Category: Would You Read It

Would You Read It Wednesday #103 – Upside Down In Frown Town (PB)

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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 is a 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 It or 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! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #102 – The Savage Queen (YA) PLUS The July Pitch Winner

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Can you believe it?  Here we are at the last Wednesday in August!  Where did the summer go?

Before we get to all of today’s exciting offerings, I just want to thank everyone who took the time to visit Eric’s website and listen to his music, and especially those who followed him on Twitter and downloaded tracks.  We are both so appreciative and hope you enjoyed what you heard.  (And if you didn’t get a chance to check it out, please feel free at any time :))

Also, while I was listing new things on Monday, I forgot to mention that my blog and website have been revamped a bit to make them more integrated.  I wish the titles for WYRI, PPBF etc. could be in smaller font, but Blogger won’t let you do that, so it is what it is.  Otherwise, I feel pretty good about it.  What do you guys think?

Now then, let’s fortify ourselves with Something Chocolate, shall we?  I’m in the mood for some Chocolate Cream Pie this morning… something I know Clar will back me up on because I think she eats that for breakfast every day 🙂

YUM!

By the way, if anybody out there has Something Chocolate they’d like to share with the group, please feel free to email pictures (and recipes if you have them) as Coleen and Teresa have done recently and I will use them and credit you on Would You Read It!

Alrighty… Let’s get to the July Pitch Pick!  All the pitches were terrific, and the vote was exceptionally close – unprecedentedly so as a matter of fact! – but in the end, the winner was….

RACHEL with her pitch for The Curse of the Shattered Sceptre!

Congratulations, Rachel!  Your pitch is on it’s way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts.  And congratulations to all our brave pitchers for great story ideas and wonderful pitch revisions.  Good luck to all of you with your stories!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Alicia who says: About me: I am currently a freshman at Wright State University and heading towards a Masters Degree in Middle Childhood Education. Writing is my first and foremost passion, leading me to want to help kids in school achieve their goals through teaching them how to write. I also began writing in middle school, which is exactly why I would like to teach children of that age.

If you’d like to follow her on twitter she’s @TacitLady and you can contact her by email at aliciastew95@gmail.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Savage Queen
Age/Genre: YA (Fantasy/Adventure/Coming of Age)
The Pitch: Roma Whitewood is charged with treason for trying to protect the only family he has ever known as they are murdered before his eyes at the hands of the King’s Royal Army. The country Roma has always called his own, betrays him as his punishment is to be stripped of his citizenship and sent to work in the treacherous labor camps, where he meets Lyra and she opens his eyes to the truths of the world that he had been overlooking his whole life. All of the stories his mother told him as child, that he never even dared to believe, all begin to come true and Roma must face the ultimate decision: be oppressed or join the Uprising with Lyra. There’s more to Lyra than she’s telling him, but Roma can only put his trust in the hands of the girl who had been by his side every moment in the camps. She was going to escape, or die trying, and Roma was going with her, no matter the outcome.

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 Alicia 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 September so we could seriously use some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Alicia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to finishing cleaning my office (which yes, I am attempting once again… we’ll see if I succeed this time or give up in despair as usual 🙂  I may need another slice of pie :))

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #101 – Cartwheel Queen (PB) PLUS The July Pitch Pick!

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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!)

Photo copyright Coleen Patrick 2013 used by permission

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!  

You can find me on my blog site Carrie On… at www.carriecharleybrown.com or follow me on Facebook www.fb.com/carrie.brown.56614#, Twitter @carriebrowntx, or You Tube https://www.youtube.com/user/carriecharleybrown“

Here is her pitch:

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 It or 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!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #100!!! – The Golden Egg (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor

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Holy Hundredth Would You Read It, Batman!

Can you believe it?

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 It or 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!

Would You Read It Wednesday #99 – Karina The Dancer (PB)

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So anyway, whose idea was it to let children drive cars?

I’m just asking.

(Oops, sorry – are my white knuckles showing?)

Because really I think it would be preferable if they had to wait until I was in a nursing home…where I will probably be shortly due to the anxiety said driving causes me daily!

First, you have to sit helpless (the very definition of a sitting duck!) in the passenger seat and teach them how to drive, a process during which it is important to stay alert and keep your eyes peeled for danger even though you’d give $1000 to hide under a blanket on the back seat… or better yet, coach them via satellite from the safety of your living room couch 🙂

But that is far better than what comes next, when they are licensed to drive, and you have to wave from the porch as the taillights disappear out the driveway and hope and pray that your baby returns safe and sound (having also not caused undue damage to persons and property in the great state of New York or nearby Connecticut.)

And then bam, bam, bam – they’re all learning one right after another, so we don’t even get a breather between kids.

I tell you.  My crop of gray hairs is multiplying at an alarming rate.  This whole kids driving thing is not good for my peace of mind.

You know what IS good for peace of mind?  CHOCOLATE 🙂  (Do you like how smoothly I segued into that? :))

Just WAIT until you see the chocolate delight I have for you today!  It has been baked specially for you by Teresa – her fabulous French Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze! (and if you follow that link and scroll down to the July 29 post you can get the recipe 🙂 – sorry, for some reason I couldn’t get the post-specific link… maybe because of the deterioration of mental function caused by all the driving anxiety :))

photograph copyright Teresa Robeson 2013 used with permission

Doesn’t that look YUMMY?!  And it’s especially appropriate because Teresa is friends with today’s pitcher, so it’s kind of like she baked this cake especially for the occasion 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Darshana.  Darshana’s special talents by day are solving engineering problems, creating activities for her kids, and concocting ways to spend time with her husband. By night she reads and writes picture books, so one day she can realize her dream of becoming a published author. Check out her book reviews at Flowering Minds, and keep up to date on the latest in the kidlit world by “Liking” her on FaceBook or “Following” her on Twitter.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Karina The Dancer
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Wanting to be a dancing star like her older sister, free-spirited Karina signs up for Indian classical dance, a structured art form, only to realize her true talents lie in a different dance style.

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 Darshana 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 September so we’re about ready for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Darshana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to when all my children are excellent, experienced, accomplished drivers and I don’t have to worry anymore… (yeah, I heard it.  I know it comes with parenthood that I will always worry about them :))  So that’s not realistic.  Okay then.  I am looking forward to Friday when we are going to have a very fun Short & Sweet!  Sharpen your pencils and get ready for something special!  And that’s the truth! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!  Happy reading and writing!

(And if you should happen to hear a shriek from the direction of the east coast, don’t worry – it’s probably just me in the passenger seat while #5 takes her place behind the wheel :))

Would You Read It Wednesday #98 – The Tomato Turner Gets A Job (PB)

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I was going to post on Monday.  Really, I was.  But then we got invited out to dinner Sunday evening (which was lovely) and by the time I got home it was late and, well, you know how these things go…  So lucky you – you got another day off 🙂

It is high summer here on Blueberry Hill.  The bear passes by occasionally on his way from one patch of blueberry bushes to another.  The hummingbirds are hard at work raising their families, which requires a lot of calories…

… the twin fawns are growing…

this one is nursing…
and here they both are (sorry about photo quality – I was a little far away for the iPhone 🙂

…and if we could get more than one consecutive minute without rain, my flowers might stop looking like they drowned 🙂  Or they might not because, let’s face it, I AM the Black Thumb of Poughquag 🙂

So now that you’ve seen summer on Blueberry Hill, I think it’s time for Something Chocolate.  What should we have today?  How about…

Triple Chocolate Cookies???  YUM!

Okay.

Enough chit-chat 🙂  It’s time to get down to Would You Read It business!  Vivian is being very patient 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Vivian whom you may remember from previous pitches for other PBs in the Tomato Turner series – The Tomato Turner and Confessions Of The Tomato Turner).  Vivian is passionate about picture books – her mission is to help children become lovers of books and reading. She’s a former kindergarten teacher and a current grandmother of four. Although she always thought of herself as a timid sort of person, she’s had some really BIG adventures. Two years ago, she went skydiving with her son. This May, she stepped out of her comfort zone again and took her first international flight to the 2013 Asian Festival of Children  Content/SCBWI Conference in Singapore. In one of her presentations, shared her book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking,and spoke to parents and teachers about the importance of reading picture books to young children. Her goal is to write a picture book story that will have kids saying, “Read it again, please!” Last this year, she and her husband will be leaving the Colorado Rockies and returning to the East Coast to be closer to family. She blogs at Picture Books Help Kids Soar and you can connect with her on Twitter andFacebook. 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Tomato Turner Gets A Job
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4 and up)
The Pitch: 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. The six-year old must find a quick way to earn some real money – summer vacation is only two weeks away and Peter wants to join his best friends’ team when they compete in the annual bike relay race.

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 Vivian 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 August so we’re about ready for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Vivian is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to teaching my August picture book class (which starts tomorrow :)) and to seeing if I can scrounge up enough time to read Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi and Reached by Ally Condie which I’ve been wanting to read for ages!  Anyone else love YA dystopian? 🙂

Happy Wednesday, everyone! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #97 – Fable Ranger (MG)

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Golly gee whiz!

I took one and a half days off from blogging and I feel like I haven’t seen anyone in ages!  I’m so glad you’re all here this morning!  Let’s have a chocolate feast to celebrate!  (And I’ll put strawberries inside so it’s healthy :))

Delicious and nutritious!  YUM! 🙂

Now then, first, I’d like to announce the winner of the June Pitch Pick and that is…..

…. ANDREA!!! with her pitch for The Backpack Secret!

Congratulations, Andrea!  Your pitch is zipping through cyberspace to editor Erin Molta and I’m sure you will hear from her shortly 🙂

And congratulations to our other brave and talented pitchers, too.  You all had splendid-sounding stories!  Thank you for sharing your pitches!

Next, let’s have a look at today’s pitch which comes to us from Angela.  Angela Brown is a lover of Wild Cherry Pepsi and chocolate/chocolate covered delicious-ness. [A girl after my own heart :)]  Steampunk, fantasy and paranormal to contemporary fill her growing library of books. With a full-time corporate gig by day, and caring for her rambunctious daughter – aptly nicknamed Chipmunk – by night, Angela dons her hat as an author after goodnight kisses.

You can find her here:

Angela Brown in Pursuit of Publishness – http://publishness.blogspot.com/

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Fable Ranger
Age/Genre: MG Fairy Tale Mash-up (9 and up)
The Pitch: Swept away to the land of Fabricaasia, twelve-year-old Caesimilia “Case” Mollands is trapped unless the off-script fairy tales are set right. Armed with her favorite book of fables, legends and lore, and with Robin Hood and her new friend Charlie-boy by her side, Case sets off to find the wayward tales and make things right.

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 Angela 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 August so we’re about ready for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Angela is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to going to hang out with this guy for a little while 🙂

Cute, isn’t he?  I am so lucky because my very generous friend is letting me ride him 🙂

(Although it might not be until tomorrow or the next day… My boy had his wisdom teeth out yesterday and I have a feeling he may be in for a rough day today.  We may have a Star Wars marathon on the agenda rather than riding!)

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!  I might see you Friday… or I might not…  Who can tell?  It will all depend on whether I have anything remotely interesting to impart 🙂

Happy reading and writing and thanks for helping Angela with her pitch!

Would You Read It Wednesday #96 – The Curse Of The Shattered Sceptre (MG) PLUS The June Pitch Pick

71 Comments

So.

Is it as hot in your neck of the woods as it is in mine?

I’m feeling a kinship with the Wicked Witch of the West.  I’m melting…. Melting!  Aaahhhrrr….!

When it’s 80 degrees at breakfast, it’s time to skip over oatmeal and go straight for the freezer.  Let’s have profiteroles this morning, shall we?

It’s for our own good.

Really.

To cool us off 🙂

YUM! 🙂

Ah, that’s better isn’t it?  I think we’re ready to have a look at the June Pitch Pick.

#1 Andrea
The Backpack Secret (PB)

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.

#2 Heather
Tristan The Neighbor Cat (originally titled The Cat Who Lived In The Flowerpot) (PB)
Tristan the cat who lives in the flowerpot between apartments 7 and 8.  He loves his human neighbors and they love him.  There is just one problem.  NO PETS ALLOWED!  One day the strict landlady swings by for a surprise visit and Tristan finds himself in danger of losing his flowerpot home and the neighbors he loves.  

#3 Elaine
The Chase (PB)
A bored little boy stares at the moon, moaning about being bored while missing the stunning excitement that’s unfolding around him – pirate cows, zombie ice skaters, mummy librarians… If only he’d look down instead of UP. THE CHASE is a humorous picture book that explores the common childhood experience of what appears like the moon is following them, and turns it on its head.

#4 Alicia
Granola Bars For Dinner (PB)
Quentin is a kid who loves granola bars and wishes he could eat them all the time, even for dinner! But when Quentin discovers he is tired of all the regular granola bars at the store, he decides there is just one thing to do: make a new kind of granola bar. A kid-friendly recipe (for pizza granola bars) will be included.

Which pitch do you think deserves a read by editor Erin Molta?  Please vote for your favorite below by Friday July 19 at 11:59PM EDT.

Now then, onto today’s Would You Read It!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Rachel, who says “I’m an early childhood teacher and mother of two daughters.  I love reading, scrapbooking and writing children’s picture books and have recently had a go at writing a junior fiction chapter book.  My blog address is http://rachelsbooknook.wordpress.com“

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Curse Of The Shattered Sceptre
Age/Genre: Junior Fiction/Chapter Book (ages 7-10)
The Pitch: Oliver Bartholomew, bookworm extraordinaire, has never been more excited in his life.  Is it possible that an ancient book of riddles and spells just called his name?  This could be his lucky day!  Or not…  After accidentally unleashing a torrent of curses, Ollie and his friends must work together, using their wits and imagination to unravel the twisted clues and locate twelve shards of coloured glass, thereby mending the book’s shattered sceptre. With a little help from a zany magician, a snappy fortune teller and a gruff groundskeeper, Ollie and his Book Club buddies find themselves embarking on a magical journey that they will never forget.   

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 Rachel 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 August so we’re about ready for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Rachel is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to finding somewhere like this to hang out 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends!! 🙂

OH!  P.S.  Remember that blog hop I participated in last Wednesday?  Wherein I answered personal questions?  I had to tag 3 other writers and Stacy’s is up today HERE.  Please go visit her! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #95 – That Tommy Thompson (PB) PLUS a Short Blog Hop

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Okay.  I know I failed on the chocolate front last WYRI when I was away on vacation, so let’s just start right out with that, shall we?  I won’t keep you waiting a second longer!

I have the perfect chocolate delight for the summer heat which also happens to be perfect for breakfast because it’s a legitimate breakfast item!  Are you ready?

FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE!!!  YUM 🙂

Ah!  How refweshing! 🙂

Now, let’s get right to WYRI!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Lisa who says: A little about me.  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. 😉

(Chocolate-covered gummy bears?  She’d my kind of gal :))

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: That Tommy Thompson
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 5 and up)
The Pitch: 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. 

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 It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in August (GULP!) so we could really use some new pitches!  Send yours 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 who wins the 4th of July Secret Mystery Contest!!!  If you haven’t voted, please go HERE.  It’s a very tight race so we need all the votes we can get!

Now, before I let you go, I have a quick little blog hop item.  My friend and fellow horse lover, Robyn, who blogs over at Robyn Campbell, just asked me to participate in this “blog hop interview.”  Naturally I said yes, since Robyn is my pal 🙂  The idea is, she sends me a bunch of questions of which I can answer as few as 4 or as many as all of them (don’t worry, I’m going with Option A – short and sweet for the time-challenged!).  At the end, I tag three other writers, who will in turn answer their choice of the same interview questions on their blogs next week.

Here are las preguntas (I hope you’re admiring my splendid accent :)):

1. What are you working on right now?
2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?
3. What experiences have influenced you?
4. Why do you write what you do?
5. How does your writing process work?
6. What is the hardest part about writing?
7. What would you like to try as a writer that you haven’t yet?
8. Who are the authors you most admire?
9. What scares you?

Alrighty then.  I shall proceed with the answering.  Skipping right over the first 5… 🙂

6.  What is the hardest part about writing?
For me, there are two hardest parts: finding enough time and shutting up my inner editor.  Time is an issue because I always seem to want to do more things than actually fit into a day.  The inner editor problem has to do with perfection.  Sometimes I’m so afraid to write something that isn’t good enough and thereby ruin a potentially great idea that I can’t seem to write anything at all.  Other times, I spend so much time on page 1 that I never get to page 2! 🙂

7.  What would you like to try as a writer that you haven’t yet?
Well, this is a little bit cheating because I have tried it (very unsuccessfully!) but I would like to try writing a YA novel.  I would also like to try my hand at some non-fiction.

8.  Who are the authors you most admire?
Why did I pick this one?  What was I thinking?  This is an impossible question because there are so many.  But I love Joyce Sidman’s way with words.  I love Oliver Jeffers’s ability to tell wonderful picture book stories with humor and also equally successfully to tell ones that are sweet.  I love anything Sarah Dessen.  And I think Patrick Ness knows how to tell a riveting story.  I could go on indefinitely, but I’ll stop 🙂

9. What scares you?
Not being good enough.
Also competitive eaters who can eat 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes.  That is VERY scary!

Thanks for reading!  And please check out Robyn’s answers.  Feel free to leave her a comment (read pleasepleaseplease leave her a comment because she is tons of fun:)) and let her know you hopped over from my blog.

I am tagging

Stacy Jensen
Alison Hertz
Julie Rowan-Zoch

Feel free to stop by their blogs today if you don’t already know them, and definitely next week when they post!

Oh and one more thing:  I just found out my guest post with Sarah Forrest at Easy Read went up today.  It’s about helping kids who struggle with reading find the fun in it (I have a M.A. and M.Ed in Counseling Psychology and Special Education of Children With Learning Disabilities, and before I wrote full time I helped kids with dyslexia learn to read.)  Sarah would love some visits, and perhaps if you have a child who struggles with reading or know someone who does the post could be useful and you could share the word of her blog.

And now, after that detour :), please leave your comments for Lisa below and cast your vote for your favorite story in the 4th of July Contest!

Have a lovely day, everyone!

Would You Read It Wednesday #94 – Granola Bars For Dinner (PB) AND Straight From The Editor

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You don’t have to tell me.

I know my blog has gone to the dogs this week 🙂  Skipping regular posting days – quel horror! 🙂  And (I realize this borders on treason) no chocolate today because I don’t have any.

But that’s because I’m here…

…staying here…

yes, that is Princess Blue Kitty herself! 🙂

…among the beach plum blossoms….

…with the likes of this little guy in the front yard…

… and my crew of miscreants :)…

…technically on vacation and hanging out with the fam.  (Which means limited work time, so I apologize for any disruption you may be experiencing.  One person reported having to resort to a calendar without my blog posts to remind them what day it was – so very sorry! – things will be back to normal soon :))

Meanwhile, so that you won’t have too much blog withdrawal, we have a regular WYRI Wednesday starting with Straight From The Editor for the May Pitch Winner.

You will remember that Sian won the May Pitch Pick with this pitch for Thirsty For Words (PB ages 4-8):

Benedict the Vampire likes nothing more than snacking on a tasty noun.  He’s on a rampage, gobbling up ‘words, whispers, songs and shouts’ until the city is silent.  Who can stop him?  Something furry lurking in the sewer could have the answer….

Here are editor Erin Molta’s comments:

This sounds intriguing.
But in order to really snag an editor’s interest you might consider expanding just a tad on the furry creature. Is it a battle of the parts of speech? Does the furry creature relish verbs and likes nothing more than impaling and spearing and stabbing hungry vampires . . . That would provide an hook that is somewhat unique for an editor.
As always, I find Erin’s insight very helpful and I hope you do too!
Now, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Alicia.  Alicia is a writer new to children’s books, mom of two, who wishes she were a little craftier. You can follow her at aliciafinnnoack.com, where she blogs about books and writing, and on pinterest, where she keeps tabs on fun kid activities: http://pinterest.com/carmilla222/

Working Title: Granola Bars For Dinner
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: Quentin is a kid who loves granola bars and wishes he could eat them all the time, even for dinner! But when Quentin discovers he is tired of all the regular granola bars at the store, he decides there is just one thing to do: make a new kind of granola bar. A kid-friendly recipe (for pizza granola bars) will be included.

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 Alicia 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 August so we’re about ready for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Alicia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the 4th of July Secret Mystery Writing Contest which will be starting on Monday!!!  So exciting!  I hope I get an idea and write my sample by then 🙂 and I can’t wait to read all of yours!  In case you somehow missed the details and would like to join the fun for a chance at fabulous prizes, hop over HERE and check it out!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂