Well, hi there! 😊
So lovely of you to drop by to visit on a Thursday when I don’t usually post!
Latte?
You must have heard about my irresistible new offering and stampeded over to avail yourself of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Yes! The hype is all true!
Today, you can broaden your horizons with
for the low, low price of $0!!!
Learn how to:
- start ten tasks at once. . . without the burden of actually finishing any of them!
- work for 10 minutes and get distracted with online holiday shopping!
- realize you’ve been online shopping for one hour and 73 minutes and remind yourself sternly that you’re supposed to be working!
- check all your social media accounts, work for 10 minutes, then sharpen your mental skills with a rigorous round of Sporcle! (Can you name the 10 US State Capitals you can’t fly to?)
- travel to another continent in the middle of hosting a writing contest!
- fall asleep on your computer and get keyboard checkers on your cheek!
- work for 10 minutes and decide to make tiramisu!
- . . . and so much more!
What is that?
You DIDN’T come to absorb my freely-given wisdom on productivity when I have clearly taken it to new heights? (I did say it was unprecedented. . . 😊)
Fine.
I will do my best not to take it personally that you doubt my fitness as a model of organization, efficiency, and productivity just because the Halloweensie Winners haven’t been posted yet, and we’ll move on to how I can help you with choosing the right burlap sack for any social occasion which must be why you’re here if you don’t want to improve your productivity.
Wait, what?
You’re here because you want to know who won Halloweensie?
Well why didn’t you just say so?!
Because it just so happens that I know! 😊
As you are all aware by now, we had an amazing turnout for Halloweensie 2019 – 324!!! entries! Golly gee willikers!!!
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers! And I don’t know about you guys, but for me Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without Halloweensie! What’s better than a candy-filled dark and spooky night? A candy-filled dark and spooky night with 324 fabulous stories to read! 😊
With large entry numbers come hard choices, though. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you for your vote.
There were, however, many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another (one reason being that, at a certain point, we just had to stop adding finalists to the list! :))
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (all-around well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Lindsay Leslie for The Scurry Treat (well written, great use of language, great ending!)
Cassy Ciarq for Trick Or Treat (well written, great job evoking the delicious fear and excitement of a child trick-or-treating in the dark!)
Marta Magellan for Scary Things (well written, great job showing the spookiness of Halloween and the back-to-normal morning after – good kid appeal)
Linda Hofke for What Witch Whips Up (so cleverly written with the body parts subtly woven in to lead up to the ending of “body lotion”!)
David McMullin for Billy And Buddy’s Epic Halloween (fun and kid-friendly, very believably “kid” and sibling!)
Tracy Curran for My Mummy’s A Witch (fun and kid-friendly with a great twist ending!)
Mary Vander Plas for Some Arachnid (well written fun story – great twist on Charlotte’s Web!)
Chelsea Tornetto for Booty And A Beat (clever, fun to read aloud, irresistible rhythm)
Roo Parkin for The Road To Grimly Gore (well written, great use of language, fun ending!)
Pat Finnegan for Save-This-Night (a kid-friendly witchy change-of-attitude story)
2. For Best Endings: (not already in the finals)
Stephanie Williams for The Contest
Lauri Meyers for Haunted Halloween Hop
Lauren Neil for Witch 101
Shelley Kinder for Fishy Witchy
Sue Lancaster for The Halloween Hop
3. For Great Use of Language: (not already in the finals)
Sue Heavenrich for Spider Parade
Jenna Waldman for All Hallows Poetry Reading
Sarah Meade for The Goblin And The Girl
Deborah Boerema for Monster-Matopoeia
4. For Spookiest/Creepy Entry: (not already in the finals)
Christina Dendy for The Bone House
Unidentified author for Matilda’s Treat
Paul Kurtz for Cobwebs
Mary C. Thorpe for What Had They Found?
Vashti Verbowski for Cecil The Beetle (And The Web Of Wishes)
5. For Funniest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Kael Tudor for Hubble, Bubble, Toil And . . . Muddle?
Greg Bray for The Ultimate Spider-Man Costume
Susan Summers for The Witch’s Dilemma
6. For Sweetest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Melissa Miles for Just One Child
Lisa Zaccaria for Halloween Surprise
7. For Unique Character: (not already in the finals)
Cathy Murphy for A Cure For Cobweb (Spider turns into a Unitoad – like a unicorn but a toad!)
Lori Himmel for The Very Haunted House (MC is the house)
8. For Great Read For Younger Readers: (not already in the finals)
Brenda Whitehead for Halloween Countdown
Avana Lily for The Little Witch Helps Out
JoAnn DiVerdi for Boo-Boo! A Little Ghost Story
9. For Creative Format:
Jenna Waldman for Ghost Store (written like a commercial)
Michelle Henrie for Halloween Treat (written as a crossword puzzle)
10. For Good Kid Voice:
Lindsey Hobson for Little Brother
11. For Good Depiction of Siblings: (not already in the finals)
Tara Cerven for A Silken Surprise
12: For Cleverness: (not already in the finals)
Mary Rudzinski for Halloween Forever
Erin Kerger Duffett for Three Cauldrons Full
13. For Contestants Who Entered Multiple Strong Entries:
Sarah Meade
Paul Kurtz
Donna Kurtz
Michelle Kennedy
14. Last But Not Least A Very Special Mention:
Joyce Schriebman for The Good Witch – a tribute to our sweet friend, Robyn Campbell, who always went out of her way to help others and whom we miss dearly.
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your prize, which is a $5 Amazon Email Gift Certificate (which you may spend on one of the many Kindle choices listed in previous contests here, or add to your Amazon bucks for a gift for yourself or someone else, or whatever else you might choose to do!) as well as a beautiful certificate of achievement that you may display on your blog or print out and frame or turn into a flag to carry with you everywhere and wave out the window of your car 😊
A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 12 fabulous prizes, generously donated by authors and various professionals in the writing field. My policy is to let the first place winner have first pick of all the prizes, the second place winner have second choice, etc. That way hopefully nobody gets something they already have, and hopefully everyone gets something that’s valuable to them. All prizes are listed at the bottom of this post for your convenience in perusing the goodies 🙂
Now.
Finally!
Onto the moment you’ve all been waiting for. . .
. . . the reason you got out of bed this morning. . .
. . . in spite of shadows under your bleary eyes. . .
. . . and the candy corn that is stuck in your hair!!!
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST as chosen by you, our esteemed voters!!!!!
In First Place, winner of the whole entire contest and top of the heap who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Jocelyn Watkinson
for
Vampire Stains
Congratulations, Jocelyn, on a fabulously written, entertaining entry that was all around well done and clearly very popular with judges and voters alike!!!
In Second Place,
Keatley Eastman
for
Sneaky Sister
Congratulations, Keatley, on a cute, well written, kid friendly entry with a great ending! (and for coming in 2nd two years in a row!) You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jocelyn chooses!
In Third Place,
Paul Kurtz
for
A Halloween Visit
Congratulations, Paul, on a well written, clever entry that masterfully combined elements of Halloween and Christmas into Spider Claws! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jocelyn and Keatley choose!
In Fourth Place,
Leslie Goodman
for
The Nickname Cure
Congratulations, Leslie, on a fun story with funny twist of an ending! You get to pick a prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, and Paul!
In Fifth Place,
Katrina Swenson
for
Itchy Witchy Underwear
Congratulations, Katrina, on your delightfully well written entry that made us laugh out loud! You get to pick your prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, Paul, and Leslie!
In Sixth Place,
Maryna Doughty
for
Ghost’s Pest Problem
Congratulations, Maryna, on your clever, fun and creative entry! You get to pick your prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, Paul, Leslie, and Katrina!
In Seventh Place,
Mary Ann Cortez
for
Let’s Go Scarecrow
Congratulations, Mary Ann, on your fun, Going On A Bear Hunt-esque twist on Halloween! You get to pick your prize after Maryna!
In Eighth Place,
Colleen Murphy
for
Broom Or Bust
Congratulations, Colleen, for a beautifully written, fun, entertaining kid-friendly entry! You get to pick your prize after Mary Ann!
In Ninth Place,
Jill Lambert
for
Tacky Trick
Congratulations, Jill! What is a spider to do if his silk has no stick’em?! 😊 You get to pick a prize after Colleen…!
In Tenth Place
Debbie Day
for
Gloona The Grinchy Witch
Congratulations, Debbie, on making us laugh at your Grinchy Witch! You get to prize pick after Jill.
And, I don’t think I need to remind anyone that in addition to all these fabulous prizes, everyone mentioned on this page has bragging rights as having won or placed in the Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest! Not just anyone can say that 🙂
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! If you choose a prize that requires snail mailing, PLEASE include your snail mail address so we don’t have to email back and forth too many times 🙂 If you would like a beautiful certificate to celebrate your accomplishment, you are most welcome to one!
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause, a confetti parade, and a truckloads of leftover fun-sized chocolate. . . if there is any 😊
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize! It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
And before we go, I will give you all advance warning so you can start planning a little time into your December schedule…
Assuming you guys are up for it – and you’d better let me know in the comments!!! – the 9th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 7 so we can all fully enjoy it and still have time for last minute holiday things. I will do my best to post the rules well in advance (maybe the Saturday after Thanksgiving, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise! 🙂 ) so you all have time to work on your stories! But please let me know if you feel like it’s too much and you’d rather not do it!
Have a terrific Thursday everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 🙂
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 🙂
Go Directly To Go! Skip The Slushpile at Blue Whale Press and Get Your PB Manuscript Directly On The Editor’s Desk!!!
Submit your picture book manuscript directly to editor Alayne Christian for her consideration and critique. Helpful feedback is a certainty, publication could be a possibility!
Blue Whale Press is an SCBWI PAL publisher of children’s books that focuses on stories involving themes of friendship and/or personal challenge. Most often, stories are selected for publishing due to their inherent educational or moral value. But as a general rule, a good dose of humor or a tug at the heart doesn’t hurt their chances of being published either. While a few chapter books and a middle grade are on their list, their focus is picture books. As a boutique publisher who doesn’t mind taking risks, Blue Whale Press considers itself to be a launch pad for authors and illustrators hoping to establish themselves.
For more info: https://www.bluewhalepress.com/
Hone Your Skills with the Lyrical Language Lab Rhyme & Meter Self Study Crash Course (11 Lessons) from accomplished writer and poet Renee LaTulippe
INTENSIVE RHYME AND METER CRASH COURSE
This option contains all the same lessons as Module 1 of Renee’s fully guided course, including all supplemental materials, downloads, and audio/video components. This is the option to choose if you need to build a strong foundation in the mechanics of rhyming picture books and poetry. The major focus is on the four main types of meter and how to use mixed and varied meter. Other topics include rhythm, cadence, breath, scansion, rhyme, sound devices, figurative language, imagery, and diction.
.
You also have the opportunity to submit two of your assignments to Renee for feedback, and have email access to ask questions about the lessons as you complete them. Although lessons will arrive every other day, you are free to complete them at your own pace.
See the course description above for more information.
For more info: https://www.reneelatulippe.com/writing-courses/ (scroll down)
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming, Non-Rhyming, Fiction, or Nonfiction – Vivian is open to any type of picture book critique) from Vivian Kirkfield author of SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD (Little Bee, January 14, 2020), and more…
Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Christine Evans, author of EVELYN THE ADVENTUROUS ENTOMOLOGIST (Innovation Press, September 2019)
Rhyming Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Carrie Finison, author of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS and DON’T HUG DOUG, forthcoming from Putnam in August 2020 and Spring 2021.
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Janet Johnson author of HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS (Capstone, March 2020) as well as the MG novel THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB & J SOCIETY (Capstone 2016)
Fiction OR Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Darshana Khiani, author of HOW TO WEAR A SARI forthcoming from HMH/Versify, Spring 2021
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Gabi Snyder, author of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, forthcoming from Abrams Appleseed, May 2020 and LISTEN, forthcoming from S&S/Wiseman, Spring 2021
Query Letter Critique from Dee Romito, author of PIES FROM NOWHERE: HOW GEORGIA GILMORE SUSTAINED THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT (Little Bee Books, 2018) as well as several middle grade books.
Book Bundle #1 – Nonfiction
Signed Copies of WAITING FOR PUMPSIE (Charlesbridge, 2017) and THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (Charlesbridge, 2018) by Barry Wittenstein
and JURASSIC RAT (Spork, June 2019) by Eleanor Ann Peterson.
Book Bundle #2 – Board Books
Personalized Signed Copies of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (both Amicus Ink, 2019) by Julie Abery
Book Bundle #3 – Holiday Books
Personalized signed copy of NOT SO SCARY, JERRY (Spork, 2017) by Shelley Kinder
Personalized signed copy of THE QUEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE (Albert Whitman, 2018) by Nancy Churnin
The Night Baafore Christmas (WorthyKids 2019) by Dawn Young
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Congratulations to all of the winners, honorable mentions and participants! You guys rock…and thank you to Susanna and her assistant judges who waded their way through an incredible number of fabulous stories! This is how to build a community!!!
Congratulations to all the winners and heartfelt thanks to Susanna and her wonderful band of judges! I learned a great deal during this contest. Most importantly never hit send when I’m tired! I couldn’t believe it when I realized I’d sent the version with a repeated word…good grief! But it was still thrilling and encouraging to have made it to the top 12. Hopefully I’ve learned an important lesson. Definitely I had a wonderful time! Thanks again!
Congrats to all!! What wonderful fun this was again this year!❤️ Thanks so much, Susanna and your wonderful assistants and the prize donors and of course the writers who shared their awesome stories with us!
Hurray to all of the winners!!! Thank you, again (and again and again and again) Susanna for this wonderful contest.
Congrats to all the winners! And many many many thanks to Susanna and her troupe of judges and to all those who donated prizes!!! Another Halloweensie is a wrap!
Congratulations to all. Thanks to Susanna and her Halloweensie team another wonderful contest.
Congrats to all the participants for putting their work out there. Well done!
Well done, everyone! Enjoy those wonderful prizes!
Congratulations to everyone and thank you to all of the donors and judges. With greatest thanks to Susanna! I think your Seven Secrets are out and have been shared by many of us, so kudos to you for managing to read, rank and then tally the votes for the entries to your challenging contest! I am already excited (and anxious) for the next one!
Hugs!
Colleen
Congratulations to everyone! And thanks Susanna for all your hard work in creating these great contests that stretch our thinking.
Congratulations, all! What a wonderful Halloweensie contest! Susanna and friends, thank you so much for all of the work you’ve put into this contest. I’m up for your holiday contest if you are. 😉
CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners and to all the writers who participated. This contest is always fun!
What an amazing contest filled with countless kid-pleasing stories. Congratulations to each and every writer who entered.
congratulations to all the winners! And a big YEAH for everyone who participated – because it takes a certain amount of courage to put your writing out there. Here’s to the next holiday writing contest!
Congratulations to all! What a great time of reading fun stories! Thanks, Susanna and company, for all the work! And thanks to the givers of awesome prizes! 🙂
Susanna, what an amazing community you’ve created here! Congratulations 🎊🎊 to you, all of the judges, prize donors, prize winners, and everyone who participated. I’m not committing to the holiday, but you never know when inspiration will stop by for coffee.
Congratulations to all of the winners, special mentions, and really everyone who created & submitted a Halloweensie! And thank you to the prize donors, judges, and most especially to you, Susanna, for another wonderful contest. What would Halloween be without Halloweensie???
What’s that – another holiday approaching? No, not that all-you-can-eat one. The one with the Holiday Contest. Yes, please!
Congrats to all the winners of the 9th annual Halloweensie contest! Yay! Great job. Thanks to all of the judges for all of your hard work, and thank you Susanna for hosting such a fun and challenging contest. I’m looking forward to the upcoming holiday contest.
Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions! Susanna, thank you and your assistants for another fun challenge! Looking forward to the Holiday Contest!
Congratulations to all the winners, including the honorable mentions! There were some fabulous entries. I had three favorites, and they all placed. Everyone who wrote a story is a winner!
Susanna – I am so grateful for this contest! Thank you so much for running it and your crew who make it all happen. Thank you to all the amazing prize donors, your generosity helps new writers and we thank you! 🙂 Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions. I am in total shock that my little Halloweensie was the popular vote…thank you everyone for the support and well wishes so far today! Looking forward to the holiday entry!
Thank you so much, Susanna, for this wonderful opportunity! Thank you also to everyone who assisted, donated, and participated. Each contest has been so inspiring and motivating! What a gift to the writing community. Congratulations to Jocelyn, all the other winners and to everyone who entered!
Congratulations to all the winners, honorable mentions, and participants! As a first time participant, I LOVED Halloweensie! Thank you, Susanna, and all the generous donors. Looking forward to the holiday contest!
So honored to receive one of the incredible prizes from the generous donors! Thanks to everyone who participated this year, either through crafting your own Halloweensie, commenting on entries, judging, or providing a prize for the winners. And a special thanks to Susanna, who sacrifices so much time to run these fun contests every year!
A resounding applause of Congrats to all of the winners and honorable mentions. To those who did not place, you have taken the first wonderful step into writer-dom and I can’t wait to see all of the “wonderful” that will come of it 🙂
Thanks as always, Susanna, for hosting this awesome contest 🙂
Congratulations to all winners and participants of my favorite writing contest! And I second what Vivian said – this is how we build community! Have a wonderful weekend everyone – especially you, Susanna!
thank you so much for chosing my story for honorable mention. I had so much fun writing it. Thanks for the challenge.
And congrats to my crit buddy Sandy Perlic and all the other winners!!!
Also, a big thanks to everyone who donate prizes. You are all awesome.
Thank you Jill!!
Congratulations to the winners, and honorable mentions. So many wonderful stories! Thank You Susanna, as always, for all of your hard work, and dedication to this community!
Congratulations everyone! What great reads!!