Do you ever get ideas but have no idea how to make them a reality?
I am full of ideas… but when it comes to execution I lack many skills 🙂 Drawing, for example. Doing anything at all with photoshop, for another. Also, there are those who would say that dancing is not my forte (although I do it with a great deal of enthusiasm :))
So imagine my delight at having children who are just SO much more competent than I am!
As a result, I am finally going to have something I’ve been desperate for for about 7 years.
Bookplates!
My own beautiful bookplates! (They are so pretty! Wait until you see!)
They are designed, and I ordered one sheet so I can see how they look. (Just in case there are any problems with the printing, I don’t want ten million not-quite-right ones :))
Due to the fact that the one sheet cost $3.99 and the cheapest possible shipping I could get was $5.04, I chose the cheapest possible shipping and now have to wait 14 days.
But what’s 14 days after the approximately 7 years I’ve already waited?
As soon as I have them, I’ll show you!
And then the really fun thing is that if you want a signed copy of one of my books but you live in Kamchatka or somewhere that is not right around the corner from me, you can simply purchase the book from your favorite bookseller, email me with who/how you want the book signed, and I can mail you a book plate just how you want it and you can stick it right in!
Voila! An idea has become reality!
That is just so exciting that I think we need a snack! I have a total craving for apple cider donuts, so
… help yourselves! (I realize these are not technically Something Chocolate, but it’s only cider donut time for a short portion of each year and they really are best fresh :))
Now then. Are you ready for today’s pitch?
It comes to us from Julie who has visited us twice before (WYRI #68 Eddie Brick Visits The Aunts and WYRI #75 Just Call Me The Kid.) A scribbler of children’s stories in between chores, Julie Rowan-Zoch has visited three continents, attempted to learn 4 languages, and has a 2-3-3-3-3 phalangeal formula in both of her hands and feet. (Though not yet able to get a good grip with her toes, she has been drawing with her hands since she exchanged a banana for a crayon.) Please come visit her on her blog and view her beautiful artwork! (Really, it’s amazing! You’re in for a treat so go see it!)
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Broccolilocks Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-6) The Pitch: CRUNCH! Broccolilocks has a GIANT appetite for her prized vegetable. MUNCH! But a mysterious stink leads her nose down the garden rows to find that something has been munching on her broccoli!
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 Julie improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Julie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to when my bookplates arrive! Did I mention that I have 5 different ones? So awesome! 🙂 I can’t wait to show them to you!
It’s time for everybody’s favorite program – Would You Read It! – brought to you in part by Chocolate (it’s what’s for breakfast!)
Except today, since it’s October, our Something Chocolate is going to be Something Pumpkin because I’ve got pumpkins on my mind. So how about this? Hot from the oven pumpkin muffins…
…with chocolate chips 🙂
YUM!
Now, even though it is rude to speak with your mouth full, I’m going to announce the winner of the September Pitch Pick. And the winner is…
DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOLLLLLL!!!!!!
Kirsti, with her pitch for Upside Down In Frown Town!
Congratulations on an excellent pitch, Kirsti! It has already zipped through cyberspace to editor Erin Molta and I’m sure you will hear from her shortly!
Congratulations to our other pitchers as well! Everyone did such a good job – it was a tough choice this month! Good luck to you all as you proceed with the stories these pitches are for!
Help yourself to another muffin, and then we’ll move right along to today’s pitch which comes to us from Rosi. Rosi has sold a few pieces to Highlights and Highlights High Five magazine, but no books yet. She writes for all ages, but mostly for children. She is the Critique Group Coordinator for SCBWI North/Central California. And she would love it if anyone would like to visit her blog at: http://rosihollinbeckthewritestuff.blogspot.com/
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Iris The Rainbow Girl Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 2-5) The Pitch: When Iris sees a rainbow, she decides she want to be a beautiful rainbow. Her parents tell her all the reasons she cannot be a rainbow, but Iris persists and finally finds a way to achieve her goal.
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 Rosi improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Rosi is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to figuring out the rest of the prizes for the Halloweensie Contest. Stay tuned! And once again, if you have any particular thoughts in the what-you’d-like-to-win department, please let me know and I’ll see what I can arrange 🙂
Scout (who must still be known as Skunk Dog but is getting better) seconds the motion, and Jemma thirds it, so the motion carries!
Help yourselves to chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing! (That way we get vegetable – from the cocoa BEAN – and dairy and protein from the cream CHEESE. I am nothing if not concerned for your health and well-being, so I try to make sure we cover as many food groups as possible :))
Now then, I’ve got the September Pitch Pick ready to go and it’s only October 9th! (Yes, it’s really me, and no, I am not feverish, nor is my mind being controlled by aliens… although that’s what I would say if my mind were being controlled by aliens, so I guess you never know… :))
So without further ado, let’s have a look-see at our new and improved pitches and vote for the one we think deserves a read by editor Erin Molta!
Here are our contenders:
#1 Kirsti Upside Down In Frown Town – PB ages 3-8 Where Sam lives, smiling is frowned upon. But, no matter what he tries, he can’t wipe the smile off his face. Even a frowning contest doesn’t make a frowner out of Sam. When he can’t change himself, he decides to change the town instead.
#2 Kathy The Garden Disaster – PB ages 4-7
Jasmine’s daily chore is to collect pollen and nectar, but she never seems to collect enough. Her Mom said it’s because she plays too much, but Jasmine knows the real reason. Today was different though. Today a new hairy beast showed up! Jasmine must think up a great idea to outsmart this new bee chasing beast and then she will finally be able to fill her bucket to the tippy-top.
The Garden Disaster is a 480 Word PB for early readers ages 4-7.
#3 Wendi The Superhero Rejects – MG Morphus is ashamed that his superpower is turning into lame objects like paper clips, rubber bands and light bulbs. At ZITS (The Zapdor Institute for the Training of Superheroes), he and the other Superhero Rejects are relegated to practice their pathetic skills in the old gym in the basement. When the nefarious Scorpius attacks the school and puts everyone upstairs into a hypnotic trance, Morphus and his band of rejects might be the only ones that can save them!
#4 Donna The Lightbulb And The Lab Coat – PB ages 8-12 Thomas Edison befriends an orphaned robin, who provides him with companionship and inspiration as he faces a tight deadline to deliver the first incandescent light bulb. As tests are feverously conducted to find the right bulb filament, the industrious robin shows him that the answer was right under his nose all the time!
Please cast your vote below for the pitch you feel most deserves a read by Erin by Sunday October 13 at 11:59 PM EDT. Thank you all so much!
Today’s pitch comes to us from Linda, who has visited us a couple times before (WYRI #79 – Twitch (MG) and WYRI #72 – The Good For Plenty Bibs (PB) and WYRI # 60 – Alpha Bitty (PB) – did I miss any Linda? :)). Linda is a former gifted and talented teacher and the author of a number of books including the multi-award winning picture book, The Blue Roses. Please take a moment to visit her website at www.lindaboyden.com.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Proberta Gerber And The Terrible Mess Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) The Pitch: Once upon a time Proberta Gerber once had a purple and pink bedroom; now all she has is a terrible mess. Dad wonders why? Big brother Arbuckle helps: “Clean one thing at a time. Start with your bed.” Proberta can’t find it. She blames the mess on the Dust Bunnies who live in her closet, but Mom says, “Stay there until it is cleaned, young lady.” Sniffling, Proberta makes a special wish for help. And who appears? The REAL Dust Bunnies who help, but not in the way she thinks.
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 Linda improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January so you have a little time to polish up your pitches and send them for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Linda is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I just got the final proofs for the Crock of Charms Anthology project I participated in (along with a few devoted readers from this blog :)) and I am looking forward to seeing it in print! I will share full details when they are available, hopefully by early December 🙂
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!
Ready, set, WRITE! (or read, or teach, or go play on the swings, or whatever happens to be on your agenda today :))
Of course we will be celebrating with the 3rd Annual Halloweensie Contest, guidelines to be posted very soon (which means when I get around to making them up :)), but to get us in the mood we have an interview with debut author Charlotte Gunnufson today and she will tell us about her picture book, Halloween Hustle! A copy of the book will be one of the prizes in the Halloweensie contest, so you’ll want to know all about it.
First, let me introduce you to Charlotte who says:
Charlotte Gunnufson
I grew up in Minnesota and suffered all the things a middle child normally suffers: my older sister tricked me into eating a worm (You mean spaghetti doesn’t grow in the ground?), my little brother blew out the candles on my birthday cake, and they called me Miss Prissy—which, I have to admit, was true when I was a kid. Clearly, I’m trying to make up for lost time.
I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with my husband Scott and Isaac and Ellen. Perry is all grown up and living in Minnesota. Besides writing, dancing, and Halloween-ing, I love crossword puzzles and playing board games and charades with family and friends.
I’m happy to be a member of SCBWI-Iowa!
Welcome, Charlotte! Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re all delighted you’re here! Can you start by telling us a little about how you came to writing and what your typical writing day is like?
CG: I actually came back to writing. My first poem was published when I was in elementary school (in an Archie’s comic book). I wrote in my teens and early twenties and then stopped writing for 15 years. As crazy as it sounds, I was inspired to start writing again by a movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. (Yep, that’s how it’s spelled and watching it made me feel like I’d been wasting time.) I started writing again the next day. I write for kids because I love their earnestness and exuberance! I like writing humorous stories with word play, rhyme, and lots of exclamation points!!!
I try to write every weekday and protect my writing time like a mama bear protects her cub. I don’t wait for inspiration because that time can be spent writing. Bonus: a (mostly) consistent schedule helps me be ready to write and knowing I’m going to write keeps my mind open to stories ideas (which are lurking everywhere!). I usually do my best writing in the morning. I try to hold my internal editor at bay for a few hours because she can work long into the afternoon and evening.
SLH: What inspired Halloween Hustle?
Isaac’s project – the inspiration for Halloween Hustle
CG: I had been writing for kids for a little over a year and relentlessly trolling for story ideas. I opened a bin of Halloween decorations and an art project my son Isaac made way back in 2nd grade caught my attention. (I keep as much of my kids’ artwork as space permits. Okay. Perhaps a bit more than space permits.) I began writing a poem about a dancing skeleton, thinking I’d submit it to a children’s magazine. But then Skeleton discovered he wasn’t just dancing; he was dancing his way to a Halloween party. And, hey, there’s his buddy Frankenstein, and why don’t they just hop on that bus…and the poem stretched into a story.
SLH: Is Halloween Hustle your first published book? What was the road to publication like?
CG:Halloween Hustle is my first book, though I’ve been lucky enough to have my work appear in Highlights, HighlightsHighFive and Hello, Cricket, Ladybug and other children’s magazines. I submitted the manuscript to several publishers and either received rejections or [Cue crickets].I hadn’t given up on Halloween Hustle, but I’d moved on to other stories.
Illustration copyright Kevan J. Atteberry
I didn’t receive the proverbial call. More than a year after I’d sent out the manuscript, I received a package from a marvelous and multi-talented editor at Marshall Cavendish, with abundant notes, whole pages crossed out, and a letter saying the story had potential for their list. I revised (and re-revised), and the manuscript was acquired by Marshall Cavendish, which was subsequently acquired by Amazon Children’s Publishing.
Timeline
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Writing
Submission
Acquisition
Writing other stuff
Still writing
Publication
During this same time period…
My daughter Ellen grew from kindergartener to fifth grader.
My son Isaac grew from fifth grader to high school junior.
My son Perry grew from college freshman to having a real job and a house.
A grain of advice humbly offered to fellow writers: Don’t waste a nanosecond waiting. Be brave, be fierce, and keep writing.
Illustration copyright Kevan J. Atteberry
SLH: Do you have an agent?
CG: I do not have an agent but believe that having an agent the way to go. I’ve queried about a dozen agents with various manuscripts. I’ve received a few requests for additional material (which, of course, I happily obliged!) but haven’t received an invitation to sign with an agent. I’m working to develop a body of publishable manuscripts. It’s a WIP (Work In Progress).
SLH: What have been your marketing strategies so far?
CG: Since Halloween Hustle is my first book, I’ve invested oodles of time and not inconsequential funds in promoting it. I developed fun, free, kid-friendly stuff for my website: a giggle-inducing book trailer and dance-along video as well as Halloween-themed crossword puzzles, word searches, and mazes. Illustrator Kevan Atteberry created cool coloring pages and graciously shared his work so that visitors to the website can send Halloween e-postcards to their friends. I hired Taylor Ridling to design the website. Alisabeth Von Presley created the book trailer and dance video, including the music, vocals, and voice over. My son Isaac designed bookmarks for the small price of not having to clean his room.
Illustration copyright Kevan J. Atteberry 2013
DIY (Do It Yourself) Tour: I’m hosting Halloween Hustle dance parties at schools, libraries, and bookstores throughout the Midwest. Kids craft Batty Hats and Bookmark Buddies, listen to the story, participate in original action rhymes, and then do the Halloween Hustle (Yes! Literally!) and boogie to Halloween classics like “Monster Mash” and “Purple People Eater.” The events are fun (Fun!) for the kids and for me. (Setting up events and promoting them are time-consuming.) I’m also appearing at the Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival along with Betsy Lewin (Click, Clack, Moo), Bob Raczka (Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word), and Paul O. Zelinsky (Z is for Moose). Seriously? I know. That’s how I feel. Did the Festival contact me? I wish. Actually, no one contacted me. (Fortune cookie message for fellow writers: Don’t wait. Do!)
SLH: What is YOUR favorite kind of dancing? 🙂
CG: I am a dancing fool and could never choose a favorite! I teach Zumba Fitness® which is Latin based with a dash of Bollywood, African dance, hip hop and more. I get to see students trade in stress for Samba!
It makes my heart happy to see kids dance at the Halloween Hustle parties because they really get into it. It’s so good for them to move, and when they “get the steps,” they gain confidence. They cheer and always ask to do “Purple People Eater” again.
Well, Charlotte, it has made us happy to have you visit today! Thank you so much for coming!
Folks, you can find Charlotte at the following places online:
And don’t forget! One fabulous writer will win a copy of Charlotte’s delightful book for writing a great entry in the Halloweensie Contest coming soon to a blog near you.
(Uh, that would be this one. :))
Have a hip-hoppin’, Hustlin’, Halloween’s-comin’-soon Monday, everyone! 🙂
(And if you have any questions for Charlotte, it’s possible she can be prevailed upon to swing by and answer them if you leave them in the comments :))
Well, would you look at that? It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday again!
Wowee! did last week disappear fast!
I have a tons-of-fun, 3 day old book to share with you today. I hope you like it!
Title: Little Red Writing Written By: Joan Holub Illustrated By: Melissa Sweet Chronicle Books, September 2013, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 5-8
Themes/Topics: Fairy Tale retelling, writing, bravery
Opening: “Once upon a time in pencil school, a teacher named Ms. 2 told her class, “Today we’re going to write a story!” “Yippee!” said the birthday pencil. “Slammin’,” siad the basketball pencil. “Sharp!” said Little Red.”
Brief Synopsis: Ms. 2 sets her pupils on the story path and let’s them loose to write their very own stories. The other pencils stick to what they know about, but Little Red wants to write “a story about bravery because red is the color of courage.” With a basket of 15 red words from Ms. 2 to use in case she runs into trouble, Little Red sets out to find adventure.
Links To Resources: The obvious resource here is the book itself accompanied by giving kids the opportunity to write their own story! If they need a little help getting started, supply some story starters. They can base their story on a well-known fairy tale – like Little Red Riding Hood 🙂 You can give them a “basket” with 3-5 words that they must include in their story. You can give them an opening line and let them continue, for example, “Once upon a time there was a lonely princess whose best friend was a bear…” or “The night I threw pizza on the roof Mom got really mad…” For younger kids, you could make up the story together. There is a classroom guide aligned to common core HERE but be forewarned it took awhile to load. Hang in there, though. It shows up eventually 🙂
Why I Like This Book: I love fractured fairy tales. I love clever. And I love books that show kids the fun in writing and teach them a little something about how to do it in the process. In this story, Ms. 2 (the teacher) writes “The Story Path” on the blackboard: “1. Idea, characters, setting 2. Trouble 3. Even bigger trouble 4. Fix the trouble.” She gives Little Red a basket of emergency nouns. As Little Red travels her story path she discovers that action verbs are better than boring ones, adjectives may overwhelm your story and need to be cut down, conjunctions can get you in trouble with run on sentences, adverbs can be helpful (“We deliver speedily!”), that the right word in the right place can make all the difference, and that it takes courage to follow your story through to the end… but it’s worth it when you share it with a rapt audience 🙂 Melissa Sweet’s art (which I love – if you haven’t seen Balloons Over Broadway check it out immediately! :)) is the perfect accompaniment for this story as Little Red wends her way through the forest of adjectives and has to face down the Wolf 3000! (Can you guess what that is??? :)) I also love the little extra touches, like the fact that they attend the Pencilvania School, and the cover page admonition to “Write often and carry a big notebook” 🙂
Before we all head off to read all the other Perfect Picture Books, I’d just like to let you know that on Monday we’ll be having a special guest! She’s pretty entertaining, so you won’t want to miss her debut appearance!
Have a great weekend, everyone! And PPBF bloggers, please be sure to leave your post-specific links in the list below so we can all come visit!
Don’t worry. I won’t call on you unless your hand is raised 🙂
Okey dokey! First, it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the August Pitch Pick and that is
LISA! with her pitch for The Golden Egg!
Congratulations, Lisa! Your pitch is already on its way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts! And congratulations to all our brave pitchers. You all did a wonderful job! And thank you to all our stalwart voters without whom a winner would not be possible. You are all lovely! 🙂
Speaking of snacks…
Oh. We weren’t?
Well, we are now 🙂
So, speaking of snacks, today, thanks to the lovely Kathy, we have the perfect Something Chocolate! Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars! Allow me to wax poetic about their many virtues:
1. Plenty of chocolate (obviously!) which, as I keep reminding you, is a vegetable since it is derived from a bean. = Health Food!
2. Plenty of peanut butter, which is an excellent source of protein, so important for fueling our brains for a long day of writing.
3. People often refer to peanut butter as PB (as in PB&J) and here we are in the world of picture books – also PBs!!! Coincidence????? I don’t THINK so!
Let’s eat some and see if we all have an amazing-better-than-usual-brilliantly-productive PB writing day!
Now that our mouths are all full (glass of milk anyone?) today’s pitch comes to us from Donna. Donna is the author/illustrator of children’s picture book, LUCCI- THE NO SMOOCHIE POOCHIE. She loves kids, books and animals, but most of all, kids’ books about animals. She lives, writes, and pursues learning the craft out in beautiful Central Texas Hill Country with a husband and a menagerie. You can find her online at:
Working Title: The Light Bulb And The Lab Coat Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 8-12) The Pitch: What if a bird building her nest was responsible for Thomas Edison’s first successful light bulb? My story finds Edison and his associates up against the clock and investors’ expectations to deliver an incandescent bulb, capable of bringing safe, economical light to homes. Mr. Edison befriends an orphan robin by providing it a home in his lab, and the robin, in turn, provides the inventor companionship, inspiration and the answer to his quest. The Light Bulb and the Lab Coat, intended for ages 8 – 12, combines a small ‘element’ of fiction with factual information to elicit a child’s sense of wonder, and what could be a complex process becomes a fun read.
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 Donna improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in January so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Donna is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to announcing a writing contest pretty soon… Maybe next week! 🙂
Alrighty folks. That’s it for today’s show. Please tune in Friday, same bat time, same bat station!
Wonder of wonders, my office is really and truly ALMOST clean! I’m SO close! Seriously! I mean it!
The shelves are full and neatly organized.
All kinds of stuff is packed into labeled drawers (the idea being that I might ever find it again :))
Boxes of stuff are filed!
The desk top is partially visible.
There’s only a small Goodwill pile on the piano (and if you’re wondering why I have a piano in my office it’s partly because I love to play and mostly because it won’t fit anywhere else in the house!)
And there are just a few more odds and ends I have to clean up and decide what to do with.
SO CLOSE!
So y’all have to keep after me to make sure I cross the finish line on this job. If I do, I’ll share pictures in which you can actually see the floor!!! and we’ll have some sort of fun and fabulous party to celebrate! There will most likely be chocolate and presents involved, so it’s in all of our best interest if I get this done!
Speaking of chocolate, it’s supposed to be 92 degrees today, so I’m thinking we’d like something frosty and delightful. Shall we have chocolate milkshake this morning?
I believe we shall! 🙂 And see how I got us one with a strawberry? Health food 🙂 You’re welcome 🙂
Now, while you are sipping that delicious, chocolatey, ice-cold yumminess, let’s have a look at this month’s Straight From The Editor.
You will recall that Rachel won the July Pitch Pick with her pitch for The Curse of the Shattered Sceptre. (which reminds me that we haven’t done the August pitch pick… hmmm… better get on that!)
Her winning pitch was as follows:
After accidentally unleashing a torrent of curses, Ollie and his Book Club buddies must use their wits and imagination to unravel a series of twisted clues. In a race against time, will the boys mend the shattered sceptre, restoring the balance of nature, or will they be cursed forever?
Here is what editor Erin Molta had to say about it:
This looks exciting. A couple of things that might help it, though . . .
Where did the curse come from? Right now, it seems a torrent of curses could be coming from a person—as in swears. It’s a tad unclear. Also, unravel a series of clues to what? To mend the scepter? If so, I’d clarify it this way and rather than structure it as a question, I’d make it more declarative like: Ollie and his buddies accidentally unleash a torrent of curses (from what—an antique scepter from the museum—displayed in the library?). Racing against time, the boys must use their wits and imagination to unravel a series of twisted clues in order to mend the shattered scepter and restore the balance of nature—or they will be cursed forever!
Good luck!
As always, many thanks to Erin for her very helpful insights. I always feel we learn something valuable!
Today’s pitch comes to us from Kathy who says, “I live on a little farm in Vermont with my husband and my grandson. Having my grandson around is kind of what led me to wanting to write pb’s. I have plenty of pets, farm animals and wildlife, so I have no shortage of thing to write about 🙂
We do a lot of fishing, exploring and outdoor fun!
Here is my blog address: I don’t have many followers and I’m not really much of a blogger, but I created one because it was suggested that I should have one. Guess I need to go update and brush up on it 🙂
Working Title: The Garden Disaster Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7) The Pitch: What’s a bee to do? Basil’s daily chore is to collect pollen and nectar, but he never seems to collect enough. His Mom thinks it’s because he plays too much, but Basil knows it’s because of Mrs. Grady’s rotten cat. One day while Basil is in the garden collecting his pollen and nectar a new hairy beast shows up! Basil must think up a great idea to outsmart this new beast so he can finally fill his bucket to the tippy top.
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 Kathy improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in November so polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Kathy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to Friday and the return of Perfect Picture Books, which I will be starting out with a bang and a special surprise give-away that you will NOT want to miss!!! So mark your calendars!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! Happy reading, writing, teaching, parenting… whatever you’re doing today! 🙂
After 20 odd years of going to school myself, plus the additional years of having 5 children start school ranging from preschool to doctoral candidacy, plus being married to a teacher, I suppose it’s not really surprising that in many ways September feels like the start of a new year.
It’s inspiring and refreshing and invigorating!
It fills me with energy to write new stories!!
It makes me believe I can actually clean my office – this time for real!!!
(But let’s face it… it’s not magic 🙂 If I ever ACTUALLY finish cleaning my office I’ll show you a picture 🙂 I think I’ll have to, just to prove I really did it :))
So with all that energy and inspiration just waiting to be tapped, let’s all make a plan to write something great today, shall we? I think we can do it!
Of course we’ll be able to do it better with Something Chocolate… 🙂 Can I tempt you with torte?
Dark chocolate is good for you.
That is a scientifically proven fact.
🙂
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Kirsti. Kirsti isa writer, a reader, a mother of five, a marriage and family therapist, and her first picture book is coming out with Character Publishing this fall. It’s called:”The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall.” Her blog/website is www.kirsticall.com.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Upside Down In Frown Town Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-8) The Pitch: Where Sam lives, smiling is frowned upon. But, no matter what he tries, he can’t wipe the smile off his face. Even a frowning contest doesn’t make a frowner out of Sam. But the idea of a challenge may be just what he needs to turn the town around.
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 Kirsti improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in September, and we are IN September! so we’re pretty desperate for some new pitches! Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Kirsti is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to writing!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!!
Oh, and P.S. For those of you wondering about Perfect Picture Books, we will be starting up again, but I can’t do it until next week, Sept. 13. Anyone who wants to go ahead without me on Friday Sept. 6 is welcome to, but I’ve just got too much going on to pretend I’m going to pull it off! 🙂
Next year I would like someone to remind me in June that August is an insane month and I should plan NOTHING!
Since I forgot this year, I’m in over my head. And that’s with only one regular blog post per week! I am seriously hoping that things are going to settle down and get more organized when school starts. Otherwise I shall have to check myself into a home! 🙂
So quick, darlings, everyone help yourself to more of Coleen’s goodies – Peanut Butter Rice Krispie treats today (please note the luscious chocolate drizzle which qualifies them as our Something Chocolate!)
YUM! And totally breakfast because they’ve got the word Rice Krispie right in the title! You really cannot argue with that 🙂
And now let’s get right down to business!
First, we’ve got the July Pitch Pick. Our brave pitchers have taken all your excellent advice to heart and revised their pitches to the best of their abilities. Here are the choices:
#1 Lisa That Tommy Thompson (PB ages 5 and up) Just a girl???? Abigail Richmond was not about to let “that” Tommy Thompson ruin her day. In fact, she has just enough confidence combined with a dash of sass that allows her to prove she can do anything she puts her mind to, just like some other famous women in history. Luckily, she also has the smarts to know what she shouldn’t do.
#2 Rachel The Curse of The Shattered Sceptre (Chapter Book/MG) After accidentally unleashing a torrent of curses, Ollie and his Book Club buddies must use their wits and imagination to unravel a series of twisted clues. In a race against time, will the boys mend the shattered sceptre, restoring the balance of nature, or will they be cursed forever?
#3 Angela Fable Ranger (MG) Swept away in a storm of rose petals, twelve-year-old Case lands in a world of make-believe, chosen by the book of Lorealia as the new Fable Ranger. But in a realm where Prince Charming always saves the day, she’s dismissed…just for being a girl. Proving bravery comes in all packages, Case ventures off to reverse the evil Dovetail’s enchantments. He’s unbalanced magic and forced the Red Rose Bounds to shut down. Unless Case completes the tasks to set magic right, she’ll remain trapped in a spiraling happily-never-after or worse, captured by Dovetail himself.
#4 Vivian The Tomato Turner Gets A Job (PB ages 4 and up) The annual summer bike relay is only two weeks away,but no matter how many times Peter counts the money in his piggy bank, it’s still not enough to buy the new bike he needs to join his best friend’s team. Peter must find a way to earn more…fast! Mixing Gardener’s Gold is not the best smelling job – but his piggy bank IS getting heavier – if only he could stop breathing or make the manure smell better.
I know it’s a tough choice (as always!) but please choose the pitch you think deserves a read by editor Erin Molta and cast your vote by 11:59 PM EDT Sunday August 25.
Thank you so much for voting!
Now! Onward! 🙂
Today’s pitch comes to us from Carrie who says, “My passion for picture books and literacy began while studying to be an elementary teacher. I took a break from teaching this past school year to immerse myself into writing full-time. I guess you could say I finally figured out what all the brain babble was for!
Working Title: Cartwheel Queen Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-6) The Pitch: After learning how to do a cartwheel, Queen Carina begins her rule over Cartwheelandia. Cheers and cartwheels explode through the crowd, but stop short with Carina’s heart-broken little brother.In an effort to restore peace to the kingdom, Queen Carina does all she can to help Caden train to be the greatest Cartwheel King that ever lived.
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 Carrie improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in September so we could really use some new pitches! Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Carrie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to something so wonderful you won’t even believe it!! We are expecting a new grandbaby and he or she is due to be delivered TOMORROW!!! Next time you see me I’ll be a grandmother again… or a grandfather 🙂 Meanwhile, hoping all will go smoothly with the delivery and that this little one will be as healthy and wonderful as his or her big sister!
Today marks the 100th week! The 100th brave person to post their pitch! The 100th Wednesday of Wonderfulness when we all get to learn so much from each other!
Who would have thought we’d get to 100 back on July 27, 2011 when we had our very first pitch?
So I think we should celebrate. As always, Something Chocolate shall be involved (with many many thanks to the awesome and wonderful Coleen for making this for us today – and while I’m mentioning Coleen you should go read her blog if you don’t already because she is tons of fun :))
This, my friends, is a Brookie – a Brownie Cookie – pretty much the best of both worlds, don’tcha think? Photo copyright Coleen Patrick 2013 used by permission
Doesn’t that look delicious??? Help yourself to a cup of coffee or a nice cold glass of milk to go with it! 🙂
But wait! There’s more!
Because the 100th day of anything doesn’t come around all that often, I think I will give away a prize to one lucky randomly selected commenter from today’s post! Just because I love you and my blog would be nothing without all you wonderful people who come to read and comment and share your love of kidlit.
Hmmm…. what should the prize be, I wonder?
Well, you can never really have enough picture books, can you? 🙂 If you’re a parent or a teacher they come in super handy. If you’re a writer, you can learn so much from how a good one is written. So how about the prize shall be the winner’s choice of Is Your Buffalo Ready For Kindergarten by Audrey Vernick (perfect for this time of year), I Haiku You by Betsy Snyder (perfect for poetry lovers), Journey by Aaron Becker (perfect for art lovers), America’s Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle by David A. Adler (perfect for nonfiction lovers), or, if you already have all 4 of those, something else that we pick together!
Now, just quickly before we get to today’s pitch, I have a Straight From The Editor for you. You will recall that Andrea won the June pitch pick with her pitch for The Backpack Secret (PB). This was her pitch:
On the first day of kindergarten, Amani notices that Mason won’t take off his backpack. She’s determined to find out why, especially when the other kids start calling him names. After she finally convinces Mason to share his secret, it gives her an idea that will help everyone in the class feel braver at school.
And this response from editor Erin Molta is almost a first (it certainly doesn’t happen often!):
I like this and can’t think of anything to make it more appealing. It states the problem succinctly and resolves it satisfactorily while intriguing an editor to want to find out what’s inside that backpack.
Wow! Good for you, Andrea! Well done! (And maybe you’d better send that story our on submission soon :))
Straight From The Editor reminds me that I don’t think we’ve done the July Pitch Pick, so maybe I’ll put that up on Friday.
Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Lisa, whom you may remember from last month with her pitch for That Tommy Thompson. Lisa says, “I’m a former elementary school social worker, mom of two, and have recently made writing my full time job. Two years ago I wrote my first picture book and just this past fall I decided it wasn’t going to do any good sitting on my computer. I began taking classes, reading craft books, attending conferences and workshops and just writing, everyday, writing. The original story is long gone but at last count I’ve got 42 other drafts and ideas jotted down. Oh yeah, and about four or five ready to go manuscripts. I have worked with kids my entire adult life and I feel strongly that this is the avenue in which I am meant to reach those little hearts and minds at this time in my life. On a random note, I’m a big fan of chocolate covered gummy bears. ;)”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: The Golden Egg Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 5-8) The Pitch: The sight of a golden egg creates quite a stir among the feathered community and the fact that it doesn’t hatch has the Whisperers working overtime. But have no fear, the Eggsperts are called in to save the day. But do they? In the end, Mother Hen knows she must listen to her heart. Through a humorous story, lies a nurturing tale about a mothers love, acceptance and healing.
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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in September which is alarmingly close, so please send your pitch in right away for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Lisa is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to seeing how my freshly updated website and blog turn out. The marvelous Donna Farrell is hard at work trying to update, freshen, and streamline my blog and website with only the barest, minimal, cryptic information from me – such comments as, “Can you make it so it does that thing like, you know?” – very specific, detailed instructions 🙂 Good luck, Donna 🙂 But she’s a genius so I know it will turn out exactly how I want it!
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! And don’t forget, one lucky commenter today will win a prize! 🙂 Thank you all for your devoted readership! It makes me happy to be part of this warm-hearted, generous community!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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