Blog Hopping

Tiff Stockton interviewed me on her blog this week. If you head on over there and leave a comment, you'll be entered in a drawing for a free copy of A Promise to Remember. So... what are you waiting for? Get on over there! Click here for the link.

Almost cool

Let me say for the record-- I live in Santa Barbara. It's not uncommon for me to see celebrities when I go downtown, out to dinner, whatever... and I really couldn't care less. Famous-shmamous, a person is a person.

But.... Titletrakk is running an interview with me right now, and they have me on their homepage right beside JON FOREMAN... from SWITCHFOOT!!! Get out of town!!!!!Celebrity may not impress me, but COOLNESS does!!

A brief comparison of Switchfoot and me:

Me- Drive my teenage daughter's carpool

Switchfoot- Fill my teenage daughter's iPod

Me- Most members of my family now own a copy of my book

Switchfoot- The Beautiful Letdown went double-platinum



Yep, I'm definitely lacking in the cool department here, but I'm hoping that by hanging out on the same webpage for a few days, a little cool will rub off!

You can see it for yourself here.

Free book anyone?

My friend Julie Carobini (of Chocolate Beach fame) took a break from writing long enough to interview me on her blog today. She is also giving away a copy of A Promise to Remember, so hurry on over there. All you have to do is click on this link, leave a comment, and you'll be entered for a chance to win. Good luck!

Breathing smoke

The closest of the current California fires is still a safe distance from where I live, but the ash in the air is TERRIBLE. There is a coat of brownish/grayish grit on everything I own, in spite of heroic (if I do say so myself) cleaning efforts. The schools have cancelled all outdoor PE activities, due to poor air quality.
That said-- this is nothing compared to what the residents San Diego and Malibu are living through right now. One of my critique partners got evacuated from Carlsbad yesterday (along with about 300,000 of his closest friends and neighbors). All in all, a terrible situation.

On a happier note-- I've been doing some extra reading this month, due to the fact that I'm no longer working under deadline. Last week I finished The Restorer by Sharon Hinck. Terrific book. There is plenty of action and suspense, but also the underlying battle of "that little voice in our head" that tells us we are inadequate, unable, and unfit.
There's nothing better than being thoroughly entertained, and gleaning an extra bit of insight at the same time!

After last weeks festivities, it's nice to get back into the old routine this week. You know-- laundry, housework, ironing. This will feel nice for about one more day, and then I'll be ready for festivities again!

Deena, over at Deenasbooks, has posted a really nice review of A Promise to Remember. You can read it here. Makes me want to hand out cyber hugs and cyber chocolate!

More Pix from Locally Inspired

That's me in the background, standing up in front of the whole group. If this picture had sound, you would hear my knees knocking!!!

This is the great group of friends and family who are listening to my knees knock.

Julie Carobini, me, and Jim Bell with with out totally awesome cake!

The three of us signing books after surviving the speaking part. Whew!

The Best Cake Ever

Tonight was the big book signing event "Locally Inspired: Promises, Chocolate, and Murder". Kate Schwab, the incredible Borders event coordinator, had this cake made for the occasion. Is that the coolest, or what?

It was a blast, and I'm amazed at how many people showed up (over 100 they say). I'll post more pix in the next day or two.

Book signing and discussion

Locally Inspired: Promises, chocolate... and murder!
What: Book signing and discussion with James Scott Bell (author of Presumed Guilty, No Legal Grounds, and Try Dying), Julie Carobini (author of Chocolate Beach), and me (if you're visiting my blog, hopefully you know this already-- author of A Promise to Remember).
Where: Borders
7000 Marketplace Drive
Goleta, CA 93117
When: Friday, October 12 (that's this Friday!!!)
7 pm
If you live in the area, please stop by!!!

Note: Due to a hectic schedule, this will probably be my only post this week.

Here's to the mentors

All you Girl Scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, and coaches out there, who feel as though you are accomplishing absolutely nothing--you have no idea what kind of impact you might be making. Here are a couple of my mentors who probably never had a clue I heard even a word they said.

Mrs. Methvin--aka "Mrs. M". She taught my Sunday night class during my late elementary years. She encouraged me to participate in the Bible drill, and somehow persuaded an 11 year old that it would be fun to be able to find any book of the Bible in under ten seconds, and memorize a bunch of verses! Needless to say, that has been priceless all through my life. She and Mr. M. even had me over to dinner a few times-- she makes a FABULOUS cheesecake. Mmmm!

(That's my Aunt Frances over her shoulder-- isn't she cute?)

Mrs. Cope--aka Daphene. My Sunday School teacher from the time I was in the 8th grade until... college maybe? Every year, my little group persuaded her to promote to the older class with us. Even though she had kids our age, she was still cool! As I mom, I've tried to figure that out. How is a mommy cool to teenagers? I have yet to discover her secret, but I can tell you she still rocks!

Here's to the teachers!

In this very grainy photo, the lady in the green was my 3rd grade teacher-- Mrs. Trout. Every day I brought in a stack of stuff I had written, and every day she smiled at me and said, "Thank you, Katie. I can't wait to read it." As an adult, I know she must have been dying to say "Enough already!" but she never did. The dream of writing really grew this year. But then... she left half-way through the year to marry MY COUSIN! Yay. Now she's Mrs. Richardson, and I get to see her at reunions. (The lady beside her is my cousin Nettie--who drove almost 2 hours to come to this signing. Love ya, Nettie Jane!!!)


This is Mrs. Pulley who took over the rest of the 3rd grade year. I can't remember if I pummeled her with paperwork or not, likely I did. I don't ever remember seeing her angry--given our little group of ragamuffins, that is saying something!







This is Mrs. Benson, my 5th grade teacher. She can only be described as "sneaky". Each day we would leave her class, congratulating ourselves in how we'd managed to spend the whole day doing nothing but interesting projects and playing games. It wasn't until (much) later, that we all realized that she'd actually been teaching us through these methods. Trickery, plain and simple!! I hope my daughters someday have a teacher this sneaky!






Mrs. Thompson-- high school French teacher. She always has a smile on her face (even while trying to shepherd 50 rag-tag teenagers through France and England). I can still hear her voice when she was admonishing my friend Ginger and me (French names Gisele and Lisette respectively). When she was trying to be firm, but really kind of tickled, our names would come out in the true southern way, with about 3 or 4 syllables, "Gi -say-al, Li-sey-ette, quit goofing off!
Great teacher!!






This is Mrs. Joiner-- the high school English teacher I always wanted and never got! She had three of the nicest, coolest (and best looking) kids at the school though--Charles, Willie, and Kristina.

Pix from hometown signing

Today, I'm posting pix of my friends from high school (and before) who came to the Tennessee book signing. I hadn't seen several of them since high school graduation, so it was almost like a mini-reunion.

Rita has been a friend since junior high. I still see her when I come home for a visit-- she cuts my hair. Notice how nice and straight it is for this picture?!?

This is Kim and Kim. We got way back into elementary school. Kim in the white was always the first one picked for all the elementary school teams, Kim in the orange was my roller skating and shopping buddy all through high school. She drove all the way from Spring Hill to be here!

Anita is on the left-- she was the girl in high school that was so nice, and so classy (the true sense of classy, not the snobby / spoiled way) I always wanted to be more like her.Patty is on the right- I've known her for as long as I can remember. I think she has discovered the fountain of youth, because she's even prettier now than she was in high school.That's my Aunt Kathryn behind them-- not sure what she's looking at, but it appears to be very high!
Tomorrow I'll post some more book signing pix!

My roomie, the winner!!

One of my very favorite things about this year's ACFW conference, was watching my friend and roommate Carrie Padgett win the 'Lit category of the Genesis contest. Carrie and I have been friends since meeting at Mount Hermon a couple of years ago, and I've conned her into rooming with me at every writers conference since. She is a truly gifted writer, and I am soooo happy to see it acknowledged!!
Way to go Carrie!!!