Woo-hoo! It’s Wednesday! Which means it’s only 2 days until February! Which means it’s only 3 days until GROUNDHOG DAY!!!!!
Sorry for the shouting, but Phyllis and I are just so darn excited! 🙂
Are you ready for Phyllis’s Fun Photo Contest? (If you need details and the downloadable Phyllis action figure check HERE.)
If you know any good groundhog/Groundhog Day riddles please post them on Phyllis’s FB page. Cathy and Beth have already put up some good ones!
Also, it’s only 2 days until the official start of my course. I’m very excited (and a little nervous!) about that!
So. Who’s in the mood for Something Chocolate? Let me take a peek in my pantry and see what I have today…. Oooh! Yummmm!
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We could probably use a glass of milk to go with that…
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| chocolate… of course 🙂 |
Today’s pitch comes to us from Elaine. Elaine is an elementary school teacher by day, a mother of two (and two furry children) by night and a picture book author every minute in between.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Slurp, Slurp, Slurp
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-6)
The Pitch: When Becca receives a gecko for her birthday, mayhem ensues when the crickets that were bought to feed it, spill to the floor.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
Elaine is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to starting my course… and Groundhog Day!!!
Have a great day, everyone! 🙂
Oh! P.S. I forgot to say, for anyone who was interested from Monday’s Short & Sweet, that the books I took the beginnings from were 1. Harry And Horsie 2. Boris And The Snoozebox 3. McDuff Moves In 4. Tops And Bottoms 5. Imogene’s Antlers 6. The Carpenter’s Gift 7. Mr. Duck Means Business 8. Crafty Chloe 9. Hedgehog Goes To Kindergarten 10. Jeremy Draws A Monster
Susanna Leonard Hill 
LOL for today's WYRI! I'm not the worlds biggest fan of bugs and creepy crawlies, but the chaos that would and could ensue from those crickets falling to the floor just got my imagination racing. So yes, I would read it 🙂
That's a tight pitch. I'll be short too, Yes. Good Luck.
And, Susanna, Good luck with the class!
It's short and sweet. I can picture fun images and an enjoyable read. It's good as is, but I wonder if there's a way to insert a sense of some more of the humor into the pitch. Can you give us a teaser as to what some of the mayhem is?
I'm a maybe. I am a total softie about animals (even crickets!) and I don't want to see the crickets get hurt, and by mayhem I don't know if there are any squishes that would make my flesh crawl. But that's just me being me.
Well I'm not a fan of nature shows and critters eating other critters but I know my grandson would like it so….yes.
I love geckos and I love bugs – and having homeschooled boys and had any number of interesting pets share the kitchen counter I can see this as a picture book. But I think the pitch needs to start with the first problem. Crickets spilling on the floor? what happens? do they hop into the cupboards and under the stove? do they hop under mom's bed? So I guess I'm a “maybe” …
Hi Sue! Thanks for your comments. This is a cumulative picture book, so each action builds on the next as they run around the house! I will certainly add that in to my pitch now! Thanks!
No critters were harmed in the making of this picture book. 🙂
Wendy,
No critters were harmed in the making of the picture book. 🙂
Hi Pam!
The crickets are chased by the cat, who is chased by the dog, who is chased by the girl. It's in the same vein as the NAPPIING HOUSE or THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. Fun and quirky.
Thank you Stacy!!! 🙂
Thank you Angela!!! 🙂
Thank you Stacy!
Thank you Angela!
Thank you Stacy!
Yes, but maybe an example or two of the chaos would help create curiosity about the story.
Thanks so much Heather! I will definitely try to work that into the pitch! 🙂
Thanks for chiming in, Angela! 🙂
Thanks Stacy – for the comments for Elaine and for the good luck! 🙂
Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions, Pam! 🙂
Very helpful to have your perspective, Wendy – thanks so much for sharing. I have to say, I don't like the idea of the crickets getting eaten 😦 but I know geckos have to eat too.
Thanks for sharing, Delores – I think you have a good point!
Thanks so much for your very helpful comments for Elaine, Sue! 🙂
Thanks for your suggestions for Elaine, Heather! 🙂
Thank you Heather! I will work that into the pitch!
I'm a “maybe”. There's something to be said for short and sweet, but this may be a little *too* short. My guess is your book contains some hilarious mayhem, so maybe work that humor into the pitch? How, for example, does the title connect to the story? We love books about chaos in our house, so the idea appeals 🙂
Thanks very much for your helpful suggestions for Elaine, Maria! 🙂
Thank you Maria! I will be sure to work that into the pitch! 🙂
Thanks for the yummies, Susanna! Looking forward to PPBF and then Groundhog Day and all of your Phyllis festivities! And good luck with the first day of your course.:)
Elaine…I would definitely read your book…what a unique story idea.:) I agree with many of the other comments…a little more about the specific chaos would be great…so maybe two sentences instead of one…and perhaps don't use the word 'when' twice in one sentence.:)
Thank you, Vivian! I hadn't even noticed that I had used “when” twice! I will certainly add more of the chaos in the pitch. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
I was about to say no – not enough content to sink my teeth into. I'm glad I read the comments. The whole cumulative aspect is critical. The pitch needs that! Now I am a resounding YES!
Thank you, Vivian for all your kind and supportive comments to me, and for your helpful thoughts for Elaine! 🙂
Thanks so much for chiming in for Elaine, Genevieve!
I'm intrigued by the cricket chaos. 🙂 My sister once collected an aquarium full of them when she was 5 and I was 7. Then she put them in the garage. What a mess!
Thanks Genevieve! Phew! I guess you just reinforced the importance of adding that it's a cumulative story to my pitch!
Thanks Coleen! I hope that means that you give is a “YES”…:)
I'm not sure I want to know… 🙂 Thanks for your comments for Elaine, Coleen!
Thanks Genevieve! You've made me realize that adding the cumulative aspect is critical to the pitch. Thank you so much for taking the time to read the comments!
Thanks Coleen! I hope that means that you would give my pitch a “YES!” What a mess that must have been!
Yes! 🙂
YAYYYY!!! I have a great idea for Phyllis!
I must say, I would read the book, but I just don't get why the book is called “Slurp, slurp, slurp”.
Phyllis is jumping up and down with excitement! She can't wait to see what you have planned! She knows it will be better than snoozy old Blueberry Hill! 🙂 And thanks for your comment for Ms. Kearns!
The reason it is called SLURP. SLURP. SLURP is revealed at the end of the book! Thanks for the “yes” 🙂
Hurrah! Thank you!!
Happy to learn that Phyllis has a new FB page in time for the BIG DAY. The Two Orange Pups & I just printed off her image – hope our paws can do her justice!
Re Elaine's pitch, YES, I would read it. The image of crickets all over the place made me laugh out loud!
YES! The idea of escapee crickets instantly filled my mind with wild images…fun! I'd like to read one or two more sentences with details from the book to give me a better sense of what turns the action may take.
Yay! Thank you for taking the time to comment, Susan!
Yes! Whoo hoo! Thank you , Patricia!
I would totally read this because my family are nature freaks and we love geckos and crickets! (My older son was educating me on the differences between the crickets that come into our basement…LOL!). Sounds great, Elaine!
Thanks so much for chiming in for Elaine, Teresa! 🙂