Guess what?
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Valentinies rock
And so do YOU!
It’s time for. . .
The 8th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
Continue reading
Can you believe it?
We’ve arrived at Week #7!
The last week of the 2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
To read the Week #5 entries or add your Week #5 entry, please go HERE (Week #5)
To read the Week #6 entries of add your Week #6 entry, please go HERE (Week #6)
Before we get to today’s challenge, one little housekeeping detail:
If you want to qualify for the prize drawing, you must have completed an entry for each of the 7 weeks and posted them on the appropriate week’s post by Saturday June 26th at midnight Eastern time in order to qualify, so that I can post the winners on Monday June 28th! So take note of that deadline – all 7 completed and posted by Saturday June 26th at midnight!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #7 for Week of June 21:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, turning songs into stories with themes, concept stories in particular settings, and relationships and emotions between characters! 😊 This week, since it’s the last week, it seems fitting that we do something with endings.
But not just anything. . . 😊
Endings do not exist in a vacuum. In order for endings to feel satisfying – make readers, laugh, cry, gasp with amazed delight, or sigh with satisfaction – the ending must feel connected to the beginning.
So. This week, choose a beginning from Column A and an ending from Column B and write a 100 word story for kids that fits between them using a tidbit of onomatopoeia from Column C if you want to (just for fun 😊).
| Column A – Beginnings | Column B – Endings | Column C – Onomatopoeia (optional) |
| Once upon a time… | And that is why she/he tucked it very carefully into her/his pocket. | splish, splash, sploosh |
| When [Character Name] woke up, a thunderstorm was brewing. “OH, NO!” (or, “HURRAY!”) | Then he/she snuggled close and whispered with a smile, “I love you more than marshmallows.” | kackata-kack-krack-POP! |
| It all began when the mermaid’s tail got caught on the handle of [Character Name]’s umbrella. | Never let an alligator get in the way of your plans! | plink-plank-plunk |
| She/he wasn’t always a bad piggy. | So he/she/they rushed back out of the woods shout-singing Ain’t No Bugs On Us until he/she/they was/were really, truly, sure it was true! | slurrrp |
| There was a sloth who lived all alone. | [Character Name] knew summer was here at last! | buzzz bzzz-bzzz |
| [Character Name] was all ready for the beach! | Aunt Ruby was right. It had been a better day! | splop |
| We’re finally on our way! We’re having the best time ever! Until… | Inch by inch, step by step, they made it all the way to the tippy top. | chirp |
| Holly, Molly, Ollie, Wally, and Little Boo packed a picnic and set out in search of adventure. | And so he/she/they did. | bee-beep |
| On the Fourth of July, Max went into hiding. | And they lived happily ever after. | murmur |
| [Character Name] had a problem with watermelon. | Shushshush, the waves whispered. Shushshush. | hissss |
I have been so enjoying reading all your amazing stories every week – so many different, creative, delightful, entertaining stories! – that I’m sad this is the last hurrah for this year!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
Check Out The Week #7 Stories:
Beach Baby – Bru Benson
The Worm’s Halloween Adventure – Marty Findley
Perfect Piggy – Robin Currie
Watermelon Woes – Rose Cappelli
Beach Bound – Sue Lancaster
The Unexpected Ride – Dawn Young
Sloth Finds A Friend – Jen Subra
The Fairy And The Thunderstorm – Erin Cleary
Will Summer Begin? – Erika Romero
Max And The Fireworks – Sara Kruger
Melodia’s “Mis” Adventure – Susan E. Schipper
Untitled – Lauren Scott
Max And The Alligator – Marta Cutler
Duck’s Creek – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
Sam’s Trouble With Watermelon – Lyn Jekowsky
Game, Game, Go Away! – Hannah Roy LaGrone
Watermelon Delight – Jeannette Suhr
The Fear Of Fireworks – Amy Leskowski
Merchant Pips – Elenore Byrne
The Very Slow Sloth – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
Sloth And The sUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft System) – Laura Bower
Why Piggies Have Curly Tails – Jill Lambert
Dorothy’s Umbrella – Brenna Jeanneret
Beach Adventure – Ashley Sierra
Sloth And Bee – Linda Schueler
Maddy Wants More, More, More – Sarah Meade
Climbing Up – Marty Findley
This Little Piggy – Marty Bellis
Sloth And The Bees In The Tree – Barbara Renner
Munch Goes The Pirate – Aly Kenna
Marianna And The Mermaid – Sally Yorke-Viney
Undersea Soiree – Nicole Loos Miller
Ella’s Wild Ride – Michelle S. Kennedy
A S’more By The Fire – Allison Strick
The Ant Raid – Deb Sullivan
A Wagonful Of Trouble – Susan Summers
A Nap And A Watermelon Field – Jana Mattern
Rules For A Pig-Perfect Life – Joyce Uglow
Wanted: ESPR – Colleen Own Murphy
Not So Bad After All – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
Watermelon Problem – Mia Geiger
A. Sloth Or Not A. Sloth – Katie Schwartz
Saltwater Kisses – JC Kelly
Where There’s A Skate There’s A Way – Sarah Hawklyn
The Prince And His Alligator – Deb Buschman
The Lonely Sloth – Ashley B. Pedigo
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
Tilly’s Mermaid – Dianne Irving
Untitled – Padgy Soltis
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from the lovely and talented Sara Kruger!
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️A copy of PHOEBE DUPREE IS COMING TO TEA! by Linda Ashman
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
⭐️Picture Book Writers Rock! Mug for the writing fuel of your choice! 😊
⭐️Writing Journal (with a side of prompts 😊)
Look at us! Half way through June and up to Week #6 in our Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge! Can you believe you’ve written at least 5 brand new stories so far (I know some of you are writing more than one per week!) with two weeks of inspiration still to go? Who knows how many new picture books might be getting their start during this challenge!
So let’s fire up the old brain cells and show Week #6 who’s boss!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
To read the Week #5 entries or add your Week #5 entry, please go HERE (Week #5)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #6 for Week of June 14:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, turning songs into stories with themes, and concept stories in particular settings! 😊 This week, we’re going to explore the importance of relationships and emotion!
Picture books are often about relationships – parent/child, sibling, friends/enemies, child/pet, grandparent/child, babysitter/child etc. and those relationships can cause emotions or be affected by emotions.
Choose a main character from Column A, a second character from Column B, and an emotion from Column C and write a 100-word story for kids where the story centers around the emotion between them. (For example, 2 friends where one is jealous of the other, or a child who feels angry toward his beloved dog for chewing up his prized baseball glove, or a child who feels nervous about visiting her elderly grandmother who is wrinkly and smells like mothballs but whom she is supposed to love.) Feel free to make “siblings” a dog and a cat, or “friends” a dinosaur and a goat, etc – you don’t have to stick with all human characters – write monsters, fairies, and aliens if you like 😊
| Column A – Character 1 (MC) | Column B – Character 2 | Column C – Emotion |
| Rosie | Grandma or Grandpa (Gran, Grand Dad, Oma, Poppa, etc) | awe (looks up to/hero worship) |
| Tuck | Pet (any kind – your choice) | jealousy |
| Maisie | Friend | anger |
| Chip | Sibling (older, younger, twin, step) | sadness |
| Bentley | Mom or Dad or Step | betrayal |
| Esme | Babysitter (any age or gender) | boredom |
| Enzo | Dragon | worry, anxiety, nervousness |
| Xander | Dinosaur | joy |
| Dylan | Fairy Godmother | love |
| April | Enemy | pride |
| August/Auggie/Gus | resentment |
I am ready to be bowled over by your creativity and talent!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
Gus – Robin Currie
My Sister’s For Sale – Rose Cappelli
Esme And Enzo, Aquatic Besties – Candice Marley Conner
Alice And Ollie – Joyce Uglow
Enzo The Pelican – Lyn Jekowsky
Tuck And Pops – Marty Findley
Anna And Granna – Marty Findley
Mighty Maisy – Jen Subra
Dance! Dance! – Leslie Degnan
Gus Gets A Pet Dragon – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
Big Dog – Marty Findley
Chip Goes Blip – Laura Bower
My Grandpop Can Fix Anything – Susan Schipper
The Chosen One – Sue Lancaster
Fire Circle – Sarah Hawklyn
The Festival – Erika Romero
I Have A Poem For You – Padgy Soltis
A Fork In The Road – Jill Lambert
Birthday Surprise – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
How A Radio Flyer Brought Two Unlikely Friends Together – Erin Cleary
Maisie And Dana – Sarah Meade
Dylan Loves His Friend – Barbara Renner
The Tooth Fairy And The Dragon – Aly Kenna
Grammy’s Twinkles – Dawn Young
Date Night Betrayal – Allison Strick
Maise Marigold Mariah Munder Would Not Let Her Face Go Under – Sara Kruger
Maisie Astounds – Jeannette Suhr
Dear Tooth Fairy – Nicole Loos Miller
Creating Joy – Jeannette Suhr
I Don’t Need A Babysitter – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
According To My Grandma – Marta Cutler
Bentley’s Bad Behavior – Susan Summers
A New Day – Mia Geiger
Rosie’s Great Gramma Mary Onion – Sally Yorke-Viney
Maisie’s Big Brother – Marty Bellis
The Fairy Godmother Problem – Ashley Sierra
The Most(ly) Boring Babysitter – Amy Leskowski
Love – Lauren Scott
Maisie’s Surprise – Deb Sullivan
Little Dragon Worries – Hannah Roy LaGrone
The Green Dragon – Marta Cutler
Betrayed – Colleen Owen Murphy
Hearts More Like Me – Elenore Byrne
Little Gus Giraffe Goes To Tokyo – Dianne Irving
I Hate Puppies – Deb Buschman
Not The Enzo But A Beginning – Bru Benson
The Great Escape – Katie Schwartz
Monster And Alien – Brenna Jeanneret
Late For School – Again – Michelle S. Kennedy
Xander And The Dinosaurs – Linda Schueler
Esme And Rex – JC Kelly
Enzo’s Fire – Ashley B. Pedigo
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from the lovely and talented Sara Kruger!
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️A copy of PHOEBE DUPREE IS COMING TO TEA! by Linda Ashman
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
⭐️Picture Book Writers Rock! Mug for the writing fuel of your choice! 😊
It’s a hot, hot Monday in June, so what better way to spend the day then on a cool porch, in a shady hammock, or in the air-conditioned library with an iced beverage, your writing implements, and the prompt for Mix ‘n’ Match Week #5?!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #5 for Week of June 7:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, and turning songs into stories with themes! 😊 This week, we’re going to have fun with concepts!
Kids have a lot to learn about the world, and picture books can be education disguised as entertainment 😊. Think Z IS FOR MOOSE by Kelly Bingham, MOUSE PAINT by Ellen Stoll Walsh, and ROUND IS A TORTILLA by Roseanne Thong.
For this week’s challenge, choose a concept from Column A and a setting from Column B and write a 100 word concept story for kids in which you utilize the setting to show your concept.
| Column A – Concept | Column B – Setting |
| Shapes | Halloween |
| Colors | Beach |
| Numbers/Counting | Farm |
| Alphabet | School |
| Time | Car Trip |
| Place/Location (in, on, above, under, around, through, etc.) | Circus |
| Emotions | City or Country |
| Seasons | Amusement Park or County Fair |
| Weather | Supermarket |
Can’t wait to see what amazing, creative things you guys come up with this week!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
F Is For Fish Farm – Candice Marley Conner
The Reason For Seasons (At The Beach) – Laura Bower
Go To The Beach And Find. . . – Erika Romero
Circus Countdown – Sue Lancaster
ABCs Of Abstract Art – Christine Alemshah
What Color Is Fall? – Jen Subra
Toucan Counts His Berries – Marty Findley
Weather Check – Dawn Young
The Colors In The Farm – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
One Fine Bluebird – Rose Cappelli
Road Trip! – Erin Cleary
Wise Willie Wonders Where – Susan Schipper
On My First Easter Party – Ashley Sierra
Senses Dance At The Beach – Lyn Jekowsky
Roller Coaster – Barbara Renner
Alphabet Road Trip – Aly Kenna
A Trolley Full Of Feelings – Elenore Byrne
It’s Time For The State Fair – Joyce Uglow
They’re Coming! – Jill Lambert
The Colorful Car Trip – Deb Sullivan
Are We There Yet? – Marta Cutler
The Number Line – Colleen Owen Murphy
Five At The Fair – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
Are We There Yet? – Leslie Degnan
A Win At Walmart – Sara Kruger
Circus Opposites – Lauren Scott
Runaway Stroller – Allison Strick
Ghost Crabs At The Beach – Susan Summers
Ups And Downs – Jeannette Suhr
Sleepytime ABCs – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
I’ll Grocery Shop For You – Bru Benson
Weather Or Not – Marta Cutler
At the Beach – Marty Bellis
Counting the Colors of Sunset // Contando los colores del atardecer – Hannah Roy LaGrone
Farm Time – Robin Currie
Halloween Alphabet – Sally Yorke-Viney
Alphabet Road Trip – Deb Buschman
At Grandma’s House – Sarah Meade
Not The Only One – Amy Leskowski
Beach Day – Katie Schwartz
At The Beach – Sarah Hawklyn
Monday Mornings – Padgy Soltis
Farm Life – Michelle S. Kennedy
Seasons Market – Linda Schueler
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
Roller Coaster – Nicole Loos Miller
Ten Little Sea Creatures – Mia Geiger
Head Down Under And Count To Ten – Dianne Irving
The Halloween Seasons – Brenna Jeanneret
“Is It Halloween Yet?” – Ashley B. Pedigo
I Simply Cannot – JC Kelly
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Good Monday Morning, Everyone!
I know it’s Memorial Day and many of you are busy with family celebrations, parades, and honoring those who have done so much for all of us.
But in case you also have the day off and a little free time. . .
. . .let’s have some Mix ‘n’ Match fun because it’s time for Week #4!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #4 for Week of May 31:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, and a picture prompt with random words and a secret! This week we’re going to have some musical fun with themes! 😊
Choose a song from Column A, a theme from Column B, and an important item from Column C (optional.) Write a 100 word story for kids where your version of the song tells a story that shows your chosen theme (including your important item if you wish!) You may use the original song opening if you like, but you are not required to (just make it obvious in your writing and/or identify which song you’re using along with your title and word count), and if rhyming isn’t your thing you can write in prose as long as it’s still clear which song you’re working with. You may add or subtract characters (e.g. Bob and Joe rowed their boat gently down the stream), change the destination (e.g. Row, row, row your boat up the mountainside), change the type of action (e.g. Row, row, row your boat wildly down the stream) etc… Anything you like! Have fun with it! (For examples in kidlit, see Iza Trapani’s extended nursery rhyme songs.)
| Column A – Song | Column B – Theme | Column C – Important Item (optional) |
| Row, Row, Row Your Boat | It’s important to try new things | Necklace |
| The Itsy Bitsy (Eensie Weensie) Spider | Even when you’re bad, you’re still loved | Teddy bear |
| Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star | It’s important to stay true to yourself | Blackberries |
| Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? | Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it is | Pink Blankie |
| The Bear Went Over The Mountain | If you work together you can solve a problem | Story book |
| Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush | You don’t have to be big to stand up for yourself | Map |
| It’s Raining, It’s Pouring | Friends should always stick together | Tractor |
| Jack And Jill | Believe in yourself and you can achieve your dreams | Moon |
| Rock-A-Bye Baby | If you don’t succeed the first time, try again | Daisy |
Post your story in the comment section below! (If for some reason you have trouble posting, you may use the contact form to email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you.)
I am SO looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with! You continue to knock my socks off with your creativity every week!!!
Now come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
It’s Raining! It’s Pouring! – Leslie Degnan
Dreams Inside! – Robin Currie
Jack And Jill’s New Adventure – Jen Subra
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
Charlie’s Search – Rose Cappelli
Rock A Bye Daisy – Laura Bower
Arachnid At Your Service – Jill Lambert
The Itsy Bitsy Spider And The Moon – Erika Romero
About Our Friends Who Tried To Row A Boat (Perhaps Under A Full Moon?) – Erin Cleary
Untitled – Lauren Scott
Believe In All You Imagine – Sally Yorke-Viney
The Itsy Bitsy Puppy – Marty Findley
All That Glitters Is Not Gold – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
Spunky Little Teddy – Joyce Uglow
Flap Flap Flap Those Wings – Marty Bellis
Dress Dress Dress For Rain – Amy Leskowski
Mark And Grace – Colleen Murphy
I Love Shopping With My Mom – Sara Kruger
Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Pet Spider Gone – Aly Kenna
Where, Oh Where Has My Story Book Gone – Ashley Sierra
Ninja, Ninja, Little Sneak – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
Jack And Jill Revisit Their Hill – Ashley B. Pedigo
Jo And Flo – Christine Alemshah
Little Lilly’s Blunder – Elenore Byrne
Ride, Ride, Ride My Bike – Sue Lancaster
Friends For Life – Deb Sullivan
Fireflies – Lyn Jekowsky
The Rescue – Marta Cutler
Bear’s Fresh Start – Allison Strick
Rock A Bye Zombie – Susan Summers
Rainy Day Problem…Solvers – Susan Schipper
To Grandmother’s House We Go – Jeannette Suhr
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring – Dianne Irving
Tinkle, Tinkle, Potty Stress! – Michelle S. Kennedy
Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
Use Your Map – Padgy Soltis
The Daisy – Barbara Renner
Oopsy Daisy! – Marta Cutler
Yummy, Yummy, Little Pie – Nicole Loos Miller
The Bat Flew Over The Pumpkins – Sarah Meade
Read A Book – Dawn Young
Sun And Moon – Dawn Young
The Itsy Bitsy Scratchy Spider – Bru Benson
Wait For Me – Candace Kubinec
Untitled – Sarah Marhevsky
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring – Sarah Hawklyn
Don’t Row The Boat Please – Linda Schueler
How Much Is That Bicycle In The Window – Mia Geiger
The Itsy Bitsy Tadpoles– Hannah Roy LaGrone
Rock Star Baby Brother – Katie Schwartz
Albert Went Over The Mountain – Deb Buschman
The Itsy Bitsy Spider Is Bored – Brenna Jeanneret
The Just Right Story Book – JC Kelly
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Hey there, everyone!
Welcome to Tuesday Debut!
Each week, I really love getting to showcase a brand new author and her/his first-ever picture book. It’s such a huge accomplishment to get published, and it’s a real treat to get to share in the celebration! But I especially love getting to introduce a debut author who has been a devoted follower of this blog, taken the time to help other writers on Would You Read It Wednesdays, participated in multiple writing contests here, and taken my class – in short, someone I have seen working hard on her craft and whom I now have the pleasure of introducing as a newly published picture book author when all that hard work has paid off! So without further ado, please welcome Jenny Buchet as she shares her journey to publication with LITTLE MEDUDA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA!
Title: Little Medusa’s Hair Do-Lemma
Author: Jennifer Buchet
Illustrator: Cassie Chancy
Published By: Clear Fork Publishing, 2021
Fiction, Age Range: 4-8
Synopsis: Little Medusa is the first Gorgon who doesn’t enjoy having her best serpentine friend wriggle through her hair. She finds herself torn between following family customs and keeping herself and her best serpentine friend happy. In fact, Little Medusa begins doubting if she even wants to scare anyone to stone with a stare!
SUSANNA: Welcome, Jenny! Thank you so much for joining us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?
JENNY: Little Medusa’s Hair Do-Lemma origins are woven betwixt 3Ls. The library, the laundry room, and my daughter’s long (tangled) locks!
After seeing a reptile show at my library, I was intrigued with snakes. Smitten, but not enough to purchase one, I began writing a funny snake story. A month later in the laundry room, I was sorting clothes and revising sentences. Deep in thought about girls and snakes, my own little girl skipped in with very tangled hair. I found myself facing a real-life Little Medusa!
Oh.
Oh!!
Little Medusa….snakes….hair…scaring things to stone with a stare… I put aside my original tale (and the socks!) and dove into the mythology of Medusa.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
JENNY: The first draft came quickly yet the revisions took months! The story went through several iterations, from swapping Little Medusa’s biggest challenge to revealing how she solves the issue by herself. Not to mention that making one of the world’s best known super-villains into something kid-friendly takes hard work!
Thanks to my critique partners continued feedback, I pinpointed the strongest version that not only had heart, but also humor and a unique twist. Two years and ~60 drafts later, I felt submission-ready.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
JENNY: I knew Little Medusa was ready for submission because I couldn’t write it any better. I’d done my writing homework and then some. Pacing and page turns? Check. Rising incidents? Check. Humor? Yup. Feeling for the characters? Check. Strong ending? Checkity-check.
But before I submitted, I knew I had to write that golden query letter and pitch. Thanks to your Would You Read It Wednesdays, I received invaluable feedback on my pitch!
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
JENNY: I subbed Little Medusa to agents for almost a year. After several wonderful “champagne rejections” from agents, where I was close but not close enough, I researched several independent publishers.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
JENNY: Within a month after submitting to those independent publishers, I received my first “yes.”The long dry spell was finally over!
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
JENNY: I’m pretty sure I screamed with delight at the offer and enjoyed a lovely bottle of bubbly with family and friends! I’m not sure I ever came down from Cloud 9, but I did make sure to check and verify all contract minutia. Once all signatures were in, we had another bottle of bubbly—or maybe two!
Then it was back to work. (Yup, you think your story is perfect when you start submitting, but trust me, your stories will be tweaked and tweaked again before final printing!)
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
JENNY: An editor’s role is to make your story stronger; more kid-friendly and /or marketable. Although I thought my work was pretty perfect, my editor felt it needed a bit more “heart.” Rather enigmatic, no?! So we talked and shared ideas, and I revised a bit more, crafting an even better tale.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
JENNY: The overall experience was rather collaborative. It took almost a year between signing and acquiring an illustrator, which was a lot longer than I ever imagined. Plus, I was super nervous that I might not like the illustrator’s ideas and I had no idea if I could, or should, say anything.
Fortunately, Cassie Chancy’s work is simply beautiful! From the first round of pencil sketches, I knew I was blessed with an extraordinary illustrator! I stepped back and gave Cassie room to work, answering questions whenever she had them.
During the proofing rounds, I shared my thoughts and any edits with both Cassie and our art director. I’m not a design expert, but I have worked in print before, so if I had an idea, I respectively shared with the team. I’m so happy that everyone worked so well together and we were all open to give and take.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
JENNY: As with many independent publishing companies, the brunt of the marketing falls to the author. Plus, I’m launching in the (hopefully) tale end of a pandemic, which is challenging. So I have to be creative. Although I’m not able to do in-store events or book fairs during the initial launch, I have other marketing ideas extending through the fall. For instance, I’m visiting with several bloggers such as yourself, planning a summer contest & giveaway, and relying on a wonderful network of fellow authors to help provide reviews to Goodreads & Amazon.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
JENNY: I thought I’d have my first book published two years ago; I had no idea it could take so long! It’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I’ve been a part of three different debut groups but on the plus side, I’ve made lots of wonderful new friends and I’m blessed with their support to this day.
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?)
JENNY: These tips truly resonated for me when I started out:
Tip 1: Invest your time and money into kidlit writing classes. You are worth it! I learned so much in one magical month with Making Picture Book Magic!
Tip 2: Join a group of other kidlit writers. You’ll need their support, whether it’s an editorial eye or a boost after yet another rejection. Kidlit peeps understand other writers!
Tip 3: Read a ton of picture books and…. take it to the next level by typing out that story. Study the page turns. Note the path of the arc. Read it aloud.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
JENNY: Wishing on stars and casting dandelion dreams is fine, as long as you have the work to back you up. Because it’s all about getting the “write” story in front of the right person at the right time.
And if anyone has any questions, please comment below, or shoot me an email. I’m always happy to chat kidlit!
SUSANNA: Jenny, thank you so much for joining us today and taking the time to share your experience. We so appreciate it! And I know I speak for everyone when I wish you the very best of luck with this and future titles!
Jennifer Buchet is an award-winning author, pre-kindergarten educator and self-proclaimed foodie. Her kid lit career officially started in 2011, writing for Cricket Media. Today, she is a feature contributor for Faces magazine while also creating new picture books and chapter books, many which feature mouth-watering meals and even a few cute, twisty serpents.
LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork Publishing) launches May 2021.
You can swap tales & recipes with Jennifer here:
Readers, if you have questions for Jenny, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Jenny’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)
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!
Gabi Snyder – Two Dogs On A Trike
Lisa Katzenberger – National Regular Average Ordinary Day
Teresa Krager – Before Your Birth Day
Lindsay H. Metcalf – Beatrix Potter, Scientist
Nancy Roe Pimm – Fly, Girl, Fly! Shaesta Waiz Soars Around The World
Jolene Gutiérrez – Mac And Cheese And The Personal Space Invader
Julie Rowan-Zoch – Louis (picture book illustration debut!)
Janie Emaus – Latkes For Santa
Amy Mucha – A Girl’s Bill Of Rights
Melanie Ellsworth – Hip,Hip…Beret!
Rebecca Kraft Rector – Squish Squash Squished
Gnome Road Publishing (publishing house debut)
Sue Heavenrich – 13 Ways To Eat A Fly
Julie Rowan-Zoch – I’m A Hare So There (author/illustrator debut)
Nancy Derey Riley – Curiosity’s Discovery (author/illustrator self-published debut)
Moni Ritchie Hadley – The Star Festival
Sita Singh – Birds Of A Feather
Ann Magee – Branches Of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree
Amanda Davis – 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag
Ok, writers, are you ready?
Forget the dishes in the sink, the pile of work in your inbox, and the fact that it’s your mother-in-law’s birthday on Thursday and you still haven’t thought of a good present!
It’s time to Mix ‘n’ Match your way to a new story! 😊
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #3 for Week of May 24:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, and with writing a cumulative story. This week we’re going to play with a picture prompt, 3 random words. . . and a secret!
Here’s the picture, drawn by the incredibly talented Julie Rowan-Zoch (author/illustrator of I’M A HARE, SO THERE! HMH Books For Young Readers 2021, and illustrator of LOUIS by Tom Lichtenheld HMH October 2020!) and used with her permission for your writing fun 😊 (Thank you, Julie!!! 💕)
And here are random words! Choose one from Column A, one from Column B, and one from Column C.
| Column A | Column B | Column C |
| raindrops | picnic | strawberry tart |
| nest | rope swing | pond |
| cherry tree | mistake | bucket/pail |
| unicorn | lost | tantrum |
| bridge | spring | admire |
But wait! There’s a twist! One of the characters has a secret! Which character? What secret? And how does it impact the story? You will probably want to think up your own secret, but in case anyone needs an idea, here are a few suggestions:
-took something that didn’t belong to them
-hid something on purpose
-told someone something that wasn’t true
-doesn’t want to play hide ‘n’ seek (or duck, duck, goose, or musical chairs, or tag, or. . .)
-only wants to play hide ‘n’ seek (or duck, duck, goose, or musical chairs, or tag, or. . .)
-is allergic to acorns
-wants to invite someone to their birthday party (or for a sleepover, or. . .)
-is afraid of dogs (or cats, or bicycles, or bees, or swimming, or. . .) and doesn’t want anyone else to know
-plans to bake a surprise cake for someone
-has a special present for someone
-isn’t telling someone something they should
-secretly really likes someone
-secretly doesn’t like someone
-is getting something they know everyone will love
Write a 100 word story for kids about the pictured characters, using three random words and giving one of the characters a secret which you incorporate into the story, and post your in the comment section below! (If for some reason you have trouble posting, you may use the contact form to email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you.)
I am SO looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with! There have been so many amazingly creative, clever, fun, and entertaining stories written so far!!!
Now come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
Ruth’s Birthday Surprise – Sue Lancaster
The Perfect Gift – Erika Romero
Getting There – Rose Cappelli
A Hare Raising Mistake – Bru Benson
Acorn Day – Jen Subra
The Secret – Marty Findley
The Secret Spot – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
The Smashed Bash – Laura Bower
The Secrets of Beryl The Bunny – Elenore Byrne
Hare…Or Not – Susan E. Schipper
Better Than Acorns – Erin Cleary
Acorns And, Er, What?! – Marty Bellis
Bunny’s Problem – Deb Sullivan
Floppy And The Rope Swing – Dawn Young
Untitled – Elizabeth Volkmann
The Cherry Pie Problem – Ashley B. Pedigo
Chip, Drip, And Skip – Meg King-Sloan
A Small Mistake – Leslie Degnan
Turtle’s Strawberry Hill Surprise – Joyce Uglow
Disappearing Dewberries – Candice Marley Conner
Rabbit Won’t Have To Wait – Sara Kruger
Hare Today And Gone Tomorrow: From Brey To Form, A Secret That Saved! – Sally Yorke-Viney
Miss Bun’s Secret – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
A Happy Tail – Marta Cutler
Safe Cracking Squirrels – Susan Summers
Clueless Squirrels – Lyn Jekowsky
Scratch And Scritch’s Show Stopper – Ashley Sierra
Fireworks – Aly Kenna
Late Lunch – Hannah Roy LeGrone
Bunny’s Magic – Dianne Irving
Thoughtful Harry – Padgy Soltis
A Secret Entrance – Lauri Meyers
The Scavenger Hunt – Barbara Renner
Vanishing Act – Marta Cutler
Rabbith’th Thee-cret (Rabbit’s Secret) – Allison Strick
Harah Helps Look – Sarah Meade
Momo’s Cherry Tree – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
In The Mood To Play? – Amy Leskowski
A Couple Of Nuts – Jill Lambert
Mr. Bunny’s Secret Skill – Mia Geiger
B-U-N-N-Y Spells Trouble – Jeannette Suhr
Rainy Picnic – Nicole Loos Miller
The Secret of Sassafras – Linda Schueler
A Friend In Need – Candace Kubinec
Untitled – Lauren Scott
The Unicorn – Lynn Katz
Unicorn’s Secret – Michelle S. Kennedy
The Happiest Habit – Christine Alemshah
The Bunny’s Secret – Marla Yablon
Watch Out For Bear? Watch Out For Hare! – Katie Schwartz
The Will To Win – Colleen Owen Murphy
Magic Unicorn – Robin Currie
Happy Spwing – Deb Buschman
The Unicorn’s Mistake – Brenna Jeanneret
Tantrum Blues – Sarah Hawklyn
That Hare – JC Kelly
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Writers, start your computers!
It’s time for Week #2 of the 2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!
WOOHOO!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost or a little encouragement to get writing….or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies…which keeps getting added to!)
For a full description of the challenge or to enter your Week #1 entry, please go HERE.
Let’s jump into Week #2!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #2 for Week of May 17:
Last week we played with character needs, an important thing to keep in mind when you’re writing because characters should always need or want something desperately – a goal, an object or possession, a role, a quality, to prove something (to herself or someone else), to overcome something. . . You all did splendidly!
This week we’re going to play with a specific story type: the cumulative tale!
Cumulative stories build and build, growing sillier, or more chaotic, or more outrageous, or more complicated with each new addition, as in There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog …
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.…
Some published examples of clever re-tellings are:
There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann
There Was An Old Monster (Who Swallowed A Tick) by Adrian, Rebecca & Ed Emberly
There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth by B.J. Lee
Your mission, should you choose to accept it 😊 is to choose an adjective from Column A, a character from Column B, a verb from Column C, and a noun from Column D. Mix ‘n’ Match and write your own version!
e.g. There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bear
There Was A Huge Baby Who Lived On A Boat
There Was A Shy T-Rex Who Wished For A Friend
| Column A – Adj. | Column B – Character | Column C – Verb | Column D – Noun |
| Old | Monster | Turned Into | Ghost |
| Smart | Grandma | Followed | Toad |
| Brave | Warthog | Fought With/Bullied | Friend |
| Shy | T-Rex | Ran From/Ran To/Ran Up | Sword |
| Huge | Kitten | Played Tricks On | Bear |
| Small | Python | Wished For/Wished On | Moon/Star |
| Mean | Cowboy | Lassoed | Bee |
| Strange | Baby | Swallowed | Witch |
| Wild | Zookeep | Taunted | Tree |
| Cute | Lion | Lived With/Lived In/Lived On | Boat |
If choosing from all 4 columns is more than you want, or if you don’t like any of the words but the list inspires you to think up your own words, feel free to use as many or as few from the columns as you like and supply the other words yourself, but you must follow the format:
There Was A(n) ___ADJ___ ___CHARACTER___ Who ___VERB___ A(HIS, HER, THE) ___NOUN___
and it must be a cumulative story!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Post your Week #2 story in the comment section below, or, if you have trouble for any reason and can’t post yourself you may email it to me using the Contact Form and I will post it for you.
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
There Was A Small Baby Who Wished For A Star – Sue Lancaster
There Was A Wild Warthog Who Wanted To Dance – Sally Yorke-Viney
There Was A Shy Monster Who Followed A Toad – Jen Subra
There Was A Young Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bee – Rose Cappelli
There Was A Strange Witch Who Turned Into A Bee – Candice Marley Conner
Who Might She Be? – Dawn Young
There Was A Brave Grandma Who Followed A Star – Erin Cleary
There Was An Old Grandma – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
Where Is Baby’s Bear? – Hannah Roy LaGrone
There Was A Smart Grandma Who Bullied A Bee – Kimiko Wadriski Lumsden
Traffic Jam Baby – Elenore Byrne
There Was A Huge Monster That Lived In A Tree – Erika Romero
There Was A Huge Baby Who Followed A Bear – Leslie Degman
I Know A Small Baby Who Swallowed Some Milk – Lauri Meyers
There Was A Mean Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bee – Aly Kenna
There Was A Huge Heron Who Followed A Toad – Jill Lambert
There Was An Old Cowboy Who Wished For A Boat – Candace Kubinec
There Was A Shy Kitten – Nicole Loos Miller
There Was A Shy Monster Who Lived On A Star – Susan E. Schipper
There Was A Small Kitten Who Followed A Toad – Barbara Farr Renner
There Was A Weird Warthog Who Lassoed A Bear – Lyn Jekowsky
There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Deb Sullivan
There Was A Wild Warthog Who Wished For A Witch – Susan Summer
There Was A Young Writer Who Wrote A Great Word – Sarah Meade
Wishing Kitten – Julie Kurtz
There Was An Old Monster Who Wished For A Boat – Brenda Whitehead
The Nose Of A Kitten – Elizabeth Volkmann
There Was A Mean Monster Who Swallowed A Toad – Laura Bower
Come To My Party – Ashley B. Pedigo
There Was A Brown Cow Who Lived In A Tree – Marty Bellis
There Was A Strange Cowboy Who Wished For A Friend – Sophia Zafra
There Was A Shy Lion Who Wished For A Friend – Marta Cutler
There Was A Brave Woman Who Wrote Down A Note – Ashley Sierra
The Hungriest Python Turned Into A Boat – Allison Strick
There Was An Author Who Got Stymied By The Prompt – Joyce Uglow
There Was A Small Kitten Who Followed A Bee – Diane Irving
Are you New? – Marla Yablon
There Was A Shy Lion Who Wished For A Friend – Lauren Scott
There Was A Strange Kitten Who Lassoed The Moon – Linda Schueler
There Was A Smart Baby Who Followed A Star – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
There Was An Old Grandma Who Followed A Ghost – Marta Cutler
There Was A Brave Grandma Who Lassoed A Witch – Jeannette Suhr
There Was A Brave Zookeeper That Taunted A Bear – Sarah Hawklyn
There Was A Wild Zookeeper Who Ran From A Bear – Jana Mattern
There Was A Smart T-Rex Who Played Tricks On A Witch – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
A Huge Baby Swallowed A Witch – Bru Benson
There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Jamie Bills
The Old Cowboy – Katie Schwartz
There Was A Cute Baby Who Charmed A Mommy – Christine Alemshah
There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Sara Kruger
There Was A Strange Cowboy Who Lived On A Boat – Michelle S. Kennedy
The Grandma Who Bullied A Bear – Lynn Katz
There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Witch – Padgy Soltis
There Was A Shy Monster Who Taunted A Tree – Amy Leskowski
A New Friend – Mia Geiger
There Was A Smart Grandma – Marty Findley
There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Star – Melissa Wrex
There Was An Old Cowboy Who Wanted A Friend – Robin Currie
Not Guilty – Colleen Owen Murphy
There Was A Wild Warthog Who Ran Up A Tree – Deb Buschman
There Was A Wild Grandma Who Turned Into The Moon – Brenna Jeanneret
There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Friend – JC Kelly
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
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 gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade (details coming)
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Good morning, my little chickens!
Are things feeling a wee bit humdrum?
Is daily routine getting you down?
Does this look familiar?
Just as I suspected!
It seems we’ve all got a case of the I Haven’t Gone Anywhere Done Anything Seen Anyone For A Year So What The Heck Can I Write About Blues!
But don’t worry.
I can fix that! 😊
All that’s required is a little tomfoolery! A few high jinx and shenanigans to knock the K off of FUNK and get us back to good old F-U-N!
Who’s with me?
Give me a woo!
WOO!
Give me a hoo!
HOO!
What does that spell?
Well. . . technically it doesn’t actually spell anything, since neither woo nor hoo is a letter, but one way or another it comes out
WOOHOO!
Now! Let’s have some fun!
And fun in this instance is. . .
another round of the ever-popular, practically world famous
(Not a contest exactly… no room in the blog calendar, no time for judging, no gigantic prizes on offer…but still (hopefully!) tons of fun!)
Here’s how it works:
Starting today, each Monday until June 21st (which makes 7 Mondays total and will get us to the end of the school term) I will post a Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt for a 100 word story. Post your story in the comment section for that week’s challenge (or if you have trouble posting it, email it to me and I’ll post it for you.) At the end of the 7 weeks, everyone who has posted one story for each week’s prompt will
A) have 7 brand new stories to play with! (Who knows? Your next picture book or even chapter book or longer might be sparked by something you write for the Challenge!)
B) be able to take credit for entertaining lots of fellow writers and their kids (not to mention you’ll entertain yourself and your own kids!)
and
C) qualify to win a prize from the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Mystery Bag of Marvelous Prizes for Writers! (Last year we managed to scare up enough prizes that all of the approximately 40 people who completed the challenge got something, but we’ll have to see how the available prizes stack up this year – if there aren’t enough for everyone who completes the challenge we’ll have to randomly draw winners until we run out of prizes, but you will still win A and B above!)
You can compete with yourself to see if you can write all 7 stories! You can compete with your writing friends to see if you can write more than they do! And if you want to get really competitive, you can all read the stories that are posted and “like” the ones you think are best and see who gets the most “likes” 😊 (If you do that there might be some special prizes…who can tell??? 😊)
When the going get’s humdrum, children’s writers beat the blues by playing writing games and creating new stories to keep themselves and everyone around them entertained!
So here we go!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #1 for Week of May 10:
Choose a character from Column A and something the character needs from Column B and write a 100 word story for children entitled _____Column A_____ Needs A _____Column B_____ If you wish, you may also select a random item from Column C to include in your story.
For example: Hermit Crab Needs A Home. (And perhaps you’d include a harmonica somewhere in the story.)
Or, if something in Column C strikes your fancy you can use that as the thing your character needs, e.g. Hummingbird Needs Help.
Get the idea?
Here are the options:
| Column A – Character | Column B – Something Needed | Column C – random item |
| Hedgehog | Home | Hockey Stick (or Hockey Puck) |
| Hammerhead | Hug | Horse (or Sea Horse) |
| Hermit Crab | Hint | Harmonica |
| Hummingbird | Hobby | Hero |
| Hare | Holiday | Help |
| Henry or Hilary | Hat | Helicopter |
If a central idea would be helpful to you in your writing, you can focus your story on Mother’s Day, since that is fresh in all our minds this morning 😊, but that is NOT required.
In an attempt to answer possible questions I will say:
(This is where the sample I intended to write belongs, but since I haven’t had time to write it yet I’ll have to add it in!)
And here’s a little sampling of the prizes up for grabs to whet your competitive spirit 😊 MORE TO COME!
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who completed the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Check out the Week 1 Stories!
Henry Needs A Holiday – Joyce Uglow
Hank Needs A Hug – Jen Subra
Hare Needs (To Take) A Hint – Candice Marley Conner
Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Laura Bower
Hummingbird Needs A Hug – Ann Gray
Humphrey Hummingbird Needs A (New) Hobby – Clearywriter
Hedgehog Needs A Hobby – Erika
Hare Needs A Hug – Brenda Whitehead
Henry Hare Needs A Hat – Marty Bellis
Henry Needs A Hug – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
Hermit Crab Needs A Home – Sarah Hawklyn
Henry Hedgehog – Michelle S. Kennedy
Henrietta’s New Home – Rose Cappelli
Hilary Needs A Hug – Sarah Meade
Hermy The Hermit Crab’s New Home – Susan E. Schipper
Helicopter Hummingbird – Linda Schueler
Untitled – Marta Magellan
Hilary The Hummingbird – Julie Kurtz
A Holiday For Mrs. Hare – Judy Sobanski
Alphonso’s Real Estate: Fashionable Homes For Hermit Crabs – Nicole Loos Miller
Hyena’s Hiccups – Marla Yablon
Hermit Crab Needs A Holiday – Carrines Clifton
Henry Hummingbird Needs A Home – Jennifer Reichow
Henry’s Discovery – Dawn Young
Henry Needs Some Luck – Allison Strick
Henry Needs A Holiday Hero – Ashley Sierra
Hoglet Hurry Home – Sally Yorke-Viney
A Hat For Hammerhead – Ashley B. Pedigo
Hallie Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Christine Alemshah
Hudson Hammerhead Needs A Hug – Jeannette Suhr
Henry Needs A Hobby – Sue Lancaster
Hare And His Harmonica – Lyn Jekowsky
Horst Needs A Hug – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf
Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Sara Kruger
Hammerhead Needs A Hockey Stick – Les Degnan
Henry Needs A Hint – Deb Sullivan
Hare Needs A Hobby – Marta Cutler
Hare Needs A Holiday – Aly Kenna
Hilary Needs A Hint – Mia Geiger
Henry Needs A Hint – Elenore Byrne
Hare Style – Hannah Roy LaGrone
Hillary Hare Needs A Holiday – Barbara Farr Renner
Hammerhead Needs A Holiday – Dianne Irving
Hilary Needs A Harmonica – MWREX
Henry Needs A Hug – Val McCammon
Harry Hammerhead Has A Hard Day – Susan Summers
A Horse For Hermit Crab – Jill Lambert
A Home For Hedgehog – Elizabeth Volkmann
Hare Needs A Home – Jessica Murray
Hammerhead Needs Help – Katie Schwartz
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
Hedgehog Needs A Hat – Candace
Hedgehog Needs A Home – Summer Hinderer
Spiny The Hedgehog – Eva Kaman
Hopping Lonely – Jamie Bills
Henry Needs A Hint – Lauren Scott
Hare Needs A Hat – Jana Mattern
Hilary’s Holiday – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
Henry Hare’s New Hobby – Bru Benson
Hedgehog Hugs – Marty Findley
Hermit Crab Needs A Hat – Lynn Katz
Henry Hammerhead Needed A Hug – Padgy Soltis
Hedgehog Hates Hugs – TL Fales
Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Amy Leskowski
Mama Hedgehog’s Mother’s Day Holiday – Robin Currie
Henry Needs A Hero – Colleen Owen Murphy
Hugo Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Deb Buschman
Henry Hedgehog Needs A Home – Elizabeth Muster
Hedgehog Needs A Hint – Brenna Jeanneret
Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – JC Kelly
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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