Nea’s, be sure you tell Delaey (the proprietor) that you know me! It’s the Bermudian way.

So, that’s what I’ve mostly been up to these past few months. Even though I’ve been to the airport countless times and felt exhausted at the end of it all, we all had a blast. Thanks to all those who came out. You all made Summer ‘10 one to remember!

Sad to report that the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies blog is shutting down at the end of this month. The snappy “Pulserocom” url that is advertised in the books has expired months ago, and Simon Pulse has failed to reinstate it. So the party’s over, folks. We’re all posting our good-byes this week. Make sure you head over and check out my farewell post and others’.

Welcome to you faithful Ro-Com blog readers. I hope you stop by here (and other Pulse Ro-Com author sites) often and leave a comment now and then. My hope is that we all continue to stay connected. Thanks again for all your support!

No amount of rain could put a damper on Cup Match, Bermuda’s four-day holiday weekend. Their emancipation anniversary at the end of July is marked with a two-day cricket match between the East side of the island (St. George) and the West (Somerset). As we did in ‘09, we went to Chewstick’s “Beachfest” on day one of the holiday. But this year, it rained on and off. I’ve never been on the beach in a rainstorm before, but I found it kinda cool.

While hubby and I stayed under our beach umbrella (below left), a lot of folks decided to wait it out  in the water (below right).

After the storm clouds moved on, the bon temps kept rollin’…

..and people got to dancing. I was told this dance—which looked like the dance-hall cousin to the electric slide—was called the “Bermuda Squat.”

Chewstick is a creative collective on the island known for its weekly open-mic nights and bohemian leanings. They know how to draw in a crowd.

Family fun at the beach: my “play cousin” Leyde (man in the above left photo), and my real cousin Kwame (above, right). Leyde is a fellow Haitian-American who lives on the island. Here he is with his BFF, who was visiting from NY. We’re hosting my hubby’s cousin Kwame, a student in Russia (!!). Soon after this photo was taken, Kwame was asked, “What happened at the World Cup, man??” by a local who learned Kwame is from Ghana. (Unlucky break by Ghana’s awesome soccer team, The Black Stars. We’re still shaking our heads.)

Beachfest revelers (above, left) and the  Chewstick soundstage (above, right).

And that’s how it’s done on “de Rock.”

It’s been days of Internet frustration (turns out I need a new laptop), but now there’s finally cause for celebration. Because of these issues, I’m a day late announcing this, but no time like the present: I guest blogged on fabulous natural hair website Black Girl w/ Long Hair (BGLH)! I love reading BGLH any chance I get, so being featured on it is beyond exciting for me. And get this—after reading my “Between The Lines” post about naturally kiny-curly hair on YA/children’s book covers, BGLH empress Leila Noelliste (love her name!) invited me to write about my personal “going natural” experience.

BTW, a huge thank you all for your comments on the “Between The Lines” post. I’m so glad you guys like the new feature. Lots more to come!

After playing host to back-to-back visitors at our cottage these past weeks, the fact that I get to play “guest”—in any capacity—is really cool. Please head on over to BGLH to check out the guest post (and maybe leave a comment). Hope you enjoy!

Thank you for the opportunity, Leila Noelliste!

So glad my home Internet is back up. Our land line (which has a US number) is hooked up to the Internet, so when it’s down, no talkie with the family.

Took a walk on Bermuda’s Railway Trail the other day. In an effort to break out of my laziness, I decided to take a stroll to my girlfriend’s house instead of driving. It took me a half hour to get there, but the sights along the way made the journey feel quicker. Here are some shots of the trail, which used to be an actual railway until Bermuda got rid of their train system in the 1940s. Can’t you just picture an iron horse blasting through the below path?

What’s left today is a trail that runners, cyclists, dog walkers and plain ole walkers like me use without worrying about the dangers of the island’s narrow roads.

Speaking of dangers, once when I was on the trail alone, a man walked out of the bushes. Uh-oh, I thought. This could go either way. Fast forward five minutes later and he and I were both walking side by side, stretching our arms over our heads in sync, practicing deep breathing. He instructed me to be mindful of taking deeper breaths by inhaling deeply for three steps and then exhaling slowly for three steps. I wondered, would this chance encounter end up this way had I been at some park back home?

Above, the ubiquitous oleander and hibiscus flowers in some of their colorful variations. Below, an authentic moongate at the entrance of a cottage off the trail. Legend has it, it’s lucky for a newlywed couple to kiss under a moongate.

I enjoyed the walk, but was especially grateful for the ride home later that afternoon.

Happy trails!

I’m premiering a new feature on my blog. My “Between The Lines” posts will introduce real-life themes or topics inspired by children’s/YA fiction.

To kick things off, let’s talk about cover images of Black girls’ hair. Yes, there’s been way too much “whitewashing” going on these past few months. But I’ll stand on my chair and sound a vuvuzela if I see even one cover prominently featuring a Black girl in all her naturally kinky curly glory. I’m still excited about the PERFECT SHOT cover, featuring my main character London Abrams rocking her big hair. Notice that throughout the story, London doesn’t feel she has to straighten her hair to compete in the model search.

Here are a few kinky curly characters who practically jumped off the bookshelves to grab my attention (see below). Check out the adorable image on the new chapter book SUNSHINE PICKLELIME illustrated by Christian Slade. Author Pamela Ferguson’s whimsically-titled tale is about a girl who invites a dejected yellow bird to live in her bushy hair. I should also note that in the story, big hair is not at first admired. And who can forget the stand-out image for INDIGO SUMMER, one of the first books to launch the KimaniTru imprint?  The same curly girl went on to be featured on other covers in author Monica McKayhan’s series. Then there’s the cover art for author Sherri Winston’s book THE KAYLA CHRONICLES. The way the character wears her hair plays into the story—Kayla is an activist main character who loses the puffy hair when she goes glam for an “undercover” investigation.

And, if you can believe it, I was once featured as a book cover model. Interesting enough, I was chosen because of my hair. It was a total fluke—I personally know the book cover designer, and he was in desperate search of a Black woman with “natural hair” per author Crystal E. Wilkinson’s request. And no, the book isn’t about Blackberry phones. The title is inspired by Kentucky country living, as evidenced by the basket of blackberries next to me. Here I am, a NYC-born girlie posing as country girl. Convincing?

While we’re on the subject of coiled coifs, I thought I’d share my personal regime. I get lots of questions about my hair, so here goes a quick rundown of one of my usual styles, the “twist-out.” First, it’s all about moisturizing. I usually turn to Carol’s Daughter products for help in that department. Here I am, post-wash, setting my big hair in a handful of plump double-strand twists.

In these photos, I washed my hair at night, and then wore my twists to bed. But you can wear your twists as a style for days. The next morning, I untwisted and…voila!

Just don’t expect me to ever let a yellow bird take residence in this here head of hair.

Suntan lotion? Check! Bikini? Check! Sun hat. Check! No breezy summer T-shirt and juicy beach read? Not to worry. YA author Jenny O’Connell has got you covered—literally!

To celebrate the launch of her Island Summer series LOCAL GIRLS  and RICH BOYS, Jenny is giving away an Island Summer T-shirt in the size of your choice. It’s the perfect companion to her series, which CosmoGiRL! calls “sweet romances with relatable characters trying to find themselves.”

About LOCAL GIRLS:
In LOCAL GIRLS, friendships are in danger of ending with the summer. Kendra and Mona are best friends, local girls who spend their summers catering to rich tourists and the rest of the year chafing against small-town life. Then Mona’s mom marries one of the island’s rich summer visitors, and Mona joins the world of the Boston elite, leaving Kendra and Martha’s Vineyard behind. When Mona returns the following summer, everything is different.

About RICH BOYS:
In RICH BOYS, Winnie jumps at the chance to babysit for a wealthy summer family and earn some extra money—but soon learns that life in the Barclay’s beautiful vacation home isn’t as perfect as it appears. And what was supposed to be a carefree summer quickly becomes more complicated than she ever thought possible.

Excited yet? Head over to Jenny’s blog for the latest updates on the series and for your chance to win an Island Summer T. Good luck!

Been doing some traveling (NYC, Boston, DC and then back again). Nice being back on solid ground.

 [The closest I got to the Obama White House.]

Kicking myself for not posting earlier, but when I returned to Bermuda, I played host to the most awesome guests—my two nieces and nephew. This was their very first visit to the island, so I kept them—or rather, they kept me—very busy.

Now I need to get busy writing. Got tons of it to catch up on. I’m working on the first 150 pages of my next book. Already getting close to that July 19th deadline. [gulp] Wish me luck!

Hope you’re all enjoying the start of summer 2010.

Hide your valuables. YA author Wendy Toliver is about to introduce readers to a character who can rob you blind just for sport. Meet Poppy Browne in LIFTED, the newly-released third book in Wendy’s inspiring repertoire. It’s the story of a girl who takes on a most risky bonding ritual with her new clique of friends. Praised for its “compelling” and “haunting morality tale,” LIFTED deserves a spot on your summer reading list.

About LIFTED:
Being Bad Never Felt So Good.
Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.
Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.

Poppy Browne isn’t the only good girl with a bad habit. In our recent exchange, I learned that Wendy has trouble resisting the occasional can of carbonated delight. Read on for more about Wendy…

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing? Why?
WT: Definitely writing. I love just sitting down and letting it flow out of me. I like researching also, though, especially when it gives me new and exciting ideas for my story.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
WT: I exercise. I try to exercise often anyhow, but yoga in particular gets my creative juices flowing.

DR: What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
WT: Two words: Diet Coke.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
WT: Well, my agent said I wasn’t allowed to actually shoplift in the name of research (for Lifted) but I did talk to a bunch of cops at a party to get some info on teen shoplifting.

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?
WT: I remember wearing my hair in different styles as much as possible—never the same ‘do two days in a row. I was athletic and musical and involved in my church youth group. I was boy crazy but they wanted nothing to do with me. I was almost never alone, always with a girl friend or four. I couldn’t wait to get my license and was thinking about getting a “real” job.

DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone? WT: Last summer we bought a wakeboarding boat. Though I’ve been on boats before and even driven one from time to time, I’ve never had much experience. Now I’m the one who backs the boat off the trailer and drives it back onto the trailer. This summer I’ll need to learn how to back the trailer down the ramp. I’m so excited to get everything down pat!

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
WT: My bed, propped up by pillows and covered in blankets.

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate.What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile ?
WT: Author/SAHM (stay-at-home-mom)

Always a pleasure, Wendy. Congrats. Can’t wait to read LIFTED!