Tuesday, 17 July 2007

• Meet Kim Baccellia

  This week, I chose to interview Kim Baccellia, the author of Young Adult novel ‘EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA’, available this July from Amazon.com.  Learn more about Kim at her website, http://www.kim-baccellia.com

   

  

   

  Tell us about yourself (please).

   

  I’m a former bilingual teacher. I taught eight years in a LA county school district.  . I’m a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators ( SCBWI) and EPIC. 

   

  I love yoga, reading, quilting, power walking, Joss Whedon, and volunteering.

   

   

  Can you tell us a bit about your book and its availability?

   

  Right now you can purchase the e-serial and e-book at www.virtualtales.com  Next month it’ll be coming out in print through Amazon.

   

  Are there any social or political undercurrents in the book that readers should pick up on?

   

  That you shouldn’t be ashamed of your culture.  Be proud of who you are.

   

  You’re a Young Adult writer—is ‘EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA’ aimed at a specific age group? 

   

  Older teens to young adults.  It can easily crossover to adults.

   

  Your website is clear, concise, and easy to navigate.  Did you design it yourself?

   

  No!  My husband put it together.  Also Liz Jones, an SCBWI illustrator did the both my self portrait and web art.

   

  How long have you been writing?

   

  Since I can remember!  I wrote for my middle school, high school, and college newspapers.  Then I stopped.  It wasn’t until 2000 that I started writing again.  I took a class at UCI extension program and loved it.  I later took more classes and meet Lou Nelson, my writing mentor, through Writing the Novel class.

   

  What inspired you to write ‘EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA’?

   

  My students and my own search for my Mexican roots.

   

  Do you have any other work published?

   

  My writing credits include numerous poems in a variety of magazines, ranging from Beginnings magazine and Latino Stuff Review to Coil magazine. My poem, My Father , appears in the Mind Mutations Anthology published by The Sun Rising Poetry Press. My essay on the adoption of my son, Finally, Our Turn, appeared in both Adoptive Families magazine and the Adoptive Families 2003-2004 Adoption Guide

   

   

  Do you have any works-in-progress that we can expect to see in the future?

   

  Right now I’m shopping around my YA paranormal, CROSSED OUT.  I’m also working on a more contemporary YA where a sixteen-year-old deals with her abusive father in 1976.

   

  When you were a child, did you ever imagine you’d write for young people?

   

  Yes.  When I was in the fifth grade I did this big assignment on Nixon’s trip to China.  I imagined I was a reporter and covered the news.  I got an A on that assignment.

  In my high school yearbook friends signed that they hoped to read my novel in the future.

   

  Have any cats?

   

  Um, no.  I have two exotic birds.  Sunni a sun conure and Cecily, a gray cheek parakeet.

   

  Just out of curiosity…what exactly do the earrings of Ixtumea look like?

   

  Rubies with fine gold woven around them.  Delicate looking but strong.  It’s interesting how each reader pictures them.  Also Michael Leadingham, the cover artist, has them shining on the cover.  I like this as it leaves it to the reader’s imagination.

   

  Have you ever tried professionally writing anything other than Young Adult Fiction?

   

  Yes, my own memoir.  And I even tried my hand at a romance.

   

  Which writing-oriented websites do you frequent?

  http://www.verlakay.com  A writing site for children writers

  http://absolutewrite.com  A great site for all genres

   

   

  Have a favorite website?

  Orson Scot Card’s site

  http://www.hatrack.com

   

   

  What’s your favorite color?

  Red.  It’s passionate and alive

   

  Do you listen to music when you write?

  Depends.  I try to put together some songs that reflect the mood of the novel I’m writing.  For Crossed Out I listened to a lot of Christian pop music.  Casting Crowns was one of my favorites.  For my WIP I’m revisiting 1976 music, which has been fun.

   

  What are your thoughts on the publishing industry?

   

  It’s a tough business to get into.  I’ve learned a lot this past year.  I learned how some traditional publishers don’t take the e-published world seriously.  I learned how some places snub you when they hear you are e-published.  But then again SCBWI has been very supportive and encouraging.  If anything I learned to be persistent and not to give up.  Talent is only a small part of this business.  If you get a rejection or bad review, dust yourself off and try again.

   

  E-books and paperbacks—where do you stand?

   

  I know E-books are the future.  I’m waiting for the Sony player to come down in price.  Once it does-watch out New York.

   

  How do you feel about critique groups?

   

  I’m totally for them.  I cringe remembering my first attempts at writing.  My grammar sucked and my writing was all over the place.  It also motivates you to write.

   

  Ever tried screenwriting?

   

  No, but I’d like to.  One of my goals is to write a graphic novel.  I love the new Joss Whedon’s Buffy and Runaways comic book series.  Plus Meg Cabot and some other YA writers are writing graphic novels. 

   

  What’s the best way to get around writer’s block?

  Get you butt in the chair and WRITE.  No excuses.  Just do it.

   

  What kinds of books do you prefer to read?

   

  Depends on my mood.  Right now I’m reading YA urban fantasies.  I love metaphysical books—Isabel Allende.  I also like chick lit, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, and just about anything else.  I don’t like westerns.

   

  Any suggestions for improving teenage literacy?

   

  Get involved.  My last school had an afterschool reading program that used volunteers from the community.  As a teacher I saw how much this helped my students in their reading.  I volunteer in both my son’s classroom and the library. 

   

  How long do you think you’ll be writing?

   

  Forever. 

   

  Any last thoughts?

   

  Thanks for letting me stop by.  Check out http://www.virtualtales.com for on-going promotionals this month.  S

  

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