Tiger eye and mandrake root! It’s finally time for
 |
| 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:
 |
| 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 
those Billy Goats knew how to deal out the revenge though! Thanks for reading it Carrie.
I'm enjoying reading all the Halloween perspectives of the submits. I remember when I was a child, Halloween was so exciting, mysterious…profitable 🙂
Oh, I love it, Cat! Finally someone did a bat story! 🙂 I love how she hangs by her toes, waiting excitedly for her moment! And I love that even though she gets swatted she still leaves smiling because she had her fun 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie shenanigans! 🙂
ENTRY POSTED FOR JULIE A
Orinda Owl’s First Halloween
by Julie Abery
On Halloween night,
There’s a chill in the air,
Black cats prowl the witch’s lair.
Orinda wakes but to her surprise
Sees pointy hats and monster eyes!
Witches on broomsticks, ghosts and spiders,
Orinda’s eyes grow wider and wider!
A creaky skeleton clatters by,
She swoops into the bat-black sky.
Even the moon is in disguise,
A pumpkin head with scary eyes!
The orange moon lights up the sky,
One gigantic pumpkin pie!
Orinda owl and all her chums,
Feast on every single crumb!
The moon is gone, sun rise is red
Orinda owl flies off to bed.
I'm locking my doors as we speak. Creepy Good!!
What a wonderful and surprising first halloween for Orinda! I love her wide-eyed wonder at all that's going on, and I love the idea of even the moon being disguised! Beautifully done, Julie! Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun!
What a lovely surprise for Johnny! I bet he was expecting something far spookier! Love the idea of the beds flying through the night to a wittily party with candy – such fun! Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie high jinx, Donna! 🙂
ENTRY POSTED FOR KATHY M
Who is it? by Kathy Mazurowski
Start with a pointy black hat on top of wild hair.
Toss in creaks and shrieks and shouts of double dare.
Add a broomstick sweeping across the night sky.
With swoops and double loops flying very high.
Mix up potions and spells, to get things just right.
The skeletons of rats and bats will build up fright.
From pumpkin patch to graveyard what a switch
It’s thrills and chills from
the Halloween Witch.
Ooh! Chilling indeed! I don't think I'd like to come across the Halloween Witch! 🙂 Love her “broomstick sweeping across the sky”! Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun 🙂
“profitable” – hahaha 🙂
Ooh! With an intro like that, I can't wait to read it! 🙂
Too funny! I just love a great twist ending. Nice job, Gina!
Thanks Susanna! And thanks for the fun contest! Sorry my story ended up getting posted twice! I don't know how that happened. I tried to delete one of them, but I couldn't figure out how!
Sounds like great PR for this witch! Nice one, Kathy!
Now that is a fun ride! Nicely done, Donna!
Sweet! I had OWL BABIES in mind the whole time! Very nice, Julie
I think Pumpkin Jack lives near the farm where I grew up in Illinois. Lovely story, Jim!
What a cute bat!
I'm so glad things worked out for the solitary pumpkin. I'm going to buy some today, the day before Halloween. Perhaps I'll save the last, lonely few from feeling rejected. 😀
Great visuals, Eric!
Thanks, Jill! –Enjoy your pumpkin picking! 🙂
Love the momentum here, Mandy!
Love the idea of a Pumpkin King, his wish and fulfillment!
Haha! Good fright, Gina!
ENTRY POSTED FOR ROBIN
Kitchin-nastic Trick-or-Treats
By Robin Londt
“Ta-da!! Well what do you think?” Asked Ice Cube.
“Whaaat? Are you a
dragon?” Ketchup wondered.
“No! I’m a fire-breathing dragon, with flames… see
them?” Said Ice Cube.
“Oh yeah, aren’t you afraid your fire will melt you?” Laughed Fork.
“No.” Giggled Ice Cube.
“Nice witch costume, Fork, I really like your
spoon-broom.” Ketchup said.
“Are you an Earth worm Ketchup?” Ice Cube asked.
“Well, close.. I’m an inch worm creaking out of a BIG
pumpkin.” Ketchup explained.
They all giggled and set off for the evening to scare any
monsters that crossed their fire-breathing, inch worm creaking, spoon-broom
path.
Such an original and creative entry, Robin! I love the idea of food and kitchen utensils dressing up for Halloween! I hope they had a forktastic time trick-or-treating 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun!
Thanks!
I'm so glad you're enjoying the contest, Cat! And no worries about the extra entry. I'll see if I can delete it. But I won't if it has comments attached because I don't want you to miss any comment love 🙂
Thanks!
Thanks Susanna. Not sure where all of this came from – didn't plan it!
Thanks so much Susanna for your encouraging words and for hosting such a fun event!
Thanks so much Julie! 🙂
Fun! Can't imagine a better way to use a broomstick.
Pete’s Pumpkins by Sandy Jones
Pete the baker loved the fall.
He gathered pumpkins, big and small.
Creamy pies, cakes and bread
His customers were all well fed.
Pete’s pumpkins sat outside his store,
Piled high behind the bakery door.
One day Pete tripped, the big door creaked,
soon squash were rolling down the street.
Pete tried his best to quash the squash,
but chubby orbs rolled through the doors
of swanky clothes and jewelry stores.
Pete found a broomstick and a pan.
He went to make amends.
But the pumpkins Pete used for his pies
had been carved by all his friends.
Thank you!
How neat! A witch's party in the pumpkin patch.
How sweet!
Love it!
Thanks so much Janet, glad you liked it!
Thanks Julie!
Thanks Susanna. These contests are always so much fun. 🙂
So glad you're enjoying it, Mandy 🙂
What an unexpected surprise for Pete, Sandy! I'm sure he was glad that no one found his runaway pumpkins a nuisance, but oh my! How to bake pie without pumpkins?! Nice job with your story and rhyme! Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun! 🙂
It's my pleasure! Thank YOU for taking part 🙂
You mean you didn't plan the story, or I totally misunderstood it? 🙂
Five Silly Monsters
by
Jennifer Wesselink
One monster on Halloween.
“Let’s dance,” said another.
Boom-cha goes the music.
Two monsters dancing on Halloween.
“Let’s make costumes,” said another.
Snip-snip goes the scissors.
Three monsters wearing costumes on Halloween.
“Let’s carve pumpkins,” said another.
Zwit-swish goes the carving tool.
Four monsters carving on Halloween.
“Let’s fly on a broomstick,” said another.
Zoom goes the broomstick.
Five monsters flying on Halloween.
“Let’s trick-or-treat,” said the monsters.
C-r-e-a-k goes the door of Witch’s house.
“Trick-or-treat,” shout the monsters.
“That’s my broomstick!” shouts the Witch.
And five scared monsters scurry into the night!
I like your Halloween Dare story, mixing the rodeo w/a witch and broom. Brilliant, Susanna!
Nice poem Carol!
Thanks Vivian! Yes, Tanya may be in trouble?
Thanks Penny!