Eleven year old Arden Baila -Book Signing Sold Out. Second Event Scheduled

14 November 2008, 9:09 pm

Eleven year old East Cobber Arden Baila asked her mom two years ago help her write a book that she thought girls her age would want to read. After many hours of writing and revisions, the eleven year old published her first book, Summer of the BFFs.

Arden’s first book signing at Borders sold out so she returning for a second event on Sunday, December 14th. "That's a really hard market to tap into," Borders general manager Mike Streetman says of the pre-teen readership set that "BFFs" is aimed at. Even the best adult authors can only write so many books," he said. “And it's from their perspective. It's not the same as being 11 or 12 years old."         

The book has sub-chapters within chapters, which help tell the story from the perspective of four ten year old girls who meet for the first time at summer camp. An editor advised Arden’s mother and co-author, Melissa Baila, that readers might be confused with the switching of characters and suggested that the book be re-written in third party view. But Arden stood her ground and did not allow the revisions to be made. "I wanted to write my book just like we watch TV," she says with the wisdom of exactly her years. "Kids, we flip from Disney Channel to Nickelodeon to ABC Family to movies. And we don't get confused."  

“Summer of the BFFs” is a fun, witty chapter book written in the perspective of four ten year old girls who meet for the first time at summer camp. At first, sparks fly as they struggle with their differences. But soon, they begin to tolerate each other as they learn to overcome food fights, smelly outhouses, bed bugs, and being lost in the woods. By the end of camp, they become BFFs - best friends forever.

“Summer of the BFFs” Book Signing
Sunday, December 14th  from noon until 2:00 p.m.
Borders at the Avenue in East Cobb
4475 Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30062
770.565.0947