You don’t have to tell me.
The Groundhogs’ unanimous prediction that we’d have 6 more weeks of winter was a little hard to take.
As we are currently being buried under what some say will be 6-12 inches of snow (and what others are saying will be 12-15 inches, and still others are saying 30+ inches) I guess they’re right so far. Dang and blast the little marmots!
(Uh, please don’t tell Phyllis I said that!)
This calls for Something Chocolate. And I have the perfect thing: Happy Cake!
Don’t you feel better just looking at it? Doesn’t it make you believe spring will come? Soon?
I thought so 🙂
Help yourselves! 🙂
Now then. Before we get to today’s Would You Read It pitch, we have a small matter of business to attend to….
Ironing our socks!
Hee hee hee! I’m just funnin’ y’all 🙂
I know the real order of business is….
Who won Phyllis’s Fun Fashion Show???
And the answer is…
Did I tell you about how Princess Blue Kitty (my car, for anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of making her acquaintance :)) is absolutely filthy? Seriously, I have a theory that they put more salt and sand on the roads at the first hint of snow than they ever used to… Why, when I was a mere sprat, it could snow 2 feet and nary a morsel of salt nor sand did we see! We just had to tough our way through it, depending on the survival lessons our Maw and Paw had taught us in our upper east side apartments about how kitty litter makes for great traction…
I’m sorry. What were we talking about?
I believe I may have gone off on a tangent.
If you would all kindly stop distracting me with ridiculous stories about your cars, I would tell you that the winner of Phyllis’s Fun Fashion Show was none other than
Congratulations, Josie! Apparently I wasn’t the only one who loved your sweet sleepytime Phyllis in her cozy pink PJs and slippers with her lovable teddy! Great job!
2nd Place goes to Gracie for her stunning depiction of Springtime Phyllis! Congratulations on a gorgeous drawing, Gracie!
Interesting, isn’t it, that first and second place went to 8 year olds?! I think it’s clear that the youngsters in this crowd are mighty talented!
3rd Place was a tie between Julie Ro-Zo with her incredible Phyllis-as-Elvis drawing, Nata with Phyllis’s Allonge, and Beth with Opera Star Phyllis. (I told you we had a tie problem!) Congratulations, you three! You are exceptionally talented for people who are technically older than 8 (although we know you are young at heart :))
Josie, Gracie, Julie, Nata-ie, and Bethie, (I didn’t think we should break up the streak of -ie names :)) please email me and we’ll get those prizes sorted out! (And in case you’ve forgotten what the prizes are, you may view them HERE, and you may all have your choice of whichever one you want, even if you all want the same thing. Oh! And Pat Miller kindly offered to sign a bookplate for anyone who chooses Substitute Groundhog!)
Thanks to EVERYONE who participated in the Fashion Show! You are all SO creative and talented, and supplied all of us with SUCH enjoyment during this wintry week! Phyllis has never felt so well dressed!!! 🙂
My, that was exciting! But now we have something equally exciting in a different way…
Today’s pitch comes to us from Kristine who says, “I’m a stay-at-home mom who is truly living the dream: playing with my daughter by day and writing (if I don’t fall asleep first) at night. I couldn’t be happier to have found the amazing children’s book writing community that exists online, and I look forward to the day when I can fill a bookshelf with works by authors that I also can call friends.“
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: The STEM Girls: Rising Stars
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 5-8)
The Pitch: Sophia, Isabella, Madison, and Emma learn that science is not only fun, but an adventure, when their new telescope runs out of batteries, and they have to use their combined talents to save their stargazing trip. The girls are as enthusiastic about science, technology, engineering, and math – the STEM subjects – as Fancy Nancy is about being a girly girl, and they even have their own STEM Girls club to prove it. They invite readers to join them on their adventure, asking “Do you have what it takes to be a STEM Girl?”
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
Kristine is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to Friday because I have a most excellent book to share with you for PPBF, and also to not being snowed in anymore because we have done that enough times already and the novelty has worn off!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
I'd love that! 😀
I would definitely read this book – great role models for young girls! As for the pitch – I agree with Julie Grasso's rewording of the first sentence. I actually like the last sentence – to me it speaks of the exclusivity of being in a coveted group.with smart girls to boot!
Patricia!!! Yes! I am desperately hoping it has series potential! I'll work on tightening it, for sure! That you so much for your comment – I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this could have legs (since I'm obviously totally biased)!
Congratulations to all the winners. Great stuff!!
I would absolutely read it. It sounds like the beginning book of a great series girls will love. There is such a good place in the market for this. Good luck with this one.
It kind of fills you with happiness, doesn't it, Donna? Or it would if it wasn't virtual… 🙂
🙂
Who said anything about cutting it? Just dive in headfirst 🙂 Thanks for your helpful thoughts for Kristine, Julie 🙂
Great ideas, Darshana! Thanks so much for pitching in! 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts for Kristine, Martha. As for bathing suit season, it's already here if you're Phyllis – she got quite a few bathing suits to model 🙂 And now that she's run away to the Bahamas, she's getting to wear them all every day 🙂
I grew up in NYC. Glad I never had a smog alert!
It sounds great, doesn't it, Pat? Thanks for your helpful thoughts for Kristine!
It's a very appealing premise, isn't it, Julie? Thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions for Kristine!
Bet you never had an earthquake drill either, Susanna. 🙂
Fabulous point on finding comparisons to the subject Julie!! I'll definitely work on that, and absolutely agree – need to make sure there is a driving character. I love your example, and thank you SO much for taking the time to give me such substantive suggestions!!!
Beth I am so lucky to have found you as a writing partner! I can't wait to tighten it up and get it to you for critique!! Your thoughts on this subject have been awesome, and did I mention how lucky I was to find you as a writing partner 😉
Rosi – your comment is so nice. I can't wait to make it a reality now – I owe it to you and everyone who commented to make my MS worthy of all the great support!
Yes! I would definitely read it. I already want to know more about their talents 🙂 However, maybe you can add a little more to the tension like what will happen if they don't get new batteries. But as is, I'd still want to read it. My sister is doing her Phd in engineering and sometimes, during her undergrad studies, she would be the only female in her class. She volunteers now going to schools to talk to girls about STEM and more precisely, engineering to encourage more girls to join this field. So YES, I would read it. we need more books like it.
I would read it! My 4th grade son is in a STEM class. They did away with GATE and one of the replacement advanced electives is STEM. Love too that girls are interested in typically boy interests.
You are right about that! 🙂
Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts for Kristine, Pia! 🙂
I agree, Saba! And how cool that your sister takes the time to encourage other young women to pursue STEM subjects!
Oh, great! I can't wait! 🙂
Ahhhhh…the Bahamas… 🙂
I agree about the series potential Rosi. Girls need role models like these girls.
Sounds dreamy, doesn't it? 🙂
Yes! Great idea. My niece is a rocket scientist. At her school there was this saying about dating: The odds are good, but the goods are odd. Time to change both of those odds!!
I love that your niece is a rocket scientist, Keila! I never really thought about it being an actual job – just something people say – you know, “It's not rocket science!”
And she is a girly girl too! The are actually aerospace engineers and her post grad worked focused on jet engines. Funny story. Sitting at her dad's house (my brother's) one day we were in a discussion about something and he said, ''You need to be a rocket scientist to understand blah, blah, blah.” She raised her hand ever so politely and said, ''I'm a rocket scientist dad, can I help?'' Of course we all cracked up…
Yes! You have a faaabulous premise, Kristine. PB or chapter book–STEM Girls will rock!
I would read it–I'm all for encouraging girls to pursue their interests and realize their potential (although I do like Fancy Nancy). Do you realize that if Isabella's name started with a “T,” the first letters of their names would spell out STEM?
Awww… I'm honored! 😀
Sounds like an excellent plan, Kristine. Enjoy the adventure!
Seeing it on the shelves will be one exciting day. Looking forward to it. I'm so glad you had the courage to post your pitch. You have gotten some excellent feedback.
Thanks so much for your thoughts and suggestions for Kristine, Belinda! 🙂
Thanks so much for your input, Lacey! 🙂
Love it 🙂
Congrats to all Phyllis fashionistas. This contest was a hoot!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Mike. Even though you were… ahem… allegedly unable to participate…! 🙂
I would definitely read it. I want to encourage girls to love science and know that they too can have adventures. Like the idea of a series.
Thanks so much for chiming in for Kristine, B. I know she'll appreciate it 🙂
This sounds like I book I would want to get for my daughters (if they were still young enough to read picture books).
Why can't my cakes ever look like that??? Or even somewhere in the same facility!
Thank you Pia for the vote of support. I had a HUGE plot breakthrough this morning. I think it was all the energy of you guys and your comments! I can't wait for everyone to see what's in store for the girls!
Saba – that is so awesome!! I'll chat with you more about her in our group – and I can't wait to share the draft with you! I think the tension comment is spot on, and I hope I've addressed it!
Pia, that is a great piece of Intel – I hadn't heard about them doing that! I'd love to hear more, if you're open to it!
Hahaha – that is so awesome. You must be ridiculously proud of her! I love that she's a girly girl too – some of the comments here have helped me clarify that I really want to show that all girls can be STEM girls!
Very cute saying – if these girls end up a series I may have to borrow that! If her name starts with a T let me know – the awesome group consensus is I need a T name!
You are absolutely right – consider it done! I definitely want to make the message that all girls can be STEM girls – so less competition, and more inclusion for sure!
I hadn't Belinda until you and others mentioned it, because their individual STEM talents hadn't aligned to their names, BUT I love the idea. I'm looking for awesome T names now!! And I definitely am dropping the Fancy Nancy reference, as Keila and others have shown that they aren't mutually exclusive types of girls! Any girl can be STEM girl! That's my new motto!
Yay!! I love all the series support! I can't wait until everyone can see the changes you guys have inspired!