From Booklist:

Even though her father is a famous French chef and her mother runs a demonstration kitchen, where chefs cook for an audience, Stella is insistent that she “never will be a foodie.” Then she lands an internship at Baltimore’s Daily Journal. Her beat? Restaurant reviews. Luckily, her mother’s gorgeous new assistant, Jeremy, seems willing to help guide her through her first assignments, and soon Stella is trying to reconcile her huge crush on Jeremy with her growing ambivalence about Max, her adoring boyfriend. Adding to Stella’s confusion, her parents, still married but long separated, begin new romances of their own. With the exception of a few implausible points (Would a newspaper really give a high-school intern so much responsibility?), this novel, both poignant and funny, offers plenty of rich substance beneath the surface froth of summer romance. The specifics of foodie culture add satisfying texture, but it’s Zeises’ precise grasp of everyday teen concerns, from the headaches of negotiating rides to the excitement of discovering one’s talents, that young readers will appreciate most. - Gillian Engberg

Yay for Booklist liking the novel, even if there was a small, mostly inconsequential error (no Baltimore paper for Stella, though I once interned at the Baltimore Sun). Also found it interesting that this is the first review to question Stella's role at her internship, which is something my editor and I grappled with a couple of times. In an earlier draft, she actually had even more responsibility, which was based on my own experience at the Wilmington News Journal, where I filled in for a style beat reporter out on maternity leave. However, I was a recent college graduate at the time, and had a few years of experience under my belt. Even so, Jodi and I felt like the fact that Stella's editor was capitalizing on her name and the local celebrity of her parents meant that they would give her a little more to do than the average high school intern. Something to chew over (no pun intended).

Lastly: was in the middle of notifying the winners of the 50 Book Giveaway last Saturday when I got dragged away by Major Life Stuff - and never had a chance to finish up over the course of the weekend. It's on the docket for tomorrow, as is prepping packages to send, answering blog interviews (sorry Sara!), and attending my friend Emmett's first-ever Comic Book House Party (Joe sweetly keeps referring to it as ComicCon, because he doesn't actually know what that is). At any rate, if you submitted an entry for the giveaway but didn't hear back from me, you will in a few days.

Now, off to finish paying this month's bills, clean the bathroom, and (ahem) pull together the last of the receipts for my 2008 taxes. (I know, I know. Procrastication is my middle name.)

Yesterday started out bad, bad, bad - but by sundown, I'd found out that SWEET LIFE will represent at this year's National Book Festival, that Celebrity Kitchens is planning on hosting a special SWEET LIFE-themed dinner using ONE OF MY MENUS FROM THE BOOK, and that they're also offering a very generous $15 off coupon to readers at tomorrow's launch party.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

So, the first thing: there's this Pavillion of the States at the National Book Festival, which last year saw 150,000 people attend. Representives from each state are in this pavillion (hence the name), promoting literacy projects and the like. But there's also this really cool feature that's meant for kids/teens, but supposedly gets adults just as amped, called "Discover Great Places Through Reading." There's a map that lists book recommendations - one from each state - and people who take the map to each state's booth receive a sticker or a stamp to mark that they've been there. Long story short: every state picks ONE title each year, either set in that state or by an author from their state, to represent that state in the pavillion. This year? The Delaware Center for the Book has chosen THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON. It gets its own little display and everything. And, as Joe pointed out, this is the first year the Obama/Biden administration has been in place during the Nat'l Book Festival - so my book is representing the HOME STATE of our VERY ESTEEMED V.P. on Saturday, September 26th!

Woot!

The Celebrity Kitchens thing: those of you who've read SWEET LIFE (which I normally refer to as STELLA in short hand - but since everyone else calls it SWEET LIFE I figure I better start doing it, too) know that each of the chapters begins with a menu, either from Stella's mom's business, which is modeled after Celebrity Kitchens, or from some other dining establishment (including the cafeteria of the fictionalized Daily Journal, based on Delaware's own News Journal, in which every selection has chicken. Because, you know, Delaware is the only state that, per capita, has more chickens than people. Or at least it did the year I graduated from college, when Tom Carper gave a speach that was a thousand times better than the journalist who gave the keynote, and who rambled on for forty minutes about some green sweater she either wore or lost when she visited Paris a zillion years before that). ANYWAY, the Open Kitchen's menus are so totally inspired by the menus the chefs at CK offer up every month, and now, at a soon-to-be-determined date in October, CK will host this SWEET LIFE dinner using one of my menus. Which is, like, crazy cool. Even better? I get to be there, talking about things like writing about food and using Delaware as my setting. Which means that I GET TO EAT THIS FANTASY MENU I CREATED. Seriously - how freaking cool is that? (I promise to post more details as they become available!)

Cindy and Angela, the women who own CK, are also offering launch party attendees a $15 off coupon for a future reservation (fine print: cannot be combined with any other offers, cannot be used for kids events or private parties). This in addition to incredibly delectable and COMPLETELY FREE cupcakes from Cupcake Heaven. Sa-woon!

And now, because it's sunny and not humid and everything that I do not hate about summer, I have to go and do my chores and stuff because I'm determined to hit the pool this morning. Joe and I went last night and there's this crazy fun water slide that makes me want to run away to Wild Water Kingdom, like, STAT. Plus, it's been rainy and hot and thickly muggy here for the past two weeks, but last night we were able to sleep with the A/C off and the windows wide open. Ahh, bliss!

Hope to see a lot of you locals at Saturday's party! Which brings me to ....

Obligatory reading reminder: this Saturday, 2 p.m., Borders in Newark (not the one at the mall, but the one near Toys R Us), launch party for THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON with FREE CUPCAKES by Cupcake Heaven and a special appearance by Cindy Weiner, co-owner of Celebrity Kitchens (the real-life inspiration behind Stella's mom's Open Kitchen), who'll be offering a discount coupon for readers of the book!

Obligatory contest reminder:LAST FOUR DAYS to enter the 50-BOOK GIVEAWAY.:

I was exceedingly happy to receive so many responses to my query about writing schedules (keep 'em coming in, please!). A couple of friends suggested that one way to stay the course was to form a group of accountability - kind of like people often do when they start a new health plan together. Only, this is for writing health. Or something.

Then I got this link through a SparkPeople.com e-mail alert to a great article about the Do's and Don'ts of Goal Setting. SparkPeople is a great site that I started using heavily as I was preparing for my gastric bypass surgery last summer. You can do all sorts of things there, like track your daily calories, water intake, and exercise; chart your weight loss progress; and read tons of great info about everything from healthy eats for cheap to the perfect squat routine to give you a bikini butt.

Anyway, even though the article was about setting goals for improved health, I was thinking that this sound a lot like the kind of advice I've given my students about setting effective writing goals. For instance, one tip encourages you to start small - that by focusing on one thing at a time, you won't get overwhelmed by longer-reaching goals. Another says to "write it down" with a deadline in place. I think my favorite tip, though is the one about being specific. Instead of saying things like, "I will get SOME exercise" (or, in this case, "I will write MORE each day"), you should make your target clearer, as in, "I will write 1,000 words a day." Also stressed? Cutting back on using absolute words like "never" or "always," which can lead to setbacks and/or feelings of failure.

So: my goal for the weekend? Set writing goals for the week of August 10th. (Liz, Susan - are you with me?)

Obligatory reading reminder: this Saturday, 2 p.m., Borders in Newark (not the one at the mall, but the one near Toys R Us), launch party for THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON with FREE CUPCAKES by Cupcake Heaven!

THIS JUST IN: Celebrity Kitchens, the real-life inspiration for Stella's mom's business, will be providing discount coupons at the event! (More info on that - and a super-special event - to come ...)

Obligatory contest reminder: you still have five days to enter the 50-BOOK GIVEAWAY.

You know how I'm on my neverending quest for creating a more structured writing life? This is becoming absolutely imperative, as the summer is rapidly dwindling away and I return to my teaching duties at UD come Sept. 1.

So, for all of you writers out there, I pose the following questions:

1. What does your typical writing day look like?

2. What kind of goals do you have for a given day? Page counts? Word counts? Chapters?

3. How much time do you devote to A) e-mails, B) blogging, C) reading other people's blogs, D) Facebooking, E) Twittering, and F) marketing?

4. What limits do you impose upon yourself to make sure you're maximizing creativity?

5. Where do you write? Do you find it easier to do it outside of the home?

Thanking you all in advance for this!

ALSO:

Obligatory reading reminder: this Saturday, 2 p.m., Borders in Christiana, launch party for THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON with FREE CUPCAKES by Cupcake Heaven!

Obligatory contest reminder: you still have four days to enter the 50-BOOK GIVEAWAY. Aw, fudge it. You can have until Monday, August 10th, at 11:59 p.m. (I am so digging on all of the recipe entries I've been getting, and can't wait to post them soon!)

Feel free to post info about the reading/contest on your blogs!

FINALLY:

Have to give a HUGE shout-out to Little Willow, who not only rocked out my web redesign, but posted this really fun, thoughtful interview with me on her blog. LW, you are the absolute bestest EVER.

So, remember how I said that there was going to be a really fun reading/signing for THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON at the Borders in Christiana (DE) on Saturday, August 8, at 2 p.m.? And remember how I said there were going to be cupcakes? Well, not only are there going to be cupcakes at the celebration, there are going to be the BEST CUPCAKES IN DELAWARE.

That's right - Concord Pike's own Cupcake Heaven is providing 120 of their delectable goodies in an assortment of flavors. Have you DE locals visited Cupcake Heaven yet? If not, you need to get your butt over there STAT. When I say they have the best cupcakes in Delaware, I mean they have the BEST cupcakes in Delaware. You may have heard me rant about icing in posts past; I tend to be super picky about it because most buttercreams taste like Crisco to me. But their icing - oh my WORD. Not too sweet, not too fatty, just the right amount of deliciousness.

The perfect way to celebrate a book with the word SWEET in the title, yes?

Speaking of "sweet" - don't forget that about the 50 BOOK GIVEAWAY I'm running through midnight, August 8th!

In other, more random news: I've been getting a lot of fan e-mail from readers abroad. Seems the Dutch translation of TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A HOLLYWOOD STARLET - or, DESIGNERJURKJE VS SPIJKERBROEK as it's known in the Netherlands (Babelfish seemed to think this mean "Designerjurke the US Nail Trousers," but a loyal Dutch reader informed me that it really means "Designer Dress vs. Jeans") - anyway, apparently the Dutch LOVE Morgan Carter, which I find both fascinating and really, really cool. A French translation of STARLET is due out soon - I'm going to be posting the covers of all of the foreign translations on my site at some point in the near future, because they're adorable and I still think it's hysterical that teens can read my words in other languages.

Another fun STARLET factoid: earlier this summer, when I was working on content for the new web site, I came across a Wikipedia entry for the Lifetime adaptation of STARLET that claimed mysterious "sources" had "confirmed" that a sequel to the movie was in production, and that JoJo was set to star. I e-mailed the Jody, the film agent for the project, and he directed me to Barbara Lieberman, the original movie's producer. She confirmed that there wasn't a sequel in the works (though she said she wished there was, which was nice of her to say). So, I made my first-ever edit to a Wikipedia page, under the section titled "Sequel," which you can read here. (The plot synopsis is NOT my handiwork, and I'm embarassed to say it's riddled with spelling errors and just plain bad writing. Of course, this is coming from a girl who barely remembers to spell-check her own blog, so ... take my criticism with a grain of salt.)

ANYWAY, I must return my full attention to STELLA. And here's where I pose a question: for those of you who have already read the book, do you have any thoughts on which scenes I should do at the reading? I'm thinking part of the first chapter, part of the party scene, and definitely the gnocchi scene (because seriously? I know I shouldn't say this about my own book but I think the gnocchi scene is HOTT).

Up soon: a very special episode of RECIPE OF THE WEEK! (Hint: it may have something to do with gnocchi ...)

Since today is the Day of Many Appointments (count: 3 doctors, 1 dog groomer, 1 Mom visit, 1 trip to Trader Joe's - and all by 7:10 p.m.), I only have a few seconds for today's post. So, I'm hereby linking to a section on my new website, in which I explain the inspiration behind THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON, as well as how writing the book re-inspired me.

ALSO: Want to remind you all to check out the 50 BOOK GIVEAWAY I've got going from now through 12 a.m. August 8th.

Finally, I have to link to Liz B.'s review of STELLA, posted on her awesome-sauce blog, "A Chair, A Fireplace, & a Tea Cozy," which has been one of my favorites thus far. And it's not because I know Liz, even though I do. It's because whenever Liz reviews something I've written, I get that flush of warmth authors tend to feel when they encounter someone who fully "gets" what they were going for in a given book. Nearly every point Liz makes in her review is something that was super important to me in the writing process. So, yeah. Liz, if you're reading this - you freaking ROCK.

Off to Doctor #1!

In honor of my new release, THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON, my publisher, Delacorte Press, donated 10 leftover galley copies to give away through some sort of blog contest. To sweeten the pot, I'm adding in 15 of my backlist titles, and 25 random titles by other authors (some classic, some new, some not yet released). If you're keeping count, that's a 50-book giveaway!

Let's get to it, shall we?

CONTEST #1: STELLA GIVEAWAY

From now until midnight, August 8, 2009 Monday, August 10th, at 11:59 p.m., send me an e-mail to zeisgeist (at) aol (dot) com. In the subject line, type STELLA GIVEAWAY.

In the body of the e-mail, type your name, age, location, occupation (if you have one - student is fine), and a few fun facts about youself.

Also in the body of the e-mail, or attached as a Word doc, I need one of your favorite family recipes, with a paragraph or two about how or why this recipe has become a family favorite. If you have a picture of the dish, send that along to. [NOTE: if this is not an original dish - say, something you've borrowed from Paula Deen but adapted to make you own - make sure you give credit where credit is due. In this case, credit would be, "adapted from Paula Deen, NAME OF BOOK OR SHOW, 2006."

Ten winners will receive personally autographed copies of STELLA, but the top five will also have their culinary contributions posted on my "Recipe of the Week" feature in the near future!

CONTEST #2: BACKLIST GIVEAWAY

If you've already purchased STELLA, but still want in on the fun, here's what you do:

Write an original review of STELLA - something comprehensive, more than just "oh hey i liked it" - and post that review through outlets like IndieBook.org, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, your personal blog, Facebook, GoodReads.com, a message board system, etc., etc. For every five outlets you hit, you are elligible to win one personally autographed copy of any of my backlist titles - BRINGING UP THE BONES, CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE, and ANYONE BUT YOU.

Then, now until midnight, August 8, 2009 Monday, August 10th, at 11:59 p.m., send me an e-mail to zeisgeist (at) aol (dot) com. In the subject line, type BACKLIST GIVEAWAY.

In the body of the e-mail, type your name, age, location, occupation (if you have one - student is fine), and a few fun facts about youself.

Also in the body of the e-mail, include links to the online reviews that you've posted. That's all there is to it!

This contest will remain open until I've given away five copies of each of those three (BONES, CONTENTS, ANYONE) titles (that's 15 books total).

CONTEST #3: BIG MAMA GIVEAWAY

If you've already added all of my Lara titles to your personal library, and are looking to expand a bit, then this last contest is for you. From nnow until midnight, August 8, 2009 Monday, August 10th, at 11:59 p.m., send me an e-mail to zeisgeist (at) aol (dot) com. In the subject line, type BIG MAMA GIVEAWAY.

In the body of the e-mail, type your name, age, location, occupation (if you have one - student is fine), and a few fun facts about youself.

Next, e-mail me a picture or scan of the receipt that shows you purchased STELLA recently. This will become your entry into a drawing to win 25 YA titles from MY personal library - as in, by authors other than me. The one caveat? If you receive a book in this grab bag that you've already read or own, or have no interest in reading/owning, you must promise to either a) donate it to your local library or b) pass it on to a friend who will appreciate it.

Please feel free to repost to your blogs, Facebook pages, etc., etc. to get the word out.

Enjoy!

[Here's where I need to add a little fine print: all three contests are open to readers 12 and up, but all must be residents of the United States - a shipping clause my publisher asked me to include. Also, Contest #3 was inspired by something my friend Elizabeth Scott recently ran on her web site. And oh! And I have to point out that my friend Laurie Faria Stolarz is running her own contest to give away an ARC of her hotly anticipated prequel to the Blue is for Nightmares series, BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS. It's a graphic novel! And looks really freaking awesome!]

So you may have heard me talking about this little book I wrote called THE SWEET LIFE OF STELLA MADISON. It actually came out about nine days ago, on July 14th, but my Internetz went on the fritz and my laptop was all messed up and life generally Got In The Way.

But.

STELLA is finally out, yay! Feedback thus far has been the kind to put a smile on my face; Kirkus and SLJ loved it, and most of the buzz from the blogosphere has been positive. I'll post a roundup next week, and ...

Tune in tomorrow, when I announce a Very Big Contest that involves food, family, and FREE BOOKS. Yum, yay, and double yay!

Also: if you haven't had a chance to check out my lovely new web site, please do so. It was designed/executed by Little Willow of Rock the Rock, and I'm so in love with it. My last site had too many bells and whistles - this one is going to be all about content, delivered cleanly and in a nice, easy-to-read fonty fashion. There are some special features to come - you didn't think I'd forget about my soundtracks, did you? - but because of that whole life-getting-in-the-way thing, content will be rolled out slowly over the next couple of months. (And yes, I'm aware of the typos. They will be corrected, I assure you.)

FINALLY: for you local Delawareans, I'll be doing a reading/signing/Q&A/cupcake-tastic launch party for STELLA on Saturday, August 8, at 2 p.m., at the Borders in Christiana (the one by Toys R Us, not the one in the mall).  I haven't done a local bookstore reading since my first novel, BRINGING UP THE BONES, was published in 2002 (how did THAT happen?  Not the book, but the whole not-doing-a-DE-bookstore-reading-in-six-and-a-half-years thing), so I'd love to really pack the place.  (Are the cupcakes any enticement?  Because there will be, as I mentioned, cupcakes.  Hopefully in many fun, exotic flavors.)

More tomorrow ....

WHYY Children's Service and Verizon is offering a new initiative/contest to encourage students to share their opinions about a favorite book by answering WHYY I LIKE THIS BOOK. If selected, the child could star in a 60 second spot on WHYY explaining WHYY I LIKE THIS BOOK.

Here's how it works:

Go online to http://www.whyy.org/childrensservice/whyythisbook.html between now and February 28th. The student chooses the application for their grade grouping (K-2, 35, 6-8, and 9-12). The student submits an online application. It a child is selected, they will be contacted in Spring 2009


From what I can see, this isn't limited to students from any specific geographical region. There's a flyer and a letter to teachers and librarians available for download on the web site, so kids - feel free to pass along to your favorite teachers, reading specialists, and librarians! And for you teachers and librarians reading this, please pass this on to your favorite readers!