So, it turns out (not that this will come as a surprise to any of you, but it constantly shocks the socks off me!) that I really DO live under a rock!
Actually, I think it’s possible I still live in a cave!
When it comes to modern technology, I am a helpless baby. Just ask my long-suffering children 🙂
Yesterday, thanks to a conversation at lunch with the lovely Elaine, Queen of Kidlit411, I found out that you can CHOOSE what shows up in your Face Book news feed!
Seriously! I’m not kidding!
No doubt you guys all already knew this. Like I said, I’m pretty much the last one to figure anything out! But in case anyone out there is as technologically challenged as I am, it’s true. You can go into your preferences and star people and pages you want to be sure to see every post from.
And now, for the height of hilarity, I will instruct those who might be as clueless as I am (talk about the blind leading the blind! 🙂 ) If you go on your FB page, at the top right there’s a little down arrow.
See it? Next to the padlock with the three lines?
If you click it, one of the options is for “News Feed Preferences”
If you click on News Feed Preferences, you get this:
And if you choose “Prioritize who to see first” it will take you to a screen that shows you every single person you’re friends with and all the pages you like, and you can select which ones you want to be sure not to miss!
Amazing, isn’t it?
I invite you all to practice by going to your FB pages, selecting your News Feed Preferences, Prioritizing who to see first, and clicking on Susanna Leonard Hill – Author! 🙂 That way you will be sure never to miss any of my scintillating Author Page posts (upon which I slave, working my fingers to the bone and burning the midnight oil! 🙂 ) And I assure you that you do not WANT to miss any of them because I may well hold a giveaway of awesome new picture books in the next week or so just to encourage people to like my page and star it in their news feeds so they actually see it!
Let’s not call it bribery. I think happy incentive sounds much nicer 🙂
And speaking of bribery happy incentive, how about Something Chocolate? For this morning’s treat, I’m thinking Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies!
You’re going to totally thank me for this one! I mean seriously – it has oatmeal in the title! How much more breakfast can you get? And no-bake? Ready in 5 minutes? It doesn’t get much better 🙂
I’m pretty sure this is exactly what your mother had in mind when she told you it was important to start the day with a healthy breakfast! 🙂
We should be having the October Pitch Pick, but due to the Halloweensie Contest and the DIRE problems with my email (which refuses to load no matter how many picture books or chocolate oatmeal cookies I attempt to bribe it with!) I didn’t get the word out to the October pitchers. So… maybe next week…
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Carolyn whom you will remember from her October pitch for Muggsy And His Go-Go Cart who says, “I am a teacher librarian in the Chicagoland area. Working with children, I have discovered that they love to hear stories about the underdog overcoming obstacles and defeating “the top dog”. They also love weird, but true stories. These observations inspired me to write these two stories.”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Celebirdy: The True Story Of Mike The Headless Chicken
Age/Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book (ages 7-11)
The Pitch: This nonfiction story tells the account of a chicken that lived without its head for 18 months. The truth doesn’t get much weirder than that!
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 Carolyn 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 Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have a little time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!
Carolyn is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to all the people who are going to like my FB author page and star it so as to be sure not to miss a single one of my not-to-be-missed spectacularly awesome posts! 🙂 🙂 🙂
But every now and again I read one that is just so perfect, so magically written and illustrated, that it takes my breath away, knocks my socks off, and makes me whisper to myself, “Man! I wish I’d written that!”
Today’s selection is one of those 🙂
The Halloweensie Contest is over.
Thanksgiving is coming.
And that means, before you know it, the skies will be swirling with flurries of snow!
My Perfect Picture Book today is all about that most coveted of childhood days – the peaceful, happy, special perfection of snow days 🙂
Title: Before Morning
Written By: Joyce Sidman
Illustrated By: Beth Krommes
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 4 2016, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-7
Themes/Topics: seasons (winter), snow, snow days, invocations, language fun (rhyme, word choice)
Opening: “In the deep woolen dark, as we slumber unknowing, let the sky fill with flurry and flight.” (These few words actually cover 5 spreads, some of which are wordless.)
Brief Synopsis: Although there is much going on in the busy, busy world, a small child wishes for just one day to be a delightfully snow-covered pause.
Why I Like This Book: Oh my goodness! What’s not to love? This book is beautiful in every way! The rhyming text is written by Joyce Sidman (you know what a huge fan I am of Red Sings From Treetops!) and it is gorgeous and poetic and spare. How can you not love a book that begins “In the deep woolen dark”?! 🙂 The entire book is 66 words, so expertly chosen and crafted together that as a writer I can only feel awe. And the art is scratchboard and watercolor, exquisitely done, showing the little girl’s hopes that while she sleeps the world will turn white, allowing for a hushed, snow-covered morning that keeps her family home for a leisurely breakfast, some extra time together, the chance to go sledding and make snow angels, and come home to dry wet mittens. It is everything we all love about snow days, and every child’s prayer for one to come to their house!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
P.S. One little side note: my email service is msn, which has recently switched its Outlook mail platform. I am having TERRIBLE trouble getting my email!!! So for people who have contacted me about the Halloweensie Prizes, or people who are in my writing class, or anyone else who may be emailing me, if I don’t get back to you right away, that’s why! I can’t receive, read, or send email with any kind of reliability. A serious problem in the world we currently live in! If anyone else has experienced this problem and found a work-around, PLEASE let me know!!!
As you all know, I do not normally post on Thursdays.
That is because Thursday is my day for lying on the couch eating bonbons.
I am making an exception today because I have something VERY important to discuss with you.
Something that I know has been weighing as heavily on your minds as it has on mine.
Something very crucial!
Something so earth-shatteringly important that it probably kept you up all night!
So let’s just lay it out on the table, shall we?
What is the deal with that 5th dentist???
I’m serious! 4 out of 5 dentists recommend Trident for their patients who chew gum. But the 5th dentist won’t step up!
Obviously s/he is holding out for something!
A vacation in the Caribbean? A fancy car? A nice fat donation to his/her bank account?
Or maybe s/he is just a nonconformist – bucking the establishment – refusing to follow the rest of the herd sheep-like!
But, whatever! Cave already! Give us the confidence to know that ALL 5 dentists are on board with Trident! How can we chew it if the non-recommending 5th dentist is right? If s/he knows something s/he’s not telling us???!!!
Ah! I feel better now that I’ve gotten that out in the open!
What do you guys think? Should we track down that 5th dentist and get a straight answer?
What?
You don’t CARE?
Why? Were you expecting a discussion on another topic?
I’m not sure anything needs our attention as much as that 5th dentist…
…except maybe…
THE WINNERS OF
The 6th Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!
WA-HOOOOOOO!!!!!
As you are all aware by now, we had a record turnout for the Halloweensie Contest – 150 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: (all-arond well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Ann Kelly for BooBoo Ghostie Caught A Sneezy!
Wendy Greenley for Halloween Costume Countdown
Marla LeSage for Where The Candy Went
Jen Garrett for Too Old For Halloween
Patricia Nozell for Another Halloweensie Tale
Shelley Kinder for Four Finicky Ghosties
Jessica Dunnagan for Ghost Saves Halloween
Kristen Foote for The Spiders Who Stole Halloween
2. For Great Kid Appeal: (not already in the finals)
Laura Gutman for Untitled
Kelly Darke for Spider-Ghost
3. For Best Descriptive/Mood Piece:
Jill Proctor for A Headless Halloween
Johnell DeWitt for Spiders, Spiders, Everywhere
Alistair Lane for Halloween Haiku
Kirsten Bock for Into The Forest
4. For Best Use of Poetic Language:
Susie Sawyer for The Ghost Of The Moon Spider
5. For Spookiest Entry: (not already in the finals)
David McMullin for BUZZZZZ!
Merriweather Kane for Dare
6. For Funniest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Matthew Lasley for The Haunted Outhouse
Gabi Snyder for Zombie Mommy
Michele Blood for Hesper’s Revenge (dark humor 🙂 )
7. For Best Written Original Point of View: (not already in the finals)
Vivian Kirkfield for The Trick Or Treat Bag (POV of… you got it!…the trick or treat bag!)
Lindsay Leslie for Cornered (POV of Halloween candy)
8. For Originality/Creativity:
Hilary S for Entry #2 (mom’s a dentist!)
Kristy Rachal for Monster Chef (a monster halloween food network style 🙂 )
9. For Favorite Character:
Julie Abery for her Teensy-Weensy Witch
Angela Hawkins for her Gertude The Hornless Unicorn
Patricia Tilton for her Matilda in All Hallows Eve
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)
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. 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 your bleary eyes and rumpled hair. . .
. . . to once and for all get a straight answer about chewing gum out of that stubborn 5th dentist!!!
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2016 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…
Judy Sobanski
for
The Witch’s Broom
Congratulations, Judy, on a delightful and humorous entry that was all around well done and clearly very popular!!!
In Second Place,
Meagan Friedman
for
Night Fright
Congratulations, Meagan, on a wonderfully written fun entry! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Judy chooses!
In Third Place,
Jen Bagan for Little Witch’s Holiday
Congratulations, Jen, on an entertaining entry with a great surprise ending that we all loved! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Judy and Meagan choose!
In Fourth Place,
Ingrid Boydston
for Little Miss Zombie
Congratulations, Ingrid, on a beautifully written version of the classic rhyme with a fun twist! You get
In Fifth Place,
Linda Hofke for Tree’s Halloween Costume
Congratulations, Linda, on your cleverly written entry with a perfectly fitting ending! You get to pick your prize after Judy, Meagan, Jen, and Ingrid!
In Sixth Place,
Sandy Perlic
for
The Dare
Congratulations, Sandy, on your deliciously just-the-right-amount-of-spooky entry! You get to pick your prize after Judy, Meagan, Jen, Ingrid, and Linda!
In Seventh Place,
Jim Chaize
for Spider And Ghost
Congratulations, Jim, on a fun story with believably competitive characters and a great ending! I’m sure you get the idea of the prize picking by now! 🙂
In Eighth Place, a tie! between
Karen LaSalvia for Candy Korn and Sara Gentry for Spider’s Trick Or Treat
Congratulations, Karen and Sara for clever, delightfully-written stories, Karen’s with a very original POV, Sara’s a masterpiece of perfect brevity! You get to pick your prizes after Jim.
In Tenth Place,
Stefanie Tatalias
for Moon’s Halloween Surprise
Congratulations, Stefanie, on a sweet and wistful entry that we all loved! You get the prize that’s left… hopefully still something good that you want! 🙂
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 (Leslie and Becky) 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 6th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 8-12 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 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:
– a Picture Book Manuscript Critique by wonderful editor Marilyn Brigham of Two Lions!!!
Marilyn Brigham
Marilyn Brigham edits picture books, chapter books, and middle grade for Two Lions, the children’s imprint at Amazon Publishing. Her recent titles include Go to School, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Bonnie Leick and The Secret Knock Club: The Great Sleep-Under, by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud, illustrated by Adam McHeffey. She is looking for commercial, character-driven picture books and chapter books; holiday picture books; and widely appealing, high-concept middle grade. She is not currently acquiring board books or nonfiction.
– winner’s choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a 15-minute phone call for all your writerly questions from fantastic author Katy Duffield (LOUD LULA – Two Lions 2015, FARMER MCPEEPERS AND HIS MISSING MILK COWS – Cooper Square Publishing 2003, ALIENS GET THE SNIFFLES TOO – forthcoming from Candlewick, and many other titles)
Katy Duffield
– winner’s choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a Query Letter Critique from amazing author Dori Kleber (MORE-IGAMI, Candlewick 2016)
Dori Kleber
– a Picture Book Manuscript Critique from the awesome Vivian Kirkfield, author of the forthcoming SWEET DREAMS, SARAH – Creston Books, 2017) AND personalized signed copies of her wonderful books SHOW ME HOW and the LUCKY DRAW ANTHOLOGY.
Vivian Kirkfield
– a Bundle Of Books from KidLit411 (must be selected by someone in the USA due to postage) including: Picture Books:
THEY ALL SAW A CAT by Brendan Wenzel
GOODNIGHT GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE by Sherri Duskey Rinker
THE LITTLE MOUSE, THE RED RIPE STRAWBERRY AND THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR by Don and Audrey Wood
A MORNING WITH GRANDPA- Sylvia Liu
Middle Grade Books:
THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME- Jennifer E. Smith
SUNNY SIDE UP Jennifer and Matthew Holm
IF YOU’RE READING THIS Trent Reedy
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS Gennifer Choldenko
(What a totally awesome book bundle for writers, readers, parents, teachers, or gift-givers!!!)
– a personalized signed copy of THE PEDDLER’S BED by Lauri Fortino
– a personalized signed copy of GRIMELDA THE VERY MESSY WITCH by Diana Murray
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 🙂
Wait. If the clocks turned back yesterday does that mean it’s an hour earlier than it was? or an hour later? Whose idea was daylight savings time anyway? All it does is confuse things! Where are my pants?! I’m moving to Arizona (where they are intelligent enough NOT to go on daylight savings!) as soon as I get untangled from the bed covers and stop tripping over my own feet!
This is what happens!!! Long days and late nights of poring over entries, reading and re-reading, analyzing, weighing, comparing, contrasting, gnashing teeth, rending garments, and consuming large amounts of chocolate TAKE THEIR TOLL!
And now, here we are, very possibly both late and pant-less but who can tell because we don’t live in Arizona?!
On the off chance, however, that you’re interested in the results regardless of the time or the pants, get ready for the 2016 Halloweensie Writing Contest Finalists!
We had the biggest turn out we’ve ever had in terms of number of entries – 150! – and the overall quality of the entries was fantastic. Every contest I am thrilled to see that the quality of the entries has gone up yet another notch. This means there are fewer obvious standouts, almost none that are easy to cut, and there a LOT of very 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 character and 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.
A surprising number of this year’s entries were amazingly written… but in spite of the warning, still failed to really tell a story. They were more descriptions, lists, or mood pieces. So as awesome as they were, we had to make some very hard calls. A couple were too adult. Some, because of the cruelly limiting word count were a little hard to follow. Some of the rhyming ones we really liked were too off-meter to make the cut. Some entries were just so close, but missed out because of one relatively small thing!
But, without further ado, I present to you the 2016 Halloweensie Contest Finalists. 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.
So here we go!
#1 Night Fright
“Ah, perfect,” Webster the spider said as he put on his vampire costume. “This will scare everyone.”
Unfortunately, he didn’t scare anyone at all.
“Not a single scream,” he complained.
Luckily, he had backup costumes.
Now he’d be a ghost!
“Not a single scream.”
How about a mummy?
“Not a single scream.”
Monster?
“Not a single scream!”
Webster gave up and went home. If you couldn’t be scary on Halloween, what’s the point?
As Webster sat in the moonlight, everything started to shake.
“AAAAH! A SPIDER!” someone yelled as they walked through his web.
Webster smiled.
#2 Tree’s Halloween Costume
Halloween’s here. Kids trick-or-treat.
Witches, monsters, and ghosts fill the street.
Gnarly tree watches jealously,
wishing it could dress up. But tree’s a tree.
A Princess parades in satiny gown.
Gracing her head is a sparkly crown.
Tree has a crown but will never be
a Halloween princess. Tree’s a tree.
Two dressed as dogs bark and chase
one costume cat all over the place.
Tree has bark but, unfortunately,
can’t dress as a dog. Tree’s a tree.
Clouds disperse, revealing the moon.
Light shines down and very soon
tree’s shadow creeps, bigger and wider,
forming a black Halloween spider.
#3 The Dare
Jake paused before the ramshackle house. No ghosts or spiders decorated the porch. No light shone for trick-or-treaters. But there was no way he could back out now.
Breathing raggedly, he followed his shadow to the door and knocked.
The door opened. A stooped old woman stood in the moonlight. Witch? Or not? His heart beat witchwitchwitchwitchwitch…
“I’m afraid I haven’t any candy, young man.”
Not witch! He knew it!
Jake thought fast. “I have lots.” He held out his bag. “Would you like some of mine?”
“I’d love some,” she cackled, her gnarled hand tangling with his. “Come in.”
#4 The Witch’s Broom
The wicked witch she had an itch
to ride upon her broom.
She gazed into her crystal ball
and searched through every room.
She questioned “Boney” skeleton,
each spider, ghost and goon.
She even quizzed an alien
whose homeland was the moon.
Her broom was nowhere to be found.
The witch began to cry,
“With such a snag, seems this old hag
is never going to fly!”
Then wily witch, she improvised,
you really should have seen her.
That wicked witch, she pulled a switch
and rode the vacuum cleaner!
#5 Candy Korn
“Now this is more like it,” said Rolo. “A bowl with a view!”
“No, it’s bad! I heard about this,” said Twizzler. “They call it… Halloween.”
“Sounds fun!” said Airhead.
“It’s a once-a-year candy MASSACRE, Airhead!” said Twizzler. “First, we’re moved to a bowl under the moon, then a bag decorated with ghosts and spiders, then there’s jiggling and jostling…”
“See? Sounds fun!” insisted Airhead.
“Shh!” said Rolo.
“One by one we disappear,” said Twizzler. “With only our clothes left behind!”
“Spooky!” said Rolo.
Twizzler continued, “It’ll be okay unless we hear…”
TRICK OR TREAT!
#6 Spider and Ghost
On a moonless Halloween night,
Spider and Ghost clashed in a fight.
“My loudest boo,” Ghost declared.
“Causes thousands to be scared.”
“I’m clearly the scariest!” Spider screamed.
“A nightmare children have often dreamed.
Ghost boos flew with yowls and bangs.
Spider showed her venomous fangs.
Behind a tombstone, a monster rose,
with a bolted neck and ghoulish nose.
“You’re the scariest?” the creature chuckled.
As he stepped forward, their bravery buckled.
Spider’s legs shook, while Ghost shivered.
Feeling a fear they never delivered.
Spider and Ghost raced off in fright,
Knowing neither of them was right.
#7 Moon’s Halloween Surprise
In the middle of the night, Spider and Ghost prepared for Halloween.
Moon dropped down to join them.
“I’m going to make the biggest web ever,” Spider said.
“I’ll make the scariest sounds ever,” bragged Ghost.
Moon stayed silent. What could she do except hang in the sky?
The next day, while the children got ready,
Spider weaved.
Ghost practiced.
The sun went down, shadows lengthened, and Moon got an idea.
Halloween night,
Spider’s web was amazing.
Ghost’s sounds frightened.
But when Moon slid behind earth’s shadow,
Turning the night dark,
Everyone agreed, it was the best Halloween surprise ever.
#8 Little Miss Zombie
Little Miss Zombie
said “What a quandary!”
Eating her full-moon stew.
Along came ghost spider,
who sat down beside her,
hollering, “What will we do?!”
“Stay calm and be cool.
Don’t slobber or drool.
Remember they think it’s a game.
They wear costumes for fun;
take them off when they’re done.
They don’t know we are always the same.”
“We don’t have a choice
So lower your voice.
We’ll just give them candy to eat.
We can’t make a scene
for tonight’s Halloween!”
“Here they come! Open up…”
“Trick-or-Treat!”
#9 Little Witch’s Holiday
Little Witch loved this time of year.
She loved the bright glow of the moon over the swirling leaves.
And how the air smelled like smoke.
“My favorite holiday is tomorrow! I have much to do!”
Little Witch’s friends knew not to interfere.
Spider watched her gather pumpkins.
Ghost watched her unload sweet treats.
Cat watched her sweep her front steps.
Finally, Little Witch was ready.
The doorbell rang and she peeked out the window.
Her friends were dressed up and waiting on her doorstep.
She smiled. It was time.
Little Witch threw open her door and shouted,
“Happy Thanksgiving!”
#10 Spider’s Trick or Treat
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider walked up the moonlit street,
knocked on a door and hoped for something sweet.
Out popped a ghost, scared Spider off her feet.
Guess the Itsy-Bitsy Spider forgot it’s TRICK or Treat!
#11 Itsy and Bitsy’s Halloween Treat
Itsy and Bitsy scurried down the path and scuttled up separate trees. Working together, they spun a giant web that shimmered in the moonlight.
“I think it’s our best yet,” said Itsy.
“Quick! They’re coming!” said Bitsy.
They lowered themselves into position as doorbells dinged in the distance. Soon, they spied three little ghosts skipping toward them.
“Boo!” yelled Itsy.
“Trick or Treat!” yelled Bitsy.
“Spider!” yelled the ghosts.
The buckets flew up, the candy fell down, and all three ghosts raced back to town.
“Happy Halloween!” said the spiders as they climbed on their web to feast.
#12 The Spider’s Treat
Samuel scanned the starry night.
He spied the silver moon,
lighting bright the ghostly night.
Halloween comes soon!
With all his spider heart he wished
to stop the trick-or-treaters
from tramping up his quiet street.
Those noisy candy eaters!
On Halloween, one giddy witch
swung wild her candy bucket.
Sweet treats flew straight for Samuel’s web.
Three pieces neatly struck it!
While tidying up his tangled web,
one foot touched chocolate candy.
With one sweet lick, the spider said,
“This holiday tastes dandy!
* * * * * * *
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 9.
Tune in Thursday November 10 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 🙂
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to lie on the couch and eat bonbons all day.
Okay.
Not really.
I have to catch up with students, critique work, and stuff with a deadline!
But there might still be chocolate involved 🙂
Have a marvelous Monday everyone!!! And make sure you VOTE! It will warm you up for that other vote tomorrow 🙂
Ear of frog and toe of newt! It’s finally time for . . .
The 6th Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!
aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!!
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words, children here defined as 12 and under), using the words spider, ghost, and moon. Your story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, 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 150 fantastic entries last year so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. moon, moons, mooned, spidery, ghostly, whathaveyou 🙂 No illustration notes please!
Post your story on your blog between right now this very second and Monday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Perfect Picture Book post on Friday Oct. 28 so the post and the list of links will stay up all weekend for everyone to enjoy. 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! Please place your entry in the body of the email – NO ATTACHMENTS!) P.S. Although I try to stay glued to my computer 24/7 I am sometimes forced to leave my desk. If you haven’t commented on my blog before, your comment won’t show up until I approve it. It may take a little while if I’m away from my desk. Likewise, if you send me an entry to post, I promise I will do it as soon as I can!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with only 3, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 7th. The winner will be announced on either Wednesday November 9 or Thursday November 10. 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 🙂
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes:
– a Picture Book Manuscript Critique by wonderful editor Marilyn Brigham of Two Lions!!!
Marilyn Brigham
Marilyn Brigham edits picture books, chapter books, and middle grade for Two Lions, the children’s imprint at Amazon Publishing. Her recent titles include Go to School, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Bonnie Leick and The Secret Knock Club: The Great Sleep-Under, by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud, illustrated by Adam McHeffey. She is looking for commercial, character-driven picture books and chapter books; holiday picture books; and widely appealing, high-concept middle grade. She is not currently acquiring board books or nonfiction.
– winner’s choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a 15-minute phone call for all your writerly questions from fantastic author Katy Duffield (LOUD LULA – Two Lions 2015, FARMER MCPEEPERS AND HIS MISSING MILK COWS – Cooper Square Publishing 2003, ALIENS GET THE SNIFFLES TOO – forthcoming from Candlewick, and many other titles)
Katy Duffield
– winner’s choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a Query Letter Critique from amazing author Dori Kleber (MORE-IGAMI, Candlewick 2016)
Dori Kleber
– a Picture Book Manuscript Critique from the awesome Vivian Kirkfield, author of the forthcoming SWEET DREAMS, SARAH – Creston Books, 2017) AND personalized signed copies of her wonderful books SHOW ME HOW and the LUCKY DRAW ANTHOLOGY.
Vivian Kirkfield
– a Bundle Of Books from KidLit411 (must be selected by someone in the USA due to postage) including: Picture Books:
THEY ALL SAW A CAT by Brendan Wenzel
GOODNIGHT GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE by Sherri Duskey Rinker
THE LITTLE MOUSE, THE RED RIPE STRAWBERRY AND THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR by Don and Audrey Wood
A MORNING WITH GRANDPA- Sylvia Liu
Middle Grade Books:
THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME- Jennifer E. Smith
SUNNY SIDE UP Jennifer and Matthew Holm
IF YOU’RE READING THIS Trent Reedy
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS Gennifer Choldenko
(What a totally awesome book bundle for writers, readers, parents, teachers, or gift-givers!!!)
– a personalized signed copy of THE PEDDLER’S BED by Lauri Fortino
– a personalized signed copy of GRIMELDA THE VERY MESSY WITCH by Diana Murray
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 truly horrific attempt 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!), I have a deadline for tomorrow… which also means I may be a little behind getting started reading entries… just so you know… but I digress!
So, here goes nothing…!
Won’t You Come Into My Parlor…? (100 words)
The Halloweensie Spider was lonesome as could be.
“Nobody ever comes to visit me.
“I know!” she said. “I’ll plan a big to-do!”
So she sent out invitations to everyone she knew.
The Halloweensie Spider got ready for her guests.
Hot apple cider and candy treasure chests.
Games organized for lots of friendly fun
Like Pumpkin Golf, a Witch Ring Toss, and Find The Skeleton.
The Halloweensie Spider stood at her moonlit door
Greeting the witches, goblins, ghosts, and more.
“So glad you came!” she told them with a smile.
“Forgive my sticky floors, but I hoped you’d stay awhile!”
Everyone feeling better about their stories now? I should certainly HOPE so! 🙂
Also, this is so weird I just have to share it. I realized belatedly that totally by chance, my sample entry from last year also included the 3 words from this year. Look!
Halloween Surprise! (100 words)
Halloween. Trick-or-treat.
Spooky shadows. Darkened street.
Suddenly my brother, Jay,
Tugs my arm. “Let’s go this way!”
He pulls me off the beaten track,
Passes Old Man Clancy’s shack.
Creeping fog licks at our heels.
I don’t like the way this feels.
Something glides in silent flight, Ghostly shapes against the night.
“Witches! Let’s go home!” I say.
“Owls. Let’s go on,” says Jay. Spidered moonlight through the trees.
Heartbeat pounding. Shaky knees.
Up ahead this haunted night
Monsters dance by bonfire light!
Turning! Running!
Then, “SURPRISE!”
Costumed monsters end disguise.
Cake and presents, friends who say,
“Happy Halloween Birthday!”
How weird is that?! But I figured it would be cheating to use it again 🙂
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 5 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. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
So! I don’t love this link system, but it’s all I have, so my apologies and do your best with it, and let’s hope it works!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the linky list below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – you ALSO need to click the “click here” to add your entry button on the linky list just to see the list of links. I apologize profusely for the inconvenience of not having the list visible right here on my site. But this, apparently, is wordpress…
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 🙂
And don’t miss the 90 fabulous entries in the comments below!
Trick Or Treat – Lesley/Maggie
Untitled– Sherry
Teensy-Weensy Witch Strikes Back– Julie
Candy Korn – Karen
Haunt The Vote –
Moon Spell – Rebecca
Hesper’s Revenge – Michele
Entry #1 – Dave
Entry #2 – Dave
Sylvia’s Best Halloween – Susan
A Little Erie Gift – Kathy
Untitled – Eleanor
What Should Witch Be For Halloween – Robin
The Treat Escape – Maria
Mordecai Moon – Kathryn
Spider’s Halloween Treat – Lisa
Spider And Ghost At Halloween – Polly
Spider’s Scary Night – Claire
Gregor The Ghost – Joan
Spider-Ghost – Kelly
Into The Forest – Kirsten
Spencer Spider: Master Spinner – Lorraine
Halloween Toast – Elizabeth
Goober The Ghost And The Scariest Night Of The Year – Joni
Stories to read, enjoy and share! Talent to admire! Fellow writers to cheer on! Prizes to win!
It’s hard to sit still!
I think Something Chocolate would help! May I offer you some Chocolate Peanut Butter Grahams? (I mean, that’s basically health food, and definitely a breakfast item, given that it’s made out of graham crackers which are clearly an excellent source of whole grains!)
A little coffee for dunking? Or milk, if you’re a real health nut who wants to round out your nutritious breakfast with a little protein and calcium as opposed to caffeine?! 🙂
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Lisa. Lisa Riddiough is a Bay Area based writer whose projects include essays, picture books and fiction. She is a former sales executive, an avid squirrel watcher and a frequent baker of chocolate pound cake. She lives at home with her husband in their empty nest.
The Pitch: X is tired of his alphabet job. He wants to be a pirate! After getting hired to sail aboard The Zenith, X quickly finds that he doesn’t exactly fit in. For example, all the other pirates have squawking parrots and silver swords, but X only has his pet ox and a clumsy old axe. X is utterly excluded. When a band of scallywags try to steal The Zenith’s most valuable treasure, X discovers he has one expert move that can save the day. It’s an excellent ending!
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 Lisa 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 Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have a little time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!
Lisa is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to the Halloweensie Contest which, in case you’ve forgotten since the top of the post, opens TOMORROW!!!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂 See you tomorrow!!!!!!!
Apple picking? Visiting Granny? Washing the dog? Baking pumpkin-related items? Putting finishing touches on costumes? Making sure every flavor in the bag of fun-size candy is as delicious as the manufacturers purport them to be?
Anyone who answered correctly may have one of these 🙂 You have earned it! (And you’ll need it to give yourself time to write 🙂 )
Just a quick housekeeping item (since we’re on the subject of not doing any 🙂 ) which is that next Friday, October 28, there will be no PPBF because we will be all caught up in the excitement of the ongoing Halloweensie Contest which opens Thursday October 27!!! So instead of posting favorite picture books next week, we will enjoy reading all the contest entries!!! I seriously can’t wait!!! (PPBF will return on Friday November 11 – I think…!)
Now! Onto today’s Perfect Picture Book, just in time for Halloween 🙂
Opening: “One spooky bus goes RATTLE and SHAKE, RATTLE and SHAKE, RATTLE and SHAKE. One spooky bus goes RATTLE and SHAKE All through the town.”
Brief Synopsis: (From Amazon) “Count from One Spooky Bus up to Ten Goofy Ghosts as this Halloween ride races through town picking up a few unsuspecting passengers along the way.”
Why I Like This Book: You can’t really go wrong with a fun Halloween-themed version of this popular song. Kids can enjoy it as a story, or sing along with it. In addition to being a story/song with an entertaining cast of Halloween characters, it is a counting book – great for youngest picture book enthusiasts. The art is bright and warm, colorful and inviting, showing witches and ghosts and spiders in a way that is friendly and engaging and not at all scary. The town looks like a cozy place to go trick-or-treating. All-around Halloween fun!
text copyright J. Elizabeth Mills 2010, illustration copyright Ben Mantle 2010
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Today’s pitch is in the realm of a “weird but true” story. I am a huge fan of weird but true facts – they’re so weird… but true! 🙂 So I thought I should begin this post with a weird but true fact of my own that I’m sure will knock your socks off! I also think it would be a great idea for a picture book, if anyone wants to take a crack at it, so I’m sharing it with you, my talented PB-writing posse! 🙂
Ready?
This is completely true. Seriously. I am not making it up:
A sheep, a duck, and a rooster were the first passengers on a hot air balloon!
I’m pretty sure no one asked them if they wanted to get in that basket.
I’m guessing they had some serious doubts as to the wisdom of the plan.
But being the helpless guinea pigs accommodating creatures they were, they climbed bravely aboard and made history!
Possible picture book? I think so! Whoopee!
And speaking of whoopee, how about Something Chocolate – a Whoopie Pie Cake?!
For starters, you really can’t go wrong with a recipe that has both pie AND cake in the title! And really, I think that gooey chocolatey marshmallowy deliciousness looks like the perfect breakfast, don’t you? Maybe we should send some along in the balloon with the sheep, the duck, and the rooster – I’m sure a little snack to sustain them would be most welcome and help make up for the fact that they were tossed willy-nilly and without their consent into a basket attached to a giant balloon and sent skyward where no sheep or rooster had any business being… the duck is another matter 🙂
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Carolyn who says, “I am a teacher librarian in the Chicagoland area. Working with children, I have discovered that they love to hear stories about the underdog overcoming obstacles and defeating “the top dog”. They also love weird, but true stories. These observations inspired me to write these two stories.”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Muggsy And His Go-Go Cart
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Muggsy Pawsborne is born without his hind legs. However, he and his family have never seen this as a disability. It has always been his Musggsability, which means he can do anything other dogs can do, just differently. When Muggsy starts at a new school, he encounters the typical group of mean kids. When the mean kids make fun of Muggsy’s wheelchair during recess, he is left feeling embarrassed and lonely. A friendly classmate encourages Muggsy to participate in the school’s Olympic Day in order to show everyone that just because Muggsy has a wheelchair doesn’t mean he is disabled. Will Muggsy persevere and become the top pooch in school?
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 Carolyn 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 Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in November, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!
Carolyn is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to drafting a picture book about flying animals, aren’t you? What could be more fun?!
I’m excited because this weekend I’ll be at the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, reading during story time with my author friends Iza Trapani and Nancy Shaw, and signing copies of Can’t Sleep Without Sheep and some of my other books alongside them.
If you’ve never been to Sheep & Wool, I highly recommend it if you’re in the area! It’s like the fair, only with lovely autumn weather, every kind of sheep under the sun,
llamas and alpacas,
craft workshops, gorgeous yarns,
knitting and crochet patterns, beautiful clothing and other gift items made from wool, all kinds of fun activities for kids, AND delicious treats like apple crisp made from local apples! 🙂
I hope you’ll join us!
Meanwhile, today’s Perfect Picture Book fits rather nicely with the sheep and wool theme since it’s all about farming and getting ready for winter! Have a look!
Title: Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares For Winter
Written By: Eugenie Doyle
Illustrated By: Becca Stadtlander
Chronicle Books, August 2016, nonfiction
Suitable For Ages: publisher says 2-5 but I think 3-7 is equally doable
Opening: “The December days shorten and darken. We are busy putting the farm to bed.”
Brief Synopsis: This peaceful book shows a family getting their farm ready for winter after the cycle of spring growth, summer heat, and fall harvest. Beautiful and informative.
Why I Like This Book: This is a very quiet book. It shows a family harvesting the fruits of their year-long labor – fruits and vegetables, honey from the beehives, wood to warm their home – and tucking their farm in for the winter. The harvest is pictured ripe and colorful. The indoor scenes of home and barn are cozy and filled with warm, bright colors, animals and loving family. By the last page where the light is blue and silver and the snow is falling gently you feel just as tucked in as the farm 🙂 But in addition to being a calm and cozy read, it is extremely informative about how the things we eat are grown and harvested, so young readers will get a sense of where their food comes from. A pleasant and educational read!
text copyright Eugenie Doyle 2016, illustration copyright Becca Stadtlander 2016
text copyright Eugenie Doyle 2016, illustration copyright Becca Stadtlander 2016
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! Work on your Halloweensie entries!!! 🙂 Come to NYS Sheep & Wool if you can!!! 🙂
As we are all picture book folk, immersed in the world of That-Which-Matters-To-Kids, I’m sure you all woke up this morning with only one thought on your minds:
Today is Take Your Teddy Bear To Work Day!
A lot of us, being writers, or work-at-home parents, are not going to supply much of an outing for our teddy bears.
(And I’m guessing it’s pretty unlikely that anyone besides a preschool or kindergarten teacher would actually consider leaving the house with a teddy bear :)… but I mention the whole Take Your Teddy Bear To Work idea because I think there’s a picture book in it somewhere… from the teddy bear’s POV!)
Of course, some of us (that would be me) never actually had a teddy bear. I had a camel I was fond of. He has no hair now. And a Snoopy with an engineer hat and overalls. Alas…he has no clothes or hair now… But no actual bear. (There’s probably a whole nother story idea in that…! 🙂 )
So on this Take Your Teddy Bear To Work Day I’m bringing my Brown Bear – not that coming to work is any big deal for her. She does it every single day 🙂 The chair in my office that I recently had reupholstered has somehow become hers… I could probably have really skipped that reupholstering! 🙂
As you can see, she is wide awake and on the job – a tremendous aid to my writing efforts 🙂
Did/do you have a teddy bear or stand-in? Will you take it to work? If so, what job will you take it to? I’m serious – there may be a future picture book in this! 🙂
Okay, so now that I’m feeling like I had an underprivileged childhood because I never had an actual teddy bear, I believe it’s time for Something Chocolate!
I knew you’d be fans! I mean, it’s a brownie AND a (sort of) cookie with oodles of chocolatey goodness… how can you go wrong?! 🙂
Now. Onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Greg, whom you will remember from his pitch back in the summer for The Bath Of Least Resistance. Greg (clearly a kindred spirit!) says, “If I didn’t have to work for a living I’d be writing, eating chocolate and writing about eating chocolate. For fun I play hockey, geocache, cook, and chase around my son.”
A sock stealing monster made of socks?” Viola couldn’t believe the story she heard at a slumber about Pochon’s Monster was true.
Viola sets out to find the monster and get her socks back. With an act of kindness, she gets the monster to relinquish what it has taken.
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 Greg improve his 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 Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in November, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for some helpful feedback and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!
Greg is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch! I am looking forward to the upcoming 6th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest, which I’m hoping you all saw the announcement for on Monday! Here’s the LINK in case you missed it. And there’s already a prize update – one lucky winner will have the opportunity for a read and critique from editor Marilyn Brigham of Two Lions! And KidLit 411 is contributing a bundle of picture books! And more stuff is rolling in, so stay tuned!
Have a wonderful start-looking-forward-to-Halloweensie Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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