I know it’s Black Friday Weekend, and also the Official Kick Off of Holiday Decorating, so you are all no doubt charging through the aisles of Target and Home Depot at this very moment draped in tinsel and brandishing menorahs with multicolored bulbs at anything that threatens your forward progress, your wallet significantly lighter and your thoughts single-mindedly focused on the left-over pumpkin pie that’s going to sustain you through seven hours of blowing up inflatable Santas and hanging from the roof edge by your fingernails whilst you string lights when you get home, and heaven knows I do not want to interfere with any of THAT!
But it occurred to me that you might want something helpfully distracting to think about whilst you were trying desperately not to think about what airspeed velocity you might attain should your fingernails lose their grip on that roof edge and send you hurtling toward the ground, and whether all that pie you ate would be enough to cushion your landing or simply act as ballast to speed your descent . . .
And you know how much I like to be helpful to you. . . 🙂
So. . .
. . . how about we get the old noggin on the job of thinking up your story entry for the
7THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
Isn’t that a great idea???!!! 🙂
Here are the Official Contest Rules! 🙂
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) about A Holiday Surprise! Any kind of surprise – anything at all! – the more unexpected the better! 🙂 Squirrel in the Christmas Tree? Snowstorm in Jamaica? Santa delivering toys from an excavator pulled by a herd of worms? Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 🙂 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 🙂 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between 12:01 AM EST Thursday December 7 and Sunday December 10 at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on the official holiday contest post which will go up on my blog on Thursday December 7 and remain up through Friday December 15 for your reading pleasure. There will be no Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you would like to enter but don’t have a blog you are welcome to paste your entry in the comment section of my December 7th post when it goes up. If you have trouble commenting, you can email me. (We’ll go over this part in more detail on the December 7th post! 🙂 )
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 10-12 finalists (depending on the number of entries) which will be posted here on Friday December 15 (or, if we’re desperate for a little extra time, Saturday December 16) for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Sunday December 17 at 5 PM EST (or Monday December 18th if we need that extra time.) Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place, and the winners will be announced on Monday December 18 (or Tuesday December 19).
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Surprise! – the rules state a Holiday Surprise story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate, and it must contain a surprise! 🙂
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes!: Ok, I’m leaving the country Monday (seriously! – the day after tomorrow! – I am not making that up! 🙂 ) and have yet to finish getting the prizes organized, so I apologize for not including them in today’s post. But I wanted to get the guidelines up so you guys would have as much time as possible to work on your stories! Stay tuned for the prizes. I promise they will be as good as I can make them! 🙂
So there you have it! Fire up those brain cells! After you hopefully don’t fall off the roof stringing lights or sprain your ankle barreling through Target with your shopping cart, grab a cup of hot chocolate, plonk your tiny hiney into a comfy chair, and get to writing your potentially prize-winning Holiday Surprise story!!!
On your mark…
…get set…
…GO!
I am SO looking forward to getting to read all your stories!!!
Have a great rest of the weekend and really try not to fall off the roof! 🙂
This is because the people in charge around here have had a scheduling foul-up of monstrous proportions which clearly took place in the shadowy underbelly of the administration and left us all in a rut as sticky as candy corn!
There is no other explanation.
Although, now that I think about it, it may have been that, due to budget cuts, the lighting was extremely dim, making it very difficult to discern what was written on the calendar amongst the long shadows cast by the one remaining light bulb, and the PICOS (Person In Charge Of Scheduling…er… which would be me) was so hopped up on candy corn that she was trying to make sense of the schedule whilst dancing the monster mash and thus failed to realize that today – Friday – was supposed to be for Perfect Picture Books.
I think it must have been that.
Unless…
It’s just possible that an army of candy corn led by General Sugarshadow rumbled into my office in orange camo monster trucks and staged a coups, and the new regime insists that every day is National Tri-Colored Undigestible Candy Day and to heck with perfect picture books because they are not made out of sugar nor can they be used as a traction aid in inclement weather.
Be that as it may, according to my sources it is Friday. And that means, it’s time for Perfect Picture Books. So let’s get to it, shall we?
Oh.
Wait a minute.
Didn’t some monstrously candy-corn-headed nitwit just say something shadowy about a scheduling conflict?
I’ll have my people get in touch with your people and sort this whole scheduling conundrum out!
Meanwhile, perhaps you’d like to engage in the age-old debate over pop-tarts: toast them? or eat them cold? Where do you weigh in on this critical issue?
Or maybe we should discuss the qualifications one should look for in a scheduling assistant… because clearly I could use some advice…
Or maybe…
…just maybe…
you’d like to hear about
THEWINNERS OF The7thAnnualHALLOWEENSIECONTEST!!!!!
WA-HOOOOOOO!!!!!
As you are all aware by now, we had a record turnout for the Halloweensie Contest – 244 entries! Holy Halloweensie! Who’d-a-thunk it?
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers!
But with large entry numbers come hard choices. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you on Monday for your vote.
There were, however, many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another (one reason being that, at a certain point, we just had to stop adding finalists to the list! :))
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (all-arond well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Vanessa Marcus for Scary To Someone
Ryan Roberts for Pumpkin Patch
Jennifer Buchet for Gobblewolly’s Halloweensie Treasure
Katherine Rothstein for Sharkcula
Jen Bagan for Shadow Monster
Nancy Granberry for Monster Had A Little Ghost
Nancy Riley for Monster’s Woe
Jill Proctor for Monster Marathon
Delfina Salimbene for The Sweet Tooth Trick Or Treat
Jennifer Raudenbush for Montgomery Monster
2. For Great Kid Appeal: (not already in the finals)
Greg Bray for Killer Candy Corn Costume
Ann Martin for Who Scared Who? (also very cute story!)
Diana (Peach?) for Monster Under The Bed
3. For Best Descriptive/Mood Piece:
Terri Ross for Witchy (delightfully Halloweensie mood)
Meryl Cullom for Watch Out! (spooky)
4. For Best Use of Poetic Language: (not already in the finals)
Maria Marshall for A Halloween Treasure (lovely mood)
Janie Reinart for Parade Of Horribles (spooky mood)
5. For Spookiest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Brianna Zamborsky for The Lock
Lynley Stace for Sweetie
6. For Funniest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Nina Q. Haines for Broomstick Sale
Sandy Perlic for Trick Or Treats For Monster?
7. For Sweetest Entry: (not already in the finals)
Jennifer Prevost for Candie’s Monster Shadows
Candace Kubinec for No Costume Required
8. For Best Written Original Point of View: (not already in the finals)
Kaye Baillie for House Hates Halloween (POV of a haunted house)
9. For Fun Concept With Great Potential:
B.L. Bachman for Witch Hiccups
10. For Favorite Character:
Julie Abery for her Teensy-Weensy Witch
Jean James for her Evil Dr. Gerbil 🙂
11. For Best Entry In 12 Words! 🙂 :
Danielle Hammelef for A Shadow’s Secret
12. For Cleverest Parody Close To Judge #1’s Heart 🙂 :
Julie LaCombe for When Your Monster Has The Sneazles
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com to collect your prize, which is your choice of one of the following: (the titles are all links so you can go see what they’re about)
If you already have all these, or can’t decide, or want to build up your wish list fund:
A $5 Amazon Email Gift Certificate
Now then. A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 12 fabulous prizes, generously donated by authors and various professionals in the writing field. My policy is to let the first place winner have first pick of all the prizes, the second place winner have second choice, etc. That way hopefully nobody gets something they already have, and hopefully everyone gets something that’s valuable to them. All prizes are listed at the bottom of this post for your convenience in perusing the goodies 🙂
Now.
Finally!
Onto the moment you’ve all been waiting for. . .
. . . the reason you got out of bed this morning. . .
. . . in spite of shadows under your bleary eyes. . .
. . . and the candy corn that is stuck in your monsterly bed head!!!
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2017 HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST as chosen by you, our esteemed voters!!!!!
In First Place, winner of the whole entire contest and top of the heap who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Dawn Young
for
Clomp, Stomp, Chomp!
Congratulations, Dawn, on a delightful and humorous entry with good tension that was all around well done and clearly very popular!!!
In Second Place,
Debbie Day
for
Attack Of The Vampire Cookie
Congratulations, Debbie, on a creative, wonderfully written entry with a great title! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Dawn chooses!
In Third Place,
Lucretia Schafroth for Marvin…The Monster
Congratulations, Lucretia, on an entertaining entry with a great surprise ending that we all loved! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Dawn and Debbie choose!
In Fourth Place,
Jennifer Broedel
for Beware The Candysnatch
Congratulations, Jennifer, on a fun version of the classic rhyme with a great ending! You get to pick a prize after Dawn, Debbie, and Lucretia!
In Fifth Place,
Judy Sobanski for Vampire Has A Sweet Tooth
Congratulations, Judy, on your well written entry with a resourceful MC! You get to pick your prize after Dawn, Debbie, Lucretia, and Jennifer!
In Sixth Place,
Kelly Conroy
for
Werewolf Trick Or Treat
Congratulations, Kelly, on your well written just-the-right-amount-of-scary entry! You get to pick your prize after Dawn, Debbie, Lucretia, Jennifer, and Judy!
In Seventh Place,
Jessica Bennett
for Shadow Play
Congratulations, Jessica, on your delightfully spooky story! I’m sure you get the idea of the prize picking by now! 🙂
In Eighth Place,
Chambrae Griffith for Boogley’s Halloween
Congratulations, Chambrae, for a wonderful character and well written story with a nice surprise ending! You get to pick your prize after Jessica.
In Ninth Place
Susie Sawyer
for The Scariest House On The Block
Congratulations, Susie, on your humorous depiction of every kid’s worst Halloween nightmare 🙂 You get to prize pick after Chambrae.
In Tenth Place,
Katie Frawley
for Vampette’s Visions
Congratulations, Katie, on a fun backward twist of an entry that we all loved! You get to pick a prize after Susie…!
In Eleventh Place, a tie between
JenniferCole Judd and Sara Gentry
for for Bathilda’s Scary SurpriseJimmy’s Nighttime Guest
Congratulations Jen and Sara on your wonderful, kid-friendly, fun-spooky entries! You two will have to fight over the last two prizes, but I’ll give priority to whoever emails me first 🙂
And, I don’t think I need to remind anyone that in addition to all these fabulous prizes, everyone mentioned on this page has bragging rights as having won or placed in the Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest! Not just anyone can say that 🙂
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! Finalists who did not finish in the top 12 (Christine and Deborah) may also contact me for their choice of the Kindle or paperback prizes listed above. If you choose a prize that requires snail mailing, PLEASE include your snail mail address so we don’t have to email back and forth too many times 🙂
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause, a confetti parade, and a large amount of chocolate cake 🙂
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize! It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
And before we go, I will give you all advance warning so you can start planning a little time into your December schedule…
The 7th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 8-12 so we can all fully enjoy it and still have time for last minute holiday things. I will do my best to post the rules well in advance (maybe the Saturday after Thanksgiving, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise! 🙂 ) so you all have time to work on your stories!
Have a terrific weekend everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 🙂
The Prizes:
– a read and Skype critique of a picture book manuscript by the fabulous editor Callie Metler-Smith of Clear Fork/Spork Publishing!!!
– a 30 minute Skype conversation/critique of a picture book manuscript with the amazingly wonderful and talented author Penny Klostermann!!! (THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT – Random House 2015, A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE – Random House 2017)
– a webinar of your choice from among the selection offered by Julie Hedlund on her Teachable site (details of selection choice to be discussed with Julie)
Julie Hedlund
– a picture book manuscript critique from accomplished author/illustrator Cori Doerrfeld (PENNY LOVES PINK – Little Brown 2011, LITTLE BUNNY FOO FOO: THE REAL STORY – Dial 2012 and the forthcoming THE RABBIT LISTENED – Dial 2018 and THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF ESTHER THE WONDER PIG – Little Brown 2018, and many, many more!)
Cori Doerrfeld
– a picture book manuscript critique from talented author Lynne Marie (HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN – Scholastic 2011, HEDGEHOG’S 100th DAY OF SCHOOL – Scholastic 2017, THE STAR OF THE CHRISTMAS PLAY – Sparkhouse Family 2018 and MOLDILOCKS AND THE 3 SCARES – Sterling, TBA. Her stories, articles and poems have appeared in many magazines, including Family Fun, Highlights, High Five, Spider and Baby Bug. She’s a Feature Columnist/On-staff writer for Children’s Book Insider, a book reviewer and a 2016/17 Cybils Picture Book Panelist. She’s a former New Yorker who now lives a simpler life on a lake in South Florida with her daughter and several resident water birds.
Lynne Marie
– a query letter critique from SubIt Club Founder and fabulous author Heather Burnell (BEDTIME MONSTER – Raven Tree Press 2010, KICK! JUMP! CHOP!: The Adventures of the Ninjabread Man – Sterling 2017)
– a Bundle Of Books from KidLit411 (must be selected by someone in the USA due to postage) which will include picture books and middle grade book, about 7 in total, details still to come. (Totally awesome for writers, readers, parents, teachers, or gift-givers!!!)
– a personalized signed copy of GRIMELDA AND THE SPOOKTACULAR PET SHOW by Diana MurrayPLUS a personalized signed copy of BIG SISTER, LITTLE MONSTER by Andria Rosenbaum
– a personalized signed copy of MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN by Nancy Churnin
– a copy of MEET WOOF & QUACK by Jamie Swenson and donated by the illustrator, Ryan Sias
Please join me again in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
SO nice of you to drop by for a Monday morning visit!
Pull your chair up to the kitchen table and pour yourselves a cup of tea or coffee while I rummage about and see what kind of second breakfast goodies I have around here…
Hmmm…..
Ah!
How about this?
Luckily I always keep a few plates of assorted pastries on hand just in case someone should drop by. My motto is: be prepared! Also: breakfast is the most important meal of the day… and should therefore be eaten at least twice! (Clearly I could have been a girl scout…if I had been so inclined…! 🙂 )
So, how’re things? What’s new?
I think there’s something important we need to talk about…
Yes….
I’m referring to that most critical of topics!
Are you ready?
Well then…
How early is too early to put up your Holiday Decorations?
And while we’re at it, when is it really okay to start listening to Holiday Music?
Now, I know some people never take their decorations down. That certainly saves time and work!
And I, personally, have been known to get Holly Jolly Christmas stuck in my head in July, for no reason I can ever seem to pinpoint!
But I think most people would argue that…
What?
You couldn’t care less?
Really?!
About something as VERY CRUCIAL as the appropriate putting up of decorations and belting out of holiday tunes?!
So what brought you over for coffee hour, then?
Halloween?
Halloween is over!
Why on earth would we want to talk about that?
Oohhhh….
Halloweensie!
Right!
You want to know who the 2017 Halloweensie Writing Contest Finalists are!!!
(And here I thought you just came for the pleasure of my company… and maybe the chocolate croissants…! 🙂 )
All righty, then! If that’s what you want, Here. We. Go!
We had the biggest turn out we’ve ever had in terms of number of entries – 244! – and the overall quality of the entries was fantastic. Every contest I am thrilled to see that the quality of the entries has gone up yet another notch. This means there are fewer obvious standouts, almost none that are easy to cut, and there are a LOT of very good ones that we have to get very nit-picky over! It is agony, I tell you!
Before we get to the actual list of finalists, I have a couple things to say. (I know you’re shocked :))
First of all, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for many!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to go around and read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 🙂
Third, before I list the finalists, I want to say again how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. There was a huge amount of competition. Judging, no matter how hard we try to be objective, is always subjective at a certain point – we all have our own preferences for what makes a great story. And the fact that you didn’t make the final cut DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to expand beyond 100 words if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. So bravo to everyone who entered!
Now. Onto the judging criteria which were as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience, so entries that were well-written but lacked child-friendliness did not make the cut.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules stated a Halloween story, so entries that failed to mention anything Halloween-y did not make the cut even if they were well-written.
3. Quality of story – the rules stated that entries were to tell a story, so if they appeared to be more of a description or mood piece, they didn’t make the cut. We looked for a character and a true story arc.
4. Quality of Writing: we took note of spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. In addition, for the rhymers, we looked at rhyme and meter (for which we are sticklers!) We also looked at overall writing quality and use of language.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
A surprising number of this year’s entries were amazingly written… but in spite of the warning, still failed to really tell a story. This is SO TOUGH in 100 words – I totally get it. But some people managed better than others. There were any number of entries that were superbly written that we wanted to choose, but when we got right down to it, there really just wasn’t much story… not compared to some of the other entries that really managed to tell one. They were more descriptions, lists, or mood pieces. So as awesome as they were, we had to make some very hard calls. A couple were too adult. Some, because of the cruelly limiting word count were a little hard to follow. Some of the rhyming ones we really liked were too off-meter to make the cut. Some entries were just so close, but missed out because of one relatively small thing! One of our favorites – a clever, fun story we all enjoyed – switched verb tenses repeatedly from present to past and we had to let it go! Another of our favorites was written in rhyme, and while the 2nd-4th stanzas were okay, the first one never found its rhythm and didn’t flow or match the other stanzas. So we had to cut that one 😦 A couple of others were interesting and educational in a nonfiction-y way, but didn’t feel as much like stories to us as we wanted them to. GAH! So hard!
So, without further ado, I present to you the 2017 Halloweensie Contest Finalists. A mix of poetry and prose, stories for younger readers and slightly older (but still kid) readers, funny, spooky, and cute. Please read through them carefully, take your time, think it over, and vote for your favorite. To help with objectivity, finalists are listed by title only, not by author.
And I’d like to be very clear about the voting process. You are MOST welcome to share a link to this post on FB, twitter, or wherever you like to hang out, and encourage people to come read ALL the finalists and vote for the one they think is best. Please do that. The more people who read and enjoy these stories the better, and the more objective votes we get the better. HOWEVER (and I want to be very clear on this) please do not ask people to vote for a specific number or title, or for the story about the pumpkin ballerina or whatever. Trolling for votes or trying to influence the outcome is counter to the spirit of this competition which is supposed to be based on merit. I thank you in advance for respecting this.
So here we go!
#1 Attack Of The Vampire Cookie
On Halloween morning, a cookie is baked,
frosted in crimson and black.
With candy corn fangs and peppermint eyes,
it’s finished – a vampire bat.
On Halloween midday, the party guests come,
craving a Halloween treat.
Before they can reach the desserts on the shelf,
a cookie escapes to the street.
On Halloween evening, up in the sky
Something bizarre is in flight.
A shadowy monster with candy corn fangs
is looking for children to bite.
On Halloween night, while kids trick-or-treat,
a creature descends, mean and vicious.
“Look!” says a child, “caught in this branch,
a bat cookie. Mmmm, tastes delicious!”
#2 Vampette’s Visions
Little Vampette snuggled into her coffin. When I wake, it will be Halloween Night!
But soon…
SNIFFLE,
SNUFFLE,
SMOOCH!
“Bunnies!” Vampette shrieked.
She tossed them some candy-corn to satisfy their hunger and slammed the coffin lid.
Vampette peeped out. All was quiet, until…
FLITTER,
FLUTTER,
FLY!
“Butterflies!”
She flung death lilies at the swarm and ducked back into her coffin.
Vampette settle down once more, until…
SQUEAK,
CREAK,
CRACK!
Vampette lifted her lid and peeked out.
A shadow fell across her coffin.
“Wake up, little monster. It’s Halloween Night!”
“Mummy?”
“You were having a daymare!”
Vampette sighed. “Phew. Happy Halloween!”
#3 Boogley’s Halloween
Boogley brewed up something sweet,
a candy-corny scrumptious treat.
But when the shadows crept around,
no trick-or-treaters could be found.
“I wish they’d knock upon my door.
Don’t be frightened, I won’t roar.”
He brushed his fangs, shined up his horns,
cleared the webs and trimmed the thorns.
He heard a creak, “Is ss-someone there?”
He grabbed his tasty treat to share.
The breeze howled in, lights flickered low,
then Boogley saw an eerie glow.
A monster with a crown and wand,
gleaming eyes and curls of blond.
He backed up slow, in full retreat,
that’s when she shouted…
“TRICK-OR-TREAT!”
#4 Shadow Play
House creaks.
Witch-hand branches scratch.
Moon sails in ghostly clouds on Halloween night.
Big sister, so grown up, hands out candy.
She looks bored.
I’ll fix that.
Flashlight: check.
Dracula cape: check.
Candy corn fangs: check.
The shadow creeps down the staircase ahead of me.
Vampire wings flap, teeth bare.
The monstrous shape crosses the door,
touches her shoulder.
“Marcellllaaa…” it hisses.
Shrieks and screams!
M&M’s everywhere!
Mini candy bars fly like shotgun shells.
Marcella sprawls among the rubble.
“You almost scared me to death!”
But now I crouch beside her,
staring at the shadow
still
looming
over
us.
#5 Vampire Has A Sweet Tooth
Young Victor Vampire moped because he’d lost his second fang.
“A toothless ghoul just isn’t cool!” he told his monster gang.
“I feel ya, dude, said Skelton. “Last year I broke a bone.”
“My throat was sore,” said Frankie Stein. “I couldn’t growl or moan.”
Vic huddled in the shadows while he sucked on candy corn.
“This is the ONLY Halloween I’ve missed since I was born!”
Then suddenly Vic smiled wide, as happy as could be.
The candy corn became his fangs,
“Hey monsters…wait for me!
#6 Marvin…The Monster
Marvin tucked himself into the corner. He couldn’t risk anyone seeing him lurking…watching…
waiting…
for the Trick-or-Treaters.
He’d prepared for months, laser-focused on tonight’s mission…
finding the perfect spot…
mastering a flawless special effect…
to thoroughly spook the costumed kids.
As children swarmed onto the porch, Marvin jumped in front of the light…
striking his ninja pose…
casting a huge, creepy shadow…
and screeched, “BOOO!”
“MONSTER! RUN!” shrieked the kids.
Dropping their Halloween loot, they careened off the porch.
Tasting a piece while carrying the bounty to his lair, …
Marvin, the chipmunk, thought…
‘OPERATION CANDY CORN’…
SUCCESS!
#7 Bathilda’s Scary Surprise
Bathilda haunts the shadowed streets,
watching kids munch trick-or-treats.
She moans: “There are no treats for me,
when those monsters all run free!
Candy corn and gummi bears–
I get nothing for my scares!
On Halloween, I’m always bored,
but this year, I won’t be ignored.”
Into the moonlight, thin and pale,
she leaps and groans a ghastly wail.
The startled children flee in fright.
Bathilda cackles with delight.
She gathers up forgotten snacks
from all of the abandoned sacks.
Then moans again, “It all looks sweet,
but I forgot that ghosts can’t eat!”
#8 Beware The Candysnatch
It’s Halloween night, and I’m snug in my bed,
as visions of candy corn dance in my head.
The night’s trick-or-treating brought in quite the haul
of candy bars, lollipops, bubble gum all
hidden, tucked carefully under my covers.
And yet, I feel certain a monster still hovers.
It’s not the dark shadows that trouble me most.
I fear no rogue werewolf, aged mummy, or ghost.
The sinister phantom I worry about
is lurking beside me now, snatching claws out.
A theft-proof alarm bell just might come in handy…
My sister wants ALL of my Halloween candy.
#9 Unveiled Terror
Fear of Halloween monsters has kept Jack hiding since nightfall. He’s had nothing to eat but stale candy corn. His rumbling stomach and aching muscles now coax him from his cramped refuge.
With his first cautious movement, chaos erupts! Jack’s body is bound. His legs tangle. A hood envelops his head. Something grabs Jack and whips him into the air.
Jack gasps in horror when he glimpses a ghostly shadow through his veil. The cover is torn from his face, thrusting him into brightness. He trembles as a voice cackles,
“Jack, you silly dog! Stop dragging the sheets off my bed.”
#10 CLOMP, STOMP, CHOMP! CLOMP CLOMP There’s a noise and I’m no longer sleeping
and Yikes! there’s a shadow that’s crawling and creeping.
It’s hairy and scary and has a huge horn.
A monster that’ s growling, “Me want candy corn!”
It grunts and it groans and it’s down on all fours.
I toss my whole bag to the creature, “It’s yours!”
I’m under the covers and scared half to death.
I quietly peek out while holding my breath.
It enters. STOMP STOMP
Comes closer. CHOMP CHOMP
Hey wait!
That big beast with the horrible horn?
Is my sister, still dressed as a pink unicorn!
#11 Lulu And Betty’s World Record
Lulu’s pumpkin overshadowed the vegetable patch.
“Time for the World Record weigh-in!” Lulu told Betty, her chicken.
Betty tilted her head… and went back to chomping candy corn.
Lulu embraced her pumpkin and heeeeaaaved….
THUMP!
Lulu scratched her head, “Why are you so light?”
Lulu tapped: hollow! And monster teeth marks blighted the squash’s skin.
“Noooo! I won’t win now.”
Betty pecked the deflated pumpkin.
“Perfect!” said Lulu, clapping.
Lulu carved for hours following Betty’s pecks.
On Halloween night Lulu and Betty’s pumpkin illuminated the town. And smashed the biggest jack-o’-lantern world record.
#12 Werewolf Trick Or Treat
The werewolf wore his costume.
His sack jam-packed with treats,
Like candy corn and Snickers,
He couldn’t wait to eat.
But lurking in the forest,
There was a gruesome pack,
Who shot out from the shadows,
To steal the werewolf’s sack.
The werewolf chased the trio,
Down sidewalks and through lawns,
But when he caught up to them,
The candy was all gone.
“You monsters ate my candy!”
His rage began to brew.
“The candy’s in your bellies…
So now I must eat you.”
#13 The Scariest House On The Block
“Brace yourself, Bobby,” Penelope said.
Anxiety’s shadow enveloped his head.
“Why me?” Bobby whimpered, his voice growing thin.
“Because it’s your turn,” she replied with a grin.
He knocked on the door, and its monstrous feet
approached with a rhythmic, unwavering beat.
It opened the door and met Bobby’s eye.
“Trick or Treat,” Bobby mumbled and tried not to cry.
With a candy corn smile and breath just as gross,
it grabbed Bobby’s head and pulled him in close.
Then … SMACK!—its red lips planted square on his face.
Bobby suffered a kiss from his Aunt Mary Grace.
#14 Jimmy’s Nighttime Guest Jimmy lay awake in bed,
quaking, shaking, filled with dread.
Shadows cast upon the wall
must mean monsters came to call.
One stood like a triangle,
pointy, tall, and terrible.
Jimmy wondered if this beast
hunted for its dinner feast.
Peeking out behind his sheet,
bracing for a sure defeat,
waiting for a monster raid,
Jimmy felt his courage fade.
Trembling in his bed with fright,
Jimmy reached out for the light,
never to expect this sight.
Resting on the radio,
something blocked his night-light’s glow.
Not a monster’s tooth or horn –
one small piece of candy corn!
Now that you’ve had a chance to read through the finalists, please vote for the entry you feel deserves to win in the poll below by 12PM EST (Noon) Thursday November 16.
We will have a regularly scheduled Would You Read It on Wednesday, but I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to read and vote on Halloweensie.
Tune in Friday November 17 to see THE WINNERS!!! (yeah… we’re going to have to skip PPBF because of the timing getting messed up by the judging taking so long – sorry about that!)
Thank you all so much for taking the time to write (if you did), read, and vote! These contests simply wouldn’t be what they are without all of you!
I can’t wait to see who the winners will be!
Tune in Friday… same bat time, same bat station 🙂
(Although don’t forget WYRI on Wednesday!)
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to lie on the couch and eat bonbons all day.
Okay.
Not really.
I have to catch up with students, critique work, and stuff with a deadline!
But there might still be chocolate involved 🙂
Have a marvelous Monday everyone!!! And please make sure you VOTE! With this many finalists, we will need A LOT of votes!
My sincere apologies that the finalists are not going to be listed for your votes until at least Wednesday! Editorial deadlines… enough said. I’m so sorry for the delay and will do my very best to get the finalists posted as soon as possible! Thank you for your patience and understanding ❤
Ear of bat and toe of worm! It’s finally time for. . .
The7thAnnualHALLOWEENSIECONTEST!!!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
aahhhrrrooooOOOOO!!!!!
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words candy corn, monster, and shadow. (Candy corn will be counted as 1 word.) Your story can be scary, funny, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got nearly 150 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. monsters, monstrous, shadowy, shadowed, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between right now this very second and Tuesday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like AwesomeWriter92 so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! Please Note: although you are welcome to submit more than one entry, please only post each entry ONCE! If you post it on your blog (preferred method) everyone will come visit you and you’ll make new friends! 🙂 If you don’t have a blog, post it in the comment section below. If you’re unable to post, please email me with your entry and byline in the body of the email. Please DO NOT post on your blog, and in the comments, and send me an email to post. It makes things confusing! P.S. Although I try to stay glued to my computer 24/7 I am sometimes forced to leave my desk. If you haven’t commented on my blog before, your comment won’t show up until I approve it. It may take a little while if I’m away from my desk. Likewise, if you send me an entry to post, I promise I will do it as soon as I can!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with only 3, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 6th (sooner if possible, although I’m warning you ahead of time I have a deadline for something else and if time gets dicey the finalists may get posted later.) The winner will be announced on Thursday November 9th, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 🙂 If we get more than 25 entries, I will post 6 finalists and give prizes for 1st – 3rd. If by some chance we get the kind of turnout we’ve had the past couple years, I may post as many as 10-12 finalists and I’ll probably end up giving everyone a prize 🙂 But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes:
– a read and Skype critique of a picture book manuscript by the fabulous editor Callie Metler-Smith of Clear Fork/Spork Publishing!!!
– a 30 minute Skype conversation/critique of a picture book manuscript with the amazingly wonderful and talented author Penny Klostermann!!! (THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT – Random House 2015, A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE – Random House 2017)
– a webinar of your choice from among the selection offered by Julie Hedlund on her Teachable site (details of selection choice to be discussed with Julie)
Julie Hedlund
– a picture book manuscript critique from accomplished author/illustrator Cori Doerrfeld (PENNY LOVES PINK – Little Brown 2011, LITTLE BUNNY FOO FOO: THE REAL STORY – Dial 2012 and the forthcoming THE RABBIT LISTENED – Dial 2018 and THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF ESTHER THE WONDER PIG – Little Brown 2018, and many, many more!)
Cori Doerrfeld
– a picture book manuscript critique from talented author Lynne Marie (HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN – Scholastic 2011)
Lynne Marie
– a query letter critique from SubIt Club Founder and fabulous author Heather Burnell (BEDTIME MONSTER – Raven Tree Press 2010, KICK! JUMP! CHOP!: The Adventures of the Ninjabread Man – Sterling 2017)
– a Bundle Of Books from KidLit411 (must be selected by someone in the USA due to postage) which will include picture books and middle grade book, about 7 in total, details still to come. (Totally awesome for writers, readers, parents, teachers, or gift-givers!!!)
– a personalized signed copy of GRIMELDA AND THE SPOOKTACULAR PET SHOW by Diana MurrayPLUS a personalized signed copy of BIG SISTER, LITTLE MONSTER by Andria Rosenbaum
– a personalized signed copy of MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN by Nancy Churnin
– a copy of MEET WOOF & QUACK by Jamie Swenson and donated by the illustrator, Ryan Sias
Please join me again in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
Now then. Time for my sample entry which I provide because I would never ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. Also, in case anyone is worried about the quality of their entry they have only to read my truly horrific attempt to be filled with confidence that their’s is MUCH better! I have to confess, I was really down to the wire this year (my schedule is a lot nuts!), I have some looming deadlines for various things… which is why I may be a little behind getting started reading entries and why the judging may be slightly delayed… just so you know… but I digress!
So, here goes nothing…!
Sneak Attack! (95 words)
Minnie Monster feels forlorn.
How she craves some candy corn!
Why do children have no clue
That monsters covet candy too?
Min peers out the closet door.
Plastic pumpkin on Jen’s floor
Brimming full of trick-or-treat
Surely more than Jen can eat!
What’s a monster girl to do
But help herself to just a few?
Min darts left, then tiptoes right.
Silent, stealthy, out of sight.
Candy corn within her reach,
Min emits a fearful screech!
Hurtles underneath Jen’s bed.
Hides her hairy monster head
From the THING that scared her so –
Nothing but her own shadow!
[And the two lines I had to cut from the end because they took the word count to 105:
Moral of this monster tale?
Don’t filch from another’s pail! 🙂 ]
Now then, darlings! Is everyone feeling better about their way-better-than-that! stories? I certainly HOPE so! 🙂
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 5 days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 🙂 🎃
And don’t miss the 135!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments below! (Unfortunately I can’t make links to them, but please scroll through and read and comment for the talented authors!!!)
1. Scaredy-Crow Joe – Ingrid
2. The Bone Spider – Shelemur
3. The Best In The Bowl – Susan S
4. Fall Forest Stew At Edora Park – Kristen
5. Scary To Someone – Vanessa
6. The Trick In The Treat – Corine
7. Vampette’s Visions – Katie
8. Pumpkin Patch – Ryan
9. The Spooky Night Of Halloween – Nina
10. Screamoween – Lindsay
11. The Baddies’ Curse – Cindy
12. Fangsmith’s Missing Fangs – Ann
13. Shadow Play – Jessica
14. Candy Corn: Sweet Or Scary – Jodi
15. Little Monster’s First Halloween – Kathy M
16. Halloween Blizzard – Marilyn U
17. The Scary Sweet – Megan W
18. The Shadow – Megan W
19. The Neighbor Kid – Viji
20. Dancing In The Moonlight – Kathy E
21. “Knock, Knock” – Jerry
22. Gobblewolly’s Halloweensie Treasure – Jennifer B
23. Raven’s Trick – Sydney
24. Sugar Monster’s Revenge – Sydney
25. Corny Smile Costume – Sheri
26. Unveiled Terror – Deborah
27. Trick Or Treat – Claire
28. Halloween With My Sister – Hilda
29. Sharkcula – Katherine
30. Monster Ball – Marilyn G
31. Happy Halloween Volcano – Barbara
32. Boogley’s Halloween – Chambrae
33. Pumpkin Patch – Summer
34. Victor Frank Bakes A Monster – Chambrae
35. Harry’s Favorite Night – Karen
36. The Monster – Judy V
37. The Candy Corn Monster – Gail
38. The Chilling Search For Candy Corn – Laurie
39. The Candy Corn-Eating Contest – Robin
40. Witchy – Terri
41. The Purple Monster And The Candy Corn – Janet
42. The Purple Monster – Janet
43. Vampire Has A Sweet Tooth – Judy S
44. Candy Monster – Jennifer G
45. Nitro’s Halloween Surprise – Jenifer
46. Beware The Candy Snatch – Jennifer B
47. The Five Houses On Halloween – Cindy
48. Only Around Halloween – Janie
49. Broomstick Sale – Nina
50. The Candy Corn Monster – Marje
51. The Rumor – Judy V
52. Trick Or Treats For Monster? – Sandy
53. Witch Hiccups – B.L.
54. Manny’s Perfect Costume – Anne
55. Shadows Of The Candy Corn Monster – Sarah
56. A Real Witch – Brook
57. Fright Night – Marty
58. Beware The Great Candy Corn – Jenna
59. In The Ginger House Of Licorice Flax – Megan H
60. Do You Know About… – Robyn
61. I’m Not A Candy Corn – Kristen D
62. Halloween – Bah Humbug! – Susan R
63. Shhh – Michael
64. My Favorite Holiday – Jenna
65. Monster’s Shadow – Marcia
66. A Terrible Monster – Anne L
67. Candy Corn Meadow – Megan H
68. Monster’s Brave Halloween – Dee
69. Halloween – Best Day Ever! – Kathy B
70. The Scariest Monster – Dina
71. Marvin…The Monster – Lucretia
72. A Halloween Feast – Elaine
73. Monster Manners – Cheryl
74. Halloween Goodies – Tiffany
75. Pumpkin P.I. – Heather
76. Who Killed Candy Corn? – Beth
77. Sweet Halloween – Tasha
79. The Candy Corn Trap – Nancy R
80. Halloween Raid – Laura
81. Tricky Nicknames – Valerie
82. Shadow Monster – Jen
83. Monster Shadow – Erin
84. Charlotte’s Colorful Night And The Unstuck Candy – Barbara
85. Monster Had A Little Ghost – Nancy
86. The Quest – Linda
87. Watch Out! – Meryl
88. Monster Mayhem – Mary
89. Monster’s Treat – Bridget
90. The Watcher – Mare
91. Spooky Old House – Sherry F
92. Untitled – Katie S
93. The Monster Ball – Anne S
94. Bathilda’s Scary Surprise – Jennifer J
95. House Hates Halloween – Kaye
96. Not So Scary – Judy C
97. Monster’s Pay Day – Sherri
98. The Scary House – Lauren
99. The History Of Candy Corn – Ashley
100. Jimmy’s Nighttime Guest – Sara
101. Trick Or Treat – Kathy S
102. Freaky Pet – Mandy
103. The Shadow Of The Candy Corn Monster – Jim
104. Lonely Halloween – Sparkle
105. The Truth About Halloween – Keatley
106. Sweet Dreams – Risa
107. Call Backs – Risa
108. Sendak Admirer – Risa
109. Ghosts and Goblins and Gremlins, Oh, My! – Mia
What with all that’s been going on lately, I have totally lost track of this month!
This is probably the Monday I should be posting a Short & Sweet or an Oh, Susanna! or something. . .
. . .but instead. . .
EVEN BETTER!. . .
. . .I’m announcing. . .
. . .get ready for it. . . !
The7thAnnualHALLOWEENSIECONTEST!!!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words candy corn, monster, and shadow. (Candy corn will be counted as 1 word.) Your story can be scary, funny, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got nearly 150 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. monsters, monstrous, shadowy, shadowed, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between 12:00 AM EDT Friday October 27th and Tuesday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany my special October 27th post. There will be no Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section of my October 27th post once it’s up (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like AwesomeWriter92 so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries before the start of the contest!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 3 top choices (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with only 3, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Monday November 6th (sooner if possible, although I’m warning you ahead of time I have a deadline for something else and if time gets dicey the finalists may get posted later.) The winner will be announced on Thursday November 9th, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 🙂 If we get more than 25 entries, I will post 6 finalists and give prizes for 1st – 3rd. If by some chance we get the kind of turnout we’ve had the past couple years, I may post as many as 10-12 finalists and I’ll probably end up giving everyone a prize 🙂 But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes: yeah… I’m still working on the prizes 🙂 Feel free to chime in in the comments if there’s something you’d particularly like to win! 🙂 Or if you have something awesome to offer! But for starters, prizes will include:
– a read and Skype critique of a picture book manuscript by the fabulous editor Callie Metler-Smith of Clear Fork/Spork Publishing!!!
– a webinar of your choice from among the selection offered by Julie Hedlund on her Teachable site (details of selection choice to follow)
– picture book manuscript critiques (several amazing and highly qualified people are stepping up for this – details to come)
– a whole bunch of fantastic books, some signed, some offered in packages of 3 or more (details to come)
Plus stay tuned because other great stuff is coming! 🙂
I hope those fantabulous prizes will at least whet your appetite for the contest!
Many, many thanks to Callie, Julie, and the PB MS critiquers for their very generous prize offerings!
So sharpen your pencils!
Get your butt in that chair!
See what amazing, knock-your-socks-off story you can dream up!
It’s a chance to hone your writing skills, practice your craft, write to specifications and a deadline, win amazing prizes, AND get to read and enjoy the wonderful stories written by all your fellows 🙂
I am SO looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!!!
If you have little ones in your life, whether kids, grandkids, students, next-door-neighbors, baby-sittees, nieces, nephews… well, you get the idea, you will definitely not want to miss the first two posts that went up.
Julie at Little Red Story Shed posted a road and truck painting craft she did with her preschoolers that looks totally fun!
And Lynn at Polilla Writes posted a popsicle stick truck you can make at home or at school and involve as much paint, glitter, etc as you want to decorate with!
How fun is that?
Today is here (obviously!) and tomorrow the TRUCKS tour will continue with Lynn at Polilla Writes who has an interview with illustrator Erica Sirotich, and Friday with Angie Karcher at Rhyme Revolution with a Q&A with me plus a giveaway, so you won’t want to miss those either!
(Especially if you’re hoping to qualify for the end-of-tour Special Prize that will be raffled off among people who have commented on every post in the TRUCKS tour! 🙂 )
Today, it is my pleasure to give you a little sneak peek at some TRUCK activities that will be available here on my site any minute now.
A coloring page for the bulldozer enthusiast at your house… (it’s okay if it’s you! 🙂 )
copyright Erica Sirotich 2017
…and a Matching Game (memory cards)!!!
copyright Erica Sirotich 2017
Seriously! Between Julie’s craft and Lynn’s craft and the coloring page and the memory game you can have HOURS of fun! And your little one can too 🙂
Look for these pages available to download soon!
Meanwhile, just to keep things as confusing as possible (it’s important to challenge your brain with puzzle-like complexities in order to stay sharp!), the WHEN YOUR BOOKS tour, though winding down, has not finished yet! And there’s a Special Prize up for grabs there too for someone who has commented on every post.
Here is a list of the posts that have gone up so far so you can conveniently cruise through them:
Let’s see if I can at least post the blog tour schedules so you can go search on your own if you’re so inclined!
While we’re on the subject of the WHEN YOUR BOOKS tour, if you’d care to check out the ELEPHANT book trailer, ta da! Here it is!!! Leave a comment to tell us how you liked it and give it a thumbs up if it earns your approval!
I hope you’ll enjoy the Coloring Page and Matching Game and the ELEPHANT Trailer!
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! And don’t forget to share LION & ELEPHANT relevant posts on social media with #whenyourbooks and TRUCKS relevant posts with #trucksontour for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or Merritt Bookstore (there will be three of each offered!)
Thank you all for being such enthusiastic supporters of these blog tours and all the amazing bloggers who are participating!!! ❤
Just when you thought it was safe to venture back into the blogosphere . . .
duhn duhn duhn . . .!
. . .I’ve got another blog tour starting!
I know! The first one isn’t even finished!
I’m sorry!
They’re right on top of each other and overlapping and I know it’s a lot to keep up with!
*hides under the kitchen table*
(Believe me I know! My house hasn’t seen a vacuum in two weeks and my refrigerator is empty except for a wrinkled lemon no one’s been desperate enough to tangle with!)
But the trucks and I would be ever so grateful if you’d journey along the road with us a little ways. They’re VERY cute! And I don’t want them to feel less loved then LION and ELEPHANT! That would be sad 😦
So let’s break out their shiny new blog tour banner, shall we?
Have you ever seen such friendly little trucks?
Er… I mean BIG trucks! MIGHTY trucks! They’re strong! They’re tough! They’re heavy duty! (And they have really nice teeth, don’t they? 🙂 )
Julie is really kicking off the tour over at Little Red Story Shed today. She has a review of the book and a delightful activity she did with her preschoolers. I hope you’ll hop on over and visit her!
We’ve got a great line-up of fun-filled posts – interviews with me and Erica Sirotich (the talented illustrator), activity and coloring page reveals, book reviews and giveaways, games, recipes, crafts, and a book trailer reveal (a little farther into the tour because I haven’t made it yet! 🙂 ) as well as a couple of special prizes!
As with the WHEN YOUR… blog tour, I’m really hoping that the lovely people who are being kind enough to host, especially on this second, overlapping tour where readers will undoubtedly be feeling a little burned out on Susanna Hill blog tours!, will get some visitors for all their kindness and hard work. (Please also bear in mind that with the exception of a couple days in August – I think August 3, 10, and 15 – you’ll get a nice break from me until the around the second week of September… so there’s hope if you can just soldier through the next couple weeks 🙂 )
To make it even more fun, I will once again offer a Special Prize to be raffled off among people who visit and comment on every stop on the tour!
I’d also love the trucks to get their little moment in the social media limelight, so every time you share on Face Book, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #trucksontour you will get an entry in a raffle to be conducted at the close of the tour in which 3 $25 gift certificates to Merritt Bookstore and Toystore will be up for grabs! We can support a wonderful independent bookstore, and you can get your choice of any book on your wishlist and a great selection of high quality toys! (And if a book on your wish list should happen to be one of mine, I can sign it for you 🙂 )
Here’s the schedule so you can plan your summer so as not to miss anything important 🙂
(With a million, billion, trillion thanks to Katie Hill for fixing all the formatting issues after I totally screwed it up even though she was tired and sunburned from a long day at work! Love you, sweetie ❤ )
So HERRRHERRRHERRR!
RUMBLEGRUMBLETHRUM!
VRRROOOOM!
VRRROOOOOOOM!
Off we go with TRUCKS ON TOUR!
Don’t forget to share today’s post and Julie’s or any other relevant delightful items – photos, books in the wild sightings, truck-related crafts, activities, games or recipes – with the hashtag #trucksontour! (Credit for that clever hashtag to Julie Abery! Thank you again, Julie!)
Tune in tomorrow for an interview with yours truly at Writer’s Rumpus for the WHEN YOUR BOOKS TOUR, and a book review and craft activity at Lynn’s blog, Polilla Writes, for the TRUCK TOUR.
(Yeah… you can see how this is gonna go… give me about 12 seconds and I’ll be hopelessly confused between the two tours! I’m hoping you guys will be able to keep it all straight! 🙂 )
I’d hate for you to miss any of the fabulous participating blogs so remember that if you comment on every post, you will earn yourself a chance toward the Special Prize Raffle at the end of the tour! (The goody bag and signed books described on the kickoff post.) And if you share this, or any related post, item, photo, etc. on Social Media with the #whenyourbooks, each share will add to your chances to win Special Prize #2 at the end of the tour! (3 $25 Amazon gift cards up for grabs!)
Now, then! Although I can’t exactly offer comics, I do have something almost like a comic for you today!
Are you ready?
It’s Elephant Fun!
Here’s a sneak peek at the ELEPHANT Activity Kit!
copyright Daniel Wiseman 2017 all rights reserved
copyright Daniel Wiseman 2017 all rights reserved
Like the LION Activity Kit, it will be up on my website any day now under For Teachers and Parents in the Coloring Pages & Activities section!
Plus you will no doubt be thrilled to know that the ELEPHANT book trailer is possibly finished and will possibly be revealed in the not-too-distant future!!!
And, if all that weren’t enough, if you’d like yet another shot at winning a signed copy of the book, you can hop on over to GoodReads and enter the giveaway!
Enjoy your lazy morning in bed visiting the other tour stops (since you have your computer or stand-in for the comics anyway 🙂 ), coloring, and entering the giveaway!
And be sure to continue with us tomorrow at Julie’s Little Red Story Shed where she will teach us to make Elephant Ears and Lion Pancakes… which will come in very useful NEXT Sunday when you’re making breakfast! (Okay. I guess there’s no point in pretending we’re going to wait for Sunday to eat pancakes. Tuesday then… well, okay, tomorrow for dinner 🙂 )
Here’s the upcoming schedule:
Don’t forget to share this post (or participating bloggers’ posts, or the LION book trailer, or the giveaway, or the book covers, or reviews, or a photo of your child or class reading one of the books, or anything clever and related you think up) using #whenyourbooks! Every time you post with #whenyourbooks you get an entry in the end-of-tour raffle for 3 lucky people to win a $25 Amazon gift card! (Don’t forget the # – which I keep doing and have to go back and edit my posts! – because without it I may miss your post!)
(I’m just a teensy bit excited… can you tell?! 🙂 )
To keep myself from bouncing off the ceiling, I’ve got something fun to share with you today . . .
When your books go on a blog tour, you’re going to need a little entertainment! After all, there’s only so much “Are we there yet?” you want to endure!
To keep boredom from creeping in on the long trip, you can take side tours to the wonderful sites listed below and visit with the locals 🙂 You might even learn something fun while you’re there! If you comment on every post, you will definitely earn yourself a chance toward the Special Prize Raffle at the end of the tour! (The goody bag and signed books described on the kickoff post.) And if you share this, or any related post, item, photo, etc. on Social Media with the #whenyourbooks, each share will add to your chances to win Special Prize #2 at the end of the tour! (3 $25 Amazon gift cards up for grabs!)
After that delicious and extremely healthful pick-me-up, you’ll probably want to watch a video!
So check out the World Premiere of the WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH Book Trailer! (And if you like it, give it a thumbs up! 🙂 )
Once the video is over, you’ll probably want to watch it again.
And again. . .
. . . and again . . . 🙂
But eventually you’ll want to try something new. And boy do I have something fun! A whole pack of LION activities! Coloring! A maze! A matching game! More coloring!
Here’s a sneak peek!
copyright Daniel Wiseman 2017 all rights reserved
Copyright Daniel Wiseman 2017 all rights reserved
The activity pages will be on my website soon… but I asked my brilliant web manager to wait to put them up until after today’s reveal.
All that fun coloring will make you wish you had a copy of the book! So hop on over to GoodReads and enter the giveaway for a signed copy!
Have fun visiting the other tour stops, watching the video, coloring, entering the giveaway, and eating chocolate cookies! And be sure to continue with us tomorrow for an author interview and giveaway at Lynn Davidson’s Polilla Writes, and on Friday and Saturday at Vivian Kirkfield’s Picture Books Help Kids Soar for reviews, giveaways, and a special Will Write For Cookies episode which you KNOW will include a delicious recipe! 🙂
Here’s the upcoming schedule:
Don’t forget to share this post (or participating bloggers’ posts, or the book trailer, or the giveaway, or the book covers, or reviews, or a photo of your child or class reading one of the books, or anything clever and related you think up) using #whenyourbooks! Every time you post with #whenyourbooks you get an entry in the end-of-tour raffle for 3 lucky people to win a $25 Amazon gift card!
(It IS actually – I am not making that up! It also happens to be National Blueberries Month and National Doghouse Repairs Month… so many things appropriate to life on Blueberry Hill! But that is not actually why we are here… 🙂 )
At long last the much-anticipated, eagerly-awaited BOOK BIRTHDAY MONTH has arrived!
I am thrilled beyond measure to introduce you all to WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH and WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES, coming to a bookseller near you on July 11! (to be followed by a third book birthday a couple weeks after…but we’ll get to that later 🙂 )
For now . . .
Woo hoo! Strike up the band! Shower down the confetti! Release the balloons!
It’s time for . . .
Thanks to a group of kind, generous, kidlit-enthusiast bloggers who are absolutely lovely in every way, we have a fun-filled couple of weeks in store for you all, full of interviews with the author (me 🙂 ) and illustrator (the amazing Daniel Wiseman!), book trailer reveals, activity and coloring page reveals, recipes, crafts, and games, articles on different aspects of writing, as well as giveaways and prizes! It’ll be almost like all of you are celebrating your birthdays too! 🙂
Let’s have a look at the line up, shall we?
* one small note: Sue of KidLit Reviews may not be able to post.*
I hope you will all join us as we welcome these two brand new books into the world! All the participating bloggers have worked hard to make this fun, and I’d hate for you to miss anything. And I’d love as many people as possible to come visit!
So I am offering two special prizes to be awarded after the close of this blog tour.
One prize will be given to a randomly-selected person who visits and comments on every single post in the blog tour! All 19 listed here! (18 if Sue is unable to post.)
That special prize will be personalized signed copies of WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH and WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES, a “goody bag” containing items relating to both books – stickers, bookmarks, orange-scented kid-friendly lion soap, an elephant memory game, lion bubbles…plus a couple surprises! (and I’m not saying there will be chocolate, but if you’ve spent any time around this blog at all you should know that’s a distinct possibility…) :), PLUS your choice of any one of my other books personalized and signed.
The other prize will be given for sharing on social media. The hashtag we are using to promote the books is #whenyourbooks. Every time you share a post on Face Book, Twitter or Instagram using #whenyourbooks you will get an entry into a raffle where 3 winners will each get a $25 Amazon gift card.
Did you read a blog post you thought was so great all your friends should read it too? Share it with #whenyourbooks
Do you have a photo of a child reading WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH or WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES? Share it with #whenyourbooks
Did you try an activity, craft or recipe that was included in one of the posts with your child or class? Or one you thought up related to these books? Share the results and/or a photo with #whenyourbooks
Live video footage of you bathing a lion? 🙂 Definitely share THAT with #whenyourbooks 🙂
Although the tour ends on August 3, I’ll give you a couple days to comment on that last post, and announce the winners on Monday August 7.
So, are you ready to join the high jinx and shenanigans?
Comment below to start your eligibility for prize #1, and share today’s post with #whenyourbooks to start earning points toward prize #2! Then tune in to Frog On A Blog tomorrow, when Lauri Fortino will have a guest article from yours truly on writing a series!
Let’s get this blog tour underway! 🙂
illustration copyright (C) Daniel Wiseman 2017
P.S. Since the Blog Tour Schedule is a photoshop-made graphic that can’t have live links (plus when I made it none of the posts were actually posted yet so no one had urls) I will list the links to the ones that have gone up below for your convenience.
7/1/17 – Susanna Leonard Hill – Blog Tour Kickoff – well, you’re already here 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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