A Writer Writes

THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA is Amazon's #1 New Release in Children's Short Story Collections

THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA — Chills on the Yellow Couch

July 10, 2024/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, Personal, Presenting the Prose, Uncategorized /by Silvia

Release day for THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA was absolutely wonderful. I’m truly grateful for a sublime day.

The book-birthday celebrations started by chatting about the book with the lovely ladies of The Morning Blend TV talk show on WTMJ, Milwaukee’s NBC affiliate. Hosts Molly Fay and Tiffany Ogle expertly talk through any topic. Here’s how we looked on the yellow couch:

And here’s how the segment turned out! Click below and enjoy.

Next I went to my local, independent bookstore, Boswell Book Company, to sign their book stock. Then–and I have to pinch myself here–by midday, Amazon had splashed a pretty little orange banner on the book’s page! Writers know a banner means the book achieved some sort of bestseller ranking, and yes, it had! THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA rocketed up the rankings to become (drumroll, please) the #1 New Release in Children’s Short Story Collections! Whoo HOO!

The love and support of friends across social media and in my inbox were absolutely heartwarming as well. Thank you to all of you who’ve cheered me on and supported me and the other 51 authors of this spooky anthology. Its publication was a journey, and we appreciate your high-fives.

If you’re wondering what all the excitement is about, please click on THIS LINK to check out the book and consider picking up a copy for a little chill-inducing fun. Thanks!

Promotional image of the cover of the book THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA, a collaboration between SCBWI and Macmillan, with 52 authors, including Silvia Acevedo.

Spooky Season arrives tomorrow!

July 8, 2024/in A Writer Writes, In The News, News, Presenting the Prose, Uncategorized /by Silvia

Wow wow woweee wow!

THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA releases tomorrow, July 9, 2024! That means Spooky Season officially starts tomorrow and you can pick up this title for all the shiver-loving readers in your life! Whoo HOOO!

I love Spooky Season. Halloween. Terror Time. Whatever you like to call it, when autumn’s cold creeps in, when the world is a little grayer and grimmer, when people’s thoughts turn to the dead–and dread–of October. Bwaaahahaa.

I am sooo excited about the release of THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA. It’s the culmination of the long-held dream for 52 authors from around the U.S. and D.C. and Puerto Rico. I’m proud to represent Wisconsin and my hometown’s beautiful but supposedly haunted Seven Bridges. This collection of spooky stories from around the country is already getting great reviews, like this one from Kirkus. I know it will be a favorite for readers like me, who, as a child, would have absolutely EATEN THIS UP.

The promo copy tells you to “strap in for this spooky cross country tour.” I really hope geography teachers will offer this book to readers who like a little spine-tingling (but not too scary) thrill. And it’s great for emergent or reluctant readers, as each bite-size story spans only four to six pages.

So, my lovely reader, PLEASE ORDER THE BOOK HERE, right away, even if you think you or your young person won’t get to it just yet. First-week sales greatly affect a book’s trajectory. If you want to support your local library, please ask them to carry it! Many libraries have a link where you can request titles.

A million thanks go to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and Godwin Books/Macmillan for spearheading this project. And just as many thanks to go you, dear reader, as you dig in to these shadowy tales. I hope they bring a trickle of fear for the dark, stormy nights ahead…

What I’ve read and what I’m reading

June 17, 2024/in A Writer Writes, Personal /by Silvia

A few blog posts back, I told y’all I was joining a book club put on by my local independent bookstore, Boswell Book Company. They run a handful of clubs, each focusing on a different genre. Tonight was their last one for my group, which focused on general book club fiction and held at a local pub/restaurant, as the bookseller who led it is moving away. A few of the participants are carrying on.

So how my experience? I really enjoyed it, actually. It encouraged me to read books I might not have otherwise and see how others view and rate books, the organizer typically asking people around the table to informally rate the book 1-5 stars. I’ve discovered a rate books higher than most, as I tend to rate it on whether it delivered on its promise, whereas most others tended to rate it on whether they enjoyed it.

What have I read lately?

THE GOLEM OF BROOKLYN by Adam Mansbach, which I enjoyed. It was funny, very New York, and brought up some serious questions about anti-Semitism and white supremacy.

THE HACIENDA by Isabel Cañas, which wasn’t as scary as I’d hoped, but I loved the setting of post-colonial Mexico. Her ability to “put us there” was top notch.

ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAIN by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, which was hysterical. I’m looking forward to its sequel, APPRENTICE TO THE VILLAIN.

The above three were part of the book club. Here are some personal reads:

THE RUNNER by Kristin Oakley, which I beta-read and is part of THE DEVIL PARTICLE series. Fascinating concept to this series, and well executed.

DEAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS by Julie Schumacher, book 1 of the trilogy of the same name, and which I’d read before. This book won a bunch of awards for humorous writing, and they were all well deserved. I’m looking forward to meeting Ms. Schumacher at the upcoming Washington Island Literary Festival in September.

I’m currently reading STILL TRUE by Maggie Ginsberg, who’ll also be speaking at that festival and is a force within Wisconsin authorship. Her writing is lyrical and rich.

In between all those books, I’ve also been writing, submitting my work, and enjoying the start of summer.

Hope you’re enjoying it too! 🙂

An odd find

April 6, 2024/in A Writer Writes, Images /by Silvia

Sometimes people ask me, as a writer, if I discover weird things while researching for a book.

Um, YES. Yes, oh yes. So much yes.

Writers often joke that if “the authorities” were to look at our browser history, they’d put us on a watch list. But really, how can a murder-mystery writer not read up on the many ways to murder a spouse? How can a writer of speculative fiction, like me, not look up otherworldly stuff? How dare you think we’re just a bit off?! (*inserts nervous laughter here*)

Okay, so what did I find? My current work-in-progress required I find an animal that growls, and of course I didn’t want to go with the obvious, like a dog. So a Google search finds this: a fish that growls. Say what? Yes. It’s called a red gurnard, as no doubt some of you will know, but I don’t fish, okay?!, so how would I know this? Gentlefolk, I present the big-headed fish that growls. It’s red and large and kinda turns my stomach, but it works for my story, so huzzah!

Picture of poster showing a girl holding a red book in front of her face. The poster reads, "That's what I do. I read books and I know things."

Silvia Acevedo

I’ve joined a book club–and I love it!

December 13, 2023/in A Writer Writes, Personal, Uncategorized /by Silvia

I know, I know. It’s shouldn’t be big news if an author is part of a book club. But can I confess something here? **looks around sheepishly** I’ve never taken part in a regular book club.

As a kid, I read the books suggested by my school or library, but I didn’t join group discussions about them. I guess I didn’t want to hear people potentially criticize a book I enjoyed. What can I say? I was fragile. Then, as I got older and talked endlessly about books, I joined short-term clubs led by publishers or literary agencies or even clubs with the focus of having the creators attend. So I’d get to meet the authors or illustrators or editors, etc. That’s amazing, right?

But a club with readers who aren’t publishing-adjacent? Not until November 2023 when I joined one of the many monthly book clubs offered by Boswell Books, my local independent bookstore. I’ll post reviews of those books soon, but for now, I just want to say how fun it is to read books outside of what I may have chosen and then talk with fellow readers about them. Further, it’s fascinating to hear from readers who speak freely about a story (because the creator isn’t right there to hear what they have to say) and expound on other elements of a book (because they may not have thought about industry reasons for certain publishing choices). PLUS, a couple of fellow authors whom I’ve invited to join have, so it’s an overall lovely time.

Do you want to make more friends in the new year? Join a book club. Or another club focused on a hobby or passion you enjoy. I hope joining adds fun and friendship to your life. As for my new enterprise, so far so good. 🙂

Silvia Acevedo

NaNoWriMo #2

December 4, 2023/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

The more you do something, the more you learn, right? And what I learned this November is that I need to be on solid footing with my story before NaNoWriMo if I expect the month to work for me.

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. I explained the idea and methods for it in last year’s post, found here, so I won’t repeat myself. But let me just say, NaNoWriMo 2022 was a success for me because I knew where I was going with the story before the start. This year? Oof, no.

See, I plot my stories. Other writers don’t. Whichever method works for you is great, but I’ve found I do better if I’ve thoroughly thought through my story, all the way through to the end. So I had planned to think deeply about my story ahead of time. I had planned to outline so I wasn’t wasting time writing drivel. Alas, time is a runaway freight train. It was suddenly November! I had to get my first day’s word count in! No time to lose!

Well, I kinda think I lost half the month, if you want me to be honest. My final word count was well below what I’d hoped–primarily because I was adrift, going back and forth and rethinking parts and blah blah blah.

So. Hear me, writers. I highly suggest you keep following your tried-and-true, nice-and-toasty, satisfying method ahead of NaNo. If you typically plot your stories, do it again before you start. NaNo is no time to charge across uncharted lands while also expecting to double or even triple your daily word count and yet expect magic. You know yourself, so believe in your trusty process. My two cents. I wish you luck.

Cover image of the book THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA, a collaboration between SCBWI and Macmillan, with 52 authors, including Silvia Acevedo.

THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA is available for PREORDER!

October 26, 2023/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

In February, I told you I’m representing Wisconsin in the upcoming spooky anthology THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA. I’m thrilled to tell you that the book is now AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER! Here’s a look at the cover, illustrated by by Solomon Hughes.

Cover image of the book THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA

Releasing from Macmillan Publishers on July 9, 2024
ISBN 9781250819413

Friends, there is simply no better way to support an author and their work than to preorder their books. Even if you think you won’t read the book for months or years, preorders count in the crucial first week of publication and can determine a book’s entire trajectory. So please do order a copy, either here or through your favorite bookstore. And trust me, by the time you get the book in July, you’ll be facing spooky season again and you’ll be ready to embrace some spine-tingling tales.

To remind you, this creepy collection features 52 twisted short stories, one from each state plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. My Wisconsin tale is personal and oh-sooooo-haunting. I spent countless hours at the Seven Bridges in my youth, so when I learned about this upcoming anthology, I knew I had to set a story there. My terrifying tale includes scenes from the archway, bridge, and trail shown below.

Sign at the entrance to South Milwaukee's Seven Bridges, which reads, "Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature"

It reads, “Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature.”

The Seven Bridges opening bridge, overlooking a deep gorge

A trail dappled in light.

Thank you so much for your preorder and overall support. May Halloween 2024 be frightening fun,

Positive Feedback

March 18, 2023/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

Oh, how wonderful it is to get positive feedback! How reassuring that you’re hitting the right notes, piquing reader interest, and traveling the right path. I’m sooo happy to have gotten positive feedback today at an agent roundtable, and I’m genuinely hopeful for the future of this piece.

You may have noticed that I have been quiet on this blog lately, and that’s because I’ve been hard at work on my current manuscript. I signed up for SCBWI‘s annual New York City conference and spent a good part of January completing homework for the revision workshop. The timing was perfect, which doesn’t always happen when you attend a conference. But here I was with a manuscript ready to revise, and I was eager to hear from great authors on how they do it. I took the homework seriously, and thus it proved very useful.

The workshop had me silently shouting Eureka! in my head and prompted me to write a whole new first chapter which garnered the positive feedback mentioned above. And the entire event was a joy. I got to see former publishing colleagues and friends old and new, from around the world. It was a fun return to NYC, and warmish for early February. I even got to see my first Broadway play. Here are a few pics for you to enjoy.

Expect me to remain, at least for a few weeks, on cloud nine from the agent’s feedback. And I’ll keep working on this piece. It’s almost ready. Nearly there. 🙂

Bryant Park in the Garment District, Manhattan, New York City

Door plaque for book publisher Macmillan

Door plaque for Writers House Literary Agency

Writers House fellows Catherine Bai and Silvia Acevedo

My Writers House fellow Catherine Bai

My Writers House mentor, Michael Mejias, who’s kind of a big deal. 😉

Photo looking up from the archway of The Alwyn Court at 7th Ave & 58th Street in Midtown Manhattan, designed by Harde & Short in the French Renaissance style.

Looking up from the archway of The Alwyn Court at 7th Ave & 58th Street in Midtown Manhattan, designed by Harde & Short in the French Renaissance style.

Holding the playbill for the Broadway play “Pictures from Home” staring Nathan Lane, Danny Burstein, and Zöe Wanamaker

Photo shows a ballroom full of conference attendees

So many creators!

Image shows pro panel at SCBWI's annual New York City conference

The pro panel talks publishing at SCBWI’s annual New York City conference

Photo showing workshop teachers Eliot Schrefer and Elana Arnold plus author Silvia Acevedo

Eliot Schrefer and Elana Arnold put on a great workshop. Note the bunny ears!

Photo shows illustrator Druscilla Santiago and SCBWI-Hawaii leader Akiko White with author Silvia Acevedo.

Narrative Art Award winner Druscilla Santiago, SCBWI-Hawaii leader Akiko White, and I enjoy a laugh at the Saturday Social.

Photo shows authors TeMika Grooms, Silvia Acevedo, and Jolie Stekly, whose work will appear in the MacMillan anthology "The Haunted States of America," fall 2024.

TeMika Grooms, me, and Jolie Stekly, fellow authors in the upcoming Macmillan anthology “The Haunted States of America,” coming July 9, 2024. If you have a young person in your life who loves spooky short stories, please look for this title. It’s friiiiighteningly good! 😉

What I’m reading: The Clackity and Save the Cat!

January 15, 2023/in A Writer Writes, Uncategorized /by Silvia

I spent all of November and more than half of December toiling away at my Work in Progress. I say toiling because it’s the first draft of a complete rewrite, and oy are first drafts rough. So, when I thought I’d finished the first draft, I took a break to enjoy the holidays and some just-for-fun reading. I’d heard good things about The Clackity by Lora Senf and decided to give it a go.

It is now one of my favorite middle grade books and at the top of my list in the spooky/horror category. In it, a young girl lives with her aunt in a town overrun with hauntings, some mild, some humorous, most harmless. However, Evie is told to follow one rule: stay out of the old slaughterhouse at the edge of town. When her aunt senses trouble there and disappears within its walls, Evie decides to go after her. The new world she discovers — and its dangers within — challenge any hope she has to rescue the only remaining member of her beloved family.

Inventive and spooky. I highly recommend The Clackity for lovers of fright.

In January, I started reading (actually, re-reading) Save the Cat! Writes a novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need by Jessica Brody. I bought this in 2018 when it came out, thanks to great reviews by people whom I respect. When I first tried reading it, though, I wasn’t in the right place with my writing and so I had a hard time getting out of it what others had. I knew I had to wait until the information would hit me more directly. I’m glad I did. With the first draft completed (so I thought) and heading into revision, I was in the mood for reading about story structure. This time, the info hit right. I see I have more to add to my first draft, but the book’s story beats will help guide those additions and future revisions. I’m so glad I revisited it.

Save the Cat! is a solid and fun guide to story structure, fundamentals, and spark. Recommended for readers who want to know how stories tick.

I’ve also been listening to more and more audiobooks the past few years. I haven’t really posted much about them, but let me say, it’s a joy to relax and have a story read to you.

I wish you happy reading in 2023.

(The above are Amazon Affiliate links, meaning I make a few pennies off the sale of each book, at no cost to you.)

NaNoWriMo mojo!

December 9, 2022/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

Well, wowee zowee and SHAZAM! I am AMAZED. Wanna know why? Because NaNoWriMo works, baby! It really, really works! I did it this year for the first time ever, and I am thrilled with the results.

In case you don’t know already, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, and it’s basically an impetus to get writers crackin’. The idea is to hunker down in November with a goal of putting 50-thousand words toward a new novel. The non-profit org that runs it has all sorts of tools and methods to help writers achieve that goal. But many writers come up with their own rules/methods to meet their liking.

For example, I didn’t start a new novel. I used the movement to work on an existing project that has been laaaaaanguishing. Oy, this project is a whole other story for another day. *hides face in shame* To be clear, I didn’t finish the novel nor reach the 50k word-count goal. An event mid-month killed my progress for, like, a week. But that’s not what matters. What matters is that I GOT BACK INTO THE WRITING HABIT.

***RING THE BELLS! CUE THE CHORUS! GATHER THE PEOPLES! IT’S A PARTY IN HERE!****

The habit of writing creates the urge to write. Now, nine days into December, I’m still writing, and I’m nearly done with the novel. Importantly, it’s a far better story thanks in part to thinking about and actively working on it so intensely for so long. I’m really happy with it so far. What more could I ask for from an artificial deadline?

I’ll tell you what else. Community.

My good friend and fellow author Valerie Biel mentioned to me ahead of November that she was doing NaNoWriMo with another friend, author Mary Behan, and I told her I was going to do it as well. We joined forces. In this pact, we had accountability, camaraderie, and a sounding board. Keep reading because you’ll want to know what we did that worked out so great.

Valerie Biel

Mary Behan

Valerie, who is an organizational goddess and also provides author services (check out her website), set up our communications: a shared calendar where we could enter our daily word count (accountability); weekly Zooms to discuss progress and whatever else (camaraderie); and a Facebook chat group to share spur-of-the-moment thoughts and gripes (a sounding board). This kept us in constant communication but never demandingly so. Perfection. Copy this method.

And one of the odd things we talked about? We all noticed during this month-long immersion into creativity that our nighttime dreams became more frequent and vivid, and we could better remember them in the morning. Isn’t that fascinating?

I’m so grateful to these ladies for providing encouragement then and still. And, hey, I’m thankful we decided to turn a totally-not-real deadline into a real one for ourselves. It really worked to get us out of our malaise. I hope you’ll try it someday if you too need the kick to get crackin’.