I just found this:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/137517

Interesting video on the world of a bipolar child.

I'm already on page 60! This has to be Tiffany's best book yet!

So much for the gummy spiders. The candy store called me and said their distributor won't stock the candy until September.

Does anyone have any ideas for a candy that isn't chocolate? One candy store owner told me that some people have been using the gummy octopus instead of spiders. But I'm like, kids know the difference between octopus and spiders. The only gummy stuff I've found is bears, fish, ocean animals, and Swedish fish.

Now I know what to stock up on this Halloween!

My heart goes out to all the people in China. I just found out that eight schools toppled during the quake, trapping thousands of students and teachers. This had always been my biggest fear when I taught in Southern Ca that the big 'one' would hit while I was with my students.

My prayers are with the people of China. I hope they can get those students and teachers out okay.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080512/ap_on_re_as/china_earthquake

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=33429669
get standard trailer code

Por el Amor de los Libros:
A Day of Celebration at Librería Martínez


A day to celebrate children’s literature and art
Saturday, May 17th
@ 12:30-2:30 PM

There will be a cast of local children’s authors and
illustrators to read from their books, lead art and
writing activities.

What else: There will be prizes/cool stuff, like books and illustrator’s drawings!
Librería Martínez
Books & Art Gallery
1110 N. Main St
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714-973-7900

Yes, I'll be one of the writers who will be doing a book reading! I'm thinking of bringing bookmarkers, books, and some yummy gummy spiders.

Meg Cabot is on a roll! I love Meg! She's one of my favorite YA writers. And her latest, AIRHEAD, doesn't disappoint!




Emerson Watts is a tomboy and hates fashion. She didn't want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But she had to go to watch her kid sister, Frida, who's in love with British heart throb Gabriel Luna.

Imagine Em's horror when something very wrong happens at the grand opening. She wakes up and finds herself in a hospital with a whole new body. She's the recipient of a 'whole body transplant'. And it just happens that she ends up with the body of the hottest teen supermodel Nikki Howard, who everything she's hated.

But Em can't tell anyone what happened or else her parents will have to pay millions. How long can she keep quiet? With her new body, it seems like everyone loves her except the one boy she really wants, Christopher, her best friend from her old life.

I really enjoyed this book. It's one of Meg's best. The whole premise of whole body transplants is chilling. Imagine a world where this can happen to the famous and beautiful in order to fulfill million dollar contracts and responsiblities. Em's struggles to try to tell others about what really happened are realistic. Em finds out that having a beautiful face doesn't really matter if the one you really love doesn't know you are still alive.

A must read for any Meg fan. I can't wait for the sequel, Being Nikki.

This is Latino book month. Also Hispanic heritage month. Since I'm 1/4th Mexican American, anything that encourages cultural awareness is dear to my heart.

For those who don't know some of my own family background--

My great grandmother Cipriana Acuna's family were migrant workers from Sonora, Mexico. They continued to come over and work in the fields of Ca, Arizona, and where ever there was a need for workers.

It wasn't until graduate school that I did more research on the conditions during the early 1900s for Mexican-Americans. I learned alot about my culture and heritage. I've been teaching my son to be proud of his raices or roots.

For this month I plan on sharing some books with Latina heroines. Not only my own book but others including some upcoming ones. One book I'm really excited to read comes out next month and is by a SCBWI writer in my region.

I'll also do little blurbs on important Latino leaders, past and present.

First, since this is cinco de mayo I thought I'd have a link for those who don't know what this holiday is about.

http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm

At the end of the month I will be having a drawing to give away two copies of my book EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA. All you have to do is post a comment.

Viva la raza!

Last night I couldn't put this book down:




THE DEAD AND THE GONE by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I'm two thirds of the way done. I'm reviewing this book for Enchanting Reviews. If you loved book one, you'll love the sequel too.

The author does such a great job with using all the senses when describing New York City after a meteor hits the moon. And the scene at Yankee stadium? Ohmigosh. Very vivid.

It should have a warning on it:

Don't read if you're all alone in a creaky house late at night!

I won a copy of the book SAVING JULIET. A couple days ago I got the book in the mail. Let's just say I couldn't wait to read it.



Seventeen-year-old Mimi Wallingford seems to have it all. A famous Broadway name and the part of Juliet in a family production.

But she doesn't want to act. What she really wants to do is go away to college to study medicine like her aunt in California. But her mother wants none of that. Mimi feels trapped in her life.

Then both her and the lead of the play, heartthrob Troy Summer, are transported to a place where Romeo and Juliet really exist. Mimi wants to save Juliet from her fate but in rewriting the story will she end up stuck in Shakespeare's Verona?

I really enjoyed this twist on the whole Romeo and Juliet story. Who hasn't wanted to escape their life? This engaging tale will keep the reader turning the pages. I don't remember much of the Shakespeare tale but Suzanne Selfors does a great job weaving in the story. A must read for anyone who enjoys a good YA historical tale. Who knows? It might make you want to go and reread the Shakespeare tale.

Let's just say, I can see why my main character Jordan LOVES Audrey Hepburn. After watching numerous AH movies and a TV special on this actress, I'm loving her too.

I came across this on YouTube. Enjoy!

Check out my updated website! slayground put it together for me. She did an awesome job, don't you think?

http://www.kim-baccellia.com

Getting an email from an editor that says there is alot to like about your story. Though she still felt it needed some polishing before it will be ready for publication she gave me some great feedback on the first 20 pages!

I love this!!!

Oh, this is on my current project that came about from a rejection. Not bad, huh?

Can anyone think of a song a thirteen-year-old girl who's crazy about romance would like? I'd like to download a song from iTunes to listen to when I'm going over my tween fantasy. Other things about Jordan: she loves Paris, Audrey Hepburns movies, and jewelry.

What sound would you hear if someone was trapped in a room and struggling to get out? This is a sixteen-year-old guy who's bound in a chair and has a gag in his mouth. My main character is going upstairs in a darkened building when she hears this.

Any ideas?

Okay, I think this is the official one.

I loved TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyers and can't wait to see the movie. I found this trailer on YouTube. Enjoy!

I dropped a copy off at my local library. Yahoo, Readergirlz for the great idea!

Here's some of the books 2nd to 3rd graders loved at my son's bookfair. I thought I'd share.

Geronimo and The Gold Medal Mystery by Geronimo Stilton



This looks like a fun alternative to the whole MAGIC TREE HOUSE series.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney



This book was hot! The school kept selling out.

All of Rick Riordan's books



No Talking by Andrew Clements



More than a few third graders grabbed this book. The premise is about a bet two friends make on who can not talk the longest.

The Curse of the Campfire Weenies by David Lubar





And which book did the eleven-year-old love?

The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson




This book looks fun. The tween said she loved the whole idea of the kids going back and forth from being holographic images and the rides at Disney come to life. She also told me that the sequel is coming soon. She was so convincing I bought a copy!

Also I saw more than a few graphic novels. These were also hot.

I just got back from volunteering at my son's school bookfair. There was some high energy from the 1st-3rd graders that came in to buy books. My favorite comment:

"I'm so excited, I'm tingling!"

I helped these students pick out books. I thought it would be interesting to see what were hot sellers.

I had some really interesting conversations this morning. Wow, these kids know what they like! One third grader found this book on mummies and guess what I did? I told him about my tween book on Egypt and next thing I know is these third graders are around me, asking more. Excitement bounced around in the library.

The PTA mother introduced me to her eleven-year-old daughter who after her mom said I was a writer and reviewer of children's books, commented: "Wow!" Then she went and showed me her favorite books.

Later, I'll share what these future critics told me. There were some surprises. In the four hours I volunteered, not one student bought a Hannah Montana book. I showed some girls the books, and they wrinkled their noses and said, "not interested."

I loved being around kids who were excited about books.