The Contest Comes to an End ... Winners Named!

Thank you all for participating in my treasure hunt to celebrate the release of my new novel, "Agent in Old Lace." I hope you had fun scouring the Internet for clues and piecing together the crime.

For those of you who got stumped or would just plain like the answer, it was:

Donald Trump, on Wall Street, with an Armani Silk Tie.

I did accept variations on Wall Street as there are several key buildings that are situated on that street, so every answer that included one of those buildings was accepted.

Response to this contest was higher than any I've held in the past. Goes to show, y'all like a challenge.

As a reminder, the winner of this drawing will receive a popcorn bowl, three boxes of different flavors of popcorn, a $25.00 gift certificate to Blockbuster, a sample of the perfume I designed to go with the book, a copy of "Agent in Old Lace," and a beautiful Book Bling bookmark donated by Karlene Browning. But because I'm such an awesome person, and because you all worked so hard on this contest, I've decided to give away two runner-up prizes as well. Both of the two runner-ups will receive a copy of "Agent in Old Lace" and a free sample of the perfume as well.

Grand Prize Winner is: Danyelle Ferguson

First Runner-up is: Trenna Anderson

Second Runner-up is: Lynne Pistilli


Congratulations, ladies!! I'll be in touch on Monday morning to obtain mailing addresses and so forth.

Everyone, thank you so much for playing.

The End is Near!

No, not the end of the world. Although, if you miss out, it might feel like the end of the world ...

Saturday night at midnight is your last chance to send in the entries for my contest. Check out the rules here and come play along!

Memorial Day

Thank you, men and women who gave their lives for our freedom, and those who survived but still sacrificed their time, their safety, and left a part of their hearts on the battlefield.


Thank you to our ancestors who fought for religion and laid the foundation for us to build on today.

To all who have gone ahead, for whatever reason, at whatever stage of life - thank you for the examples you set, the memories you left, and all that you stood for. I'm thinking about you today.

Annette Lyon is My Hero ...

Annette Lyon is my hero for many, many reasons. First of all, there was that time when she leaped in front of a train and pushed me to safety. Then there was the time when she knocked a glass of poisoned Kool-Aid from my hand just as I got ready to sip. I shall never forget the day she took a bullet for me as we stood in front of McDonald's, our Happy Meals clutched tightly in our hands (they were for us, not our kids). But most of all, I shall remember the countless grammar questions she has answered for me over the years.

I actually think I'm the inspiration behind her new book, "There, Their, They're: A No-Tears Guide to Grammar from the Word Nerd." She didn't say as much in the introduction - in fact, I think she said she wrote the book in response to popular demand on her blog - but I'm sure that was just her polite way of saying, "Tristi, stop e-mailing me already."

I got my copy in the mail late this afternoon, and I've pulled it out three times just since then to double-check various and sundry points. It's not quite as good as having Annette herself at my beck and call - I mean, I can come up with a thousand questions a minute, and keeping up with me, not so easy. But I must say, this book is an awesome reference and I'm making a spot for it on the shelf right here by my computer. And you should buy one too. In fact, here's where.

A Quick Reminder ...

The contest is still up and running. I've had several entries, but don't forget, the deadline isn't until May 30th at midnight, and if you haven't entered, you still have time! In addition to the copy of the book, the Blockbuster gift card, popcorn bowl and popcorn, Karlene donated a gorgeous bookmark to add to the pot. I'll post a picture as soon as I find a popcorn bowl I really like. Don't miss out!

And the Book is Launched!

Yesterday's book launch was a whole ton of fun. I feel another pictorial journey coming on, don't you?

Critique group friend Heather Justesen made me this cake. Isn't it awesome? That's edible ink on rice paper, and yes, you can eat it!

My whole critique group turned out en force to support me. Here we all are - Kim, me, Heather, Nichole, and Keith.

My sister and her daughters popped in to see me as well.



Here's me with Candace.



And me with Connie.



And me with Karen.



And me with Karlene, Jordan, and Karen.



And me with Kathleen. Sorry the picture is blurry - but it's the least blurry one I had of this pose! My camera was giving me fits all day.


And me with Daron.



And me with Daron's fammy. This is his wife, Jen, and daughter Ashley.



This is me with Daron's daughter Audrey. (We missed you, Abigail!)



And this is me being hammy because that's what I do.



I'm sorry to say, I wasn't able to get pictures with everyone who came, and I'm feeling a little sad about that. It really was a fun afternoon and I appreciated all the support I got. "Agent in Old Lace" is now officially released and is available on the websites listed on the sidebar and will soon be in stores near you!

Something Perky

Every so often, something perky comes my way and makes me happy.

Check this out:

Paper and Parchment

Thanks, Linda!

The Delivery of a New Baby Book (a pictorial journey)

Yesterday afternoon, I got an e-mail from UPS stating that my box of books had been shipped. This morning, I was a little antsy.

Staring at the clock ...


Shortly after this picture was taken, I heard steps on my front porch. I heard a thump. I heard a knock. I opened the door, camera in hand, and this is what I saw:


Of course, I had to open it right away.



Books! Books! Beautiful books!



The glee can scarcely be contained.


Here I am in my slightly more professional author persona.

Don't forget to join in my partying at Provident Book this Saturday!

Agent in Old Lace Launch Party

If you've been anywhere I've been on the Internet this week, you might have noticed a whole lot of talkin' going on (by me) about the release of my new novel, "Agent in Old Lace." I'm spreading the word far and wide about the launch party which is coming up this Saturday, May 16th, at Provident Book in Pleasant Grove. The address is 661 W. State Street, and don't let the construction throw you off - there is a handy dandy business access through the orange drums and you can pull right into the parking lot. You can come any time between 3 and 5 pm.



There will be some awesome door prizes, refreshments, fun, laughter, and a free sample of the perfume designed to go with "Agent in Old Lace" with purchase of the book.

I hope you're able to make it, and bring a friend! (or two, or three ...) If you're not able to come, and would still like to purchase a copy of the book, you can do so here.

What is Chick Lit?

Of course not, silly!

I'm talking about Chick Lit, the genre.

Chick Lit is a fairly new addition to the cadre of books available. It's defined by the following characteristics:

1. The main character is a girl. (Because it's CHICK lit, see.)

2. It's usually, although not always, presented in first person.

3. The main character is usually a little unsure of herself and through the course of the book, gains some confidence.

4. She usually ends up in some really embarrassing situations.

5. She has a lot of personality, and this comes through in the narrative. In fact, the narrative voice is often very much like what you'd hear if you went out to lunch with friends. The style is much more relaxed than what you would find in a literary novel or another kind of genre book.

Examples of Chick Lit on the LDS Market:

Stephanie Fowers: "Rules of Engagement" and "Meet Your Match"

Elodia Strain: "Icing on the Cake" and "Previously Engaged"

Crystal Liechty: "The First Year"


Examples of Chick Lit on the National Market:

Sophie Kinsella: "The Shopoholic" series

Laura Walker Jensen: "Miss Invisible"


Chick Lit is growing in popularity and availability, and if you're in the mood for a fun, lighthearted read, you just might want to give it a try.

Now, to move on to the next point of my blog. As you scroll back up and re-examine point #5, you'll notice that Chick Lit has a different set of reader expectations than do books of other genres. The tone is different. The approach is different. You can't take the rules that govern a general fiction novel and apply them to Chick Lit, nor could you hold Chick Lit up against classic works, literary novels, or period pieces. It's simply its own genre. To compare the ingredients in a successful Chick Lit book with the ingredients of a successful book in nearly any other genre just isn't fair. It's worse than apples and oranges - it's apples and pizza.

Why do I make this statement, you ask?

While preparing for the Whitney Awards this year, I bumped into this post on LDS Publisher's blog. I encourage you to pop over there and read the comments, and then come back. It's okay, I'll wait.

(filing my fingernails ... checking my e-mail ...)

Okay, you're back.

I found it very interesting that some of the comments in this trail gave the impression that because a book nominated for the Whitneys used a certain number of adjectives and adverbs, it should not be considered for a Whitney.

The book in question was "Spare Change," by Aubrey Mace. Which just happens to be ... are you ready ... Chick Lit.

Chick Lit uses adjectives. Chick Lit uses adverbs. It does these things with full permission, because it's an earmark of the genre. Chick Lit takes the internal dialogue in a woman's mind and turns it into a narrative voice, and women, especially young women, think in adjectives and adverbs.

We must give each genre its due and understand what makes it work. In a fantasy, we expect fantastic elements. In a romance, we expect some romance. It simply doesn't make sense to dog a book for using adverbs when that is an expected and, I would even say, necessary element of that genre.

This debate over on LDS Publisher made me cheer even harder when Aubrey's name was announced over the podium as winner of the Whitney Award for Best Romance. She deserves it. The book was adorable, which is what a Chick Lit book should be. Rock on, Aubrey. Rock on.

Interview: Whitney Award Winner Aubrey Mace

In case you hadn't noticed, I review a lot of books. Some of them stick out in my memory as time passes, and other books sort of blend in to the overall hum in the back of my brain and I have to remind myself of the plot and characters if asked any specific questions a month or a year after the review is posted. "Spare Change" by Aubrey Mace is a book that caught my attention from the first and remains one of my favorite reads of 2008. You can read my review of it here.

I was tickled pink (which is not intended to be a pun on my name or on the color of the book cover) when Aubrey took the Whitney Award for Best Romance at April's award ceremony. I hunted Aubrey down (it was hard. The girl's like a chameleon) and asked her for an interview, which she graciously granted.

Tristi: Aubrey, how did you come up with the idea for the story found in Spare Change?

Aubrey: The idea for Spare Change came largely from working in an Infusion Center, and experiences I had with my grandparents growing up. Working at the Infusion Center has been a huge blessing in my life. It has taught me not to ever take a day for granted, because you never know when your life can change in an instant. Also, I have happy memories of scouting around with my grandpa and his metal detector on hot summer days, and I truly don't remember a time I've ever been in my grandma's kitchen when she wasn't cooking something. I learned a great deal about life from both of them.

There is a lot of me in Riley, (the main character) and it was fun to write about a girl who I felt people could root for. She started out very wrapped up in her own life, and by the end of the book, her small attempts to do something good have affected so many others and spiralled into something bigger than she could have ever imagined. I can relate to Riley's initial feelings of helplessness-- I think we all feel that way sometimes. How do we, as individuals, do something that will make a difference? Riley's mother tells her in the story that you don't have to move a mountain to make a difference, which is something I try to keep in mind when I get discouraged. I think that our attempts to show kindness to those around us, whether we see them as successful or not, are never wasted. So for me, it was about someone very average who accomplishes something extraordinary. I love that.

Tristi: How and when did you find out you were a finalist for a Whitney Award?

Aubrey: I found out I was a finalist when I got to work the morning the nominations were released. When I woke up, I had this tiny hope in the back of my brain that I was doing my best to crush, and I had plenty of time to look at the list before I went to work. But I wanted to live the dream a little longer. As long as I didn't look, I could keep imagining that I might have been nominated. I kept putting it off until I got an email at work from one of my critique partners, Melanie Jacobson. I wish I could remember the exact wording, but it was something to the effect of, "Have you seen this?!" with a link to the Whitney website. So I went to the website and started scrolling down, and there was my darling pink cover under Best Romance. I went to the next column, Best Novel by a New Author, and THERE IT WAS AGAIN! It was probably my most surreal moment since I got the email with the contract for Spare Change.

Tristi: What was it like for you when they announced the winner?

Aubrey: There was one terrible moment where I really thought it was a mistake, and once I realized it was real, I was afraid my legs wouldn't support me if I tried to stand up! I was stunned, terrified, humbled, and felt as though I'd been given wings, in that order. It was just so completely unexpected. I'd read the books that were nominated in my categories, and I have such a tremendous respect for the other authors. I am in awe of their talent, and reading their books showed me how much I still have to learn. I knew what I was up against, so I was content to wear my questionable heels and gorge myself on cheesecake because I knew there was no way I was going to have to get up there. And then I did. It was just an amazing, scary, incredible experience that I will never forget.

Tristi: Tell us about your next projects.

Aubrey: My next book was just released in April-- it's called My Fairy Grandmother. It's a middle grade/YA novel, and I'm so proud of it. I think it might be my favorite so far.(Sssshhh... don't tell my other books!) And I have a Christmas comedy/romance coming out this fall called Santa Maybe about a girl who finds something unexpected under her Christmas tree. It was my easiest book to write and a lot of fun because the writing just flowed. Which brings me to my current project; a novel about heaven. I'm about fifty pages into it, and I've been working on it for six months now. Needless to say, so far it's been my difficult child. But every time I try to put it away, something makes me try again. So I'm just going to keep at it and see where it takes me.

And I'm excited, too! Can't wait to read them.

Join me tomorrow as I discuss adjectives and chick lit, how they aren't evil, and explain what that all has to do with Aubrey Mace.

Wrapping Up with the Whitneys

I love, love, love the Whitney Awards Program. I love the idea, I love how it inspires authors to up their game and to really dig deep as they hone their craft, and I love how it's increasing the awareness of the quality of LDS fiction. There were so many good titles this year, it was hard to pick my favorites. I really had a hard time in a few categories when it came to casting my ballot.

As I mentioned in my last post, my handsome honey was with me at the ceremony. It was so nice to sit and have a nice dinner with him ... but it was anything but leisurely. I was one of the live bloggers for the event, and we had a few technical difficulties getting me online. I made it at last, though, and happily blogged throughout the entire event. You can read the transcript here.

There were many touching moments throughout the evening. Rob Wells, president of the Whitneys, read portions of a quote by Orson F. Whitney, for whom the award was named. I can't even summarize this quote in a way that would give it justice, and so I link to it, here, and encourage you to read it, beginning to end. What a powerful way to start off the evening.

As the winners were announced, I couldn't help but notice the wide variety of writing styles represented and the diversity of the finalists. We have truly expanded the scope of LDS literature.

Toward the end of the evening, the members of the Whitney Academy came on stage and were honored, and then the Executive Committee of LDStorymakers came on to the stage. We had a sad task to fulfill as BJ Rowley announced that Rob Wells was stepping down from his role as president. Rob has been an incredible instigator and figurehead for these awards, and this was a sad blow. But, as BJ announced, the program is left in good hands with the placement of Kerry Blair as the new president.

It definitely was an evening of emotions. And I can't wait for next year.

As a final thought: I am often asked two questions about the Whitneys. 1. Why isn't there a category for nonfiction? 2. Why isn't there a category for children's picture books?

These two genres are definitely valuable and the Whitneys are not slighting them. But when you look at the goals of the Whitney Awards, which include raising the bar for LDS fiction and making the public more aware that this bar has been raised, you can see where these two categories don't really fit. LDS nonfiction has always sold well, it's universally agreed to be high quality, people don't go to blogs and rant about how much they hate it, and honestly. Can you see it? Two doctrinal nonfiction books go head to head. Would you vote for the Jeffrey R. Holland or the Boyd K. Packer? There's really not a way to do it. And at this point and time, the picture book market is still fairly small, in addition to the reasons mentioned above.

Favorite Pictures from the Conference

We continue our look at the LDStorymakers Writers Conference last weekend by browsing through my pictures. I'm not going to post all of them - first, for space reasons and second, because some of them aren't so flattering and third, because you can see all of them and many more by clicking here, but these are my favorites.

This is my posse from Boot Camp. Front row: Jewel, Ashley, Steph, Monique. Back row: Lori, Don, Me, Ginger. We were the Fun Side.

One of the best things about the conference is meeting up with old friends and making new ... and sometimes, meeting new friends you feel you've known forever. This is Kimberly from the blog Temporary? Insanity. I've been reading her blog for a long time, and meeting her in person rocked.

Equally as cool was meeting Luisa of Novembrance.

And Laura, who is LexiconLuvr, and Stephanie Black ... who doesn't have a way mysterious blog name, and who I've actually met before. But that doesn't keep her from being cool!

Here is the rockin' 2009 conference committee. Seriously, the whole thing came together beautifully and there's a lot of hard work and dedication represented on that stage.

Time to pass on the torch ... or in this case, the Goblet of Fire. Jaime Theler and I were chosen to be the conference chairs for 2010. Here we are with the Goblet, waving our magic wands of power. Oh, and believe me, they are very powerful.

My handsome honey came to the Whitneys. It's always so fun whenever I get to show him off - he's usually home with the kids while I'm at the conference, and it was nice to be together and introduce him to everyone.

Jaime and I are so excited about next year ... we're already brimming with ideas. I think we took a whole thirty seconds off (although it may have only been twenty-five) and we're excited to do our part to make the 2010 conference the best ever. We've got some pretty big shoes to fill but we're ready for the challenge.

A Very Tristi Contest!

To celebrate the release of my new book, "Agent in Old Lace," I'm holding the coolest contest I've ever held! Because the book is a mystery novel, I'm sending you on a scavenger hunt all over the Internet. There are three sets of clues on sixteen websites. First, you must find them all. Then, you must arrange them into groups (they are labeled 1, 2, and 3 - that part's not so mysterious). Then you must decide what they are referring to. Remember the game "Clue," where you discovered that the culprit was Miss Scarlet, in the library, with the rope? You, too, must figure out who did it, where, and with what.

After you have obtained these clues, send me your answer at tristi AT tristipinkston.com with "contest" in the subject line. All correct answers will be entered into a drawing. And what does the lucky winner receive for all their hard work? A pretty cool prize!

This package contains a popcorn bowl, three flavors of popcorn, a $25.00 gift card to Blockbuster, and a copy of "Agent in Old Lace."

Are you all set to go? Are you rarin' to get ready?

Here are your clues. Each of the bloggers listed below can be found in the sidebar of my blog, either under the "If I'm Not Home, You Can Find Me Here" heading, or the "Or You Might Find Me Here" heading. You may need to do a little clicking and scrolling, but hey, to the victor go the spoils ... or, to the victor goes the cool prize.

"Who" Clues:

1. This blogger raises chickens and wrote "Lemon Tart."

2. This blogger runs marathons and wrote "Parenting the Ephraim's Child."

3. This blogger is a political activist and wrote "Out of the Shadows ... Into the Light."

4. This blogger makes pottery and wrote "False Pretenses."

5. This blogger was raised in a drug store and wrote "The Forgotten Warrior."


"Where" Clues:

1. This blogger was born overseas and wrote "Reasonable Doubt."

2. This blogger used to live in England and wrote "Please, No Zits."

3. This blogger wrote a darling picture book about Down Syndrome and is the author of "Heaven Scent."

4. This blogger is a former publisher and is the assistant manager at Provident Book.

5. This blogger feels like toast and wrote "The Santa Letters."


"With What" Clues:

1. This blogger founded ANWA and wrote "Trail of Storms."

2. This blogger is a seminary teacher and wrote "Powerful Tips for Powerful Teachers."

3. This blogger is addicted to peanut butter cups and wrote "Shadow of the Crown."

4. This blogger is a Whitney Award winner and wrote "Counting Stars."

5. This blogger is a nurse and wrote "Sharing Through Song."

6. This blogger is the Utah Best in State Award winner for Fiction, 2007, and wrote "Tower of Strength."

Okay! You've been given your directions. Visit the designated blogs and look for your clues. Your clues will be marked with this symbol:



You may need all the clues in that category to pinpoint the information you need. You have until May 30th at midnight send me an e-mail with your guess as to who, where, and with what. You can piece it all together by using the Internet as your guide. A hint ... on the "what," the first two clues tell you what brand, the second two clues tell you what kind, and the last clues tell you what item.

Good luck!!

And if all that wasn't cool enough ... check this out. I'm doing the launch party for my book at Provident Book in Pleasant Grove on June 6th. Come hang out with me!

If you would like to preorder a copy of "Agent in Old Lace," click here.