Dr. Bernadine Healy on Autism and Vaccines.

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Agent Nathan Bransford on Publishing

From Literary agency Curtis Brown's Nathan Bransford. If you write, you should add his blog to your favs. It's a must read.

How a Book Gets Published.

Happy 89th Birthday, Ray Bradbury!

I write because Ray Bradbury transported me across time (forward and backward) and into worlds I'd never imagined. I write because Ray Bradbury showed me the power of the printed word to soothe, enrage, engage, teach, entertain, preach, warn and more.

I first read Bradbury in Mr. Bride's English class in high school. (I recently reconnected with Mr. Bride through Linkedin and now I can call him, Jim.) Bradbury's short stories are as wonderful as his novels. The cast of characters he has created, Uncle Einar is my favorite, are unforgettable. Happy birthday, sir!

(Photo credit, Alex Collins, News Press) DOWNTOWN GLENDALE — Devoted fans, casual readers and interested passerby filled a Brand Boulevard bookshop Saturday afternoon for a chance to see author Ray Bradbury.More than 100 people crammed into the Mystery and Imagination bookshop to help Bradbury — best known for penning the 1953 science-fiction novel “Fahrenheit 451”— celebrate his 89th birthday.

Read more at the Glendale Press HERE.

Cirque du Soleil Alegria

I took mom Mom to see Alegria by Cirque du Soleil yesterday as a surprise for her October birthday. She's always wanted to see Cirque du Soleil and there were almost in my backyard this weekend. So we went!

I'll be away to speak at two conferences, The Autism Asperger's Conference in New York City on Saturday October 3 DETAILS HERE and then the National Vaccine Injury Center Conference on vaccine awareness, parent education (it's NOT anti-vaccine) and current affairs, including Gardasil and H1N1, DETAILS HERE Conference on Sunday, October 4. So, I'll miss her October 5 birthday.

This high bar act was probably our favorite. Amazing stuff!

Errands with the girls.

Boy, extended school year programming is over and the kids are home. All day. Every day. I'll be honest, I'd forgotten how taxing it is to do things with all three girls. I don't mean things like Climbing Mt. Everest or feeding 5,000 homeless people on a loaf of bread and 2 fish. I mean going to the Post Office. The grocery store.

If you don't have a child with autism, let me see if I can put this into words for you. I should be able to, right? I'm a writer. I'm writing a book telling you our story. And yet... I can't find a way to explain to you what it's like to try to corral all three girls and keep them safe in the parking lots and hang onto a 110 pounder and a 105 pounder and a loping 60 pounder. For those of you with boys on the spectrum, I tip my hat to you - it must be much harder.

I found myself getting "the look" at TJ Maxx when we returned a $7.50 pair of capris. Mia blasted through the line and doesn't always understand "personal space." She's 14, not 4, so most folks don't appreciate her foot clomping onto their ankle in surprise. (Tell my girl to file that under "understatement" please.)

We went to the Post Office to mail out this week's Age of Autism T-shirts (clever me, when you make a donation to http://www.ageofautism.com/ we send you a T-shirt a la public television. No amount stated - readers give what they can. We've had $1000 donations (OK, just one but man it was sweet!) and $1.00 donations, which touch me just as much. Everyone gets a shirt.)

The girls know the Post Office because they go every week with school. Then it was off to the Stop and Shop. We managed - but God forbid I needed more than a few items. It's just hard to literally phyically keep all three near me and not look like boulders rolling down a hill at you. We lurch through the store.

Of course, it's summer - so there's lots of kids with their Moms. I still marvel at two year olds talking. 4 year olds following directions. 3 year olds who know to look before crossing the street.

Got typical kids? Count your blessings, your life is easy, even when it's hard. Got kids on the spectrum? Count your blessings. Your life is rich, even when you're about to break.

Moms Driving Drunk?

There was an article in the NY Times today "A Heroine of Cocktail Moms Sobers Up" about a blogger/writer who'd made her name as a drinking mommy - she encouraged playdates as cocktail hours and reveled in the fun. Hey, I like fun too. I enjoy a drink. Or two. I'm not casting stones. She also talked about how she recently shocked her readers by telling them her drinking frightened her, she had a problem and had stopped drinking altogether. Wow.

There's been a spate of drunk driving accidents involving drunken Moms - many with their kids in the car. Diane Shuler is the most known right now. She killed her self, her kids and three strangers driving the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in NY.

Check out THIS about Joey Marino, a 15 year old boy who was killed this weekend by a Critical Care Nurse who was driving with her 6 year old and a cup of vodka in her hand, bottle in the car. That's Joey in the photo. He was 15. His organs have been harvested for others. And his parents will bury him. Because Caroline Goss needed a drink. And to answer her phone. While driving.

Gianna Discovers YouTube...

CDC Town Hall Meetings on H1N1 Virus and Vaccine

Thanks to Ginger Taylor of Adventures in Autism for this link to Flu Wiki. I don't know who runs the
FluWiki site, or who the author of this info, drd1106 is, but the info is worth sharing so you can attend a meeting in your area.

When it comes to vaccinating yourself or your child for H1N1 or any disease, you deserve to be informed, not scared (by either side of the debate, mind you.) From FluWiki:

This is an international website intended to remain accessible to as many people as possible. The opinions expressed here are those of the individual posters who remain solely responsible for the content of their messages.

The use of good judgement during the discussion of controversial issues would be greatly appreciated.

CDC's 10 Public Engagement Meetings Set
by: drd1106
Sat Aug 01, 2009 at 10:53:56 AM EDT

I first heard about these meetings on the NVAC conference call on Monday, but the meetings had not been set. They are now and you can get more information at http://www.keystone.org/H1N1. YOU MUST REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND. Go to the website to register.

The meeting schedule is:

Denver, Colorado, Saturday, August 8
Lincoln, Nebraska, Saturday, August 8
Vincennes, Indiana, Saturday, August 15
Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday, August 15
Sacramento, California, Saturday, August 15
El Paso, Texas, Saturday, August 22
El Paso, Texas, sábado 22 de agosto del 2009

Additional meetings are being planned in the following cities. Please check back frequently for registration information.

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Saturday, August 22
New York, New York, Saturday, August 22
Somerville, Massachusetts, Saturday, August 29
Spokane, Washington, Saturday, August, 29

This info was deeply buried, so I don't know how people will find out about these meetings.

Joan Rivers Roast! Mad Men Returns!

I'm not a big TV viewer. But August has a couple of highlights. On Sunday the 9th, Comedy Central is airing the Joan Rivers Roast. I really like Joan Rivers. She's on Howard Stern pretty frequently and is just so damn funny. And honest. I love that. And when I went to her book signing last Spring, she was gracious and kind to us - Bella was having a meltdown and we were allowed to skip up the line. My agent happens to be very good friend with Ms. Rivers.

And Season 3 of Mad Men begins on the 16th. Mark and I are big Mad Men fans. Yesterday, I bought a dress that is so very Mad Men - check it out! IO have a few opportunities to wear it this summer, and it was 75% off. Kimmie doesn't buy $328 dresses... But $80 dresses? Yes indeed! Another connection? My agent also represents Bryan Batt who plays Sal Romano on Mad Men.

And I'm meeting my publisher and editor next week with my agent. I'm rather giddy about it, I admit it. I'm not above reveling in the sheer joy of selling this book. I bought a dress for that meeting too. Also on sale. Much more NY sedate - navy blue w/ prim retro cream trim. I'll wear it this Fall at a conference where I'm presenting too, most likely.

There, now you know what's new in my closet. Aren't you tickled Lilly pink? :)

Not an Armoire. Not a Memoir. A Kimoir!

This is a photo I had Mark take when I signed with my agent in the Winter of 2007. That's my contract.

Soon I'll have a photo of me signing the contract for my book deal for, "All I Can Handle. I'm No Mother Teresa." which will debut next Fall from Skyhorse Publishing, in NY. I'm really excited to be working with them!

It's a non-fic book about maintaining a sense of humor and surviving (drumroll please) 3 job losses, plus 5 moves in 4 years to 3 states, while raising 3 girls with autism - and ending up moderately sane and pretty darn happy.


It's not a recovery story or a "me poor lady" story. It's not even an autism story - not at it's heart. It could be about any life changing disability striking a family on top of major league money woes. For us, that means autism.

Most Americans are facing a money crunch these days - how do you maintain your pride and self worth when your "station" in life changes? What does that even mean? I'm not going to tell you what to do when your financial status changes from an Escalade to an Escort. Or when your basic assumptions about marriage and children are turned inside out over and over, year after year.

I will share how one family, this family, has faced more changes than Cher in concert and come out on top. And I hope you'll laugh a lot, cry a bit and feel confident that you too can hang tough when you close the book.

Think Erma Bombeck meets David Sedaris for voice - makes sense?

Yup, my wonderful agent Eric sold my book! Ta da!!!