Si, Se Puede--Yes, you can!

I'm excited to be a part of A SHIMMER OF ANGELS Virtual Blog Tour   ABOUT A SHIMMER OF ANGELS: Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it. Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it’s more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing? Author of THE IRON WITCH, Karen Mahoney, says, “A SHIMMER OF ANGELS has a courageous heroine who finds herself in the middle of two gorgeous angels, a fascinating world, and a story that builds to an exciting climax - I'll be looking forward to more from Lisa M. Basso!" ABOUT LISA M. BASSO Lisa M. Basso

Authors Corner with Elaine Raco Chase 01/24 by Triangle Variety Radio | Blog Talk Radio Scroll down to 144:0 to hear me speak about my three YA books: CROSSED OUT, EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA, and soon to be published, NO GODDESSES ALLOWED.

1. Yesterday was my birthday!  Can't believe I actually am as old as I am.  I still remember when I thought my age was ANCIENT.  LOL.  Now I'm thinking I'm the new 30. And yes I went and got myself a Mocha Joe cupcake from the cupcake shop called FROSTINGS here in Lake Forest.  Very nommy! 2. Also got more books!  Thought I'd share! Loved the first book in the series: PARTIALS Loved TEMPEST and was really excited to get the next book. This is a really good time-travel tale. Can't wait to read this YA horror story! 3. Reading SHADES OF EARTH: Beth was in my critique group and I was able to read the first chapter or two of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE before it hit the big times.  Let's just say the beginning of this third book in the series starts off in typical Revis fashion: edge of your set suspense and tension.  LOVE IT! 4. Finished reading this one: Really loved this YA

1. It's been really cold here in Southern California.  Earlier this week it dropped into the 20s at night, which is freezing for us!  The cold wave broke on Thursday!  Yay! 2. Finished reading: This is one nail biting tale that had me squirming in my chair!  Think Hunger Games meets Vamps. YA Books Central review coming soon! 3. Now reading: This is the graphic novel story of two families that live through the chaos and turmoil of a nation being born.    It's very intense and doesn't flinch at some hard truths of what happened. YA Books Central review coming soon! 4. Decided to watch The Carrie Diaries and was taken back to the 80s.  This is the prequel to Sex in the City when Carrie is 16 years old.  In 1984 this was a turning point for her.  It also was a turning point for me as it was the year I finally moved out and went away to college.  The sense of awe, innocence, and excitement resonated with the young me.  And oh the parti

1. Well, I finally agreed it's time to get a new car.  I've been driving around my 91 Toyota Pickup truck since, uh, 1991.  I bought it new at the Toyota Roland Heights Center.  My father-in-law went with me and helped me decide which one to get.  There's 180,000 miles on it.  When I purchased it I was a new bilingual teacher commuting into LA every day and also a grad student at CSUF.  We'd just purchased our first home  when the economy tanked.  This truck has been with me through two different teaching jobs, infertility treatments, an adoption, trips to Utah and Sacramento, a funeral, and soccer games.   So it's kind of bittersweet finally giving this truck up.  Either today or tomorrow I'll be visiting another Toyota dealership to pick another truck.  Hopefully this one will last just as long so I can  give to son when he's 16. 2. Books! FALLING FOR YOU. My YABC review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/13965-falling-for-you Teaser

Last night I listened to former Az Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband's announcement.  If you remember she was shot in the head and survived.  Others though weren't so lucky. Here's their announcement: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/gabrielle-giffords_n_2430779.html I kept nodding my head throughout this interview.  Yes, I understand and also I agree with them. I'm all for preventive measures.  Like Gabby said, "Enough."

1. Got back on the writing wagon after falling off during the holiday break.  So far making my one revision chapter goal.  Also making the other goal of attending more writing conferences.  Signed up to attend former writing mentor's class on the 19th. http://occrwa.org/workshop_Genius-Plotting.html Here's a teaser: The mysterious, magical worlds of plotting and character arc merge in this intensive,  hands-on seminar by award-winning writing instructor and best-selling author  Louella Nelson.   In this workshop, new and seasoned writers come away with a  dramatic plan for a current or  future project—a completed, dovetailed plot and  character arc that’s a blueprint for writing the book. Learn how to — craft the novel’s major storyline develop subplots determine key elements in world-building select a story goal **So far loving my RWA membership.  Now my SCBWI one is another story... 2. Was able to stay up to ring in the new year with

There were a lot of amazing YA fantasy/Sci-books out there in 2012.  In fact, 205 of them were nominated for the Cybils. It really was hard to come to a decision of which of those 205 were the top of the batch.  There were six others on my panel, who also read and helped to whittle this list down to 7.  So there had to be some books that didn't make the top list.  I wanted to share some of these 'finds' with everyone. 1. THE LOST GIRL I totally loved this story!  The voice of an 'Echo', someone who is the clone of another person, felt authentic and very real with the emotions/struggles she felt knowing she was basically not recognized for who she really was. 2. THE HALLOWED ONES Another book I totally loved.  This one takes an unlikely premise of an Amish girl and mixes it with the hellish future world of vampires which actually works.  What stood out to me was how the protagonist questions not only her faith but her religion(in this