Costa Rica Cookies

One of the books I'm working on - Overachiever - is about a harried mom trying to juggle kids, work, and home life. Obviously there are some autobiographical inspirations there. :) (Including... Seat Stealer, for those who have been waiting for it!)

My crazy and entertaining kids are definitely part of the inspiration there, too, just by being themselves. For example, this conversation that I had with the 4-year-old this morning.

R: "Sometime can we go back to Costa Rica and go to the place with the Costa Rica cookies?"

Me: "What cookies?" Trying to remember... did we visit a bakery or a restaurant with cookies when we were in Costa Rica? I don't really remember any cookies.

R: "The cookies! The round cookies. We went to the place with the cookies."

Me: "A restaurant?"

R: "No, a store. With shelves."

Finally it dawns on me. At one point we stopped at a supermarket and grabbed some snacks, including a little pack of cookies. Common, ordinary Bimbo-brand cookies that can be found in any Costa Rican grocery store... and as it happens, also in the supermarket five minutes from my house in Colorado. So nothing particularly special, but at least it's an easy-to-fulfill request that does not require a return to Costa Rica to pick up cookies. (Darn it. I need an excuse to return to Costa Rica!)

Mystery solved, I tell the little one:

"Sure buddy. Next time I go to the store I can get you some Costa Rica cookies."

R: "Yay! Except maybe just Oreos instead. Okay? Those are better."

head... desk...

Yep, plenty of inspiration for my character around here!