photo by Zerberus.

Good morning! 

Time to wake up and smell the coffee! I’ve poured a steamy cup just for you. Mmmmmm. Breathe in that rich, divine aroma of freshly brewed Arabica beans. Would you like it black, or with a little sugar and milk?

photo by lepiaf.geo.

Sip, sip, sip and join me in a jazzy java jive, because today, Kristina Springer’s very first YA novel, The Espressologist (FSG, 2009), is officially out! Yay!!

      

Whether or not you worship at the altar of caffeine, The Espressologist is sure to tickle your fancy and lift your spirits. I’ve always believed the old adage, "you are what you eat." In this fun, breezy story, which School Library Journal has called "compulsively readable," the main character, Jane Turner (a 17-year-old barista), believes people are what they drink — at least when it comes to a cup of Joe.

Jane works with her friend, Em, at a local Chicago coffeehouse, where she enjoys correlating customers’ personalities with the type of drinks they order. A medium iced vanilla latte? Sweet, smart and gentle. Pumpkin spice latte? Lots of fun and a bit sassy. What about a toffee nut latte? Watch out — very hot and sexy!

   Latte Art mosaic from Eat-My-Heart-Out’s photostream.

Jane records all her observations in a notebook, and soon decides to indulge in a little matchmaking. She succeeds at hooking up several happy couples, but when her competitive boss, Derek, decides to turn Jane’s espressology into a holiday in-store promotion (a free match-up with every drink order), it creates havoc in her personal life. Seems there’s one thing Jane hadn’t counted on — feeling a little jealous (?) when Em (medium hot chocolate) and Cam (toffee nut latte) start dating. She’s the one who set them up, so why can’t she be happy for them?

photo by cieya.

Kristina, who shares Jane’s favorite drink (Iced Venti Skinny Mocha/No Whip) is eminently qualified to write this sweet, romantic tale — after all, when she and her future husband first met, they walked into a coffee shop and he ordered a triple espresso. In an interview at Making Stuff Up for a Living, Kristina said, "I remember thinking, ‘wow that’s hot . . . ‘ I decided then and there he was perfect for me." Kristina routinely spends a lot of time in coffee shops observing people. A busy mother of four, she does all her writing in a local Starbucks.  Frankly, I can’t wait to read the book to find out what it says about medium hot chocolate lovers like Em, because coffee or tea aside, I gotta have my chocolate!

Okay, whether you’re an espresso, cappuccino, caffè latte, frappuccino, cafe mocha or cafe americano — even if you’re more into tea or hotsa totsa chocolat, join me now in congratulating Kristina for brewing up this fine, fun, frothy read. But I do have to warn you about today’s soup. Slurp in moderation, lest you find yourself falling in love with a Caramel Macchiato, Mocha Valencia, or Espresso Con Panna. Or maybe you’d like to?

Today’s Special: Matchmaker Mocha (proceed with caution).

Now that you’re all juiced up, a little dessert. But before you bite into it, why not sing a few choruses of "Happy Birthday?" Yes! It’s also Kristina’s birthday!! Can there be a more perfect day to celebrate the publication of one’s first book? Here’s wishing you many happy returns, Kristina, and many more published books!!

      
         Starbucks Mini-Cake by LoveysConfections.

Like me, I know you just can’t wait a second longer to devour The Espressologist. I think it’ll be a pleasant diversion from the routine, the perfect light read to share with a friend, a happy stocking stuffer for the holidays. Drift on down to your local indie or order your copy online. I plan to drink some hot chocolate while reading mine. How about you?

♥ Love and Bottoms Up,

Java Mama Jama
Aspiring Bearista

 Bearista teddy from first Starbucks store in Seattle (photo by Chris_Inside).

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♥ Visit Kristina’s official website and Live Journal Blog. She also blogs weekly at Author2Author, where you’ll find several cool posts about The Espressologist, including this timeline from concept to publication.

♥ Interviews at Saundra Mitchell’s Making Stuff Up for a Living, AuthorsNow, the Sunshine Edition, and the Book Butterfly, where you can enter a contest to win a signed edition of The Espressologist, plus a $10 giftcard from Starbucks (deadline: November 15th)!

♥ For those of you in the Chicago area, Kristina’s having a Launch Party at the Fat Bean Bistro and Coffee Bar in Naperville, Illinois, on Saturday, November 7, 2009, 2 – 4 p.m.

♥ And check out the Facebook Fan Page for The Espressologist, where you can take the What Kind of Coffee Drink Are You Quiz!

ETA: Kristina has just announced this contest: take The Espressologist out for coffee and snap a photo for a chance to win a signed copy and other goodies. Deadline: November 27th. Details here.

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2009
Young Adult Fiction, 192 pp.
On Shelves now!

Cappuccino teddy from The Adventures of Steph en Heckman.

More Soup of the Day posts can be found here.

Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan’s alphabet soup. All rights reserved.