WOO HOO!!! Let the joyous news be spread! It’s time for. . .
The 4th Annual Holiday Contest!!!!
 |
| Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! |
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
The Contest: Write a children’s story (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) in which wild weather impacts the holidays! Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest :)) (It can be as short as you like, but no more than 350! Title not included in word count.) Any kind of weather will do: sun, rain, sleet, heatwave, blizzard, tsunami, monsoon, hurricane, hail, tornado, etc! Weather may be atypical for your setting (rain in Maine, frost in Florida), it may be extreme (blizzard instead of regular snow, drought instead of lush greenery), or it may be unheard of (spring flowers in Antarctica, snow in the Sahara, bathing suit weather at the North Pole), but whatever you choose, make us feel the impact on the holidays! The wild weather may be a hindrance, a wish-come-true, a threat, a pleasant surprise, etc. The field is wide open! Have fun! The wilder and wackier the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between right now this very second and Friday December 12 at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list below. This post will remain up through Sunday December 14 (no WYRI or PPBF this week) so there will be plenty of time for everyone to post their entries and visit each other and enjoy all the other entries. If you don’t have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comment section below. (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, please
email me and I’ll post your entry for you!)
The Judging: My lovely assistant(s) and I will narrow down the entrants to 10-12 finalists (depending on the number of entries) which will be posted here on either Monday December 15 or Tuesday December 16 (depending on the number of entries :)) for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Thursday December 18 at 5 PM EST and the winners will be announced on Friday December 19. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place. Judging criteria will be kid appeal/kid-friendliness, creativity of weather use in plot, quality of story, quality of writing, and originality.
The Prizes!: In the spirit of the holidays, winners will be named for 1st – 10th place. In addition to the incredible fame of being able to say you won (or placed in) the Pretty Much World Famous 4th Annual Holiday Contest, the following AMAZING prizes will be awarded: (items in color are links for more info!)
– A picture book manuscript read and critique by Shari Dash Greenspan, Editor of the multi-award winning Flashlight Press! I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter HERE!
– A picture book manuscript read and critique by Jennifer Mattson, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency!
– Enrollment in Renee LaTulippe‘s highly praised and recommended Lyrical Language Lab Course (in a month to be mutually agreed upon by the winner and Renee) ($249 value!)
– Enrollment in Jon Bard and Laura Backes’s fantastic Kindle Kids Mastery Course ($197 value!)
– A website or blog design or redesign by Arturo Alviar. Arturo will design (or redesign if you already have one that needs updating or a new look) a website or blog for the winner of this prize. The site will be built on WordPress so that after he is done designing it, the winner can manage it themselves with ease. Arturo will include a Home/Welcome page, an About Me/Bio page, a Works/Books/Gallery section, and a Contact section (4 pages total), as well as a blog section if the winner would like to have that integrated with the new site. Different organizations can also be made, for example if the winner would like a “Services” section with separate “School Visits” and “Critiques” pages, or a “Works” section divided into “Black and White” and “Color” illustration galleries. The winner can choose any of the WordPress themes (if they choose one that isn’t free, the cost of the theme will be covered by them), or have Arturo choose a theme based on their vision, and Arturo will modify it based on their color and layout preferences (some themes will have more constraints than others). Arturo can also design a personalized banner or header image to customize the website. If you already have a website and/or blog and prefer a redesign to update, refresh, or just redecorate, Arturo is willing to work with Blogger, Wix, Drupal, and WordPress.
– Enrollment in Making Picture Book Magic (my online picture book writing class – in March or a later month to be mutually agreed upon by the winner and me)
– A picture book manuscript critique by fabulous author Amy Dixon, author of MARATHON MOUSE and the forthcoming SOPHIE’S ANIMAL PARADE.
– A picture book manuscript critique from
Katy Duffield, author of more than 20 books for children including
Farmer McPeepers And His Missing Milk Cows (Cooper Square Publishing 2003) and upcoming titles
Loud Lula (Two Lions) illustrated by Mike Boldt and Aliens Get the Sniffles, Too (Candlewick) illustrated by K.G. Campbell. – 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!!!
Penny Parker Klostermann writes picture books and poetry. Her debut book, THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT, is coming from Random House Children’s, August 2015. Penny is represented by Tricia Lawrence of Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Click HERE to learn more about her critique service.
– 2015 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, a signed copy of Boy And Poi Poi Puppy by Linda Boyden, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
– a pack of Deb Lund’s amazing Fiction Magic Cards
– another pack of Deb Lund’s amazing Fiction Magic Cards
The Contest Winner will have first choice of the prizes. 2nd place will have next choice of what’s left and so on. (I’m doing it this way in the hopes that no one will get something they already have and also because I think all the prizes are fabulous and I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel less valued by giving them as 6th place as opposed to 1st.)
So let’s get the Holiday Party started! 🙂
I want to warn you in advance that this may actually be the worst story I’ve ever written – embarrassing for me, but very comforting for anyone who is worried about the quality of their story – I can say with complete confidence that ANYTHING you write will be better than this sample! 🙂
Almost Not Christmas
(332 words)
Three days before Christmas a southerly breeze
Heated the earth to one hundred degrees!
“My goodness!” said Santa. “This just isn’t cool!”
And he sent all his reindeer to chill in the pool.
The heat wave refused to let go of its grip
In time for his once-a-year Christmas Eve trip.
So as Santa took off for his round-the-world flight
He clucked to his team and sang into the night:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!
Let’s hope we can get all our Christmas chores done
Without melting like popsicles left in the sun!”
But HEAT didn’t trouble St. Nick as he drove.
As his journey continued, the temperature dove.
And YOU know what happens when warm and cold meet –
— Fog tiptoes in on its little cat feet!
At dawn Christmas morning young children stopped short
When they heard this unthinkable Special Report:
“This just in! Here’s the hot-off-the-presses news scoop!
Santa is lost in that murky pea soup!”
Santa lost? When he’d battled that wild weather night
To ensure each child’s Christmas was merry and bright?
From North Pole to South, from New York to Japan
Christmas morn was abandoned to think up a plan.
In pajamas or nightgowns, in socks or bare feet,
Kids spilled from warm houses and met in the street.
“Santa comes through for us year after year.
It’s our turn to give him some Christmastime cheer!”
Puerto Toro* to Nunavuk* in a straight line
They climbed to their roofs with whatever would shine.
They lit up a beacon as bright as could be
With candles and glowsticks and lights from their tree.
An arrow of light that would gleam through the gloam
So Santa could finally find his way home.
“It’s official!” the newsfolk were happy to say.
“St. Nick made it back with his reindeer and sleigh!”
At last, filled with joy, kids began to unwrap
And Santa? He took a long afternoon nap!
*In case you’re wondering, Puerto Toro, Chile is the nearest settlement to the South Pole, and Alert, Nunavuk is the nearest to the North Pole 🙂
I have another equally bad half-finished story in prose that I might swap out for this one at some point during the week if I just can’t stand it any more 🙂
So now! Is everyone filled with confidence about their entries? I certainly hope so after that display! Never let it be said that I’m not willing to make a fool of myself for you guys 🙂 It just proves how much I love you 🙂
I can’t wait to read all of your (much better!) stories! 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 and want to join the fun. 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!
Don’t miss the 37 fabulous entries in the comment section! Click on the names or titles to go to the story. Please note that it takes a minute to load. And please also note that clicking on these links will allow you to read the story and leave your own comment, but not see previous comments left on that story… I don’t know why… so if you want to see all the comments left on the story, you’ll have to scroll through the whole comment section.
Melissa – On Top Of Hot Cocoa
Suzannah – The Christmas Storm
Kimberly – We Knit You A Merry Christmas
Anne – Christmas Eve At Gate 25
Rosa – My Unicorns Fought The Mean Storm
Gina – A Christmas Prayer
Kristen – Maple Syrup Meltdown
Zainab – Abe’s Cloud
Bronwyn – Jack Quits
Julie – Santa’s Satnav
Kristen – Polar Warming
Jim – Snowflake: A Christmas Tail
Laura – Mordecai’s Hanukkah Miracle
Sharon – Boomer’s First White Christmas
Rachel – A Christmas Miracle
Carol – The Best Christmas
Hilary – No Sweat Santa
Amy – Rain, dear
Tracie – The Under The Weather Weatherman
Kirsten – Hurricane Coal
Anne – What Will Santa Do?
Pam – My Snowman Is Sick
Carol Ann – Wish You’d Been Here
Nina – Only Mermaids Can Find A Christmas Tree In The Sea
Sharon – A Little Christmas Miracle
Ruth – Harry And Genie
Marty – Countdown To Midnight
Rene – Best Christmas Ever!
Angela – A Snowy Night
Patricia – The Christmas Miracle
Susan – Libby’s Blizzard Gift
Charlotte – Hanukkah At Gramma Golda’s House
Kim – The Great Sleigh Ride
Heather – Dreaming Of A White Christmas
Summer – The Snow Miracle
Amelia – The Night The Sun Stayed Up
Sally – Just Ice And Snow
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Totally seeing the illustrations for your story. I really liked that the character didn't quite know if she had been rescued by Santa or not. Love the ending. Well done.
Elaine, your story was the first one I read from the contest. Oh so good. Oh so very good. Ya got skills, lady. Totally fun to read.
Oh yummy…I love hot cocoa with marshmallows. 😉 Very cute story, Melissa…and such a fun take on the 'on top of spaghetti' rhyme. Great job!
A magic globe…wish I had one of those sometimes! Very creative and unique, Suzannah…and I love happy endings. 😉 🙂
Merry merry merry 4th annual Holiday Contest…I'm dancing for joy! Thank you so much, Susanna…for doing this for us…and giving us a great (yes it is quite wonderful, no matter what you say) example to start with. 😉 I'm excited to start reading all of the entries…what fun. 🙂
I loved your story. And so many of the ones already posted.
Oh what a very fun romp down avenue 80s. I miss my neon.
Thanks! I own a costume shop and 80s/neon were WILDLY popular at Halloween this year, I guess it was still stuck in my brain!
Thanks for the positive feedback on my story everyone 😀
Thanks for doing this, Susanna. These contests are so much fun! 😉
Thank you for doing these contests! Always fun inspiration!
hehe! I kinda can't get it out of my head now 🙂
Thank you, Pamela! After being in NyQuil I kind of feel like I've been hit with a mug! 🙂
As a product of the 80's, I love it!
This was a real treat to read! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hi Susanna, Slight technical problem — my link takes people to my home page — not directly to my blog page of same website. When I tried to post a direct link to the story, the computer said I had exceeded the 100 character limit. And to think that a 350 word story would have greater than 100 characters in its link — lol. Don't know if you can assist in making the link easy-breezy for those visiting or if there is something different I can do. Thanks in advance!
🙂
Thanks, Melissa! I normally write SF so it wasn't much of a stretch for me. 🙂
🙂
It is not only because I love you, Susanna, but also because you dangle some terrific carrots in front of us! 😀
As a knitter, I heartily approve of Penelope's plan! 🙂 And leg warmers…LOL!!
What is a snowglobe for if not to spread…snow?! 😀 Smart idea to use it to save the day!
How do you make those notes, Tracey? I love those!
The path of life tends to have boulders strewn here and there…so sorry for the troubles….I'll keep you and your family close to my heart. 🙂
Thank you, dear Vivian 🙂
A great story! I've got the ear worm now! Enjoyed it so much, Melissa!
ENTRY POSTED FOR ANNE
CHRISTMAS EVE AT GATE 25
by Anne Bromley ~ 348 words
On Christmas Eve, Mom and I flew over our San Diego lights on board Flight 88. We were headed to Boston with a layover in Dallas, hoping for a white Christmas at Gram and Gramps.
Mom squeezed my hand. “Get some shut-eye, Sweetcakes.”
Before drifting off, I imagined gifts under a spruce tree, lit candles on the hearth, and a choir outside, singing “Silent Night.”
I woke up when our ride got really bumpy.
The pilot announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon land in Dallas. An unusual storm has brought heavy snow and high winds. Please fasten your seatbelts.”
Snow in Dallas? How cool was that?
We had a one-hour layover. Mom and I raced to the restroom and stopped by a deli for sandwiches and juice. Just as I was about to take a bite, a woman’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “We regret to announce that all departing flights are cancelled due to blizzard conditions. Our agents will assist you in finding accommodations for the night.”
Mom and I stood near the end of a long line, as the night sky turned white. Some people said bad words into their phones. No more rooms available.
Mom bit her lip. “Ellie, it looks like we’ll be spending Christmas at Gate 25.”
My heart took a dive. The spruce tree and the candles and the choir melted like snowflakes.
Then a blinking fake candle in the gift shop gave me an idea! I asked the cashier, “Can I buy this, please?”
“For five dollars it’s yours.”
Back at Gate 25, the grumpy passengers lay back in their seats. Mom and I spread our winter jackets on the floor. I clicked on the fake candle. She took my hand, and softly sang, “Silent night .. . . Holy night. . . . all is calm. . .”
One by one, the grumpy passengers joined in.
followed by the cleaning staff,
the ticket agents,
the flight attendants,
the wing walkers,
and the pilots.
We had become the Gate 25 Choir! The snow kept falling, and all was bright.
**
What a lovely, lovely story, Anne! So nice to see the spirit of Christmas alive and well at Gate 25 thanks to Ellie and her mom 🙂 I love the way she overcame her own disappointment and made Christmas Eve better for everyone! Thanks so much for joining in the Holiday fun!
Hahaha! I have no doubt leg warmers would do the trick! I bet those reindeer were cozy as bugs in a rug 🙂 Great description of the snow and Penelope at the beginning! Great job in general! 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the fun!
ENTRY POSTED FOR ROSA
My unicorns fought the Mean Storm
by: Rosa Valle Casas
Everything is ready for the occasion.
Weeny Glynis and Mom are with such a great excitement about celebrating the bountiful harvest.
The colorful feast invite us to eat at least, the roast turkey granny did.
Are the animals flying among us? But wait!…are they soaring the sky?
No!…they are just anxious unicorn balloons who forgot their manners in a dark afternoon.
It seems like they can kiss the whiner purple bliss.
They are playing too much and having so much fun, they are fluttering all around.
It is the wind,it is blowing too hard,and watering to much.
“I see a storm coming” said the concern mom.
“No, mommy,it is already here, but it is an evil one that wants to take all the glow away from here!” cried the little girl.
“Oh no,nobody,not even a big storm can stole all the joy from here” and mother gently dried her tiny eyes.
“Oh my,what are we going to do?”
“Oh dear, what can I say?”
“Mom can we fly,through the horizon to another land?”
“Yes,we can! Hold my hand and close your eyes,close them tight!
You may think about the gray shaped clouds the breeze put aside”
“Mommy,but were shall be the unicorns?”
“They are fighting that Mean Storm that our Thanksgiving wants to turn”
And so,they waited for the lighting swords to embrace the sun in his shine accord.
Out of the nowhere, a hint of hope broke the sad over.
“It is gone!” exclaimed the surprised girl. “The sky is not dark anymore!”
“They did it,the unicorns had fought the storm!” laughed the mother.
“Oh no, mommy” corrected Lil' Ms. Glynis
” My unicorns fought The Mean Storm!”
And so the giggles reigned the backyard when the bell just rang. And a bright voice the place ignited:
“Can I get that mom!”
The End
What an imaginative, fantasy spin on a Christmas story, Rosa! Unicorns fighting a mean storm certainly qualifies as wild weather! 🙂 I love the idea that Glynis and her mom live in a world that has glow that the mean storm wants to take away – very creative! Thanks for joining in the Holiday fun!
Success! In spite of my extreme handicaps in the technology department, I have managed to fix your link 🙂 Hurray!
I'm so glad you think so, Rachel! I love them too! 🙂
Thanks, Johnell – you're too kind as relates to mine, but I have no doubt the others are all wonderful! I'm looking forward to reading them all! 🙂
ENTRY POSTED FOR GINA
A Christmas Prayer
By Gina Silvester
“Time for bed,” Mom called. “Don’t forget your prayers.”
Daniel knelt beside his bed. He knew what to pray for tonight. The kids in his class were celebrating the holidays but Daniel wasn't merry. Tonight he would change that. Tonight he would pray to have his Dad back for Christmas.
“Goodnight honey,” Mom whispered.
“Dad’s coming home for Christmas.” Daniel said sleepily. “I prayed for it.”
“I wish that were true.” Mom said sadly and turned out the light.
Night after night Daniel prayed for his dad to come home. Day after day he waited. On Christmas Eve, Daniel sat by the Christmas tree for hours. He watched the rain fall outside the window and felt worse than ever. Mom made his favorite hot chocolate but it didn't help.
Suddenly the sky turned black and there was a thunderous noise. The walls creaked and the window panes rattled. Mom ran in and threw her arms around Daniel.
“Tornado!” Mom yelled.
The whole house shook and Daniel felt his feet lift off the floor. They were flying through the air and it was like everything was in slow motion. Daniel saw ornaments float off the tree and drift past his head. Wrapping paper unraveled from gifts and blew past his ears. Then the whole house tipped upside down and Daniel was pressed up against the ceiling. He snapped his eyes shut and held his breath.
When everything was quiet Daniel opened his eyes. “What happened?” he asked.
“Thank goodness you’re okay,” his mom said as she touched his face. “Let’s check on the neighbors,” she added and scrambled up off the floor.
When his mother opened the front door Daniel peeked around her to see outside. He could not believe his eyes. Hundreds of U.S. Army soldiers were staring at them with their mouths wide open. At the front of the crowd was Daniel’s dad.
“How on earth did our house get from Tennessee to Baghdad?” Daniel’s dad asked incredulously.
Daniel laughed. “I prayed for us to be together this Christmas.”
Oh, Gina, how nice that Daniel and his mom got to be with his dad for Christmas! I love this holiday rendition of Dorothy's house in the twister in the Wizard of Oz – so clever! Great description of flying through the air! Thanks so much for joining in the Holiday fun! 🙂
You're very welcome! I'm so glad you enjoy them!!!
Yippee! Susanna's Christmas Contest! I can't wait to read all the entries!!! It makes Christmas soooo special 🙂
How clever! Great job, Suzannah!
Great job! Love the leg warmers! Ha!
ENTRY POSTED FOR KRISTEN
MAPLE SYRUP MELTDOWN
by Kristen Schroeder
(345 words)
Christmas was under threat from an unlikely source.
“We’re running out of maple syrup,” Santa said to Mrs. Claus.
Maple syrup production had slowed to a trickle after a severe drought in Canada.
“We’ve been rationing the syrup and watering it down,” Santa said.
Mrs. Claus scanned the workshop. The elves looked like they were moving in slow motion. There was no singing or merriment, and as Mrs. Claus looked on, a fight broke out over a hammer. Several elves had laid their heads down on their benches to nap.
“Productivity in the workshop is way down. The elves need their syrup.”
“Oh Santa, whatever will we do?”
“I’m making a quick trip to pick up some syrup from Japan, but it won’t be enough.”
“You can have all the maple syrup from my bakery,” Mrs. Claus offered.
“Thank you, Dear.”
Mrs. Claus hurried to her bakery pantry, even though she knew two hundred gallons of maple syrup wouldn’t last the elves more than a couple days. It also meant there wouldn’t be any maple cookies this year, the official cookie of the North Pole.
A brilliant idea popped into Mrs. Clauses’ head.
“Agave!”
Mrs. Claus baked a batch of maple cookies using agave syrup and a dash of maple extract.
“Maple cookies?” Santa asked, sniffing the air. “I thought you gave us all your maple syrup, Mama.”
“Take a bite,” Mrs. Claus urged.
“They’re delicious, as always,” Santa said. “But how…?”
Mrs. Claus told Santa about her ingredient swap.
“What’s agave syrup?” Santa asked.
“It comes from a cactus in Mexico,” Mrs. Claus explained.
“Mrs. Claus, you’re a genius! I’ll stop by Mexico on my way back from Japan,” said Santa. “It’s worth a try!”
Santa’s sleigh was piled high with barrels of agave syrup when he returned to the North Pole. Mrs. Claus mixed maple extract into the agave syrup and sent it down to the workshop.
The sweet sound of elves singing carried through the night air.
“Feed the elves with maple syrup, Falalalala, Lalalala!”
“Christmas,” announced Mrs. Claus, “is back on!”
What a fun, creative idea, Kristen! It's like caffeine for elves 🙂 I love Mrs. Claus's resourcefulness, too – thinking up an alternative with available ingredients so the elves would never know the difference 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the Holiday fun! 🙂
We sub in agave syrup for maple syrup too! It has a lower glycemic index. 😉 Cute idea to work into the story!
Such a fun idea to use unicorns in a Holiday story!
It's a great and sweet idea to get everyone relaxed and singing when flights get cancelled on Christmas Eve. 🙂
Goodness! Daniel brought home the entire troop! 🙂
I'm so glad you think so, Penny! And I hope you've got an entry up! 🙂
You had me singing!
What an absolute delight. I hope if I ever get stranded, it is at Gate 25.
Thanks Teresa 🙂 Last week I saw them and I just wrote,and wrote…