The 9th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!!

October 28, 2019November 7, 20191,294 Comments

***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

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Dawn Young!

October 22, 2019October 21, 201929 Comments

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to another exciting installment of Tuesday Debut!

I realize of course that it’s the 22nd of October – 9 Nights Before Halloween, and 64 Nights Before Christmas – but if it’s okay for the local Stop & Shop to be putting out their holiday items already then it’s okay for us to share and enjoy today’s debut picture book!

I’m thrilled to introduce Tuesday Debut-ess Dawn Young and her fabulously fun picture book, The Night Baafore Christmas!

The Night Baafore Christmas
Written by Dawn Young
Illustrated by Pablo Pino
published by WorthyKids, Hachette Book Group
October 2019
fiction, ages 4-8

It’s Christmas Eve and Bo can’t sleep, so he starts counting sheep. But when the sheep get a glimpse of the Christmas goodies, they scatter, wreaking holiday mayhem all over the house. With a house full of sheep and a mess to clean, will Bo get to sleep before Santa comes? Find out in this hilarious story of a night before Christmas gone baa-dly wrong.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Dawn! And thank you so much for stopping by to chat with us today and share your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?

DAWN: The idea for The Night Baafore Christmas began a long time ago, when one of my daughters was having trouble falling asleep because she kept worrying about bad things after watching the movie Barnyard. Every night I’d tell her to think good thoughts and imagine herself at fun, happy places like the circus or the zoo.

With that in mind, I wrote about a child who, struggling to fall asleep due to bad thoughts, went to those same fun, happy places. But a story about a child going from adventure to adventure felt flat and needed something more, so I had the child attempt to count sheep to fall asleep. Soon, those mischievous sheep were tagging along on the adventures. At that point, the story had some spark but things went from flat to frenzied and I knew I needed to tighten the story.

Also, I wanted the story to start on a more positive note, so instead of having the child worry about bad things, I had the excitement over an upcoming event, like the eve of a birthday or a holiday, be the reason the child couldn’t fall sleep. I played around with both, but found myself heading down the birthday path. Then, after seeing the holiday mishap contest on Susanna’s blog, I shifted to Christmas, and wrote a draft of what is now The Night Baafore Christmas.

[And now a brief message from our sponsors – enter the Halloweensie Contest (which opens in a week)! You too could write a new story or find a new angle on a work-in-progress that might be worthy of publication just like Dawn!

…aaand back to our regularly scheduled programming…! 🙂 ]

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

DAWN: Years! I began writing the story in 2008. Getting feedback from my critique partners and creating dummies were a big part of getting the book to where it is today. I love to write in rhyme, and I wanted this story to be in rhyme. Knowing that most publishers prefer prose because too often (they say) they see rhyme that is subpar, I worked on my perfecting my rhyming skills. Also, I wanted this story to be fun and funny, so I focused on wordplay and humor.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

DAWN: This story went through many, many, many revisions. Even after adding the sheep, the story went through rounds and rounds of revisions. Early drafts were written in first person, and now the story is in third person. Playing around with POV is a great exercise.

Also, originally, the sheep appeared by number randomly to mirror the craziness of the story. Then, I received feedback suggesting I number the sheep in ascending order when the action escalates and in descending order when the momentum slows down. I revised accordingly, and it worked great and gave the story a smoother flow. I’m grateful for the feedback!

For me, critique groups/partners are key to the process. We look to our critique partners for feedback to help us revise our stories, and their suggestions are invaluable. I find that I make a great deal of progress with my manuscripts when I, not only consider the feedback I get, but also the feedback I give. When I do a critique, I think my inner self is trying to speak to me through someone else’s work. Often, I find myself saying, Wait I just did that same thing! A critique you’re doing for someone can act as a mirror, enabling you to reflect on your own writing as well.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

DAWN: When that nagging, unsettling, “something’s missing,” “if you stop now you’re cheating,” “you can do better than that,” feeling, the one that keeps me up at night, is gone, then I know the manuscript is ready for submission.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

DAWN: Unagented at the time, I read on Kathy Temean’s blog that WorthyKids was seeking submissions for holiday stories, so I subbed the old-school way, via snail mail! Shortly after the submission, I assigned with my (now) agent and she handled the contract.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

DAWN: Four months after I submitted, I got an email from the editor asking if the story was still available. I was ecstatic! Then around ten months later I got the offer.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

DAWN: I cried, the happiest of tears, and eventually I went out to dinner with my very supportive husband.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

DAWN: At the time I submitted to WorthyKids, they were a smaller publisher so I figured the advance might be on the lower side. I really liked the publisher and the timeline for publication was unreal. I signed the contract in Nov 2018 and they gave me a Fall 2019 pub date. I felt so fortunate. In the meantime, WorthyKids became part of Hachette Book Group, so my small publisher isn’t so small anymore.

SUSANNA: What was the editorial process like for you?

DAWN: They requested two minor changes and that was it.

SUSANNA: What can you tell us about your experience of the illustration process?

DAWN: The illustration process was unlike most I’ve read about. The editor suggested that I send her names of illustrators that had a style similar to what I was envisioning for the book. One of the names I gave her was Pablo Pino. Since they had Pablo in mind as well, they asked him and he said yes. His illustrations went beyond what I could have ever hoped for. They’re are beautiful, fun and funny. I feel so fortunate that Pablo Pino is the illustrator. The Night Baafore Christmas couldn’t have been in better hands!

One way in which illustrator’s vision departed from mine was that I envisioned the sheep’s numbers to be on their bodies, but Pablo put their numbers on tags around their necks, and I’m so glad he did because they’re visible but subtle. Having big ole numbers on their backs may have overpowered the page.

I saw digital files of the entire book before it went to print and I was blown away! The editor asked for feedback. Other than saying Wow more times than I can count, I think I had only two (minor) comments.

I did have art notes. Looking back I can see that they weren’t necessary.

text copyright Dawn Young 2019, illustration copyright Pablo Pino 2019 WorthyKids/Hachette

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

DAWN: No, not yet.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

DAWN: Ten months.

SUSANNA: If your book has been out for at least one statement cycle, has it earned out yet?

DAWN: It just released on Oct 1^st.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

DAWN: My publisher has been amazing. They made the most lively, fun, festive trailer, and they’re contacting book reviewers, making memes, and doing a great deal of promotion.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

DAWN: I had flyers, bookmarks, stickers and a banner made. I reached out to bloggers asking them I could be featured on their blogs to share my journey and the book’s journey. I will be featured at bookstores in November and December and I’m booking other events as well.

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

DAWN: I started writing in 2007, but at the time, my kids were small, and I was busy with toddlers and very involved at their school, so I’d say I was more of a part-time writer. Around 2010, I got really serious about writing and began attending conferences and writing retreats, taking classes, joining critique groups and writing ALL the time. Strictly a rhymer, I thought it would be best to branch out and be more diverse with my style, so around that time, I started writing in prose as well. In 2018, I sold my first picture book, Counting Elephants, which releases in March 2020 and sold The Night Baafore Christmas shortly after.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

DAWN: Way back when, I submitted the very early versions of this story and they got their share of rejections, as they should have. Those versions were nowhere near ready and should not have been out in the world ‒ much like a 13 year old behind the wheel of a car! The rejections I received were a blessing. As much as I dreaded them and resented them, they made me work harder, thinker deeper and get more ingenious. I learned to welcome them. I have a quote I like to remember when things aren’t going as expected: “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

I learned that getting published requires more patience and persistence than I ever thought I had.

I also learned to celebrate the positive things. Back in 2013, I submitted this story to an editor who spoke at a conference I attended. Shortly after I received a rejection letter from her, but this time, I also got positive feedback. The editor called the story “fun and engaging” and she called my writing “fresh” and had other nice things to say. Even though it was a rejection, I celebrated her encouraging feedback, and to this day I still have her letter on my desk.

I feel very fortunate to be a part of such a fabulously generous and thoughtful kidlit community. The support and encouragement is incredible. No one knows a writer’s life like a writer does.

SUSANNA: Wow, Dawn! Such a lot of wonderful, helpful insights you shared with us today! I especially enjoyed your thoughts on critique groups/partners, when you know your manuscript is ready, and what it’s like to be a writer and part of the writing community. I’m sure our readers will all have their favorite parts as well 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers!

Author Dawn Young

Dawn Young bio:

Dawn graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and later with an MBA. For years, Dawn worked as an engineer and, later, manager at a large aerospace company, until her creative side called her to pursue her dream of writing children’s books. After reading and writing hundreds of corporate documents, none of which were titled The Little Engineer Who Could or Don’t Let the Pigeon Fly the Airbus, Dawn is thrilled to now be reading and writing picture books instead.

Dawn is also a math enthusiast. When she’s not busy writing and reading, she can be found doing math problems, sometimes just because… In high school, Dawn’s dream was to have a math equation named after her, but now, she believes having her name on the cover of books is a million times better! Dawn lives with her husband, three children and golden retriever in sunny Arizona.

https://www.facebook.com/dawn.young.1865

https://twitter.com/dawnyoungPB

https://www.instagram.com/dawnyoungbooks/

www.dawnyoungbooks.com

Readers, if you have questions for Dawn, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

You may purchase Dawn’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Hannah Holt – The Diamond And The Boy

Laura Renauld – Porcupine’s Pie

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

Melissa Stoller – Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush

Sherry Howard – Rock And Roll Woods

Kate Narita – 100 Bugs! A Counting Book

Vivian Kirkfield – Pippa’s Passover Plate

Laura Roettiger – Aliana Reaches For The Moon