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.
All the rain we had here in southeastern Wisconsin would have made today the perfect day to curl up with a good book. Instead, however, I had the great pleasure of previewing books about to be released, talking about books, mingling with some of the state’s best authors, seeing old friends, and making new ones at the SCBWI-WI Spring Luncheon. The annual event brings Wisconsin authors and illustrators together to share lunch and hear from a professional in the publishing world.
Our guest speaker was Kendra Levin, editor at Viking Children’s Books, which is an imprint of Penguin. Kendra’s shown left, and I’m on the right.
She spoke on a slew of issues, including how the economy is affecting acquisitions, which I found particularly interesting. Kendra assures us that publishers are still acquiring books (after all, that is what they do), although they’re being pickier and taking fewer risks. As such, she encourages authors to aim for specificity in their work: in hook, plot, target audience, and, later, the agent or publisher to which you submit.
I’m looking forward to seeing some friends next Saturday at the SCBWI-Wisconsin Annual Spring Luncheon. The event brings together writers and illustrators for lunch and conversation with a professional in the publishing biz. This year, the guest speaker is Kendra Levin, editor at Viking Children’s Books. Take a look at their titles, and you’ll be duly impressed.
It’ll be great to reconnect with this talented group and recharge for the next bout of writing.
Years ago, when I was studying in Spain and my husband was courting me all the way from Milwaukee, he’d send letters to me in envelopes that he’d turned into elaborate works of art. He’d create beautiful designs on the envelopes, which I just loved, and which got lots of attention from anyone who saw them.
Flash to today, when I can proudly announce that my husband, Jeff Miracola, has artwork in another newly-released book and on display in London’s Red Gate Gallery. And, you guessed it, it features mail art!
The Mail Me Art book features two hundred of the best illustrations from some of the great artists of today collected by art-lover Darren Di Lieto. It can be purchased here (USD) or here (GBP). Check out the MailMeArt website and, if you’re in London anytime soon, check out the gallery exhibit at:
Red Gate Gallery
209a Coldharbour Lane
London. SW9 8RU. UK
+44 (0)207.326.0993
Seeing Jeff create the piece selected for this project really brought back some great memories. I love the work and hope you will, too.
It’s been a great week. A respected figure in publishing is interested in turning one of my works into a series, and we’re moving ahead on that path. There are still revisions to be made, but it’s a very promising step that I’m pleased to share with you all!
Also, my young adult novel is coming along nicely. I’ve gotten some excellent feedback from my critique group and have incorporated quite a few of their suggestions into the manuscript. Extra eyes really do improve the work.
For whatever reason, I haven’t posted much on something which is a fairly large part of my life. Until today. But I’m just so amazed that I have to share my good news.
Today I clinched my division in the US Speedskating National Long Track Championships held at Milwaukee’s Pettit National Ice Center. That means… drumroll please… I’m the National Champ!
I’ve been speedskating for three years and figure skating for longer. I love both, but found myself strangely drawn to the need for speed. Who’da thunk it’d lead to a national championship? I’ve never been national anything before.
But there’s even more good news. My daughter, Antonia, took fourth in her division, against some tremendously talented girls, some more than a year older than she. We both skated five races, and got our personal bests in all of them. My eldest daughter, Corina, and son Armando also speedskate and are showing great promise! As for my husband, well, I’m still trying to connive him into getting on the ice.
It is with great sadness that I post of the folding of Milwaukee’s own independent bookstore, Harry W. Schwartz. The bookseller has four location and has been in business for 82 years. It was a great supporter of local authors and illustrators.
Schwartz blames the same profound economic shifts that have brought down scores of other independent bookstores throughout the country and bode ill for surviving sellers.
Fewer bookstores mean fewer visible choices for readers, as megachains further control which books make it to shelves, thus greatly impacting a work’s sales. Big chains themselves are not bad, but I hate to see smaller stores be lost. Options are good. Choices are positive things for consumers.
With that in mind, I’m wishing two of Schwartz’s managers success as each plans to buy a location and strike out on their own. The Downer Avenue location is set to open as the Boswell Book Company in April under the ownership of Daniel Goldwin. Lanora Hurley is in talks to open the Mequon location as the Next Chapter Bookshop, opening date yet to be determined.
To see Schwartz’s official announcement, please click here.
I’ve got a new video gallery on my site, which features some of my television reporting and commentating. Just a sampling, but there you are. You can check it out by clicking here or on the Video link at the top of the page.
Okay, I know that I sound like an old fuddie duddie when I say, “Oh my, where did the time go? Another year come and gone!” Well, dangit, that’s exactly how I feel, and I just cannot believe that another year’s rolling ’round.
And what a historic year it was. New leaders. World changes. So, the eternal question. How did things change in your world? Did you accomplish your goals this year? Are you afraid to look?
I didn’t finish my next novel, but I did get far in it, which was my stated goal this year. It sure would have been nice to finish it, though. *Sigh.* And I’m planning on revamping a past work that’s garnering some interest, so there’s promising work ahead.
Here’s to wishing you and yours a great 2009. Much happiness and many blessings.
But not everyone does it well. There are angry critics who reject everything they see. There are unhelpful critics who expound without explanation. There are sunshiny, happy critics who see toil behind every work and inevitably praise every effort. Finally, there are objective, helpful critics who judge a work systematically and with professionalism.
I’m in a crit group that’s working on our style of critique, and one member helpfully suggested author Victory Crayne’s detailed method for critiquing fiction, found here. I liked its itemized, blow-by-blow approach to offering truly helpful critiques. Nicely done and worth a look!
I’ve been asked to be a regular guest on WTMJ-TV’s Live at 3 show, again joining anchors Charles Benson,Courtny Gerrish, and WTMJ-AM Host Jeff Wagner to talk over the hot topic of the day.
In today’s “What’s Hot” segments, we discussed the waning economy and why video games are still big sellers:
Hot Topics Number Two and Three: Will Britney Spears’ comeback efforts be successful and how well did the city of Milwaukee handle its first test of clearing snow:
I’ll be on the show occasionally, so I’ll update my blog with the segments, but never fear, I’ll also continue to write — and blog about it!
She spoke on a slew of issues, including how the economy is affecting acquisitions, which I found particularly interesting. Kendra assures us that publishers are still acquiring books (after all, that is what they do), although they’re being pickier and taking fewer risks. As such, she encourages authors to aim for specificity in their work: in hook, plot, target audience, and, later, the agent or publisher to which you submit.
Okay, I know that I sound like an old fuddie duddie when I say, “Oh my, where did the time go? Another year come and gone!” Well, dangit, that’s exactly how I feel, and I just cannot believe that another year’s rolling ’round. 
But not everyone does it well. There are angry critics who reject everything they see. There are unhelpful critics who expound without explanation. There are sunshiny, happy critics who see toil behind every work and inevitably praise every effort. Finally, there are objective, helpful critics who judge a work systematically and with professionalism.
