The fall retreat of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators’ Wisconsin Chapter will feature some exciting people, including a very well-known author that I haven’t seen in many years, Holly Black. You will undoubtedly recognize the name as the co-author of the wildly popular fantasy series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, which has just been made into a major motion picture.
I had the pleasure of getting to know Holly, as well as artist Tony DiTerlizzi, who would illustrate the series, in New York, back in 1998. My hubby was a featured artist, along with Tony, at the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour there. He and Tony couldn’t pass up the chance to catch up with each other now that they were in the same city, and I tagged along and greatly enjoyed my time with those very talented people and their funny and also talented significant others.
I’m really looking forward to seeing her again after so many years, and I’m sure everyone at the retreat will benefit from what she has to say about writing for children.
SCBWI-WI’s Annual Fall Retreat will be held in Racine on October 17 – 19, 2008.
http://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.png00Silviahttp://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.pngSilvia2008-03-05 19:57:522008-03-05 21:54:57Writers’ Retreat to Feature an Old Friend
Ms. Louvenia Johnson looked peaceful today. As well she should, as she heads to her eternal rest. The 96-year-old founder of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper has blessed countless people, including me. Years ago, I was one of many college-bound students who received money through the scholarship that bears Ms. Johnson’s name, and, this week, I was shocked and humbled to see my name in the advisory announcing her passing. It is perhaps the highest honor ever bestowed me.
Ms. Johnson was an extraordinary person. She believed in the power of journalism to improve people’s lives. In 1981, as a retiree, she and three others founded the Christian Times, which grew to become the Milwaukee Times. Seven years later, she established, with her Social Security retirement funds, The Louvenia Johnson Journalism Scholarship Fund, which is reported to have awarded more than $350,000 to date.
I am grateful for the financial help she gave me then and the esteem at which she held me since. I hope someday to make such a difference as she.
http://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.png00Silviahttp://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.pngSilvia2008-03-03 18:58:082008-03-16 21:57:52In Memory of Louvenia Johnson
Once in a while, someone in your sphere offers an interesting glimpse into their or your own psyche through some sort of exercise. Be it Rorschach’s ink blots or some open-ended question, these exercises can sometimes offer you moments to slow down and really ponder an issue.
1) Pick up the book nearest you
2) Open to page 123
3) Find the 5th sentence
4) Post the following 3 sentences
5) Tag five others (I skipped this one. I don’t tag people.)
The book nearest me at the time was The New Nation by Joy Hakim. It’s the fourth book in the series A History of US, which is part of my eldest daughter’s course on American history. It is an excellent series, by the way; thoroughly researched and written just for the child’s ability. Page 123 speaks of Sequoyah’s attempts to understand written language and create just such a working system for the Cherokee nation, in the hopes of preserving their history and knowledge, as well as learn to speak from a distance, through the use of correspondence.
Here are the sentences following the fifth: “A white man would take words, turn them into shapes, and scratch them on a slate or draw them on a piece of paper. Then another man could look at those shapes and say the first man’s words. Was it magic?”
It took Sequoyah more than a decade to succeed in creating a writing system for the Cherokee language. What an incredibly lofty goal, to create “talking leaves,” yet what an amazing success to have a written language, something we perhaps don’t often consider amazing.
May we all cherish the gift — in every language.
http://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.png00Silviahttp://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.pngSilvia2008-02-13 20:16:382009-05-23 20:32:29A Fun Exercise
For me, a new year brings the hope of new possibilities. I ponder new goals and feel renewed ambition.
I’ve found that some people dislike the idea of New Year’s resolutions, seeing them as contrived and unattainable. I suppose some resolutions are. I tend to devise smaller, more attainable goals for myself and take tiny steps each day to achieve them.
It was in this way, last year, that I got so much writing done. This year, I will work on finishing the manuscript for my picture book, and, by year’s end, I expect to have made substantial progress on my next novel.
I’m very grateful to my family and friends, who’ve encouraged my fiction writing this past year. I hope to enjoy as much encouragement in 2008, even as I hope to encourage others.
Many blessings to you all in 2008.
http://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.png00Silviahttp://www.silviaacevedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/logo_1024x156.pngSilvia2008-01-01 09:58:032008-01-01 10:15:17A Year of Purpose
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting children’s book author Janet Halfmann, at a signing for her new picture book, Little Skink’s Tail, which just came out in August of 2007. You’ve likely seen some of Janet’s books; she’s written nearly 30, mostly non-fiction picture books of an animal or nature theme, some of which she’s generously donated to the Milwaukee Public Library system for the enjoyment of generations of children.
Janet was willing to share her time to talk of her career and experience, for which I am truly grateful. She was also a former newspaper reporter and currently lives in South Milwaukee (my old stomping grounds), so we had lots to talk about.
Janet meets the public again — this time, her target audience — for story time at the Racine Art Museum on December 15th, from 1 to 3 p.m. You can check out Little Skink’s Tail at http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/SkinksTail.php.
As I’ve been researching litery agents, one of the things that I’ve been pleased to see is their purported interest in nurturing agent/author relationships, in addition to promoting projects.
I’m glad I’m seeing that so often because I think that long-term vision is vitally important. I was blessed with a really good agent, on the television side of things, who didn’t just scout the next gig. She and I worked to hone skills. With so many years of writing ahead, I want an agent/author pairing that’s promising for the long run.
Writers’ Retreat to Feature an Old Friend
/0 Comments/in In The News /by SilviaI had the pleasure of getting to know Holly, as well as artist Tony DiTerlizzi, who would illustrate the series, in New York, back in 1998. My hubby was a featured artist, along with Tony, at the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour there. He and Tony couldn’t pass up the chance to catch up with each other now that they were in the same city, and I tagged along and greatly enjoyed my time with those very talented people and their funny and also talented significant others.
I’m really looking forward to seeing her again after so many years, and I’m sure everyone at the retreat will benefit from what she has to say about writing for children.
SCBWI-WI’s Annual Fall Retreat will be held in Racine on October 17 – 19, 2008.
In Memory of Louvenia Johnson
/0 Comments/in In The News /by SilviaMs. Johnson was an extraordinary person. She believed in the power of journalism to improve people’s lives. In 1981, as a retiree, she and three others founded the Christian Times, which grew to become the Milwaukee Times. Seven years later, she established, with her Social Security retirement funds, The Louvenia Johnson Journalism Scholarship Fund, which is reported to have awarded more than $350,000 to date.
I am grateful for the financial help she gave me then and the esteem at which she held me since. I hope someday to make such a difference as she.
A Fun Exercise
/3 Comments/in A Writer Writes /by SilviaOnce in a while, someone in your sphere offers an interesting glimpse into their or your own psyche through some sort of exercise. Be it Rorschach’s ink blots or some open-ended question, these exercises can sometimes offer you moments to slow down and really ponder an issue.
Such is the case with the 123 Meme exercise that blogger Michele posts at http://writingthecyberhighway.blogspot.com. It’s simple. The rules are:
1) Pick up the book nearest you
2) Open to page 123
3) Find the 5th sentence
4) Post the following 3 sentences
5) Tag five others (I skipped this one. I don’t tag people.)
The book nearest me at the time was The New Nation by Joy Hakim. It’s the fourth book in the series A History of US, which is part of my eldest daughter’s course on American history. It is an excellent series, by the way; thoroughly researched and written just for the child’s ability. Page 123 speaks of Sequoyah’s attempts to understand written language and create just such a working system for the Cherokee nation, in the hopes of preserving their history and knowledge, as well as learn to speak from a distance, through the use of correspondence.
Here are the sentences following the fifth: “A white man would take words, turn them into shapes, and scratch them on a slate or draw them on a piece of paper. Then another man could look at those shapes and say the first man’s words. Was it magic?”
It took Sequoyah more than a decade to succeed in creating a writing system for the Cherokee language. What an incredibly lofty goal, to create “talking leaves,” yet what an amazing success to have a written language, something we perhaps don’t often consider amazing.
May we all cherish the gift — in every language.
A Year of Purpose
/4 Comments/in In The News /by SilviaFor me, a new year brings the hope of new possibilities. I ponder new goals and feel renewed ambition.
I’ve found that some people dislike the idea of New Year’s resolutions, seeing them as contrived and unattainable. I suppose some resolutions are. I tend to devise smaller, more attainable goals for myself and take tiny steps each day to achieve them.
It was in this way, last year, that I got so much writing done. This year, I will work on finishing the manuscript for my picture book, and, by year’s end, I expect to have made substantial progress on my next novel.
I’m very grateful to my family and friends, who’ve encouraged my fiction writing this past year. I hope to enjoy as much encouragement in 2008, even as I hope to encourage others.
Many blessings to you all in 2008.
Author Janet Halfmann Talks Shop
/2 Comments/in In The News /by SilviaJanet was willing to share her time to talk of her career and experience, for which I am truly grateful. She was also a former newspaper reporter and currently lives in South Milwaukee (my old stomping grounds), so we had lots to talk about.
Janet meets the public again — this time, her target audience — for story time at the Racine Art Museum on December 15th, from 1 to 3 p.m. You can check out Little Skink’s Tail at http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/SkinksTail.php.
The Agent/Author Relationship
/1 Comment/in Presenting the Prose /by SilviaAs I’ve been researching litery agents, one of the things that I’ve been pleased to see is their purported interest in nurturing agent/author relationships, in addition to promoting projects.
I’m glad I’m seeing that so often because I think that long-term vision is vitally important. I was blessed with a really good agent, on the television side of things, who didn’t just scout the next gig. She and I worked to hone skills. With so many years of writing ahead, I want an agent/author pairing that’s promising for the long run.