Authors
ACCA represents prose authors in the middle-grade and YA space, as well as picture book authors. Our list is growing, so check back often.
Laura Rocha
Laura M. Rocha is a mom, writer, and avid reader. She wrote her first book in third grade and never stopped dreaming of seeing her words in print (preferably in a book with a map). She is currently hard at work on a magical middle grade adventure about family, empathy, and finding courage in unexpected places. The novel is set in the fictional country of Patina, where monsters run free and magic is real. When she isn’t writing or reading, Laura enjoys planning trips she may never take, running very slowly, or watching the Great British Baking Show. She lives in Houston with one supportive husband, two inspirational kids, and three of the best dogs in the world.
Camdyn Alys
Camdyn Alys, also known as “that girl from Avalon,” (@thatgirlfromavalon) is a historical-fiction social media personality. After falling in love with the Arthurian Legend in middle and high school, and the idea of honor through service, she graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy in 2024 with a Third Mate’s License and a Commission in the US Military. She retells medieval history and legends in unconventional ways through her social media and writing endeavors while fulfilling her service commitment. Camdyn currently lives in Juneau, Alaska, and spends her free time in the gym, reading medieval manuscripts, and improving her armored combat skills.
Eric Watkins
Eric Watkins is a California-based author and scriptwriter. Born in rural Pennsylvania, he spent his early career in television news and broadcast journalism before attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he earned an MFA in Film & Television. Upon graduation, Eric moved to New York City, working as a script reader before entering the ad world as a copywriter. He began co-authoring the ongoing comic series Korean American Cooking Comics with his partner before moving to the West Coast, where he wrote for film and television. Eric lives with his partner and their two old cats in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Dana Middleton
Dana Middleton’s debut middle grade novel, The Infinity Year of Avalon James (Feiwel & Friends), received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, and was chosen as an Oregon Battle of the Books title. She’s also the author of Open if You Dare (Feiwel & Friends), and Not a Unicorn (Chronicle Books), and her short story, “A Touch of Blue”, was recently published in the anthology Scary Stories to Tell at Night. Dana has served on the boards of LitFest Pasadena and the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California and has also written for television and film. A Georgia native, she lives with her British husband in sunny Los Angeles.
Lisl H. Detlefsen
Lisl H. Detlefsen is the author of a growing number of picture books, including Right This Very Minute (Feeding Minds Press, illust. by Renée Kurilla), Still There Was Bread (HarperCollins, illust. by David Soman), and her latest, My Mom is Like a Kite (Groundwood, illust. by Nathalie Dion), which Kirkus Reviews called, “A breath of fresh air for those seeking to explain mental health to little ones.” Her first book, Time for Cranberries (Macmillan, illust. by Jed Henry), was a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, and the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year. She also writes projects for older readers, ranging from funny chapter books to lyrical verse novels. She lives with her husband, two sons, and two cats in a restored farmhouse on a family-owned cranberry marsh in central Wisconsin. Visit her on the web at www.lislhdbooks.com.