A Writer Writes

SCBWI’s faaaaaabulous Fall Luncheon

October 17, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Uncategorized /by Silvia

A weekend away can seem like an extravagance, but sometimes it’s worth every penny.

I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut. I allowed myself time this summer to read, but as September rolled around, I felt a bit stymied with my writing. Months ago, I suspected I’d appreciate an in-person writing event come October, and wow, was I right. This weekend was g.l.o.r.i.o.u.s in so many ways.

Sunday was the SCBWI-Wisconsin Fall Luncheon, an event just a few hours long, in which writers meet up, enjoy a lunch, and hear a single speaker. Sara Schonfeld, editor at HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books proved to be an excellent speaker. More on this later.

Backing up, I decided to make a whole weekend of it. I booked a three-day stay at the hotel. The drive north was wonderful, all by itself. I think this is one of the most colorful Wisconsin autumns I’ve ever seen. Does that correlate with today’s early, first snowfall of the season? I have no idea, but the drive to Door County was stunning. Feast your eyes.

Wisconsin’s glorious fall colors (captured at a rest stop, don’t worry). 🙂

When I got to the hotel, my room was ready early, thank goodness, and I quickly settled in to write. Wow! I wrote like a person possessed. A change of scenery can induce that? You betcha. Mission accomplished by Day One.

Add, that my room was beautiful. Add, that I got a few hours socializing with great friends before the event even started. Add, that I learned to play pickle ball and, omg, it was so much fun! And add, our group’s first in-person event in three years. It was heavenly, this weekend. Truly.

A sailboat on Sturgeon Bay beside where we played pickle ball. We were having so much fun, we forgot to take a group picture!

Sara gave a well-presented, insightful talk on revising like an editor. No one could walk away without at least one (but likely many) new tactics to try when they get to that stage. I thoroughly enjoyed both her talk and getting to know her. She’s a delight.

Sara Schonfeld of Katherine Tegen Books and Deb Buschman, leader of SCBWI-Wisconsin (photo courtesy of author Sandy Brehl)

Here are a few more photos of the luncheon. Special thanks to Deb Buschman and all SCBWI volunteers for putting on an outstanding event.

photo shows attendees at the SCBWI-Wisconsin Fall Luncheon

The previous three photos are courtesy of author Sandy Brehl

photo shows Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, fall of 2022

Just outside the ballroom, the view of Sturgeon Bay

If you’re thinking that your creative endeavors could use a change a scenery, you may be right. I recommend giving it a try. I’m so grateful I did. 🙂

WWA Anthology is out!

October 7, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Uncategorized /by Silvia

I just added another title to the Books page of this website, and I’m thrilled that it contains my first published horror short story. Creepy short stories are definitely my bag. I love reading them. I love writing them. And I’m thrilled that my short story won an Honorable Mention in the Wisconsin Writers Association’s Jade Ring Contest and publication in its anthology.

This paperback is just $6.99 as of the date of this writing. That’s a bargain for 113 pages of original writing by Wisconsin creators, so order your copy here and support WWA and local authors!

*This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a few cents if you order through that link, at no charge to you.

What I’m reading – Other Terrors and Less is Lost

October 6, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Uncategorized /by Silvia

It’s fall, and, while I typically try to hunker down and get writing again when the colder winds start to blow, I’m still heavily reading, so here’s what I’m enjoying (with $affiliate links).

OTHER TERRORS; AN INCLUSIVE ANTHOLOGY. This is a collection of creepy tales from critically acclaimed, diverse authors with a broad spectrum of diverse and contemporary characters. These wonderfully inclusive and modern tales are not only riveting but also manage give a reader creepy crawly chills. Whooeee, some of these stories really strike a nerve, and others will leave you seeing circumstances in a whole new light. I especially loved the story Waste Not by Alma Katsu because, ooh, what a line it crosses; also, Idiot Girls by Jennifer McMahon and The Turning by Hailey Piper. Shivers and shakes. Highly recommended.

LESS IS LOST by Pulitzer Prize winning author Andrew Sean Greer. Its prequel, LESS, had me in stitches when I first read it in 2018, and I gave it five stars on Goodreads. I just reread it, and it still hilariously holds up. It’s the story of a struggling novelist who receives an invitation to his former lover’s wedding, and, rather than go, decides to accept every harebrained literary invitation he’s received, from places around the world, to escape. I’m only a few pages in to the sequel, and I can’t wait to see where Less takes us next.

What I’m Reading – Blackout; In the Wild Light; Less; and Aaron Slater, Illustrator

September 10, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Uncategorized /by Silvia

My sweet, affectionate cat Glyph enjoying “Aaron Slater, Illustrator”

I (and one of my cats) have been reading a lot lately. Like, a lot. I typically have a harder time writing in summer than other times of the year because, well, I want to be out enjoying summer, so this year I decided to mostly take a break from writing and instead catch up on reading, which I find easy to accomplish in the snatches of free time throughout the day.

So what have I been reading? Mostly young adult and picture books but also a classic as its sequel is coming out soon. Here are some of my noteworthy reads (with $affiliate links).

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, all critically acclaimed authors. This is a collection of contemporary, interlinking short stories set during a power outage in New York City. Warm and affirming, these Black love stories show characters in many stages of love and self-acceptance. It was a sweet read, and I loved loved loved walking through New York City with all of them. It reminded me of so many of my own walks and explorations when I lived and worked there in 2021 and 2022. Highly recommended.

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner. Admittedly, I’m still in the first chapter, but just the first paragraph tells me I’m going to like this. I’ve always like Jeff’s writing and had the pleasure of hosting him at a writing conference for SCBWI-Wisconsin, which I co-led for a few years. I got so engrossed reading another book of his, that I missed my train stop and ended up way uptown instead of down. It was no problem, but seriously, if it could make me not hear three announcements and stops, that’s good writing.

Pulitzer Prize winning Less by Andrew Sean Greer had me in stitches when I first read it in 2018, and I gave it five stars on Goodreads. It’s the story of a struggling novelist who receives an invitation to his former lover’s wedding, and, rather than go, decides to accept every harebrained literary invitation he’s received, from places around the world, to escape. I’m rereading this because, YAY!!!, its sequel is coming out in just ten days. Can’t wait to dive back into this world.

And finally, Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts, in which a young boy, struggling to keep up academically with his peers, finds his voice through illustration and shares his talents with all those he loves. Such an important book with a protagonist you care for and certainly are rooting for. It’s just an exquisite book. It also has impeccable rhyme. If you’re a writer looking for mentor texts of rhyming picture books, here’s a great one to add to your list.

Also, today I enjoyed my first pumpkin spice latte of the season during breakfast, as I was writing this. Yummy. My rite of passage each fall. I loved it. 🙂

Have you read any good books lately? Tell me in the comments!

Image shows a toasted bagel with butter and a Starbucks coffee drink enclosing a pumpkin spiced latte.

Breakfast!

A poem published!

June 1, 2022/in A Writer Writes, Personal /by Silvia

I recently mentioned renewing my membership to a local writing association. That gave me some encouragement, let me tell you, because I’ve spent the past month and half trying to get back into my writing groove. And it’s paid off! — Not just because something I wrote was published but because I’ve finally, Finally, FINALLY (!) been able to put some words to paper once more.

Like so many people around the world, the past two-years’-plus worth of U.S. and world events have been stunning and horrifying and enraging and exhausting and deflating and utterly stifling. So many people could barely function, much less work at their best levels. I was among them.

The tipping point for me was a personal loss, two cats, adorable sweet sisters, rescues, whom we had to re-home because they couldn’t get along with our resident cats. They were lovely on their own. But we weren’t on our own. So in the best interest of all, they found new homes. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t heartbroken. So I set pen to paper and wrote a poem, tears streaming down my face. Poetry isn’t my default genre, but I’ve dabbled, and it leant itself to this raw emotion. I submitted the poem to the Wisconsin Writers Association’s Creative Wisconsin magazine.

And then a week or so later, I used WWA again as inspiration to write another spooky short story. This one I submitted to their Jade Ring contest. I don’t typically write to submit to contests, but, once again, these are strange times. We take inspiration where we can get it. It can sometimes lead to something good.

Today the inaugural online Creative Wisconsin magazine has my poem within. I’m a published poet! How cool is that? And how wonderful is it that I may be starting to get my writing groove back. It’s jarring when you lose a bit of yourself. It’s joyous when it comes back.

To enjoy the magazine, click on the image below. My poem is on page 21.

June 2022 Creative Wisconsin magazine put out by the Wisconsin Writers Association

Creative Wisconsin magazine – June 2022

In-person events will come again

April 14, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News /by Silvia

The first weekend in April was reserved on my calendar to attend the Marvelous Midwest conference. This large gathering is on by six Midwestern chapters of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I was really looking forward to it. During the early planning of the event, I was co-leading the Wisconsin chapter, and I reached out to many of the planned faculty. As I had already stepped down from that role, I wasn’t privy to any decision-making after Sept 2021. However, we original organizers had hopes for an in-person event.

Alas, it was not to be. It was postponed due to rising COVID-19 cases to a yet-to-be-announced date. In-person events will come again. In truth, many are already happening, but event decisions need to made months in advance, and no one has a functioning crystal ball. Those who made their events in person rolled the dice one way. Others are rolling it another. If the pandemic’s taught us anything, it’s that it behooves us to be flexible. And so we have to accept this with understanding and grace.

In a separate act of support for creatives, I just renewed my membership with the Wisconsin Writers Association. I was on their board of directors last year before the big move to New York, and let me tell you, this organization has a lot of great things going on! I’m lucky to be connected to such groups. They really make this creative journey a pleasure.

The Haunted States of America

February 25, 2022/in A Writer Writes, In The News /by Silvia

Whoo hoo! A short story I wrote will represent Wisconsin in a middle grade horror anthology!

THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA will be published by Henry Holt/Macmillan. HH joined forces with the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators to feature 52 spooky short stories, one from each state plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. All stories are inspired by local events or myths and written by SCBWI members with a connection to the place. I created a spooky tale of South Milwaukee’s Seven Bridges, a beautiful but supposedly haunted place where I spent so, so many hours in my childhood. The pictures of it below show how lovely — and at times secluded — it is.

I’m guessing the book will come out in one to two years, which is the usual pace for book publishers. When it does come out, I’m hoping you’ll buy a copy and read all the creepy tales.

And isn’t life funny that I learned this news the same week that I left my job at Scholastic? haha. But book news is great, and I can’t wait to read about our Haunted States.

The entrance to South Milwaukee’s Seven Bridges

“Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature”

The Seven Bridges opening bridge, overlooking a deep gorge

The Seven Bridges’s opening bridge, overlooking a deep gorge

The drop, which is much steeper than this photo makes it appear

A brainchild grows up!

May 11, 2021/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News /by Silvia

In my last blog post, I mentioned how helpful it was during the pandemic to connect with people online. In mid-2020, when socially-distanced people were badly missing each other, I decided the SCBWI-Wisconsin region could benefit from connecting online just to hang out and chat, like we do at conference socials. It seemed to me that a lot of online meetups at the time revolved around some sort of educational programming, and I thought our members might want an unstructured way to hang out. We also had newly published members who were releasing books during a pandemic, not the ideal time to release, to be sure.

So I came up with the idea of “PAL New Release” meetups that, for a host of reasons, our PAL coordinators couldn’t implement until 2021, but, hey, they’ve been a HUGE success! And they’re something we’ll continue doing well after the pandemic has past.

The PAL New Release meetups allow our members to hear directly from PAL (Published and Listed) authors about their new books — and they can talk about anything! Like: How did the book come to be? How did you get your original idea? How did the manuscript change over drafts? How did your editor’s editorial advice fit in with your vision? What’s the word count? How did the publisher choose the illustrator for the book? Are you getting a say in your marketing plan? Anything they want to chat about!

The authors aren’t required to answer anything they don’t want to, and they can ask questions too. Maybe an author they admire is in the audience, and they can compare notes, with the rest of the participants gleaning from the talk. Oh, and the whole talk is preceded by a half hour of simple catch-up time. People can dip in whenever they want. It’s all very easy-going, very fun, and a great way to connect with fellow members who may live too far to ever meet outside of a conference. What a great way to connect us all!

For all the fatigue Zoom has given us, there are great ways to connect, and I’m happy this little brainchild has caught on. I hope it lives on forever.

SCBWI-WI PAL New Release meetup of February 24, 2021

Focusing on what I can control

May 10, 2021/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, Personal, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

One of the many ways I’ve dealt with the past year’s uncertainty is to focus on what I can control. A lot of people practice this all the time. It’s not revelatory because, let’s face it, there’s a lot outside our control, and to rage against that reality is a great way to drive yourself into the ground. But I think it’s safe to say that some people are better at settling themselves this way than others.

Don’t get me wrong. The “focusing on what I can control” mantra can be twisted into a kind of privilege that allows you to ignore anything that requires effort. Or it can allow you to wash your hands of responsibility. That’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about things like, oh, say, not festering over how the pandemic has upended our lives and canceled events and such.

First, we must acknowledge that inconveniences are nothing compared to what many have had to bear. The losses have been heartbreaking. And with that understanding, inconveniences are nothing. Nothing.

And yet, change stings. Life has been so different. Since March 2020, I’ve had to cancel five conferences or retreats that I’d planned for more than a year. But you know what? It was doable. We’ve all pivoted.

Earlier this month, I co-hosted a day-long, virtual SCBWI-Wisconsin conference that was originally planned to be in person at a favorite retreat center on 90 acres of beautiful woods and water. Couldn’t happen. But you know what I could control? Deciding early to pivot. Becoming proficient at Zoom. Guiding people on how to join us. Connecting with others, which is what so many people say they missed most over the past year.

I’m grateful to see friends in squares on my screen, as that was once science fiction. And I’m grateful for the vaccines, which have allowed us to see friends and family in person. Long past this pandemic, though, I’ll stick with the notion of focusing on what I can control. It’s a better use of my energies and helps me see what’s important.

I hope you enjoy these photos of the event. Be well.

Photo shows hosts and speakers of SCBWI-Wisconsin's Spring Studio virtual conference. Shown are webinar coordinator Joyce Uglow, co-regional advisors Silvia Acevedo and Deb Buschman, literary agent Christa Heschke, and author Stef Wade.

The start of SCBWI-Wisconsin’s Spring Studio virtual conference. Shown are webinar coordinator Joyce Uglow, co-regional advisors Silvia Acevedo and Deb Buschman, literary agent Christa Heschke, and author Stef Wade.

Photo shows co-host and speakers of SCBWI-Wisconsin's Spring Studio virtual conference. Shown are author and literary agent Zabé Ellor, host Silvia Acevedo, and editor Tiffany Shelton.

Literary agent Zabé Ellor, host Silvia Acevedo, and editor Tiffany Shelton.

Photo shows hosts of SCBWI-Wisconsin's Spring Studio virtual conference. Shown are co-regional advisors Silvia Acevedo and Deb Buschman.

Cohorts.

Photo shows host and speakers of SCBWI-Wisconsin's Spring Studio virtual conference. Shown are co-host Deb Buschman, author Stef Wade, and literary agent Christa Heschke.

Look at that great swag! A solar system poster that kids love.

Photo shows co-host Silvia Acevedo at the SCBWI-Wisconsin's Spring Studio virtual conference.

My computer really needs maaaany more stickers. 😉

Isolating in a time of nonstop isolation

December 13, 2020/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, News, Personal /by Silvia

Today I’m starting an adventure that looked so different earlier this year.

I’m at an isolated retreat at Write On, Door County, a non-profit that offers retreats not just for writers but for leaders of literary arts programs, in my case the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators-Wisconsin. It turns out I’m the first one to retreat here in the admin category! How cool is that?

I have a whole quiet house to myself on 40 acres. It’s interesting that people come here for isolation, and I’m coming here during a time of nonstop isolation. I’ve been seriously social distancing since March, so being here doesn’t feel quite like the getaway it might have been. However, I’m grateful for the change of scenery, the true quiet outside the city (no sirens!), and the immense darkness found in northern Wisconsin (no light pollution from neighbors’ garage lights or broadly arching street lamps!). Honestly, stepping outside at night I cannot see my hand in front of my face. It’s beautiful… and a bit unnerving. Yeah, I’m a city girl.

I’ll be really digging in to SCBWI-Wisconsin planning this week. We have one virtual event planned for early 2021, and we’re hoping the fall events can be in person. Optimism, folks. Meantime, enjoy some pix. 🙂