Darlings!
Do you know what time it is?
Well, of course you do! That’s why you’re here!
Continue reading
Tag: Carrie Finison
The 14th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest aahhhrrrooooOOOO!!!
Hair of bat and witch’s ear! It’s time for. . .
The 14th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
Continue reading
The 2021 Valentiny Contest WINNERS!!!
Rise and shine, my friends!
I know it’s Monday.
I know it’s freezing cold and snowing… AGAIN!
I know someone in your house probably snagged the last Poptart and you’re stuck eating All-Bran for breakfast. . .on a frigid Monday morning. . .in the snow!
But.
BUT!
I am about to cast a ray of sunshine into your freezing, snowy, All-Bran-y, Monday morning!
Yes!
It’s true!
Here comes sunshine and heart-warming happiness because I am going to SING YOU A SONG! 🎶🎵🎶
🎶How much are those Poptarts in the window,
So sugary sweet and divine?
I’m brave, but not brave enough to offer
All-Bran to my sweet Valentine!🎶
No?
Ok, how about
🎶Oh, my darling,
Oh, my darling,
Oh, my darling, Valentine!
I will give you all my Poptarts
If you promise to be mine!🎶
Oh no, wait! I’ve got it!
🎶I’m a little Poptart filled with jam
Some say I’m sweet and it’s true! I am!
But my Valentiny also true –
No one else is sweet as you!🎶
I don’t know what’s happening here.
Apparently someone (who is not a good singer) has Poptarts on the brain.
Who could that be?
But never mind, because GUESS WHAT?
It’s time to announce the WINNERS of
The 6th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
First of all, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for so many! As always, I was thrilled to see so many wonderful stories! It is amazing and inspiring, not to mention VERY entertaining! There is just so much talent out there amongst you all! The other judges and I are blown away anew each time!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to go around and read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 🙂
Third, I want to say again how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. We chose 14 finalists, and around 35 Honorable Mentions which we also loved, and even with those 49 total there were over 200 entries we couldn’t list! So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. You’re in good company! There was a huge amount of competition. Judging, no matter how hard we try to be objective, is always subjective at a certain point – we all have our own preferences for what makes a great story. And the fact that you didn’t make the final cut DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to expand beyond 214 words if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. So bravo to everyone who entered!
Because it was such a hard choice, and there were so many wonderful stories, before we get to the winners, my assistant judges and I would like to award bragging rights, recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (entries we truly wrestled with not including in the finalists!)
Elizabeth Volkmann for Class List
Melissa Trempe for The Most Terrible, Awful, Icky Valentine Ever
David McMullin for Brave Brave Brave (also funny 😊)
Laken Slate for The Brave Little Conversation Heart
M.R. Haqq for Soon
Mia Geiger for Peanut’s Brave Valentine’s Day
Ashlee Hashman for The Wildflower
Lindsey Hobson for U R Brave
Audrey Day-Williams for Legendary Valentine
Sara Ackerman for Arrrrr Is For Valentine
Amy Leskowski for A One-of-a-Kind, Just-in-Case, Not-at-All-Pink Valentine’s Day
Donna Kurtz for The Owl and the Kitty-Kat
2. For Great Kid Appeal: (not already mentioned in the finals or other categories)
Una Belle Townsend for Six Secret Valentines
Jan Suhr for The Lost Valentine
Kaylee Gwarjanski for Mission: Cancel Cupid Call
Gregory E. Bray for A Valentine’s Day Quest in the Land of Moore
Elizabeth Muster for W-R-I-T-E For Each Other
3. For Original POV:
Molly Ippolito for Cardamom’s Courage (POV of cardamom)
Rozana Rajkumari for Lemon-Tine (POV of a lemon)
4. For Humor:
Kelly Conroy for The Monster’s Valentine Buffet (dark 😊)
Catherine J Lee for The Valentine on My Shoe
Karyn Curtis for The Valentine’s Quest
Tracy Curran for The Wibbler (also great POV – jelly!)
5. For Well-Written, Fun Story With Great Sibling Interaction:
Brenda Whitehead for Step-Brother Battle
Shannon Howarth Nelson for Super Brothers
Danielle S. Hammelef for Scaredy-Cat
6. For Beautiful Writing:
Ciara N M Greenwalt for The Gift Tree
Sandhya Acharya for Sarla Asks A Question
Jyoti Rajan Gopal for A Cocoon of Love
Amy Flynn for Tilly’s Great Big Heart
7. For Best Short Valentiny Story:
P. J. Purtee for A Simple Valentine
8. For Sweet Valentiny:
Kelly Swemba for Brave For Gigi
Anne Bromley for Caleb’s Heart
Carmen Castillo Gilbert for Roses From Valentina
9. Best Story From A Young Writer:
Sophia Zafra for Bravery Is From The Heart
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your award badge and prize, which is five dollars in a format that can be emailed for you to put toward something you’d like at a large online store (and I’m being cryptic because when I did this for Halloweensie I got a ton of problematic spam mail because of the way I worded the post, but hopefully you can figure it out. The store starts with the letter A 😊) I know it’s not much, but hopefully it will come in handy for something!
And now…
…the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
The announcement of the WINNERS OF THE 2021 VALENTINY CONTEST as voted on by you, our devoted readers!!!
rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat
DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
In First Place…
Winner of the whole shebang…
who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Sarah McDermott
for
Lemur in Love!!!
Congratulations, Sarah! We had such fun reading this aloud! Terrific job 😊
In Second Place
Sarah Meade
for
Jana’s Valentine Visit
Congratulations, Sarah! So believable! You get to pick your prize after Sarah.
In Third Place
Nancy Derey Riley
for
Percy’s Valentine
Congratulations, Nancy! What a perfectly rhymed and timely story! You get to pick your prize after Sarah and Sarah.
In Fourth Place…
Jessica Hinrichs
for
Valentine’s Gotcha Day
Congratulations, Jessica! So sweet! You get to pick your prize after Sarah, Sarah, and Nancy!
In Fifth Place…
Carrie Boone
for
The Ballad of Bad Bart
Congratulations, Carrie! What a Valentine bargain! You get to pick after Sarah, Sarah, Nancy, and Jessica!
In Sixth Place...
Nicole Loos Miller
for
Stella & Hank
Congratulations, Nicole! You must have a cat and a dog to write them so well! I’m sure you get the idea of how the prize picking goes by now 😊
In Seventh Place…
Paul Kurtz
for
Someone Special!
Congratulations, Paul! You made us laugh You get to pick next 😊
In Eighth Place…
Chambrae Griffith
for
Octopus Hugs
Congratulations, Chambrae! Happy ending for shark 😊 You get to pick after Paul 😊
In Ninth Place…
Janie Reinart
for
Untangled Valentines
Congratulations, Janie! So beautifully written! You get to pick after Chambrae!
In Tenth Place…
Anne Lipton
for
Most Valuable Valentine
Congratulations, Anne! You did a masterful job of turning history and racial justice into a Valentiny story! And in rhyme! You get to pick after Janie!
In Eleventh Place…
Katie Brandyberry
for
Valentine Delivery
Congratulations, Katie! We could just see the picture book your little mail truck would make! You get to pick after Anne 😊
In Twelfth Place…
Lauri C. Meyers
for
Charmadillo
Congratulations, Lauri! You had us at the title! And we laughed at the ending 😊 You get to pick your prize after Katie.
In Thirteenth Place…
Judy Sobanski
for
Brave Little Friends
Congratulations, Judy! Little Racoon was certainly very brave! 😊 You get to pick after Lauri!
In Fourteenth Place…
Samantha Haas
for
Valentine’s Day Rocks
Congratulations, Samantha! We loved Marjorie for her kindness and understanding, and Roger for bravely (and intelligently) coming up with valentines that worked for him!
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! (The sooner the better!) And for your convenience, the whole prize list is included at the bottom of this post.
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause and a gigantic chocolate heart… or lots of little chocolate hearts… or both… really, you can never have too much chocolate 😊 . (Or, can I interest you in a Poptart? Maybe a chocolate Poptart… 😊 )
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals. It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
Have a marvelous Monday, everyone! 😊
The Prizes: Swoonworthy!
Hannah VanVels – Agent, Belcastro Agency – PB MS Critique
Hannah will offer one lucky winner a PB MS critique. The winner may submit fiction or nonfiction, rhyme or prose – Hannah is open to anything!
Winner’s choice of Renee LaTulippe‘s Lyrical Language Lab Intensive Rhyme & Meter Self Study Course OR a one-hour ZOOM consultation with Renee to get feedback on a manuscript of your choice, ask questions about writing in rhyme/lyrical prose, or spend however you like!
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyme or Prose, Fiction) from Dawn Young, author of THE NIGHT BAAFORE CHRISTMAS (WorthyKids 2019), COUNTING ELEPHANTS (Running Press Kids, March 2020), and THE NIGHT BAAFORE EASTER (WorthyKids January 26, 2021)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) from Kirsti Call author of The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall (Mazo Publishing, January 2019), Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Little Bee, September 2020), as well as COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) which will release in 2021.
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Melissa Stoller, author of SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Spork 2018), READY, SET, GORILLA! (Spork 2018), THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION (chapter books) (Spork 2017), and SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES (Spork, October 2020)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction) from Becky Scharnhorst, author of the forthcoming MY SCHOOL STINKS! (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Ellen Leventhal, author of A Flood Of Kindness (WorthyKids April 2021), DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork 2017), LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork 2018), and HAYFEST A HOLIDAY QUEST (ABCs Press 2010)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction, fewer than 800 words) from Rebecca Kraft Rector, author of SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED (Nancy Paulsen Books, February 16, 2021) (which means it’s coming out in the middle of our contest!😊) and the forthcoming LITTLE RED (Aladdin, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2022) and TRIA AND THE GREAT STAR RESCUE (Delacorte/Random House)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (nonfiction PB or rhyming PB) from Julie Abery, author of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (Amicus Ink 2019), YUSRA SWIMS (Creative Editions February 2020), LITTLE MONKEY and LITTLE HIPPO (Amicus Ink February 2020), THE OLD MAN AND THE PENGUIN (Kids Can Press, December 2020), and the forthcoming LITTLE PENGUIN and LITTLE ZEBRA (Amicus Ink, March 2, 2021) and SAKIMOTO’S SWIM CLUB (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021) She is on twitter at @SarafinaDesign
– Either a signed copy of WHEN A TREE GROWS OR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique – winner’s choice! – from Cathy Ballou Mealey, author of WHEN A TREE GROWS (Sterling April 2019) and the forthcoming SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
– a personalized signed copy of SUNDAY RAIN from author Rosie Pova PLUS a personalized signed copy of DEAR GRANDMA from Yours Truly.
– a personalized signed copy of DON’T HUG DOUG: (He Doesn’t Like It) from author Carrie Finison PLUS a personalized signed copy of CURIOSITY’S DISCOVERY from author/illustrator Nancy Derey Riley!
– a personalized signed copy of The Night Baafore Easter from author Dawn Young PLUS a personalized signed copy of Hop To It: Poems To Get You Moving from poet Sarah Meade!
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Be Brave, My Heart! – The 6th Annual Valentiny Contest Is Here!!!
[For those trying to post, you must click on the Blog Post Title to get on the blog post page and access the comments]
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Valentinies rock
And so do YOU!
Like galloping hooves, our brave hearts are pounding with excitement and anticipation (or maybe trepidation!) because it’s time for. . .
The 6th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
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 feels brave!
- They can be brave about asking someone to be their Valentine, of course, but they can also do something brave to get a Valentine (the person or the gift), or do something brave to help a friend. They could be brave about giving something up, or brave about asking someone they’re not sure they like to be their Valentine just to be nice. . . sky’s the limit! Think beyond the obvious!
- 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 brave (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (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.
- You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊
- No illustration notes please!
Post your story in the comment section below (preferred) or on your own blog between right now this very second and Sunday February 14th by 11:59 PM EDT. If you only post on your own blog, add your post-specific link to the form list at the bottom of the post. This post with all the entries in the comment section and the list of links for those who prefer to post on their own blogs will stay up all week for everyone to enjoy. If you have difficulty posting your entry to the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you! [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com
We discussed changing the entry posting. The majority voted to have all the entries in one place here in the comment section, so we’re going to give that a try. But there were some who wanted to continue blog-hopping, so I’m going to include a link list for them at the bottom of the post. For those who are willing to post in the comment section but also plan to post on their own blogs, you are most welcome to post the link to your blog in your posted entry here (see example below.) That way people can come visit you if they want to but can also read most of the entries in one place on my blog if they prefer. It is certainly easier for the judges to have as many entries as possible in one place. We’ll try it this way one time and see how it works. We can always go back to the old system 😊
(So a sample entry might look like this:
ENTRY TITLE – word count
Author Name
(link to your own contest entry blog post if you have one and would like to share it)
Amazing wonderful Valentiny Contest story.😊
Dudley’s Brave Valentine – 212 words
by Violet Hill
http://bit.ly/3aOxhZm
It was almost Valentines Day and Dudley’s heart had sunk to somewhere near his big toenail.
(etc etc amazing story continues)
I know how hard you all work on your entries and how anxious you are to be sure your entry is posted, but please try to be a little bit patient if you’re waiting for your entry to show up in the comments or on the list of entries. I try never to get up from my desk during contests but sometimes it’s unavoidable. 😊
The Judging: over the next several days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 12 top choices which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Thursday February 18th (or possibly a day or two later if the judges need extra time.) The winner will be announced Monday February 22nd depending on judging and voting time needed. The dates of the judging/voting/winner announcements are subject to finagling depending on how much time the judges actually end up needing!
Judging criteria will include:
- Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
- Creativity in using bravery and success in making us feel the bravery!
- Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story!
- Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
- Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
- Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 😊
- How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines. If you don’t follow agent and editor submission guidelines they won’t even read your submission.
The Prizes: Talk about a pounding heart! Just look at these fabulous prizes!
Hannah VanVels – Agent, Belcastro Agency – PB MS Critique
Hannah will offer one lucky winner a PB MS critique. The winner may submit fiction or nonfiction, rhyme or prose – Hannah is open to anything!
Winner’s choice of Renee LaTulippe‘s Lyrical Language Lab Intensive Rhyme & Meter Self Study Course OR a one-hour ZOOM consultation with Renee to get feedback on a manuscript of your choice, ask questions about writing in rhyme/lyrical prose, or spend however you like!
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyme or Prose, Fiction) from Dawn Young, author of THE NIGHT BAAFORE CHRISTMAS (WorthyKids 2019), COUNTING ELEPHANTS (Running Press Kids, March 2020), and THE NIGHT BAAFORE EASTER (WorthyKids January 26, 2021)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) from Kirsti Call author of The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall (Mazo Publishing, January 2019), Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Little Bee, September 2020), as well as COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) which will release in 2021.
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Melissa Stoller, author of SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Spork 2018), READY, SET, GORILLA! (Spork 2018), THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION (chapter books) (Spork 2017), and SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES (Spork, October 2020)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction) from Becky Scharnhorst, author of the forthcoming MY SCHOOL STINKS! (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Ellen Leventhal, author of A Flood Of Kindness (WorthyKids April 2021), DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork 2017), LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork 2018), and HAYFEST A HOLIDAY QUEST (ABCs Press 2010)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction, fewer than 800 words) from Rebecca Kraft Rector, author of SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED (Nancy Paulsen Books, February 16, 2021) (which means it’s coming out in the middle of our contest!😊) and the forthcoming LITTLE RED (Aladdin, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2022) and TRIA AND THE GREAT STAR RESCUE (Delacorte/Random House)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (nonfiction PB or rhyming PB) from Julie Abery, author of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (Amicus Ink 2019), YUSRA SWIMS (Creative Editions February 2020), LITTLE MONKEY and LITTLE HIPPO (Amicus Ink February 2020), THE OLD MAN AND THE PENGUIN (Kids Can Press, December 2020), and the forthcoming LITTLE PENGUIN and LITTLE ZEBRA (Amicus Ink, March 2, 2021) and SAKIMOTO’S SWIM CLUB (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021) She is on twitter at @SarafinaDesign
– Either a signed copy of WHEN A TREE GROWS OR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique – winner’s choice! – from Cathy Ballou Mealey, author of WHEN A TREE GROWS (Sterling April 2019) and the forthcoming SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
– a personalized signed copy of SUNDAY RAIN from author Rosie Pova PLUS a personalized signed copy of DEAR GRANDMA from Yours Truly.
– a personalized signed copy of DON’T HUG DOUG: (He Doesn’t Like It) from author Carrie Finison PLUS a personalized signed copy of CURIOSITY’S DISCOVERY from author/illustrator Nancy Derey Riley!
– a personalized signed copy of The Night Baafore Easter from author Dawn Young PLUS a personalized signed copy of Hop To It: Poems To Get You Moving from poet Sarah Meade!
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Now! Put your heart into it and bravely post your entries!
I can’t wait to read your stories!!!
Eager Readers: Check out the comment section for all the fabulous entries, and the link list at the end to visit the blogs of the authors who wanted to post on their own home turf 😊
ENTRIES IN THE COMMENT SECTION: (all entries are linked)
- Not “IT” – Danielle Sharkan
- A Goosely Valentine – Danielle Sharkan
- Charlie and Sienna – A Friendship Story – Laura Roettiger
- Most Valuable Valentine – Anne Lipton
- A Valentine’s Day Quest in the Land of Moore – Gregory Bray
- Red-Green Valentine’s Day – Stephanie Amargi
- A One-of-a-Kind, Just-in-Case, Not-at-All-Pink Valentine’s Day – Amy Leskowski
- Love Is Stronger – Teresa Traver
- Valentine’s Gotcha Day – Jessica Hinrichs
- Carmela’s Valentines – Lu Pierro
- Bee Brave – Gennie Gorback
- Crushed – Corine Timmer
- Too Chicken – Sue Lancaster
- Shelly and the Path of Peril – Sue Lancaster
- Brave Hearts – Jamie Donahoe
- Step-Brother Battle – Brenda Whitehead
- I Woof You – Debra Daugherty
- My Valenchicken – Glenda Roberson
- A Neighborly Valentine – Meg King-Sloan
- U R Brave – Lindsey Hobson
- If I Were Brave – Rose Cappelli
- Elonso’s Best Valentine’s Day Ever – Susan Drew
- Dibble and Wiscowski: “A Cookie Valentine” – Bru Benson
- One Brave Balloon – Susan Schade
- The Wibbler – Tracy Curran
- Brave Bonnie – Shannon VanStraten-Sundlass
- Cupid, Junior – Linda Staszak
- A Valentine Visit – Julie Maria
- Cupid: The Love Fairy – Rachel Shupin
- Be Brave On Valentine’s Day – Sara Kruger
- Operation Moonbeam – Simon Yeend
- A Valentine Rose – Daryl Gottier
- The Ballad of Bad Bart – Carrie Boone
- The Brave Little Seed – Michelle S. Kennedy
- Something I Want To Say – Jeny Morales
- Stella & Sparky And The Last Valentine – Patricia Nozell
- Stella & Hank – Nicole Loos Miller
- Untangled Valentines – Janie Reinart
- The Wildflower – Ashlee Hashman
- The Color of Love – Allison Strick
- Puppy Love – Deb Buschman
- Super Brothers – Shannon Howarth Nelsen
- Brave For Gigi – Kelly Swemba
- Wannabe my Valentine – Cynthia Stacey
- Cupix – Bridget Magee
- U To The Rescue – Amy Heath
- Blob’s Valentine’s Wish – Deb Sullivan
- Violet & The Valentine’s Vampire – Sarah Meade
- Jana’s Valentine’s Visit – Sarah Meade
- Mole & Miss Vole on Valentine’s Day – Sarah Meade
- A Valentine’s Mouse In Our House – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf (2 entries in one comment)
- Will you be my ninja – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf (2 entries in one comment)
- Grouchy Grover – Rebekah Hoeft
- Brave In A Cave – Cedar Pruitt
- Cardy’s Valentine Story In All Its Glory – Sally Yorke-Viney
- My Kind of Valentine! – Megan France
- Lavender Buzz – Vicky Langdon
- Love Sick – Abi Island
- Be Brave! – Lisa M. Clewner-Newman
- I’m Not Afraid – Patricia J. Franz
- The Girl With The Candyfloss Hair – Simon Yeend
- Valentine’s Day on Halloween Hill – Abby Wooldridge
- W-R-I-T-E For Each Other – Elizabeth Muster
- Olive You Forever – Ann Ferrello
- The Pink Pro – Kelsey Gross
- Brave Brave Brave – David McMullin
- The Witch of Valentine Lane – Marietta Apollonio
- Gordon’s One-Footed Hop – Kelsey Gross
- Charmadillo – Lauri C. Meyers
- “Soon” – M.R. Haqq
- More Than Cookies – Halley M. Cormack, LCSW
- Fishing For Love: A DIARY – Amy Olsen
- The Lost Valentine – Jeannette Suhr
- Brave New Friends – Dawn Young
- Scaredy-Cat – Danielle S. Hammelef
- Hard To Love – Robin Currie
- Brave Hearts – Susan Klaren
- Across The Road – Rachel Dutton
- Knight of Hearts – Ellen Crosby
- Tootsee Tulip Bulb’s Love-Treat – Judy Caldwell Hughes
- Brave in the Basement – Jessica Whipple
- Caleb’s Heart – Anne Bromley
- Corn Dogs on the Corner – Colleen Dougherty
- Brave Heart – Rebecca Gardyn Levington
- Knock, Knock, Knock – Marty Findley
- Villain-tine’s Day – Laura Bower
- Take A Deep Breath – Elyse Trevers
- Only Three Words – B. A. Schlosser Hill
- A Stolen Valentine – Martha Holguin
- Class List – Elizabeth Volkmann
- Cards and Cookies – Jennifer Reichow
- Chalk Tears – Judy Brewer
- Nurse A Broken Heart – E. Elle Bea
- Bravely Soldier On – E. Elle Bea
- New Kid Blues – Darcee A. Freier
- Valentine’s Recitation – Keely Leim
- Mama Love. Dada Love. – Nancy M. Tichenor
- A Valentine’s Treasure – Ingrid Boydston
- An Itsy Bitsy Valentine – Maria Antonia
- Dino & Gigi – Carolina Bottino (Nina K. Brown)
- Hearts Trail – Carolina Bottino (Nina K. Brown)
- The Giant’s Valentine – Sheila M. Hausbeck
- The Loneliness Street – Nina K. Brown
- Brave Little Valentine – Charlotte Dixon
- Playdate – Margaret Aitken
- Octopus Hugs – Chambrae Griffith
- Conversation Heart Courage – Becky Kimbrough
- My Friend Nate – Karima Davis
- Jojo’s Valentine – Sarah Hawklyn
- “I Like You A Lot” – Julie Schnieders
- Unconventional Friendship – Sarah Hawklyn
- The Flavors of the Heart – Armineh Manookian
- The Candybot – Ellen Seal
- An Otter Love Story – Kristy Roser Nuttall
- Floret And The Fondue – Ashley Sierra
- Be Brave, Be Kind, My Valentine – Susan E. Schipper
- Cupid’s Booty Camp For BabyBoo – Ally Enz
- Playing To Win – Norah Colvin
- Super Special Valentine – Aundra Tomlins
- A Brave Change of Heart – Amy Nicolai
- Sarla Asks A Question – Sandhya Acharya
- A Trail of Ketchup and Mustard – MeiLin Chan
- Juliet and Romeo: Verona’s Valentine’s Celebration – Cristina Raymer
- A Little Atom – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
- Oscar Octopus Plants A Garden – Isabel Cruz Rodriquez
- My Bestest Friend – Roberta Abussi
- My Every-Day-Valentine – Roberta Abussi
- Sarah’s Valentines – Rachel Zimmerman Brachman
- Lemur In Love – Sarah McDermott
- A Cocoon of Love – Jyoti Rajan Gopal
- Eggbert – Charlie Bown
- A Valentine For Mom – Patricia Martin
- Becca’s Brave Hearts – Marty Bellis
- Little Truck’s Daring Delivery – Kristin Kolp
- The Valentine On My Shoe – Catherine J. Lee
- No More Pink – Robin Currie
- Shiny Sharp Scissors – Katie Fischer
- Valentine Love Languages – Jaymie Dean
- Val & Jack – Karen Keesling
- Brave Heart – Tonnye Fletcher
- Valentine Delivery – Katie Brandyberry
- Apple Pie: Valentine’s Day Treat – Sarah Skolfield
- Brave Little Friends – Judy Sobanski
- Lone’s Very First Day – Jennifer Reinharz
- The Monster’s Valentine Buffet – Kelly Conroy
- Freddie Frog’s Valentine – Lindsey Hobson
- A Simple Valentine – P. J. Purtee
- The Wonky Heart – Stacy Burch
- Roses From Valentina – Carmen Castillo Gilbert
- A Natural Valentine’s Day – Sharon McCarthy
- Miss Hedgehog’s Valentine Mission – Amy LaMae Brewer
- Blown Away – Diana Webb
- Zooming Valentine’s Day – Susan VandeWeghe
- Snack Attack – Melisa Wrex
- Heart Hands – Sarah Heaton
- Bigfoot’s Valentine – Kirsten Leestma
- Geronimo! – Lydia Loeber
- The Most Terrible, Awful, Icky Valentine Ever – Melissa Trempe
- Babies Share Bedrooms – Kristi Newsome
- 214 St. Valentine Way – Tracy Anderson Martin
- Six Secret Valentines – Una Belle Townsend
- The Bees and the Birdss – Paul Kurtz
- Someone Special! – Paul Kurtz
- Zombie My Valentine – Donna Kurtz
- The Owl and the Kitty-Kat – Donna Kurtz
- No Pictures! – Diane S. Scotti
- Blue Flower – Mary Warth
- New Line Valentine – Marcia Parks
- Leo Lionhearted – Jill Lambert
- Bravery Is From The Heart – Sophia Zafra
- A Heavenly Visit – Deborah Dolan Hunt
- The Bird And The Cat – Beth Winslow
- THE Valentine Question – Kate Rehill
- How To Be Valentines (With A Boa Constrictor) – Mary Noon
- Desi’s Daring Delivery – Darci Nielson
- New Best Friend – Sherri T. Mercer
- The Gift Tree – Ciara N M Greenwalt
- One Shot – Dazzle Ng
- Fuzzy Bum – Stacey Miller
- Arrrrr Is For Valentine – Sara Ackerman
- Valentine’s Day Rocks – Samantha Haas
- Cyrus The Bold – Patricia Corcoran
- Saying What I Really Mean – Nina Nolan
- Mr. Grumpy’s Valentine – Anne Sawan
- Heart Shaped Everything – Rathi Munukur
- You Can Do This Jonathan! – Martina Palkovicova
- Caveman Valentine – Jennifer Lowe
- Percy’s Valentine – Nancy Derey Riley
- Brave Hearts – Mary Rudzinski
- Legendary Valentine – Audrey Day-Williams
- In Front Behind – Diana Webb
- A Punny Valentine – Linda Staszak
- Love is an Ocean Away – Kimiko Wadriski Lumsden
- Valentine’s Day Rescue – Brigid Finucane
- Mission: Cancel Cupid Call – Kalee Gwarjanski
- The Valentine’s Quest – Karyn Curtis
- Seeking Courage – Bonnie Kelso
- Valentina and Valentino – Claire Lewis
- Will You Bee My Valentine – Ranessa Doucet
- A Valentine Ski – Clara MacClarald
- Dance Like An Eagle – Jyothi Nookula
- A Gift For Abuelo – JC Kelly
- My Tummy Valentine – Janice Kay Alexander
- Elijah and the Valentine – Susan Twiggs
- Assortment Phobia – JC Kelly
- A Beastly Valentine – Steve Jankousky
- A Valentiny for ME! – Karima Davis
- Friendship Cake – Dea Lenihan
- Be My Valentine – Liz Kehrli
- Love Story – Liz Kehrli
- Love Birds – Lisa Lee Furness
- Mr. Grumpy – Mary A. Zychowicz
- Feep and Meep – Echo Roben
- The Cave of Utter Darkness – Bill Canterbury
- Yellow Like A Mango – Imelda Taylor
- Melanie’s Back! – Shari Della Penna
- All About Heart – Anna Lunt
- Tilly’s Great Big Heart – Amy Flynn
- Insiya’s Valentine – Aditya Simha
- Corazon Does Not Cliff Jump – Kate Rehill
- We’re Still Brave! – Kelly Coutsoubos
- The Cupcake Who Dared To Be Different – Susanne Whitehouse
- Lucy’s Brave Lifelines – Karen A. Kelly
This form ONLY for people who prefer to post on their own blogs and are ONLY posting their entries on their own blogs!
Eh, What’s Up Doc? Announcing The Guidelines For The 6th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest!!!
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Atlas.
Atlas who?
Atlas, it’s Valentines Day!
Ok, well, it’s not quite Valentines. . .
How about this one?
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Iguana.
Iguana who?
Iguana hold your hand!
Ok 😊 I’ll stop 😊 Because what iguana do really is let you know that it’s time to fire up those brain cells and write your entry for. . .
The 6th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
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 feels brave! They can be brave about asking someone to be their Valentine, of course, but they can also do something brave to get a Valentine (the person or the gift), or do something brave to help a friend. They could be brave about giving something up, or brave about asking someone they’re not sure about for some reason to be nice. . . sky’s the limit! Think beyond the obvious! 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 brave (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (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.) If you are so inclined, you are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 🙂 No illustration notes please!
Post your story on your blog between 12:00 AM EDT Friday February 12th and Sunday February 14th by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany my February 12th post. There will be no regularly scheduled posts that week (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It or PPBF), 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 that post once it’s up. (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! Although I have a question I’d love addressed in the comments: would it be easier for everyone to post their entry in the comment section of my blog so everything is all together? I know it means no blog-hopping, but do you guys think it would be simpler? Or do you prefer the opportunity to visit new blogs?
The Judging: over the next several days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 6-10 top choices depending on number and quality of entries (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with the narrowing, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Thursday February 19th (or possibly a day or two later if the judges need extra time.) The winner will be announced Monday February 22nd depending on judging and voting time needed. The dates of the judging/voting/winner announcements are subject to finagling depending on how much time the judges actually end up needing!
Judging criteria will include:
- Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
- Creativity in using bravery and success in making us feel the bravery!
- Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story!
- Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
- Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
- Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 😊
- How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines.
The Prizes: I’m still working on prizes (aren’t I always 😊), but I wanted to get the contest guidelines up so you’d have time to write. If anyone has anything fabulous to offer, drop me an email 😊 But meanwhile, start writing and watch this space for prizes which I will add as I get them organized!
Hannah VanVels – Agent, Belcastro Agency – PB MS Critique
Hannah will offer one lucky winner a PB MS critique. The winner may submit fiction or nonfiction, rhyme or prose – Hannah is open to anything!
Winner’s choice of Renee LaTulippe‘s Lyrical Language Lab Intensive Rhyme & Meter Self Study Course OR a one-hour ZOOM consultation with Renee to get feedback on a manuscript of your choice, ask questions about writing in rhyme/lyrical prose, or spend however you like!
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyme or Prose, Fiction) from Dawn Young, author of THE NIGHT BAAFORE CHRISTMAS (WorthyKids 2019), COUNTING ELEPHANTS (Running Press Kids, March 2020), and THE NIGHT BAAFORE EASTER (WorthyKids January 26, 2021)
Kirsti Call – Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) from Kirsti Call author of The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall (Mazo Publishing, January 2019), Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Little Bee, September 2020), as well as COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) which will release in 2021.
Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Melissa Stoller, author of SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Spork 2018), READY, SET, GORILLA! (Spork 2018), THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION (chapter books) (Spork 2017), and SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES (Spork, October 2020)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction) from Becky Scharnhorst, author of the forthcoming MY SCHOOL STINKS! (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
Ellen Leventhal – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Ellen Leventhal, author of A Flood Of Kindness (WorthyKids April 2021), DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork 2017), LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork 2018), and HAYFEST A HOLIDAY QUEST (ABCs Press 2010)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction, fewer than 800 words) from Rebecca Kraft Rector, author of SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED (Nancy Paulsen Books, February 16, 2021) (which means it’s coming out in the middle of our contest!😊) and the forthcoming LITTLE RED (Aladdin, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2022) and TRIA AND THE GREAT STAR RESCUE (Delacorte/Random House)
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (nonfiction PB or rhyming PB) from Julie Abery, author of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (Amicus Ink 2019), YUSRA SWIMS (Creative Editions February 2020), LITTLE MONKEY and LITTLE HIPPO (Amicus Ink February 2020), THE OLD MAN AND THE PENGUIN (Kids Can Press, December 2020), and the forthcoming LITTLE PENGUIN and LITTLE ZEBRA (Amicus Ink, March 2, 2021) and SAKIMOTO’S SWIM CLUB (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021) She is on twitter at @SarafinaDesign
– Either a signed copy of WHEN A TREE GROWS OR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique – winner’s choice! – from Cathy Ballou Mealey, author of WHEN A TREE GROWS (Sterling April 2019) and the forthcoming SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
Rosie Pova – personalized signed copy of SUNDAY RAIN
– a personalized signed copy of DON’T HUG DOUG: (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison PLUS a personalized signed copy of CURIOSITY’S DISCOVERY by Nancy Derey Riley!
Dawn Young – personalized signed copy of The Night Baafore Easter
So you’ve got nearly 3 weeks to write your entry! Butt in chair! Valentine Chocolate and coffee/tea on your desk! Brain in gear! Ready, set, WRITE! Be Brave! You can do it!!!
I can’t wait to read your stories!!!
The 10th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest ~ aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!!
Viper fangs and dragon claws. It’s time for. . .
The 10TH Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask. Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got over 325 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. skeletons, creepy/crept, masked/unmasked, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between right now this very second and Saturday October 31st by 11:59 PM Eastern Time and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Tuesday Debut, Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries in more than one place because it becomes confusing.
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 6 9 12? top choices (give or take… you know how hard it is to choose!) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Wednesday November 4th or Thursday November 5th (if the judging takes longer than we expect if could be later…but we will do our best!) The winner will be announced on Monday November 9th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 😊 )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
- 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
- 2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
- 3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
- 4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
- 5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
- 6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊
1 – Get Your MS in Tip Top Shape With Vivian Kirkfield!
Vivian is offering a PB MS Critique (fiction or nonfiction/rhyming or prose), along with a 30 minute Skype or FB video chat to discuss, along with a read-through of the revision. And top it all off she will also help you with a query/cover letter edit to go with your polished up ms! WOW!
Vivian Kirkfield is the author of SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD (Little Bee, January 14, 2020), and more…
2 – Penny’s Two Cents – an incredible opportunity for any picture book writer!
Sometimes it’s helpful to chat with a published author about your writing journey. Penny Parker Klostermann is offering her two cents. The prize includes General/Big-Picture Feedback on one picture book manuscript + One 30-Minute Chat (Rhyming or prose-750 words or under) Penny doesn’t claim to have it all figured out, (by any means) but she’s happy to share her two cents based on what she’s learned and continues to learn on her journey as an author.
Penny is the author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) (now available in board book and with matching pajamas! 🙂 ) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
3 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyme or prose) from Carrie Finison, author of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS (Putnam, July 2020) and DON’T HUG DOUG (forthcoming from Putnam in January 2021.)
4 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Lydia Lukidis, author of NO BEARS ALLOWED (Blue Whale Press 2019) and many educational titles.
5 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction or nonfiction) from Teresa Robeson, author of Queen of Physics (Sterling, 2019) and Two Bicycles In Beijing (Albert Whitman, 2020)
6
6 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Kirsti Call author of The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall (Mazo Publishing, January 2019), Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Little Bee, September 2020), as well as COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) which will release in 2021.
7 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Ellen Leventhal, author of DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork 2017), LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork 2018), and HAYFEST A HOLIDAY QUEST (ABCs Press 2010)
8 – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Heather Gale, author of Ho’onani Hula Warrior (Tundra Books, October 2019)
9 – a personalized signed copy of The King Cake Baby and 15 Minute “Ask Me Anything” Video Chat with Keila Dawson, author of The King Cake Baby (Pelican 2015), No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History (Charlesbridge 2020), and Opening The Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book (forthcoming from Beaming Books, January 2021)
10 – Making Picture Book Magic Self Study – an online picture book writing class – any month of winner’s choice!
11 – a personalized signed copy of EITHER ROCK AND ROLL WOODS (PB) or an ARC of SPIRITS AMONG US (MG) from author Sherry Howard
AND a personalized signed copy of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE (Abrams Appleseed, May 2020) by Gabi Snyder
12 – a personalized signed copy of NOT SO SCARY, JERRY (Spork, 2017) by Shelley Kinder
AND a personalized signed copy of MARS’ FIRST FRIENDS: COME ON OVER ROVERS! (Sourcebooks 2020) by Susanna Leonard Hill
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 😊
Now then, my pretties! It’s past the witching hour in the dead of night – very appropriate for a Halloween story, don’t you think? – and the time has come for me to embarrass myself my sample entry which should fill you with confidence in your own MUCH MUCH better efforts!!!
Halloween
A pumpkin moon
A ghostly ship
A still lagoon
Tattered sails
Like swirling mist
Ancient rigging
Creaks and twists
Skull and crossbones
Striking fear
Warning sailors
Far and near
Captain Jack
Comes thump-a-peg
Limping on
His broomstick leg
“Steady now,”
breathes Captain Jack,
“Mustn’t blow
our sneak attack!”
Silently
The ghost ship glides
Closer . . .
Closer . . .
On the tides
Guided through
The murky blue
By the ghastly
Skeleton crew
Stealthily
it comes abreast
creeping
uninvited guest
nearing windows
warm with light
no idea
of their plight
Captain Jack
Deceit complete
Unmasks and shouts out, “Trick-or-treat!”
It’s truly spooky how willing I am to embarrass myself for you! 😊😊😊
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 3 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!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form 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 – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 😊 🎃
And don’t miss the 169!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments
below! (Hopefully each one is a link, but thanks to the new wordpress, I’ve redone the list twice with uncertain success!)
- Midnight Rescue – Laura Bost
- You Don’t Scare Me – Brenda B. Covert
- Rattle, Rattle Skeleton – Vashti Verbowski
- Corona’s Evil Plan – Marty Findley
- Littlest Witch’s Wild Ride – Marty Findley
- Shy Skeleton’s Dance – Marty Findley
- A Night Out. . . – Deb Sullivan
- See Billy Bony – Helen Addyman
- Scare School – Laura Howard
- Is It Time? – Sue Lancaster
- The Skeletons’ Masked Ball – Sue Lancaster
- Halloween Masquerade – Jamie Donahoe
- The Curse of Halloween – Bru Benson
- Halloween Hesitation – Beth Volkmann
- The Phantom Of The Library – Natalie Cohn
- Trick Or Treat – Alli Straus
- No Bones About It – Judy Sobanski
- Family Business – Natalie Cohn
- Tattered Treats – Marilyn Garcia
- Halloween Surprise – Anna Ouchchy
- A Spider’s Tale – Darcee A. Freier
- Grandfather’s Clock – Sarah Heaton
- Halloween Peeps – Jamie Donahoe
- Mystery Guest – Dawn Young
- Nelly O’Skelly – Danielle Sharkan
- First Halloween – Carol Jones
- One Noisy Halloween – Rebecca Thill
- Polly’s Not-So-Perfect Potion – Susan Summers
- Masquerade – Kathiann Weatherbee
- Howl-o-weenie – Ashlee Hashman
- Trick Or Treat – Stephanie Mena
- Skelly The Skeleton – Michelle S. Kennedy
- Trudy’s Toothy Halloween – Kelsey Gross
- Class Pet Trickery! – Mary Bleckwehl
- Hola Halloween! – ‘Boo Darkling’ (Roo Parkin)
- BOO! – Rebecca Woodall
- Haunted – Anne Lipton
- Creepy D’s – Martha Holguin
- Trick Or Treat – Marla Yablon
- Skellie’s Closet – KeelyWrites
- Skelly B. Skeleton – Cathy Chester
- When Skally Nearly Didn’t Show His Face – Diana Webb
- Sammy Goes Home – Courtney Rubo
- GRRRRRRRRRR! – Donna Kurtz
- Teeth Love HalloweenToo! – Donna Kurtz
- The Halloween Fair – Donna Kurtz
- Skeleton And Ghostina – Gail Hartman
- Little Bonesy Loves Halloween! – Paul Kurtz
- Mousey’s Batty For Halloween! – Paul Kurtz
- Spider-Claws Is Comin’ To Town – Paul Kurtz
- A Bone-afide Friend – Kristen Reinsel
- Wendy’s Sugar Spell – Caitlin Eslinger
- A Very Scary Halloween – Kerrie Elizabeth Godding
- Haunted Hallo-weave – Cathrene Valente Youngquist
- Spider’s Can’t Dance! – Cathrene Valente Youngquist
- The Beady Eye – Libby Hartwell
- Stitch – Amy Duchene
- Halloween Surprise – Sarah Hawklyn
- Four Dancing Skeletons – Isabel Rodriguez
- First Trick-or-Treat – Carol Samuelson-Woodson
- BIG Boney Story – Yolanda Danyi Szuch
- Skeleton Knights – Islancy Guada
- Halloween, This Year – Nina Nolan
- The Arnold Rock – Polly Sheldon
- Skeleton’s Scare – Erin K. McCabe
- Skeleton’s In The Closet – Karen Keesling
- Vampire And Skeleton Go Shopping – Jay Reece
- Haiku – Corine Timmer
- Opportunity Wanders – Florbela Nienaber
- The Skele-Mummy – Linda Staszak
- All On A Halloween Night – Linda Staszak
- Creep A Little Closer – Yvonne McCutchen
- Moonlight Party – Yvonne McCutchen
- Stella Decorates – Melissa Warren
- Candy Heist – Sarah Hawklyn
- Pillows In Pants – Christine Menke
- The Masked Skeleton – Deborah Dolan Hunt
- Mask Required – Lucretia Schafroth
- Psyched Out – Karen Pickrell
- The Case Of The Missing Skeleton – Karen Pickrell
- All Hallows’ Eve – Liz Kehrli
- My Worst Thirty-first – Obbverse
- Scary Mary – Geraldine Jones
- Sweet Escape – Allison Strick
- Bones: A Love Story – Keatley Eastman
- Phoebe’s Magic Stew – Linda Hofke
- Paco And The Skeletons – Katie Schwartz
- Lester Skeleton’s Halloween Hunt – Ford Waight
- Little Frankie Patches Things Up – Rozana Rajkumari
- Witch’s Fiery Broth – Corine Timmer
- Jack’s Halloween – Kara Sibilia
- The Jolly Skeleton – Linda Staszak
- Sammy Skeleton’s Warm Halloween – Lily Erlic
- Slinky Skeleton – Penelope McNally
- Annabelle’s Halloween – Penelope McNally
- The Hungry Corpse – Robert Schechter
- Little Goblin’s Halloween – Kathleen Mazurowski
- The Curse – Glenda Roberson
- Moving Day – Laura Bower
- Halloweenie – Lauren Harris
- Letter On The Door – Jessica Reed
- Sebastian’s Halloween – Polly Owen
- Skeleton’s Halloween Party – Polly Owen
- Halloween High Jinx – Stacey Miller
- Weensie’s Potion – Lisa Lee Furness
- The Nightmarish Place – Suzie Olsen
- I’m Not Scared – Desirae Moten
- What A Haul! – Diane Hanington
- The Halloween Trick – Aimee Larke
- A Skeleton’s Fright – Nadia Ali
- The Maple Tree Fright – Rebecca Allain
- Creepy Cookie Night – Annette LaFortune Murray
- The Night Stacey Saved Halloween – Autumn Haley (age 8)
- The Skeleton Ball – Jenny Caddy
- The Halloween Car Parade – Laura Bower
- The Halloween Ball – Crystal Lamb
- A Halloween Scare – Sarah Hetu-Radny
- Skeleton And Jack – Jennifer Bochonowicz
- Halloween – Marjorie David
- Ben’s Biggest Fear – Maria Pichler
- Skeletons – Patty Wright
- GHOST On The COAST – Becky Loescher
- The Scare Dare – Nancy Derey Riley
- Lonely Spider’s Dance – Danielle Sharkan
- Things That Go Cronk – Carla Bourne
- Grrrr! Brothers! – Susan Drew
- Midnight Mortal Ball – Nicola Thackrey
- The Monsters Of Halloween – Ryan Roberts
- The Perfect Halloween Present – Jenny Buchet
- Hopeless Heist – Karyn Curtis
- A 2020 Halloween Bash – Kristen Foote
- Boneyard Ballet – Jennifer Broedel
- Halloween Night – Di Litwer
- Tom Bones Goes Rogue – Marty Bellis
- A Bone-Fide Halloween Tale – Marty Bellis
- Dad’s Halloween – Lisa Lipsey
- Final Moments – E. Elle Bea
- How To Hug A Ghost – Cathy Lee Patterson
- Not This Year! – Carmen Castillo Gilbert, PhD
- Shh! Party In My Room! – MeiLin Chan
- Little Witch – Tracy Detz
- A Pumpkins Story – Christine Graham
- Beware Of Humans – Janelle Springer-Willms
- Beware Of Skeletons – Lea Boyd (age 8)
- Little Badger’s Great Big Scare – Bridget Grey
- Lightning And A Mask Of Stars – Rhett Trull
- Creature Of The Night – Lindsey Aduskevich
- Thorny Lane’s Treasure – Rhonda Gatlin
- Argleby’s New School Adventure – Echo Roben
- A Cat-astrophic Halloween – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
- Two Can Play – JC Kelly
- Mia’s Halloween Celebration – Lily Erlic
- Seven Jack-O-Lanterns – Mary Arkiszewski
- A-Z: Who’s Behind Me? – Ashley Congdon
- The Attic Mask – Barbara DiMarco
- Not-So-Happy Halloween – Claire Schlinkert
- The Skeleton Creep – Tracy Curran
- The Brown, Brown Boots On The Cold, Cold Floor – Crystal Lamb
- Hedgehogs In The Garden – Nicola Holden
- Home Sweet Home – Mona Pease
- All Bones – Desi Valle
- Hallowcake Cravings – Katie Pals
- Foggy Halloween – Denise Seidman
- Halloween Is Scary – Valerie McPherson
- The Sweetest Halloween Treat On Earth – Jill Burns
The 2019 Halloweensie Contest WINNERS!!!
Well, hi there! 😊
So lovely of you to drop by to visit on a Thursday when I don’t usually post!
Latte?
You must have heard about my irresistible new offering and stampeded over to avail yourself of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Yes! The hype is all true!
Today, you can broaden your horizons with
for the low, low price of $0!!!
Learn how to:
- start ten tasks at once. . . without the burden of actually finishing any of them!
- work for 10 minutes and get distracted with online holiday shopping!
- realize you’ve been online shopping for one hour and 73 minutes and remind yourself sternly that you’re supposed to be working!
- check all your social media accounts, work for 10 minutes, then sharpen your mental skills with a rigorous round of Sporcle! (Can you name the 10 US State Capitals you can’t fly to?)
- travel to another continent in the middle of hosting a writing contest!
- fall asleep on your computer and get keyboard checkers on your cheek!
- work for 10 minutes and decide to make tiramisu!
- . . . and so much more!
What is that?
You DIDN’T come to absorb my freely-given wisdom on productivity when I have clearly taken it to new heights? (I did say it was unprecedented. . . 😊)
Fine.
I will do my best not to take it personally that you doubt my fitness as a model of organization, efficiency, and productivity just because the Halloweensie Winners haven’t been posted yet, and we’ll move on to how I can help you with choosing the right burlap sack for any social occasion which must be why you’re here if you don’t want to improve your productivity.
Wait, what?
You’re here because you want to know who won Halloweensie?
Well why didn’t you just say so?!
Because it just so happens that I know! 😊
As you are all aware by now, we had an amazing turnout for Halloweensie 2019 – 324!!! entries! Golly gee willikers!!!
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers! And I don’t know about you guys, but for me Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without Halloweensie! What’s better than a candy-filled dark and spooky night? A candy-filled dark and spooky night with 324 fabulous stories to read! 😊
With large entry numbers come hard choices, though. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you for your vote.
There were, however, many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another (one reason being that, at a certain point, we just had to stop adding finalists to the list! :))
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (all-around well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Lindsay Leslie for The Scurry Treat (well written, great use of language, great ending!)
Cassy Ciarq for Trick Or Treat (well written, great job evoking the delicious fear and excitement of a child trick-or-treating in the dark!)
Marta Magellan for Scary Things (well written, great job showing the spookiness of Halloween and the back-to-normal morning after – good kid appeal)
Linda Hofke for What Witch Whips Up (so cleverly written with the body parts subtly woven in to lead up to the ending of “body lotion”!)
David McMullin for Billy And Buddy’s Epic Halloween (fun and kid-friendly, very believably “kid” and sibling!)
Tracy Curran for My Mummy’s A Witch (fun and kid-friendly with a great twist ending!)
Mary Vander Plas for Some Arachnid (well written fun story – great twist on Charlotte’s Web!)
Chelsea Tornetto for Booty And A Beat (clever, fun to read aloud, irresistible rhythm)
Roo Parkin for The Road To Grimly Gore (well written, great use of language, fun ending!)
Pat Finnegan for Save-This-Night (a kid-friendly witchy change-of-attitude story)
2. For Best Endings: (not already in the finals)
Stephanie Williams for The Contest
Lauri Meyers for Haunted Halloween Hop
Lauren Neil for Witch 101
Shelley Kinder for Fishy Witchy
Sue Lancaster for The Halloween Hop
3. For Great Use of Language: (not already in the finals)
Sue Heavenrich for Spider Parade
Jenna Waldman for All Hallows Poetry Reading
Sarah Meade for The Goblin And The Girl
Deborah Boerema for Monster-Matopoeia
4. For Spookiest/Creepy Entry: (not already in the finals)
Christina Dendy for The Bone House
Unidentified author for Matilda’s Treat
Paul Kurtz for Cobwebs
Mary C. Thorpe for What Had They Found?
Vashti Verbowski for Cecil The Beetle (And The Web Of Wishes)
5. For Funniest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Kael Tudor for Hubble, Bubble, Toil And . . . Muddle?
Greg Bray for The Ultimate Spider-Man Costume
Susan Summers for The Witch’s Dilemma
6. For Sweetest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Melissa Miles for Just One Child
Lisa Zaccaria for Halloween Surprise
7. For Unique Character: (not already in the finals)
Cathy Murphy for A Cure For Cobweb (Spider turns into a Unitoad – like a unicorn but a toad!)
Lori Himmel for The Very Haunted House (MC is the house)
8. For Great Read For Younger Readers: (not already in the finals)
Brenda Whitehead for Halloween Countdown
Avana Lily for The Little Witch Helps Out
JoAnn DiVerdi for Boo-Boo! A Little Ghost Story
9. For Creative Format:
Jenna Waldman for Ghost Store (written like a commercial)
Michelle Henrie for Halloween Treat (written as a crossword puzzle)
10. For Good Kid Voice:
Lindsey Hobson for Little Brother
11. For Good Depiction of Siblings: (not already in the finals)
Tara Cerven for A Silken Surprise
12: For Cleverness: (not already in the finals)
Mary Rudzinski for Halloween Forever
Erin Kerger Duffett for Three Cauldrons Full
13. For Contestants Who Entered Multiple Strong Entries:
Sarah Meade
Paul Kurtz
Donna Kurtz
Michelle Kennedy
14. Last But Not Least A Very Special Mention:
Joyce Schriebman for The Good Witch – a tribute to our sweet friend, Robyn Campbell, who always went out of her way to help others and whom we miss dearly.
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your prize, which is a $5 Amazon Email Gift Certificate (which you may spend on one of the many Kindle choices listed in previous contests here, or add to your Amazon bucks for a gift for yourself or someone else, or whatever else you might choose to do!) as well as a beautiful certificate of achievement that you may display on your blog or print out and frame or turn into a flag to carry with you everywhere and wave out the window of your car 😊
A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 12 fabulous prizes, generously donated by authors and various professionals in the writing field. My policy is to let the first place winner have first pick of all the prizes, the second place winner have second choice, etc. That way hopefully nobody gets something they already have, and hopefully everyone gets something that’s valuable to them. All prizes are listed at the bottom of this post for your convenience in perusing the goodies 🙂
Now.
Finally!
Onto the moment you’ve all been waiting for. . .
. . . the reason you got out of bed this morning. . .
. . . in spite of shadows under your bleary eyes. . .
. . . and the candy corn that is stuck in your hair!!!
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST as chosen by you, our esteemed voters!!!!!
In First Place, winner of the whole entire contest and top of the heap who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Jocelyn Watkinson
for
Vampire Stains
Congratulations, Jocelyn, on a fabulously written, entertaining entry that was all around well done and clearly very popular with judges and voters alike!!!
In Second Place,
Keatley Eastman
for
Sneaky Sister
Congratulations, Keatley, on a cute, well written, kid friendly entry with a great ending! (and for coming in 2nd two years in a row!) You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jocelyn chooses!
In Third Place,
Paul Kurtz
for
A Halloween Visit
Congratulations, Paul, on a well written, clever entry that masterfully combined elements of Halloween and Christmas into Spider Claws! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Jocelyn and Keatley choose!
In Fourth Place,
Leslie Goodman
for
The Nickname Cure
Congratulations, Leslie, on a fun story with funny twist of an ending! You get to pick a prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, and Paul!
In Fifth Place,
Katrina Swenson
for
Itchy Witchy Underwear
Congratulations, Katrina, on your delightfully well written entry that made us laugh out loud! You get to pick your prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, Paul, and Leslie!
In Sixth Place,
Maryna Doughty
for
Ghost’s Pest Problem
Congratulations, Maryna, on your clever, fun and creative entry! You get to pick your prize after Jocelyn, Keatley, Paul, Leslie, and Katrina!
In Seventh Place,
Mary Ann Cortez
for
Let’s Go Scarecrow
Congratulations, Mary Ann, on your fun, Going On A Bear Hunt-esque twist on Halloween! You get to pick your prize after Maryna!
In Eighth Place,
Colleen Murphy
for
Broom Or Bust
Congratulations, Colleen, for a beautifully written, fun, entertaining kid-friendly entry! You get to pick your prize after Mary Ann!
In Ninth Place,
Jill Lambert
for
Tacky Trick
Congratulations, Jill! What is a spider to do if his silk has no stick’em?! 😊 You get to pick a prize after Colleen…!
In Tenth Place
Debbie Day
for
Gloona The Grinchy Witch
Congratulations, Debbie, on making us laugh at your Grinchy Witch! You get to prize pick after Jill.
In Eleventh Place
Sandy Perlic
for
Boo Quiet To Spook?
Congratulations, Sandy, we loved your timid little witch who was given a little boost by her giant sneeze 😊 You get to pick a prize after Debbie.
In Twelfth Place
Ingrid Boydston
for
Tricky Witch Test
Congratulations, Ingrid, on a fun story! Nothing like turning into a pumpkin! 😊 You get to pick your prize after Sandy!
And, I don’t think I need to remind anyone that in addition to all these fabulous prizes, everyone mentioned on this page has bragging rights as having won or placed in the Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest! Not just anyone can say that 🙂
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! If you choose a prize that requires snail mailing, PLEASE include your snail mail address so we don’t have to email back and forth too many times 🙂 If you would like a beautiful certificate to celebrate your accomplishment, you are most welcome to one!
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause, a confetti parade, and a truckloads of leftover fun-sized chocolate. . . if there is any 😊
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize! It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
And before we go, I will give you all advance warning so you can start planning a little time into your December schedule…
Assuming you guys are up for it – and you’d better let me know in the comments!!! – the 9th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 7 so we can all fully enjoy it and still have time for last minute holiday things. I will do my best to post the rules well in advance (maybe the Saturday after Thanksgiving, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise! 🙂 ) so you all have time to work on your stories! But please let me know if you feel like it’s too much and you’d rather not do it!
Have a terrific Thursday everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 🙂
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 🙂
Go Directly To Go! Skip The Slushpile at Blue Whale Press and Get Your PB Manuscript Directly On The Editor’s Desk!!!
Submit your picture book manuscript directly to editor Alayne Christian for her consideration and critique. Helpful feedback is a certainty, publication could be a possibility!
Blue Whale Press is an SCBWI PAL publisher of children’s books that focuses on stories involving themes of friendship and/or personal challenge. Most often, stories are selected for publishing due to their inherent educational or moral value. But as a general rule, a good dose of humor or a tug at the heart doesn’t hurt their chances of being published either. While a few chapter books and a middle grade are on their list, their focus is picture books. As a boutique publisher who doesn’t mind taking risks, Blue Whale Press considers itself to be a launch pad for authors and illustrators hoping to establish themselves.
For more info: https://www.bluewhalepress.com/
Hone Your Skills with the Lyrical Language Lab Rhyme & Meter Self Study Crash Course (11 Lessons) from accomplished writer and poet Renee LaTulippe
INTENSIVE RHYME AND METER CRASH COURSE
This option contains all the same lessons as Module 1 of Renee’s fully guided course, including all supplemental materials, downloads, and audio/video components. This is the option to choose if you need to build a strong foundation in the mechanics of rhyming picture books and poetry. The major focus is on the four main types of meter and how to use mixed and varied meter. Other topics include rhythm, cadence, breath, scansion, rhyme, sound devices, figurative language, imagery, and diction.
.
You also have the opportunity to submit two of your assignments to Renee for feedback, and have email access to ask questions about the lessons as you complete them. Although lessons will arrive every other day, you are free to complete them at your own pace.
See the course description above for more information.
For more info: https://www.reneelatulippe.com/writing-courses/ (scroll down)
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming, Non-Rhyming, Fiction, or Nonfiction – Vivian is open to any type of picture book critique) from Vivian Kirkfield author of SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD (Little Bee, January 14, 2020), and more…
Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Christine Evans, author of EVELYN THE ADVENTUROUS ENTOMOLOGIST (Innovation Press, September 2019)
Rhyming Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Carrie Finison, author of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS and DON’T HUG DOUG, forthcoming from Putnam in August 2020 and Spring 2021.
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Janet Johnson author of HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS (Capstone, March 2020) as well as the MG novel THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB & J SOCIETY (Capstone 2016)
Fiction OR Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Darshana Khiani, author of HOW TO WEAR A SARI forthcoming from HMH/Versify, Spring 2021
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Gabi Snyder, author of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, forthcoming from Abrams Appleseed, May 2020 and LISTEN, forthcoming from S&S/Wiseman, Spring 2021
Query Letter Critique from Dee Romito, author of PIES FROM NOWHERE: HOW GEORGIA GILMORE SUSTAINED THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT (Little Bee Books, 2018) as well as several middle grade books.
Book Bundle #1 – Nonfiction
Signed Copies of WAITING FOR PUMPSIE (Charlesbridge, 2017) and THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (Charlesbridge, 2018) by Barry Wittenstein
and JURASSIC RAT (Spork, June 2019) by Eleanor Ann Peterson.
Book Bundle #2 – Board Books
Personalized Signed Copies of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (both Amicus Ink, 2019) by Julie Abery
Book Bundle #3 – Holiday Books
Personalized signed copy of NOT SO SCARY, JERRY (Spork, 2017) by Shelley Kinder
Personalized signed copy of THE QUEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE (Albert Whitman, 2018) by Nancy Churnin
The Night Baafore Christmas (WorthyKids 2019) by Dawn Young
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
The 9th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!!
***CONTEST UPDATE***
I apologize for the fact that I am behind schedule posting the finalists. I know you are all waiting. I did not anticipate 324 entries or I would have given myself and the other judges more time. We will do our best to have the finalists posted by tomorrow or Saturday.
Lizard toes and dragon scales! It’s time for . . .
The 9TH Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words potion, cobweb, and trick. Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got over 235 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. potions, cobwebbed, trickery, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between right now this very second and Thursday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below (not your blog’s main url because if you post again after your entry during the dates of the contest, the judges will find the wrong post!) There will be no Tuesday Debut, Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline! If your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight I can’t identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries before the start of the contest! Please submit your entry only ONCE! If you add it to the blog link list, and the comments, and email me to post it, things get very confusing! I try to stay as glued to my desk as possible, but sometimes I have to get up so if I don’t respond to your email or approve your post immediately, don’t panic! I’ll get to it as soon as I can!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the coming days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 6 9 12? top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with winnowing, so we’ll see!) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 4th (if the judging takes longer than we expect if could be later…but we will do our best!) The winner will be announced on Thursday November 7th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 🙂 )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
- 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
- 2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
- 3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
- 4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
- 5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
- 6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 🙂
Go Directly To Go! Skip The Slushpile at Blue Whale Press and Get Your PB Manuscript Directly On The Editor’s Desk!!!
Submit your picture book manuscript directly to editor Alayne Christian for her consideration and critique. Helpful feedback is a certainty, publication could be a possibility!
Blue Whale Press is an SCBWI PAL publisher of children’s books that focuses on stories involving themes of friendship and/or personal challenge. Most often, stories are selected for publishing due to their inherent educational or moral value. But as a general rule, a good dose of humor or a tug at the heart doesn’t hurt their chances of being published either. While a few chapter books and a middle grade are on their list, their focus is picture books. As a boutique publisher who doesn’t mind taking risks, Blue Whale Press considers itself to be a launch pad for authors and illustrators hoping to establish themselves.
For more info: https://www.bluewhalepress.com/
Hone Your Skills with the Lyrical Language Lab Rhyme & Meter Self Study Crash Course (11 Lessons) from accomplished writer and poet Renee LaTulippe
INTENSIVE RHYME AND METER CRASH COURSE
This option contains all the same lessons as Module 1 of Renee’s fully guided course, including all supplemental materials, downloads, and audio/video components. This is the option to choose if you need to build a strong foundation in the mechanics of rhyming picture books and poetry. The major focus is on the four main types of meter and how to use mixed and varied meter. Other topics include rhythm, cadence, breath, scansion, rhyme, sound devices, figurative language, imagery, and diction.
.
You also have the opportunity to submit two of your assignments to Renee for feedback, and have email access to ask questions about the lessons as you complete them. Although lessons will arrive every other day, you are free to complete them at your own pace.
See the course description above for more information.
For more info: https://www.reneelatulippe.com/writing-courses/ (scroll down)
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming, Non-Rhyming, Fiction, or Nonfiction – Vivian is open to any type of picture book critique) from Vivian Kirkfield author of SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD (Little Bee, January 14, 2020), and more…
Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Christine Evans, author of EVELYN THE ADVENTUROUS ENTOMOLOGIST (Innovation Press, September 2019)
Rhyming Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Carrie Finison, author of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS and DON’T HUG DOUG, forthcoming from Putnam in August 2020 and Spring 2021.
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Janet Johnson author of HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS (Capstone, March 2020) as well as the MG novel THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB & J SOCIETY (Capstone 2016)
Fiction OR Nonfiction Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Darshana Khiani, author of HOW TO WEAR A SARI forthcoming from HMH/Versify, Spring 2021
Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming please) from Gabi Snyder, author of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, forthcoming from Abrams Appleseed, May 2020 and LISTEN, forthcoming from S&S/Wiseman, Spring 2021
Query Letter Critique from Dee Romito, author of PIES FROM NOWHERE: HOW GEORGIA GILMORE SUSTAINED THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT (Little Bee Books, 2018) as well as several middle grade books.
Book Bundle #1 – Nonfiction
Signed Copies of WAITING FOR PUMPSIE (Charlesbridge, 2017) and THE BOO-BOOS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (Charlesbridge, 2018) by Barry Wittenstein
and JURASSIC RAT (Spork, June 2019) by Eleanor Ann Peterson.
Book Bundle #2 – Board Books
Personalized Signed Copies of LITTLE TIGER and LITTLE PANDA (both Amicus Ink, 2019) by Julie Abery
Book Bundle #3 – Holiday Books
Personalized signed copy of NOT SO SCARY, JERRY (Spork, 2017) by Shelley Kinder
Personalized signed copy of THE QUEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE (Albert Whitman, 2018) by Nancy Churnin
The Night Baafore Christmas (WorthyKids 2019) by Dawn Young
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
Now then, my pretties! It’s past the witching hour in the dead of night – very appropriate for a Halloween story, don’t you think? – and the time has come for my sample entry (which I seriously almost did not get done!) I seem to have developed a bad habit of having editorial deadlines that land in the middle of these contests, so I freely own up to the fact that I way exceeded the word count because I simply didn’t have time to make it shorter. My apologies for totally cheating! It’s not even like it’s any good as a result… but it does come to a sort of an ending😊 If nothing else, it should fill you with confidence in your own MUCH MUCH better efforts!!!
Runaway Imagination
(so many words I’m not even writing it down!😊)
Costumes, make-up, pounding feet
Rushing out to trick-or-treat.
Almost at the farmyard gate
Witch Lucinda hollers, “Wait!
In this Halloween commotion
I forgot my poison potion!”
Sets her plastic pumpkin down.
“Go ahead! We’ll meet in town!”
Grabs her potion. Comes back quick.
But someone’s played an awful trick!
Her pumpkin pail, left on the ground,
Has disappeared and can’t be found!
Nevermind. A bag will do.
The witch zooms off to join her crew.
But halfway down the old farm road
She sees a sight that stops her cold.
In the shadows of the night
Glides a shape of ghostly white
Issuing an eerie moan
That makes Lucinda RUN for home!
Ghost flies past her fleeing faster
Surely this will be disaster!
Stops short at the barnyard fence.
Suddenly it all makes sense.
Head stuck in her pumpkin pail
Covered in a cobweb veil,
This is not a scary ghost!
Just a foolish baby goat!
Never say I’m not willing to embarrass myself for you! 😊😊😊 That is true love!😊
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 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!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form 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 – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 🙂 🎃
And don’t miss the 197!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments below! (And HURRAY! I FINALLY figured out how to make links (THANK YOU AMY!) so you can click directly through to each story to read and comment for the talented authors!!!)
(Where authors’ first names were the same/same spelling I tried to add last names)
1. Witch’s Brew – Corine
2. A Webbed Witch – Kelly
3. Trick Or Treat – Krystal
4. The Halloween Spider – Alice
5. Monster-Matopoeia: A Noisy Halloween Tale – Deborah Boerema
6. Vampire Stains – Jocelyn
7. The Spider Steps In – Leah
8. One Magical Day – Heather
9. The Lure Of Chocolate – Glenda
10. A Trick Or A Treat? – Glenda
11. Booty And A Beat – Chelsea
12. The Last House On Halloween – Bru
13. Little Brother – Lindsey
14. Evie’s Halloween Cake – Tracey
15. The Halloween Night Bookstore – Sherry Peace
16. The Halloween Heist – Deb Sullivan
17. Halloweensie Treats – Deborah Williams
18. Sweet Snookums – Linda Staszak
19. Scaredy-Cat – Natalie
20. My Surprise Punch – Natalie
21. Tricks For Treat – Megan Walvoord
22. She’ll Be Back – Linda Staszak
23. Tacky Trick – Jill
24. True Brew – Karen
25. Uncanny Cantations – Diana Gibson
26. Sylvester The Spider – MaryLee
27. A Silken Surprise – Tara
28. Halloween Fun With The Spider Family – Jenny
29. Cecil The Beetle (And the Web Of Wishes) – Vashti
30. The Halloween Spell Test – Mary Vander Plas
31. Some Arachnid – Mary Vander Plas
32. One Halloween Night – Dianne Moritz
33. Web Magic – Marcia
34. Itsy Bitsy Halloweensie – Jay
35. Cobs In Cahoots – Linda Staszak
36. Halloween Love – Polly
37. Lil Witch, MBA – Annie
38. Sneaky Sister – Keatley
39. Boo Quiet To Spook? – Sandy
40. The Witch’s Dilemma – Susan Summers
41. Halloween Hijinks – Susan Summers
42. Lottie’s Spin On Halloween – Marty Lapointe-Malchik
43. Smelloween – Deb Buschman
44. Monster School – Erin Rew
45. The Neighborhood Penguin – Nina
46. Spider’s Halloween Magic – Yolanda
47. The Halloween Hop – Sue
48. The Web – Anne
49. What Witch Whips Up – Linda Hofke
50. The Magician – Susan Drew
51. Hubble, Bubble, Toil And…Muddle? – Kael
52. Wanda Witch And Wilma – Lu
53. Witchy’s Party – Judy
54. This Little Piggy – Kaylynn
55. A Handsome Prince – Kaylynn
56. Take Your Medicine Like A Big Witch – Kaylynn
57. My Own Man – Kaylynn
58. A Heart (And Feet) Warming Halloween – Sheryl
59. Halloween – What’s Halloween? – Jenny
60. Potion Prank – Kristy
61. The Easy-Clean-Up Haunted House – Maryna
62. Ghost’s Pest Problem – Maryna
63. A Spider’s Cobweb Tale – Michelle Kennedy
64. The Little Cobweb With Big Dreams – Michelle Kennedy
65. Five Silly Witches – Mary Vander Plas
66. The Halloween Shortcut – Marty Bellis
67. A Potion Gone Wrong – Michelle Kennedy
68. Witch 101 – Lauren Neil
69. A Halloween Treat – Stacy
70. The Pretty Little Witch – Lucretia
71. Sally The Witch – Natalie
72. Greta Ghost’s Great Escape – Laura Bower
73. The Trick-Or-Treat Crusader – Laurie Carmody
74. Trick-urkey – Kelly
75. Wendela The Witch – Valerie
76. Trick Or Treat? – Marcia
77. Brewed For You – Diana Gibson
78. No Thank You – Diana Gibson
79. Trick And Treat: The Halloween Twins – Kiley
80. Halloween Hornswoggled – Kristy
81. Halloween Switcheroo – Dee
82. Skellarella: A Halloween Fairytale – Susan Schade
83. Three Cauldrons Full! (Play-On Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme) – Erin
84. It’s Party Time – Marty Bellis
85. Cobweb Soup – Kathy Shanahan
86. Goblin Hates Halloween – Ashley Fagan
87. Halloween Forever – Mary Rudzinski
88. Twinkle Twinkle Little Witch – Debbie Vidovich
89. A Pot Of Potion – Cheryl
90. A Famous Witch – Jill
91. A Halloween Visit – Paul
92. Cobwebs – Paul
93. Happy Halloween, Neighbor! – Paul
94. A Halloween Surprise – Lisa
95. Grandma’s Halloween Tricks – Debbie Wanninkhof
96. Cinderella’s Halloween – Stephanie
97. Bowl Of Sweets – Augusta
98. Boo Who? – Lolly
99. Spinderella Has A Ball! – Donna
100. Spinny Has A Ball! – Donna
101. Most Beautiful? – Donna
102. Tricky Witch Test – Ingrid
103. The Road To Grimly Gore – Roo
104. Cobweb Stew – Kathy Rahoy
105. Cat And Ady – Megan Kunz
106. Witcheroo Switcheroo – Amy Brazda
107. I Don’t Want To Go – Amy Brazda
108. Hallo-wedgies – Linda Staszak
109. The Invisible Dog – Kathi
110. Trim The Tree – Amy Duchene
111. Tricky Nicky – Rebecca
112. Cobweb Commotion– Charlotte
113. Bitsy The Spider – Thelia
114. Mitzy Bitzy Cobweb Potion – Nadia
115. Perfectly You – Mona
116. Miss Fancy Pants Spider – Pia
117. Bella’s Barnyard Halloween – Deb Buschman
118. The Perfect Caw-stume – Amy Duchene
119. Halloween Spook – Shariffa
120. Night Of Hallows – Shariffa
121. Sneaky Spiders – Ranessa
122. Big Tea Love Stew – Laura Heath
123. Webster – Mary Miller
124. Whoo! Whoo! Will Help! – Deb Buschman
125. The Little Witch Helps Out – Avana
126. Who Should I Be? – Ashley Congdon
127. Frankie And Frogg Pick A Costume – Ashley Congdon
128. The Sad Jackie-O-Lantern – Mary Thorpe
129. What Had They Found? – Mary Thorpe
130. Agatha’s Not So Witchy Halloween – Kristen Reinsel
131. An Early Christmas Present (For Halloween) – Kristen Reinsel
132. The Witches’ Rock – Mary Warth
133. Halloween Ubuntu – Elaine
134. Fake Ghost: A Sonnet – Jane
135. Trick Or Treat! – Cassy
136. Balthazar Bird And The Great Potion Commotion – Brian
137. Boo-Boo! A Little Ghost Story – JoAnn
138. Tricky Witchy – Mia
139. Grunt And Runt – Barbara
140. Snowflake The Scary – Becky
141. Only In America – Mindy
142. Cobwebs In Your Potion Does The Trick – Dorothy
143. What Spider Saw – Terri
144. Sable Spins Halloween – Darcee
145. Ghost’s Birthday Party – Sherry Fellores
146. A Hairy Trick – Joel
147. Always Pack The Potion – Sharon
148. Witchy Wobbles – Stacey
149. The Purr-fect Halloween Party – Amanda
150. The Frozen Witch – Amber
151. My Granny Is A Witch – Margaret
152. Jack O’Lantern’s Potion For Motion – Ketan
153. Halloween Story – Rafique
154. Jamie’s Halloween Day Challenge – Joan
155. Witch’s Trick – Susan Halko
156. A Batty Halloween – Katie Schwartz
157. Black Cat’s Dream – Kathy M
158. The Witches’ Bakery And The Forbidden Potion – Ashley Congdon
159. Master Of Potions – Katie Williams
160. A New Addition To The Family! – Susan Valli
161. Halloweenie Dog – Kristina
162. Marvin’s Mean Potion Mix-Up – Chambrae
163. Cast-Off Candies – Jennifer Broedel
164. Mighty Monty – Kelly Swemba
165. Spider’s First Halloween – Cynthia Argentine
166. Halloweenie Hide And Seek Ye – Michele Ziemke
167. Witchy’s Bungled Brew – Beth
168. Lovesick: Haunting The Stacks – Kerry
169. Dark Dark Magic – Pat
170. Save-This-Night – Pat
171. Casper, Jasper, And Fang – Gabrielle
172. Jimmy The Meanie – Jen
173. Itchy Witchy Underwear – Katrina
174. Halloween Night – Susan Burd
175. Ghost Trail – Cynthia Stone-Medina
176. Fatty Batty – Vanessa
177. Gwendolyn Dee The Halloween Queen – Rachael
178. My Mummy’s A Witch – Tracy Curran
179. Goldiwitch – Dave
180. The Scaredy-Ghost – Kate
181. The HalloWeenteam – Dedra
182. Meanwhile At Witchmart – JC
183. Is It Really Halloween – Shariffa
184. Incantations – Elizabeth
185. Laney’s Creepy Night Out – Sheila
186. The Disappearing Potion – Jim
187. Zippity Zora – Kristy
188. Halloween Party – Chandra
189. Halloween Howl – Chandra
190. The Count’s Haunted Mansion – Dawn
191. Haunted House – Chandra
192. Why They Are My Ex-Friends – Sylvia
193. Fishy Witchy’s Halloween Treat – Shelley
194. The Thud In The Cellar – Michelle
195. A MOMster’s Warning – Stephanie Shaw
196. An Un-afraid – Erin Fleming
197. Witch’s Halloween Party – Vanessa
Susanna Leonard Hill 
You must be logged in to post a comment.