Prayers for Allen Alvarado

I just found out that one of my favorite kids was in a car accident. Allen Alvarado was walking with his father and got hit by a car, and thrown 20 feet. He is eleven years old. His father is okay, thank goodness. Allen was in a coma, but I hear he is slowly recovering.

Allen is the star of Flight 29 Down, and has been breaking his way into Hollywood doing more and bigger things. He also loves Erec Rex, and gave The Monsters of Otherness a review that is on the back of the book. His website is at http://www.allenalvarado.com/index.html
if you want to learn more about him.

Please think warm thoughts for Allen. I hope he is all better soon!!

Another nice review I saw for Monsters: http://tcm-ca.com/reviews/2080.html

Luv and hugs,
Kaza

Great reviews, and books in Iraq

I was so happy to see these great reviews of Erec Rex!

Blogcritics Magazine had a wonderful review by Katie McNeill:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/11/04/133638.php

This was also a nice one to wake up to:
http://rebeccafrog.livejournal.com/2007/11/29/

This one was very sweet and nice (even though the reviewer thought I was a man!)
http://tcm-ca.com/reviews/2080.html

A good one:
http://chauceriangirl.wordpress.com/2007/11/28/booky-goodness/

Sookie's has been up a while, but I don't think I linked to it yet:
http://overmyhead43.blogspot.com/2006/12/erec-rex.html

This has been up a while, too, but was a nice interview:
http://misserinmarie.blogspot.com/2007/08/under-radar-erec-rex.html


I also found out today that my books arrived in Iraq - the pic above was sent me by a guy named Brian who ordered them there! This picture was taken in Kirkuk, Iraq. He said he wanted to get a picture in front of the military tanks and Humvees to send me but pics are restricted.

I'm going to see if I can send more out to him. I'm sure the troops out there could use a little distraction. If any of you know a way I can donate books out there - if an existing group pays for shipping I can send more...

Love and hugs,
Kaza

Cybils - coming up!

Among other things - I just heard that Erec Rex will be published in France now! Yea!!
Of all the languages, French is the one I can understand the most (other than English) so it's going to be cool to see it in French. So far this makes 9 other countries... I hope there will be more soon! (I hear Germany is considering it!)



Well, the Cybils Awards nominations have been announced, and I hear there are 94 books nominated for fantasy/sci-fi (including Erec Rex: The Monsters of Otherness. Yea!!!) It's a cool award, for those who haven't heard of it. Nominations are done online by bloggers, and the judges are mostly book bloggers, too!

Here is the home page of the site: http://www.theedgeoftheforest.com/cybils/

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Just read a great book, by the way. It was called Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen

Love and hugs,
Kaza

California

It has been a great trip, and I'm ready to go home. I'll have been here two weeks, doing lots of school visits, media, signings and meeting great people! But I'm worn out now - and very excited to get home for Thanksgiving and finish Book 3 (Erec Rex: The Search for Truth.)

I never think to get pictures of my school visits, but here is one taken by the Gilroy Dispatch of my visit to a school in their district:


I am SO excited, by the way, that I will have a completely new, awesome website soon! Keep your eye out...

And have a great turkey day!
Love and hugs,
Kaza

New review

Just saw an online review and mention I thought I'd share!


Bibliophile's Retreat - http://forstrose.blogspot.com/

http://rettstatt.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/what-im-reading/

Time to go up to San Jose!!
Luv, Kaza

Fresno!

I had a Fantastic day in Fresno! First I talked at a school (great kids.) Then had a fun TV interview (I'll post the link here in a few days!) After that I met with my new friends Glenn and Angelica, had lunch with them, and got a tour of an AMAZING kid lit research library. (See the link to it on the side of my blog!) The amount of Lewis Carrol books (variations of his books, books about him...) alone was amazing. And I'm a big Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass fan! Glenn, a professor at Cal State, interviewed me on film for his students. Then I had a signing at night. So, overall, a great day!

I found out that Angelica is a big Oz fan (as some of you know I am!) And I now know that there is an international Oz club! (Wow...!) Here is the link: http://www.ozclub.org

Love and Hugs,
Kaza

Friends...

When I talk at schools and get interviewed people often ask what my favorite part of being a writer is. Of course, my answer changes day to day. But I think the bottom line is the friends I have made and am making along the way. There are a lot of people who are special to me that I never knew before I began this adventure. Some are fans, others teachers, booksellers, artists, writers. I could go on and on!

So - to just a few of you (and there are more than I could begin to list here): Daanon, Whitney, Jonathan, Mark, Melvyn, Heather, Rocel (Bugg!), Kennyth and Samantha, the Johnsons, David, Erin, Matthew, Kaleb, Kim, Jo, Rick, Silas, Aaron, Dennis, Nona and Rose (of course!) ... and so many more of you that I now know and love who were not in my life before this magical series came to life!

Thanks for being with me on this incredible ride. Thank you for your friendship, support, and enthusiasm. Love you all!!!

Yours always,
Kaza