Hello, everyone, and welcome to silviaacevedo.com! This is your best place to find my latest news, works, and musings.
Please take a look around the site, and feel free to reply to posts. I love hearing from fellow writers, journalists, and people from all walks of life.
The American Library Association has just released the 2010 list of literary award winners for the most prestigious awards that children’s books can receive.
The John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature goes to When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and published by Wendy Lamb Books.
The Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children is The Lion & the Mouse, written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and published by LIttle, Brown, and Company Books for Young Readers.
The ALA announced many other awards and honors bestowed. You can find the announcement here and immediately add to your own reading list.
USA Today has released its list of best-selling books for 2009. I’m happy to say that I’ve read most of top ten at least, which I’ve listed below, and many others are on my to-read list.
It’s no surprise that numbers one through four are New Moon, Eclipse, Twilight, and Breaking Dawn, in that order, all by Stephenie Meyer. Next come The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and The Shack by William P. Young. Numbers seven and eight are both Diary of a Wimpy Kid installments, The Last Straw and Dog Days by Jeff Kinney. Rounding out the last two places are Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey and Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin.
Wondering how many of the books on USA Today’s list you’ve read? Check it out here and congratulate yourself for a year of good reading.
Wow, it feels great to reach a goal. I’d hoped to finish a revision on a work in progress by the end of 2009, and I did it! I feel the piece is much stronger now than before and I’m really very pleased with it.
Now to move on to a Young Adult project that I’ve put on hold for half a year (It’s amazing how time flies!). It’s fun rereading what I’d put down so far; I’m liking the direction. I’ve got a long way to go before that manuscript’s finished, but the fun is in the journey.
Here’s hoping your goals for 2010 are met and exceeded! A new year, a new decade, a new chance to show ‘em how it’s done!
Anyone with a webcam can record him- or herself reading a book and send the link to loved ones, say a grandchild or family living stateside. There are even discounts for the brave men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces.
That child will then be able to see both the book fullscreen, page by page, and their loved one in a smaller screen reading it. Recipients can watch the reading over and over again, as many times as they want. Check out the site and especially the excellent demo!
What a great gift for those who want to be a regular part of a child’s life but find that distance gets in the way!
Children’s and young adult books have been a bright spot for publishing even through the recession, showing growth where other categories have floundered. Naturally, publishers want their customers to enthusiastically buy their products. To do that, the publishers need to know what their customers want.
A new survey put out by TeenReads and The Book Report Network says teens respondents (who turned out to be overwhelmingly female) are most drawn to series fiction, especially in the romance and fantasy genres. The vampire-lovers out there are smiling so widely their canines are showing. Next comes adventure and mysteries/suspense/thrillers.
The survey reached out to many geographic areas and populations. The results of the survey are nicely broken down and displayed at Publisher’s Weekly here. It’s good news if, like me, you’re writing a fantasy novel. And it’s great news for the industry and book-lovers everywhere when children’s books are selling well.
Look at her go! This is video of my daughter Antonia skating her personal best in the 500 meters — and opening the Olympic Qualifiers at the Pettit.
Big events like these often have several young people forerunning, ie, skating a distance while the officials check the clocks. Toni skated with fellow Badger Club Member Michael Oechsner.
I’ve been reading Karen Hesse’s work lately. She’s an American author out of the East Coast whose well known for her page-turning historical fiction.
I’d recommend reading Out of the Dust, written in free verse in the voice of a young girl who lives through the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. It won the 1998 Newbery Medal and is a highly accessible and enjoyable read.
You also can’t go wrong with Witness, the story of a Vermont town’s changes during an attempted take-over by the KKK in the 1920s. The story’s told from the perspective of several of the townsfolk, who bear witness to the growing threat of the Klan. Each character’s unique voice and revelations weave together to form a compelling story arc. I’d recommend pushing this on any middle- or high schooler studying racism.
I am so excited to announce that one of my daughters will be taking part in the U.S. Speedskating Olympic Trials coming up at the Pettit National Ice Center! No, Antonia is not competing for a place on America’s Team — yet — but she’ll be skating two distances as part of the clock check that officials do before the Olympians take to the ice.
Another young (and fast!) skater from our speedskating club will join her, as will two other talented kids from another local club.
This will be in front of a large audience, be webcast worldwide, and she’ll get her name in the record books! It’s a great honor, and she couldn’t be happier! More info about the event can be found here and at U.S. Speedskating.
There’s nothing like breaking in new skates to make you feel foolish. Talk about eating some Humble Pie…
The skates are great — don’t get me wrong — but you know how it is. New skates have a whole different fit and feel to them. They feel taller / shorter / tighter / looser / more stiff / less stiff / whatever compared to the old ones, so my first time on the ice was fairly ridiculous. Sooooo little of the fierce control I always want and imagine having.
So what’s the problem? The new skates are taller than my old ones, so I have to bend lower to touch the ice on the turns. The ankles were tight, so I had to get them punched out a bit. I’m also not confident in them yet, so that doesn’t help anywhere on the track.
I figure another two sessions and I’ll feel more comfortable. Until then, my fellow skaters might want to keep a safe distance. It’s dangerous out there…
I can’t wait until Tuesday when I’ll have my first practice on my new short track skates! Check ‘em out: Bont Jets with Maple Chrome blades.
These boots have a higher ankle than the long track boots, and that’s really needed for the lean and the digging into the ice on sharp turns.
I’m still doing long track speedskating as well and went to the Pettit Center’s time trials Saturday. Congrats to everyone who achieved their qualifying times and personal bests!
— but she’ll be skating two distances as part of the clock check that officials do before the Olympians take to the ice. 
