All About Kristin
My guest today is the very lovely Kristin O’Donnell Tubb. She’s an Aquarius, just like me, which means…well, I don’t know what it really means. Depends on if you believe in that stuff or not (and according to the Sun Signs book, I’m supposed to be blonde like Kristin, but tell that to all of my Chinese relatives…). She’s also a big fan of chocolate and totally against banning books…so, in other words, someone I can completely get behind. Her latest book is the ultra-fun Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (as if you couldn’t tell how fun it was from the title).

You can learn more about Kristin at her official website: http://www.kristintubb.com/.

Meet Autumn…
Autumn Winifred Oliver prides herself on doing things her way.  But she meets her match when she moves in with her cantankerous Gramps.  The Oliver girls were supposed to join Pop in Knoxville for some big-city living, but Gramps’s recent sick spell convinced Mama to stay put in Cades Cove.  Folks in the Cove are all aflutter about turning their land into a national park, but Autumn’s not sure what to think.  Loggers like Pop need jobs, but if things keep going at the current rate, the forests will soon be chopped to bits.  And Gramps seems to think there’s some serious tourist money to be made.  Can Autumn’s family and friends save their homes from the chainsaw by partnering with the slick Colonel Chapman and other park volunteers?

The Q&A
Here’s my question for Kristin…

If you could live in any national park or, heck, at a national monument or other famous place, which one would you live in?

And her answer…

Great question, Kimberly!  I’ve been mulling this one over for a few days.  My first thought was, “The White House, of course!”  Running water, a roof over my head, and well, the job that accompanies the digs ain’t too shabby, either.  And then I thought – “Hawaii!”  But I’m not so certain that living in a volcano is the right choice for me.   Then there’s the wow factor of the Statue of Liberty, the awe factor of the Grand Canyon, and the potential-for-amazing-new-stories factor of Ellis Island.  I’ve never seen Yellowstone, nor Yosemite, nor Mount Rushmore.  But I’ll forever consider East Tennessee my “home,” and so after visiting all of the other gorgeous parks around the country, I’d always return to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  (Awwww – see?  Nothing but a big old sap, I am! )

And Kristin’s question for me…

Your character, Mina, must decide if she wants to become a vampire, like her parents.  Did your own parents have certain expectations of you when you were a teen, and if so, did you follow the path that they anticipated?

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Kimberly! I can’t wait to spend more time with Mina!

And my answer…

My parents definitely had expectations for me – the big one was that I was going to go to college. There was never a question about that, even from an early age. It was never “will you go” but “when you go,” even though affording college was another question entirely. And I did go (thank heavens for scholarships!).

My father actually died while I was in high school so he never got to see me go on to college, but I think he’d be happy with how I turned out. He was a (somewhat) frustrated writer himself. I still have some of his partially completed stories. I don’t think my mom expected me to take any particular path in school (like science-y or math-y or English-y), she just has always expected me to “do well.” LOL whatever that means exactly. But I think she’s pretty happy with me too, especially since I’ve given her a grandchild now. :-) And he is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.

And you’re welcome, Kristin! Any time!

The Giveaway

Ready to meet Autumn and find out just how different (and funny) she is? All you’ve got to do to win a copy is visit Kristin’s website and then email me at kim @ kimberlypauley.com with the subject line “Kristin Does Things Different!” and tell me…what is the name of any other book she’s published? Be sure to enter by September 10th!

And don’t forget to check out all the other Book Launch Party posts, all handily linked in the first official post!