Darlings!

At long last I am able to bring the 2023 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge to its grand finale! I’m so sorry you’ve been waiting on me, but you know what they say: “life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. And so it seems to be this summer.

I am abysmally behind schedule, so there is nothing for it but to put one foot in front of the other and march forward until I catch up! I hope you are all taking the time to rest and relax, enjoy summer, and read and WRITE! 😊

Today’s accomplishment is wrapping up the Mix ‘n’ Match, and I’m delighted to say that of the 60ish writers who began the challenge, 37** of you completed all 7 weeks, and many others did at least half. The most important things I hope you all got from the experience was enjoyment of writing and reading each other’s creative work, a sense of community with your fellow writers, and hopefully a bunch of new ideas that might turn into something for you down the road!

CONGRATULATIONS to EVERYONE who participated, whether with one story, or with seven, or in a couple cases, eight or nine! You all did a fabulous job! You are so creative, and your talent and willingness to join in is so inspirational, plus your stories were all such fun to read!

(**37 is my count. I did the best I could to be sure I found all entries for all writers, but if you think you should see your name below and don’t, please let me know!)

Not only did you all put your BIC and write some new stories, but for the 37 “Winners” (which I put in quotation marks because I think anyone who wrote even one story is a winner!) there are also PRIZES!!! 😊😊😊

(In the future, I should probably get everyone to give me their email addresses in advance of the prize giving, or create a form of some kind for winners to fill out so I can get top 3 prize choices. But for this time, we’ll just go ahead and choose randomly and try to work out any kinks that may arise, such as someone winning something they already have.)

THANK YOU ALL for being part of the 2023 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!

The original prize list is featured below, but I added a bunch of stuff because we had so many winners, so please take a moment to see what else ended up on offer 😊

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 birthday, 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 and library visits, recommending their books for school and library purchases, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊

Now!

I shall list the 37 winners alphabetically by first name with their randomly selected prize beside them! If you get something you don’t want or already have, please let me know and we’ll see what we can do! I picked a lot of the extra prizes because I like them and/or think you might find them helpful, so they can be easily swapped! Either way, please email me (because I don’t have a lot of these email addresses!) so I can get your prize to you!

Angel Gantnier – ⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

Ashley Sierra – ⭐️ a first read-through recording package from children’s author and poet Sarah Meade

Bev Schellenberg – ⭐️ How To Hatch A Reader by Kari Ann Gonzalez

Colleen Murphy – ⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann

Dawn Renee Young – ⭐️ Federico And The Wolf by Rebecca Gomez

Deb Buschman – ⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique OR Ask-Me-Anything Chat OR a signed copy of SCIENCE, MATTER AND THE BASEBALL PARK (winner’s choice!) from author Catherine Ciocchi.

Debbie J. Arnn – ⭐️ Food For The Future by Mia Wenjen

Dianne Borowski – ⭐️ Copy Editing/Proofreading Of Up To 5 Picture Book Texts (All Types and Lengths) from Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf

Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf – ⭐️ a 20 minute Zoom or phone Ask Me Anything with Jilanne Hoffman

Elizabeth Thoms Charles – ⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description)

Elyse Trevers – ⭐️ a signed copy of ANIMALS IN SURPRISING SHADES: POEMS ABOUT EARTH’S COLORFUL CREATURES (Gnome Road Publishing, March 28, 2023)from author Susan Johnston Taylor!

Haley Hendrickson – ⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

Isabel C. Rodriguez – ⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description)

Jill Lambert – ⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

Julianna Kurtz – ⭐️ Mary Munson and Kate Talbot are offering a “Love Bundle”.

Julie Hauswirth – ⭐️ Beautiful Writers by Linda Sivertsen

Katie McEnaney – ⭐️ Board Book Bundle – Little Otter and Baby T. Rex by Julie Abery

Kelly Clasen – ⭐️ The Storymatic Synapsis – story inspiration cards and game

Kelly Kates – ⭐️The Conflict Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

Krithika Santhanam – ⭐️ The Loud Librarian by Jenna Beatrice

Lauri Meyers – ⭐️ Hurry Little Tortoise, Time For School by Carrie Finison

Lauren N. Simmons – ⭐️ a copy of Becky Scharnhorst‘s brand new picture book – just coming out tomorrow! – HOW TO GET YOUR OCTOPUS TO SCHOOL (Flamingo Books, May 16, 2023)

Linda Scheuler – ⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Lyn Jekowsky – ⭐️ A copy of Making A Living Writing Books For Kids by Laura Purdie Salas

Michelle S. Kennedy – ⭐️ My Grandpa, My Tree, And Me by Roxanne Troup

Patricia Nozell – ⭐️ Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers by Mary Kole

Penny Taub – ⭐️ The Fire Of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of by Kirsten W. Larson

Royal Baysinger – ⭐️ Ask Infowoman: A Library Consult

Ryann Jones – ⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description)

Sally Yorke-Viney – ⭐️ The Storyteller’s Handbook created by Elise Hurst – full of gorgeous images to inspire your writing!

Sara Kruger – ⭐️ I’m A Hare, So There! By Julie Rowan-Zoch

Sara Petersohn – ⭐️ A signed copy of Susanna Leonard Hill’s ALPHABEDTIME (Nancy Paulsen Books/PRH, October 25, 2022), generously sponsored by a very kind anonymous donor! Thank you so much for your donation, You Know Who You Are 😊

Sarah Meade – ⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description)

Stephanie Maksymiw – ⭐️ Hustle, Bustle Bugs by Catherine Bailey

Susan E. Schipper – ⭐️ The Wishing Flower by A.J. Irving

Tiffany Hanson – ⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description)

Tomi Rockey Rues – ⭐️ How To Wear A Sari by Darshana Khiani

⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017) as well as the forthcoming SPIDER LADY: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid WWII Army (Astra/Calkins Creek 2025) and another as yet unannounced 😊

⭐️ Mary Munson and Kate Talbot are offering a “Love Bundle”. They are the author and illustrator of LOVE WILL TURN YOU AROUND. Mary will sign the book and send swag (US only), and Kate will offer a critique (picture book manuscript OR art, winner’s choice!)

⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique OR Ask-Me-Anything Chat OR a signed copy of SCIENCE, MATTER AND THE BASEBALL PARK (winner’s choice!) from author Catherine Ciocchi. Catherine is a multi-published author and a teacher with a knack for STEM-themed rhyming texts. Her books include SCIENCE, MATTER AND THE BASEBALL PARK (Gnome Road Publishing, March 28, 2023) and THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND (Arbordale Publishing, May 2015)

⭐️ a 20 minute Zoom or phone Ask Me Anything with Jilanne Hoffman, author of 2 board books, THE HONEY BEAR HIVE (Mudpuppy January 2023), HAPPY CAMPER (Mudpuppy January 2022), and the forthcoming picture book A RIVER OF DUST

⭐️ Copy Editing/Proofreading Of Up To 5 Picture Book Texts (All Types and Lengths) from Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf, professional technical writer and copy editor.

Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf

⭐️ a first read-through recording package from children’s author and poet Sarah Meade, contributor to HOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING (Pomelo Books, 2020!) where she will read aloud and record up to five PB manuscripts for one author (1,000 words or less each, fiction or nonfiction, rhyming or non-rhyming) so you can hear how your stories sound to someone who is unfamiliar with them on a first read-through! Very helpful and emlightening!

⭐️ Ask Infowoman: A Library Consult Regardless of where you are in your writing career – brand new or seasoned author – Kathy Halsey has a wealth of information to help you! From insight into what books school librarians need/want in their collections (which can help you target your writing for success) to helping you create an engaging school visit and all kinds of things between…and beyond… check out her website to see what this fantastic prize can offer you!

Kathy Halsey currently serves on the State Library of Ohio’s “Choose to Read Ohio” program and writes curricular toolkits for SLO’s award-winning children’s books. She is a former K-12 school librarian, seventh grade English teacher, and bookseller for a children’s independent bookstore. Her first work for hire board book releases fall, 2023. 

2019 PBChat Mentorship
SCBWI Ohio Central-South Co-Assistant Regional Advisor
Former Community Manager, Storyteller Academy
Ohio Educational Library Media Association Past President

⭐️ a signed copy of ANIMALS IN SURPRISING SHADES: POEMS ABOUT EARTH’S COLORFUL CREATURES (Gnome Road Publishing, March 28, 2023)from author Susan Johnston Taylor! This book is great for classrooms and recommended by SLJ!

⭐️ a copy of Becky Scharnhorst‘s brand new picture book – just coming out tomorrow! – HOW TO GET YOUR OCTOPUS TO SCHOOL (Flamingo Books, May 16, 2023)

⭐️ A signed copy of Susanna Leonard Hill’s ALPHABEDTIME (Nancy Paulsen Books/PRH, October 25, 2022), generously sponsored by a very kind anonymous donor! Thank you so much for your donation, You Know Who You Are 😊

⭐️ Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers by Mary Kole

⭐️ A copy of Making A Living Writing Books For Kids by Laura Purdie Salas

⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month) (3 available)

⭐️ What’s The Story Cards (scroll down link page to see description) (5 available)

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

⭐️ Board Book Bundle – Little Otter and Baby T. Rex by Julie Abery

⭐️ My Grandpa, My Tree, And Me by Roxanne Troup

⭐️ Hustle, Bustle Bugs by Catherine Bailey

⭐️ Food For The Future by Mia Wenjen

⭐️ Federico And The Wolf by Rebecca Gomez

⭐️ The Storymatic Synapsis – story inspiration cards and game

⭐️ Beautiful Writers by Linda Sivertsen

⭐️ The Loud Librarian by Jenna Beatrice

⭐️ The Wishing Flower by A.J. Irving

⭐️The Conflict Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

⭐️ The Storyteller’s Handbook created by Elise Hurst – full of gorgeous images to inspire your writing!

⭐️ How To Hatch A Reader by Kari Ann Gonzalez

⭐️ I’m A Hare, So There! By Julie Rowan-Zoch

⭐️ Hurry Little Tortoise, Time For School by Carrie Finison

⭐️ How To Wear A Sari by Darshana Khiani

⭐️ The Fire Of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of by Kirsten W. Larson