A.L. Graziadei, an American YA author from Buffalo. She writes stories based on personal passions: hockey and video games. Her debut book, Icebreaker, won an Honor at the 2023 Michael L. Printz Award.
A.L. Graziadei was born and raised amidst the icy allure of Sabres hockey and the captivating worlds of video games. Graziadei channeled these inspirations into writing. Her first novel, Icebreaker, has earned them acclaim within the YA literary community.
Icebreaker introduces readers to the intense and competitive world of hockey through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Mickey James III. As a college freshman and the heir to his family's hockey legacy, Mickey is poised to follow in his family's footsteps.
Yet, his path becomes complicated by Jaysen Caulfield, who not only challenges Mickey for the league's top draft spot but also becomes an unexpected romantic interest. Against the backdrop of collegiate hockey's icy pressures, this novel explores themes of love, loyalty, and self-discovery.
In the wake of Icebreaker's success, Graziadei will publish In Repair on May 14, 2024. This upcoming novel delves into the life of Nathaniel Conti, a college freshman known for his troublemaking antics, driven by a deep-seated need for attention. While Nathaniel is in college, he meets a diverse cast of characters, including a potential love interest in an aspiring photographer. However, the reappearance of a figure from Nathaniel's past threatens his progress and forces him to confront unresolved issues.
A.L. Graziadei now resides in Wisconsin.
Photo credit: www.algraziadei.com