I don’t know about you guys, but I love this writing life.
I feel so lucky that it’s what I get to do.
I get up at 5:20, when the world is dark and peaceful.
I get to take my dogs for a run on this quiet, pretty road as soon as it’s light enough to see.
Sometimes I see these guys (though of course they’re older now :))
Hopefully, I don’t meet this guy
but as you know from Friday’s post, I do run into him occasionally 🙂
I get to drive my daughter to school – a little time we get to chat each morning – and then go feed the horses, turn them out, and do the barn (and what could be better than hanging around with horses?) 🙂
Then I come home, ignore my office 🙂 and work at my sunny kitchen table (of which I apparently do not have a picture :))
I set my own schedule, which allows me to be there for my family all the time.
And I am lucky enough to work at something that, though challenging and prone to making me tear my hair out from time to time 🙂 doesn’t really feel like work. I invent characters, and imagine settings and play with language. As I tell kids on school visits, I get to make up stories all day long – as jobs go, pretty awesome.
So when I have days like yesterday – days when the rejections come in an avalanche – literally! (some mischievous aligning of the stars that makes every editor respond negatively on the same day!) – days when I question whether I really have any right to be doing this at all, whether I have any ability for this career that I’ve chosen, whether somehow I have wandered onto a path that isn’t mine to travel – I try to remember all the things I love about this writing life so I don’t lose my perspective entirely.
It’s so easy to feel discouraged.
But if you can find the courage to dust yourself off, go for a morning run, and sit yourself right back down at that kitchen table, it’s also easier than you’d think to try again.
So for anyone else who had that kind of day yesterday – or any day 🙂 – here’s to optimism and inspiration and trying again. Who knows? This could be the day we get our best idea yet 🙂
And of course, around here, we raise our glasses with Something Chocolate 🙂
Dig in 🙂 (Remember, a healthy breakfast is essential to a productive day – and what could be healthier than cocoa beans (vegetables!) and milk (protein and calcium!)?)
How do you cope with the hard days? Because let’s face it – in this business, we all have them! That’s one of the things that makes them bearable – knowing that we’re in good company 🙂
Now then! Onward to a good day and Would You Read It!
Today’s pitch comes to us from Heather. Several years ago, Heather Kinser was a Silicon Valley proofreader/editor. Now she’s the mother of two amazing girls, a charter school volunteer, a breast cancer survivor, a long-term writer’s group member—and a wanna-be children’s book author. She keeps her head in the clouds and sand in her shoes. She lives with her husband and children in beautiful Redwood City, California (“Climate Best by Government Test”). If you’d like, you can go show her some love on her brand new blog! http://troubadourmoon.weebly.com/
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Hubert’s Dreadful Allergies Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) The Pitch: Aunt Lottie’s fancy luncheon party is in full swing when her highly allergic dog, Hubert, walks in and sniffs the flowers. What happens next is a riot of mishaps that eventually sends the proper party guests on a crazy chase, with Hubert leading the way.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Heather improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Heather is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to a new idea. I don’t know what it will be. I don’t know when it will come. But I’m going to get busy so the idea doesn’t think I’m just waiting around for it. When it ventures near, I’ll be careful not to look at it or acknowledge it in any way. (Ideas are shy and easily scared.) After a while, it will get a little annoyed that I’m not paying it any mind, and it will come right over and nudge me to get my attention. And then I’ll have it right where I want it 🙂
I don’t know about you, but I’m glad it’s Friday! This week has been long and busy! I’m plumb tuckered out! (That’s Little House On The Prairie speak for “tired” :))
I’m so plumb tuckered that I might even be able to sleep without sheep… but in case you can’t, now thru Nov. 23, CAN’T SLEEP WITOUT SHEEP is a Kindle Big Deal at only $1.99! so I thought I’d mention it in case any of y’all would like a copy… or know anyone who would 🙂ow.ly/DYFLA
Today’s character is not plumb tuckered out, though. He is busy and helpful 🙂
Title: Little Blue Truck Written By: Alice Schertle Illustrated By: Jill McElmurry Harcourt Children’s Books, 2008, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-7
Themes/Topics: friendship, helping, animals
Opening: “Horn went “BEEP!” Engine purred. Friendliest sounds you ever heard. Little Blue Truck came down the road. “BEEP!” said Blue to a big green toad.“
Brief Synopsis: A friendly Little Blue Truck drives down a country road, beeping hello to everyone he passes – a toad, a sheep, a cow, a piggy, etc. All is well until a self-important dump truck comes along, shouldering everyone out of the way. When the dump truck gets mired in the mud, it’s up to Little Blue and his animal friends to help out even though the dump truck hadn’t been very nice to them.
Links To Resources: draw and color in your own Little Blue Truck (or truck of any color of your choosing :)) and add in any animals that YOU would like to include in your journey; talk about what it means to be a friend; talk about the importance of helping others, even if they don’t help you; K-5 Teaching Guide to Being Friends
Why I Like This Book: This is a cute, fun book that will entertain toddlers through young elementary schoolers. The beginning has lots of fun animals sounds to join in on and practice, and the rhythm of the text mimics the rhythm of the Little Blue Truck bounding down the road. The end has a nice message about friendship and helping others. The pictures are cute and friendly and warm – perfect for this lively little book 🙂
Apropos of nothing, Linda Boyden (who always posts awesome stuff!) posted a picture on FB a few days ago of a bear charging down the middle of a road. The picture said, “Not a runner? Now you are!” (I’d post it here, but I’d probably be breaking every copyright rule in the book!) Anyway, I had to laugh, because I saw the picture yesterday, and then this morning when I was out “running” with my dogs, guess who we saw? THE BEAR! We were all pretty surprised. There was a lot of barking (Scout) and pleading (me saying, “Scouty, PLEASE! Leave that bear alone and come HERE RIGHT NOW!”) and lumbering off into the bushes thank goodness (the bear), but golly, that’ll get the ole heart pounding at 6 AM!
So I know that has nothing whatsoever to do with Perfect Picture Book Friday or the book I’m sharing today, but I had to tell SOMEONE! 🙂
PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!
It was so nice of y’all to come visit me on a non-posting day!
Really, the fact that you would come all the way over here just to see me makes me feel all warm and fuzzy 🙂 You are all so sweet!
Can I offer you some refreshments? Forgive me for being a little unprepared – I wasn’t expecting company today – but please, help yourselves to coffee and donuts!
Everybody got something? Good! Let’s get comfy and settle in for a nice chat!
I have a scintillating story to tell you about the smell in our bathroom wall.
No! Not that kind of smell!
What happened was this:
On Saturday, we lit a fire in the fireplace for the first time this fall. No sooner did the chimney heat up then a dreadful odor began to pervade the house! We traced it to the upstairs bathroom wall which, oddly enough, does not touch the chimney.
You would really think that in order for a smell to be coaxed out of the wall it would have to be quite near the heat source, but apparently this is not the case, because the bathroom wall is not anywhere near the chimney, but there was no doubt about the smell.
Ah, the mysteries of architecture!
But wait. Where was I?
Oh, yeah. The dreadful odor…
So there we were, enjoying our first cozy fire of the season, when this ghastly smell nearly knocked us flat. Obviously it was imperative that we discover the cause…
What?
You don’t care about the dreadful odor in my bathroom wall?
I think you should at least pretend, seeing as how you’re my guests and I gave you donuts!
You’re only here for the donuts and the what?
You want results?
What kind of results?
And who’s to say I have them? I may have been incapacitated by the decomposing bat (yes, that’s what was causing the dreadful odor, since clearly I’m not going to get to finish telling my story…!)
But really, a decomposing bat is a pretty appropriate item to have found right before announcing. . .
THE WINNERS OF
The 4th Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!
WA-HOOOOOOO!!!!!
(But wait! Before I announce, do you want to see pictures of the decomposing bat?
No? You’re sure?
Alrighty then. Don’t say I never offered you anything :))
As you are all aware by now, we had a record turnout for the Halloweensie Contest – 132 entries! Holy Halloweensie! Who’d-a-thunk it?
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers!
But with large entry numbers come hard choices. 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 on Monday 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: Susan Halko for The Contest Mishka Jaeger for The Poag’s Revenge Julie Abery for Orinda Owl’s First Halloween
2. For Great Kid Appeal: (not already in the finals) Marla Lesage for At Grandma’s House Last Halloween (which was also delightfully spooky!) Marty McCormick for Winnie’s Spell Christie Allred for Petie Pumpkin And The Stinky Halloween Teresa M.I. Schaefer for The Best Pumpkin Marlaina Gray for Lolly Is Scary Tracie Percival for The Misspelled Witch Vivian Kirkfield for A Night Of Friendship For Miss Witch
3. For Best Descriptive/Mood Piece: Carol (whose last name I’m sorry I don’t know!) for Halloween Night Mandy Yates for On This Night
4. For Best Use of Poetic Language: Penny Klostermann for HG (Haunted and Ghostly) TV Ex-Scream Makeover Ghost Edition
5. For Spookiest Entry: (not already in the finals) Eric Hammond for The Scarecrow Michelle Valencia for The Halloween Sneer Jean James for Trick Or Treat? Alistair Lane for The Raven And The Pumpkin
6. For Sweetest/Cutest Entry: (not already in the finals) Anne Bromley for The Pumpkin Patch Scarecrow (sweet) Jennifer Wesselink for Five Silly Monsters (cute) Ellen Leventhal for Emma’s Evening Ride (cute) Linda Boyden for Pumpkin Moon (cute, and could have also won Best Entry in Fewest Words at 27! :))
7. For Saddest Ending: (hehe :)) Nancy Hatch for It’s Time To Fly
8. For Best Written Original Point of View: Victoria Aranda for Creaks (written from the POV of a haunted house)
9. For Excellence In Depicting Sibling Relationships: Carrie Charley Brown for Prankenstein Kimberly Cowger for First Flight of Halloween Joanne Sher for Dumb Jack-‘O-Lanterns
10. For Originality/Creativity: Jen Garrett for How To Carve A Pumpkin
11. For Favorite Character: Pat Tilton for her “gutsy witch” who “slammed the ghost with her sack of candy” in Little Ghost 🙂
12. For Best Collaboration: Susanne Leach and her First Grade Class for Sweetsie’s Jack-O-Lantern***
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com to collect your prize, which is your choice of one of the following: (the titles are all links so you can go see what they’re about)
*** The exception is Susanne Leach and her First Grade Class. I wasn’t sure they’d have much use for the aforementioned writing guides, so instead a group of lovely authors and I would like to present them with a gift pack of signed picture books for their classroom, including NINJA RED RIDING HOOD by Corey Rosen Schwartz, FARMER MCPEEPERS by Katy Duffield, COCK-A-DOODLE OOPS by Lori Degman, MARATHON MOUSE by Amy Dixon, and PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS by yours truly.
Great job, first graders! You knocked our socks off! 🙂
Now then. A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 10 fabulous prizes, generously donated by authors and various professionals in the writing field. Since some of the winners may already have taken a class, or own a book, or have only rhyming mss or only non-rhyming mss for critique, etc, 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 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. . .
. . . to see a picture of my decomposing bat!
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2014 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…
Jodi McKay
for
Halloween Hide-and-Go-Seek
Congratulations, Jodi, on a delightful entry that was all around well done and clearly very popular!!!
In Second Place,
Nick Rowe
for
Halloween SMS (Short Messaging Scariness)
Congratulations, Nick, on a wonderfully spooky entry with very creative and original formatting! Well done! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jodi chooses!
In Third Place,
Lauri Meyers
for
Sulky Spider’s Spooky Webs
Congratulations, Lauri, on a well written, clever, and funny entry that we all loved! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jodi and Nick choose!
In Fourth Place,
Nancy Tandon
for
Snip, Snap, Crack
Congratulations, Nancy, on a deliciously creepy entry! You get to pick your prize after Jodi, Nick, and Lauri!
In Fifth Place,
Joanna Marple
for
Devious Dads And Halloween
Congratulations, Joanna, on a very clever and creatively formatted entry! You get to pick your prize after Jodi, Nick, Lauri, and Nancy!
In Sixth Place,
Gina Silvester
for
Halloween Chase
Congratulations, Gina, on an entry that was tons of spooky fun! You get to pick your prize after Jodi, Nick, Lauri, Nancy, and Joanna!
In Seventh Place, Carrie Finison for The Shadow! Congratulations, Carrie! Your rhyme was outstanding, and we loved your little cat 🙂 You get to pick next 🙂
In Eighth Place, Linda Schueler for Creaky Cackle! Congratulations, Linda! Your entry may have been the funniest one in the pack! You get to pick after Carrie!
In Ninth Place, Michelle Barnes for This Year’s Halloween Mascot! Congratulations, Michelle! Boy, do you know how to write believable kid behavior 🙂 You get the idea of the prize picking by now I’m sure 🙂
and in Tenth Place, Amelia West for Full Moon Rising! Congratulations, Amelia! Nicely done! You get the remaining prize! 🙂
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! Finalists who did not finish in the top 10 (Michael, Mike, and Debbie) may also contact me for their choice of the Kindle or paperback prizes listed above.
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 large amount of chocolate cake 🙂
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. 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…
The 4th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 8-12. I’m running it a little bit earlier this year so we can all fully enjoy it and still have time for last minute holiday things. And to whet your appetites and get your thinking caps on, I will tell you that first prize is something AWESOME! A picture book manuscript read and critique by an actual editor at an actual highly regarded publishing house!!! But that is all I’m saying for now 🙂 You will just have to stay tuned for more details as the Holiday Contest approaches. And I will do my best to post the rules well in advance so you all have time to work on your stories!
Have a terrific Thursday everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 🙂
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!!!
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.
– a picture book manuscript critique by Tracey M. Cox! Tracey offers a full critique on a fiction PB, 800 words or less, which will include overall impression and line-by-line on a prose only pb ms. She will also include thoughts and marketing ideas that she thinks about and if she can think of references, she’ll add them also. Tracey M. Cox has been writing professionally since 2000 and is an author of 6 picture books. She is an active member in the children’s literature community and explores how to self-market on little to no budget.
– 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 HEREand 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.”
Please join me again 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, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
Due to all the flurry and excitement and extensive reading involved in the Halloweensie Contest, I’m going to take pity on you today and present nothing but Something Chocolate and Would You Read It.
No amusing anecdotes from my childhood.
No tales of adventure from the wilds of Blueberry Hill.
No witty musings on life.
(Well, okay, I don’t really ever have those :))
Just one thing before you get your snack: if you haven’t had a chance to vote yet for your favorite Halloweensie Contest finalist, you have until 5 PM and we really need all the votes we can get. The top contenders keep being tied. So please go HERE (and encourage your neighbors and your grandmother and your mailman to stop over, read the entries and pick their favorite too!)
Wasn’t that so quick? And now your reward….
Something Chocolate!
Hold onto your dental work…
Recipe HERE http://damndelicious.net/2013/12/11/easy-homemade-toffee/
I LOVE toffee! Truly, I think it is one of the best inventions ever. Help yourselves! Tell me if you agree! 🙂
Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Maria who says, “I am a pre-published author and roommate of two loving, adorable Pixiebob cats. Recently granted a chance to decide “what I wanted to be when I grew up,” I began actively pursuing my my love of writing (a path on hold for the past ten years, while I raised my kids). I renewed my SCBWI membership, joined Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 forum, and Kid Lit Summer School, took numerous writing courses, found awesome critique groups, and attendeded conferences.”
Working Title: Just Like Us Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 2-6) The Pitch: As children frolic through and around a park playground, glimpses of two bear cubs mimicking their fun can be seen, partially obscured on each page. Both the bears and children roll down a hill, play on the equipment, and dig for treasure. But in the end, who is watching whom.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Maria improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January, right after the holidays, so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Maria is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to announcing the Halloweensie Contest winners TOMORROW!!! I know! The excitement! The anticipation! Who will it be?????
Tune in and find out! 🙂
Have a wonderful and toffee-filled Wednesday, everyone!
A pumpkin who has fallen off her creaky broomstick!
Wrung out and harrowed after an entire weekend of trying to decide how to rank the incredible entries y’all submitted for Halloweensie 2014. What a job!!!
It’s a miracle I’m even here to tell the tale!
Thank goodness for the sustaining chocolate provided (via Face Book) by Joanna and Kathy 🙂 Thank you both, from the bottom of my chocolate-loving heart! (And no, they did not receive “special consideration” for their entries as a result – they are both just lovely people who didn’t want me or my assistant judges to keel over :))
And speaking of the assistant judges, I had to call in a fourth! I’m not kidding!
Because here’s the deal: we had the biggest turn out we’ve ever had in terms of number of entries – 132! – and the overall quality of the entries was fantastic. Really, it is readily apparent that the quality of entries in these contests is improving every time. This means there are fewer standouts, almost none that are easy to cut, and there a LOT of pretty good ones that we have to get very nit-picky over! It is agony, I tell you!
Before we get to the actual list of finalists, I have a couple things to say. (I know you’re shocked :))
First of all, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for many!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to go around and read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 🙂
Third, before I list the finalists, I want to say again how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. There was a huge amount of competition. Judging, no matter how hard we try to be objective, is always subjective at a certain point – we all have our own preferences for what makes a great story. And the fact that you didn’t make the final cut DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to expand beyond 100 words if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. So bravo to everyone who entered!
Now. Onto the judging criteria which were as follows: 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience, so entries that were well-written but lacked child-friendliness did not make the cut. 2. Halloweeniness – the rules stated a Halloween story, so entries that failed to mention anything Halloween-y did not make the cut even if they were well-written. 3. Quality of story – the rules stated that entries were to tell a story, so if they appeared to be more of a description or mood piece, they didn’t make the cut. We looked for a true story arc. 4. Quality of Writing: we took note of spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. In addition, for the rhymers, we looked at rhyme and meter (for which we are sticklers!) We also looked at overall writing quality and use of language. 5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
This time around, 5 entries sadly had to be cut because of rule problems: one was 3 words over the word limit (I counted 6 times, by hand and with Microsoft Word’s word count tool, because it was otherwise a strong entry! but 131 other people managed to stay at 100 or under so I had to be strict!); two used “broom” but not “broomstick“; and 2 did not use “creak” in any form. (And yes, I checked the word count on all 132 entries and made sure the required words were present.)
After that, the going really got tough. Some of the stronger stories were written in rhyme where the meter didn’t work as well as it needed to. Some of the most beautiful rhyming entries with great use of language were more mood pieces than stories. So we had to make some very hard calls.
Without further ado, I present to you the 2014 Halloweensie Contest Finalists. A baker’s dozen – 13 for Halloween! 🙂 A mix of poetry and prose, stories for younger readers and slightly older (but still kid) readers, funny, spooky, and cute. Please read through them carefully, take your time, think it over, and vote for your favorite. To help with objectivity, finalists are listed by title only, not by author.
And I’d like to be very clear about the voting process. You are MOST welcome to share a link to this post on FB, twitter, or wherever you like to hang out, and encourage people to come read ALL the finalists and vote for the one they think is best. Please do that. The more people who read and enjoy these stories the better, and the more objective votes we get the better. HOWEVER (and I want to be very clear on this) please do not ask people to vote for a specific number or title, or for the story about the pumpkin ballerina or whatever. Trolling for votes or trying to influence the outcome is counter to the spirit of this competition which is supposed to be based on merit. I thank you in advance for respecting this. #1 Halloween SMS (Short Messaging Scariness) #2 Creaky Cackle
Ever since Winnie Witch crashed into a creek, her cackle was creaky. Ah ha ha…hack…cough, cough… Hallowe’en hijinks were hindered. Broomstick in hand, she wobbled into the witch doctor’s office. “Whoa,” said the doctor as she peered into Winnie’s mouth. “It looks like you’ve got a frog in your throat.” “Chew this pumpkin lozenge,” the doctor decreed. “Yuck,” Winnie gagged. Splutter, cough, cough… Out bounded a bullfrog. “Ba–ruump,” protested the frog and hopped off. Ahhh ha ha ha ha…Winnie Witch whooped. “Stay out of creeks,” the doctor yelled as Winnie Witch bounded off on her broomstick.
#3 Full Moon Rising
Full moon rising in the sky, Owls are hooting, bats fly by.
Mummies moaning in the night, Goblins groaning give you fright.
Milo walking down the path, Up the steps, he hurries fast.
Floorboards creaking, Milo’s sneaking, Across the moonlit porch.
Past the pumpkin, Past the cat, Past the broomstick, Past the rat.
To the door where spiders lay, Waiting for their cowering prey.
Milo hears a frightening sound. He doesn’t even turn around.
Glowing eyes behind him stare. Ring the doorbell, if you dare!
Door creaks open. Better not run.
Trick or Treat! Now, let’s have some fun!
#4 Home Alone Halloween I came home from school very excited. Halloween, my favorite day of the year.
I almost trip over the sixteen pumpkins on the porch.
With a creak, I swing the door open while calling out, “Mom?” No answer.
The aroma of bat stew fills the house.
She’s not in the dungeon, or napping in her coffin. She must be here somewhere.
I look throughout the house, running from room to room.
Suddenly it hits me.
I fling open the broom closet. Empty. Even her broomstick is gone.
“Of course,” I said, hitting my forehead and smiling. “She is working tonight!”
#5 Sulky Spider’s Spooky Webs
Sulky Spider planned a scheme
For making trick or treaters scream.
Spider silk began to spin
A Jack ‘o Web with wicked grin.
“Pretty pumpkin,” cowgirls said.
“Pretty?” Sulky hung her head.
“A webby ghost will do the trick!”
She spun a spooky ghoul up quick.
Pirates shouted, “Ghosts are neat!”
She gobbled up her web. “Defeat.”
Spinnerets began to twitch.
“A warty-broomstick-riding-witch!”
A princess cooed, “That witch is sweet.”
She stomped all eight offended feet.
“I need a buggy snack,” she frowned.
Sticky thread went round and round.
She didn’t hear the stairway creak.
“A spiderweb!” they hollered, “Eek!”
#6 This Year’s Halloween Mascot
“Me!”
“No, me!”
Witch School should have been brimming with excitement. But everyone was sick of hearing Broomstick and Pumpkin argue over who should be Halloween mascot.
“No one flies higher,” said Broomstick.
“No Jack-O-Lantern shines brighter,” said Pumpkin.
Black cats cowered, paws over ears. Cauldrons bubbled their disapproval.
C-r-e-e-e-e-a-k– the courtyard door opened to an assembly of witches.
“The time has come,” Head Mistress said. “The night awaits my decision.”
“This year’s mascot shines the brightest…” (Pumpkin’s head swelled.)
“…and flies the highest.” (Broomstick’s spirits soared.)
“Our Halloween mascot is…”
“… the Moon,” who silently took a bow.
#7 Halloween Chase
The pumpkins were glowing, but I still couldn’t see
There was someone or something coming for me
I glanced over my shoulder when I heard the stair creak
My heart leapt from my chest and my legs became weak
I gasped when I saw her, all ghoulish and green
She was staring right at me, eyes angry and mean
Her broomstick was poised to crash down on my head
I wished I could fly, but my feet felt like lead
My fists began swinging, I was ready to fight
My sister took off her mask and just laughed with delight!
#8 Halloween Hide-and-Go-Seek It’s Halloween! It’s dark, it’s spooky, it’s perfect for a game of Halloween Hide-and-Go-Seek! Blurp! Bloop! Blub! Are you in the cauldron? No, just some toadstool stew. Rustle! Swish! Swoosh! Are you in the closet? No, just an old broomstick. Creak! Crack! Bang! Are you behind the curtains? No, it’s just the wind blowing the windows open and closed. Scritch! Scratch! Raow! Are you behind the chair? No, just the cat settling down. Giggle, Giggle Are you upstairs? Sssshhhhhhh! Are you in the bedroom? Hmmmmm. Boo! There are my little pumpkins! You’ve had your trick, now how about your treat? #9 The Shadow
Once upon a pumpkin moon a rocker creaked, the wind sighed, Soon….A Shadow stole across the lawn and stopped upon the stair.
Ghosts and goblins roamed the streets. They rang each bell for tricks or treats. As they approached they didn’t see the Shadow waiting there.
Through the dark the children stepped, not knowing where the Shadow crept. They stumbled over Shadow and their screeches pierced the air.
Broomstick tail puffed wide with fright, poor Shadow fled into the night. On Halloween a small black cat should NOT sit on the stair!
#10 Halloween In A Box
“Skeleton!! It’s here!” Witch cackled. “Halloween in a Box! I ordered it on the Making Potions and Brew Magic website. ‘Fun Guaranteed!’”
Witch looked inside. “Pumpkin centerpiece? Broomstick garland?? Party plates??? That’s it????” She flopped onto the floor and wailed, “My party is ruined!”
Skeleton picked up the box. “I’ll be back.”
Skeleton returned with the box. “Open it.”
Witch lifted the flaps. Out jumped Black Cat, Ghost, Monster from Under-the-Bed, Zombie, his mother Mummy, and Hairy Spider.
“Now THAT’S a Halloween in a Box!” Witch screeched.
“Fun Guaranteed!” Skeleton said, dancing a creaky jig.
#11 Devious Dads And Halloween
DeviousDadsandHalloween
Pumpkin creations
Under the stars,
Mama carves goblins,
Papa carves cars.
Kids from our condo,
Itching for treats,
Navigate hallways
Bound for the streets.
Roger plays Batdude.
Orville’s a ghost.
Omar rocks Elvis,
Milly is toast.
Sam’s owl is skittish,
Tim acts the clown.
Ike rides a broomstick,
Cruising our town.
Kids in cool costumes
Creep through the night,
Rack up the candy,
Eat just a bite.
After, in jammies,
Kids hide the rest,
Eager to keep
Dads far from the best!
#12 Snack-O’-Lantern
“Nibbles,” sighed Chester Cat. “You’re supposed to carve a pumpkin.”
“They’re too big,” the guinea pig replied. “So I am carving a Halloween-o Jalapeño. Scary, huh? Does it make you want to run away?”
“No,” Chester sniffed. “That wouldn’t make anyone run away.”
They heard the creak of floorboards and the clatter of the broomstick Buster used for fetch.
“I bet it’ll make Buster run.”
“No way.”
“Let’s see,” Nibbles challenged. Then he shouted. “BUSTER! SNAAACK!”
Buster galloped in. He gobbled the jalapeño.
His eyes sprang open.
Yelping, he dashed to his water dish.
“Told you he’d run,” Nibbles giggled.
#13 Snip, Snap, Crack
In a deep dark corner, an old lady sits.
She cackles, and snarls, and frantically knits.
Click clack go her needles.
Snip snap go her bones,
As she rocks and she creaks
and her kitty cat moans.
She conjures up spiders, and pumpkins, and ghosts
All spun from her yarn –
“I’m so wicked!” she boasts.
Don’t dare approach her,
She’s all trick and no treat.
What are you doing??
Come hither, my sweet.
Get away from that broomstick! Skedaddle! Shoo!
You’re tiptoeing closer??
Snip
Snap
Crack
BOO!
Now that you’ve had a chance to read through the finalists, please vote for the entry you feel deserves to win in the poll below by 5PM EST Wednesday November 5.
Tune in Thursday November 6 to see THE WINNERS!!!
Thank you all so much for taking the time to write (if you did), read, and vote! These contests simply wouldn’t be what they are without all of you!
I can’t wait to see who the winners will be!
Tune in Thursday… same bat time, same bat station 🙂
(And we will have a regularly scheduled Would You Read It on Wednesday too!)
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a nap.
Tiger eye and mandrake root! It’s finally time for
The 4th Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!
aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!
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!!!
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.
– a picture book manuscript critique by Tracey M. Cox! Tracey offers a full critique on a fiction PB, 800 words or less, which will include overall impression and line-by-line on a prose only pb ms. She will also include thoughts and marketing ideas that she thinks about and if she can think of references, she’ll add them also. Tracey M. Cox has been writing professionally since 2000 and is an author of 6 picture books. She is an active member in the children’s literature community and explores how to self-market on little to no budget.
– 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 HEREand 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.”
Please join me again 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, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
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 :))
you owe me a pumpkin pie!” Pirate Ploy (100 words)
Halloween
A pumpkin moon
A ghostly ship
A still lagoon
Tattered sails
Like swirling mist
Ancient rigging
Creaks and twists
Skull and crossbones
Striking fear
Warning sailors
Far and near
Captain Jack
Comes thump-a-peg
Limping on
His broomstickleg
“Steady mates,”
breathes Captain Jack,
“Mustn’t blow
our sneak attack!”
Silently
The ghost ship glides
Closer . . .
Closer . . .
On the tides
Guided through
The murky blue
By the ghastly
Skeleton crew
Stealthily
it comes abreast
Lurking
uninvited guest
Nearing windows
warm with light
no idea
of their plight.
Captain Jack
deceit complete
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
If anyone is wondering, it is monsoon season on Blueberry Hill! What wild, wet, windy weather we are having! Thank goodness for my trusty canoe 🙂 If anyone wants to mount a rescue mission to bring in supplies of chocolate and friendly company, wear appropriate foul weather gear and do not attempt an umbrella – it will end in disaster 🙂
With rain on the brain, here’s my pick for this week which also starts out in the rain 🙂
Apparently I am a one-person advertising agency for G.P. Putnam’s Sons. This is the second week in a row I’ve posted one of their books! But I promise, it just worked out that way. I love both books and they’re being offered as prizes in the Halloweensie Contest, so I wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to see how fantastic they are 🙂
Today’s choice is the 3rd book in Karen Orloff and David Catrow’s super-fun I Wanna series that began with I Wanna Iguana. I hope you like it 🙂
Title: I Wanna Go Home Written By: Karen Kaufman Orloff Illustrated By: David Catrow G.P. Putnam’s Sons, September 2014, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: family (grandparents), appreciation, visiting relatives, persuasion, humor
Opening: “Dear Alex, Ethan and Annie, We’re so glad you’re coming to visit us. You’ll love it here! Do you know how to play bridge? It’s a card game all our friends enjoy. When you come, we can play for hours and hours! Can’t wait to see you. Love, Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Ralph P.S. Hope you like broccoli lasagna!“
Brief Synopsis: From the Amazon review: “Alex is not happy about being sent to his grandparents’ retirement community while his parents go on a fabulous vacation. What could be worse than tagging along to Grandma’s boring bridge game or enduring the sight of Grandpa’s dentures?
But as the week goes on, Alex’s desperate emails to his parents turn into stories about ice cream before dinner and stickball with Grandpa. Before he knows it, Alex has made a surprising discovery: grandparents are way cooler than he thought!“ Links To Resources: Classroom Activities for persuasive writing (this is actually for Karen’s 2nd book, I Wanna New Room, but much of it applies as is and the rest can be easily modified to match this book); talk about what kids do with their grandparents – what activities do grandparents like to do? Are they old-fashioned? What activities do kids like to do? Can you learn fun things from your grandparents? Can they learn fun things from you? What are some things you’ve learned how to do from your grandparents? What are some things you’ve taught them?
Why I Like This Book: Alex’s letter-writing is always amusing. He’s a master of showing his side of the argument and getting his way, (although in this case he changes his mind and learns that maybe visiting grandparents isn’t all that bad.) Things begin badly at the Happy Hills Retirement Community. It’s raining. Alex is bored. Grandma Shirley is dressing baby Annie up in girly outfits, and Grandpa’s false teeth are disgusting! But as the days go by, Alex discovers square dancing, bingo, and stick ball, and realizes that his grandparents are pretty fun to hang out with. By the end, he doesn’t want to go home. I love the way Alex’s attitude turns around, because that happens so often in life – especially with kids. They think they’re going to hate something and don’t even want to give it a chance, and it turns out to be pretty amazing 🙂 This book, like Karen’s others, is filled with humor and believability and is just tons of fun from start to finish!
PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you and see your wonderful picks for this week!
And please remember that there will be no PPBF next week due (October 31!!!) to the fact that the Halloweensie Contest will be underway!!! So exciting! I can hardly wait until Monday… to see if anyone enters… anyone at all… I’m hoping for at least a few – your stories are always so creative and fun! (And no, I have not written my sample yet. But I still have a couple days. It could still happen… :))
First, I got a flat tire. (It’s possible this had something to do with the wood full of nails and screws that someone left directly in front of the garage… that I drove over as I hurried out to pick up my daughter from school and wondered, “Hmm… what was that?” Really, your guess is as good as mine… :))
Then the bear came and had a picnic out of our trash cans. (If you haven’t had much experience with bear picnics, I can tell you they are not at all tidy. There is much clean-up involved…)
Then on Monday the house that’s going in down the road from us had its foundation poured, so a parade of cement trucks thundered up and down the road all day. Scout felt it her duty to bark at the passage of each one. Both ways. Jemma hid under the piano. It was traumatic for everyone.
And now we are expecting rain in these parts so if anyone needs me I will be in my basement in the canoe.
I know!
Harrowing tales of this nature just don’t come along every day!
I’m dreadfully sorry if my horror stories have left you in a weakened state, but never fear! I have snacks!
Continuing with our get-ready-for-Halloween-theme, today’s Something Chocolate is just the thing for when you want something sweet, salty, and candy-corny all at once. (Because really, isn’t that a combination you often find yourself wanting? I know I frequently find myself thinking, “Hmm… I’m in the mood for something sweet, salty and candy-corny… what to have?” Okay. I admit it. I have never thought that. But there’s always a first time :)) And they are pretty 🙂
I think they might be easy enough for even me to make, so go ahead! Give them a try!
Now that we have averted any danger of fainting, we have Straight From The Editor for September, which you will recall was won by Hope with her pitch for Cleo And Pinkie:
Whether it is marker stains on the carpet or mud trails in the hall, Cleo blames her mischievous, imaginary friend, Pinkie, for everything. “Pinkie did it!” Soon Mommy can’t take it anymore and declares, “No more Pinkie!” But without Pinkie, the house is too quiet until Cleo makes another mess, this time, to everyone’s delight.
Here’s what editor Erin Molta had to say:
This sounds really cute. I made a small tweak because I think if you put the Pinkie did it in the beginning it’s more of a hook. The only thing that didn’t quite work for me was the very ambiguous ending—Cleo made a mess to everyone’s delight? You don’t want to make readers guess, you want to intrigue them, yet this is just confusing. It would be better to be more specific so they can get the joke. Then they would appreciate it more. “Pinkie did it!” Whether it is marker stains on the carpet or mud trails in the hall, Cleo blames her mischievous, imaginary friend for everything. Soon Mommy can’t take it anymore and declares, “No more Pinkie!” But without Pinkie, the house is too quiet until Cleo makes another mess, this time, to everyone’s delight.
It’s amazing what a difference a small change can make, isn’t it? As always, I find Erin’s comments so helpful!
Let’s move onto Would You Read It, shall we? (Please, have another pretzel hug if you’re feeling peckish!)
Today’s pitch comes to us from Michelle, who you will remember from her July pitch for Escalators Don’t Bite (WYRI #140). She is a mom, a teacher, and a writer. She blogs at http://amomnextdoor.wordpress.com/about/
Here is her pitch: (and she did mention that she’s still looking for a title that really zings, so feel free to chime in if you’ve got any brilliant ideas!)
Working Title: Zoo Rules Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) The Pitch: Miss Knaffle’s second graders have a thing or two to learn about their teacher. They think they can get away with feeding coffee beans to the class hamster, or making farting houses during read aloud. Will a trip to the zoo set them straight? When the canny Miss Knaffle enlists zoo animals to her cause, readers will delight in seeing what happens to children who don’t follow the zoo rules in this PB cross between Peggy Rathmann’s GOODNIGHT, GORILLA, and William Bee’s WHATEVER.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Michelle improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in December so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Michelle is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to (yes, I warned you last week I would probably say this again!) the Halloweensie Contest! At least 4 people have mentioned here and/or on FB that they have written stories and I can’t wait to read them! I also can’t wait until I think up my sample story, because time is running out and I’m getting just a teensy bit anxious about the fact that I haven’t even started thinking about it. Which is shocking, because usually I’m prepared months in advance. Oh wait. That’s not me. Okay. Everything is right on schedule 🙂
I was certain this book had been reviewed already for PPBF, but when I went to find the link (so I could add it to the prize mention on the Halloweensie Contest) I couldn’t find it anywhere! Is it possible that since it came out in July while we were on hiatus it never got reviewed? Or did I just not see it? Who knows?! But it’s too good to miss, so enjoy! (And if someone already did it, you’d better give me the link! :))
Title: Ninja Red Riding Hood Written By: Corey Rosen Schwartz Illustrated By: Dan Santat G.P. Putnam’s Sons, July 2014, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: fractured fairy tale, humor, girl power, language fun (rhyme)
Opening: “Once upon a Ninja-filled time, a wolf couldn’t catch any prey. He kept getting licked by the dinner he picked and was growing more ticked by the day.“
Brief Synopsis: The big bad wolf, having taken a licking from the three nina pigs, decides to attend martial arts school and then see if he can snack on Little Red Riding Hood. But Red turns out to be way more than he bargained for!
Links To Resources: Teacher Guide/Activity Pages; compare this version of RED with the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red Writing, and any other versions you like (this page lists quite a few!) – how are the stories alike? How are they different?
Why I Like This Book: For starters, I love fractured fairy tales, and this is such a clever one! The rhythm of the rhyme is terrific, and just begs to be read aloud. The story, complemented perfectly by the illustrations, is tons of fun. I love that Red has a few tricks up her sleeve and is well able to take care of herself – a great message for girls. Gran has a few surprises too. And the poor old wolf… you just have to feel a little sorry for him 🙂
Hopefully, here’s the trailer (although my internet is currently being extremely uncooperative and refusing to show any videos, so we’ll just have to see if this works or not!)
PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I hope you’re all thinking about and/or writing your Halloweensie stories! Personally, I am still in the thinking about stage 🙂
I was going to be so succinct and just get right to Would You Read It today, and you were going to be so proud of me for my extreme brevity… I had it all planned out…
Remember how I told you that the prizes kept rolling in?
Here’s what our goody bag of prizes looks like now! (words in color are links for 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!!!
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.
– a picture book manuscript critique by Tracey M. Cox! Tracey offers a full critique on a fiction PB, 800 words or less, which will include overall impression and line-by-line on a prose only pb ms. She will also include thoughts and marketing ideas that she thinks about and if she can think of references, she’ll add them also. Tracey M. Cox has been writing professionally since 2000 and is an author of 6 picture books. She is an active member in the children’s literature community and explores how to self-market on little to no budget.
– 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.
– a personalized signed copy of I AM COW HEAR ME MOO by Jill Esbaum (reviewed for Perfect Picture Books HEREand 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.
– 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.”
And I’d like to clarify (because I got asked) that people who donate prizes are still eligible to enter the contest! Just, if they win, I won’t give them their own prize 🙂 And that is 10 prizes now, all very generously donated! So I’m hoping we’ll get at least 10 entries 🙂
Okay! Now back to our regularly scheduled programing. (Brevity is overrated anyway… :))
Since I know you’re all revved up at the prospect of all those amazing prizes, and are going to run right off to your favorite writing corner and get to work on your entries as soon as you’ve commented for today’s WYRI pitcher, let me fortify you with a little Something Chocolate! 🙂
Since Halloween is coming, it’s important that we embrace the occasion in our chocolate snacks. Today (don’t be scared!) we have Spooky Boo Brownies!!!
Find the recipe HERE if you want to give these scary delights a try! 🙂
Oooh! So spooky! . . . and chocolatey and delicious 🙂
Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Debbie who says, “I have been writing all my life but have been more serious about it in the last 5 years, joining groups like SCBWI and Julie Hedlund’s 12 X 12, taking courses like MPBM (Making Picture Book Magic), and attending conferences. Susanna’s knowledge, generosity, and encouragement make this group essential to my writing life. Thank you, Susanna! And thank you all in advance for your feedback.” (Debbie’s website will be up soon, and when it is, I’ll let you know where to find her! :))
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Your Friend, Conrad Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) The Pitch: Conrad receives an invitation to visit his best friend Fiona. She tells him he’ll need to bring a sword, a bow and arrow, and … exactly ten marshmallows?! Conrad bravely sets out not knowing that the path will lead him into a leaky boat, past pesky ravens, through prickly brambles, and to the edge of a moat where a sweets-loving dragon lurks in the deep. Will this unlikely hero have the wits (and enough marshmallows) to make it to Fiona’s front door?
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Debbie improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are one or two openings left for this year, since there will be a hiatus for the Holiday Contest and the holidays themselves, so polish up your pitch and grab one of the last couple spots for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta before 2015!
Debbie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I think I said this last week (and I’ll probably say it next week :)) but I am looking forward to the Halloweensie Contest! I seriously can’t wait to read what y’all come up with, and I also can’t wait to give away all these lovely and amazing prizes! Let’s have a round of applause for our very generous donors! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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