Category: March Pitch Pick

Would You Read It Wednesday – Nothing But Pitch Picks (February, March, April, and May!)

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Ready for a fun-filled Wednesday, everyone?

There’s no new pitch today, so we’re going to devote ourselves entirely to chocolate and pitch picks galore!

Let’s jump right in, shall we?

There are 4 Pitch Picks with a poll for each. Please read through each group of pitches (3 for Late Feb/Early March, 3 for Late March, 4 for April, and 4 for May), decide which one in each group that you think is best and most deserving of a read and comments from editor Erin Molta, and vote for it in the poll that follows that pitch group! And let’s try to get the voting done by Sunday June 13 at 9PM Eastern so it’s out of the way before next week’s new Mix ‘n’ Match challenge prompt! 😊

Late February/Early March

#1 – Deborah – The Bitter Tastebud (PB 4-8)

Amargo is a bitter tastebud who can’t stand to take another sweet, salty, or lip-puckering bite. But he is outnumbered and so is his vote on the CRAV-O-METER. Amargo must figure out how to change the vote or continue eating the food he detests.

#2 – Bru – THE STORY OF CITRONELLA (PLEASE HOLD YOUR NOSE) (PB 4-8)

In the Stinkbug Kingdom, Bee-utiful Citronella, an orphan worker bee, doesn’t smell which starts the stinky stepsister feud. She has choices; unveil who she is (Hard), go incognito lacking an invitation to meet the prince (Harder), or stay with the smelly stepsisters, Burnbetta & Rottina forever (Really?) With the stench of a wise-cracking fairy godfather, Citronella herself overcomes her fear of smelling different and learns certain odors (or lack of) do have their advantages.

#3 – Robin – But When She Opens the Door… (PB 4-8)

On an Irish March day, Katie O’Shea and her feline assistant, Shamrock, are surprised by the fickle weather shifting dramatically each time she opens the door. In rollicking read aloud rhyme, Katie keeps changing clothes until a look at the calendar reveals the perfect outfit!

Vote for the pitch you like best!

Late March

#1 – Sally – Broccol-trees And Mac & Cheese (PB/Toddler Board Book 3-6)

Broccol-trees and Mac & Cheese is a rhythmic romp of playful poetry for manic and messy mealtimes! With sixteen silly scenes, it is a complete menu of mushy appetizers, flying entrees, dancing vegetables and dessert designs on tables and trays. This book serves as a reminder for parents to giggle, not grimace, when their little one gives them a chocolate pudding grin and promptly puts the bowl on his or her head.

Full of love, laughter and foodie fun, this can be read as a smorgasbord of silliness or served up a la carte to read the same delicious poem over and over again. It’s sure to please parents’ palates and tickle toddlers’ funny bones and bellies!

#2 – Diana – Wait For Cate (PB 5-8)

Cate promised her team she’d finally be on time for the championship kickball game. But when she encounters the new girl in her class, stuck in the sand on the playground in her wheelchair, she has to make a BIG decision. Should she help or hurry on by? The clock’s ticking.

#3 – Jamie – Goldilocks: A Very Tired Tale (PB 4-8)

Goldilocks is exhausted and knows deep down there is a solution, but she can’t quite put her finger on it. Mares? Pears? Stairs? Hijinks ensue as Goldilocks puts her quest for rest to the test in this fractured fairy tale.

Vote for the pitch you like best!

Let’s take a break for a little Something Chocolate! Twix Cookies look like a good choice, don’t they? I mean, what could be better than a combination Twix bar and cookie?

Recipe HERE at Spaceships & Laser Beams

Mmmmm-mmmmmm! Scrumptious! Perfect for dunking in coffee (hot or iced!) or a tall cold glass of milk! Please! Help yourself to as many as you like and let’s keep reading and voting!

April

#1 – Carol – Princess Lucille’s Castle (PB 3-5)

Princess Lucille gives you a tour of her castle beginning at the moat and drawbridge and takes you through each room to the exit where you can buy princesses souvenirs.

#2 – Marta – OH NO SCORPIONS!! (PB 5 – 8)

Roz and her Mom have planned the Best Most Special Mom-Daughter Holiday Ever in Mexico—until the hotel manager announces they have scorpions! Petrified, Roz is so convinced the tiny terrors could be hiding anywhere she “sees” them everywhere, from the beach to her shoes! Her shrieks of alarm leave hotel staff and guests in an uproar and the holiday close to ruin. To save it, Roz must conquer her fears, not just for herself but ultimately for her Mom.

#3 – Angela – Buddy And The Blue Crew (PB 3-8)

On Buddy’s first day at school, all he really wants to do is to just blend in.  But the problem is, he seems to be the only Blue-Footed-Booby in town!  And it doesn’t take long before the other kids start to notice.  When Buddy meets Bill – a kid with an even crazier feature – will Buddy be able to convince the other children, and ultimately himself, that there’s so much more to him than his bright, blue feet? 

#4 – Diane – Stop! Stop! (PB 4-7)

Friend’s, Sumaya Seahorse, Polly Puffer Fish and Delphin Dolphin each find themselves tangled, caught or trapped in a ghost net, a plastic ring and a sunken bottle. To escape they rely on each other and the handy help of Charlie Crab, Sally Swordfish, her seven sisters and Harriet Hag Fish. Together they must come up with a creative recycling solution to tidy their ocean home from the unwanted waste. 

Vote for the pitch you like best!

May

#1 – Patricia – TY’S TREASURES (PB 4-7)

A crystal.  A marble.  A feather.  Ty growing collection of treasures is causing problems for his family.  But  where can he stash them?   Not in the toybox. Not in the closet. Not in the bed.  Mom wants them outside. In his search for a worthy spot, Ty observes birds, squirrels, even his dog hanging on to their treasures.  But a visit with his grandma helps Ty discover the difference between a treasure and a memor,y and that there is a place for both.

#2 – Katie – FRIENDS ‘ROUND THE BEND (PB 4-8)

After friends laugh at his stinky bouquet, Prairie Pup Pip faces the fact that he has a no-good nose. His journey for a cure takes him from the prairie to the forest, encountering other misfit critters. His spunky spirit inspires his new friends, but his trailblazing days may be finished when he is unable to smell his way home.

#3 – Sandy – Simon Soars (PB 7-11)

Simon, a timid turkey vulture at Aviary Academy, eats formerly living earth creatures (F.L.E.C.) to the dismay of his classmates.  When the jawing jays begin to tease and taunt, even Simon’s impeccable sense of smell and much hooted-over accomplishments won’t help.  Simon hatches a plan to teach his classmates that rank fetid funkiness isn’t something to cry foul over.  Suddenly FLEC is no longer BLECH! 

#4 – Caitlin – Lucy And The Fearful Monsters (PB 4-7)

Lucy longs to participate in the fun happening around her, but her fears keep getting in the way. She clings to the edge of the pool, holds tight to the first monkey bar, and hangs back at the petting zoo. Lucy takes to art and draws her fears as monsters. When her monsters start showing up in real life trembling with fright and begging for her help, Lucy must help them cope with the very same anxieties she faces herself.

Vote for the pitch you like best!

Thank you all for reading and voting – I know that was a lot all at once! You are all wonderful and the pitchers and I appreciate you so! ❤️

All the pitch participants are looking forward to seeing how the votes come out!  I am looking forward to that too!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #357 – Sonny’s Smile (PB) PLUS The November/ December/January Pitch Winners And The Late February/March Pitch Pick

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Hi Everyone!

I hope you’re all doing well – staying healthy and not going too nuts being cooped up at home!

Here’s a little taste of the outdoors for those of you who might need it – blue sky, sunshine, babbling brook, spring peepers. . . and swimming dog which luckily you can’t smell 😊

 

Now then!  Let’s get on to today’s exciting installment of Would You Read It and associated education and fun!

First, I’m happy to announce that the winner of the November/December Pitch Pick is Megan with her PB pitch for Wired To Worry!  And the winner of the January/Early February Pitch Pick is Paul with his PB pitch for All Over The World!  Congratulations to both of you on excellent pitches that you worked hard to revise and improve!  Your pitches have winged through cyber space to editor Erin Molta’s inbox and I’m sure you will receive her comments as soon as she is able!

Congratulations to all the other pitchers as well.  You also did a wonderful job revising your pitches and hopefully feel that you’re in better shape with them thanks to the feedback from our amazingly helpful readers!  Thank you all for sharing with us so we can all learn and improve our pitch skills!

Next, it’s time for the Late February/March Pitch Pick!  Please read over the revised pitches below and vote for your favorite in the poll provided by Sunday April 12 at 9 PM Eastern.

Here are the pitches for your consideration:
(one pitcher opted not to put her pitch in the running)

#1 – Sarah – Hotdogs Don’t Camp (PB 3-8)

Young hotdogs ignore their elder and toss off their buns to try pitching tents, swimming, and roasting dinner. The humans stoke their fire pit near the hungry bears’ lair. Three campsites collide as dinnertime nears for some in-tents adventure.

#2 – Rose – Rabbit’s Lists (PB 4-8)

Rabbit’s whiskers are in a tizzy. She doesn’t have the vegetables needed for her special stew. Oodles of acorns and clumps of clover just won’t do. Determined to please her friends, Rabbit searches and digs until she finally discovers the delight in trying something new

#3 – Paulette – What Would Mozart Do? (PB 5-9)

Parker practiced hard for his piano recital but he’s nervous about performing. When a barking-dog ringtone in the audience scares the notes right out of Parker’s brain, he has to find a way to calm down and keep playing. Time to use a tip from an improviser named Mozart (and his singing starling).

 

#4 – Shae – Skritch, Scratch, Snuffle (PB 3-8)

Waffles, an anxious wombat, has trouble keeping her fears to a manageable size. She hears a noise and imagines a “what-if” monster which grows as her imagination runs wild. She’s certain she’s going to be eaten, until her echidna friend, Chicken, appears at her door and together they find the true source of the noise and overcome the monster by talking about Waffles feelings.

 

 

And now you can have your well-earned reward – Something Chocolate! I thought these Raspberry Cheesecake Truffles would be delicious and also maybe make a nice Easter treat for this weekend because they look festive and pretty!

Raspberry Cheesecake Truffles

 

I think we can all agree that nothing says I’ve got this quarantine thing down! like something chocolate-y and scrumptious 😊  And given that many of us are going for a schedule which looks something like

First Breakfast
Post-First Breakfast Snack #1
Post-First Breakfast Snack #2
Pre-Second Breakfast Snack
Second Breakfast
Post-Second Breakfast Snack
Lunch
Post-Lunch Snacks #s 1-7
etc…

it is important to be well supplied with chocolate! 😊😊😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Deborah.  Deborah Foster grew up in the heyday of Disney Princess movies. She was born and has lived all her life on a farm in Iowa. Deborah’s love of storytelling began when she was very young and in sixth grade one of her Christmas stories won the Holiday Writing Contest. Her writing continued through high school in the form of angsty poetry. But with the birth of her first daughter, her love of writing took hold in the form of picture books. She is now a mother to two little girls and the author of three self-published picture books. Deborah’s picture books focus on humor and biographies of lesser-known women.

Find her on the web at
deborahclaytonbooks.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Sonny’s Smile

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-8)

The Pitch: When Sonny Brightwell is invited to The Gleeful Gala to receive the “Biggest Smile on Earth Award”, he finds that the only place in town to stay is at The Prickly Inn; where smiles aren’t allowed. Being around all of the frowning guests causes Sonny’s smile to droop to the floor and now he must figure out how to get it back in time to receive his award.

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 Deborah 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 It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in May, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Deborah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to practicing Zoom because tomorrow I have a Zoom meeting with a large group of preschoolers. . . which I’m a little worried may be like herding cats😊. . . but here’s hoping it will all work out!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, and stay well!!! 😊🌷🌸

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #321 – My Pet Phoenix (Graphic Novel) PLUS The February/March Pitch Pick!!!

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Hello, Everybody!

I hope you all enjoyed lovely family weekends for Easter or Passover if you celebrate, and lovely weekends Just Because if you don’t!

We had an unexpected little break from Tuesday Debut yesterday because the author who was on the schedule had other commitments, so hopefully you are all feeling rested and relaxed 😊

It’s been a pretty fun week for me so far.  I got to see the covers of three new books I have coming out October 1, November 1, and December 1, so that was VERY exciting!

Plus the edits are finished for a 2020 book, so that is a good feeling!

But blah blah blah!  Enough about me!

It’s time for the February/March Pitch Pick, so let’s have a look at that!

Our pitchers have taken your helpful comments to heart and revised their work to reflect your feedback.  Please have a read through the pitches below and then vote for the one you think is best and most deserving of a read and comments by editor Erin Molta by Sunday April 28 at 5 PM Eastern.

#1 – Amitha – The Genchi War (YA)

Amethyst Capricorn, a sixteen year old girl, has never fit in. Over the years, she has always been an outcast at school due to a near death experience that unearthed a secret that only some in the afterlife know. Upon her return to Earth, Amethyst receives some magical abilities that leads her to find others who also know the secret that could destroy humanity. She is taken away to a new world (Genchi) to guard said secret, but instead, she uncovers a prophecy with roots in the ‘accident’ that began her journey to Genchi. Amethyst is left no choice but to reveal the Afterlife Secret to everyone on Earth and win a hidden war against an ancient foe who holds her family hostage, or leave both worlds to die along with her family.

#2 – Sarah – SCHOOL-BERRY MUFFINS (PB 5-8)

Doug’s school bus is hi-jacked by an alien named Blob, who expects his captives to help him look for the ingredients to make school-berry muffins.  With limited knowledge of earthly customs and language, Blob urges the kids to help him on his quest.  When Doug realizes Blob intends for the kids to be the school-berries, he comes up with a plan, using Blob’s confusion to outsmart the muffin-making alien.

Today is exciting because for (I’m pretty sure) the first time we have a pitch for a graphic novel!

#3 – Shell – Mommy, Where’s Daddy (PB 3-7)

After Dylan’s day dream of flying fabulous airplanes with his pilot Daddy is interrupted by his Moms insistence of bedtime, he comes up with countless tricks to delay going to bed until he realizes his sleep dream is the way back to being the wingman of his dreams!

#4 – Sarah – Charley Finds Her Family (PB 3-7)

WHO’S IN MY FAMILY X OTTER

When Charley Sock-kitty discovers socks come in pairs, she wonders if she has a twin. Her stuffed friends help her search for her #family. But she finds she had one all along. CHARLEY FINDS HER FAMILY helps kids understand mixed families

#5 – Sarah – Trapped In Trash (PB 3-7)

Three rat friends leave the pack to find a snack they don’t have to share.  After feasting on the treats of all rats’ dreams, they become trapped inside a trash can.  They nudge, but it won’t budge.  They stack on each other’s backs, but fail.  They holler for help, hoping the rat pack still has their backs.

#6 – Joyce – Bear Is Hungry For An ABC Win (PB 4-8)

BEAR IS HUNGRY FOR AN ABC WIN is a picture book with recipes for children ages 4-8 to bake with family members. After Bear taste-tested his way out of the last Amazing Baking Contest, he has a lot to prove to his fellow animals. He bakes his way from A to Z for their ABC entry with hopes of saving his reputation and the Patty Cakes Café.

 

 

Please vote by Sunday April 28 at 5 PM Eastern – many thanks!

 

I don’t know about you, but all that reading and evaluating and choosing and voting has brought on an attack of the vapors!  I think we need a little Something Chocolate pick-me-up!  Don’t worry, we’re going SUPER healthy this morning! Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes made out of oatmeal!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups

For those of you who struggle with your food groups, that is salad (chocolate – see last week’s post 😊), protein (peanut butter) and all-around-health-food whole grain cholesterol-lowerer (oatmeal)!

That spells YUM!

(Actually I think it technically spells SPAAHFWGCL but that is really hard to say! 😊)

Now that you are fueled with high-energy, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Nadia. Nadia writes picture book and graphic novel manuscripts covering South Asian and Caribbean culture, STEM, non-fiction and humor themes.

Find her on the web at:

http://www.nadiasalomon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authornadiasalomon
https://www.instagram.com/nadiasalomon.author/
https://twitter.com/Nadia_Salomon
https://www.goodreads.com/Nadia_Salomon

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: My Pet Phoenix

Age/Genre: Graphic Novel (ages 8-12)

The Pitch: When Arka’s wish for a pet, gives her an ailing phoenix instead, she must journey through eight phases of the moon and several Sun City’s to keep it alive.

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 Nadia 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 It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in June, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Nadia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing whether the wild flowers I planted at the edge of my yard come up or get mowed down by the deer before they even have a chance to sprout all the way up out of the ground.  Common sense tells me one thing, but my innate optimism urges me to bet the other way (with fingers crossed! 😊) We’ll just have to wait and see who is right and who 🦌 has wildflower snackums 😊

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #247 – No More Cats (PB) PLUS The February And March Pitch Picks!!!

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Would you look at that?

It’s time for another round of everybody’s favorite game: Would You Read It!

This makes two weeks in a row where the time has gone by so fast I feel like I missed it altogether!  I want to thank all the lovely people who stepped up to offer help with my book launch last week from the bottom of my heart!  I’m so grateful!  And if I haven’t replied to you yet, please know that you’re on my list and I’m getting there! ❤

We’ve got a lot to do today, so let’s begin by fueling our brain cells with a little Something Chocolate!  This Chocolate Italian Cake looks pretty delicious er, that is, it looks like it would be an excellent source of energy for efficiently facilitating synaptic response and neuron transmission 🙂

Don’t you feel like your ability to analyze pitches is functioning at an unprecedented level now?  (No, that is not a sugar/caffeine rush from the chocolate, that is Brain Power! 🙂 )

So let’s harness that power and go straight to the February and March Pitch Picks!

FEBRUARY:

#1 – Kathryn – PENELOPE PICKLES AND THE TROLL KINGDOM (MG)

Toadstool is a troll who just wants to be left alone. But the Troll Kingdom is relying on him to start a plague in order to ward off pesky humans. His plan goes amiss when he meets Penny, a spunky girl with a contagious imagination. The Troll Kingdom isn’t happy about his new friend, and Toadstool soon finds himself having to choose between saving the Troll Kingdom or saving Penny.

#2 – Jill – SOCKS OFF (PB ages 2+)

A child delights in spending the day feeling the world against his bare feet. But when a run-in with a cat causes a chase and a tumble, the child soon finds a way back to barefoot bliss with a lick and a snuggle.

#3 – Robin – TALENT SHOW AT GILA ACADEMY OF FLICKCRAFT AND LIZARDRY (PB ages 4-8)

Chameleon was feeling blue about the Friday Night Talent Show. While the other lizards preened and practiced, Chameleon was a shrinking violet, sure his talent was…nothing. Watch Chameleon’s “nothing” become something. He’s a lizard of a different color!

Please vote in the poll below (by Sunday April 9 at 5PM Eastern) for the pitch you think is best and most deserving of a read and comments from editor Erin Molta!

 

MARCH:

#1 – Traci – RILEY AND THE HAUNTED CUPBOARD (PB ages 4-8)

What started out as a fun game of candy hide and seek between Riley and his dog, Scout, turns hairy when creepy noises coming from the cupboard under the stairs halts the game. Scout seems to be missing which forces Riley to first face his fear of dark places but more importantly face his fear that Scout may be gone forever.

#2 – Alexandria – FIONA FLYNN FINDS OUT (MG)

Fiona wants to prove her maturity by riding a horse. When that finally happens, the horse rides her right into her familial role as fairy physic—a physician to a magical world of nature guides who are in the fight for their lives against the evil goddess, Epona who seeks to destroy everything the fae protect. Can Fiona grow into her powers soon enough to stop, Epona?

#3 – Lisa – I AM… (PB ages 4-6)

Scared by a spider, Giraffe climbs a tree to hide. When his friend Zebra spots him, he listens as Giraffe talks about his fears. But Giraffe is facing an even bigger problem, and struggles to find the courage to admit it.

#4 – Joy – RODERICK FODERICK (PB ages 3-7)

Broderick Foderick a kangaroo rat. He accidentally pulls the throttle too much and his ship gets launched into space. When he gets snagged on a cumulus cloud, he must find the doohickey to return to earth.

 

Please vote in the poll below (by Sunday April 9 at 5PM Eastern) for the pitch you think is best and most deserving of a read and comments from editor Erin Molta!

 

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Ana who says, “I am a teacher, artist, dancer and chocolate lover. I hope with my picture books make young and old laugh.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: No More Cats

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch: When mom agrees to add a cat to the family, it seems like a fine idea. But one by one the cat count rises until things are out of control. She must find new homes for the felines and fast, before they take over her home and her sanity.

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 Ana 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 It or on Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in June, 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!

Ana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing who wins the pitch picks!  All these fabulous pitches – how will we ever choose???!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #208 – The Grumps (PB) PLUS The February And March Pitch Picks!

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I hope you ate your Wheaties this morning, lovelies!  We’ve got a full agenda today!

First, we must consult our horoscopes.

Mine says, “Treat yourself to Something Chocolate!”

(Okay.  I admit it didn’t say exactly that… But it did say “You have a wonderful opportunity for refreshment” which is practically the same thing!  Given the comments that followed it was clearly referring to refreshment and renewal in your personal life, but that’s a little too serious for me… So since horoscopes are open to interpretation I choose to interpret refreshment as chocolate 🙂 )

And since we’re going to have Something Chocolate in about one minute, I think we can all agree it’s surprisingly accurate! 🙂

Now that we know it’s going to be a delightfully chocolate-filled day, on to the Pitch Picks!

(I hope you are all sufficiently caffeinated to follow the complexities of Pitch Pick division below.  If not, you may be excused to get a cup of coffee but please come right back!  Loitering in the hall is against school rules and will likely earn you a one-way ticket to the principal’s office 🙂 )

The February and March pitches got a little sideways due to the Valentiny Contest in February followed by a month with 5 Wednesdays, so in the interest of evening things out we shall have the February Pitch Pick with the two February pitches plus the first March pitch, and then the March Pitch Pick which has the other 4 March pitches.

Ready?

The February Pitch Pick:

#1 Lynne Marie – The Dino Store (PB ages 4-8)

Open this book and be transported to – THE DINO-STORE, where dinosaurs are not only NOT extinct, but you can choose from an assortment of plant eaters, meat eaters, big dinosaurs and small dinosaurs – some discovered and some yet to be discovered! You can slide down the back of an Apatosaurus, wow your friends with a Stegosaurus at Show ‘N Tell or scare a bully away with Tyrannosaurus – which dinosaur will you choose?

#2 Tracey – Mary Alice (PB ages 12 and under)

Mary Alice is a little tugboat who wishes she could have passengers on board. One fateful morning, as smoke tumbled out of the two tallest towers, a call came over the radio. Mary Alice turned to to help rescue the people who were stranded on Lower Manhattan.
 
Mary Alice will bridge the gap with the children born after 9/11. This story will also show readers that no matter how small you are, you can achieve mighty things. After all, everyone has a little hero inside of them.  
 
On 9/11,  the largest sea evacuation in world history happened. Hearing the United States Coastguard call, many mariners converged onto Lower Manhattan to rescue almost a half a million people. Mary Alice, a blue-collared tugboat, was one of the vessels used. 
 ***I have permission from the Donjon company to use their boat’s name and they have verified the facts of the story.

 

#3 Stacia  – Mia and the Marathon (PB/ER)

Mia loves running and so does Mama. While Mama is getting ready for her longest race ever, Mia discovers new, exciting ways she can get ready too.  Mia can’t wait to cheer on Mama but oh no! On Race Day, Mia and Daddy can’t find Mama in the big crowd of runners! Don’t worry: Mia is prepared and knows exactly what to do.  It’s time for Mia to cheer her favorite, loudest, cheeriest, cheer ever.

Please cast your vote in the poll below for your favorite February Pitch by Sunday April 17 at 5 PM EDT.

The March Pitch Pick:

#1 Christie – Kitty Clawdette The Broadway Pet (PB ages 4-8)

Kitty Clawdette aches to be a star on Broadway, but she’s an unknown talent with no experience — because she’s a homeless cat. With the help of her lucky star, the theater janitor, she gets her big break and learns there is something more important than fame.

#2 Tracy – TroublE with a Capital” E”!  (PB/ER)

Trouble, sometimes it finds you and even follows you home. That’s exactly what happens one extraordinary day when Jack, the perfect pooch, sniffs out the perfect friend. Together the unlikely duo find companionship, love, and yes, trouble! Stirring up trouble isn’t perfect, but it sure is a lot more fun. Sometimes, “T-r-o-u-b-l-E,” can be spelled with a capital E.

#3 Heather – The Hero Of Foggy Basin (PB ages 3-6)

A happy-go-lucky stray dog, who doesn’t want a home, wanders into a town that’s always blanketed by fog—and can’t find the way out. Dog brightens the lives of the gloomy townsfolk and tries to fetch them the sun. Just when it seems this task can’t be done, he meets a trio of children who help him find his way again.

 

#4 Patricia – Bird And The Baker (PB ages 4-8)

A rainbow-winged, golden-tufted songbird forages each day for grain. When a popular bakery opens nearby, Bird cannot find enough to feed her family. She trades her songs and rainbow wings for more grain, but Bird must use her brain when the baker demands her golden crown, too.

Please cast your vote for your favorite March Pitch in the poll below by Sunday April 17 at 5 PM EDT.

Thank you all for reading and voting!  The pitchers and I are all so grateful!  Shall we have a little refreshment now- i.e. Something Chocolate? (See?  My horoscope was totally right! 🙂 )

Since we have a birthday in our family today, I think we should have cake! 🙂

Super Decadent Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Fudge Frosting!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Ingrid who says, “Hi! I’m Ingrid Boydston, as a mom/kindergarten teacher &theater director I realized I am a full time story teller. So I’ve been writing my stories down, learning the benefits of editing and critique partners for the past 3 years. Now I’m excited to present this pitch to you.  You find me tweeting as IngridBoydston@ingridboydston and on FaceBook as Ingrid Boydston.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Grumps

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-6)

The Pitch:  Sometimes you wake-up feeling so grumpy you just want to stay that way! Good thing a good friend knows the only way to help is to be grumpy too. Kind of…

Spend the day with the Grumps and you just might discover a smile hiding under that frown.

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 Ingrid 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 It or on Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in May, so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback pretty soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Ingrid is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to sharing my “newsletter” with you VERY SOON!  I say “newsletter” because it’s not really a newsletter per se… but it will (hopefully) be something fun and useful for you! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #128 – Sammy Dougie Foxtrot: Look, Smile, Roar (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor PLUS the March Pitch Pick

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My goodness we have a busy day today!

Good thing I gave you Monday off to rest up 🙂

First up, we have Straight From The Editor for Kristine, the February Pitch Winner.  You will recall her pitch:

Working Title: THE STEM GIRLS TAKE OFF
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 5-8)
The Pitch: Sophia wants to win the school science fair, but when her project won’t cooperate, she uses perseverance and teamwork to bring home the goal, proving that every girl can be a STEM girl.

Here are editor Erin Molta’s comments:

This is a great premise and goodness knows, we definitely need more books about girls succeeding in science, technology, engineering and math. However, in order for this to catch an editor’s eye, you need to put a little more spark into it. It’s very generic right now. What is her science project? How was it not cooperating? Was she snubbed because she was a girl and had something to prove? It seems to infer that, but the focus in your pitch is on perseverance and teamwork, whereas it should be more specific. Think of the one thing that she did to get everyone to help her OR why her project was failing and base your pitch around that. And if there’s humor—see if you can get that in, too.

As always, I find Erin’s comments so helpful and insightful!

Now, after all that education, we should probably have a snack 🙂  Something Chocolate anyone?  I’m in a cupcake mood. And this one is kind of cheerful and spring-like as well as luscious and chocolate, don’t you think? 🙂

Scrumptious! 🙂

Now that we’re all fortified, let’s take a look at the awesome pitches from March and see which lucky writer is going to get her pitch reviewed by Erin.

#1 Karen – Puddles And Rainbows (PB ages 4-6)
Growing up is hard, but learning to rain might just prove harder. Either way, this Little Cloud needs plenty of patience and determination. A colorful discovery makes it all worthwhile.

#2 Ann – Sk8r Boy (PB ages 5-8)
Peter wants to be an ice skater but can’t because he’s homeless, and he doesn’t have the money for a pair of skates. But when there’s a poetry contest at school with a small cash prize, he may be able to make his smooth words glide and spin so that he can buy the skates and win his classmates’ respect.

#3 Beth – Martin’s Perfect Web (PB ages 5-7)
In a quest to build a perfect web, a fussy spider confronts his biggest fears through an unlikely friendship with an inquisitive dragon.  Laurent the dragon takes Martin on a wild ride on his tail.  No one is more surprised at the ending than this stubborn intractable spider who finally learns how to relax, and enjoy the simple process of creating.

Please vote for the pitch you feel most deserves a read by editor Erin Molta in the poll below by Sunday April 13 at 5PM EDT.

Many thanks!!!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Morgan who says. “I am an aspiring children’s book writer, a licensed school psychologist, and a mother of two boys (ages 1 1/2 and 3), with another on the way. Reading and writing emotional literacy is my passion. I also enjoy writing social stories and making reward charts for fun!” 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Sammy Dougie Foxtrot: Look, Smile, Roar
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Boogie along with Sammy Dougie Foxtrot and his trusted lion, PJ, on their courageous playground adventure. When PJ gets stuck in a sycamore tree, Sammy is scared: “The kind of scared when brakes on a truck screech, it’s dirt dumps, and it is as stiff as stabilizer legs.”Sammy discovers the true meaning of courage: that one can feel scared and brave at the same time. Even though the children at the playground look different, Sammy looks, smiles, and roars, bravely asking for their help. Find out if Sammy and the playground crew can work together to rescue PJ. “Look, Smile, Roar” enhances 4 to 8 year olds emotional literacy through the use of their imaginations. While entertaining, Sammy and PJ also emphasize tolerance and acceptance to promote early intervention. Oh, and I forgot to mention, they love to have fun! 

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 Morgan 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 It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in July 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!

Morgan is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the upcoming Illustrators Contest!  I really am!  Of course, we might not have any entries, but if we DO, think how awesome they will be!  I can’t wait to see what our talented friends come up with to bring the March Madness Contest Winners’ stories to life!  I have to learn how to do those convenient “tweet this” thingies – then I could helpfully put one here and make it so easy for all you guys to spread the word. I’ll add it to my to-do list. . . which is exceedingly long. . . so don’t hold your breath for convenient tweet thingies 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #83 – Giant At The Gym (PB) AND The March Pitch Pick

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Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Let’s start with the really important stuff, shall we?

Cake!  It’s what’s for breakfast 🙂

Because I decided (based on the fact that someone we all know and love is having a birthday within the next few days :)) that we should celebrate by having chocolate birthday cake for our Something Chocolate this morning.  So let’s just throw caution to the wind, forget pretending that chocolate cake is good for you, and just go hog wild! 🙂

Help yourself to multiple slices and feel free to have a cup of coffee or a glass of milk to go with 🙂

Now that we have attended to our blood sugar levels, which I know were dangerously low before I came along with the cake, we can focus on the March Pitch Pick which, due to the In Just Spring Contest has only 3 contenders.  Here are the revised pitches ready for you to choose which one you think is best and deserves a read by editor Erin Molta:

#1 Linda
Twitch (MG)
After his father disappears, Twitch Taylor is forced to live with his uncle, reviving an old-time Cherokee custom where uncles teach nephews the ways of men. Twitch soon learns how important the traditional ways are: an ancient curse is attacking his family, something only he can control; should he fail, the curse will return to life with no one able to stop it. Can Twitch learn fast enough to become a Cherokee warrior? Can a kid save the world?

#2 Denise
Phewie Hughie (Picture Book ages 4-8)
Hughie loves his toots. The louder the better, but because Hughie thought everyone should love his toots, he had a hard time understanding why no one appreciated his wonderful ability until two children come to an important dinner and Hughie’s dad reminds to remember his manners.  Mayhem happens after Hughie realizes he just can’t hold it in.   Will Hughie find a way to control his engine’s noise and find friends along the way?

#3 Erik
The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea (Chapter Book ages 7 and up)
In a plan gone wrong, the evil villain Wintergreen tangles with super crime-stopper Tomato and his sidekick Pea in a runaway rocket ship that crashes on a strange planet called EAR-TH. Now these perennial enemies must learn to work together to survive the dangers on this strange world and find a way home to planet Oarg.

Please vote for your favorite in the poll below by 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday April 13.

Today’s pitch comes to us from Elaine, who is a Mom of two, wife of one, mom to three furry kids and second grade school teacher. 🙂

Working Title: Giant At The Gym
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: When a burly Giant enters the gym for a workout, he discovers that the weights are just too light. Too fix this problem he grabs unsuspecting gym goers, who are animals, to help him. The story gets funnier as the pile grows, finally ending with an unexpected surprise.

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 Elaine 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 It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in June so you have time to polish for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Elaine is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to what may be the last college revisit for #4 (or we may have one more… you never know :)) and to more CAKE! 🙂

Have a wonderful day, everyone! 🙂