Tag: pitches

Monday Morning Special: A Straight From The Editor Extravaganza!

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Good Monday to you, favorite peeps!

I am a fan of Mondays.  They are like mornings – new beginnings full of hope and possibility for good things.  Just because yesterday or last week may not have been all you hoped doesn’t mean things can’t turn around today!

This could be the day you get a BRILLIANT idea for a picture book!  The kind that makes you fish desperately in the glove compartment for an ATM receipt with ketchup on it and contort yourself to reach the partially melted crayon from the backseat of the car and start scribbling madly at a traffic light because ideas like this don’t come along every day and you’ve got to grab it while it’s hot!

This could be the day you finally get the opening sentence of your WIP just exactly right!  The content, the mood, the tone, the language – perfect for hooking anyone and everyone who reads it!

It could be the day you compose a query letter so perfect that it gets you a request!

You know that agent you desperately want to sign with?  The one you’re crossing your fingers and toes and eyes and everything else crossable for a positive response from?  This could be the day she calls and asks to represent you!

It could even be the day you get “the call” – the one where your fantabulous agent or esteemed Editor X says, “I have an offer for you!” 🙂

So embrace Monday 🙂

Here is a sunshiny picture to help get you in the mood (because if you live anywhere near me it is currently raining and you might have forgotten what a sunshiny morning looks like 🙂 )

spring morning

Oh, and that green stuff is grass, which could start growing at any moment, although there isn’t any yet in my neck of the woods 🙂

To help you love Monday, here is the long-awaited backlog of Straight From The Editors that we have been hoping to catch up with.  Editor Erin Molta finally had time to send them, and a mere 3 and a half weeks later Yours Truly is finally putting together the post to deliver all this amazing knowledge and expertise to YOU!  What a way to start off your morning and your Monday and your week! 🙂

Enjoy! 🙂

For June: Michelle – The Sunflower Traveler (Chapter Book ages 6-9) 

Rhea’s interest in growing sunflowers for Petal Path’s Magazine Contest turned into a quest to help her family when her dad lost his job. Her final requirement for the contest is to describe something new about her sunflowers. But time traveling through a sunflower, talking with birds, and instructing a new gardener from the past may be more than she’s bargained for. Will Rhea solve her sunflower problem and still make it back in time to enter the contest?

Erin’s comments:  

Cute premise for a story! As for the pitch, it’s better if you don’t end with a question because of course, especially in children’s books, the conflict will be resolved. So, though you can ask questions, it’s better to make the reader want to know HOW it was resolved rather than asking the obvious question—if.

So, I would rework it something like this: Rhea’s interest in growing sunflowers for Petal Path’s Magazine Contest turned into a quest to help her family when her dad lost his job. Her final requirement for the contest is to describe something new about her sunflowers. But who would believe that she time traveled through her sunflower, talked with birds, and instructed a new gardener from the past?  Rhea needs to come up with a way to describe her sunflower situation in a way to not only help the people in the past but her family as well. 

For July: Kirsten – Stuck In The Muck (PB ages 4-8)

Sir Whiskerson loves kitty facials and paw-dicures. When he comes whisker to whisker with a mangy mutt named Sunny, Whiskerson is desperate to remain pristine. But with Sunny stuck in the muck and sinking, Whiskerson must decide whether doing the right thing is worth a gloppy, sloppy fur coat.

Erin’s comments:

This seems adorable but it would have more impact if we knew if Sunny was a friend or foe. Were Sunny and Whiskerson rivals before he was stuck in the muck? If you can get that in then I think this would be fab.

(August was blogcation – no pitching or pitch picks :))

For September:  Zainab – Dear Cat (PB ages 4-8) 

Persistent Bird keeps bugging Cat with his letters to be his friend.  Cat snubs Bird…until it’s snack time. Cat is ready for a tasty meal except Bird has his own devious plan in mind for this “clever” cat.

Erin’s comments:

This sounds like it could be interesting but I think you need to be more specific. I’m not quite sure what Bird’s letters have to do with a devious plan to trick Cat. It would work better if you framed it more simply: “Bird wants to be Cat’s friend but Cat snubs Bird. When it’s snack time Bird makes Cat notice him by (whatever it is he does)…  and Cat realizes that perhaps birds can be good friends.”

For October: Kirk – My Next Door Neighbor Is A Dragon Princess! (MG)

I didn’t care much for Maddie Buckner. At two, she bit my ear. At four she pushed me off a slide. At 8, she broke my favorite model airplane that took five months to build. At 10, she kissed me – on the lips! – under the Big Toy in the playground and told me she loved me. At 11, she spit in my face and said she hated me. Then she asked Parker Williams to the sock hop. Parker Williams! Oh, how I despised her. But then she had to go and save my life. That’s when I discovered her secret.

Erin’s comments:

I love this. Gets the tension in and the voice and the humor! The only thing I would suggest is making the numbers consistent. In theory, all of them should be written out but if you prefer not to do that, then they should all be numerical. And I just tightened it up a tad.

I didn’t care much for Maddie Buckner. At two, she bit my ear. At four she pushed me off a slide. At eight, she broke my favorite model airplane that took five months to build. At ten, she kissed me – on the lips! – under the Big Toy in the playground and told me she loved me. At eleven, she spit in my face and said she hated me. Then she asked Parker Williams to the sock hop. Parker Williams! Oh, how I despised her. But then she saved my life. That’s when I discovered her secret.

For November: Jessica – Showdown At The Sippy Cup Saloon! (PB ages 4-8)

In the tiny town of Toddle, in the cradle of the West, Sheriff Wyatt Burp is snoozing in his crib when Wild Bill Hiccup arrives to wake up — and shake up — the pint-size population.  “Don’t go gettin’ yer onesie in a twist,” Wild Bill warns Wyatt, but tempers flare until the two go bib to bib in a showdown at the Sippy Cup Saloon. Who will emerge the rootin’ tootin’ squirt gun shootin’ hero of the West?

Erin’s comments:

This sounds like it could be adorable! The only thing I would worry about is making it too precious. AND, it’s best not to end with a question. What if you framed it as more of a statement: Wild Bill Hiccup and Sheriff Wyatt Burp face off to decide who will emerge as the rootin’ tootin’ squirt gun shootin’ hero of the West.

So much fantastic advice as always from Erin!  We are so lucky to have her, and she is so very generous to share her expertise with us!  Thank you, Erin, and thanks to all the writers who step up each month to share their pitches so that all of us can benefit and learn!

I hope you’ll all find Erin’s comments very educational and helpful.

Have a marvelous Monday, everyone!

(And in case, in spite of all the advice and uplifting words about Monday you’re still longing for it to be Saturday, I have two helpful words for you:  Mister Softee 🙂 )

Would You Read It Wednesday #207 – The School Supplies Intensive Care Unit (PB)

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Okay.

I don’t know who’s in charge of the weather around here, but whoever it is may be in danger of attack from a horde of angry villagers.

It is the first week of April, and winter has arrived on Blueberry Hill.  It’s 10 degrees and we’ve got 6 inches of snow!

The robins are not amused.  They’re talking conspiracy.

And my poor little pink hyacinth was caught by surprise, all her sweet new blossoms snowed on and frozen, and now she’s sulking.

I suspect Simon Barsinister!*

I tell you, we’re sitting on a powder keg of disgruntlement!  Things could blow at any moment!

There’s only one solution:  Something Chocolate!

I think we’ll go healthy this morning with a fruit-oriented breakfast-y type of yumminess…

How does Triple Chocolate Banana Bread sound?

tiple_chocolate_banana_bread-16

Recipe HERE on Liv For Cake

tiple_chocolate_banana_bread-10

Recipe HERE on Liv For Cake

As you can see, it’s all about the fruit 🙂

We are so health-conscious!  Let’s pat ourselves on the back and have another slice!  After all, bananas are rich in potassium 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sam.  Sam Altmann is a special education teacher who lives in Baltimore Maryland with her husband and two semi-cuddly chaos loving dogs. She is a sucker for soft serve ice cream, swimming in the ocean, and “quality” reality television.  Follow her on her brand new twitter account at @jsamaltmann

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The School Supplies Intensive Care Unit

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 5-8)

The Pitch:  When a marker is left uncapped, or a pencil gets cracked, there is only one place they can turn, The School Supplies Intensive Care Unit. Things typically run smoothly, but after a sudden spike in cases at The SSIC-U, it’s up to Nurse Petunia to track down the culprit, and reform the classroom’s worst offender.

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 Sam 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!  Seriously!  Send pitches PLEASE!  The calendar is sadly empty from here on out and is thus feeling as sulky as my pink hyacinth, so we really need submissions!  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.  I am not kidding – next week is currently open! –  so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

(On a side note, as you no doubt noticed, being the alert readers that you are, I did not write the Saturday post last weekend…  you know, the one that I was going to write to catch up on the back-logged Straight From The Editors that I finally have in hand.  Instead I took my parents to tour an organic maple syrup farm.  Tough job, but someone had to do it 🙂  If you’re a betting type, I think now is a good time to start wagering… will I manage it this weekend… or not…?  Ooh!  The wondering is agonizing!  🙂 )

Sam is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to SPRING!!!!!  I MEAN IT!!!!!  Enough with this winter wonderland!!!!!  It’s April!!!!!  And this weather is forcing me to wear out my exclamation point key!!!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

*Should you happen not to have been watching Saturday morning cartoons in the early 70s, Simon Barsinister was the arch villain on Underdog 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #206 – Bird And The Baker (PB)

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Howdy, Friends!

Can you believe it’s March 30?!  Which means it’s PRACTICALLY APRIL!  Which is so awesome!  (And I am just ignoring that little snowflake picture on my phone’s weather app for April 5th.  Obviously the weather app folk are messing with us in their typically fiendish way.  They have a weird sense of humor 🙂 )

Since I’m a little bit psychic, I know you will be fascinated to know that today is the 220th anniversary of the day German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss discovered the construction of the heptadecagon.  It certainly makes MY day feel special 🙂  I mean, how fun is it to say “heptadecagon”?  There could be a picture book in that…  it sounds a little like a dinosaur…  how about ALFRED T. REX VS. THE HEPTADECAGON… Would You Read It?  🙂

Or we could just make it into a tongue twister.  Try saying heptadecagon three times fast.. it’s pretty hard… I just practiced so I know!

Of course, being the polar opposite of a brilliant mathematician (i.e. a nincompoop 🙂 ) I had to go find out what a heptadecagon was…

(On the off chance that any of you are as blissfully mathematically ignorant as I am, you’ll be thrilled to learn that our boy Carl Friedrich woke up on March 30 at the ripe old age of 19 and discovered that a heptadecagon is a 17 sided polygon, which is uber cool because 17 is a Fermat prime number, and you can make one with a compass and an unmarked straight edge.  And that is as much math talk as I can stand without chocolate!)

So bring on the Something Chocolate!!!

I vote for Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Oreo Pie because I’m pretty sure you could make one in the shape of a heptadecagon if you were comitted!  🙂

Dark Chocolate Caramel Oreo Pie

Dark-Chocolate-Salted-Caramel-Oreo-Pie-Recipe-02

Recipe HERE at Kevin & Amanda

 

Ooh, la la! YUM!

(And now, for an extra challenge, try saying heptadecagon three times fast with your mouth full of Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Oreo Pie!)

Now then, onto today’s pitch which has absolutely nothing to do with heptadecagons comes to us from Patricia who says, “I am a pre-published picture book author, wife, mother of 3 almost-adult children and Two Orange Pups, and avid gardener. The title of my blog pretty much sums it up: Wander, Ponder, Write – a KidLit Journey (www.patricianozell.com). That’s what I do, that’s what I enjoy.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Bird And The Baker

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch:  A rainbow-winged songbird forages each day for grain to feed her flock. But when a popular bakery opens in the nearby village, the grain disappears. As Bird bargains for grain, she must use her head or risk losing her natural gifts or flock.

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 Patricia 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!  Seriously, PLEASE!  I’m pretty sure the calendar is wide open from here on out, so we really need submissions!  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.  I am not kidding there are openings in April (which is PRACTICALLY HERE – see above 🙂 ) so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback very soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

(On a side note, I’m thinking of writing a Straight From The Editor Saturday post just to catch us up since I have a whole pile of back-logged ones that came in from Erin this month.  Of course, that requires that I put together a Saturday post… so we shall see… 🙂 )

Patricia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to exploring the picture book possibilities of ALFRED T. REX VS. THE HEPTADECAGON because in the time it’s taken me to type down to the bottom of this post, I have decided that heptadecagon sounds more like a dragon than a dinosaur and a t-rex vs. a dragon would be a pretty good show down!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #205 – The Hero Of Foggy Basin (PB) PLUS The Dec/Jan Pitch Pick Winner!

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Woo hoo!  It’s Wednesday!  And it’s officially spring!  I hope you are all feeling sunshiny this morning! 🙂

Did any of you ever read Cheaper By The Dozen by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey?  It was a favorite of mine when I was growing up, about a big, happy, busy family having one hilarious adventure after another.  If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it (and not the movie with Steve Martin… read the book!  Not that I have anything against Steve Martin – actually, he is a favorite – but I always think the book is better than the movie 🙂 )

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because the father in the story  was an efficiency expert.  And I’ve decided I could seriously use an efficiency expert!  I would love to have someone organize my time and tasks and keep me on schedule.  I would do it myself but it turns out I’m not very good at it – too easily sidetracked by interesting tangents! 🙂  So if any of you are extremely organized, like to crack the whip, and are interested in working for brownies, you may apply in the comment section 🙂

Because look at this!  Here we are in March and I just realized, what with the Valentiny Contest and all, we got a little off our schedule and I never announced the winner of the December/January Pitch Pick!

So without further ado…

…the winner…

(…drum roll please…!)

…is Ashley with her pitch for The Race Against Sleep!

Congratulations, Ashley!  Your pitch is on its way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts and I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon!

Congratulations also to our other courageous pitchers, who put their work out for all the world to see and comment on.  You all did a fabulous job – it was a close race! – and I hope even those who didn’t win got enough helpful feedback to really improve their pitches!  Well done all of you!

And now, so that we don’t accidentally miss Easter in some lapse of efficiency (because it’s so early this year it would be easy to miss!) I thought this festive, springy Easter Egg Pretzel Chocolate Swirl Bark would be an excellent choice for today’s Something Chocolate!

Easter-Egg-Pretzel-Chocolate-Swirl-Bark-Recipe-by-Five-Heart-Home_700pxAerial

Recipe HERE at FiveHeartHome

So pretty, isn’t it?  And chocolatey and sweet and salty…YUM!

And now, in what can only be called a model of efficiency 🙂 , onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Heather who says, “Several years ago, I was a Silicon Valley proofreader/copy editor. Now I’m a mom, school volunteer, and student of picture-book writing. The writing light switched on for me in third grade when we were all asked to dictate a story into a tape recorder. I got gold stars on my assignment that day, and writing has been part of my creative life ever since. Nowadays, the world feels right when I can walk around creating characters in my head. Aside from my picture-book characters, I live with my inspiring kids and rocket scientist husband in Redwood City, California.”

Visit her at:  www.HeatherKinser.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Hero Of Foggy Basin

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-6)

The Pitch:  A stray dog with a sunny disposition wanders into a town that’s always blanketed by fog—and can’t find the way out. Dog brightens the lives of the gloomy townsfolk, but when he realizes he’s not free to leave, he gradually loses hope. That’s when he meets a trio of children who seem to carry a light of their own, and decides it’s his job to fetch them the sun.

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 Heather 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 April so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback very soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Heather is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing who applies for the job as my efficiency expert or, failing that, who has any excellent suggestions on time management 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #204 – Trouble With A Capital “E”! (PB/ER)

38 Comments

Happy Wednesday, Peeps!

So yesterday, I drove to JFK.  I got there a teensy bit early (shocking, I know! I don’t think I’ve ever gotten anywhere early before! :)), so I went to hang out in the cell phone lot.  And guess what?  What should come along but a Mister Softee truck!  It plonked itself right in the middle of the cell phone lot, and drivers from all the fancy black SUVs with taxi and limousine service license plates came flocking up for ice cream!  That’s what I call enterprising – capitalizing on a captive audience.  And the line for cones proves that the child in all of us is never too far away 🙂

And since I’m apparently spouting random facts today, as you’ve no doubt noticed by now, being observant writerly types :), I have a new website – just about 2 months old 🙂  I’m picking away at adding to it and updating it, and it occurred to me that maybe I should mention (in case your browsing hadn’t taken you that far) that there are all kinds of hidden gems, either already up or coming soon!  So I am taking this opportunity to mention the Resources For Writers page (still under construction) which has, er, not surprisingly, resources… for writers 🙂  Hop over if you’re interested.  Peruse what’s there.  And then come back and let me know if there’s something you’d particularly like to see there that I can add for you!

Right then.  Enough with the chit chat.  We’ve been here nearly 14 seconds already so it’s time for Something Chocolate, don’t you think?  What with spring being in the air and all, I thought I’d go healthy today, so I’m serving No Bake Strawberry Chocolate Tart (healthy by virtue of the fact that it contains a fruit item :))

Looks like health food to me! 🙂  And you can’t go wrong with a dessert item that is both chocolate and no bake!  (I seem to be on a no-bake kick… impatient much?! :))

Alright.  Grab a napkin so you don’t get chocolate and strawberry juice all over your computer and let’s check out Would You Read It!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Tracy who says, “Hey there! I’m Tracy and I am a Language Arts Interventionist, who loves every minute of it! I recently submitted my first article for Highlights Children’s Magazine and I couldn’t be more excited, Yahooie! Animals, children and writing are my passion, and fortunately for me, I have all three in my life. Thanks so much for taking a look at my pitch :~)”

Visit her at:
www.chattytcp.wordpress.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Trouble With A Capital “E”!

Age/Genre: Picture Book/Early Reader

The Pitch:  Sometimes, no matter how perfect things seem, trouble will find you and perhaps even follow you home. And that’s exactly what happened on an extraordinary day while Jack and his favorite person, Lily, went walking. Join Jack and Lily on their early morning adventure that brings trouble and the unexpected into their quiet home. The perfect pooch found the perfect friend, and together the unlikely duo find friendship, love, mischief, and yes TROUBLE. Sometimes, “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” can be spelled with a capital E.

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 Tracy 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 April so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback very soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Tracy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing what you think of the Resources For Writers page and what kinds of things you might like to see added there!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #203 – Kitty Clawdette The Broadway Pet (PB)

35 Comments

Helloooooooo, friends!

Here on Blueberry Hill Spring thinks it’s coming ahead of schedule!  The weatherfolk are forecasting 71 degrees for today – practically unheard of around here on March 9!  The sun is shining, the geese are returning, and the cardinals (the cardinals!) are singing from the blackberry patch already!

Phyllis is working on her tan… 🙂

Phyllis

All this springiness is making me feel like doing something new and different, something exciting and fun, so I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you if there’s anything in particular I can do for you?

Is there a new feature you’d love to see on this picture book writing blog?

Is there an old feature you’d like to see brushed off and brought back?

What would help you the most in your picture book writing and reading pursuits? (And I direct this question not just to writers, but also to teachers, and parents – anyone who spends a lot of time with picture books on a daily basis 🙂 )

If you’ve got any bright ideas, please share them below in the comments and I’ll do my best to accommodate!

I am (hopefully) getting close to having my newsletter ready (more news on that as it develops), and I’m hoping you’re going to find that helpful and fun!

Speaking of helpful and fun, today we have a special Something Chocolate for the gluten-free cake lovers in our audience!  (See how I segued there?  In a way that actually made no sense but kind of sort of sounds like it did?!  It’s a talent.  Some people are just born with it :))

Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yes.  Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake.  Can’t go wrong with a name like that! 🙂  It’s comprised of dark chocolate fudge cake with white chocolate mousse between the layers and a sour cream chocolate icing.  Sounds like breakfast, don’t you think? 🙂

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake

 

Today’s pitch comes to us from Christie who loves writing picture books and connecting with other kid lit writers on Facebook and Twitter. On her blog, she hosts a weekly picture book brainstorming session called Fridea Fest. You can also find her on Instagram @bonster_goose where she encourages fellow pet lovers to “Read to your dog!”

Visit her on the web:

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Kitty Clawdette The Broadway Pet

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch:  Kitty Clawdette, a homeless cat, aches to be a star on Broadway, but she’s an unknown talent with no experience. Dedicated to practice and presentation, and with the help of her lucky star, the theater janitor, Kitty finally gets a big break and learns there is something more important than fame.

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 Christie 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.  Unbelievably, there are actually still openings in March so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback very soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Christie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing what kinds of things you guys would like to see here and finding out how I can be most helpful to YOU! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #202 – My Mama Runs: Mia And The Marathon (PB/ER)

45 Comments

It’s Would You Read It Wednesday and it’s March, people!  How awesome is that?

I know winter isn’t technically over in our neck of the woods until mid-April (if we’re lucky!) but there’s something so light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel promising about March!  This year in particular, the light is changing, the sun feels warmer than usual for this time, and the cardinals are singing already!  Let’s just put global warming right out of our heads, shall we? and just think chocolate.

Because I think we should celebrate these early spring-like days with Something Chocolate!  (Not that I need an excuse for chocolate…)  And just wait til you see what I have for today.  I am not kidding.  It is Actual Health Food.  Seriously.  Even you are going to like this one, Julie R-Z of the I-don’t-eat-chocolate-for-breakfast persuasion!

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars!

best-recipe

From Amy at New Nostalgia

 

See that?  The first listed ingredient is oatmeal!  Breakfast food and health food!  Plus there are dried cranberries in the recipe, and those of you who are familiar with dried cranberries know that they are candy count as a fruit 🙂  Plus, the words “no-bake” appear in the title, and that means easier prep and less time until BREAKFAST! 🙂

I hope you will all enjoy this healthful and delicious treat.  You know I’m always looking out for you, doing my best to make sure you are supplied with chocolate in the most nutritious way possible 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Stacia who is a curriculum and content writer for an early education non-profit.  She has been published in NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children and Museum Magazine.  Stacia lives in Washington, DC with her husband and adorable pup, Ollie.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: My Mama Runs: Mia And The Marathon

Age/Genre: Picture Book/Early Reader

The Pitch:  Mia’s mama loves to run and Mia loves to cheer her on! While Mama is getting ready for her longest race ever, find out what Mia does to get ready too!  Will Mia’s cheering be enough to help Mama cross the finish line?

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 Stacia 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.  Unbelievably, there are actually openings in March, um, like next week! so we could really use some pitch submissions right about now and you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback pretty soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Stacia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to not baking oatmeal chocolate and peanut butter for breakfast 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #201 -Mary Alice (PB)

45 Comments

Good Morning, Lovelies!

Please excuse this interruption to the Valentiny Contest for Would You Read It!

I hope you have all been enjoying reading the 12 Valentiny Contest finalists and voting!  As of last check there were 2 ties, so anyone who hasn’t read and voted, please feel free to hop on over and do so.  You could be the hero(ine) tie-breaker, thereby earning my undying gratitude which (I don’t mean to brag!) is almost as valuable as a brand new unopened bag of hamster chow!  So get on out there and break those ties and feel free to share the finalist link on social media with anyone who might enjoy reading the stories to themselves and/or the kiddos in their lives!  The more readers and voters the better!

As a reward, in addition to my undying gratitude, (I know! It’s hard to believe there could be more!) I shall bestow upon you Something Chocolate!

Hmmm… what are you in the mood for today?  How about…

Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes With Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce???!!!

chocolatepancakes-13

From Averie Cooks: Recipe HERE

 

YUM!

Chocolate.  It’s what’s for breakfast 🙂

Now then, today’s pitch comes to us from Tracey who is a published author with nine picture books currently published. Among her writing activities she includes:  SCBWI PAL member, Southern Breeze (SCBWI) Local Liaison for South Georgia and Webmaster for the region,  KidLit TV team member, a South Georgia Writers Guild member, and the founder/director of the Books Love & Taters Book Festival.

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Mary Alice

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 12 and under)

The Pitch:  Mary Alice really does like her job. She escorts all kinds of boats up and down the Hudson River. Secretly, she wishes to have passengers, but who would want to be on a dirty tug boat? One fateful morning, everything changes. Mary Alice sees smoke tumbling out of the two skyscrapers. A call over the crackling radio has Mary Alice heading full steam towards the island where a small tug boat can make a big difference.

On 9/11,  the largest sea evacuation in world history happened. Hearing the United States Coastguard call, many mariners converged onto Lower Manhattan to rescue almost a half a million people. Mary Alice, a blue-collared tugboat, was one of the vessels used. Mary Alice’s story will resonate with readers, as they see a small boat doing a mighty thing.

 

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 Tracey 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.  Unbelievably, there are actually openings in March so you could get your pitch up for some helpful feedback pretty soon, and have a chance to have it read by editor Erin Molta!

Tracey is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing who the winners will be for the Valentiny Contest!  I can hardly wait to share them with you on Friday!  It’s going to be so exciting!!!  I’m all goose-prickly at the very thought!

But you all just stay calm.  Don’t get nervous or excited or anxious.  Don’t bite your nails.  Don’t lie awake wondering WHO the winners will be!!!  It’s not THAT many hours til Friday.  I’m SURE you’ll be able to focus on other things…

Uh huh.

See you Friday! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

 

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #200 – The Dino Store (PB) PLUS The Dec/Jan Pitch Pick!

42 Comments

Happy (one day late!) Groundhog Day, Everyone!

I hope you were all thrilled at Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of an early spring!

Up here on Blueberry Hill, Phyllis was feeling a little more cautious.  She said, “How can we have spring if we haven’t had winter yet?” and “Who the heck does El Nino think he is?” and “By the way, what’s with El Nino?!  How about El Nina?! I could teach that guy a thing or two!” and “If anyone has any strawberries I would like some please!”

Phyllis and I had a delightful visit with Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades at Beekman Elementary School yesterday (even without strawberries… they had really good cookies!… thank you, Mrs. Osso 🙂 )  Local gossip speculates that there may be photographs in existence somewhere… but as I don’t have them yet (and will likely decide they’re not fit to be seen even when I do 🙂 ) you’ll have to wait for those… maybe a Very. Long. Time! 🙂   And now, even as you read this, Phyllis and I are off visiting another school today!  We’re like a whirlwind.  Or maybe a girlwind 🙂  The first week of February is always busy and tons of fun around here!

So busy, in fact, that I really think Something Chocolate is called for immediately to sustain us!  Especially because our busy day today includes the December/January Pitch Pick!

Since today is the birthday of someone I love more than you can imagine (yes, Phyllis, but someone else too :)), I think we should have cake!

choc cake

Doesn’t that look divine?  All we need is a nice hot cup of coffee to go with it and balance out the sweet!  (And Julie R-Z – please note the raspberries – I put them on there so you wouldn’t have to eat cake for breakfast because I know how you feel about that 🙂 )

Okay!  Are you ready to Pitch Pick?

#1 Diane – The Dreadfully Unhappy Cat (PB ages 4-8)

(for those of you who read it in December, this was formerly Peyton The Cat And The Princess Who Loves Everything Pink)

Mortimer, a dreadfully unhappy cat, needs to get his new owner, Pauline’s attention. Mortimer feels there are to many kisses and does not like the new name Pauline gave him, Prissy-the-Cat-Princess. How can he get her attention? Several cat-devious ideas pop into his head. But Pauline fails to notice Mortimer’s signs and instead blames them all on Tommy, her brother. Mortimer’s last cat-fantastic idea is to seek the help of Pauline’s brother—as he seems to understand Mortimer’s dilemma. Once Pauline discovers Mortimer’s wishes, a compromise is reached between daily kisses, his name, and being a guard for Tommy’s castle.

 

#2 Gabi – Eustacia, Unicorn Of Science (PB ages 4-8)

(for those of you who read the original, this was formerly titled Unicorn With A Stache)

Meet Eustacia.  Like her fellow unicorns, she toots rainbows.  Unlike her fellow unicorns, she studies science, solves formulas, and invents gizmos.  The other unicorns scoff and say, “Magic is the unicorn way.”  But when their rainbows disappear, Eustacia discovers that both science and magic have a place in the unicorn world.

#3  Cynthia – Nicky And The Inchworm (PB ages 4-8)

Nicky loves to splash in the puddles, but when he finds a shiny wet inchworm dangling over a puddle he knows he has to act fast. Amazed by this tiny little creature, Nicky forgets about splashing in puddles and sets out to find a safe home for his tiny new friend.

 

#4  Carleen – Annabelle Changes Her Name (PB ages 4-8)

Annabelle’s name is too long, too hard, too different.  But when she decides to change it, she runs into all sorts of problems.  And then she meets a new girl whose name is long and hard and different, too.   And now Annabelle isn’t so sure anymore about changing her name.

#5  Ashley – The Race Against Sleep (PB ages 4-8)

Bill is the fastest runner this side of the Mississippi, but can he outrun Sleep? THE RACE AGAINST SLEEP introduces readers to a boastful boy, Bill, whose bragging rights are on the line when he accepts Sleep’s challenge to a footrace with no finish line. Bill fights to stay up and moving as Sleep uses the typically charming, Southern landscape against him.

Funny – we got a couple title changes this month!  And they’re all PBs for ages 4-8!

Please vote in the poll below for the pitch you like best that you feel most deserves a read and comments from editor Erin Molta.  Please cast your vote by Sunday February 7 at 5 PM Eastern.  Results will be posted weeks from now after the Valentiny Contest is over 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Lynne Marie who says, “My name is Lynne Marie, and picture books (and dinosaurs) are a long-time passion of mine. I am a reader, reviewer, a writer, and world traveller. My first book, Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten was published by Scholastic in 2011, with one to follow. Please visit me at “My Word Playground” — who knows who or what might pop in there, maybe even a dinosaur or two!

You can learn more about her at www.literallylynnemarie.com,  follow her writing and inspiration blog at http://literallylynnemarie.blogspot.com and follow her on twitter @Literally_Lynne

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Dino Store

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch: When a child wishes for a real dinosaur, a magical door leads him to The Dino Store. But will he choose a walnut-brained Stegosaurus, a bully scaring T-Rex or an Apatosaurus whose neck he can slide down? With Show ‘N Tell tomorrow he needs to choose fast. But what if the wrong choice leads to BIGGER problems?

 

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 Lynne Marie 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 menu beneath For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Lynne Marie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to visiting another school full of happy, excited Kindergartners, 1st and 2nd graders with my furry little marmot friend!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #199 -The Race Against Sleep (PB)

35 Comments

So, big news on Blueberry Hill… I took Princess Blue Kitty for a bath!

I know!  Practically unprecedented!

You all remember Princess Blue, right?  My trusty Subaru Outback who carries me valiantly hither and yon, up and down the eastern seaboard and beyond on my various wanderings?  Well, sad to say, she got extremely coated with salt when I took her to Vermont last week.  You couldn’t even tell she was blue anymore 😦  Normally I would wait for a good rainstorm or a high wind to remedy the situation, but she looked so pathetic even I couldn’t take it.  So down the road we went for a proper bath at the car wash.  And even though cats do not like water, Princess Blue Kitty was grateful.  I can tell.  I have a sixth sense about these things.  I’m like a car whisperer… she just speaks to me 🙂

I’m guessing a lot of you have cars suffering the same fate, due to the recent heavy snows.  So take it from me (remember, I’m a car whisperer) that your cars too will be grateful to be relieved of their coats of salt!

And now that we’re done with that public service announcement, how about Something Chocolate?  You just really can’t go wrong with a dessert breakfast called Fat Witch Bakery’s Legendary Chocolate Caramel Brownies! 🙂

Caramel-Brownie-Bite

Caramel Chocolate Brownie Bite! Recipe HERE at DinnerThenDessert http://dinnerthendessert.com/fat-witch-bakerys-legendary-chocolate-caramel-brownies/

It’s okay if you’re drooling on your keyboard.  That’s what they make paper towel for 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Ashley who says, “My name is Ashley Franklin, and I began my picture book journey just a year ago. I’m an online teacher by day and a writer by night; oh, let’s not forget about the frosted layer of motherhood plastered on top.”

You can follow her blog at http://transego.wordpress.com/ and follow her on twitter @DifferentAshley

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Race Against Sleep

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch: Bill is the fastest runner this side of the Mississippi, but can he outrun Sleep? THE RACE AGAINST SLEEP is a 400 word picture book story for children ages 4-8 that introduces them to a boastful boy, Bill, who can outrun anyone—or so he thinks. Bill races against Sleep across a picturesque, Southern landscape in an attempt to keep his title, but he finds out that even champions need their rest.

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 Ashley 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 drop-down under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings at the end of February (seriously! I have slightly dropped the ball in letting people know there are upcoming openings in the calendar!) so you could get a space quite soon for feedback on your pitch and a chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Ashley is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to vacuuming Princess Blue so that her inside is as clean as her outside.

Well.

No.

Actually I’m not.

That’s a flat out lie 🙂  You all know how I feel about vacuuming… 🙂  But it’s the sentiment that counts, right?  I want Blue Kitty to be clean inside, so that’s all that matters 🙂

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!