Angela Conti is 8 years old and began playing the accordion at the age of 5. She and her brothers Paul and Joseph, ages 9 and 6 years old, also play the accordion in both solo and trio pieces. They are members of the Chicago Accordion Club and have performed on stage there as well as in local talent shows and competitions such as the Granquist Music Competition and the Illinois Music Association Annual State Olympic Contest. They are planning to attend the upcoming AAA Buffalo Squeeze-Fest in July.

In May 2015, while only 7 years old, Angela authored and illustrated her first children’s book, Miss Swirly Pepper: The Case of the Spicy Pretzel. The book’s main character, Miss Swirly Pepper, is an accordion-playing girl who reveals an amazing talent. She can “swirl” back in time to solve the mysteries in her daily life. Angela’s first book signing event was held at the Chicago Accordion Club in October 2015. The feedback from her customers has been very positive.

In November 2015 Angela released her second children’s book,
Miss Swirly Pepper: The Case of the Missing Everything! Since
both books’ debut, Angela has heard from so many parents and
grandparents who have purchased the books to give to their children and grandchildren. They tell her that they hope the books will inspire the young ones in their life to use their own talents to create something unique. They also say that they enjoy the fact that Miss Swirly Pepper plays the accordion in each book.

In May 2016, Angela released her third book inspired by her own First Holy Communion. The book is called, “Miss Swirly Pepper: The Case of the Bread and Wine. The book features a new, time travel twist and would be both a fun and faith-filled adventure for anyone preparing for the Sacrament.

While the target age is thought to be 3 to 10 year olds, Angela has heard that many older school children have also enjoyed reading the books too. She has her first two books in several public town and school libraries. With the help of her fans spreading the word, Angela has now sold hundreds of copies and has shipped her books to 7 states and even Canada! You can learn more about Miss Swirly Pepper and find out about her next book release through her website, www.MissSwiryPepper.com. Books can be ordered through her website or at www.Amazon.com. She looks forward to seeing everyone in Buffalo!