My Gratitude and Some Links

I want to thank you all for your sweet words of concern for my friend. I passed them on to her and it made her crack a smile to know that people out in blogland who don’t know her or what is going on are still thinking of her. Things improved slightly yesterday only to get worse. I’ve been a ball of stress all week worrying about her, and it doesn’t help that other things keep popping up like corporations screwing up services, which almost triggered a nervous breakdown last night *hisses at AT&T*. Basically I’m way too sensitive on a regular basis and when I’m already upset about something seriously bad, I tend to crumple into a ball of snot and tears without much prodding. On the flipside though, empathetic people make me so appreciative and I want to hug you all. *Sigh* I’m such a Cancer.

So thanks for bearing with me through personal sadness and respecting my privacy and that of my friend and just letting me leave it at “I’m very upset right now, cyber hugs are welcome.”

But I have fun things to share with you despite my blues.

Links w reading material

My first newspaper column in the Forest Park Review debuted today. Those of you not in the Forest Park area to pick up a paper copy (*note to self: stop by 7-11 for paper, then subscribe to paper upon receipt of next paycheck*), can read it and view my cute new pigtailed columnist photo (I discovered my hair could do this in Denver and do it whenever possible now) online here. MySpace will probably not like this link because MySpace is a grump when it comes to links, so get thee to my blogger page if it doesn’t work.

Also Simon & Schuster posted the entire first chapter of IWBYJR on their website! You may have read the partial on my website or the pre-copyedited version on Black Oak Presents or you may not have known about either of those things and been totally deprived, but here is the official as-it-will-appear-in-the-book-version. Go check it out to get yourself psyched up for release day, which is *gulp* less than a month away. *Frantically runs in circles, tugging hair, mumbling ‘I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m SO ready, but yet not ready…’*

Invitations

I’m about to send an evite out for my official book release party on July 10^th in Forest Park, IL. If you are on my Chicago area email newsletter list, you will be getting this, but everyone is invited so if you think you will be in the area and want an evite please contact me at stephanie at stephaniekuehnert dot com. The evite will help the bookseller get an idea of how many books to bring and me an idea of what to expect.

Speaking of invitations, I am sure you have seen this gorgeous one everywhere and I hope you are visiting Teri Brown’s blog every day this week to celebrate the release of Read My Lips and for a chance to win great books!

Contests

The winners of Melissa Marr’s contest will be announced tomorrow. Sorry we waited to the absolute last day to announce, but that is how hard deliberations have been. I roped Melissa in to helping me make the final decision and she’s been as overwhelmed as I. But we’re narrowing it down and it will be posted both on my blog and hers tomorrow.

There is still a chance to win fabulous prizes and an early copy of IWBYJR through a contest I’m running on my website. Deadline June 13 at 11:59 PM CST. Enter away!