In The News

Talking YA during Teen Read Week

October 16, 2016/0 Comments/in In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

What great fortune I had this week to join National Teen Read Week by being a part of a Young Adult Literature panel at the Oak Creek (WI) Public Library. We talked not only about YA trends but also about some of the tough topics that YA authors take on, such as teens’ body image and self esteem, sexuality/consent, and diversity. It was a great discussion with thoughtful questions from library goers. Enjoy some pix of the event! 🙂

Left to right: Authors Sandy Goldsworthy, Silvia Acevedo, Kelly Risser, Librarian Sarah, Author Liza Wiemer, and Panel Moderator Kellie

We had a lot of fun, and I hope you got a chance this week to encourage reading – and maybe even got a few minutes to yourself to read! 🙂

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

Good Day Wisconsin Plugs the Sheboygan Teen Book Festival

October 9, 2016/0 Comments/in In The News, Media / TV / Radio /by Silvia

The inaugural year of Sheboygan’s Teen Book Festival is good news, and so local media let viewers know that their favorite children’s fest now has a teen component. Here’s video of a segment about it on Green Bay WLUK Good Day Wisconsin. Enjoy!

And here are some stills. Thanks to both WKUK-TV and Karin Menzer of the STBF for inviting me. I had fun and even went to Lambeau Field afterward. Go, Pack, go! 🙂

Hangin’ with Teens at Barnes & Noble’s B-Teen Book Festival

June 13, 2016/0 Comments/in In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

Barnes & Noble put on its first teen book festival this weekend, the largest national teen fest in the nation, and yours truly was truly honored to be a part of it. At Barnes & Noble Southland (Racine, WI), I got to talk with B&N’s great staff, area teens, and fellow authors. And at Barnes & Noble Bayshore (Glendale, WI), I met new friends and found some of the most enthusiastic readers in the area. What a fantastic event! Thanks, B&N! 🙂

Launching God Awful Thief

May 15, 2016/0 Comments/in In The News /by Silvia

Book 2 in the God Awful Series of Books is now out in the world! The launch party for God Awful Thief was May 4th at the fantastic Boswell Books in Milwaukee. The launch was a lot of fun and attended by the people who mean the absolute most to me – and even some strangers who are now new friends. 🙂 If you were there, THANKS so much for coming. If you were there in spirit, thanks for your well wishes.

Visit Three Points Publishing to learn more about God Awful Thief and its predecessor, God Awful Loser. Both can be purchased at Boswell and other independent bookstores as well as Amazon. If you want a signed copy, buy from Three Points Publishing.

Here are a few pictures from the event. Enjoy!

George Mallet of TODAY’S TMJ4 did a little story on the launch – with interview. Check it out here. Thanks, George! 🙂

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. 🙂

Shoutout to the Great Carmel (IN) High School!

May 3, 2016/0 Comments/in In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

Okay, we know kids are awesome. And presenting to kids is awesome. And hanging out with them to talk casually is even more awesome. Well, let me tell you, the young adults of Carmel (Indiana) High School are extra awesome.

I just got back from their school’s Creative Writing Con, where I joined 20 other authors talking to nearly 1,000 teens. Those young adults were tuned in and really wanting to learn the craft of writing. I had the BEST time being with them and the group pictured above in particular. Shoutout to Ms. Trachtman’s Honors English Class! So glad to have met them. 🙂

Following that, I spent the evening at Barnes & Noble Carmel with some truly gifted writers (What a treat!) while I signed copies of God Awful Loser. Such a great time! Thank you, Carmel, IN, Carmel High, and Liza at Barnes & Noble.

The Force is Strong with This One

April 17, 2016/2 Comments/in In The News, Presenting the Prose /by Silvia

Okay, it’s one thing to have an awesome time at Barnes & Noble‘s Author Open House, which I totally did. It’s another thing to have a kid put down the book of a major franchise in favor of yours, which he totally did!

There we were, nine authors at B&N Village Crossing in Skokie, Illinois, mingling with the great crowd and talking about books. We’re in a place with thousands of books, so many titles, just a plethora of choices, and THIS young man puts down his Star Wars novel to get mine. I was flabbergasted and so, so honored! Thanks, Collin, my new little buddy. 🙂

The Force is Strong with This One

And thanks to Cathy Athans at Barnes & Noble Village Crossing for organizing this great event!

Cathy Athans and me

Author Joyce Burns Zeiss Talks to a Reader

Authors John Dominguez and Dan Killeen

Author Molly Page

Silvia Acevedo Greeting Readers at Barnes & Noble Village Crossing in Skokie, Illinois

Readers and me chatting at Barnes & Noble Village Crossing in Skokie, Illinois

Silvia Acevedo Greets Readers at Barnes & Noble Village Crossing in Skokie, Illinois

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! 🙂

Luncheon, Munchin’, ‘n Stumpin’ for Sojourner

December 28, 2015/3 Comments/in In The News, Uncategorized /by Silvia

Food is always a good idea. And it’s one thing to enjoy it with incredible people, new friends who share the same passions and humor as you and with whom you can see yourself spending many happy hours. It’s even more amazing when you get to help a worthy cause while doing it!

Friends

I got that chance this month when a friend — and a soon-to-be friend — invited me to their fourth annual Novel Cuisine Luncheon. What the heck is that, you ask? It’s a gathering of authors / librarians / teachers / book bloggers / booksellers. We donate books from our collections to a local charity in need of them, we talk about books, and we enjoy a fabulous meal based on foods mentioned in select titles. It was my first time going, and I am so blessed to have been a part of this!

Sojourner Milwaukee

First, just look at the piles of books collected to donate to Sojourner Family Peace Center! Sojourner’s tagline is “Peace is Possible.” Their goal is to help those impacted by domestic violence. And by help, I mean they are involved in the most desperate of times. They literally help women escape violent situations. They protect them in a hidden safe house. I personally know people who’ve benefitted from their help. When mothers run from violence, they so desperately want happiness for their kids, and books help. I couldn’t be more proud than to help in a tiny way by offering a moment of entertainment in trying times.

Hello? Author Liza Wiemer opened her home to about 20 of us. She and YA Book Blogger and Librarian Heidi Zweifel put together an incredible spread, thought up really fun games, and generally made themselves a holiday joy. Thanks so much to them for inviting me.

God Awful Loser Pizza

And look at this! My novel God Awful Loser was the basis for the lunch’s pizza fun! We made our own from ready-made dough and lots of fixin’s. YUM!

Author Melissa Gorzelanczyk handed out ARCs of her own Cupid-based novel, Arrows, and everyone even left with a few new reads of their own. It was a fantastic time, and I hope to continue the spirit of giving great reads in the years to come!