Hello, Lovelies!

I hope you are all excited for the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing!

I know I am!

The whole idea of getting into a rocket and flying into space to walk on the moon is just so thrilling, don’t you think?

I have learned so many things about the Apollo 11 mission, not just from writing my book and sharing it with kids, but also from the newspaper this past week.

True or false?  Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin all weighed 165 pounds and were all within an inch of 5′ 11″?

True or false? The astronauts ate Pop Tarts for their pre-lift-off breakfast?

True or false? A rocket weighs more than 6 times as much as a 747 Jumbo Jet and can travel 40 times as fast? 🚀✈️

True or false? Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were saved by quick thinking and a pen?

True or false? One of the Apollo 11 astronauts was born on a popular holiday?

Maybe if I’m feeling very nice I’ll tell you the answers at the end 😊

Meanwhile, let’s talk about the winner of the June Pitch Pick.

In an (I think!) unprecedented moment in WYRI history, we actually had a tie!  It was one of the closest pitch picks ever, as all 4 pitches came within just a few points of each other, but I’m pleased to announce that the winners were Deborah (Farmer Jo And The Chicken Coop Calamity) and Ana (Bella The Best Quits Again).  Congratulations!  Fabulous pitches!  I will send them both to editor Erin Molta and prevail upon her extraordinary kindness to get her thoughts on both.

Congratulations also to Christina and Diana who also did a fantastic job and had very nearly as many votes as the two who won!  Tough competition this month!  But great job all around!!!

Truly, all that talk about rockets and ties has made me feel a tad faint.  I believe Something Chocolate is called for.  (Really, any excuse will do 😊)  Hmm… what should we have today?

Nothing says breakfast like marshmallow-filled chocolate cupcakes…! 😊

Marshmallow Filled Cupcakes

As Cookie Monster would say, “Nom-nom-nom-nom-nom!”

😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Corine.  Corine Timmer is a self-published author, haiku poet, nature lover, and street dog advocate. She lives in the countryside in Portugal together with her adopted dogs and her beloved donkey, Lolita. When she is not writing, tending to her animals, or creating artwork, she enjoys nature walks, visiting art galleries, and eating with friends. She loves chocolate! You can visit her on her website www.bicadeideias.com ”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Well Spotted, Joey

Age/Genre: Short Story (ages 8-12) nonfiction

The Pitch: When Joey, who is nearsighted, forgets his glasses at the safari lodge, the morning game drive becomes increasingly frustrating. His family are spotting wildlife every five minutes and he cannot see farther than the bonnet of the jeep. Just when he is about to have a tantrum, a change of focus leads to a discovery that saves the day.

So what do you think?  Would You Read It?  YES, MAYBE or NO?

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest.  If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Corine improve her pitch.  Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome.  (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful.  I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in September, which at this point is not all that far away, but you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Corine is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to making you all go do some research to find out which of those questions were true and which were false!  Mwa ha ha! (how’s that for an evil laugh?! 😊)

Nah! I’m just kidding you!  They are all true except the pop tarts!  The astronauts actually had orange juice, steak and eggs, toast, and coffee for breakfast (surprisingly hearty, given they were about to get into a compartment about the size of a car and stay there for the better part of 8 days while traveling through space at 24,000 mph!). One little girl at an author visit I was on recently suggested the astronauts have ice cream sandwiches for breakfast, proving that I am not the only one who thinks ice cream for breakfast is a good idea! 😊 Oh, and if you’re wondering, Michael Collins was born on Halloween! 😊