Happy Middle-of-Hanukkah, Merry Christmas Eve Eve, or Joyous Whatever you celebrate!
Are you ready to gather ’round the Old Joanna and sing a few tunes?
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Tag: Gabi Snyder
Ho! Ho! Ho! The 12th Annual Holiday Writing Contest Is HERE!!!
⭐️Deck the Halls! ⭐️ Light the menorah! ⭐️ Fill the Kikombe cha Umoja! ⭐️
It’s time for the . . .
12th Annual Holiday Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
Continue reading
Ho! Ho! Ho! The 11th Annual Holiday Contest Is HERE!!!
⭐️Deck the Halls! ⭐️ Light the menorah! ⭐️ Fill the Kikombe cha Umoja! ⭐️
It’s time for . . .
The 11th Annual Holiday Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about a Holiday Contest!
Your contest can be anything you want! Baking, wrapping, decorating (tree or home), raising money or collecting gifts for those in need, ice skating, sledding, caroling, fancy dress, snowman or fort building. . . sky’s the limit! But it must be about a holiday contest!
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s or whatever you celebrate during the Holiday Season, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 😊 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 😊 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted between right now this very second and Thursday December 9th at 11:59 PM EST, and must be posted below in the comment section of this post. All entries should include a title, byline (people always ask what this is – it means who the entry was written by, so, by Suzy Q. Writer or whoever 😊) and word count. You are welcome to also post your entries on your own blogs and include your blog address with your entry here if you’d like to encourage people to come visit your blog, but your entry must be posted in the comment section of this post or it will not be counted because we won’t see it. This post will remain up for your reading pleasure until I post the finalists. There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or Perfect Picture Book) for the duration of the contest so everyone will have plenty of time to visit and enjoy. If you have trouble commenting, you can email your entry to me and I will post it for you. Please copy and paste your entry with word count and byline into the body of the email – NO ATTACHMENTS please.
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 12 finalists. In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Tuesday December 14th for you to vote on for a winner. (But it almost always seems to end up taking us longer. . . so it might be a day or two later.) The vote will be closed on Thursday December 16th at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to twelfth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Friday December 17th. (These dates are subject to adjustment if it takes the judges longer than we anticipate to get the judging completed.)
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. Holiday Contest! – the rules state a Holiday Contest story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about a contest that in some way relates to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s, or whatever seasonal winter holiday you choose. The story must center on the contest – the contest must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
- 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. Please proofread!
- 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!: Oh! Such wonderful prizes! All I can say is, how lucky are we to be part of such a talented and generous community that offers such amazing prizes!
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! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming or Non-rhyming, Fiction or Nonfiction) with written feedback AND a 30-minute Zoom Chat with children’s author Vivian Kirkfield, author of PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate, 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE (Little Bee Books, 2020), FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES (Clarion Books, 2021), and SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING (MoneyPenny Press Ltd, 2010)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming or Non-rhyming, Fiction or Nonfiction) with a recording of first read-through by children’s author and poet Sarah Meade, contributor to HOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING (Pomelo Books, 2020!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique/Zoom Chat (Non-rhyming) from children’s author Janie Reinart, author of WHEN WATER MAKES MUD: A STORY OF REFUGEE CHILDREN (Blue Whale Press, 2021)!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming) PLUS Zoom Chat from developmental editor Lou Piccolo! Lou studied English Literature, creative writing and teaching at university in South Africa. After working as an EFL teacher in France for twenty years, she studied proofreading and editing before becoming a developmental editor of children’s and young adult’s literature for independent authors. She is a graduate of Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab – Punching Up Prose With Poetry course and Making Picture Book Magic, the in-house writer for Editions Entrefilet’s language-learning magazine ‘Go English Kids’ for children of 8-12 in France, and a traditionally published author of MG and YA fiction with Burlington Books.
⭐️ Connecting With School Librarians! Fabulous Opportunity for published or soon to be published authors! Winner’s Choice of either a Zoom or phone chat about how to connect with school librarians and get their ear or an Ask Me Anything Zoom or phone chat about K-8th grade author visits from a librarian’s POV from Kathy Halsey. Kathy Halsey is Storyteller Academy’s Community Manager and Ambassador. She enjoys writing picture books, humor, and nonfiction. Kathy’s active in SCBWI and blogs with other kid lit writers on the GROG. She serves on the Choose to Read Ohio Advisory Council and speaks at educational and literary conferences. Kathy’s a former K-12 school librarian and children’s bookseller. She writes monthly author studies for the Reading for Research Month along with Keila Dawson.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyme or Prose, fiction only) from children’s author Shelley Kinder! Shelley is the author of NOT SO SCARY JERRY (Spork 2017), THE MASTERPIECE (Spork 2018) and GOD AND ME AND THE SEA (Kregel Children’s Books, May 17, 2022)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (written) PLUS 15 minute Zoom Chat (no nonfiction) from Cindy Williams Schrauben author of THIS COULD BE YOU (Cardinal Rule Press, April 1, 2022)!
⭐️ Zoom Visit to a classroom or to kids at home by children’s author Ellen Leventhal! Ellen is the author of DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork, 2017), LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork, 2018), HAYFEST: A HOLIDAY QUEST (ABCs Press, 2010), and A FLOOD OF KINDNESS (WorthyKids, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Heather Gale, author of HO’ONANI: HULA WARRIOR (Tundra Books, 2019) which was one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids 2019, one of the Ontario Library Association’s 2019 Top Ten Titles, Featured on the 2020 Rainbow Book List, Featured on the 2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, and received a Booklist Starred Review!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Maria Marshall! Maria is a children’s author, blogger, and poet passionate about making nature fun for children. She’s a judge for the Cybils Awards and the #50PreciousWords competition. Four of her poems are published in The Best Of Today’s Little Ditty anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. The Picture Book Buzz Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
⭐️ A Reversible Handmade Christmas Stocking or Other Winter or Holiday-Themed Gift Bag from Karen Gebbia PLUS a Personalized Signed Copy of CURIOSITY’S DISCOVERY by Nancy Derey Riley to fill it!
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of either QUEEN OF PHYSICS:How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom (Sterling Children’s Books 2019) or TWO BICYCLES IN BEIJING (Albert Whitman 2020) (Winner’s Choice!) by Teresa Robeson
PLUS!!!
a Personalized Signed Copy of either LISTEN (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 2021) or TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE (Harry N. Abrams 2020) (Winner’s Choice!) by Gabi Snyder
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of THE QUEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE: Queen Charlotte’s Gift to England (Albert Whitman 2018) by Nancy Churnin PLUS a Digital Copy of THE STAR IN THE CHRISTMAS PLAY (Beaming Books 2018) by Lynne Marie
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of MY SCHOOL STINKS! (Philomel July 2021) by Becky Scharnhorst PLUS a Kindle or Audiobook Copy of either FUNNY JIMMY (AuthorHouse 2011) or THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF RIDDLES (Avid Readers Publishing Group 2011) (Winner’s Choice!) by Vanessa Rose Lee
⭐️ Winner’s Choice of 2 of the following 4 picture books, kindly donated by Dee Knabb!
- LILLYBELLE, A DAMSEL NOT IN DISTRESS by Joana Pastro
- ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME by Juana Martinez-Neal (signed by the author/illustrator)
- TINY CREATURES by Nicola Davies (NF)
- PIPSQUEAKS, SLOWPOKES, AND STINKERS by Melissa Stewart (NF)
With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot of entries – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire 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 you MUST post your entry in the comment section below and include title, byline, and word count.
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links below, click on them (they’ll take you directly to whichever story you click on), and enjoy the stories!
So let the Holiday Contest begin!
Happy Writing and Happy Holidays! 😊 ☃️ ✡️ ⭐️ ❄️ 🎄🕯🕎
I can’t wait to read your entries!!!
THE ENTRIES!
- It Takes A Forest – Lucretia Schafroth
- The Kelpie Challenge – Bonnie Kelso
- The Cookies Of Holiday Hollow – Royal Baysinger
- Elf Off The Shelf – Anne Lipton
- The Trolls: A Winter Tale – Royal Baysinger
- Upon A Winter Solstice – Royal Baysinger
- So You Think You Can Prance – Amy Leskowski
- The Festive Flying Race – Nicola Beach
- Birdie’s Song – Beth Stillborn
- The Holiday Homework – Sue Lancaster
- How Tiny Won A Seat On Santa’s Sleigh – Elizabeth Westra
- The Claus’ Candy Cane Contest – Susan Schipper
- He Knows If You’ve Been Bad Or Good – Colleen Murphy
- Olive, The Other Reindeer – Lindsay Moretti
- Go Green For Christmas – Margaret Zotkiewicz
- Tree Number Nine – Lindsey Hobson
- Christmas Boots – P.J. Purtee
- Ellarose’s Sweater – Marta Cutler
- A Fourth Grader’s Poster Problem – Jennifer Vose
- A Buggie Tradition – Kay Inglis
- Kendy And The Solstice Solo Show – Sarah Meade
- Elsie And The Christmas Comedy Contest – Sarah Meade
- The Better Elf On The Shelf – Molly Ippolito
- Ernie And The Science Fair – Deborah Foster
- Mr. Tweedy’s Christmas Trees – Colleen Fogarty
- Best Wrapped Surprise – Sara Dean
- Christmas Eve Ride Along Contest – Dawn Young
- The Christmas Tree Contest – Dorothy K. Kohrherr
- Alfredo Learns The Secret Of Greatness – Joan Leotta
- The Pretty Ugly Sweater – Pamela Swanson
- Jamie’s Holiday Surprise – Diana Sussman
- Katie’s Snow Creation – Marty B.
- The Tasty Treat Christmas Contest – Katie Brandyberry
- Santa’s Secret Contest – Linda Staszak
- Phoebe’s Snowperson – Kelly Clasen
- THAT’S Not A Christmas Cookie! – Vanessa Konoval
- Candy Pies – Sharon McCarthy
- Solstice Skaters – Allison Strick
- The Best Gift Ever – Pen Avey
- The Most Christmassy House – Jen MacGregor
- Candy Caribou – Steena Hernandez
- A Christmas Pickle Story – Daniella Kaufman-Schloss
- Shining Star – Sarah Hawklyn
- Grumpy Snow Pants – Stephanie Maksymiw
- The Best Reading Contest Of Winter, 1959 – Beth Schmelzer
- Playground Games – Colleen Dougherty
- Simply The Best – Nicole Loos Miller
- Bear’s Christmas Cookie – Marta Cutler
- Happy Everything! – Laura Barens
- Dancing With The Elves – Jill Lambert
- A Creature Was Stirring – Judy Sobanski
- The Monster On Christmas Eve – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
- What Christmas Means To Me – Marty Findley
- A Miscalculation – Emily Durant
- Lily And The Winter Festival – Karen J Moore
- 2021 Monkey Merry Xmas – Shariffa Keshavjee
- The Ginger Friend House – Kelly Swemba
- Gingerbread House Extravaganza – Elaine D’Alessandro
- Parol: This Little Star Of Mine – Lynn Grace Wong
- Christmas Song – YauMei Chiang
- Reindeer Games – Tiffany Hanson
- The Cookie Contest Caper – Kelsey E. Gross
- The Clean-Out-The-Clutter Contest – Sarah Demarest Guthrie
- The Contest – Amanda Sherlock
- Asher’s Chanukiah – Dina Silverberg
- Best Hanukkah Ever! – Paul Kurtz
- Cinder-Latke – Paul Kurtz
- Bunny Claus – Donna Kurtz
- Jangle Shells – Donna Kurtz
- Spin – Cheryl Simon
- Fantastical Fairytown Christmas Snowflake Contest – Ellen Crosby
- The Winning Recipe – Judy Abelove Shemtob
- The Greatest Display Of All – Barbara Kimmel
- Sparky’s Wish – Ingrid Boydston
- The Night After Christmas – Abby N. Wooldridge
- The Claus’s Hawaiian Vacation – C. S. Boyll
- Gifts For Grandma – Cindy Sommer
- Keep Christmas Coming – Jeannette Suhr
- The Most Special Ornament – Timothy Hicks
- Santa’s Workshop Winners – Polly Owen
- Elfie Selfie Contest – Stephanie Henson
- The Great Holiday Bake Off – Jamie Donahoe
- Laughing All The Way – Sarah Hetu
- A Sack Full Of Presents – Patricia Nozell
- Fairy Tale Houses – Jim Chaize
- Christmas…By A Nose – Jesse Anna Bornemann
- Reindeer Sing…Are You Listening? – Katie Schwartz
- Christmas Carrots – Vashti Verbowski
- Being Santa Lucia – Cindy Greene
- Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin – Who Will Win? – Stephanie Wildman
- ANDRÉS BLUE RIBBON – Carmen Castillo Gilbert
- The Chubby Bunny Champion – Alicia Meyers
- Up And Away! – Kristy Roser Nuttall
- Christmas Isn’t – Ingrid Boydston
- The Christmas Pirate – Julianna Kurtz
- Maryam’s Happy Persian Christmas – Shadi Kafi
- The Most Beautiful Snowflake Of All – Cassie Silva
- Fire And Ice – Jyn Hall
- The Santa Spectacle – Mary Cathering Amadu
- A Jarring Contest – Bru Benson
- Everything – Sandhya Acharya
- Similarity Despite Diversity – Eva Felder
- O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree – Becky Goodman
- Solstice Wars! – Phoebe Browning
- Gingerbread Surprise – JC Kelly
- Squirrels Christmas – Charlotte Boyer
- The Holiday Contest – Denise Seidman
- The Witch’s Gingerbread House – Lauri Meyers
- Elf Rivalry – Michelle S. Kennedy
- Dream Big, Little Pip! – Sally Yorke-Viney
- An Extraordinary Elf – Becky Kimbrough
- Jasmine Jingletoes And The Christmas Stocking Contest – Brenda Covert
- Let There Be (MORE!) Lights – Judy Carey Nevin
- Laughing All The Way – Samantha Gassman
Perfect Picture Book Friday – Listen
Hello again, my friends!
Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays!
I know we’ve seen each other on and off over the summer for Tuesday Debuts, but it’s great to be back to the regular routine. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is filled with enthusiasm for the coming school year and inspiration for lots of new stories!
I’m starting off the school year with a book I think everyone – kids, teachers, and parents – will find helpful and enjoyable as they’re settling into their new routines.
Title: Listen
Written By: Gabi Snyder
Illustrated By: Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: listening, attention, empathy
Opening: “When you step out into the big, wild world, sometimes all you hear is. . . NOISE!”
Brief Synopsis: The world is a noisy place, but what happens if you just stop, close your eyes, and listen?
Links To Resources: the book has a nice section of back matter that tells about the sense of hearing, and different kinds of listening; stop what you’re doing, close you eyes, and listen – what do you hear?; go for a walk and pay attention to the sounds around you – what do you hear?; talk about sounds you like and sounds you don’t like, times when you like noise and times when you like quiet.
Why I Like This Book: This lovely quiet book encourages children to pause, take a breath, stop the constant busy-ness of the world around them, and listen. Filter out the noise – literal and figurative – and focus on what matters. It helps them understand the importance of mindfulness and attention in the context of daily life. In the course of the story, the child goes from hearing the cacophony of noises in a busy street, to separating them out, to hearing “words of joy” and “words that sting” when a classmates feelings are hurt, to hearing the voice inside her, and the “hush and whispers” of nighttime. The art is perfect for the story, soft and appealing with lots of lovely details. A book every child will enjoy!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week! And if you posted books over the summer, please feel free to add them here as well! And my apologies – I did something wrong and the links aren’t showing up, so I copied and pasted them below and will try to fix the problem for next week!
| 9/3/2021 6:19:04 | OUTSIDE, INSIDE | https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250798350 | LeUyen Pham | same | Roaring Book Press | 2021 | Perseverance and hope during a trying time is universal and waiting is a part of life. universal. Waiting | ||
| 9/3/2021 8:51:47 | 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag | https://patricianozell.com/2021/09/03/ppbf-30000-stitches-the-inspiring-story-of-the-national-9-11-flag/ | Amanda Davis | Sally Wern Comport | WorthBooks | 2021 | 9/11, American Flag, community | ||
| 9/3/2021 10:56:22 | Cougar Crossing: HOW HOLLYWOOD’S CELEBRITY COUGAR HELPED BUILD A BRIDGE FOR CITY WILDLIFE | https://jilannehoffmann.com/2021/09/03/cougar-crossing-perfect-picture-book-friday/ | Meeg Pincus | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Wildlife conservation, LA history, ecology | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:52:55 | Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/09/mary-annings-curiosities.html | Linda Skeers | Marta Álvarez Miguéns | Sourcebooks Explore | 2020 | fossils, biography, nonfiction | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:54:12 | Avocado Asks | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/09/avocado-in-search-of-self.html | Momoko Abe | Doubleday Books for Young Readers | 2021 | imagination, identity | |||
| 9/3/2021 13:57:00 | The Bug Girl: A True Story | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/08/two-great-bug-books.html | Sophia Spencer | Kerascoët | Schwartz & Wade | 2020 | insects, nature, STEM | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:00:14 | The Thingity-Jig | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/06/what-if-you-found-thingity-jig.html | Kathleen Doherty | Kristyna Litten | Peachtree | 2021 | mystery, fun, invention | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:05:22 | Too Shy to Say Hi | https://childrensbooksheal.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/too-shy-to-say-hi-by-shannon-anderson/ | Shannon Anderson | Hiroe Nakata | Magination Press | 2021 | Bashfulness, Friendship, School | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:09:07 | Not Little | https://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com/ | Maya Myers | Hyewon Yum | Neal Porter/Holiday House | 2021 | Size, bullying, self-awareness | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:03:28 | Just You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the Wild | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/just-you-and-me-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Jennifer Ward | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Symbiotic relationships, nature, and conservation. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:05:27 | Big Bear Was Not the Same | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/big-bear-was-not-the-same-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Joanna Rowland | John Ledda | Beaming Books | 2021 | Friendship, trauma, hope, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:06:57 | Unraveled | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/unraveled-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leanne Hatch | Leanne Hatch | Holiday House | 2021 | Growing up, loss, and holding on to memories. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:09:04 | I Love You With All My Hearts | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-love-you-with-all-my-hearts-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Lindsay Bonilla | Eleonora Pace | The Creative Company | 2021 | Love, family, and animals | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:10:42 | Little Leonards’ Fascinating World of Astronomy | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-leonard-s-fascinating-world-of-astronomy-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Sarafina Nance | Greg Paprocki | Gibbs Smith Publisher | 2021 | Astronomy, space, and STEM, | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:12:36 | When Grandfather Flew | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/when-grandfather-flew-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Patricia MacLachlan | Chris Sheban | Neal Porter Books | 2021 | Birding, death, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:14:28 | The Perfect Plan | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-perfect-plan-the-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leah Gilbert | Leah Gilbert | Bloomsbury USA | 2021 | Creativity, collaboration, and determination. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:16:11 | Mimic Makers: Biomimicry Inventions Inspired by Nature | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/mimic-makers-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Kristen Nordstrom | Paul Boston | Charlesbridge | 2021 | Nature inspired inventions, creativity, and problem solving. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:17:34 | Little Bat in Night School | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-bat-in-night-school-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Brian Lies | Brian Lies | HMH Books | 2021 | First day of school, friendship, and bravery. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:21:01 | I Want A Boat | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-want-a-boat-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Liz Garton Scanlon | Kevan Atteberry | Holiday House | 2021 | Imagination and adventure. | ||
| 9/4/2021 21:04:55 | THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem | https://viviankirkfield.com/2021/09/03/perfect-picture-book-friday-the-great-stink-how-joseph-bazalgette-solved-londons-poop-pollution-problem-plus-giveaway/ | Colleen Paeff | Nancy Carpenter | Maraget K. McElderry Books | 2021 | History of London, Pollution, STEM |
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
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
Tuesday Debut – Presenting Gabi Snyder!
Welcome to Tuesday Debut, Everyone!
We all have our favorite books from childhood, and one of mine happens to be GO, DOG. GO! by P.D. Eastman. If you’re as ancient as I am you may be familiar with it 😊 Anyway, although it is new and different, there is something about today’s debut picture book which hearkens back to that a bit, so I instantly loved the look of this brand new title!
Today’s Debut-ess is the lovely and talented Gabi Snyder, here to share with us her journey to the publication of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE!
Two Dogs on a Trike
Written by Gabi Snyder
Illustrated by Robin Rosenthal
Abrams Appleseed, May 19, 2020
Fiction; baby to 5 years
Count up to 10 and back down again in this picture book starring 10 traveling dogs and one very tenacious cat!
SUSANNA: Welcome, Gabi! Congratulations on the publication of your delightful book, and thank you so much for joining us today to share your experience! Where did the idea for this book come from?
GABI: The dog versus cat dynamic that plays out in TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE was inspired, in part, by my childhood pets. I grew up with a cat we called Kinko (named for his kinked tail) and an assortment of dogs. Kinko was the undisputed boss. Now my family includes one dog and one cat. (They take turns keeping each other in line.)
And, as a kid, one of my favorite picture books was GO, DOG. GO! by P.D. Eastman. I must’ve read that book hundreds of times. The silly dogs and sense of movement and fun in TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE are, in part, an homage to the P.D. Eastman classic. (But as one of my critique partners pointed out, “without the weird hat stuff.”)
Gabi’s work space and writing buddies 😊
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
GABI: Unlike most of my stories, drafting TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE was fairly quick and painless. It came out mostly whole. Of course, my brilliant critique partners still had suggestions for taking it to the next level.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
GABI: With this book, revisions were fairly minimal. But, in general with a picture book, I think it’s helpful to get a complete first draft down in one sitting. And then I like to let the draft sit and marinate for bit – at least a week. If, after marinating, it still shines, still feels like a promising idea, I revise again. Sometimes I revise several more times before the manuscript feels ready for my critique partners.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
GABI: I didn’t! It’s lucky I shared TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE with my critique partners because I might not have thought to submit the story to agents and editors if my CP Mary Worley hadn’t encouraged me to send it out.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
GABI: I submitted TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, and many other picture book manuscripts, to agents as well as editors at small presses before signing with my agent, the fabulous Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary, in July 2018.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
GABI: We received an offer from Meredith Mundy at Abrams Appleseed in late August 2018. It all happened very quickly – but it followed a long wait! I’d been submitting picture book manuscripts to agents and editors since 2014.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
GABI: Honestly, it took awhile for the good news to fully sink in. I didn’t quite believe it and mostly went on in a business as usual manner for a few days. But my awesome critique partners encouraged me to take a moment to pause and celebrate. So I took my family out for a special dinner.
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
GABI: The contract was in line with my expectations. I was happy to have my agent negotiate the contract for me and know what improvements we could ask for. For a first book, I think the advance was reasonable and the royalty percentages line up with industry standards. I’m delighted that 20 author copies will be coming my way!
And, for picture book publishing, the timeline was actually pretty fast—from offer to published book in under two years!
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about what the editorial process was like?
GABI: I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with editor Meredith Mundy and the team at Abrams. The suggested text changes were pretty minor, but definitely strengthened the story. Additionally, we made some punctuation edits—changing the periods in the counting down section of the story to exclamation points to heighten the urgency of the chase!
SUSANNA: What can you tell us about your experience of the illustration process?
GABI: As a newbie, I didn’t know what to expect, but was happily surprised that Meredith kept me apprised of each new development with the art. Once we had a finished book, Meredith asked me whether the illustrations matched what I envisioned when I submitted the text. In truth, the book’s illustrations are even more adorable and humorous than I’d imagined. The 80s retro vibe/wardrobing of Robin Rosenthal’s characters is very much in line with my aesthetic. It may sound clichéd, but there’s something magical about the picture book collaboration between an author and an illustrator. The whole is so much more than the two parts!
Art notes played a huge role in my manuscript! For example, at the start of my manuscript, I included this overarching note:
{Art: A cat watches as her dog escapes their yard through an unlatched gate. The reader sees the cat follow, but she is unseen by the dogs. With each new mode of transportation, another dog joins the adventure.}
Here’s one of the finished spreads, showing the cat in hot pursuit!
And here’s another one just for fun 😊
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
GABI: So I’d heard several writers and illustrators advise new authors (and really all authors) NOT to read reviews. They can sometimes be disheartening; not everyone will love everything you write. And I was all set to follow that advice! But then in late February my editor emailed me with the news that TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE had received a Kirkus starred review! Reading the review still gives me a thrill. You can read it here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/gabi-snyder/two-dogs-on-a-trike/
Though not as glowing as the Kirkus review, SLJ also gave the book a positive review, calling it, “A recommended purchase.”
The downside of that fur-raising first review from Kirkus is that since then I’ve been waiting and watching for more reviews! I’m embarrassed to say I’ve been Googling my book. Not recommended!
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
GABI: I received my advance copy in December 2019, so from offer to first copy was only about 16 months – super fast! The announced first print run was 15,000. Fingers crossed all those copies sell!
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
GABI: I think the bulk of the pre-publication promotion has focused on advance mailing to trade reviewers, educators, and librarians. I believe Abrams intends to promote more at publication with targeted outreach to parenting websites and blogs as well as social media campaigns.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
GABI: I joined a debut group, the 2020 Debut Crew, to help with marketing and promotion. We share marketing strategies and help spread the word about each other’s debut picture books.
And Robin Rosenthal has created a whole bunch of amazing graphics, including this one, to promote the book.
SUSANNA: That is beautiful! 😊 How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
GABI: It depends on your definition of “writing seriously” – LOL! I studied creative writing in the early aughts but then mostly set my own writing aside for several years.
Fast forward to 2013: when my kids were little (3 and 5), we moved from Austin to Corvallis, Oregon. With a break from work following the move, I found time to get back to my own writing. Only by then, reading daily with my two littles, I’d become immersed in the world of picture books and fallen in love with this form of storytelling. In 2014, I wrote my first picture book and soon after started submitting to agents and editors. So you could say I’d been writing seriously for children for four years before I sold my first picture book, but I’d been a writer much longer.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
GABI: Be gentle with yourself; in other words, don’t expect instant brilliance, instant success. And be especially easy on yourself right now when your attention is likely pulled in so many directions. In times of stress, it can be easy to fall back on bad old habits, like berating yourself for not getting enough writing done or mindlessly scrolling through social media when you mean to be writing. That’s when it’s especially important to lean heavily on your good habits. If taking walks helps clear your head and let you focus, then (assuming you can safely walk right now) keep taking walks!
(Also, keep writing new stories not just revising the old!)
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
GABI: You never know what’s might inspire a story; keep an open mind and jot down every idea!
SUSANNA: Great advice! Thank you so much, Gabi, for taking the time to participate in this series and pay it forward to other writers! I know I speak for all of us when I say congratulations on your starred debut and all the best of luck with this and future publications!!!
GABI: I hope my answers are helpful. Thanks, Susanna, for all you do for the kidlit community. Your blog and website are such amazing resources!
Author Gabi Snyder
Website: gabisnyder.com
Twitter: @Gabi_A_Snyder
Instagram: @gabi_snyder_writer
Readers, if you have questions for Gabi, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Gabi’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
Matthew Lasley – Pedro’s Pan: A Gold Rush Story
Natalee Creech – When Day Is Done
Margaret Chiu Greanias – Maximillian Villainous
Wendy Greenley – Lola Shapes The Sky
Danielle Dufayet – You Are Your Strong
B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth
Cathy Ballou Mealey – When A Tree Grows
Pippa Chorley – Counting Sheep
Sandra Sutter – The Real Farmer In The Dell
Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)
Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound
Eleanor Ann Peterson – Jurassic Rat
Sarah Hoppe – Who Will? Will You?
Marla LeSage – Pirate Year Round
Stacey Corrigan – The Pencil Eater
Shannon Stocker – Can U Save The Day?
Nadine Poper – Randall And Randall
Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist
Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)
Dawn Young – The Night Baafore Christmas
Heather Gale – Ho’onani: Hula Warrior
Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)
Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)
Lindsey Hobson – Blossom’s Wish (self pub)
Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane
Valerie Bolling – Let’s Dance!
Janet Johnson – Help Wanted: Must Love Books
Heather Kinser – Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen
Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?
Mary Wagley Copp – Wherever I Go
Nell Cross Beckerman – Down Under The Pier
Claire Noland – Evie’s Field Day: More Than One Way To Win
Sharon Giltrow – Bedtime, Daddy!
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 
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