Category: writing exercises

Would You Read It Wednesday #202 – My Mama Runs: Mia And The Marathon (PB/ER)

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It’s Would You Read It Wednesday and it’s March, people!  How awesome is that?

I know winter isn’t technically over in our neck of the woods until mid-April (if we’re lucky!) but there’s something so light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel promising about March!  This year in particular, the light is changing, the sun feels warmer than usual for this time, and the cardinals are singing already!  Let’s just put global warming right out of our heads, shall we? and just think chocolate.

Because I think we should celebrate these early spring-like days with Something Chocolate!  (Not that I need an excuse for chocolate…)  And just wait til you see what I have for today.  I am not kidding.  It is Actual Health Food.  Seriously.  Even you are going to like this one, Julie R-Z of the I-don’t-eat-chocolate-for-breakfast persuasion!

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars!

best-recipe

From Amy at New Nostalgia

 

See that?  The first listed ingredient is oatmeal!  Breakfast food and health food!  Plus there are dried cranberries in the recipe, and those of you who are familiar with dried cranberries know that they are candy count as a fruit 🙂  Plus, the words “no-bake” appear in the title, and that means easier prep and less time until BREAKFAST! 🙂

I hope you will all enjoy this healthful and delicious treat.  You know I’m always looking out for you, doing my best to make sure you are supplied with chocolate in the most nutritious way possible 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Stacia who is a curriculum and content writer for an early education non-profit.  She has been published in NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children and Museum Magazine.  Stacia lives in Washington, DC with her husband and adorable pup, Ollie.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: My Mama Runs: Mia And The Marathon

Age/Genre: Picture Book/Early Reader

The Pitch:  Mia’s mama loves to run and Mia loves to cheer her on! While Mama is getting ready for her longest race ever, find out what Mia does to get ready too!  Will Mia’s cheering be enough to help Mama cross the finish line?

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 Stacia 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.  Unbelievably, there are actually openings in March, um, like next week! so we could really use some pitch submissions right about now and you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback pretty soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Stacia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to not baking oatmeal chocolate and peanut butter for breakfast 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Be Still My Heart! The 1st Annual Valentiny Writing Contest Is Here!!!

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Roses are red

Violets are blue

Valentinies rock

And so do YOU!

Hang onto your chocolate everyone!  It’s time for . . .

The First Annual Pretty Much World Famous Valentiny Writing Contest!!!

valentiny logo

Valen-tiny because the stories are not very long and are written for little people 🙂

The Contest:  since writing for children is all about “big emotion for little people” (I forget who said that, but someone did so I put it in quotes!) and Valentines Day is all about emotion, write a Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone is grumpy!  Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone grumpy (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words max (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day 🙂  You can go under the word count but not over! Title is not included in the word count.  No illustration notes please!

Post your story on your blog between right now this very second and Friday February 12th by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below.  I apologize that I’m still experimenting with how to use link lists on wordpress – please forgive me for any glitches and I thank you in advance for your patience!  There will be no Would You Read It or Perfect Picture Book Friday this week, so the post and the list of links will stay up all week for everyone to enjoy.  If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section of this post. (Or, if you have difficulty with the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you!  If you email it to me, please put “Valentiny Contest Entry” in the subject line and copy and paste your story, including your title, byline and word count, into the body of the email.  NO ATTACHMENTS PLEASE!)  I’m not sure how posting in the comments is going to work on wordpress… whether there will be room for enough responses to each entry and whether there’s a way to link to specific comments so they’re easy to locate as I did on blogger… so we shall all have to learn together.  Pantsing.  It’s what life’s all about 🙂

The Judging: over the weekend, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 or maybe 6 or possibly 10 top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have winnowing, so we’ll see…) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Tuesday February 16th or Wednesday February 17th (depending on how many entries we get and because I will be out of office all day Monday.)  The winners will be announced on Friday February 19th. (And there will be no WYRI or PPBF the week of Feb. 15-19 either so that everyone will have time to read and vote and so that we don’t confuse PPBF with announcing winners.)  If we get more than 20 entries, I will post 6 finalists, if we get more than 30 or 40, well, all bets are off.  I never know what to expect from a new contest.  Remember, you’re witnessing pantsing in action 🙂  But I’m hoping we’ll get enough entries to make giving out the 10 AWESOME prizes worthwhile!

Judging criteria will include:

  1. Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
  2. Creativity in using grumpiness, and success in making us feel the grumpiness!
  3. Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
  4. Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics
  5. Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 🙂

The Prizes:  Oh. My. Goodness! do we have fabulous prizes!  If these don’t motivate you to write your best, I don’t know what will! 🙂

– A Picture Book Read and Critique from literary agent Christa Heschke at McIntosh & Otis who is actively building her picture book list!

ChristaCHRISTA HESCHKE graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children’s Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s. For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror. She is always on the lookout for a compelling voice combined with a strong, specific hook that will set a YA novel apart in its genre and the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism, whether in a voice that is more light and humorous or one with more of a timeless, literary feel. For both YA and MG, she is particularly interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting storytelling structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind. In picture books she is drawn to cute, funny stories (as opposed to sweet and quiet) with strong hooks that will grab both kids and their parents as well as the occasional nonfiction biography on a unique subject whose story has yet to be told.

 

Please feel free to follow her on twitter and enjoy her blog! Twitter: @ChristaHeschke
Blog: Neverending Stories

– Enrollment in Julie Hedlund and Emma Walton Hamilton‘s Complete Picture Book Submissions System!

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– Enrollment in literary agent Jodell Sadler‘s Pacing Picture Books 2 WOW picture book writing class in March 2016!

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– A spot in an upcoming Ariel Richardson webinar, Rule Breaking In Picture Books: The Chronicle Books Edition offered by Jodell Sadler

Twitter bird announce

– Winner’s choice of free enrollment in ART OF ARC: HOW TO ANALYZE YOUR PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPT OR a deep analysis critique from Alayne.

ART OF ARC is a self-study course that will deepen your understanding of picture books written with a classic arc and introduce you to other picture book structures. The course gives you tools to analyze your work prior to investing in professional critiques. It shows you how to avoid common writing errors and how apply writing elements that will enhance your stories to take them to a higher level. It includes 217 pages with ten lessons, seventeen supplements, and eighteen worksheets. Plus bonus materials and resources.

– A Picture Book Critique/Developmental Edit (non-rhyming picture book manuscript) from Beth Stilborn. (Beth does  developmental editing and copy editing through her Flubs2Fixes Editing, Consulting and Writers’ Resources service for writers. http://www.flubs2fixes.com )

– A Picture Book Critique from the fabulous Robin Newman, author of The Case Of The Missing Carrot Cake and the forthcoming, eagerly awaited Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep (please don’t miss the fantastic trailer! 🙂 )

– personalized signed copies of The Case Of The Missing Carrot Cake and Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep by Robin Newman

– a personalized signed copy of The Night Before Valentines Day by Natasha Wing!  Natasha Wing loves Valentine’s Day because it’s a week after her birthday. Natasha is the bestselling author of The Night Before series (Grosset & Dunlap). To find out more: www.natashawing.com

Night Before V Day

– personalized signed copies of Clara Bowman-Jahn‘s delightful picture books Annie’s Special Day and Edmund Pickle Chin

– I Heart Picture Books – a 5-pack of Valentine picture books including A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger, Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie B. Friedman,  Zombie In Love by Kelly DiPucchio, Love, Splat by Rob Scotton, and Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood PLUS 3 Endangered Species Chocolate Bars!

Once again, please join me in thanking Christa, Jodell, Julie & Emma, Alayne, Beth, Robin, and Natasha for their incredible generosity, and show your appreciation by visiting their sites, buying and recommending their books and services to your writer friends and/or friends with kids, writing them nice reviews on Amazon, GoodReads etc if you’ve read and liked their books, and showing your appreciation to them in any way you can!  I truly can’t thank them all enough!

So now it’s time for me to post my little sample.  Prepare yourselves 🙂

 

Who’s A Grumpy Valentine? 214 words

 

Boris and Irma were making Valentines.

Boris frowned with concentration as he cut hearts from red paper.

“Boris is grumpy,” Irma announced. “His hearts aren’t as good as mine.”

“Don’t be grumpy, Boris,” Mom said. “Your hearts look good to me.”

Boris wasn’t grumpy.

His hearts looked good to him too.

Boris laid his hearts in a row.

He grunted trying to squeeze glue from the bottle that Irma had left nearly empty.

“Boris is grumpy,” Irma declared. “He can’t squeeze glue as neatly as me.”

But Boris wasn’t grumpy.

His glue lines were exactly the way he wanted them.

Boris banged the glitter jar against his hand to break up the clump at the bottom.

“Boris is grumpy,” Irma sang out. “He’s making a mess with his glitter!”

“EVERYone makes a mess with glitter,” said Mom with a meaningful glance at Irma’s mess.

Boris was carefully writing the letters L-O-V-E-B-O-R-I-S when suddenly…

“My VALENTINES!” Irma shrieked.

She had spilled her juice!

“They’re RUINED!”

Boris snatched his Valentines from the spreading puddle.

Mom swooped in with paper towel.

Irma’s Valentines were saved but soggy.

Irma stamped her foot and made a noise like a hive of angry bees.

Boris looked at Mom. “I think Irma’s grumpy!”

But he shared his Valentines with her anyway.

❤     ❤     ❤     ❤     ❤     ❤     ❤     ❤     ❤

 

Everyone feeling better about their stories now?  I should certainly HOPE so! 🙂

I can’t wait to read all of yours!  I’m so looking forward to them!  I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier!  And there are still 4 days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet.  Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well.  And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc.  The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!

So!

Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the linky list below so we can all come read your awesome stories!  (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)

Eager Readers – you ALSO need to click the “click here” to add your entry button on the linky list just to see the list of links.  I apologize profusely for the inconvenience of not having the list visible right here on my site.  If I can find a way around it before the contest ends I’ll change it.

Fingers crossed this thingamajig can fly! 🙂

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

And don’t miss the 78 fabulous entries posted in the comment section!

1. Grizzly Grump – Sharon G.

2. Mommy Bunny’s Slightly Grumpy Valentine – Eric

3. My Little Buddy Boy – Tracy

4. A Heart In The Sand – Sharon C

5. Sulky Sky – Cate

6. No Valentines For Porcupines – Jess

7. Treasured Lumps Of Pickled Grumps – Maria O

8. A Groundhog’s Valentine – Jill Proctor

9. Valentines Gifts – Cindy

10. (Un)Lovely Leonard – Lauren

11. I Hate Valentine’s Day – Joni

12. NUTS! – Juli

13. My Heart Thumped – Jim

14. Roman’s Lousy Valentine – Lindsay

15. The Lonely Hearts Club – Samantha

16. The Grizzly Who Couldn’t Bear Valentines – Julie

17. Grumpy Badger’s Valentine – Ann

18. The Stinky Valentine – Judy

19. Mr. Mean – Diana

20. The Chocolate Heart – Kris

21. Porchy And Emma – Valerie

22. Replacement Valentine – Melissa B

23. Violet’s Valentines – Beth

24. My Grumpy Valentine – Gabrielle

25. KEEP OUT! A Love Story – Jen

26. Remembering Hammie – Meagan

27. The Right Angles – Meredith

28. Jim’s Valentine’s Day – Maria M

29. The Valentine’s Day Witch – Lesley

30. Lola In Love – Melissa di T

31. Happy Valentine’s Day, Bear! – Carol

32. The Unexpected Kiss – Mindy

33. Millie Mouse, Will You Be My Valentine? – Laura

34. “I Hate Valentine’s Day!” – Carleen

35. Shape Up – Jill Purtee

36. Valentine Sleepover – Caroline

37. Box Of Secrets – Lisa

38. Jim – Polly

39. Puppy Love – Ellen

40. The Favorite Donut – Helen

41. Cupid’s Sea Shanty – Alice

42. Valentine Birthday Boy – Sara

43. Mr. Grumpy’s Birds – Anne S

44. Grumpy Is Blue – Anita

45. Chomper’s Valentine’s Day Road Trip – Michele

46. Squirrel’s Valentine Surprise – Debbie

47. That’s Not A Valentine! – Anne B

48. Grump Truck, Love Truck – Amy G

49. Matty’s Angel Picture – Jane

50. George The Baker – Jennifer A

51. Every Dog Has His Valentine’s Day – Cynthia P

52. Olivia’s Gloomy Valentine’s Day – Carolyn

53. Cantankerous Claudius: The Grouch Behind The Valentine – Suzanne

54. Valentine Surprises – Kathleen

55. Badger’s Valentine – Lori

56. Roman’s Handmade Valentines – Julie R

57. Grumpy’s New Name – Amanda

58. An Unlikely Friendship – Sandy

59. Shoo Fly Valentine – Kristen

60. XOXO, Your Secret Admirer (Larry) – Christine

61. Rather Take A hike – Pamela

62. Valentine’s Rock – Dina

63. Old Grumpentine – Kirsten

64. No Snacks For Mx – Shelley K

65. Billy Goat Grump – Angela

66. The Valentine Phantom – Heather

67. Chocolate Surprise – JC Kelly

68. Grumps And The Valentine’s Day Dance – Janet

69. My Grumpy Funny Valentine – Ashley

70. The Case Of The Missing Valentine Party Supplies – Robin

71. Valentine’s Day At Sweet Pig’s – Patricia

72. The Grumps – Ingrid

73. Leprechaun Love – Patti

74. A Colorful Valentine’s Day – Susan

75. Valentine Magic – Charlotte

76. Special Valentines – Sara

[77. You Had Me At Oink – Shelley M]

78. Flicker’s Valentine – Jenifer

 

 

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #200 – The Dino Store (PB) PLUS The Dec/Jan Pitch Pick!

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Happy (one day late!) Groundhog Day, Everyone!

I hope you were all thrilled at Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of an early spring!

Up here on Blueberry Hill, Phyllis was feeling a little more cautious.  She said, “How can we have spring if we haven’t had winter yet?” and “Who the heck does El Nino think he is?” and “By the way, what’s with El Nino?!  How about El Nina?! I could teach that guy a thing or two!” and “If anyone has any strawberries I would like some please!”

Phyllis and I had a delightful visit with Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades at Beekman Elementary School yesterday (even without strawberries… they had really good cookies!… thank you, Mrs. Osso 🙂 )  Local gossip speculates that there may be photographs in existence somewhere… but as I don’t have them yet (and will likely decide they’re not fit to be seen even when I do 🙂 ) you’ll have to wait for those… maybe a Very. Long. Time! 🙂   And now, even as you read this, Phyllis and I are off visiting another school today!  We’re like a whirlwind.  Or maybe a girlwind 🙂  The first week of February is always busy and tons of fun around here!

So busy, in fact, that I really think Something Chocolate is called for immediately to sustain us!  Especially because our busy day today includes the December/January Pitch Pick!

Since today is the birthday of someone I love more than you can imagine (yes, Phyllis, but someone else too :)), I think we should have cake!

choc cake

Doesn’t that look divine?  All we need is a nice hot cup of coffee to go with it and balance out the sweet!  (And Julie R-Z – please note the raspberries – I put them on there so you wouldn’t have to eat cake for breakfast because I know how you feel about that 🙂 )

Okay!  Are you ready to Pitch Pick?

#1 Diane – The Dreadfully Unhappy Cat (PB ages 4-8)

(for those of you who read it in December, this was formerly Peyton The Cat And The Princess Who Loves Everything Pink)

Mortimer, a dreadfully unhappy cat, needs to get his new owner, Pauline’s attention. Mortimer feels there are to many kisses and does not like the new name Pauline gave him, Prissy-the-Cat-Princess. How can he get her attention? Several cat-devious ideas pop into his head. But Pauline fails to notice Mortimer’s signs and instead blames them all on Tommy, her brother. Mortimer’s last cat-fantastic idea is to seek the help of Pauline’s brother—as he seems to understand Mortimer’s dilemma. Once Pauline discovers Mortimer’s wishes, a compromise is reached between daily kisses, his name, and being a guard for Tommy’s castle.

 

#2 Gabi – Eustacia, Unicorn Of Science (PB ages 4-8)

(for those of you who read the original, this was formerly titled Unicorn With A Stache)

Meet Eustacia.  Like her fellow unicorns, she toots rainbows.  Unlike her fellow unicorns, she studies science, solves formulas, and invents gizmos.  The other unicorns scoff and say, “Magic is the unicorn way.”  But when their rainbows disappear, Eustacia discovers that both science and magic have a place in the unicorn world.

#3  Cynthia – Nicky And The Inchworm (PB ages 4-8)

Nicky loves to splash in the puddles, but when he finds a shiny wet inchworm dangling over a puddle he knows he has to act fast. Amazed by this tiny little creature, Nicky forgets about splashing in puddles and sets out to find a safe home for his tiny new friend.

 

#4  Carleen – Annabelle Changes Her Name (PB ages 4-8)

Annabelle’s name is too long, too hard, too different.  But when she decides to change it, she runs into all sorts of problems.  And then she meets a new girl whose name is long and hard and different, too.   And now Annabelle isn’t so sure anymore about changing her name.

#5  Ashley – The Race Against Sleep (PB ages 4-8)

Bill is the fastest runner this side of the Mississippi, but can he outrun Sleep? THE RACE AGAINST SLEEP introduces readers to a boastful boy, Bill, whose bragging rights are on the line when he accepts Sleep’s challenge to a footrace with no finish line. Bill fights to stay up and moving as Sleep uses the typically charming, Southern landscape against him.

Funny – we got a couple title changes this month!  And they’re all PBs for ages 4-8!

Please vote in the poll below for the pitch you like best that you feel most deserves a read and comments from editor Erin Molta.  Please cast your vote by Sunday February 7 at 5 PM Eastern.  Results will be posted weeks from now after the Valentiny Contest is over 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Lynne Marie who says, “My name is Lynne Marie, and picture books (and dinosaurs) are a long-time passion of mine. I am a reader, reviewer, a writer, and world traveller. My first book, Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten was published by Scholastic in 2011, with one to follow. Please visit me at “My Word Playground” — who knows who or what might pop in there, maybe even a dinosaur or two!

You can learn more about her at www.literallylynnemarie.com,  follow her writing and inspiration blog at http://literallylynnemarie.blogspot.com and follow her on twitter @Literally_Lynne

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Dino Store

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

The Pitch: When a child wishes for a real dinosaur, a magical door leads him to The Dino Store. But will he choose a walnut-brained Stegosaurus, a bully scaring T-Rex or an Apatosaurus whose neck he can slide down? With Show ‘N Tell tomorrow he needs to choose fast. But what if the wrong choice leads to BIGGER problems?

 

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 Lynne Marie 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 menu beneath For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March 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!

Lynne Marie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to visiting another school full of happy, excited Kindergartners, 1st and 2nd graders with my furry little marmot friend!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #199 -The Race Against Sleep (PB)

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So, big news on Blueberry Hill… I took Princess Blue Kitty for a bath!

I know!  Practically unprecedented!

You all remember Princess Blue, right?  My trusty Subaru Outback who carries me valiantly hither and yon, up and down the eastern seaboard and beyond on my various wanderings?  Well, sad to say, she got extremely coated with salt when I took her to Vermont last week.  You couldn’t even tell she was blue anymore 😦  Normally I would wait for a good rainstorm or a high wind to remedy the situation, but she looked so pathetic even I couldn’t take it.  So down the road we went for a proper bath at the car wash.  And even though cats do not like water, Princess Blue Kitty was grateful.  I can tell.  I have a sixth sense about these things.  I’m like a car whisperer… she just speaks to me 🙂

I’m guessing a lot of you have cars suffering the same fate, due to the recent heavy snows.  So take it from me (remember, I’m a car whisperer) that your cars too will be grateful to be relieved of their coats of salt!

And now that we’re done with that public service announcement, how about Something Chocolate?  You just really can’t go wrong with a dessert breakfast called Fat Witch Bakery’s Legendary Chocolate Caramel Brownies! 🙂

Caramel-Brownie-Bite

Caramel Chocolate Brownie Bite! Recipe HERE at DinnerThenDessert http://dinnerthendessert.com/fat-witch-bakerys-legendary-chocolate-caramel-brownies/

It’s okay if you’re drooling on your keyboard.  That’s what they make paper towel for 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Ashley who says, “My name is Ashley Franklin, and I began my picture book journey just a year ago. I’m an online teacher by day and a writer by night; oh, let’s not forget about the frosted layer of motherhood plastered on top.”

You can follow her blog at http://transego.wordpress.com/ and follow her on twitter @DifferentAshley

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Race Against Sleep

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

The Pitch: Bill is the fastest runner this side of the Mississippi, but can he outrun Sleep? THE RACE AGAINST SLEEP is a 400 word picture book story for children ages 4-8 that introduces them to a boastful boy, Bill, who can outrun anyone—or so he thinks. Bill races against Sleep across a picturesque, Southern landscape in an attempt to keep his title, but he finds out that even champions need their rest.

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 Ashley 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 drop-down under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings at the end of February (seriously! I have slightly dropped the ball in letting people know there are upcoming openings in the calendar!) so you could get a space quite soon for feedback on your pitch and a chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Ashley is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to vacuuming Princess Blue so that her inside is as clean as her outside.

Well.

No.

Actually I’m not.

That’s a flat out lie 🙂  You all know how I feel about vacuuming… 🙂  But it’s the sentiment that counts, right?  I want Blue Kitty to be clean inside, so that’s all that matters 🙂

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

Would You Read It Wednesday #198 – Annabelle Changes Her Name (PB)

48 Comments

Come on in and set awhile, folks!  It’s time for your favorite and mine: Would You Read It Wednesday!

But first, a word from our sponsors.

Has winter got you down? Are you loathe to emerge from the comfy warmth of your blankets on these cold, dark January mornings? Have the last 3 stories you wrote been titled Smiley Miley Goes To Aruba, Stinky Pete And The Tropical Island Paradise, and A Hot, Hot Day In July? Are you making secret plans to hibernate until April?

Never fear!  We have a remedy for your winter doldrums!

The First Annual Pretty Much World Famous Valentiny Writing Contest! (Yes, that’s a link to take you to the contest guidelines!)

Wash your hair!  Shave your legs!  Put on actual clothing and join your fellow writers for some fun in the creative sun!  You’ll be surprised by how happy and energized you feel (and not just because of the 5 pounds of hair you shaved off your legs :))  You can write a brand new story, enjoy the company of other writers and the entertainment of their stories, and possibly win a fabulous prize which I haven’t thought up yet but I WILL! 🙂

So get out your writing implements, rev up your brain, and join us at a blog near you!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Something Chocolate anyone?  I’m feeling Brownie Sundae-ish this morning.  You know, some nice hot fudge to warm us up!

brownie2Bsundae2B3

Recipe HERE at fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody

http://www.fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.com/2011/06/brownie-ice-cream-sundae/

YUM!

Here’s a napkin.  Wipe your chin.

Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Carleen who says, “I am a writer who forgot to grow up, and now it’s too late!”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Annabelle Changes Her Name

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

The Pitch:

Annabelle’s name is too long, too hard, too different.  But when she decides to change it, she runs into all sorts of problems.  And then she meets a new girl whose name is long and hard and different, too.   And now Annabelle isn’t so sure anymore about changing her name.

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 Carleen 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 February 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!

Carleen is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to drumming up some great prizes for the aforementioned Valentiny Writing Contest!  Wish me luck! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!!  Stay warm! 🙂

 

 

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #197 – Nicky And The Inchworm PLUS A Plethora Of Pitch Pick Winners

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Mornin’ folks!

Golly, has it gotten cold hereabouts!  It’s like winter!

Oh, wait…

🙂

But guess what?

Today is Brown Scouty’s birthday!  She is 9.  And yes!   Certainly we are having cake!  Although not chocolate because alas, chocolate is not good for dogs and she must have some of her own birthday cake!

Here she is when she was tiny:

c37fe-dscn0148

I love this picture. She’s such a little stumper 🙂

And here she is now:

IMG_0011

Apparently not much has changed… she likes to sleep on the furniture 🙂

She is my faithful companion.  She walks and runs with me on our road, she takes her squirrel-chasing duties very seriously, she sleeps by guards my bedside at night, and she is lying on my feet while I write this post so that in case I should decide to get up and do something that is Interesting For Dogs she will not miss out 🙂  She is the Best Dog Ever.  Happy Birthday, dear Scouty ❤

I’d offer you some of Scout’s birthday cake, but since it’s not chocolate it would be all wrong for today.  Besides, I promised Cathy Nutella Croissants, so here they are in all their chocolate-hazelnut-buttery-pastry deliciousness…

3-Ingredient-Nutella-Croissants-5

3 Ingredient Nutella Croissants Recipe HERE at Gimme Some Oven http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/3-ingredient-nutella-croissants-recipe/

3-Ingredient-Nutella-Croissants-2

3 Ingredient Nutella Croissants Recipe HERE at Gimme Some Oven http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/3-ingredient-nutella-croissants-recipe/

Scrumptious!  And if you’re looking for an easy recipe, this one has only 3 ingredients!  (Possibly even within my limited cooking capacity! 🙂 )

Alrighty!

Now that you’re not in danger of a low blood sugar flame-out and have consumed enough calories to help you withstand with extreme cold without perishing :), let’s get down to the fun!

First, the Pitch Pick Winners!

We have so many, I think it calls for some kind of celebration so how about this:

celebration

For September, the winner is Zainab, with her picture book pitch for Dear Cat!

For October, the winner is Kirk, with his MG pitch for My Next Door Neighbor Is A Dragon Princess!

And for November, the winner is Jessica with her picture book pitch for Showdown At The Sippy Cup Saloon!

Congratulations Zainab, Kirk, and Jessica Your pitches are winging through cyberspace to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts!

Congratulations also to ALL our intrepid pitchers who stepped up boldly and put their work out their for all the world to see in an effort to improve their craft!  Everyone did a great job, and I hope you all got valuable feedback that will help these pitches to pique the curiosity of the agent or editor of you dreams!

And thank you to all the wonderful readers who show up to lend their expertise each week and to vote for the monthly winners!  Would You Read It wouldn’t be what it is without you! ❤

Next up we have today’s Would You Read It pitch which comes to us from Cynthia who says, “When I’m not working, or taxi driving my kids to sporting events, I play with words. I have a love for picture books, especially ones in verse.”

You can find her at her website: http://randomthoughts-myblog.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter @Elomaa10.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Nicky And The Inchworm

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

The Pitch: Nicky loves to splash in puddles, but when Nicky finds a shiny wet inchworm hanging by a thread Nicky knows he has to act fast, but not before being amazed by this tiny little creature.  Nicky soon forgets all about splashing in the puddles and sets out to find a safe home for his tiny new friend.

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 Cynthia improve her pitch.  Helpful examples of 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 HERE or on Would You Read It in the dropdown menu under For Writers in the header bar above.  There are openings in February which isn’t that far off, so polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

 

Cynthia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to posting the guidelines for the brandy spandy new writing contest that we will be having!  Mark your calendars for the week of February 8-12 and keep a weather eye out for a special post from moi with the low-down!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!!

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #196 – Unicorn With A Stache (PB) PLUS Some New Year’s News!

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Happy New Year, Everyone!

I hope you all had wonderful, happy, healthy holidays and are raring to charge full speed into 2016!

I confess that I’m unusually glad to be starting a new year.  I’m ready for some changes and I hope you’ll be excited to come along with me!

For starters…

DRUM ROLL…!!!

I’m about to unveil my new and improved website and blog!

Some people (who shall be nameless) (you know who you are Julie Hedlund and Katie Davis) have been urging me for some time to switch to WordPress.  So I’m taking the plunge!  Seeing as how I’m completely inept when it comes to technology there are bound to be some glitches during the switchover, so I beg your patience with me! 🙂

I am also (hopefully) on the verge of launching a totally awesome newsletter (she said modestly).  More on that when it’s closer to ready – I’m still working on layout and format, and my incredibly talented artist and I are still working on the banner.

I am also hoping to have a new class and/or workshop on offer at some point… though that may take me a little longer since I’m wrestling with how to make it make sense and work smoothly.  It’s in the hopper, though, so fingers crossed!

In the meantime, my old class will be now be offered at two levels: the traditional one that’s been offered for the past 3 years at a wee price increase and a new Self Study version (for less $) where you can work on your own.

I’m cutting back on critiques a bit for the next little while to give myself more time to work on these other projects, but will continue to offer a shorter, quicker, (cheaper :)), less formal version of my critiques for those interested as well as a limited number of full critiques for returning writers who have gotten critiques from me before.

WOW!  That’s a lot of new news, don’t you think?  I’m thrilled by all of it… now it just remains for me to get it all finished and up and running! 🙂

Now then!  Onto the business of Would You Read It Wednesday!

Somehow, due to one thing and another, we haven’t had a Pitch Pick since July!  So this coming Monday January 11 there will be a special Pitch Pick post in which you will have the chance to choose your favorite pitches from September, October and November without having to focus on anything else – a new pitch or a Perfect Picture Book or whatnot.  I will provide an extra Something Chocolate to make it worth your while 🙂  but it just seems easier and less stressful to put the Pitch Picks by themselves then to lump them all in with another post, don’t you think?

But, lest you be in voting withdrawal :), I have something else for you to vote on today.

Quite a few people have asked me how I’d feel about running a writing contest in February to break up the winter doldrums.  If there is interest, I’d be happy to run one with a Groundhog Day or Valentines Day theme (providing I can drum up good prizes on short notice.)  I’ve never run one in February before because I feared it would be too much for you all coming so close on the heels of the Halloweensie and Holiday Contests, but it DOES seem appealing to have something fun in February, and it WOULD be a great opportunity for you to create a new manuscript!  So here’s a poll where you can vote to let me know if you’d like a contest and whether you’d prefer a Groundhog Day or Valentines Day theme or if you have a better idea!  And if anyone has brilliant ideas for prizes (given that a Groundhog Day Contest would take place in barely a month!) please mention them in the comments or email me! 🙂  I’ll leave the contest poll open from today until Saturday evening.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for (admit it! :))… today’s Something Chocolate!  It is frigidly cold here in the Northeast, so I’m thinking rich and delicious and decadent Belgian Hot Chocolate would really hit the spot!!!  (Which if you’ve never tried you MUST!)

Recipe HERE at

Busy Creating Memories

http://busycreatingmemories.com/belgian-hot-chocolate-recipe/

Ah!  That’s better!!! 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Gabi.  Gabi lives in Oregon with her husband, two kiddos, one dog, and one dog-like cat. She loves reading, nature, and caffeine, and she’d love to see you at her blog: https://writingtoconnect.wordpress.com/.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Unicorn With A Stache

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

The Pitch: Meet Eustace.  Like his fellow unicorns, he smells like roses. Unlike his fellow unicorns, Eustace grows a mustache. He likes his dapper new look, but his schoolmates tease. 

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 Gabi 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 February 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!

Gabi is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting all my projects finished and launching my new site, and to your answers about a February Writing Contest!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #195 – Peyton The Cat And The Princess Who Loves Everything Pink (PB)

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Good Wednesday to you all!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Those of you who frequent this neck of the woods may have noticed that my Thanksgiving was so lovely and absorbing that it finally happened.  After 5 years…  I totally forgot to post the Perfect Picture Book Post on Friday!  Just completely never even thought about it until Saturday when I realized I had somehow missed the fact that Friday was Friday!

(Sorry about that!  Anyone who had a perfect picture book last Friday can add it to this Friday’s list… assuming I remember to post that! :))

But that reminded me that it has actually BEEN 5 years – my 5th blogiversary was yesterday, December 1!  Can you even believe it?  How time flies!

In celebration of December, and the holiday season, and my 5th blogiversary, let’s have something festive and pretty for our Something Chocolate, shall we?  I’m thinking Snowflake Peppermint Bark!

So pretty!  AND chocolate!!!
Recipe HERE at Baked By Rachel
http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/snowflake-peppermint-bark-memories/

Aren’t those snowflakes beautiful?  And delicious-looking??! 🙂  I will probably have to try out that recipe…!  Probably today.  Probably soon today!  Maybe before lunch 🙂

I had planned to post the September and October Pitch Picks today… since we seem not to have gotten around to them yet… but I only heard back from 2 of the 7 pitchers about revisions…  So I’m thinking I’ll come up with a Plan B.  Maybe a random day dedicated to pitch picking when we can do September, October and November all together in one fell swoop.  And have chocolate even if it isn’t a Wednesday 🙂

Meanwhile, today’s pitch comes to us from Diane who says, “I am a freelance writer, in Southern California. I’m published as a magazine author but love the delight of writing for children. Therefore, I am an aspiring children’s book writer and belong to the SCBWI along with CBI. My web page/blog is at dianedramirez.com. (Although I have a page on my site with my PB’s WIP, the blog is more of an inspirational one).”


Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Peyton The Cat And The Princess Who Loves Everything Pink
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: What’s Peyton, a witty-cat, to do when his new owner, Pauline—a self-procliamed princess, loves pink and thinks he should be a princess with glittery pink bows too? Peyton dislikes girly stuff and fears he’ll live with pink forever. When Peyton develops some cat-devious ideas, to alert his owner he’s unhappy and should be a prince, Pauline is met with some challenges a princess should never have.


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 Diane 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 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!

Diane is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to Snowflake Peppermint Bark and the upcoming HOLIDAY CONTEST!!!  It’s next week, people!  I can’t wait to read all the amazing stories that I’m sure you’re hard at work on even as we speak (… right? :))  There are some pretty good prizes on offer, so it’s worth your writing time!  I, of course, haven’t got even an inkling of an idea what to do for my sample… somehow I feel like I’ve been in this position before… 🙂  But there are still a few days!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!!

Would You Read It Wednesday #194 – Ernie Fakes A Tooth (PB)

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Holy Pumpkin Pie, Batman!

How did we get to the day before Thanksgiving already?

If you’re like me, you still have to vacuum, bake pie, clean the bathrooms, bake more pie, make sure there are fresh towels, and bake more pie 🙂  And those of you not cleaning and baking probably have to travel.

So we’re going to keep today’s post as short and sweet as possible!

In honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow, I think our Something Chocolate should be festive and turkey-oriented, don’t you? 🙂

Obviously dark chocolate is preferable to milk chocolate,
but we’ll take what we can get 🙂

Gobble, gobble, gobble!!! 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Jen who says, “I’m just starting out on my journey into the overwhelming and wonderful world of picture book writing.  When I start to doubt myself, my two young kids cheer me on and get me back in the game.  We live in the beautiful seacoast of New Hampshire.  Next up – work on my social media presence!”  

Here is her pitch: (and she would especially love feedback on a title since she’s not wild about this one but has yet to come up with anything she likes better!)

Working Title: Ernie Fakes A Tooth
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: In a rush to get his first lost tooth home and under his pillow, Ernie Blossomfoss trips and watches his tooth go sailing into the playground woodchips.  Convinced the tooth fairy won’t come unless she has a tooth to collect, Ernie hatches a plan to leave the perfect counterfeit.  When the clever fairy doesn’t fall for it, Ernie ups the ante until he finally learns a lesson more valuable than a crisp dollar bill.  

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 Jen 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 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!

Jen is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to having the family together for Thanksgiving tomorrow… even though I have to vacuum 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Would You Read It Wednesday #193 – The Nude Goose (PB)

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Happy Wednesday, dearies!

Boy has it been a busy week so far!  First off, the guidelines for the 5th Annual Holiday Writing Contest went up on Monday!  If you haven’t seen the post yet, you can check it out HERE.  I have already updated the prize list twice with new prizes coming in, so make sure to take a look at the goodies on offer to the winners!!!  And rest assured, there are more to come! 🙂  (At least I’m hoping… fingers crossed! :))

Also, I just got done with two full days of school visits which are always tons of fun, but always leave me playing catch-up with the rest of my work!  So if you’re waiting for an email reply or a critique or a response to a comment you left on my blog, or, I don’t know, pretty much anything 🙂  I’m working on it and will get back to you as soon as I can! 🙂

And the week promises to get busier still since Thanksgiving is approaching and that means kids returning to the nest – a thought which fills me with joy! 🙂

What with Thanksgiving on the horizon, I think today’s Something Chocolate should be Something Turkey and Something Easy Recipe 🙂

Recipe HERE at the Krazy Coupon Lady
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/at-home/snacks-under-5-kid-friendly-thanksgiving-oreo-turkeys/

Easy Oreo Pretzel Turkeys seem like they’ll cover all the requirements!!

YUM! 🙂

Even I can probably manage this recipe… and I can practice it for the afore-mentioned returning kids 🙂

Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Christie who says, “I’ve loved writing since I was small, but when an academic counselor suggested I study something that could get me a “real job”, I mistakenly took her advice – until eight years ago. I’ve since been writing, attending conferences, joined SCBWI and 12X12. I am a wife, mom, and pet person who loves Don Quixote and when someone else does the cooking.”

Please find her online at http://www.christieallred.com  And hot-off-the-presses news: Christie is having a “housewarming” party on her new website, where people can come celebrate with her for a chance to win a prize.  So hustle on over and check out her site!!!

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Nude Goose
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: When Honk flies south, he meets a few oddly dressed geese and tries to fit in. However, he does not realize they are lawn ornaments. After an awkward inquiry, and a few disastrous outfits, Honk discovers he is happier the way he came – naked. 

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 Christie 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 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!

Christie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to practicing with chocolate, oreos and pretzels and having my flock return to the fold! 🙂

I hope you’ve all got those writerly thinking caps on and are cooking up your Holiday Contest stories!!! 🙂  I, of course, will likely not give my sample a moment’s thought until 10 PM on December 6th when I shall fly into a panic at having to come up with something RIGHT THEN in order to post it on time.  You’d think knowing this would encourage me to plan ahead…  You’d think…!  What is that saying about teaching old dogs new tricks??? 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂