Pump Up Your Book Chats with Kim Baccellia

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Kim Baccellia has always been a sucker for the paranormal. She blames it on her families’ love for such things such as having picnics at cemeteries, visiting psychics, and reading her mother’s copies of the daily horoscope. She even had her own horoscope column in middle school, which was a big hit! Kim’s other works include the poem, “My Father”, which appears in the anthology Mind Mutations, published by The Sun Rising Press. Her essay about the adoption of her son, Finally, Our Turn, appeared in Adoptive Families magazine. Her YA multicultural fantasy, Earrings of Ixtumea, is published by Virtual Tales and available now at Amazon. A member of SCBWI, Kim is currently writing the sequel to Crossed Out, her latest paranormal young adult fiction novel. She’s also putting the finishing touches on an upper MG fantasy No Goddesses Allowed. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.

You can visit her website at www.kimbaccellia.com.

About Crossed Out

Following the light can’t be that hard, right? So why don’t the dead just do it and leave Stephanie Steward alone? However nothing is ever as simple as it should be as Stephanie learns when her hidden ‘gift’ becomes more than a nuisance, quickly turning into a liability. If she can’t learn to trust someone with her secret, the world as she knows it will go to hell. Literally. But if she doesn’t choose wisely, she might just end up learning firsthand how hard it is to follow that light. Because she’s next on the list to be crossed out.

Thank you for this interview, Kim. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?

I remember loving to write in elementary school. In fifth grade I did a piece in which I was a journalist covering Nixon’s trip to China. I also loved writing poetry. I wrote all through school but changed my major from journalism to education as I didn’t think you could make a living on a writer’s salary. Only later did I decide to go back to college and take some creative writing classes. I was hooked.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

Most frustrating has to be the rejections. I remember getting a rejection on Christmas Eve!

Most rewarding has to be holding my book in my hands. I admit, I even smelled it!

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?

This August we be our 25^th wedding anniversary! I found you have to make the time to write. Seize opportunities that present themselves. My husband supports my writing, which helps tons!

Can you tell us about your latest book and why you wrote it?

My YA paranormal Crossed Out is about sixteen-year-old Stephanie Stewart and her ability to help the dead go to the other side. She ends up making crosses that she decorates with the essence of the dead.

My husband gave me a ‘What if’ scenario about those crosses you see on the highways. I thought it would be interesting to create a character who ends up taking on the role of ‘rescuer’ all the while being embarrassed to let others know. I also thought it would be fun to add a mysterious guy who tempts Stephanie and makes her question her role.

Can you share an excerpt?

I couldn’t deal with Mom and her holier-than-thou attitude about decorating crosses. If she had any clue why I needed to do this, maybe she’d back off. I pushed my hair aside and looked down at the wooden beams. My box of paints and Sharpie pens lay close to my side. I had to get the design just right. Roses, or something plainer? It didn’t help that it was so cold in the garage.

Why was it so hard to help the dead go to the other side? It’d be a whole lot easier if they told me what they wanted on their crosses. Dead girl comes, asks for help, and tells me she’s into pink roses. Yes, that would make my job a lot easier.

But one thing I’ve learned is, life isn’t easy. Cliché, but true.

Figures, this was how I’d spend my time on a Saturday – sitting cross-legged on the floor in our garage, worrying about finishing a cross for some dead girl. In a few hours, Mom would drag me to Mrs. Swanson’s house for a sleepover. I didn’t really have time to decorate a cross.

And each time I tried to sketch, thoughts of the meeting drove any thought of the design out of my mind. I mean, how could I even think of helping others – albeit dead ones – when my own life was such a disaster?

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

In my writing loft. It’s hidden away from the rest of the house.

What is one thing about your book that makes it different from other books on the market?

My unique twist on the whole Ghost Whisperer premise. My character struggles with her faith and has a strong distrust of authority figures. Plus I have her decorate crosses/talismans of the dead girl’s faith.

Tables are turned…what is one thing you’d like to say to your audience who might buy your book one day?

If you love paranormals with unique twists, buy my book!

Thank you for this interview, Kim. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

Thanks for having me!

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

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