In spite of my tendency to forget what day it is, I do know that today is Sunday. Not a posting day for me.
But let’s face it. It’s freezing cold, there’s snow everywhere, and going outdoors is likely to cause loss of digits or possibly your nose to frostbite. Not only that, it’s still January so the spring light at the end of the tunnel seems far far away!
We definitely need something to energize us (whilst keeping our fingers and toes intact)!
Let’s get the sun shining and our motivation flowing with a nice mug of hot chocolate (preferably topped with whipped cream because why not? 😊) and a writing challenge!
Are you ready to fire up those brain cells?
Because you’ve got two weeks (nothing like a deadline to get you focused on something besides how cold and dark it is!) to write your entry for. . .
The 7th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: since writing for children is all about “big emotion for little people” (I forget who said that, but someone did so I put it in quotes!) and Valentines Day is all about emotion, write a Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone feels proud! They can be proud in a good way or a bad way. They can be proud of themselves for asking someone to be their Valentine, or they can be proud of how they asked. They can be proud of a Valentine they make, or a Valentine celebration they plan. They can be proud of giving something up, or proud of asking someone they’re not sure about for some reason in order to be nice. They can be proud of their performance in a Valentines Day play or concert or parade. . . sky’s the limit! Just make sure it is clearly Valentine-centered! Think beyond the obvious! Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone proud (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day 😊 ) You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.) If you are so inclined, you are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊 No illustration notes please!
Post your story in the comment section of my Friday February 11th Post between 12:01 AM EDT Friday February 11th and Sunday February 13th by 11:59 PM EDT. There will be no regularly scheduled posts for the duration of the contest (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or PPBF), so the post and all of your entries will stay up for everyone to enjoy. If you have difficulty with the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you. But please don’t email your entry before the start of the contest – my inbox is generally overflowing and things may get lost!
The Judging: over the following days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 6-12 top choices depending on number and quality of entries (hee hee hee – you know how much trouble I have with the narrowing, so we’ll see) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Friday February 18th (or possibly a day or two later if the judges need extra time.) The winner will be announced Monday February 21st depending on judging and voting time needed. The dates of the judging/voting/winner announcements are subject to finagling depending on how much time the judges actually end up needing!
Judging criteria will include:
Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
Creativity in using pride, and success in making us feel the pride (whether it’s good pride or bad)!
Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story and Valentine’s Day must be central to it!
Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 😊
How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines.
The Prizes: I’m still working on prizes (aren’t I always 😊), but I wanted to get the contest guidelines up so you’d have time to write. Start writing and watch this space for prizes which I will fancy up and add to as I get them organized!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Read & Critique from agent Mary Cummings!
⭐️ 1/2 Hour Zoom Picture Book Manuscript Critique or Mentoring Session with author Lynne Marie!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Penny Parker Klostermann!
⭐️ 30 Minute Zoom Ask Me Anything with author Keila Dawson!
⭐️ Access to author/editor Alayne Kay Christians webinars!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) from author Melissa Berger Stoller!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Rebecca Gardyn Levington!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (nonrhyming) from author Rebecca Kraft Rector!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique and Query Letter Critique from author Jessica Stremer!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Cathy Ballou Mealey!
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of KING CAKE BABY by Keila Dawson
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of PLANTING FRIENDSHIP: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM by Melissa Berger Stoller
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of IT’S A MUFFULETTA! IT’S A WHATA? by Patricia Saunders
This is no time for play! This is no time for fun! This is no time for games! There is voting to be done! (just go with it and pretend voting is only one syllable 😊) or There are prizes to be won! (no, that doesn’t work either, although it’s true!)
Maybe we should go with:
Every writer in Bookville liked contests a lot. . . But the judges who judged all the entries did NOT! (although to be fair, we love the contests and we love reading the entries, we just hate having to cut them to get down to 12!)
The point is, we have done our valiant best to come up with 12 finalists (and let me tell you, it was a Herculean task!) and the time has come for you to read the entries that made the finals, choose your favorite, and vote for it!
Normally, I’d waste a little time with tomfoolery, but it’s been a desperate few days (and nights) of entry judging, which means not always paying as close attention to the puppy as I should, which means there is carpet steam-cleaning to be done. (Maybe I should have found a way to finish up my little stanza with that!)
So let’s just get right to it!
I know these entries are a little longer than the Halloweensie ones, so I truly thank you for taking the time to read through them and vote for your favorite. You won’t be sorry. They are all fabulous and I know you’ll enjoy them!
I will say THANK YOU to everyone who wrote an entry, took time to read other people’s entries and leave supportive comments, shared the contest with friends and family so that all our talented writers could get more readers, is taking the time now to read and vote, and who generally helped to make the contest so much fun, but I’m going to skip reiterating the judging criteria (you can check for it HERE) and save all my usual difficulty-of-choosing stuff for the winners post on Friday so you can get right to the entries!
Please read through the following 12 entries and vote for your favorite in the poll below by Thursday December 16 at 7PM Eastern so I can announce the winners on Friday! As always, I encourage you to share today’s link everywhere you want so that as many people as possible can read these stories and vote, but please do not attempt to influence the voting in any way. It is supposed to be based on merit, not on who can get the most people to come vote for their entry because they’re your friends and relations or they owe you for that time you babysat their kids 😊 If you’re a finalist, please don’t broadcast that on social media – just ask people to come read all the entries and vote for their favorite.
So here we go! Your 12 Finalists for
The11th Annual Holiday Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
1 –
2 – Phoebe’s Snowperson
Outside the city library, a flier flits in the wind. “Snowperson Contest!” it announces, catching Phoebe’s eye. She reads:
Kids, let’s spread a little cheer and deck the library halls with handmade “snow”-people who won’t melt like snowballs!
The prize? Free popsicles at the pool this summer.
“Yes, please!” Phoebe exclaims.
Phoebe hurries toward home, her imagination firing with every step. What can she use to build a snowman? Perhaps she should create a snowgirl? How much glitter does she have? Is there any white paint in the garage?
“Hi, Mom! Bye, Mom!” Phoebe yells and dashes to her room. It might be December, but she can practically taste the watermelon-cherry-coconut flavors of summertime.
But when Phoebe starts to gather materials, she feels doubtful. She looks at the pillows scattered about and wonders how she’ll make a snowperson that stands up—and stands out.
Phoebe starts to hum an old song about a snowman who came to life. “He had a magical hat!” she recalls and races to her closet.
Then she remembers a story about snowmen’s nighttime adventures and another about a silly snowman in a hot tub. She smiles.
“The snowmen are in my books. What if my books are my snowman?”
Phoebe lays a chapter book flat with the pages facing out. She stacks on a fat collection of fairy tales and then some tattered picture books. Before long, a snowman built out of stories stares back at her.
“Perfection,” Phoebe whispers.
3 – A CHRISTMAS PICKLE STORY
Sentimental ornaments trim our tree high to low, but Christmas Eve tradition calls for one to steal the show.
Dad dons a scruffy Santa hat and gathers us around. “I’ve picked the pickle’s hiding spot! It’s waiting to be found.”
“Dance! Prance! Blitz and dash! All may search until the finder claims the first gift and the title of ‘Big Dill’.”
Grammy prods each shimmery bough. Mom browses round and through. Baby pulls off ornaments (to get a better view).
I snug myself beneath a branch to peer up from the bottom. A glint of green. A clumpy curve. Yes! I think. I got ’em.
I pluck the pickle from its place, eager to claim my prize, then notice Dad off to the side with sparkle in his eyes.
His festive fuss for all of us makes everybody grin. It doesn’t seem to bother him that he will never win.
I put the pickle back, but shift it where no one will see. Then grumble, “Oh by golly, there’s no pickle on this tree!”
“Ho ho, oh? Check near the stump–” That’s when Dad’s eyes meet mine. I toss a wink and, in a blink, Dad’s rummaging through pine.
He tugs back on a tree skirt bump revealing what I’d done. The pickle found, I quickly cheer, “Gosh, Dad, looks like you’ve won!”
He wraps us all up in a hug and whispers in my ear, “You can have the first gift because I’ve got mine right here.”
4 – SIMPLY THE BEST
Christmas was Maise’s favorite time of year. Awe-inspiring. Wonderful. Magical. Simply the best. Maise wanted to be awe-inspiring, wonderful and magical, too.
Maise entered the Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. Her house had icing and gumdrops! Sprinkles and sparkles! It even had an entire reindeer family reunion! “It’s very…. creative,” said the judges. But, Catalina won with a classic design. “Awe-inspiring,” Maise told her.
Maise entered the Holiday Baking Contest. Peppermint sticks! Mocha melts! Orange and ginger shortbread! “Quite the variety,” observed the judges. But Lester won with his Yule Log cake. “Wonderful,” said Maise, licking her lips.
Maise entered the Ice Skating Contest. Wearing a very sparkly leotard, she skated forward! And backward! She even did a twirl! But Jozef had a routine that was…well… “Magical,” admired Maise.
Maise smiled. She hadn’t won any ribbons but it had still been a delightful day.
“We have one last ribbon to award,” announced the judges. “The award for the Most Holiday Spirit goes to… Maise!” “Awesome,” said Catalina. “Wonderful,” said Lester. “Magical,” smiled Jozef. And to Maise, it was simply the best.
5 – SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PRANCE
“Places, Rudolph. Jump in line.” (That’s me! Contestant #9.)
“Welcome back to North Pole Live: ‘So You Think You Can Prance,’ season five. I’m your host, the famous Prancer. Please welcome back our champion dancer! He’s shimmied chimneys—Seoul to Atlanta: the man, the myth, the legend—SANTA!”
Santa’s back? Last season’s best! His reindeer too? I should’ve guessed. Dasher coasts. Dancer whirls. (Prancer hosts.) Vixen twirls. Comet? She was born a star. Cupid is on point, so far. Donner brings the beat, the boom. Blitzen’s jig ignites the room. Maybe I’ll sit out this year. With four left hooves, I’m bottom tier.
Eight contestants soar. I sink. They float. I flail. They curve. I kink. They sway. I swoop. They strut. I stop. They spring. I sprawl. They dip. I drop. Showing off, they’re busting moves, I spin and— SPLAT. I’ve busted hooves!
“Oh, DEAR!” I hear. Yes, I’m aware— my spill was broadcast on the air. The crimson of my well-known nose extends until my body glows. Someone whispers, “not a dancer.” Reindeer snicker—even Prancer! “Can klutzy caribous compete?” My antlers shrink. My legs retreat.
Halfway out the door, I hear, “Rudolph! I need YOU this year! Ho-ho-ho! That grit! That glow! Prancer, change my choreo’: Substitute those samba mixes. No more formal foxtrot fixes. Rudi’s riffs will spark my set— a glow-in-the-dark-breakdance duet!”
*North Pole Live rewrote its jingle to feature Ru’ and Kris-Kross-Kringle, the prime-time prancing pair sensation, who tours one eve—to every nation.
6 – Cinder-Latke
Cinder-Latke puts down her scrub brush and reads a letter on the kitchen table.
—EVERYONE INVITED TO ROYAL PALACE HANUKKAH PARTY—
—Prince Nudnik Will Wed Latke-Making Contest Winner—
Cinder-Latke sighs. “I wish I could go like Pishka and Kishka, my stepsisters—”
Pink lightning FLASHES—
A puff of smoke morphs into Fairy-Godmother Yenta. “—and you will!”
Yenta waves her wand—
Cinder-Latke rides in a gold carriage wearing a sparkling diamond-studded gown.
“The spell ends at midnight.” Yenta grins. “Have fun!”
At the palace, all the princess-wannabes cook potato-pancakes like crazy.
Finally, Prince Nudnik tastes Cinder-Latke’s latke. “It’s perfection—I love you!”
The tower clock chimes midnight—Cinder-Latke flees.
Next morning, Prince Nudnik searches every house in the kingdom.
“Ugh!” He spits out Pishka’s latke and gags on Kishka’s. “One’s heavier than lead and the other tastes like moldy sweat-socks.”
An irresistible aroma tickles Prince Nudnik’s nose, luring him into the kitchen.
Cinder-Latke flips her latke onto a dish. “I knew you’d come.”
Prince Nudnik, drooling, bites into the latke. “Heavenly—” He sinks to one knee and whips out a ring with a gleaming latke-sized diamond. “Please, be my Latke-Princess!”
Cinder-Latke and Prince Nudnik wed on the eighth night of Hanukkah and dance the hora around the menorah.
After the honeymoon, they open a restaurant—
—PRINCESS CINDER-LATKE’S LATKE PALACE—
—and dine on latkes happily ever after!
(Pishka and Kishka become fabulously wealthy businesswomen selling their latkes as cannonballs and bug-repellent.)
7 – Christmas…by a Nose
Newspapers trumpeted! Radios blared! Cable news cried in alarm! BIG CARROT SHORTAGE REPORTED TODAY: CHAOS ERUPTS ON CLAUS FARM
And, indeed, Claus was troubled. Perplexed, some might say. To friends, he appeared worried sick. (This was Sam Claus, who harvested just up the way from his jollier brother, Old Nick.)
Christmas was coming, And, with it, Claus knew, The first of the season’s big snows. But if carrots were lacking, Joy would fade quick… For no snowman could count on a nose!
Assistance was needed— “A contest!” Claus thought. No sense in lazing about. “A trophy” he called. “To the barnyard friend here Who can find the best substitute snout!”
“An apple!” said Horse. (Goat and Donkey agreed.) “It’s festive and rosy to boot.” “But it’s round,” Claus reminded, “And, also, it’s red. A not-at-all carrot-like fruit.”
“Maybe corn?” piped up Chicken. “Oh, yes!” Pig enthused. “I’ve got a few corncobs right here.” “Not bad,” Claus conceded. “A veggie, it’s true. But we need a good nose, not an ear.”
“’Wait, wait!” squeaked a voice. “Down here, take a look! May I share my idea with you, please? You need something pointy and orange-ish, and so… Why not try wedges of cheese?”
“Yes, CHEESE!” Claus applauded. “A trophy for Mouse! Or perhaps a large crumb would be better. And while we’re addressing the subject of snacks: …do we know if the reindeer like cheddar?”
8 – TREE NUMBER NINE
Sofie could barely contain her excitement. Today was Noel Knob’s first ever Christmas Tree Decorating Contest!
She had been gathering decorations for weeks —
Berries from the holly bush next door.
Strings of garland strung with white, fluffy popcorn.
Bows made from leftover ribbon.
She packed everything in her backpack and headed to the town square.
There, evergreen trees lined the lawn. The smell of fir, spruce, and pine tickled her nose.
At the sign-in table, Sofie was assigned tree number 9.
She got right to work — a bow here, berries there, garland wrapped around and around, and a big pinecone right on top!
Proudly, she stood beside her tree. But soon her shoulders sagged.
Around her, trees twinkled with tiny lights, dazzled with store-bought decorations, and on top of each tree was a shining star.
She glanced at the ceramic teapot on the prize table and felt her hopes evaporating like steam.
Zipping up her bag, Sofie headed home.
Behind her, the judges were ready to announce the winners.
“Third place goes to… Tree 21, for most decorations!”
Everyone clapped. Sofie kept walking.
“Second place goes to… Tree 7 for most sparkly!”
Everyone cheered. Sofie kept walking.
“And first place goes to… Tree 9 for most creative!”
Everyone celebrated. Stunned, Sofie hurried to the stage.
“Which prize would you like?”
“The teapot, please.”
When she got home, Sofie carefully wrapped the teapot in red and green paper.
Then, she filled out the gift tag —
To Mom From Sofie MERRY CHRISTMAS!
9 – A CREATURE WAS STIRRING
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, Every creature was stirring, including, Wee Mouse. Stirring and blending, creating sweet treats for a contest to see which ones Santa will eat. “Don’t even bother,” said Pup. “He’ll choose mine.” “I don’t think so,” purred Kit. “Because mine are divine.” But Wee Mouse said nothing. Her movements were nimble as she tossed her ingredients into a thimble. She had flour in her whiskers, some dough on her nose, and a drop of molasses had dripped on two toes. She placed all her cookies in a minuscule sack, climbed up to the table then…UH OH! Fell back! The cookies all crumbled except for one bite. “I’ve barely a taste for Santa tonight!” Wee Mouse dried her tears, climbed back up to the platter, feeling her one little morsel must matter. “It’s totally tiny,” said Pup. “Not ornate. Santa will think it’s a crumb on the plate. Mine have fun sprinkles on top of red icing.” Kit purred, “That brown dot? Well, it’s just not enticing.” Wee Mouse ignored them and went straight to bed, exhausted yet hopeful for what lay ahead. Christmas morning she woke to a gift and a note. She opened it up to see what Santa wrote: “Dear Wee Mouse, My thanks for your cookie so sweet. It was far and away my favorite treat. And the thing that I think set it so far above all the rest was your secret ingredient—LOVE!”
10 – BEAR’S CHRISTMAS COOKIE
Of all the holiday traditions, Bear’s favourite was the cookie decorating contest. Hedgehog always won. This year Bear was determined to beat him. He’d been planning his cookie for months.
The animals lined up with their cookies displayed. The crows approached. They were notoriously picky judges. They started with Rabbit.
Rabbit had decorated his cookie with a garden of sugar spun carrots and roses.
Badger had created a glittering forest of silver and gold gumdrops and candy cane stars.
Hedgehog had outdone himself. On his cookie, he’d crafted a miniature ice-rink with tiny skaters, each holding cups of hot cocoa. You could even see the marshmallows.
Bear was last. The Crows approached his cookie. Their black eyes widened. Towering above them was layer upon layer of icing, chocolate, candy cane, marshmallows, toffee, sprinkles, sugar plums, and whipped cream. At the top, they could just make out a Christmas angel spinning in the wind.
“Did I win?” asked Bear.
Suddenly the cookie began to wobble. It leaned one way. It leaned the other.
“Look out!” cried the judges.
SPAAAALOOSH!!!!
Every inch of fur, feathers, and forest was drenched in icing, chocolate, whipped cream, and candy. The angel landed on someone’s head. Badger licked sprinkles off his coat. Rabbit brushed marshmallows from his nose into his mouth. Hedgehog wiped icing out of his eyes. He licked his paws with gusto.
“Actually,” he said, “I think we all won!” And that day they all enjoyed the most glorious candy feast, thanks to Bear.
11 – A Miscalculation
*Attention all children! Come out in the snow And bring all your shovels and gear Join in the sport, And build your best fort For the holiday contest this year!*
We dig and we pat We scoop and we splat To build the best fortress of all No torrent of snow, No, nothing they throw Will knock down our unyielding wall!
Two towering turrets Three tactical windows Four bunkers built into the floor Snowballs piled high, Stacked up to the sky There must be two hundred or more!
We hold up a finger So that we can tell Which direction the cold wind is blowing We take up our stance, They don’t stand a chance Let’s get this tournament going!
Whoosh, whoosh, THUD, THUD Oh no, wait a minute! We should have seen this from the start The snowballs we chuck Don’t have any luck— Our snow forts are too far apart!
12 –
WOW!
Now YOU get to enjoy the agony of decision as you try to choose which of those amazing entries to vote for!
Please vote for the entry you feel deserves to win in the poll below by 7PM EST Thursday December 16th.
Tune in Friday December 17th to see THE WINNERS!!! – same bat time, same bat station 😊
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 truly cannot wait to see who you choose as the winner! Good luck!!! 😊
⭐️Deck the Halls! ⭐️ Light the menorah! ⭐️ Fill the Kikombe cha Umoja! ⭐️
It’s time for . . .
The11th Annual Holiday Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about a Holiday Contest!
Your contest can be anything you want! Baking, wrapping, decorating (tree or home), raising money or collecting gifts for those in need, ice skating, sledding, caroling, fancy dress, snowman or fort building. . . sky’s the limit! But it must be about a holiday contest!
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s or whatever you celebrate during the Holiday Season, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 😊 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 😊 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted between right now this very second and Thursday December 9th at 11:59 PM EST, and must be posted below in the comment section of this post. All entries should include a title, byline (people always ask what this is – it means who the entry was written by, so, by Suzy Q. Writer or whoever 😊) and word count. You are welcome to also post your entries on your own blogs and include your blog address with your entry here if you’d like to encourage people to come visit your blog, but your entry must be posted in the comment section of this post or it will not be counted because we won’t see it. This post will remain up for your reading pleasure until I post the finalists. There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or Perfect Picture Book) for the duration of the contest so everyone will have plenty of time to visit and enjoy. If you have trouble commenting, you can email your entry to me and I will post it for you. Please copy and paste your entry with word count and byline into the body of the email – NO ATTACHMENTS please.
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 12 finalists. In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Tuesday December 14th for you to vote on for a winner. (But it almost always seems to end up taking us longer. . . so it might be a day or two later.) The vote will be closed on Thursday December 16th at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to twelfth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Friday December 17th. (These dates are subject to adjustment if it takes the judges longer than we anticipate to get the judging completed.)
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Contest! – the rules state a Holiday Contest story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about a contest that in some way relates to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s, or whatever seasonal winter holiday you choose. The story must center on the contest – the contest must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 😊 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important. Please proofread!
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes!: Oh! Such wonderful prizes! All I can say is, how lucky are we to be part of such a talented and generous community that offers such amazing prizes!
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming or Non-rhyming, Fiction or Nonfiction) with a recording of first read-through by children’s author and poet Sarah Meade, contributor to HOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING (Pomelo Books, 2020!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming) PLUS Zoom Chat from developmental editor Lou Piccolo! Lou studied English Literature, creative writing and teaching at university in South Africa. After working as an EFL teacher in France for twenty years, she studied proofreading and editing before becoming a developmental editor of children’s and young adult’s literature for independent authors. She is a graduate of Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab – Punching Up Prose With Poetry course and Making Picture Book Magic, the in-house writer for Editions Entrefilet’s language-learning magazine ‘Go English Kids’ for children of 8-12 in France, and a traditionally published author of MG and YA fiction with Burlington Books.
Developmental Editor, Lou Piccolo
⭐️ Connecting With School Librarians!Fabulous Opportunity for published or soon to be published authors! Winner’s Choice of either a Zoom or phone chat about how to connect with school librarians and get their ear or an Ask Me Anything Zoom or phone chat about K-8th grade author visits from a librarian’s POV from Kathy Halsey. Kathy Halsey is Storyteller Academy’s Community Manager and Ambassador. She enjoys writing picture books, humor, and nonfiction. Kathy’s active in SCBWI and blogs with other kid lit writers on the GROG. She serves on the Choose to Read Ohio Advisory Council and speaks at educational and literary conferences. Kathy’s a former K-12 school librarian and children’s bookseller. She writes monthly author studies for the Reading for Research Month along with Keila Dawson.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique(written) PLUS 15 minute Zoom Chat (no nonfiction) from Cindy Williams Schrauben author of THIS COULD BE YOU (Cardinal Rule Press, April 1, 2022)!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Heather Gale, author of HO’ONANI: HULA WARRIOR (Tundra Books, 2019) which was one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids 2019, one of the Ontario Library Association’s 2019 Top Ten Titles, Featured on the 2020 Rainbow Book List, Featured on the 2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, and received a Booklist Starred Review!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Maria Marshall! Maria is a children’s author, blogger, and poet passionate about making nature fun for children. She’s a judge for the Cybils Awards and the #50PreciousWords competition. Four of her poems are published in The Best Of Today’s Little Ditty anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. The Picture Book BuzzWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram
Maria Marshall
⭐️ A Reversible Handmade Christmas Stocking or Other Winter or Holiday-Themed Gift Bag from Karen Gebbia PLUS a Personalized Signed Copy of CURIOSITY’S DISCOVERY by Nancy Derey Rileyto fill it!
a Personalized Signed Copy of eitherLISTEN (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 2021) orTWO DOGS ON A TRIKE (Harry N. Abrams 2020) (Winner’s Choice!) by Gabi Snyder
With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot of entries – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember you MUST post your entry in the comment section below and include title, byline, and word count.
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links below, click on them (they’ll take you directly to whichever story you click on), and enjoy the stories!
Today’s perfect picture book is called Goosebumps.
Put a piece of pumpkin bread on a plate, pull up a pillow, and let’s peruse this perfect picture book together!
Ready?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
On Halloween, Gertie McCrackin fluffed up the straw in her broom tail.
“Let’s go, Blinx,” she cackled to her cat. “We’re going to give those kiddies goosebumps tonight!”
Blinx blinked. He didn’t care what they did as long as they went F A S T while they were doing it.
Gertie mounted her broom, adjusted her bulging panniers, and set Blinx up behind her.
“Away we go!” shrieked Gertie. “AH-HAHAHAHAHA!”
Blinx’s yellow eyes glowed in the dark as they took off into the night.
The broomstick zigged and zagged, zipped and zoomed.
The rushing wind blew Blinx’s fur flat, made his eyes squint, and threatened to blow him off the broomstick.
Was there anything better than speed?
They tore across the sky, emptying the panniers onto the kids below – handfuls (and pawfuls) of dust that Gertie’s magic turned to white crystals in the air.
“Ooh, goody!” the kids crowed. “It’s snowing!”
They danced with delight.
Maybe there was one thing better than speed. . . or at least as good as.
“I told you we’d give them goosebumps,” cackled Gertie.
Blinx had goosebumps, too!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Ah, wasn’t that a perfect picture book?
Alrighty, then.
Thanks for stopping by.
Enjoy your Friday.
Rest up.
Eat some bonbons.
Have a lovely weekend!
Oh, wait!
You guys have got to keep me in line!
I’m not doing Perfect Picture Book Friday today!
So just forget all that stuff above because today is all about. . .
the 2021 11th Annual Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest WINNERS!
As you are all aware by now, we had an amazing turnout for Halloweensie 2021 – 294!!! entries!
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers! And I don’t know about you guys, but for me Halloween is all the better for 294 fabulous stories to read by jack -o’ – lantern light! 😊☢️
With large entry numbers come hard choices, though. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you for your vote.
There were, however, many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another (one reason being that, at a certain point, we just had to stop adding finalists to the list! :))
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (all-around well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Heather Ferranti Kinser for Mean Halloween
Emily Durant for A Helpful Ghost
Barbara Kimmel for The Perfect Pumpkin
Ellen Seal for Halloween Helpers
Kathleen Lowry for Teal Halloween
Molly Ippolito for Itsy B. Spider
Ann Grilli for Tricky Treat
Melissa-Jane Nguyen for Halloween Bites
Pat Finnegan for Gotcha!
2. For Great Use of Language: (not already in the finals)
Alicia Meyers for How To Steal A Halloween Treat
Amy Leskowski for Warning: May Contain Sugar (great tongue twister!)
Jamie Donahoe for My Word – It’s Halloween! (great alliteration)
3. For Spookiest/Creepy Entry: (not already in the finals)
Denise Seidman for Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Glenda Roberson for The Mansion On Maple
Laura Howard for This Pumpkin’s Not For Picking
4. For Excellent Story Telling From Young Writers!
Ames Jegan (age 11) for Capture The Goodies On Halloween
5. For Great Humor: (not already in the finals)
Krista Harrington for The Greatest Night Of The Year
Barbara DiMarco for Ogre’s Halloween
Nancy Derey Riley for Disguise Surprise
6. For Entries That Were Clever & Fun (not already in the finals)
Susan Summers for A Witchy Potion
Patricia Nozell for Tricky Treat
Bonnie Kelso for All Hallows Eve At The Roller Rink
Alexa Tuttle for You Are What You Eat
Samantha Sinclair for The After Party
7. For Poignant Entries (not already in the finals)
JC Kelly for Can We Please Skip The Costumes?
Corine Timmer for Rainbow Bridge
Melissa Miles for Home For Halloween
8. For Nice Message (not already in the finals)
Amy Reitz for Post Halloween Goals
David McMullin for Enough
9. For Great Read For Younger Readers: (not already in the finals)
Kathy Raggio for Pumpkin Train
10. For Unique Concept
Sharon McCarthy for Thank You, Trick-or-Treaters! For Protecting Your Mother
11. For Multiple Well-Written Entries
Sue Ko for It’s Dark In Here, Eyelashes, & Fall
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com or use the handy contact form in the menu bar above, subject line Prize Winner to collect your prize, which is (and I have to be cryptic here because when I said it right out last year I got a LO-HO-HOT! of spam email!) a gift of a number of dollars that is between 4 and 6, for a large and well-known online store that begins with A, which will be presented to you in an email 😊 You can spend it on one of the many Kindle choices listed in previous contests here, or add it to your account for a gift for yourself or someone else, or whatever else you might choose to do! In addition, you will receive a beautiful badge of achievement that you may display on your blog or print out and frame or turn into a flag to carry with you everywhere and wave out the window of your hybrid pumpkin 😊
A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 13 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 WINNERS OF THE 2021 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…
Mary Catherine Amadu
for
Trick-or-Treat Night Animals!: A Holloween Story
Congratulations, Mary!
In Second Place,
Jen MacGregor
for
Santa’s Halloween
Congratulations, Jen! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Mary chooses!
In Third Place,
Donna Kurtz for Bunny’s Bored!
Congratulations, Donna! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Mary and Jen choose!
In Fourth Place,
Ingrid Boydston for A Few Of The Scariest Things: A Parody to the tune of My Favorite Things
Congratulations, Ingrid! You get to pick a prize after Mary, Jen, and Donna.
In Fifth Place,
Scott Kinder for Jellyfish George’s Halloween
Congratulations, Scott! You get to pick your prize after Mary, Jen, Donna, and Ingrid.
In Sixth Place,
Colleen Murphy for How Hannah Saved Halloween
Congratulations, Colleen! You get to pick your prize after Mary, Jen, Donna, Ingrid, and Scott!
In Seventh Place,
Kaye Wright for Astronaut Aidan
Congratulations, Kaye! You get to pick your prize after Colleen!
In Eighth Place,
Kristen Littlefield for It’s Halloween In Toothytown
Congratulations, Kristen! You get to pick your prize after Kaye!
In Ninth Place,
Reed Hilton-Eddy for My Last Trick-or-Treat
Congratulations, Reed! You get to pick a prize after Kristen…!
In Tenth Place
Kari Ann Gonzalez for Kit’s Costume
Congratulations, Kari Ann! You get to prize pick after Reed!
In Eleventh Place
Holly Vagley for Pumpkin’s Halloween
Congratulations, Holly! You get to pick a prize after Kari Ann.
In Twelfth Place
Jennifer Kaap for The Witch’s Mistake
Congratulations, Jennifer! You get to pick your prize after Holly!
In Thirteenth Place
Sue Lancaster for The Haunted House High Up On The Hill
Congratulations, Sue! You get to pick your prize after Jennifer!
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 or use the handy contact form in the menu above with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! If you choose a prize that requires snail mailing, PLEASE include your snail mail address so we don’t have to email back and forth too many times 😊 If you would like a beautiful badge to celebrate your accomplishment, you are most welcome to one! Since everyone’s prize depends on everyone else’s choices, please get in touch as soon as you can.
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 truckload of leftover fun-sized chocolate. . . if there is any 😊
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize! It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
And before we go, I will give you all advance warning so you can start planning a little time into your December schedule…
Assuming you guys are up for it – and you’d better let me know in the comments!!! – the 11th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 5 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 a few days before Thanksgiving, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise! 😊 although yikes that’s just around the corner!) so you all have time to work on your stories! But please let me know if you feel like it’s too much and you’d rather not do it!
Have a terrific weekend everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 😊
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or any) or First 10 Pages of a longer MS (winner’s choice) by Kenda Henthorn, author of the forthcoming BAA, BAA TAP SHEEP (Sleeping Bear Press, April 15, 2022)
Kenda works in the aviation industry now so it’s no surprise that her writing inspirations and aspirations are sky-high, too. She resides in Oklahoma and when the winds aren’t sweepin’ down the plains, Kenda enjoys acting, flying, kayaking and riding horses or her motorcycle. (Vroom-vroom!)She has served as a Regional Coordinator for the Oklahoma SCBWI and a Best in Rhyme Award committee member and judge.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or lyrical) by Randi Sonenshine, author of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT (Candlewick March 2020) and the forthcoming THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT (Candlewick Fall 2022)
⭐️ Winners of the 6 signed picture books above may also receive their choice of any one of the following writing craft books to go along with their picture book:
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Illustration by Dana Atnip 2013, used with permission, all rights reserved
Help yourself to some ice cream. . .
text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill, 2017, illustration copyright Daniel Wiseman 2017, Little Simon
. . . and ask bunny for a balloon – you know you want one! 😊
Now that you are dancing with a balloon while eating ice cream, let’s talk about how amazing you are! 😊 For starters, you are extraordinarily coordinated! 😊
But let’s look at the stats, shall we?
7 weeks of writing!
74 writers who participated in at least one week!
47 writers who completed the whole 7 Week Challenge!
4 writers who wrote 1 or more extra entries – 1 who wrote 5 extras!
some number I didn’t have time to count of writers who participated last year and this year (I’ll have to add that in…!)
394 stories written altogether!
And more than 2200 comments you left for each other to support, encourage, admire, and cheer each other’s efforts!
I mean, that is something to be proud of! You guys all did a fantastic job, writing so many wonderful, entertaining, creative stories filled with humor, heart, cleverness, rhyme, nonfiction elements, and unexpected surprises while simultaneously supporting each other! Way to go!
When any of these stories turn into published picture books, I wish to be informed! 😊
So now it’s time for my favorite thing! Handing out prizes!
Since 47 people completed the challenge and I didn’t have that many prizes, I got creative so everyone who qualified could get a prize. Of course, you have all already gotten a prize just by writing all these new stories, getting your creativity flowing, getting to read everyone else’s work, and getting to tell people how much you loved their stories while hearing how much they loved yours! I hope a whole pile of new books will come out of this little fun fest 😊
I put all your names in one hat, and all the prizes in another, and randomly drew a name and a prize to go with it until I ran out. The prizes are all listed below so you can see them in all their glory and appreciate the talented and generous people who offered them. And then the names of the winners and the prize they won are listed at the bottom. I’m hoping it will be clearer this way then it was last year!
Scroll along and look for your name to see what you won, and then email me using the handy contact form on my website (or my email address if you know it) subject line Prize and I’ll get everything sorted out with the mailing and getting in touch with critiquers and etc and whatnot!
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
Jen Raudenbush
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from the lovely and talented Sara Kruger!
Sara Kruger
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️WHAT’S THE STORY CARDS created by yours truly 😊 Inspiration for writers to download and print. The ultimate mix ‘n’ match. You’ll never be stuck for an idea again! (x 13)
⭐️Picture Book Writers Rock! Mug for the writing fuel of your choice! 😊 (x 3)
⭐️Writing Journal (with a side of prompts 😊) (x 6)
Katie Schwartz – What’s The Story Cards
Bru Benson – Making Picture Book Magic Self Study
Allison Strick – What’s The Story Cards
Jill Lambert – Making Picture Book Magic Self Study
Barbara Farr Renner – What’s The Story Cards
Rose Cappelli – BINDU’S BINDIS
Lauri Meyers – Making Picture Book Magic Self Study
Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf – WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT
Ashley Sierra – Zoom Chat with Becky Scharnhorst
Susan E. Schipper – Writing Journal with Prompts
Dawn Young – What’s The Story Cards
Colleen Owen Murphy – SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (personalized and signed)
Amy Leskowski – Picture Book Writers Rock Mug
Sarah Meade – SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE
Sue Lancaster – Writing Journal with Prompts
Dianne Irving – Writing Journal with Prompts
Deb Buschman – Picture Book Writers Rock Mug
Elenore Byrne – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Jen Raudenbush
Padgy Soltis – Picture Book Manuscript Critique and Audio Recording from Sarah Meade
Erika Romero – What’s The Story Cards
Robin Currie – MOON’S FIRST FRIENDS (personalized and signed)
Brenna Jeanneret – How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro Webinar
Michelle S. Kennedy – What’s The Story Cards
Nicole Loos Miller – THE LITTLE KITTEN
Marty Bellis – Picture Book Writers Rock Mug
Susan Summers – Writing Journal with Prompts
Sally Yorke-Viney – Magnetic Poetry Little Box of Happiness
Marta Cutler – What’s The Story Cards
JC Kelly – What’s The Story Cards
Sarah Hawklyn – What’s The Story Cards
Ashley B. Pedigo – Magnetic Poetry Little Box of Happiness
Lyn Jekowsky – A FLOOD OF KINDNESS
Jen Subra – Magnetic Poetry Little Box of Happiness
Laura Bower – What’s The Story Cards
Sara Kruger – Writing Journal with Prompts
Bevin Rolfs Spencer – Picture Book Manuscript Critique OR Query Letter Critique from Jenny Buchet
Isabel Cruz Rodriguez – THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT
Lauren Scott – What’s The Story Cards
Linda Schueler – Writing Journal with Prompts
Hannah Roy LaGrone – Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Penny Klostermann
Aly Kenna – PHOEBE DUPREE IS COMING TO TEA!
Marty Findley – Picture Book Manuscript Critique OR Query Letter Critique from Sara Kruger
Mia Geiger – MARS’ FIRST FRIENDS (personalized and signed)
Jeannette Suhr – 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
Joyce Uglow – MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD
Erin Cleary – What’s The Story Cards
Deb Sullivan – What’s The Story Cards
Please be a little patient – it’s going to take me awhile to sort out 47 prizes but I will do it as quickly as I can! 😊 And if anyone thinks I screwed up (entirely possibly given the juggling act life is right now 😊) please let me know!!!
I hope you all had as much fun with the Mix ‘n’ Match as I did!
And although I hope to see you here for Tuesday Debuts through August 3, things will quiet down here on the blog for July and August, so have a wonderful, happy, healthy, writing-filled summer everyone!!! 💕
The last week of the 2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
To read the Week #5 entries or add your Week #5 entry, please go HERE (Week #5)
To read the Week #6 entries of add your Week #6 entry, please go HERE (Week #6)
Before we get to today’s challenge, one little housekeeping detail:
If you want to qualify for the prize drawing, you must have completed an entry for each of the 7 weeks and posted them on the appropriate week’s post by Saturday June 26th at midnight Eastern time in order to qualify, so that I can post the winners on Monday June 28th! So take note of that deadline – all 7 completed and posted by Saturday June 26th at midnight!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #7 for Week of June 21:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, turning songs into stories with themes, concept stories in particular settings, and relationships and emotions between characters! 😊 This week, since it’s the last week, it seems fitting that we do something with endings.
But not just anything. . . 😊
Endings do not exist in a vacuum. In order for endings to feel satisfying – make readers, laugh, cry, gasp with amazed delight, or sigh with satisfaction – the ending must feel connected to the beginning.
So. This week, choose a beginning from Column A and an ending from Column B and write a 100 word story for kids that fits between them using a tidbit of onomatopoeia from Column C if you want to (just for fun 😊).
Column A – Beginnings
Column B – Endings
Column C – Onomatopoeia (optional)
Once upon a time…
And that is why she/he tucked it very carefully into her/his pocket.
splish, splash, sploosh
When [Character Name] woke up, a thunderstorm was brewing. “OH, NO!” (or, “HURRAY!”)
Then he/she snuggled close and whispered with a smile, “I love you more than marshmallows.”
kackata-kack-krack-POP!
It all began when the mermaid’s tail got caught on the handle of [Character Name]’s umbrella.
Never let an alligator get in the way of your plans!
plink-plank-plunk
She/he wasn’t always a bad piggy.
So he/she/they rushed back out of the woods shout-singing Ain’t No Bugs On Us until he/she/they was/were really, truly, sure it was true!
slurrrp
There was a sloth who lived all alone.
[Character Name] knew summer was here at last!
buzzz bzzz-bzzz
[Character Name] was all ready for the beach!
Aunt Ruby was right. It had been a better day!
splop
We’re finally on our way! We’re having the best time ever! Until…
Inch by inch, step by step, they made it all the way to the tippy top.
chirp
Holly, Molly, Ollie, Wally, and Little Boo packed a picnic and set out in search of adventure.
And so he/she/they did.
bee-beep
On the Fourth of July, Max went into hiding.
And they lived happily ever after.
murmur
[Character Name] had a problem with watermelon.
Shushshush, the waves whispered. Shushshush.
hissss
Stories can rhyme or not – totally up to you.
You can go under or over 100 words if you want to – also totally up to you! – 100 is just a guideline.
If you’re deeply inspired by a beginning or ending or some onomatopoeia that isn’t here, go for it! – the purpose here is inspiration and to get you writing! Please just tell us what you’re using at the top of your entry.
For simplicity’s sake (and to aid skimming readers who might be interested in a particular thing) please say which column items you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, title, and word count.
I have been so enjoying reading all your amazing stories every week – so many different, creative, delightful, entertaining stories! – that I’m sad this is the last hurrah for this year!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
Jen Raudenbush
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from the lovely and talented Sara Kruger!
Sara Kruger
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
Look at us! Half way through June and up to Week #6 in our Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge! Can you believe you’ve written at least 5 brand new stories so far (I know some of you are writing more than one per week!) with two weeks of inspiration still to go? Who knows how many new picture books might be getting their start during this challenge!
So let’s fire up the old brain cells and show Week #6 who’s boss!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
To read the Week #5 entries or add your Week #5 entry, please go HERE (Week #5)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #6 for Week of June 14:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, turning songs into stories with themes, and concept stories in particular settings! 😊 This week, we’re going to explore the importance of relationships and emotion!
Picture books are often about relationships – parent/child, sibling, friends/enemies, child/pet, grandparent/child, babysitter/child etc. and those relationships can cause emotions or be affected by emotions.
Choose a main character from Column A, a second character from Column B, and an emotion from Column C and write a 100-word story for kids where the story centers around the emotion between them. (For example, 2 friends where one is jealous of the other, or a child who feels angry toward his beloved dog for chewing up his prized baseball glove, or a child who feels nervous about visiting her elderly grandmother who is wrinkly and smells like mothballs but whom she is supposed to love.) Feel free to make “siblings” a dog and a cat, or “friends” a dinosaur and a goat, etc – you don’t have to stick with all human characters – write monsters, fairies, and aliens if you like 😊
Column A – Character 1 (MC)
Column B – Character 2
Column C – Emotion
Rosie
Grandma or Grandpa (Gran, Grand Dad, Oma, Poppa, etc)
awe (looks up to/hero worship)
Tuck
Pet (any kind – your choice)
jealousy
Maisie
Friend
anger
Chip
Sibling (older, younger, twin, step)
sadness
Bentley
Mom or Dad or Step
betrayal
Esme
Babysitter (any age or gender)
boredom
Enzo
Dragon
worry, anxiety, nervousness
Xander
Dinosaur
joy
Dylan
Fairy Godmother
love
April
Enemy
pride
August/Auggie/Gus
resentment
Stories can rhyme or not – totally up to you!
You can go under or over 100 words if you want to – also totally up to you! – 100 is a guideline
If you’re deeply inspired by a name, relationship or emotion that isn’t included you’re welcome to use it, just please say what it is at the top of your entry – the purpose here is inspiration and to get you writing!
For simplicity’s sake (and to aid skimming readers who might be interested in a particular thing) please say which relationship and emotion you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, word count, and title if you have one.
I am ready to be bowled over by your creativity and talent!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
Jen Raudenbush
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from the lovely and talented Sara Kruger!
Sara Kruger
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
It’s a hot, hot Monday in June, so what better way to spend the day then on a cool porch, in a shady hammock, or in the air-conditioned library with an iced beverage, your writing implements, and the prompt for Mix ‘n’ Match Week #5?!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #5 for Week of June 7:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, and turning songs into stories with themes! 😊 This week, we’re going to have fun with concepts!
Kids have a lot to learn about the world, and picture books can be education disguised as entertainment 😊. Think Z IS FOR MOOSE by Kelly Bingham, MOUSE PAINT by Ellen Stoll Walsh, and ROUND IS A TORTILLA by Roseanne Thong.
For this week’s challenge, choose a concept from Column A and a setting from Column B and write a 100 word concept story for kids in which you utilize the setting to show your concept.
Column A – Concept
Column B – Setting
Shapes
Halloween
Colors
Beach
Numbers/Counting
Farm
Alphabet
School
Time
Car Trip
Place/Location (in, on, above, under, around, through, etc.)
Circus
Emotions
City or Country
Seasons
Amusement Park or County Fair
Weather
Supermarket
Stories can rhyme or not – totally up to you!
You can go under or over 100 words if you want to – also totally up to you! – 100 is a guideline
If you’re deeply inspired by a concept or a setting that isn’t included you’re welcome to use it, just please say what it is at the top of your entry – the purpose here is inspiration and to get you writing!
For simplicity’s sake (and to aid skimming readers who might be interested in a particular thing) please say which concept and setting you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, word count, and title if you have one.
Can’t wait to see what amazing, creative things you guys come up with this week!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
Jen Raudenbush
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
It seems we’ve all got a case of the I Haven’t Gone Anywhere Done Anything Seen Anyone For A Year So What The Heck Can I Write About Blues!
But don’t worry.
I can fix that! 😊
All that’s required is a little tomfoolery! A few high jinx and shenanigans to knock the K off of FUNK and get us back to good old F-U-N!
Who’s with me?
Give me a woo!
WOO!
Give me a hoo!
HOO!
What does that spell?
Well. . . technically it doesn’t actually spell anything, since neither woo nor hoo is a letter, but one way or another it comes out
WOOHOO!
Now! Let’s have some fun!
And fun in this instance is. . .
another round of the ever-popular, practically world famous
(Not a contest exactly… no room in the blog calendar, no time for judging, no gigantic prizes on offer…but still (hopefully!) tons of fun!)
Here’s how it works:
Starting today, each Monday until June 21st (which makes 7 Mondays total and will get us to the end of the school term) I will post a Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt for a 100 word story. Post your story in the comment section for that week’s challenge (or if you have trouble posting it, email it to me and I’ll post it for you.) At the end of the 7 weeks, everyone who has posted one story for each week’s prompt will
A) have 7 brand new stories to play with! (Who knows? Your next picture book or even chapter book or longer might be sparked by something you write for the Challenge!)
B) be able to take credit for entertaining lots of fellow writers and their kids (not to mention you’ll entertain yourself and your own kids!)
and
C) qualify to win a prize from the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Mystery Bag of Marvelous Prizes for Writers! (Last year we managed to scare up enough prizes that all of the approximately 40 people who completed the challenge got something, but we’ll have to see how the available prizes stack up this year – if there aren’t enough for everyone who completes the challenge we’ll have to randomly draw winners until we run out of prizes, but you will still win A and B above!)
You can compete with yourself to see if you can write all 7 stories! You can compete with your writing friends to see if you can write more than they do! And if you want to get really competitive, you can all read the stories that are posted and “like” the ones you think are best and see who gets the most “likes” 😊 (If you do that there might be some special prizes…who can tell??? 😊)
When the going get’s humdrum, children’s writers beat the blues by playing writing games and creating new stories to keep themselves and everyone around them entertained!
So here we go!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #1 for Week of May 10:
Choose a character from Column A and something the character needs from Column B and write a 100 word story for children entitled _____Column A_____ Needs A _____Column B_____ If you wish, you may also select a random item from Column C to include in your story.
For example: Hermit Crab Needs A Home. (And perhaps you’d include a harmonica somewhere in the story.)
Or, if something in Column C strikes your fancy you can use that as the thing your character needs, e.g. Hummingbird Needs Help.
Get the idea?
Here are the options:
Column A – Character
Column B – Something Needed
Column C – random item
Hedgehog
Home
Hockey Stick (or Hockey Puck)
Hammerhead
Hug
Horse (or Sea Horse)
Hermit Crab
Hint
Harmonica
Hummingbird
Hobby
Hero
Hare
Holiday
Help
Henry or Hilary
Hat
Helicopter
If a central idea would be helpful to you in your writing, you can focus your story on Mother’s Day, since that is fresh in all our minds this morning 😊, but that is NOT required.
In an attempt to answer possible questions I will say:
you can write as many stories as you want each week
you can post them at any time during the week (just make sure they’re on the Monday Mix ‘n’ Match Mini post for the week you’re entering – e.g. below for Week #1))
you can play catch up (so if you miss a week you can go back and add to an earlier week if you’re trying to complete the challenge and qualify for prizes as long as all entries are posted on the correct week and are posted no later than Saturday June 26th at midnight Eastern time.)
no illustration notes
You may go over the word count if you’re on a roll and you wish to (because there is no judging 😊)
You may write in poetry or prose
(This is where the sample I intended to write belongs, but since I haven’t had time to write it yet I’ll have to add it in!)
And here’s a little sampling of the prizes up for grabs to whet your competitive spirit 😊 MORE TO COME!
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who completed the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
I know someone in your house probably snagged the last Poptart and you’re stuck eating All-Bran for breakfast. . .on a frigid Monday morning. . .in the snow!
But.
BUT!
I am about to cast a ray of sunshine into your freezing, snowy, All-Bran-y, Monday morning!
Yes!
It’s true!
Here comes sunshine and heart-warming happiness because I am going to SING YOU A SONG! 🎶🎵🎶
🎶How much are those Poptarts in the window, So sugary sweet and divine? I’m brave, but not brave enough to offer All-Bran to my sweet Valentine!🎶
No?
Ok, how about
🎶Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling, Valentine! I will give you all my Poptarts If you promise to be mine!🎶
Oh no, wait! I’ve got it!
🎶I’m a little Poptart filled with jam Some say I’m sweet and it’s true! I am! But my Valentiny also true – No one else is sweet as you!🎶
I don’t know what’s happening here.
Apparently someone (who is not a good singer) has Poptarts on the brain.
Who could that be?
But never mind, because GUESS WHAT?
It’s time to announce the WINNERS of
The6thAnnualValentinyWritingContest
~forchildren’swriters~
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 so many! As always, I was thrilled to see so many wonderful stories! It is amazing and inspiring, not to mention VERY entertaining! There is just so much talent out there amongst you all! The other judges and I are blown away anew each time!
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, 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. We chose 14 finalists, and around 35 Honorable Mentions which we also loved, and even with those 49 total there were over 200 entries we couldn’t list! So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. You’re in good company! 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 214 words if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. So bravo to everyone who entered!
Because it was such a hard choice, and there were so many wonderful stories, before we get to the winners, my assistant judges and I would like to award bragging rights, recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1.ForHonorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (entries we truly wrestled with not including in the finalists!)
Elizabeth Volkmann for Class List
Melissa Trempe for The Most Terrible, Awful, Icky Valentine Ever
David McMullin for Brave Brave Brave (also funny 😊)
Laken Slate for The Brave Little Conversation Heart
M.R. Haqq for Soon
Mia Geiger for Peanut’s Brave Valentine’s Day
Ashlee Hashman for The Wildflower
Lindsey Hobson for U R Brave
Audrey Day-Williams for Legendary Valentine
Sara Ackerman for Arrrrr Is For Valentine
Amy Leskowski for A One-of-a-Kind, Just-in-Case, Not-at-All-Pink Valentine’s Day
Donna Kurtz for The Owl and the Kitty-Kat
2. For Great Kid Appeal: (not already mentioned in the finals or other categories)
Una Belle Townsend for Six Secret Valentines
Jan Suhr for The Lost Valentine
Kaylee Gwarjanski for Mission: Cancel Cupid Call
Gregory E. Bray for A Valentine’s Day Quest in the Land of Moore
Elizabeth Muster for W-R-I-T-E For Each Other
3. For Original POV:
Molly Ippolito for Cardamom’s Courage (POV of cardamom)
Rozana Rajkumari for Lemon-Tine (POV of a lemon)
4. For Humor:
Kelly Conroy for The Monster’s Valentine Buffet (dark 😊)
Catherine J Lee for The Valentine on My Shoe
Karyn Curtis for The Valentine’s Quest
Tracy Curran for The Wibbler (also great POV – jelly!)
5. ForWell-Written, Fun Story With Great Sibling Interaction:
Brenda Whitehead for Step-Brother Battle
Shannon Howarth Nelson for Super Brothers
Danielle S. Hammelef for Scaredy-Cat
6. ForBeautiful Writing:
Ciara N M Greenwalt for The Gift Tree
Sandhya Acharya for Sarla Asks A Question
Jyoti Rajan Gopal for A Cocoon of Love
Amy Flynn for Tilly’s Great Big Heart
7. For Best Short Valentiny Story:
P. J. Purtee for A Simple Valentine
8. For Sweet Valentiny:
Kelly Swemba for Brave For Gigi
Anne Bromley for Caleb’s Heart
Carmen Castillo Gilbert for Roses From Valentina
9. Best Story From A Young Writer:
Sophia Zafra for Bravery Is From The Heart
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your award badge and prize, which is five dollars in a format that can be emailed for you to put toward something you’d like at a large online store (and I’m being cryptic because when I did this for Halloweensie I got a ton of problematic spam mail because of the way I worded the post, but hopefully you can figure it out. The store starts with the letter A 😊) I know it’s not much, but hopefully it will come in handy for something!
And now…
…the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
The announcement of the WINNERS OF THE 2021 VALENTINY CONTEST as voted on by you, our devoted readers!!!
rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat
DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
In First Place…
Winner of the whole shebang…
who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Sarah McDermott for Lemur in Love!!!
Congratulations, Sarah! We had such fun reading this aloud! Terrific job 😊
In Second Place
Sarah Meade for Jana’s Valentine Visit
Congratulations, Sarah! So believable! You get to pick your prize after Sarah.
In Third Place
Nancy Derey Riley for Percy’s Valentine
Congratulations, Nancy! What a perfectly rhymed and timely story! You get to pick your prize after Sarah and Sarah.
In Fourth Place…
Jessica Hinrichs for Valentine’s Gotcha Day
Congratulations, Jessica! So sweet! You get to pick your prize after Sarah, Sarah, and Nancy!
In Fifth Place…
Carrie Boone for The Ballad of Bad Bart
Congratulations, Carrie! What a Valentine bargain! You get to pick after Sarah, Sarah, Nancy, and Jessica!
In Sixth Place...
Nicole Loos Miller for Stella & Hank
Congratulations, Nicole! You must have a cat and a dog to write them so well! I’m sure you get the idea of how the prize picking goes by now 😊
In Seventh Place…
Paul Kurtz for Someone Special!
Congratulations, Paul! You made us laugh You get to pick next 😊
In Eighth Place…
Chambrae Griffith for Octopus Hugs
Congratulations, Chambrae! Happy ending for shark 😊 You get to pick after Paul 😊
In Ninth Place…
Janie Reinart for Untangled Valentines
Congratulations, Janie! So beautifully written! You get to pick after Chambrae!
In Tenth Place…
Anne Lipton for Most Valuable Valentine
Congratulations, Anne! You did a masterful job of turning history and racial justice into a Valentiny story! And in rhyme! You get to pick after Janie!
In Eleventh Place…
Katie Brandyberry for Valentine Delivery
Congratulations, Katie! We could just see the picture book your little mail truck would make! You get to pick after Anne 😊
In Twelfth Place…
Lauri C. Meyers for Charmadillo
Congratulations, Lauri! You had us at the title! And we laughed at the ending 😊 You get to pick your prize after Katie.
In Thirteenth Place…
Judy Sobanski for Brave Little Friends
Congratulations, Judy! Little Racoon was certainly very brave! 😊 You get to pick after Lauri!
In Fourteenth Place…
Samantha Haas for Valentine’s Day Rocks
Congratulations, Samantha! We loved Marjorie for her kindness and understanding, and Roger for bravely (and intelligently) coming up with valentines that worked for him!
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! (The sooner the better!) And for your convenience, the whole prize list is included at the bottom of this post.
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 and a gigantic chocolate heart… or lots of little chocolate hearts… or both… really, you can never have too much chocolate 😊 . (Or, can I interest you in a Poptart? Maybe a chocolate Poptart… 😊 )
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. It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction) from Becky Scharnhorst, author of the forthcoming MY SCHOOL STINKS! (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
– Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, fiction, fewer than 800 words) from Rebecca Kraft Rector, author of SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED (Nancy Paulsen Books, February 16, 2021) (which means it’s coming out in the middle of our contest!😊) and the forthcoming LITTLE RED (Aladdin, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2022) and TRIA AND THE GREAT STAR RESCUE (Delacorte/Random House)
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021) She is on twitter at @SarafinaDesign
Author Jenna Waldman
– Either a signed copy of WHEN A TREE GROWSOR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique – winner’s choice! – from Cathy Ballou Mealey, author of WHEN A TREE GROWS (Sterling April 2019) and the forthcoming SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE (Kids Can Press, May 4, 2021)
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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