Tiger eye and mandrake root! It’s finally time for
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| courtesy google images |
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words pumpkin, broomstick, and creak. Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got nearly 80 fantastic entries last year so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. creak, creaky, creaks, creaking, creaked. No illustration notes please!
Post your story on your blog between right now this very second and Friday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Would You Read It Wednesday or Perfect Picture Book Friday this week, so this post and the list of links will stay up all week for everyone to enjoy. (I hope you will all visit each other! :)) If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below. (Or, if you have difficulty with the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you!)
The Judging: in a grueling, marathon weekend, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 top choices (hee hee hee – okay, who are we kidding? :)) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 3rd. The winner will be announced in a special Thursday post on November 6th. If we get more than 20 entries, I will post 6 finalists and give prizes for 1st through 3rd. If by some chance we get the kind of turn out we did last year, all bets are off. I may post as many as 10 finalists and I’ll probably end up giving everyone a prize 🙂 But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it 🙂
The Prizes: we’ve got some seriously amazing prizes! (words in color are links to more info)
– Julie Hedlund‘s fantastic new course How To Make Money As An Author, interesting, educational and suitable for writers at any stage of their career
– a 2015 membership to Children’s Book Insider, an absolutely fabulous resource for kid lit writers of all kinds, generously offered by Jon Bard and Laura Backes
– a picture book manuscript critique from the renowned Alayne Christian (prose only, 800 words or less)
Alayne Kay Christian is an award winning author of BUTTERFLY KISSES FOR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA. She is represented by Erzsi Deak of Hen&Ink Literary Studio. To read more about Alayne, her critique service, and her books visit her websites and blog.
– a picture book manuscript critique (rhyme or prose) from Penny Parker Klostermann who, after extensive experience critiquing for writing partners, members of various kid lit groups, and clients of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, is opening her own critique service!!!
Website: www.traceymcox.com
Blog: www.traceymcox.wordpress.com
– an e-pub or PDF copy (winner’s choice) of Linda Ashman‘s Nuts And Bolts Guide To Writing Picture Books
– a personalized signed copy of I WANNA GO HOME by Karen Kaufman Orloff, the latest in the brilliant PB series that began with I WANNA IGUANA. (Reviewed HERE for PPBF)
– a personalized signed copy of I AM COW HEAR ME MOO by Jill Esbaum (reviewed for Perfect Picture Books HERE and HERE – yep, it’s so popular it got reviewed for PPBF twice :))
– a personalized signed copy of NINJA RED RIDING HOOD by Corey Rosen Schwartz, the riveting follow-up to THE THREE NINJA PIGS. (Reviewed HERE for PPBF)
– a PDF copy of Ryan Sias’s A Spooky-Doodle E-Book, “doodle pages, drawing lessons and writing prompts inspire kids to invent their own stories, characters and artwork.”
Now then. Time for my sample entry which I provide because I would never ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. Also, in case anyone is worried about the quality of their entry they have only to read my foolish attempts to be filled with confidence that their’s is MUCH better! I have to confess, I was really down to the wire this year (my schedule is a little bit nuts!), so, ahem, yeah.. I’ll be proofreading after I post since I’m out of time 🙂 (And I usually do one rhyme and one prose, but I don’t have a prose one this year… yet… if I have time maybe I’ll write one and add it during the week :))
So without further ado:
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| Haggie, as illustrated by the fabulously talented Julie Rowan-Zoch click for PORTFOLIO, DIGITAL, SKETCHBOOK |
you owe me a pumpkin pie!”
Pirate Ploy (100 words)
shouts, “Mrs. Johnson! Trick-or-treat!”
Everyone feeling better about their stories now? I should certainly HOPE so! 🙂
I can’t wait to read all of yours! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still 4 days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well.
Remember to put your post-specific link (not your general blog link or people will find the wrong page if you post again before the contest is over) in the list below!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 🙂
There are already 57 entries in the comment section below that you won’t want to miss! (names are links):
Barbara – The Trick Or Treat Troll
Eric – Witch Poem
Lata – Halloween Colors
Nomie – Mabel’s Spooky Soiree
Tracie – The Misspelled Witch
Rachel K – A Home On Halloween
Suzy – Witch In My Hamper
Sarah C – The Moon Is Up!
Angela B – A Messy Halloween
Sue – Untitled
Kimberly C – First Flight Of Halloween
Ann – Off To See The Wizard
Susan – The Contest
Michelle V – The Halloween Sneer
Ashley – Pumpkin’s Plight
Abigail – Maddie’s First Broomstick
Jim – Jack
Melissa – Pumpkin’s Patch
Pia – The Green Witch’s Brew
Kathleen – The Littlest Pumpkin
Lori D – The Trick Or Treat Bag
Debbie – Halloween In A Box
Sharalyn – The Witch And The Pumpkin Contests
Jaymie – No Tricks, Just Treats
Jenifer – Broomstick Ball
Ellen – Emma’s Evening Ride
Beth – Halloween Night
Anne – What’s That?
Brandie – No Ordinary Witch
Marty – Winnie’s Spell
Michelle B – This Year’s Halloween Mascot
Jessica – Spooky Sharing
Alistair – The Raven And The Pumpkin
Kirsten – Family Re-BOO-nion
Jodi – Halloween Hide-And-Go-Seek
Anne B – The Pumpkin Patch Scarecrow
Carol – Halloween Night
Nicole – Black At Night
Hope – In The Wee Hours Of Halloween
Maggie – Arabella The Witch
Gina – Halloween Chase
Kelly – The Pumpkin King
Mandy – On This Night
Eric – The Scarecrow
Cat – Etty Bitty Belina
Julie A – Orinda Owl’s First Halloween
Donna R – The Witches’ Gathering
Kathy – Who Is It?
Robin – Kitchin-nastic Trick Or Treats
Sandy – Pete’s Pumpkins
Judy – Halloween Parade
Merry – Witch School
Victoria – Creaks
Amelia – Full Moon Rising
Colleen – Tell It To The Ghosts
Sydney – Midnight Critters
Stefanie – Monsters Rock
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Beautiful piece Mandy.
MONSTERS ROCK by Stefanie McCormack
Winnie Witch had an ACOUSTIC BROOMSTICK and she ROCKED!
Winnie’s ACOUSTIC BROOMSTICK, however, didn’t please her parents:
“I’d rather hear a DOOR CREAKING!”
“Or listen to a GHOUL SHRIEKING!”
But Winnie had big plans – – like starting a MONSTER JAM BAND!
Her friends joined her:
Maurice Mummy played harmonica.
Wendy Werewolf strummed her upright bass.
Victor Vampire was fast on his fiddle.
And drumming on pumpkins was Zoey Zombie.
They practiced hard. And together they got better. These monsters ROCKED!
On Halloween night they performed. Everyone cheered – – including Winnie’s parents:
“We shouldn’t have done so much CRITIQUING!”
MONSTERS ROCK by Stefanie McCormack
Winnie Witch had an ACOUSTIC BROOMSTICK and she ROCKED!
Winnie’s ACOUSTIC BROOMSTICK, however, didn’t please her parents:
“I’d rather hear a DOOR CREAKING!”
“Or listen to a GHOUL SHRIEKING!”
But Winnie had big plans – – like starting a MONSTER JAM BAND!
Her friends joined her:
Maurice Mummy played harmonica.
Wendy Werewolf strummed her upright bass.
Victor Vampire was fast on his fiddle.
And drumming on pumpkins was Zoey Zombie.
They practiced hard. And together they got better. These monsters ROCKED!
On Halloween night they performed. Everyone cheered – – including Winnie’s parents:
“We shouldn’t have done so much CRITIQUING!”
Guess who entered your contest this year. Uh huh, me. But as you know, there is always a hiccup in my giddy-up. My first post is no good. Can you delete it. The second post is what I like most. Thanks. So glad I had to join in the fun.
Ahhh, this is full of imagery. Love it. Well done Jim.
Such fun in the way you described how each member was chosen. Oh but I'm so glad your little pumpkin was finally chosen. Isn't it wonderful to know the last one picked can the 'perfect” once!
Thanks, Pamela!– Yep, I was saving the best pumpkin for last. 😉
Thanks! It's fun putting images to words. Fall is amazing here now and that really helps.
The image doubled itself. Sorry all it won't let me edit.
Congratulations to all the participants! I have no idea how the judges are going to choose! Wow! Such talent!
Thanks Barbara!
Just love it! An acoustic broomstick! very clever
What clever poems. The pirate was my favorite. Am in Columbia, so I am commenting from my brother's computer. Thank you for all of the very hard work you did to organize this fabulous contest! So many wonderful entries.
ENTRY POSTED FOR SYDNEY W.
Midnight Critters by Sydney West
A wind gust blew and around they went
the creatures were hungry but not starving yet.
Days, weeks and months had gone without fright
but the night was awaited, full of excite.
The pumpkins
The bats
The witches
The rats
Each one with a talent
Each one with a hat
The creaky floorboards and spooky cellar
was home to the wicked, the morbid cave dweller.
The broomsticks flew high with the witches onboard,
while the goblins and ghouls made their way to the door.
Children were scared but so were the dogs,
and the parents were each turned into frogs.
Wow, Sydney! That is quite a crew of spooky midnight critters! I would not want to run afoul of any of them! 🙂 Thanks for joining in the Halloweensie fun!
Hahaha! What a marvelous idea, Stefanie! I love it – a monster rock band! I bet they were wicked good 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun!
YAY, PAM!!! I'm so glad you joined the fun and wrote and entry and dusted off your blog! Can't wait to read it, and will delete the first one 🙂
Ooh! You world traveler you! Thanks for checking in all the way from Columbia and for your kind words! Loved your Little Ghost story 🙂
They're amazing, aren't they? The judges have no idea how they're going to choose either! 🙂
I like this concept! Your language is evocative, and the final phrase is lovely.
Thank you!
Thanks! I pictured the same thing. Shop windows filled with jack-o-lanterns.
Thank you!
Great way to make a fun story using typical Halloween characters.
How's that go?!?…great minds…lol
VERY cute 🙂 Great rhymes and word choice!
Yes, that is exactly so! 🙂
Thanks, Debbie!
hahaha, yes…so glad. Thank you, Carrie!
Thanks, Janet!