Kim Stagliano: More of All I Can Handle. Bus Driver Gets Accelerated Rehab

Photo credit: Autumn Driscoll, CT Post newspaper

That's me holding the 84 page petition (with a Bella on top), 1099 signatures and comments from around the world after the court decision. Thank you to everyone who signed. Guzman did receive penalties. She has two years probation, she lost her license to drive any vehicle for two years, must pay a $500 fine to an autism org (I've already recommended a local org to the State's attorney) perform 200 hours of community service and more - I'll need to read the transcript for final results. That said, at the end of the two years, if she meets the terms of her probation, she will have her record expunged and be able to apply for any job she wants. The article below is from The CT Post newspaper. Kim

By Daniel Tepfer
BRIDGEPORT -- Despite the angry objections by nearly a dozen Trumbull parents a state Superior Court judge granted a special probation program for a former Trumbull school bus driver accused of texting while driving a busload of special need children.

Evelyn Guzman, of Henry Avenue in Stratford, will not be allowed to drive for two years and was ordered by Judge Earl Richards to apologize to the parents in the courtroom Friday morning.

But Guzman later backtracked outside the courtroom, blaming the parents for her situation.

Guzman was charged in March with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree reckless endangerment by Trumbull police following a 10-month investigation.

Police said she sent and received a total of 1,068 text messages from April 6, 2010 to May 15, 2010.

The investigation began after an assault complaint was made against Guzman's daughter, 24-year-old Jennifer Davila, who was working as a bus monitor on Guzman's bus.

Davila was arrested in August for allegedly assaulting a 9-year-old autistic girl multiple times while the girl was riding on the bus. Davila's case is still pending, and she's scheduled to appear in court April 1. She was arrested in August for allegedly assaulting a 9-year-old autistic girl multiple times while she was on the bus....

Read the full story at CT Post.

My statement to the court:

Good morning, Your Honor. And thank you for this opportunity. My name is Kim Stagliano. My husband Mark and I have three daughters with autism. Our youngest Isabella rode Evelyn Guzman’s elementary school special education bus. Last week, Ms. Guzman’s daughter Jennifer Davila pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine to second-degree reckless endangerment after having been arrested for assaulting Bella numerous times on the school bus. It was the video tape review for that case that lead Detective Kevin Hammel to discover Ms. Guzman’s continuous texting and lack of attention to the road. For our Bella, that bus was a rolling torture chamber.

Distracted driving is a national emergency. As a judge, you have before you today an opportunity to send a clear message to CT and the country, that drivers, especially paid commercial drivers, will face the stiffest penalties for endangering everyone on the road.

I have here a petition that I started last Friday. There are 1099 signatures from concerned people around the world asking you to please deny Evelyn Guzman the privilege of accelerated rehabilitation.

Every day she chose to text while driving, she could have killed the children on the bus. She could have killed her own daughter and her grandchildren, who rode her bus as a makeshift daycare center. She showed no regard for fellow drivers or even the unsuspecting person standing at their mailbox or taking a baby for walk.

According to the Trumbull schools transportation department, Guzman’s Verizon records showed 27 minutes of texting during a single 28 minute bus route. This may be her first arrest, but it’s hardly a first time offense, as the bus videotapes show over and over. This case has been featured in the national TV, Internet and print news. I hope to be able to tell the millions of people watching this case that she will stand and face her charges without benefit of accelerated rehabilitation.

April is Autism Awareness month, I can’t think of a better way to voice our support, than to protect the children, like my Bella, who can not speak for or protect themselves.

Thank you.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism. Her book from Skyhorse Publishing, All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa; A Life Raising Three Daughters with Autism is available now. Visit her website at Kim Stagliano.

Tell CT Judge No Rehab Release for Evelyn Guzman: 1000+ Texts While Driving School Bus! I created a PETITION (CLICK HERE TO SIGN) so that I can hand deliver your message to the judge next week. Guzman should not walk away without a record. Thank you. Here's the petition wording. I'm Kim Stagliano. Last May my daughter then 9 year old Bella was assaulted on her school bus by the bus monitor. Bella has autism and does not speak. The monitor plead guilty to her charges today, 4/1. Her MOTHER Evelyn Guzman (in photo) was the bus driver - and during review of video tape from the bus, was caught TEXTING while driving the special ed bus - over 1000 texts in 4 weeks. See story here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20044594-504083.html Guzman is appealing to Bridgeport Court for ac "accelerated rehab" program that will clear her record in just two years. I do not want her to walk away FREE. We need to tell the judge NO - our children deserve safety. YOU deserve safety as you drive or simply get your mail from your mail box. Please sign the PETITION, which Mark and I will share with the judge on 4/8. You can reach me at KimStagliano@gmail. Please share with friends and family. Thank you. Bella's Mom.

Autism Action Month Events For Kim Stagliano

April is Autism ACTION Month (not a big fan of mere "awareness, see my snarky post below) and I have plenty planned. Starting with April 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 in which I will love and care for Mark's and my girls. Since that's not really busy enough I've added a few events where I can meet YOU and neither of us has to cook, clean or grocery shop What a wish!.

4/15/2011 7:00 pm

Vroman's Bookstore Pasadena, CA

4/16/11 6:30pm
Border's Costa Mesa

4/27/11 7:30pm
SKYPE chat with TACA Indianapolis

5/6/11 7:00pm
TACA Philadelphia Chapter


4/28/11 7:30pm
Words Maplewood, NJ

Welcome Parade Magazine Readers.

If you or a family member or friend are facing the challenges of autism, I invite you to join my family - we aren't quite Gomez and Morticia Addams, but sometimes it feels that way! Purchase the book HERE today and I promise you'll laugh tomorrow! From my website: www.kimstagliano.com

"Incredibly funny. . . A bird's–eye view into what it's really like
to love and raise kids with autism." —Jenny McCarthy, from her foreword

ALL I CAN HANDLE: I'm No Mother Teresa
(A Life Raising Three Daughters with Autism)
By Kim Stagliano
ISBN-13: 9781616080693
ISBN: 1616080698
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Release date: November 01, 2010

How one woman raises three autistic daughters, loses one at Disneyworld, stays married, Has sex, bakes gluten-free, goes broke, and keeps her sense of humor.

"Dr. Spock? Check. Penelope Ann Leach (Remember her?)? Check. What to Expect When You're Expecting? Check. I had a seven-hundred–dollar Bellini crib for God's sake!" So begins Kim Stagliano's electrifying, hilarious tale of her family's journey raising three daughters with autism. With her funny, startling, and illuminating first book, Stagliano joins the ranks of bestselling memoirists like David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs. With her willingness to lay everything on the table—family, friends, and enemies to basement floods to birth days to (possible) heroin addictions—she eviscerates and celebrates the absurd.

Whether she's going commando to rescue a daughter from a potentially embarrassing situation or accidentally stealing electric fans, she and her family are seemingly always on the edge of a Stagtastrophe. From her love of Howard Stern to her increasing activism in the autism community and exhaustive search for treatments that will help her daughters, she explores her life with vigor and humor. Always outspoken, often touching, and sometimes heart breaking, Kim Stagliano is a powerful new voice in comedic writing—her "Kimoir" (as she calls it) will be a must-read for everyone within the autism community. More than that, it's the debut of a new voice that will entertain everyone who reads it.

Reviews!

Kim Stagliano Shares Reviews for All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa

I've been meaning to share some of the incredibly kind things people are saying about my book. And as a show of how honest and upstanding I can be (except when I'm stealing from the Stop & Shop or stripping off my undies in public, for those of you who've read the book) I'll even share some not so good reviews. I will not reprint the review of the person who seemed to think I should have stopped having children some time ago.... Really, hand the Lubriderm for the thick skin required for that one!

"I don't feel so alone." That's my take away from the reviews. And that's exactly what I'd hoped my book would do for fellow families in the autism world. And from people outside our community I'm hearing, "I just didn't know that life with a child on the spectrum was so demanding." Again, that makes me smile big time. Mission accomplished x two!

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved This Book!, October 28, 2010

This book is a must-read, whether or not autism directly impacts your life on a daily basis. I should rephrase that, because while I do not have a child with autism, by the time I was a quarter of the way through Kim's book, I realized that autism impacts all our lives on a daily basis, it's just not necessarily on our radar if we're not in the trenches with it every day. Kim is never didactic -- her voice is honest, off-the-cuff, and hysterically funny -- but she lays out points that shock you with their simple truth. I finished the book not only feeling like I'd made a new friend, but also awed by how much there is to be done -- and how much CAN be done -- both to better protect kids from autism, and to help those who are already affected. I will read this book over and over again, and would recommend it to absolutely anyone.
I am the mom of a child on the autism spectrum and it is a challenge to say the least - humor goes a long way towards lightening the load. This book had me laughing out loud many times (and tearing up once or twice). The author related many experiences similar to mine - I felt like I had company on this journey - a friend to laugh with when the going gets tough. I finished the book in two sittings - could not put it down. It was a great read!

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly done!!!, October 22, 2010

A well written account of what it is like to raise children with autism and come through life's trevails with success and happiness. This book covers it all and is wonderfully written in short chapters which were easy to read. From one Warrior Mom to another - Great work Kim! Well done!!!

1.0 out of 5 stars Not just about autism, March 20, 2011

Was an enjoyable identifiable read until the author began to focus on Obama, Gay Marriage and Catholic faith. She speaks frequently of being Catholic followed by evidence she fails to abide by the Faith. A poor representative of Catholicism in a book that's guised to be about autism recovery.

5.0 out of 5 stars She's the Real Deal, October 21, 2010

I finished this book in a day. I wish it was longer! Kim Stagliano writes about her own life yet it runs parrallel to mine and so many other warrior moms. She shows that through the tough times (and she's had many), you can survive and thrive. She gives great information about autism that is easy to digest. There is no rereading the page to figure out what she is saying. It's plain and simple and truthful. I would suggest this book to families with autism and those without (are there really any without these days?). It was a pleasure to turn each page and share a laugh and even a few tears. I hope this is just one of many books to come from Kim Stag.

2 out of 5 stars Just another book about autism

...For some reason I have a feeling that writing this book was Kim's last shot to get back to her wealthy life style. And I hope she will be able to get enough profits from book sells to secure her daughters future and leave life she leaved once.

Kim's Note: (Clearly that reviewer is unaware of the economics of writing in 2011!)

Lighten Up Pink for Autism with Kim Stagliano I'm aware. I get it. I have the 3 girls with autism. I am bludgeoned about the head, shoulders and heart every day. Awareness - it's only a word. It's passive. If I am aware that you are hungry and I don't ask if you have any food, then find you food and help you to eat, what the hell good does it do for anyone to say, "Oh, that Mary Pat is STARVING over there on Main Street and I feel uber-special helpful since I know it." Of course most people aren't so callous about awareness - and there's a ton of great work being done not only this month, but day in and day out. Teachers, therapists, researchers with a death wish (snark alert) parents, friends, family - it's wonderful to see the outpouring of support and thought about autism. However, I'm tired, just came off a week of 3 kids with strep and have a head cold. So I'm feeling very snarky. A month of "light it up blue?" I guess it's like Coke red. Fine. If you have the budget, you can brand anything you want. Hell, why not come up with a jingle too? Let's see.... Try singing this? "Autism was 1 in 10000 not long ago millions spent on genetics and the numbers oh they just groooooowwwww!" (That sounds best when sung out of tune sort of to the old "A sprinkle a day" Shower to Shower powder jingle, by the way.) A month of puzzle shaped bright blue cupcake toppers? I saw those online and got so annoyed it was if I'd eaten a vat of blue die. Instant behavior problems. Whoop-dee-gluten-filled doo. Puzzles are a child's toy for God's sake not the mark of a national and growing worldwide epidemic. Let's see, colon cancer. Intestines. Maybe they get a slinky as their "logo." I told you I was snarky. I'm tired of symbols and awareness and acceptance as "enough" for us all. I want action. I want to protect kids from death by wandering. I want adults n the spectrum to find meaningful work. I want kids with Asperger's not to be bullied into suicide or rage. I want more things than Veruca Salt could ever have demanded on her very best day. And while I know in my head that there's a lot of great progress taking place - it's never fast enough for my heart when I'm in the thick of the chaos. I went to a wedding today. Bella's Godmother married the love of her life - she's my age, which ain't young. We were high school roommates and college best friends and she was in my wedding. My naive, never been whacked with the bad things happen brush wedding. I was part of her family for many years. And seeing them all today - her elderly parents whose eyes still shone with love when they saw me; her older brother who dated my big sister in high school and his wife and adults kids; the nieces and nephews - scads of them in a large Boston Irish family - it made me incredibly happy to be reunited with them all. And incredibly sad that in World Autism Day (fly a flag! spin something!) I had 6 hours of time away, via the courtesy of my wonderful Mom and Dad who watched the kids. Six hours that should have a been an overnight in Boston with my husband while our 16, 14 and 10 year old had a blast with Grandma and Grandpa out to dinner and maybe a movie or bowling. Instead, my mother has bruises up and down her arms from our child who seems to have a large share of crab DNA. We raced off the boat, oh yes, the wedding was on a beautiful boat in Boston Harbor, and sped home. I'm aware. And now it's time to ACT. I'm lighting it up PINK PINK PINK this month. And I'll be active here at my blog and around town - starting in LA on the 15th at Vroman's in Pasadena, I'll post a schedule ASAP.

Happy Valentine's Day!

That's Miss G looking sharp.

Kim Stagliano on Fox 5 San Diego

Meet Me in... San Diego!

Please join me at the Carmel Mountain Border's 11160 Rancho Carmel Dr.
on Tuedsay 1/25 at 6:30pm. And tune tune into Fox San Diego at 8:30am 1/24 and CW's San Diego Living after 9am on 1/25.

By Kim Stagliano

Many of us have spent the last few days fielding phone calls and emails from reporters around the country. Here are three articles on the newest chapter in the Tale of Dr. Andrew Wakefield expressing support for him. Click the links to read the full articles and comment where you are able to. Thanks. KIM


AOL News, Dana Kennedy

">>>Despite a new report that a 1998 study linking childhood vaccines to autism was based on "bogus data," many autism activists are standing by their man -- the disgraced doctor who led the research.

But autism activists, including actress Jenny McCarthy's Generation Rescue, the National Autism Association and well-known autism crusader Kim Stagliano, believe Wakefield's original findings were distorted. They claim that he never said vaccines definitely caused autism but merely suggested the possibility of a link merited further examination.

The activists told AOL News that Wakefield has been crucified by the pharmaceutical industry, which makes millions off vaccines and doesn't want them scrutinized.

"No one's saying don't vaccinate your children," Rita Shreffler, executive director of the National Autism Association, told AOL News today..."

NY Daily News, Rosemary Black

"The barrage against Dr. Wakefield is an unvarnished attempt to convince the American public that there is an ‘anti-vaccine' movement, while ignoring that American children are chronically sicker than ever and autism now hobbles at least 1% of American children," said Stagliano, who is the author of the book, "All I Can Handle: I'm No Mother Teresa."

She added that parents have the right to demand vaccine safety and "honest science, without those who have a financial interest controlling the conversation."

The actress Jenny McCarthy, whose son has autism, hadn't issued comment on the BMJ article, according to CNN. However, McCarthy, who founded Generation Rescue, a group that backs the idea of a link between vaccines and autism, had supported Wakefield in the past.

CafeMom The Sitr, Juilie Ryan Evans

"...So has all of the fear been for naught, does this mean there's no evidence of a link between the two, and we can all go out and vaccinate our children without a question in our mind that there could be a negative consequence?

Some, like Jennifer LaRue Huget for The Washington Post, say yes:

"Okay, can we just be done with this autism/MMR link once and for all?" Huget writes. "It's been such a huge distraction, likely diverting energy and funds from the research that could detect autism's true causes, and has led to many kids' needlessly coming down with a disease that should be entirely preventable. Let's put this behind us and move on."

Not quite, say others. Wakefield himself vehemently denies the new report and says it's motivated by the pharmaceutical industry, who's trying to take him down.

Kim Stagliano, mother of three daughters with autism and author of the book All I Can Handle; I'm No Mother Teresa, agrees. She says the timing is suspect and points to links in the pharmaceutical industry as well. She said the Wakefield case closed last spring, but now Dr. Paul Offit, co-inventor of the Merck RotaTeq vaccine, has a new book out called Deadly Choices: How the Anti-vaccine Movement Threatens Us All.

"If RotaTeq sounds familiar to parents, that is because Dr. Julie Gerberding, former head of the CDC in Atlanta, placed it on the pediatric vaccine schedule during her tenure," Stagliano said. "Your baby now receives three doses of this oral vaccine. Dr. Gerberding is now the current President of the Merck Vaccine Division, which manufactures RotaTeq."

She said this report does nothing to sway her opinion that vaccines can injure children.

"Vaccine injury is real. Just as childhood diseases are real. The barrage against Dr. Wakefield is an unvarnished attempt to convince the American public that there is an 'anti-vaccine' movement, while ignoring that American children are chronically sicker than ever and autism now hobbles at least 1% of American children. Parents have every right to demand vaccine safety and honest science -- without those who have a financial interest controlling the conversation."...

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism. Her book from Skyhorse Publishing, All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa; A Life Raising Three Daughters with Autism is available now. Visit her website at Kim Stagliano.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield: The New Report is Not New or True

By now you've heard the news, "autism MMR study fraudulent!" I won't get to into it here, but I can tell you what I'm sharing with the media.

The timing of the BMJ report is suspect - the Wakefield GMC case closed last Spring. However, Dr. Paul Offit, co-inventor of the Merck RotaTeq vaccine, has a new book out called "Deadly Choices: How the Anti-vaccine movement Threatens Us all." If RotaTeq sounds familiar to parents, that is because Dr. Julie Gerberding former head of the CDC in Atlanta placed it on the pediatric vaccine schedule during her tenure. Your baby now receives three doses of this oral vaccine. Dr. Gerberding is now the current President of the Merck Vaccine Division, which manufactures RotaTeq.

In December, right before Christmas I might add, the US Vaccine court released the news that a family whom I happen to know won in vaccine court. Young Elias Tembenis died as a result of the epilepsy caused by this routine childhood vaccination - in his case the DTaP – (please see this report and link to the US Vaccine court document HERE. His parents did not receive any phone calls from the media.

Vaccine injury is real. Just as childhood diseases are real. The barrage against Dr. Wakefield is an unvarnished attempt to convince the American public that there is an "anti-vaccine" movement, while ignoring that American children are chronically sicker than ever and autism now hobbles at least 1% of American children. Parents have every right to demand vaccine safety and honest science - without those who have a financial interest controlling the conversation. The push to convince parents that vaccines are always safe has become a juggernaut - that alone should raise questions, especially as we see daily examples of how the pharmaceutical industry has compromised product safety for profit.

Let's Kick It

This morning I start kickboxing classes right up the street at Hanko Ryu Martial Arts.
The Karate master is from Rome. The studio is next to a bakery and an Italian Deli and in the same plaza as Porricelli's and Starbucks. Can you say perfection? I feel as though I might have lost some of my wonderness while gaining a few lbs over the holiday. There was much taste testing of sweets and goodies and damn that BBQ from Wilson's BBQ in Fairfield. Good God who knew smoked food could be so good? I miss the personal training classes at Pilot House - a fabulous autism community resource in Fairfield.

The kickboxing will be a great way to spend an hour each weekday. It's kicking. And boxing! Or so I'm told. Wish me luck. I need to fit back into that invisible plane soon.

Kim Stagliano Asks: Is this the face of Dr. Paul Offit's "Deadly Threats: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All"?

Mia was not meant to have autism. She was not born with autism. We vaccinated her into autism. Period. And I will fight for vaccine SAFETY until I die. Demanding safety is NOT anti-vaccine. FYI. Read my book to find out more. http://www.kimstagliano.com/. I explain how Dr. Offit (who has new book out by the title in my headline) holds the vaccine patent for a Merck vaccine - RotaTeq, that is now on the pediatric vax schedule. He makes money every time a child gets his shot. Have you ever heard of RotaVirus? Does it strike fear into your heart? I doubt it, since you probably live in the first world and have clean water and anti-biotics and medical care and Pedialyte.

Why is his vax on the schedule? Well the CDC under Dr. Julie Gerberding approved it. And where is Dr. Gerberding now? Oh, she's the head of the Merck Vaccine Division. And Merck sells RotaTeq, Dr. Offit's shot. Nifty.

All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa?
The 11:11 Angels will Help

Happy New Year, friends! It's 1/1/11 - eleven is the Angel's Number. It's all very new agey, Indigo Child-ey (I have two Indigos and a Crystal by the way) but darn if it doesn't ring true.

11:11 on the clock means an angel is watching over you. I used to see 11:11 all the time as a kid. It disappeared when we lived in Ohio and I forgot about it. That's when the Handle part of my book title started to become unhandleable (I think I made that word up.)

A good friend, our Chiropractor, had a cancer scare - and emergency surgery. We were heartbroken to think he might have a very serious illness. He had taken such good care of Mia, he was more than a doctor to us, he and his family were dear to us. I was driving on Hines Hill Road, next to the old "Bad Boy School" which has since closed when I saw 11:11am for the first time in years. And instantly, a voice said to me, "He's OK. Trust us. He's OK." Later that day, I got the call his tumor was benign, removed and he was indeed, OK.

Cherish your 11:11 moments. Keep your eyes out for your angels. Remember how mine got me safely out of the house when the robbers broke in last Spring? That was a real voice that spoke to me. They exist for all of us, makes no matter religion. In fact, I'd dare say religion holds them back, boxes them in. Just let yourself welcome them. They are the energy of love and protection for all.

Happy New Year.

All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa by Kim Stagliano and "The Day is Done" As Autism Ages

I wrote this post for www.thedebutanteball.com. Each week we write on a particular topic. This week was quotes we favor. I hope you'll mark The Deb Ball in your favorites.

I have many quotes I adore. Some poignant, others not so - like Lewis Carroll's gibberish poem Jabberwocky - "Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.." But one stanza of a certain poem sticks with me. My Dad is 88 years old. He was born in "nineteen hundred and twenty two," as he says, in his Boston accent. His memory is still keen. And although day to day he might forget something (don't we all) he recalls dozens of poems learned as a boy in school. Longfellow's "The Day is Done" is one of his favorites. And I know that one day in the future (distant or near) my sister or brother or I will recite it at his funeral. That will be a sad but fine tribute to a good father.

As a mother who struggles with the reality of having children with autism, whom one day I will have to leave behind in a world that may or may not care for them properly, this stanza has a sharper meaning. In fact, for me, it's really a prayer. Sure, I'm a Catholic and I have all the "proper" prayers at my disposal. But this stanza speaks to the yearning ache and daily hope for treatment, recovery, cure I feel every day when I look at my girls, and wonder how, how on earth (or in heaven), can I ever leave them? It speaks to a time of hope when I will not have to worry, and I love that.

And the night shall be filled with music

And the cares, that infest the day,

Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,

And as silently steal away.

Kim Stagliano Meets BOB from Sesame Street - and Bursts into Tears!

I wrote this post for The Debutante Ball today. Our theme was balance. Hope you like it.

Balance and I parted ways many years ago. I don't miss the illusory term, as if I can neatly compartmentalize my life into properly weighted boxes that hold my emotions, family responsibilities, work role, mythical "me time" and of course charity work. (Kidding on that part.) Our household is incapabable of balance because autism times three has made it that way. Now, does that mean we're topsy turvy upside down 24/7? Not at all. We have a lovely life. But picture a ship at sea. In time the sailors begin to ignore the swells and the yawing of the ship. When they are back on land, they need to readjust. Same for us, except there's no dry land in sight. Also OK.

So what helps me stay sane? High points. Moments in time where we sing and rejoice and something wonderful, even if it's fleeting, happens to us. It could be one of the girls using a new sign to communicate. Or acing a spelling test. Or greeting me appropriately at the door. Or it could be this:



That's Bob McGrath, whom you know as Bob from Sesame Street. I was at a book event in NYC, and afterward my husband and agent and I went across the street for dinner at a lovely restaurant called The Crooked Knife. As we were seated, the entertainment was just packing up. Our booth was right next to their equipment and we struck up a conversation, natch, with the two men who call themselves The Dueling Fiddlers. Adam DeGraff gave us a CD. Kim Stagliano gave Adam a signed book. Adam told us that "The Sesame Street execs are here having dinner." My eyebrows shot up faster than Bert's unibrow at a shiny bottlecap collection. We are a Sesame Street family. I watched the first show in 1969. My 40 year old brother grew up on it. And my girls still watch every single day, well into their teens.

I sat down at our table and tried to quell my excitement, after all, I don't know any of the "execs." Then a gentleman turned at the table and I whispered, "Oh, it's BOB!" Yup. Bob McGrath, Bob "Who are the people in your neighborhood," McGrath was feet away from me.

Time for some balance... I asked Adam, "Could I meet him for just a moment?"

Bob agreed and I walked over to their table and promptly burst into tears, "You're B-b-b-bob! You have no idea what you've meant to my family." He was charming and genuinely touched. Everyone at the table had that, "aaaawwww look at the nice crazy woman," face on.

Make your own balance. Don't wait for it. Even when you're walking on Jello - you can find balance and happiness. And it all else fails, turn on Channel 13: Sesame Street.

Kim Stagliano on Good Morning Texas for All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa

This interview was a blast - Rob McCollom is a scream - puts you right at ease.He'd obviously done his homework with the book and I won't tell you what he said to me before we went on air... Oh hell, of course I will! He'd heard I was surprised the male host was interviewing me instead of the usual female/mommy host. I was happy and surprised. So he said, "I'm sorry I have a penis." HA! My Howard Stern chapter clearly influenced him. I love that. He did such a good job the producer gave him some extra time with me, which is the TV equivalent of Johnny Carson inviting a stand up to sit on the chair after his act. I was thrilled. Check out the very end of the interview and tell me what you hear in the comments.

Kim Stagliano Signs All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa in Dallas on 12/2 Join me at the Border's Lovers Lane at 5500 Greenville Avenue in Dallas on Thursday night at 7pm for a signing followed by drinks and wings at Pluckers next door! This is the Dallas autism mom group from my Drink Pink party at the NAA conference early this month. They are an amazing group of beautiful Moms (and the Dads rock too) and I can't wait to meet them all. I have an invite page at FB if you care to use it: HERE.

Happy Thanksgiving. Eat "All You Can Handle!"
Thank you to everyone who has bought and enjoyed my book (and even to you one star reviewer.) The book is now on "KIMdle" as an ebook at Amazon! I hope you'll consider giving a gift copy to friends or family. Purchase a pretty pink copy HERE. Ask for the book at your local retailer - it's usually on the parenting shelf (ugh!) but you can moooveee it! :)

Send me your address and I'll send you a personalized bookplate for the gift. KimStagliano@gmail.

Review on The Adoption of Jane Blog for All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa

I'm blown away by the wonderful response to my book from parents within the autism community, and people who do not have a child on the spectrum. They are laughing, crying, learning and laughing again - which is just what I'd hoped (dared?) to accomplish with this book. I met Jane through the blogosphere. She offered to read and review my book. Her final review is the first to make me cry. Could I possibly have struck a chord this deep in a stranger - who is now a friend? Thank you Jane. Here's a preview, but please pop into her blog HERE to leave a comment.

Last week I read the amazing book, All I can Handle: I'm No Mother Theresa. This book is written by Kim Rossi Stagliano. Her story includes raising three daughters on the Autism Spectrum, fighting for Services, going back to work after being a stay at home mom, going through her husband's layoff's, moving and relocating constantly, and telling it all with a sense of humor!

Kim Rossi Stagliano is an amazing mother, wife, and writer. She writes from the soul and parents her daughters from the heart. She is the type of writer you know, that if you knew her, she would definitely be your best friend. Regardless what side of the Autism debate you are on, regardless if you have a child on the spectrum, regardless if you even have a child. She would definitely be a dear friend for life. There is a part in her book where she describes her relationship with her good friend Susan. They are both on the opposite sides of the Autism debate. Kim describes it as her being "Team Curebie" and her friend being "Team NeuroDiversity". She explains their mutual respect for each other and to me, that is priceless. If our whole community could be that way, how awesome would that be? I find it beautifully ironic that her book release date was the day of The Communication Shutdown and Speak Out. Makes me want to scream... OMG! Only Kim's book would have that coincidence!!!

Her relationship with her family is touching. I really enjoy how she talks about her daughters. I feel as if I went through each and every step with her. Her story is so honestly written it had me laughing, crying, laughing, crying, and laughing some more! I respect Kim's ability to be so truthful.. she speaks of experiences most have had but wouldn't dare say out loud. Such as, losing your child in a public place, potty training mishaps, and marriage. Another thing I truly enjoyed about this book is how she added the family pictures in the middle. Absolutely Stunning family. Kim and her husband are a handsome couple. And her daughters... breathtakingly beautiful! Mia, Gianna, and Bella will warm your heart. What is truly interesting is that through this book, the story, and the pictures, you will feel these little girls emotions and begin to understand what living life with Autism is like. To be able to connect with a child on the Spectrum is a hard task. To be able to connect with a child on the Spectrum through their mothers written words... absolutely brilliant writing Kim Rossi Stagliano, absolutely brilliant!

Casting for All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa

Can't hurt to send out a casting call, can it? LOL! I have Mark covered. As you can see. And hey, why not ask Jenny to play me? Stop laughing. (I can't.)

Review: All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa from OUTSIDE the autism parenting world

Writer Tawna Fenske wrote this review at The Debutante Ball today and I love it. All of my fellow Debs reviews have struck me in the unique message each has taken from the book. Tawna has captured what I'm wishing for the book - people outside the autism and parenting community will read and love the book. Check out Tawna's site HERE.

Thanks! KIM

Can I confess something? I didn’t expect to like Deb Kim’s book about raising three daughters with autism. I don’t have kids. I don’t know many people with kids, and I don’t tend to like books about kids. I do not know anyone personally impacted by autism. All the cards were stacked against this book when it came my turn to read. Yet I devoured it – seriously, DEVOURED it – in one sitting. This book is heartfelt. It’s honest. It’s not preachy or overly clinical.

But most importantly – at least in my eyes – this book is funny. Laugh out loud, fall on the floor, pee your pants FUNNY.

I write romantic comedy, so it’s probably no surprise to hear I like to laugh. But the true art in writing any sort of humor is the ability to find the funny in situations that most people think shouldn't be funny at all.

Kim covers topics from vaccinations to abortion to poop mishaps to unemployment to all the ups and downs of having three – count ‘em, THREE – daughters with autism, and she does it with grace, wit, and delightful humor.

I loved this book. I learned from this book. I laughed and cried all the way through this book.So if you’re one of those readers like me who looks at the title and thinks, “I’m not sure I’d like that,” allow me to say you’re probably wrong. I certainly was. And I’ve never laughed so hard about it.

Have you ever fallen in love with a book you didn’t expect to enjoy? Please share. And please go buy Deb Kim’s All I Can Handle; I’m No Mother Teresa: A Life Raising Three Daughters With Autism. I promise you won’t regret it.

All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa by Kim Stagliano Launches Today!

Thanks so much for your support.

www.kimstagliano.com for more info and to well, buy the book! Amazon, B&N, local retailer - your choice!

Autism Communication Shutdown Day

Out of respect and love for people with autism who struggle to communicate, I am participating in the Communication Shutdown Day today. No Facebook, no Twitter, no blogging. To participate, get the CHAPP (charity app) HERE.

See you tomorrow.

Join Kim Stagliano for a book launch party at the National Autism Association Conference!

All treat, no tricks! The good folks at NAA have graciously allowed me to borrow an hour in their jam packed National Autism Association Conference schedule for a book launch party for All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa.

Please join me for pink punch (alcohol and virgin) and hors d'oeuvres on the Sea Breeze Terrace at The Tradewinds Resort on Friday night, 11/12 from 5:30 - 6:30pm. A bookseller will be on premise and I'll be happy to sign book(s) for you during the event.

The event is between NAA sessions, so you won't miss a beat in the schedule. Please RSVP (we don't want to run out of drinks!) at FaceBook (HERE) if you can, or leave a comment on this post if you're not on FB.

I have other events posted at FB and on my website at www.kimstagliano.com.

Many of you have already read the book and the response has been amazing. Heck, even my parents are still talking to me! Check out the reviews at Amazon - and thanks to those of you who have left them. They are really important to an author.

If you have ordered the book and would like a signed bookplate, send me your receipt at KimStagliano@gmail.com and I'll be happy to mail you one, or two, or three!

The Age of Autism by Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill on the Barnes & Noble "Thought Provoking" Table

Did you hear that girlish scream coming out of the Barnes & Noble in Milford, CT? That was me as I spied The Age of Autism by my colleagues Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill on the "Thought Provoking" table. I also made a really interesting new friend there - former top exec of a major autism org. A charming man with an adult son. It's interesting how the planets and stars line up sometimes.

Congrats, Dan and Mark. And if you haven't bought the book, please ask your local retailer, go online or click HERE.

President Obama: Will You Stop the Autism Epidemic?


I made this sign last night at the Fairfield County Democratic HQ. The President is visiting Bridgeport this weekend to support Jim Himes, who has been very attentive to autism. President Obama has been catastrophic for people affected by severe autism. His admin has pushed mercury laden vaccines on Americans, appointed only one POV to a major National council, ignored the growing numbers. That said, John McCain has done nothing for us either - despite his milking the community during his campaign.

I hope President Obama will see the light - which is actually a whole lot of darkness.

SHUT DOWN FOR AUTISM!

November 1 is my book's launch day. I'm supposed to be all over FB, Twitter, you name it promoting promoting promoting. But I won't be. I'll be silent - out of respect for and to learn how it feels for so many people with AUTISM. Join me? Make a small donation and shut down for the day. My book sales will survive. I will survive. And people with autism will have a world with a bit more understanding.

Happy Anniversary, Mark!

Mark and I were married 19 years ago today. This excerpt seemed appropriate in an inappropriate way.

"I flounced into the grill room and saw Mark sitting at the bar. I grabbed his arm and said, "Come outside with me right now!" The guys at the bar looked aghast. We stood in front of the clubhouse, and I announced to Mark, "I spend all of my time with the kids. You're always here. I'm thirty eight years old and I AM LONELY! I don't love you anymore and I want a divorce. I was not using my indoor voice."

Kim Stagliano's GF Bisquick vs. GF King Arthur Flour Pancake Mix Showdown

This weekend I decided to test two new gluten free pancake mixes. Bisquick, from General Mills, the Betty Crocker people who launched several GF mixes under the BC name last year, and King Arthur Flour's new mix, which is also part of an extensive brand line of GF products. I made both mixes using So Delicious coconut milk, organic free range eggs and vegetable oil. Read on!

OK, I mixed the batters and noticed that the Bisquick is much thicker and lighter in color. The KAF is a darker color and thinner.
On the griddle - the Bisquick pancake puffed up and bubbled fairly quickly. It remained pale in color even when the center was cooked. The KAF pancake took a bit longer to cook and browned to a classic golden diner color.
On the plate - you can see that the Bisquick pancake (bottom of dish) is yellow golden while the KAF is golden brown.
Ah, cutting the pancakes open. The Bisquick pancake on left has an amazing melt in your mouth consistency. It's thick, fluffy and completely delicious - you would never know this is a GF pancake. It's fantastic. No off taste, no grittiness. Just a perfect pancake. The KAF on the right is a drop dead ringer for your favorite restaurant's pancakes. It's thin and super springy inside. No funky taste and no grit at all either. The KAF pancake was to die for in terms of taste.
On the plate you can see the color and thickness difference. Remember to use real maple syrup and never that fake corn syrup crap, OK? I like Mrs. Butterworth as an ad icon, but really, a good pancake requires real maple syrup. Sorry Aunt Jemima and Vermont Maid too.
Now for the differences in grading. We have two scrumptious pancakes so far. The KAF offers 15 ounces per box. It costs $6.95 for the box. The box is larger than the Bisquick box, which is misleading as it contains less product. The packaging is attractive - but they could save a lot of trees by scaling back the box size - and have more product on the shelf.
The Bisquick has 16 ounces per box. The box is smaller than the KAF box, despite the fact that it has an extra ounce of product in it. It costs $3.99 for the box at my local store but can cost as much $5.98. That's a pretty big price difference from the KAF, especially for an extra ounce of product. Both boxes are small - by the way - a trick of all GF products so you don't faint at the price.
So what are you paying for? Here's where KAF moves ahead of Bisquick in my mind - the ingredients. Bisquick uses rice flour (that's why the product is so pale) and modified potato starch (ix-nay on the odified-may) and worse, aluminum baking powder. Damn. I made the biscuit recipe and let me tell you, they are just delicious too - which bums me out completely since I hate using anything with aluminum baking powder. People who are GF are likely to be health conscious - so I suggest to General Mills (who I'm sure is listening to a lady in CT) to use another baking powder.
King Arthur Flour uses whole grain brown rice - a healthier choice than the plain rice flour found in Bisquick and a non aluminum baking powder. Their potato starch does not say modified. Three wins for our friends in Vermont.

RESULTS: Both mixes make outstanding gluten free pancakes.

The Bisquick wins for mouth feel in my opinion, because I love a fat, fluffy melt in your mouth pancake. Bisquick also wins for price and more environmental packaging. And the mix makes kick ass biscuits which has been a wonderful addition to our dinner table.

The Bisquick loses for quality of ingredients.

The King Arthur Flour wins for making a perfect diner style thin springy pancake and for its ingredients.

KAF loses on price and packaging. You can not make biscuits with the mix. I tried. Big time fail. I ended up with baked pancakes.

Buy the mix that makes your favorite style pancake and that meets your budget. I'll buy both from time to time. I'm am completely OVER mixing my own flours and hoping I don't get a gelatinous beany kids-won't-eat-it result.

Thank you to General Mills and King Arthur Flour alike for meeting a huge market need.

CODE If You Are Blogging Kim Stagliano's Book Launch

Hi - many of you have kindly offered to blog my book and/or run a contest or write about the book for your Yahoo group, website or local organization. I put the code for all of the verbiage and the cover art below into a link HERE. Blogger keeps turning it into HTML on me so I popped it into a post at AofA - easy for you to copy and paste into your HTML mode at your site or blog. I can't thank you enough. Feel free to tweak it and make it your own and use the parts you need or want.

Launch day is 11/1 (All Saint's Day ha ha!), so anytime during the first week on November would be really helpful. Email me at KimStagliano@gmail.com if you have any questions.

How one woman raises three daughters with autism, loses one at Disney World, stays married, has sex, bakes gluten-free, goes broke, and keeps her sense of humor. "Dr. Spock? Check. Penelope Ann Leach (remember her?)? Check. What to Expect When You’re Expecting? Check. I had a seven hundred dollar Bellini crib for God’s sake!"

...and so begins Kim Stagliano’s electrifying and hilarious memoir of her family’s journey raising three daughters with autism. In these stories, Stagliano has joined the ranks of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs with her amazing ability to lay everything on the table—from family, friends, and enemies to basement floods to birthdays to (possible) heroin addictions—eviscerating and celebrating the absurd. From her love of Howard Stern to her increasing activism in the autism community and exhaustive search for treatments that will help her daughters, she covers it all. Always outspoken, often touching, and sometimes heartbreaking, Kim Stagliano is a powerful new voice in comedic writing—her “Kimoir” (as she calls it) will be a must-read within the autism community and the literary world at large. 24 color photographs

BIO: Hi, I'm Kim Stagliano, wife, Mom, writer, tired. My husband and I have three gorgeous girls - who have autism. Kind of impossible, considering autism affects boys 4:1 over girls. Mark and I have learned that impossible is often inescapable though. My book is humorous look at a life that has been anything but ordinary or easy - and yet is full of laughter, joy and love. I promise, you won't need a Prozac to read it. :)

I'm available for Skype bookclub appearances and would love to learn about your story. Email me at kimstagliano@gmail.com. I'll be happy to send you a free signed bookplate to pop into your copy if you'll email me your receipt. Check out my website at Kim Stagliano for more info. Thanks!

I encourage you to support your local independent bookseller.

Amazon: Amazon

Barnes and Noble: Barnes and Noble

Borders: Border's

Brazil Celebrates Kim Stagliano's All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa

I'm going to hell, aren't I?

Kim Stagliano on CafeMom's The Stir: Halloween and Autism

Thanks to Julie Ryan Evans for asking me some questions about what's Halloween like when you have a child on the spectrum. Please pop over to her blog The Stir at CafeMom to leave your own suggestions and thoughts, won't you? The photo is a costume I made for Bella in Kindergarten. She was Leo the Late Bloomer whose first words are, "I made it!" Here's to hope friends, and lots of candy for Mom and Dad on Halloween! Thanks. KIM

By Julie Ryan Evans

Halloween can be frightening and hard to explain to any child. Talk of ghosts and witches, scary masks, and grave stones in the neighbor's yard can prompt plenty of nightmares.

For children with autism, however, it can be particularly challenging to celebrate the holiday with all the new rules (yes, you can actually knock on someone's door and ask for candy) and nuances it brings.

Kim Stagliano, author of the new book All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa, is the mother of three girls who have autism. I talked with her about her experiences with them and Halloween over the years and what other people can do to make the holiday a little less frightening and more enjoyable for children with autism and their families.

What challenges do children with autism face when it comes to Halloween?

Oh, where to begin? Well, Halloween is inherently abstract, and that can be difficult for some kids on the spectrum. It's hard to separate the illusion of costumes from reality. The concept of not going into a house after ringing the doorbell was tough too -- 364 days a year you go to a door, ring the bell, and walk in, and here you have this one night where everyone is out and yet you can't walk into the house? It confused my oldest daughter especially.

Any anecdotes or examples from your own family?

Read the full post and comment with your Halloween stories at The Stir at CafeMom.

When Life Was a Piece of Cake

Here's today's book excerpt as I countdown to launch day on 11/1. You can pre-order the book now (Choose your retailer here) or order on 11/1, which would be helpful as I sit glued to my Amazon rank for the day. You know I will. I know I will. Let's not pretend otherwise, shall we?

"We were living in Doylestown in the heart of beautiful Bucks County, and our life was comfortable and secure. I was now thirty-four years old with two pretty girls and a handsome husband who looked dapper as he left for work each morning. My girls had playdates, and I shopped in specialty stores that did not have the word "consignment" in their name."

The Road Less Traveled (For a Reason)

From my book, All I Can Handle I'm No Mother Teresa which debuts 11/1. I'm running a launch day count down with excerpts.

Pretty flowers," she said as I maneuvered the basket of flowers in the overhead bin... Were you in a wedding?" I nodded, "I got married on Saturday." The meddling matron looked horrified. Seat 7B was vacant. Where was my new husband? "Oh, honey,' she must have thought to herself. 'You two don't stand a chance..."

Countdown to my Book Launch

We're one month away from the debut of my book. Here's a secret, please don't tell anyone: I'm scared sh*tless about the reception I'll get. Every author expresses pre-launch jitters. But when you write fiction or someone else's story, at least you have a firewall to shelter you. With my book it's me, myself, I and my family standing on the front lines.

What. Was. I. Thinking?

I'm sure the clammy underarms, jitter-filled stomach and bug-eyed stare will subside (well, the eyes won't, I'm always looking like Marty Feldman's long lost niece) in time.

I'm going to run a super-brief excerpt throughout the countdown to launch day. In part for you, my bloggy buddies and hopefully folks who will buy the book. (Purchase info here.) In part for me, because death by a thousand excerpts is sure to make me feel better, right? Here goes:

"When I agreed to Marry Mark, little did I know that I'd shifted my life from Plan A to Plan X (as in X-Files) without having the slightest clue of how different my life would be compared to what I then considered normal."

Gearing Up For Blog City

I'm getting close to my launch date of 11/1. Scared you-know-whatless! I'll be blogging promotions and asking for your help too. In the meantime, I'm revving on the redline (listen to the song in this muscle car video) and still dreaming of my very own Camaro. So buy 100 books each, OK? I promise I'll give you a ride before I pull out all of the seats.

Love, KIM

Only Heart Could Cover Led Zeppelin Like This.

I've been looking for this YouTube for a long time. It's a gorgeous rendition. Girl power.

Peace World.

They're Baaaacccckkkkkk!

Remeber my post last Fall, "Williams-Sonoma, Are you Kidding With the $100 Cake?" Last Fall I made my own version of the ghost cake, mini sized - adorable, tiny, fun and about 90% less expensive. (See below.) I love W-S, but some of the prices? Oy vey!

My Fall catalogs are starting to arrive each day. I love looking at catalogs and buy most of our clothes, books, and even some of our food online. I haven't ordered on paper in years, or even by phone. But I still love to look at catalogs. Especially at bedtime. Not always so bright, since my favorites are laden with treats.

My favorite is Vermont Country Store which has so many retro and useful items. Although like most catalogs, the items are often extremely expensive. But who doesn't want to fork over some cash for a bottle of "Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific" shampoo?

So... Yesterday the Marie Antoinette of catalogs, Williams Sonoma arrived, laden with gorgeous Fall treats. Including three items near and dear to my heart. CAKES. Fondant covered, decorated cakes. Joy!

This darling pumpkin is 5.5 inches in diameter and 5'5 inches tall. In my world, that's an oversized cupcake. Go ahead, measure 5.5 inches (think of your last boyfriend, perhaps, it ain't much.) The cake costs $99 plus $16.50 to ship it! The copy says it feeds 8-10 people. Ha!! It wouldn' feed 8-10 toddlers.

Come on... We've all watched enough episodes of Ace of Cakes and Cake Boss (my favorite, the paisan from Jersey with his loud famiglia) to understand how labor intensive cake creation can be. Ace of Cakes starts at $1000 a cake. Cake Boss cakes run $12+ per slice. Worth every penny.

These three cakes Williams Sonoma are pretty simple. Extremely simple, actually. Look at the ghost - one piece of draped fondant with three cut outs on the face costs $89? The witches hat is $99. Teeth stains included with all that black fondant.

So, can anyone lend me $282.00?

Come Dance At The Debutante Ball Writer's Blog!

This week lauched the 2011 season for The Debutante Ball, a group ball for Debut authors. Please stop by and add us to your favorites. I am the Wednesday Debutante and look forward to seeing you there!

The Debutante Ball