A Writer Writes – Page 4 – The official site of Silvia Acevedo

Ten Years Blogging

August 20, 2017/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes, In The News, Media / TV / Radio, News, Personal, Presenting the Prose, Running, Speedskating /by Silvia

Milestones trigger emotions, and this one is no exception. Today marks ten years blogging. My website and blog is mostly about the creative life (writing, publishing, media in general) and occasionally sports. I’ve experienced growth in all those areas, and I hope something I wrote added to your insight on a subject.

My very first post was about inspiration, specifically about shooing the Muse. You can read it here: http://www.silviaacevedo.com/a-writer-writes/muse-schmuse/ I feel pretty much the same way today. If I waited until I felt inspired, who knows when I’d ever get around to it? The funny thing is, once I start, it’s the writing itself that inspires me to write more. What inspires you? And what topics should I hit in the next ten years? 🙂

Writing Prompt – Dancing

August 6, 2017/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

Dancing Feet I recently bought a prompt journal (300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc.) to force really quick writing. Here’s my latest prompt:

Do you prefer to dance with no one watching, with a group of friends, or with one special partner?

All of the above. I just like to dance. I’m not particularly good or bad at it. I suspect I’m like most people, just shuffling or bouncing along to the beat of the music, but I like the freedom of dancing.

Why do so few people dance in public? Why is it so hard for me to coax (or pull) a friend onto the dance floor at a music festival or county fair? Do people seriously care that others watch? I don’t, but I know I’m in the minority there. :/

Writing Prompt – Admired Personality Trait

July 16, 2017/2 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

Angel Halo

Bought myself a journal (300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc.) to force really quick writing. Here’s my latest prompt:

What is a personality trait do you admire in other people?

Patience, which often manifests itself in kindness.

Look, the world is a trying place. People and circumstances can frustrate us and lead us away from our daily (or lifelong) goals. It is so, so easy to take out a slew of perceived injustices on others because they’re not as “whatever” as we’d like them to be.

But we’re all unique individuals on highly personal journeys. We’re all of us more than we are at any given moment, and so exhibiting patience often provides the buffer that all sides in a situation need to save themselves from themselves.

I’m still working on this trait and suspect I always will be.

What personality trait do you admire? Tell me in the comments. 🙂

Writing Prompt – Bathroom Paraphernalia

July 9, 2017/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

I recently decided to start writing in smaller chunks. I bought this journal: 300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc. The idea is to give quick answers without editing. Here’s the latest prompt.

Name three things you have in your bathroom right now.

I have a framed Monet print which brings a smile to my face. I’m not a huge Monet fan, but I like this piece. It’s of a woman and child in a field, which brings back memories of playing with the kids when they were little.

I also have a shower curtain which makes me laugh because of one of my kids’ surprised comment that we got a new shower curtain! – as if we needed her approval before purchase.

The last is a note dictating which closet shelf belongs to which kid. Because territoriality. Ha!

Writing Prompt – The Week’s Theme

July 5, 2017/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

My fiction is usually long form, so I recently decided to change things up and start writing in smaller chunks. I bought this journal: 300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc. The idea is to give quick answers without a lot of humming and hawing. I’ll post my answers here occasionally.

If this week had a theme to it, what would yours be?

Motivation against all odds. I have a half dozen people around me lately who are suffering from malaise. I’ve been the opposite. I’m on a writing groove and have been tearing through all my work. It feels great, and it’s interesting that I can so easily fight the temptation to join them. I’m the model of independence right now. Yay, me! 🙂

Writing Prompt – Snob Much?

June 25, 2017/0 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by Silvia

My fiction is usually long form, so last week I decided to change things up and start a habit of writing in much smaller chunks. I bought this journal: 300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc. The idea is to give quick answers without a lot of humming and hawing. I’ll post my answers here occasionally.

Is there anything you are ever a snob about?

Oh, sure. Aren’t we all snobs? I mean, not about everything, but we’re all snobs about some things. I’m a snob about:

*Chocolate (Dark, not milk, please.),

*Coffee (Decaf with cream, please),

*Grammar (It has value and purpose; if you respect others, learn it and use it.),

*Equality (Your gender doesn’t make you superior, nor does your ethnicity, race, or religion.), and finally,

*Fairness (To treat people differently based on social standing, fame, wealth, etc., is just wrong and soul-crushing. Be kind to one another.)

So what are you a snob about? Tell me in the comments. 🙂

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! 🙂