We Are All The Same Inside - The Blog

Press Release Audible to Publish Timothy Bellavia’s WE ARE ALL THE SAME INSIDE ® series for the First Time as a Digital Audio Books New York, NY (October 7, 2014) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Audible announced today— that they have acquired world rights to the digital audio of Bellavia’s beloved classic We Are All The Same Inside ® children’s book series. "I'm a throw-back. I love analog and traditionally published books," says Bellavia "But I must get with the times. This is We Are All The Same Inside® for a new digital and accepting generation." Originally published on May 23, 2000, by the T.I.M.M.-E Company, Inc.- a boutique press which eventually partnered with amazon, this Christopher Award nominated children’s series has sold in English worldwide, been translated into both Spanish and French, and continues to sell and reach new fans each year. Now, for the first time ever, the We Are All The Same Inside® series will be available as digital audio-books with extra exclusive content, narrated by noted voice–over talent Alan Caudle. The digital audio will be released worldwide exclusively through Audible, iTunes and amazon on October 21, 2014, to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the book's original publication and acclaimed doll-making workshop. "Narrating and producing these children’s books has been pure joy. Since they are so well-written by a respected educator, these volumes will capture children's attention while teaching them the importance of realizing that we are essentially all the same inside“ says Alan Caudle. "Timothy Bellavia has indeed written books that will quickly become classics. They deserve to be in every home and classroom library." ABOUT WE ARE ALL THE SAME INSIDE® Founded in 2000 by Timothy Bellavia. The company’s first publication earned a Christopher Award nomination, and an opportunity to present the We Are All The Same Inside ® - Sage doll-making workshop curriculum on the International Day of Tolerance at the United Nations. In 2004, the New York City Department of Education awarded Mr. Bellavia's T.I.M.M.E. Company a contract. Over the past decade, The T.I.M.M.-E. Co. Inc. has collaborated with several non-profit organizations including: Sesame Workshop, Core Knowledge, Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation, Girl Scouts, LEAP (Learning through an Expanded Arts Program), Hip Hop H.E.A.L.S., Light of Love Foundation, Mama Mae and Lee Lee, We Are Family Foundation, Single Parent Resource Center, NYC Cultural Affairs, Project Aspire, among others. You can visit the We Are All The Same Inside - Sage doll-making workshop / TIMM-E Publishing online at: http://www.weareallthesameinside.com

Pleased to announce that later this month five of We Are All The Same Inside ® children's book titles will be exclusively available as audio books through ITunes, amazon.com and Audible. Special thanks to Ashok Rajamani and my graphic design life supporters Kristin Ward, Rich at RJT Designs and Sibyl RS ... and most of all Alan Caudle for your "voice over" magic!

Recently I was in attendance at the #artRAVE in New York’s Madison Square Garden featuring none other than Lady Ga Ga and minions of little monsters. It was dreamlike. Each fan was dressed in various ways to pay tribute to their own success and uniqueness. It is without question Ga Ga and her little monsters (as she calls her fans) need each other. She has created her very own planet where she can exist and have an exchange between herself and her high paying and loyal fans. Hardly the aloof diva of days of yore, Lady Ga Ga’s is unquestionably present for her audience. As the show progressed and the costumes got more outrageous I thought of my own fascination as a middle aged monster. Suddenly, I am 15 again and as Lady Ga Ga blew a kiss to the crowd and I catch it and hear Miss Diana Ross's echoes of "I love you all.” Here I stand aging in a sea of youthful little monsters and once again I believe, "It’s going to be all alright”. I threw away my troubles kept dancing so I didn’t have to feel the pain of life and the embraced fully the pursuits of peace and love. For me Ga Ga is one of a select few pop sensations who aggressively creates art, shouts-out words of hope and genuinely loves her public. It’s like a great escape for both parties. She includes and made all feel welcome to be themselves on her special theatrical stage that looks like it is from another world. Yet her humanity is down to earth and her stage banter is genuine, “I saw your post on twitter, girl” Ga Ga explains. My mind raced to when Diana Ross used to fearlessly dive out into her audience and reach out and touch her own fan base. In the midst of an economic crisis Lady Gaga creates songs of inspiration and self-affirmation for a new era depression. Even if it’s to the detriment of her own finances Ga Ga will follow her art. Be it her latest digital download or video Ga Ga’s little monsters (and my middle aged self) have embraced her hope and are inspired to create a universe that may not be as prosperous as our parents’ generation. .But until then we will be humming, dancing along in the hope that our dreams of art and peace will see us through to forever. Is peace possible? Is hope still alive? The dreamy platform created by the seemingly fearless Lady Ga Ga is the best of what humanity has to offer where all peoples on this very planet come together and celebrate. Until then, it is for certain that these little monsters will develop a strong sense of self and undeniable enthusiasm for living … or at least for their next Lady Ga Ga fix or tour.

I am excited to announce that I will be presenting at the 2014 National Conference on Bullying, the Nation's Premier event focused on reducing Bullying in Schools and Communities. The Conference is scheduled for FEB 26-28, 2014 at the Doubletree Hotel at Universal Studios Orlando, Florida. I am honored to have been chosen to be part of the instructional team for this educational opportunity. The session I will be presenting with Laraine Gaunt is entitled: The Words Remain Inside: Bullying Stops Here! The conference is co-hosted by the Florida Association of School Administrators, the Florida Association of School Resource Officers and SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere). I hope you can attend the conference as it draws from both educational and community organizations across the globe. For more information on this conference, go to www.schoolsafety911.org