A Writer Writes

Presenting at the NEW Sheboygan TEEN Book Festival

October 9, 2016/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

The Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival has enjoyed a great reputation as one of the premier book fests in the state. It’s free to the public, organized to the finest detail, and wildly entertaining for the kids who’ve gone since its 2010 start. New this year, the fest launched its TEEN book festival, and what a great event it was!

Turnout was great – and no wonder. The middle schoolers and high schoolers got to investigate books and meet authors who focus on them. Presenting authors talked about everything from depicting teenage life on paper to what inspires their particular bent. Author Valerie Biel and I talked about our love of mythology and how the genre is experiencing a popular renaissance. The teens were engaged and asked such insightful questions! All we authors were deeply impressed – and we made it onto trading cards. We felt like superheroes. 🙂

Here are some photos of this fantastic event. If you read Young Adult books or have a teenager in your life who does, seriously consider setting your calendar for next year’s festival. Both the Children’s and Teen’s Book Festivals run annually on the second weekend in October.

Authors and Illustrators of the Sheboygan Teen Book Festival 2016

Authors and Illustrators of the Sheboygan Children’s & Teen Book Festivals 2016

A Wild, Wild Time at SCBWI’s Wild, Wild Midwest Conference

May 3, 2016/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News /by Silvia

Wrastling’ up five midwestern chapters of the The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is huge — big enough that the gathering only happens every four years. And I’m proud to say that I got myself wrangled up in it this go-’round and gave a panel talk with three other cowhands.

Indie Panel with (l-r) authors W. Nikola-Lisa, Silvia Acevedo, Andrea Skyberg, and Trina Sotira

Okay, so the Wild, Wild Midwest theme isn’t strongly enforced. No real cowhands, but it’s still a great chance for midwestern writers (and those from lots of other places, too) to meet.

SCBWI has taught me a lot about the craft of writing for children and teens, which is a whole different thing than writing for news. I’ve been to plenty of their conferences, but this weekend I actually got to present and share what I’ve learned, and that’s the way these things are supposed to work. You learn from others. Then you share what you’ve learned. Full circle. Nice.

And we had fun with a Roaring 20s social. I played flapper to the gangster, and she let me live to see another day. 🙂

Signing Off on GOD AWFUL THIEF

March 17, 2016/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

GOD AWFUL THIEF, the sequel to God Awful Loser, is looking great. Earlier this week I signed off on the signatures (the page bundles)…

…checked out the matte and glossy finishes and the embossing for the book jacket…

…and approved on the color check…

… for the final okay of the big print run, which will speed across the same presses used for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Let’s hope some of that good karma rubs off.

You can pre-order GOD AWFUL THIEF here.

I hope you’re excited to read more of Cupid’s adventures. And as a reminder, if you liked God Awful Loser, please do the kindest thing you can do for a writer: leave a review at Amazon, Goodreads, or your favorite website.

Thanks!

Launch Party for GOD AWFUL THIEF

February 21, 2016/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News /by Silvia

I am throwing a party, and YOU’RE invited! Whoo hoo!!!

GOD AWFUL THIEF launches into the world May 4th, 7 p.m., at Boswell Books in Milwaukee. I am thrilled with how THIEF turned out, and I’m extra thrilled to get it to those who’ve emailed, anxiously awaiting it. It’s great to hear from you! 🙂

GOD AWFUL THIEF is the second book in the God Awful Series of Books for teens and adults. It’s also the sequel of the very well received GOD AWFUL LOSER. Read on for a sneak peak at THIEF’s jacket copy.

Cupid’s back and at the top of his game.

The always adored – and now restored – God of Love has a new look, a new attitude, and even a steady girlfriend. With his humiliating dethronement and harrowing banishment behind him, Cupid wants nothing more than to settle in to a comfortable immortality.

But someone has dreamed up a different plan.

With a sea god setting the oceans against him, a drama-loving hanger-on refusing to go away, and the king of the gods ordering Cupid to steal the most powerful relic ever made by the most cunning god ever angered, Cupid and his leading lady, Tamara, must join a new cast and crew to face their most challenging mission yet. The stage is set for an epic performance, but just who is writing this script? And will Cupid and his troupe figure it out before they lose their minds – and quite possibly their lives?

God Awful Thief brings new hilarity and an ever-expanding cast of fickle gods to Cupid’s misadventures, potential tragedies, and everlasting comedies. God Awful Thief is the second act in the God Awful Series of Books.

I’ll have my cover reveal within the next few weeks and pre-order info soon after that.

So, friends, mark your calendars for GOD AWFUL THIEF’s May 4th launch. We’ll celebrate the book, have fun, and support our local bookstore all at once. See you there! 🙂

I Never Imagined It

November 29, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

It’s amazing how certain events in your life harbor so much meaning.

I remember as a child spending many, many, MANY enchanted hours reading on the bean bags at the kids’ corner of the South Milwaukee Public Library. I used to ride my bike the half hour to get there to happily satisfy my demanding reading habit, delighting in Peanuts and Moby Dick alike.

This Wednesday, December 2nd, I will cherish the immense honor of presenting there, my hometown library. Starting at 6:30, I’ll present an excerpt and talk with readers about my fantasy novel, God Awful Loser, a signed copy of which is on the library shelves.

I will admit that my childhood self never imagined presenting as an author in the building in which I traipsed so often. I loved reading; books were, to me, worldly educators, understanding friends, and foolhardy daredevils. As a child, I never imagined writing books. As an adult writing a part of my novel at the SM library, I had to smile at going full circle from reader to writer.

Thank you, South Milwaukee Public Library, for welcoming me — at any age.

Premiering (!) the “Wisconsin Writes” Author Interview Video Series

October 18, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

I am incredibly honored to be the very first author featured on the newly created WISCONSIN WRITES AUTHOR VIDEO SERIES. This interview chat was created by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for students to hear directly from authors about how they do what they do, providing a glimpse into both their current works and their creative minds.

I have two segments, which you can see above or at the WI DPI website. The first segment is on my writing process, and the second covers many topics, including my approach to subject matter, the role of research, editing, feedback from other writers, and advice to students.

Many thanks go the educators behind this series! I hope you enjoy it, too, and please feel free to share it widely with the writers (young and old) in your life!

Young People Can Handle It — at the Wisconsin Writers Association

October 4, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

Wisconsin Writers Association Kid Lit Panel - Pat Schmatz, Silvia Acevedo, Melanie Boyung, Jessica Freeburg, and Miranda Paul

Wisconsin Writers Association Kid Lit Panel – Pat Schmatz, Silvia Acevedo, moderator Melanie Boyung, Jessica Freeburg, and Miranda Paul

I had the honor and pleasure of talking on a panel about kid lit at the Wisconsin Writers Association‘s Annual Convention yesterday. Beside me were some of the most talented writers of the day, their works spanning from picture book to young adult novel.

A few of the questions had to do with taboo topics and whether we censor our writing for the sake of our audience. The answer was a universal no to censorship but that, of course, a writer’s presentation is tweaked depending on age range and relevancy to the story. We all agreed that stories are a safe place to explore new worlds and perspectives. Besides, those readers who don’t enjoy a book will self-censor, that is, decide a particular book isn’t for them and put it down. It comes down to choices, which is an integral part of growing up.

Not every book covers deep, heavy topics, but most offer a window to emotional growth. My God Awful Loser is a light read and yet doesn’t gloss over the protagonist’s womanizing. He and other characters eventually learn, with the readers riding their wave, to value those around them.

Do kids need books to teach them such lessons? Perhaps another question is in order: Who remembers reading a book at just the right time and having it profoundly affected their worldview?

Scrapping a Chapter for “Wisconsin Writes”

September 27, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

Soon Wisconsin students engaged in writing will have video proof that, yeah, sometimes you just have to scrap what doesn’t work. And who got to teach them that? Why, yes, you guessed right. It was me.

It was part of an interesting video project being put on by the Wisconsin Department of Public Schools, the state agency that runs public schools. The “Wisconsin Writes” project aims to catch Wisconsin authors wherever they happen to be in their work-in-progress to talk to students about how they’re advancing their work and to answer a few tough questions. My work-in-progress is the sequel to God Awful Loser.

It so happens that I was at a point in which I’d explored a certain path only to find it didn’t work, and so I was on the cusp of scrapping a full chapter. That turned into a talk about how sometimes you just have to try something out, see how it goes, get messy, be willing to change it or let it go if it’s not your vision, and embrace picking it up again where you left off. I hope hearing that is helpful to students.

Here I am signing God Awful Loser for the program’s host. Thanks, Marci, for inviting me. 🙂

What I’m Reading – A Confederacy of Dunces and Double Exposure

September 20, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

Today’s post is a sample of my eclectic reading, which I’m sure is no different than that of most people. I mean, who reads in the same genre all the time without exception? Not me.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole was recommended to me by Interviewing Authors podcast host Tim Knox, who interviewed me for his show (you can give it a listen here: http://interviewingauthors.com/silvia-acevedo-tv-journalist-great-time-god-love/) shortly after the release of my young adult novel, God Awful Loser. Knox gave me a huge compliment (although I didn’t know how huge at the time) by saying that he hadn’t laughed as hard since reading A Confederacy, which garner a 1981 Pulitzer Prize. Of course, I rushed the book to the top of my To-Read pile, and Knox was as good as his word.

A Confederacy of Dunces is a comedic marvel. It has pretty mixed reviews, many of the negatives focusing on the “likability” of the protagonist, who is a snobby, idealistic, physically grotesque bum who still lives with his mother. She induces him to find work, and hilarity ensues. I tend to not dismiss books on the likability of the protagonist. I focus more on whether he or she experiences emotional growth and on the quality of the writing. Whether you love Ignatius Reilly as a character or not, no one could deny there’s a lot of great humor there. Thanks, Tim!

My next read was Double Exposure by Bridget Birdsall in which an intersexed teen (having both male and female sexual organs) leaves his bullying high school across the country to start fresh as a girl in a Wisconsin high school. Her lifelong interest in basketball helps her make friends and eventually keeps her sane when her past inevitably roars into the present.

This is not normally the sort of thing I’d read (I’m not into basketball), but maybe that’s exactly why it’s good to change habits once in a while. It’s good to expand your world. Double Exposure‘s story was engaging (main plot, subplots, and enough basketball talk to learn something but not so much the book becomes mainly a sports story). The characters were sympathetic, and the conflict was real for our times. I’d recommend it to anyone who might benefit seeing the grey between the lines. In the interest of full disclosure, I acknowledge that I have met the author through events at SCBWI, but that doesn’t matter. It’s an enlightening read.

What about you? Read any good books lately?

Featured on “Interviewing Authors”

July 20, 2015/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

What an honor it is to be interviewed about your work, but it’s especially wonderful when the interviewer is Tim Knox, author, entrepreneur, and host of the hugely popular “Interviewing Authors” podcast.

Tim Knox has interviewed many fascinating and talented publishing professionals. His podcasts are endlessly entertaining and a treasure trove of insight. I’ve enjoyed them, each and every one, for a long time now.

Tim and I had a fun talk about my newly released fantasy novel, God Awful Loser, my TV life, and just how interfering Venus is, really. And Tim is so complimentary, calling God Awful Loser “one of my favorite books of the year, and I don’t say that lightly.” Here’s a link to our talk. Enjoy!
http://interviewingauthors.com/silvia-acevedo-tv-journalist-great-time-god-love/