Hello?

Sheesh! This is some FOG!

I can’t see a thing!

Is there anybody out there?

Ouch!

OUCH!!

Who parks a dragon where anyone can just blunder into its WINGS? Those things have sharp scales! And little pointy things on the edges! (Also very bad breath (the dragon, not the wings.) And they’re extremely grumpy when smashed into! Although really, who can blame them for that?)

I think I need an ice pack and a bandaid. Not for me. The dragon is feeling wounded from my “assault”.

Also a cookie. That is for me.

Because I feel like I’m waking up from a SPELL (though alas, there was no Prince Charming involved. Isn’t there supposed to be a Prince Charming when one is being woken from a spell? I’m going to complain to management! If I’m going to be put under a spell, I want a Prince Charming to wake me up, gosh darn it! Or at the very least, a cookie! Maybe two cookies – the dragon wants one, too.)

Apparently all this fogginess and walking into things is the result of 2 weeks of being holed up reading and re-reading Halloweensie Contest entries without daylight or fresh air or sleep, sustained only by left-over Halloween candy, bonking our heads against the wall in despair as we agonize over which ones to choose and which ones to set aside (the entries, not the candy. The candy is GONE!)

333 fabulous entries! And we have to choose 14? It is torture! TORTURE I tell you!

We did it, but honestly, we could easily have chosen twice that many – even three times as many – because there were so many fantastic entries.

Whose idea was this anyway? It would be so much better if we could just give everyone a prize!

We found something to love in all the entries. You are all so talented and creative. You blow us away every time. Having to choose the select few is always excruciating! The ones we picked were, in our estimation, the best all around in story, kid-friendliness, Halloweenieness, language, meter (for the rhyming ones), and mechanics (punctuation, capitalization, proofreading etc.), and of course, included all the required words and were 100 words or fewer. With this many entries, we were ruthless about the rules, and more than 20 entries were cut – some of them very good and painful to have to let go – because they were missing bylines, titles, and/or word counts, were over the word limit, were not about Halloween, were missing words, or had proofreading errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. We can’t post finalists with errors like that (at least not intentionally. Hopefully we didn’t miss anything!)

If you didn’t make the finalist list, I don’t want you to feel bad! It doesn’t mean you didn’t write a good story! It’s VERY hard to tell a great story in 100 words. There is a LOT of competition. Only 14 make the finals, so if you didn’t you are in excellent company. And don’t lose heart. A lot of you will be on the Honorable Mention Lists in a few days. The judging is always the part I find most difficult 😊 There are always so many more I want to choose… But a contest is a contest, and so we have to try, to the best of our ability, to select the cream of the crop. I’m sure, despite our best efforts, there may be some we didn’t choose that you think we should have, and some we did choose you think we shouldn’t have. But we really tried to make good choices.

And for those who didn’t make the cut, you still practiced your craft, wrote good stories, met writing requirements, wrote to a deadline, and increased your writing experience. You produced good work that you were brave enough to share in public. And you hopefully have a strong basis to build on that may allow you to expand and polish your story into a magazine piece or a picture book when you’re not constrained by the contest parameters. So bravo, and congratulations to everyone!

The 14 oh-my-goodness-did-we-agonize-over-these! 15th Annual Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest Finalists are listed below!

Please read them all, choose your favorite, and vote for it in the poll below by Tuesday November 18th at 5PM Eastern.

Please feel free to share the link to this post on social media – the more readers and voters the better! Every one of these entries deserves to be read by as many people as possible. But I ask that you please not troll for votes! The contest is supposed to be based on merit, not a popularity contest based on who has the most followers or can talk more people into voting for their story. If you are a finalist, please do not say you’re a finalist or mention your entry by name or number. Encourage people to come read and vote, and let them make their own decisions. As judges, we make our selections blind. The names are all removed so we make our choices based solely on the story so we can remain unbiased. In fact, as of this writing, I still don’t know who wrote the stories on this list. You can bet I’m going to go look right after I post!

So read, enjoy, vote! 😊

1 – ESTELLA’S SPELL AT WITCH SCHOOL

Estella delighted in creatures,
so Spells class was hardly her thing.
She’d never mix into her potions
an animal’s eye, toe or wing.

While friends’ cauldrons sparked pyrotechnics
or fumed with a luminous fog,
Estella’s spells flickered and faltered
for lack of a bat, newt or frog.

Estella spent Halloween scheming,
and saved every beast she could see,
then secretly doctored class parchments
to make the spells cruelty-free.

In horror, the witches expelled her.
Estella had zero regret,
and now has a stellar vocation:
she’s training to work as a vet.

2 – COSTUMED CRITTERS

Down fog-folded roads, by the glow of the moon,

Strolled three costumed critters: Deer, Skunk, and Raccoon.

Their baskets brimmed full from a night trick-or-treating,

Their whiskers were sticky from lollipop eating,

When far down the path, something shadowy loomed!

A figure flapped fearsomely out from the gloom!

It swooped through the mist, waving wings wide as sails

And twitching two terrible, talon-trimmed tails!

“A dragon!” Skunk sniffled.

“A ghost!” Raccoon yelled.

Deer sobbed, “It’s a clothesline some wicked witch spelled!”

And just when they thought they’d expire from fright…

They saw it was Bat…who’d dressed up as a KITE!

3 – LITTLE BAT’S BRIGHT NIGHT

Little Bat peeked out at the foggy forest.

The twinkling stars and shining moon were hidden.

“This could spell disaster for Halloween! My daytime friends can’t see in this mist.

Fieldmouse will wander,

Lizard will stumble,

Chickadee will blunder!”

He stretched his wings with resolve.

He soared.

He searched.

He swooped—he snooped—he scooped!

When he was done, 

Gleaming glowworms,

Flickering fireflies, and 

Shimmering mushrooms

Shone green, orange, and yellow in acorn-cap jack-o-lanterns.

Fieldmouse, Lizard, and Chickadee greeted Little Bat as he flapped over the light-lined path.

“Happy Halloween!”

Little Bat led the trick-or-treaters into the glowing Halloween night.

4 – DRAGON FLY

It’s Halloween when witches fly

through foggy bogs and inky sky.

So, Gertrude climbs upon her broom.

Let’s start ‘er up! Vroom! Vroom!

A puff of dust! A chug, a choke.

The dungeon fills with purple smoke.

Oh, spider spit! My broom is dead!

No spooky rides to spread the dread.

To scatter beggars gathering treats

and send them screaming in the streets.

Her Spell Book (always in her hat),

whispers, “I can help with that!

Come fishes’ scales! Come wings of bat!

Come fiery breath! Come claws of cat!”

Gertrude cackles, waves goodbye–

“Forget the broom! Let’s dragon fly!”

5 – LULU’S WISH

Once upon a Halloween,

Lulu frog made quite a scene.

Lulu’s wish—to be a bat!

Made up her mind and that was that!

But frogs can’t fly! They don’t have wings,

ears, fur, or… batty things!

So off she hopped to sit a spell

upon her local wishing well.

Tossed her coin with pure delight

then wished with all her froggy might!

“I wish to be a bat!” she cried.

Threw up her arms, held them wide.

Suddenly, a cracking sound!

As eerie fog swirled all around!

When it cleared, there Lulu sat,

transformed into a baseball bat!

6 – Aerial AcroBAT

A foggy night spells trouble

when birds are on the wing.

Navigating through the mist

can be unsettling.

I possess a sonic squeak,

echoes help me see.

On Halloween no pesky pests

will get away from me!

My wings are ultra-sensitive

to every puff of air.

I twist and turn, a pirouette.

Bugs had best beware!

Please don’t duck or flee in fear.

Children aren’t my prey.

I am an insectivore.   

It’s moths that make my day.

Now carry on with trick or treat.

My feeding buzz is on.

I’ll  swoop and glide, mouth open wide,

till SLURRRP! –– mosquitoes gone!

7 – WANDA THE WHICH

Ulf was determined to win the Halloween costume contest. He shuddered, knowing this meant visiting Wanda’s fog-shrouded cottage.

Wanda could transform you into your costume.

She was a POWERFUL witch
but a TERRIBLE speller.

And because she wrote rather than chanted charms, unless you were careful, who knew WHICH costume you’d get.

Approaching her cottage, Ulf saw Wanda had turned Radmila into dough, not a deer (a female deer).

And Baldric into a ferry. No wings, no dust, just a foghorn and barnacles.

So when Wanda croaked, “Costume?” Ulf should have chosen more carefully.

But instead he squeaked, “Bear?”

8 – BAT’S BIG NIGHT

For weeks before their special night,
young bats prepare a thrilling fright.
They gather in the evening sky
to swoop and dive, precisely fly
in tight formations, glide and climb,
strive to learn their moves in time.

Now, at last, on Halloween,
the bats are ready to be seen.
They scan the sky for anxious hours–
cool and cloudy, chance of showers.
As costumed children head their way,
they launch into a grand display.

The trick-or-treaters point and shout–
in moonlit fog, black bats stand out.
The noiseless pups, a gleeful crew,
soar wing to wing and spell out, “BOO!”

9 – EEK! A WEEKNIGHT HALLOWEEN

Striped in black and yellow, antennae on my head, 

I’m bug-eyed when I spot it, that reminder penned in red:                          

“Spelling Test November 1st!” It’s gotta be a trick.

Homework over Halloween?! Better study – quick!                                               

Agitated, buzzing now, my palms begin to sweat.

Through foggy panes, I scan the street. No trick-or-treaters yet.

Hurriedly, I comb the words. The first one up is “wing.”

I know it starts with W, then I, then N, then… DING-dong!

My best bud’s here to pick me up. I beeline for the door –  

this Spelling Bee likes acing tests, but I like candy more!

10 – THE MISSING INGREDIENT

The witch stirred her bubbling brew.

“Drat! There’s one missing ingredient!”

KNOCK!

“Who’s that?”

She opened her door and squinted into the fog.

Something squeaked.

A small bat lay on the ground. Its wings shivered.

“Just what I needed! Do come in for a spell.”

She scooped the bat up and held him over her steaming pot.

The bat squirmed and squeaked.

“That should warm you up.”

She set him down and handed him a small bowl.

“My missing ingredient was someone to share my stew with.”

The little bat smiled. Together, they slurped until the great pot was empty.

11 – THE SPOOKIEST HOUSE

Eliza flew from door to door,
on fairy wings made days before.

The moon was bright, no foggy haze.
She saw through every spooky gaze.

Knock! Knock! “Trick or treat!”
“I love your costume! Take a sweet!”

Up the street one house remained –
its quaint appearance, well maintained.

She wondered who she’d get to greet.
Knock! Knock! “Trick or treat!”

Eliza stood, her mouth gaped wide.
Could she run, escape, and hide?

“Spell ‘trick’ for me, Eliza dear.”
Instead, Eliza stood in fear!

She wished it were a dreadful creature –
somehow worse, there stood her teacher!

12 – GHOUL BUS

Climb aboard, immortal souls. Relax and sit a spell.

We’ll journey through our neighborhood where ghouls and goblins dwell.

Stop 1: Three witches cackle on and plan their night of fright.

They’ll startle trick-or-treaters with their wicked-winged flight.

Stop 2: A ghostling floats aboard and practices his “BOO!”

It’s Halloween – the perfect night to prove he’s scary, too!

Stop 3: What’s this? The doors unclick and fog begins to swirl.

A shiver ripples through the air. It couldn’t be! A – girl?!

“Your costumes are fantastic! The best I’ve ever seen!

Just take me ‘round the corner, please. And – Happy Halloween!” 

13 – THE BOG WITCH’S GARDEN

“It’s time!” cackled the Bog Witch. She had waited all summer long for this moment as she watched insects wing their way to each flowering stalk.

 Now, her carnivorous plant lovelies were ripe with seeds. As she readied her spell to call the wind, a thick fog appeared.

“Drat,” she said as she raised her wand to lift the nuisance away.

Then she swirled the wand up and down.

The wind answered…

Whoosh!

…and carried the seeds up in the air and back down into labelled seed packets. Just in time to pass out to trick or treaters on Halloween.

14 – HALLOWEEN CIRCUS

Halloween! The veil is thin!

Let the circus show begin!

POOF! From fog, the twins appear!

Spotlight shines! The patrons cheer!

Perched upon the high trapeze

There they soar with utmost ease.

Nimble twins on swinging wires:

Wingless birds! Highest flyers!

“Daring girls!” the patrons cry.

“If they slip, they’d surely die!”

Risky front flips! Backflips! Wow!

Twins perform a graceful bow. 

How’s it done? You’d like to know? 

…Both girls perished years ago. 

Now, two ghosts of girls who fell,

Charm the crowd beneath their spell…

Here one night while veil is thin:

Haunted Circus High-Wire Twins.

PHEW! So there you have it! Good luck choosing just one of those amazing stories!

Please vote for your favorite in the poll below by 5PM Eastern Tuesday November 18th! The Winners and Honorable Mentions will be posted on either Wednesday November 19th or Thursday November 20th!

I can’t wait to see who you all choose as your winners!

Please join us Tuesday for Tuesday Debut, and tune in Wednesday/Thursday for the winners and honorable mentions!!! 🎃🧙‍♀️👻🎃