Tag: writing exercises

Would You Read It Wednesday #282 – Sylvia Swan & Cabot (PB)

25 Comments

Howdy, folks!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week so far!

Here on Blueberry Hill it has been the kind of week that motivates me to check in with my favorite laugh-out-loud videos for a little pick-me-up.  Really, doesn’t laughing just make everything seem better?! 🙂

In case any of you need a laugh, I’d like to share this week’s favorite:

SNL – Pro-Chiller Leggings

Please please please feel free to share your favorite laugh-out-loud video in the comment section!  We can all use a laugh 🙂

I think that video has set us up perfectly for a Something Chocolate that prepares itself in the freezer whilst we lie on the couch, catch up on missed episodes of The Voice and eat bonbons!  Check out this delicious no-churn Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream!

No-Churn-Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Ice-Cream-6

Recipe (including helpful video!) HERE at iwashyoudry.com

All the deliciousness and none of the energy expenditure of churned ice cream – the best of both worlds!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Amanda who says, “I am a wife, mom of 4, teacher, writer, aspiring children’s book author, runner, and triplet. Writing is my creative outlet and it makes me happy.”

Find her on the web at:
Blog-https://writingstoriesonewordatatime.blog/
Twitter Handle-@jhkmom4

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Sylvia Swan & Cabot

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-10)

The Pitch: When Sylvia Swan’s family is too busy to help her build a blanket fort…again, she takes matters into her own hands. She channels her frustrations into brainstorming, sketching, measuring, drafting and creating the perfect invention—C.A.Bot:Customized Assisting Robot. Will Cabot be the solution she has been waiting for? Will her favorite pastime become a reality? Sylvia Swan soon finds out that Cabot can help her build more than just a fort.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in May, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Amanda is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to some quality time with my Pro-Chiller Leggings and to any funny videos you guys choose to share! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #281 – Curious Cassandra (PB)

31 Comments

Good morning, my friends!

I am waiting.

Yesterday, it snowed.

I am not making this up.

Huge flakes, so big you could see their crystalline construction.

Lazy, insolent flakes, just daring you to point out they had no business at this time of year making themselves at home on decks and porch railings, tree branches, swing sets and mailboxes, piling up like feathers after a pillow fight on every available surface.

Excuse me.

Did someone forget to mention it’s April?!

So I am waiting.

Waiting for sunshine.

Waiting for the temperature to get above 40 for more than 14 seconds at the warmest part of the day.

Waiting until the dogs and I can walk on Blueberry Hill and see the trees budding and the flowers blossoming, hear the peepers and the red-winged blackbirds in the marshy areas, wear shorts and a t-shirt and not be cold (well, the dogs don’t care about shorts and a t-shirt… 🙂 ), smell the sun warming the earth, trying to be patient…

…waiting for spring.

And I think I speak for all of us when I say nothing is better whilst waiting for spring than Something Chocolate!  Unless maybe it’s Something Chocolate that is also Something Coffee altogether in one mouthful 🙂  In case any of you are also waiting for spring, can I offer you some chocolate espresso layer cake?!

Chocolate Espresso Layer Cake

Chocolate+Espresso+Cake+with+Ganache

Recipe HERE at Pip & Ebby

Mmm-mmm-good!  I feel like I shored up a whole slice of patience!  I may be able to wait until this afternoon for spring to arrive! 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Candace who usually sits in a comfy chair, with a cup of tea and something chocolate, while she reads and writes about things that make her curious.

Find her on the web at:

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Curious Cassandra

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7)

The Pitch:  Cassandra is a curious girl. She opens drawers, looks under beds, and rummages in boxes. The tall fence surrounding her neighbor’s garden makes her the most curious. She can’t see over it, under it, or through it, no matter how she tries.

She overhears her mother talking about the plants Mrs Fulton is growing – turtle’s heads, fox’s gloves, and lamb’s ears.  These are plants she must see for herself. Cassandra sits down, at her desk, and draws up some plans for getting into Mrs Fulton’s garden.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Candace is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to daffodils 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #280 – The Littlest Astronaut (PB)

23 Comments

Happy Wednesday, Chickadees!

What a fun week it has been!

First, totally unexpected and out of the blue, an email arrived in my inbox with sketches for ALPHABEDTIME!  What a thrill!  It’s in the early stages yet, but looks fantastic.  Illustrator Betsy Snyder is doing a great job.  There’s even a pogo stick on page 10 (and any of you who know me know my passion for pogoing 🙂 )

Second (as if first weren’t enough!), I got to see the final art for WHEN YOUR MONKEYS WON’T GO TO BED, due out August 28!  (Apparently it’s art week and I didn’t realize it 🙂 )  Daniel Wiseman has done it again, and I can’t wait to be able to share with you!

As you all know, I cannot draw to save myself, so I feel incredibly lucky to have been paired with such amazingly talented artists who seem to know exactly the right way to bring my stories to life.  If it weren’t for them, my books would look like this:

SLH illustration style

illustration copyright SLH 20…hahaha…I can’t even say it 🙂

 

and nobody wins with that! 🙂

I think this calls for a celebratory Something Chocolate, don’t you?  Also, I believe I speak for all of us when I say it’s time for Second Breakfast!  I vote for Chocolate Swirl Pie!

Chocolate Swirl Pie

choc swirl pie

Recipe HERE (including helpful video!) at Twisted

Yum!  Delicious and nutritious! (Surely there must be some way in which that is nutritious… and I’m certain that if I have a second helping it will give me the brain fuel I need to figure out how 🙂 )

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Rachel who ***nervously waves*** and says, “Hello! My name is Rachel. In no particular order I am a psychologist, mother of three (to a little girl who just turned 1 and two very goofy boxer dogs), a wife, a shoe hoarder and – cosmetics/face creams aficionado!!!

How and why did I start writing Picture Books? I was minding my own business when suddenly, without warning, a children’s book popped into my head, in fact a whole series of them did. They needed to be written down, it was a compulsion, I couldn’t stop. A bit like vomit, you feel better when it’s all out (yes I just compared my writing to vomit).”

Find her on the web at:
Twitter handle – @RachLTomlinson
Blog – https://rachtomlinsonwrites.wixsite.com/rachtomlinsonwrites/blog/

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Littlest Astronaut

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-10)

The Pitch: Even before she was born Seren was destined to become an Astronaut. After all, her parents had given her a name that meant star. When she shares her dreams with others they laugh, making her feel small, just because she isn’t grown up yet. It is a tall order when a space mission is jeopardised, and no-one else can help because they are too big. Can Seren step up and save the day?

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Rachel is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing my new books progress and getting to share the process with you!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #279 – A Little Witchy (PB)

24 Comments

Greetings, Friends!

I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but things are a bit topsy-turvy in Nature these days.

First (I am not making this up!  I heard it on the radio!) there is a warrant out for Punxsutawney Phil’s arrest because he said 6 more weeks of winter, which expired on March 16, and then we had a blizzard.

Second, we bounce around from 70 degrees to 10 below, sunshine to Nor’easters, like we’re inside a pinball machine.

And the blueberries in the pancakes?

Monday night I had a traumatic experience in which, just past midnight, I heard a frightening sound on my back porch.  My dogs began to growl, low in their throats, and all the fur stood up on their backs.  (And, just let me say, this is highly unusual for them because they need their beauty sleep and generally notice nothing between 9 PM and 5 AM!)

IMG_5096

 

I don’t mind telling you, my overactive imagination (you know, the one that makes me a writer? 🙂 ) went into overdrive and I was thinking up all kinds of terrifying scenarios in which I hoped my brave dogs would rise to my defense and protect me (even though I know they’re more likely to beg for treats from an intruder than pin him to the ground as their fierce ancestors would have done!  Or possibly just sleep through all the high jinx and shenanigans!)

So there I was, creeping around in the dark, the very definition of stealth, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever had made the noise, heart pounding, attempting to convince myself that I had probably only heard snow falling off the roof or something, my fierce protectresses bravely bringing up the rear, when suddenly Scout shot past me barking ferociously at the door!

Out in the shadowy moonlight I saw a dark shape stop moving at the noise!

And then, after a moment, slowly move forward again!

I was just about to think up a Clever Plan For Self Defense when the dark shape picked up speed… a distinctly lumbering type of speed…a familiar lumbering… and I realized . . . it was the bear!

The noise I’d heard was him wrecking and stealing my bird feeder!  Fiend!

IMG_5331

. . . the Scene of the Attack! 🙂 . . .

IMG_5332

But this highlights my point about weirdness in Nature.  I have lived on Blueberry Hill for 25 years and never seen the bears before the third week of April!

So, what, I ask, is going on around here?

Clearly we need Something Chocolate!

And what better in this instance than Bear Paw Cookies???!!!

Bear Paw Cookies

Mmmmmm!  Delish!  And perfect for the occasion 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Jean who says, “I began life with aspirations of being a commercial artist, then changed to journalism before answering my true calling. After getting a scholarship to a Highlights Foundation Workshop Retreat, I’ve come full circle, as a beginning writing children’s lit writer learning the craft, work-shopping, pitching, submitting and trying to break in!”

Find her on the web at https://twitter.com/jrichson2013

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: A Little Witchy

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

The Pitch:  After her mother says Beatrice can be such a little witch at times, while she calls the baby an angel, Beatrice begins doing witchy things in order to make herself into a real witch. But the bad witches tire of her bumbling exploits and warn her to quit—once and for all! And the good witch tells her it would be better if she leave the witching to those who can, and that instead she try to be the best mortal girl she can be.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Jean is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting a new bird feeder…and bringing it indoors at night! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #278 – Navy SEALs: BUD/S From A-Z (PB)

28 Comments

Holy frozen H2O, Batman!

More snow???!!!

According to my research, the first day of Spring was yesterday, beginning at 12:15 PM to be precise.

Something is rotten in the state of New York!

I think we can all agree that the third Wednesday Nor’easter of the month calls for something delightful, something decadent, Something Chocolate right out of the starting gate.  I know we will all feel our outlook on life improve immeasurably after a slice or two of this delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake

A quick examination of the ingredients (peanut=protein, butter=dairy=calcium, chocolate=vegetable (comes from a bean!), mousse=makes you strong as a moose, also mousse is lighter than air so it has no calories :), and cake=the fifth essential food group) reveals this breakfast to be not only scrumptious, but clearly health food! 🙂

So eat up! 🙂

Ah!

It’s like spinach for Popeye!

Now we’re all rarin’ to go! 🙂

So let’s get right to today’s pitch which comes to us from Gayle.  She says, “I’m a Navy SEAL mom who loves to write. I’m working on several picture books, a YA novel, and my masters. You can find me at www.gayleveitenheimer.com.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Navy SEALs: BUD/S From A-Z

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

The Pitch: Boys learn their letters Navy SEAL-style while they explore the rigors of BUD/S, the first half of SEAL training, where a sugar cookie isn’t a snack and The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Gayle is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to a baby!  Yes!  It’s true!  On the farm where I work in the morning, one of the mares is expecting.  After ten-and-a-bit long months she is now less than a month away from bringing her new little colt or filly into the world.  Let me tell you, there is great excitement! 🙂  I’ll keep you posted 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #277 – Porcupette And Moppet (PB)

16 Comments

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

First things first!  I have an important announcement!

Today is…

(wait for it…)

National Potato Chip Day!!!

This means it’s time for the age-old debate over which is better: ruffled or smooth?  (I hope you all know the correct answer to that (ruffled), but feel free to attempt to convince me otherwise 🙂 You will need to use solid arguments backed by at least 3 primary sources 🙂 )

It is also time to share your favorite potato chip flavor!  For me it’s a three-way tie between sour cream and onion, barbecue, and plain old regular salty chips.

But let’s be honest.  I haven’t met too many potato chips I don’t like. 🙂  (Except salt and vinegar which I think should be banned, not just from the earth but from the entire solar system, but that’s just me 🙂 )  What flavor of chip rocks your world?

And speaking of chips rocking the world, there are picture books about bagels, and picture books about cupcakes, and picture books about sandwiches… but I can’t think of a picture book about a potato chip.  I think the time has come!  You all have your writing prompt for the day… write a picture book where the MC is a potato chip 🙂

Now then!  From chips to chocolate!

Since it’s nearly St. Patrick’s Day, we obviously need something festively green, so how about some no-bake Mint Oreo Cheesecake for our Something Chocolate today?!

No Bake Mint Oreo Cheesecake

Doesn’t that look so chocolatey and minty fresh?!  Plus it’s green which means it’s a vegetable, and that makes it health food 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Nadine who says, “I am an elementary librarian in an urban school district and I love my job! I am on the selection committee for the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award (PA’s state book award) and a wiener dog owner and lover!”

Find her on the web at

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Porcupette And Moppet

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

The Pitch: (background information: a young porcupine is called a porcupette and a natural predator of a porcupine is a fisher.)
Pitch: Porcupette knows the importance and joy in reading. When he encounters a sneaky, sly fisher named Moppet, Porcupette outsmarts this predator armed with his quills? No. Porcupette uses his book!

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon  for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Nadine is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on potato chips and to reading everyone’s one-sentence pitch for a picture book starring a potato chip!  Ready, GO! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #276 – Baba Yaga’s Arrful Day (CB)

30 Comments

I don’t know, folks!

The last two times I’ve posted, we’ve gotten slammed with snow!

Friday it resulted in several days of power outages and limping internet.  Today, we’re supposed to get even more snow than last week – some say as much as 18 inches with thunder (Jem Dog hopes not! She does not like thunder, with or without snow!) – so if you don’t hear from me you’ll know the internet got wiped out again!

Or that I’ve taken myself off to somewhere warm and sunny and stopped posting for a while to protect the east coast from further storms.  It’s important that I use my power for good 🙂

But you know the weather clan – they do like to get all dramatic about storms.  So maybe it will be a tempest in a teapot and all we’ll get is a dusting 🙂

I guess we’ll see…

Meanwhile, what better way to greet a snowy day than with Something Chocolate? Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake is looking pretty good…!

Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Choc Espresso cheesecake

Recipe HERE at Foodtasia

Mmmm!  Lucious!  Chocolate and coffee in one!  What could be more delicious?!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Pat who says, “I read my way through my childhood and teenage years, specializing in books on rabbits (although there are no rabbits in any book I’ve written since). I once worked on a public art project that became a Crimestoppers crime of the week. You can get more details by visiting my website (see below). My main character has been writing a blog (also see below) , which has been way fun, but it can be hard to stop talking like a pirate, ARRRR.”

Find her on the web at
gardenstar@comcast.net
www.patstarzyk.com
blog: www.bababloggayaga.com

 Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Baba Yaga’s Arrful Day

Age/Genre: Chapter Book (ages 7-10)

The Pitch:  When her magic stops working and a shipload of bad things happen, pirate-talking witch Baba Yaga has to think outside the wand if she’s going to turn this arrful day into a chest full of gold doubloons.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Pat is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am STILL looking forward to Spring, even though the weather seems to have other plans!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂  Stay warm and safe!

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #275 – The Love Song of Jubal Jacques (CB)

18 Comments

I have something VERY important to say this morning!

Tomorrow is March!

Doesn’t that just give you a little pick-me-up?

March means the clocks change (a totally stupid system, but let’s not get sidetracked 🙂 ) so in a couple more days we’ll have light into the evening for those lovely after dinner strolls.

And March is the official beginning of Spring ❤

I realize that “official” doesn’t mean Spring actually comes.  Around here, Spring takes its own sweet time and generally wanders in around the 4th week of April 🙂

But just knowing that in a couple of weeks it will officially be Spring is uplifting!

So in the spirit of uplifting, let’s have some cookies, shall we? 🙂

You’ve heard of Chocolate Lava Cake… today, for our Something Chocolate, let’s try Chocolate Lava Cookies!!!

Chocolate Lava Cookies
(like the nice springy green letters I chose?)

Screen Shot 2018-02-27 at 3.13.32 PM

Recipe HERE (including helpful video!) at Tastemade

 

I recommend some coffee, hot chocolate, or milk for dunking!  Delish!  And like the commercials say, they’re part of a complete breakfast with eggs, toast, juice, fruit, pancakes, oatmeal, bacon, maple syrup, bran cereal, Belgian waffles, biscuits, muffins, and a couple of pastries!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Ann who recently wowed us in the Valentiny Contest with her wonderful story, The Hope Of Spring, and who says, “I’m a freelance children’s author living in Cygnet, a small town in rural Tasmania. My jazz musician husband and I love being a part of this vibrant, creative community. I write as Carol Ann Martin and am published mainly by Scholastic Australia. Visitors are always welcome at my blog, Carol Ann Martin Spinning Stories for Children, and my Facebook page, Henhugs and Ticklefeathers.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Love Song of Jubal Jacques

Age/Genre: Chapter Book (folk-style fantasy ages 8 to adult)

The Pitch:  The ten-year-old narrator has been sent to stay with her grandmother on a small, green island, to convalesce after a long illness.

Her Uncle Jubal is in love with the honey-haired lady who lives on the hill. He writes her a beautiful lovesong and sings it to her, but the lady just sits on her verandah and weaves and weaves, never as much as turning her head. How can she be so cruel?

It is the child who finally guesses the secret that will enable Uncle Jubal’s lovesong to reach the honey-haired lady’s heart.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Ann is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  And I (could you tell by the beginning of this blog post?) am looking forward to SPRING! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #274 – Wendy’s First Taste Of Summer (PB)

46 Comments

So a couple days ago we had Super Bowl LII, and in a couple days the XXIII Olympic Winter Games will start!  What is with that whole Roman Numeral thing in sports?  Are they trying to be intellectual?  Or is it nod to gladiators and arenas and such to make it more exciting?  Who knows.  It’s probably mostly so our elementary school teachers can say that yes, of course we will use this knowledge in real life! 🙂

(Your chance to make your elementary school teachers do the dance of joy – identify what LII and XXIII represent in the comments 🙂 )

 

You will note that our own winter writing Olympics (in the form of the III Valentiny Writing Contest 🙂 )  will start the same day as the actual Olympics (well, the sports part anyway… I think opening ceremonies are Friday.)  I hope you’re all training hard so you’ll be ready to participate in top form! 🙂

Part of our training regimen should absolutely be Something Chocolate!  I’m thinking Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies!  How can we go wrong?  Health food AND a Valentine twist!  Sounds like the breakfast of champions to me! 🙂

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies 800 2536

Recipe HERE at Closet Cooking Cooking In A Closet-Sized Kitchen

Help yourself to seconds – serious training requires fuel! – then wipe the chocolate off your fingers (and keyboard 🙂 ) and let’s get cracking on our Wednesday mission!

Onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Jennifer.  Jennifer Prevost is a part time nurse, full time mom of three (four if you count the dog), wife, avid reader, blogger and picture book writer of the pre-published variety. She’s dreamed of seeing her words in print for as long as she can remember (and feels blessed to have made it this far.) You can find her at her blog, Magnolias & Manuscripts (http://magnoliasandmanuscripts.wordpress.com/blog) where she’s capturing her writing journey and asking questions to authors far more successful than she. If she’s not there, she’s probably somewhere jotting down ideas, playing with her kids or chasing the big goofy dog, always with a cup of coffee in hand. (Check out @jennifergprevost on Instagram and Facebook…maybe one of these days, she’ll figure out Twitter)

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Wendy’s First Taste Of Summer

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7)

The Pitch:  Try as they might, Wendy’s parents can’t get her to break her picky-eater ways. But then she makes a bet with the owner of Millie’s Famous Melons and the results are as delicious as the first days of summer!

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Jennifer is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the Valentiny Contest!  I hope you guys are too!  We have some seriously great prizes up for grabs!  One of them could be yours!  And I can’t wait to read your fabulous stories in celebration of the chocolate lovers holiday 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #273 – The Troublesome And Unpleasant Adventures Of Murphy The Reluctant Potato (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor X 3!!!

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Boy, do we have an action-packed day today, folks!

I’m not going to waste one single second telling you what the dogs found in the woods or what creative concoction I baked or what the scuttlebutt down at the post office was.  Nosireebob!  We’re going to get right down to it today!

First (your favorite and mine!) we have a thrilling triple episode of Straight From The Editor!

For September:  You will recall Katie’s pitch:
Katie – Pirate For Hire (PB ages 4-8)
Patch loves being a pirate. The beards! The singing! The treasure! There’s only one problem…he gets seasick. When his shipmates begin poking fun at him, Patch looks for a new gig and a new crew who understand him, but where to work? Patch fumbles as a barber, flounders and a singer, and fails as a jeweler before finding a place perfect for a pirate.

And here are Erin’s comments:
This is cute. Though it might garner more interest if you went slightly more active and specific—even the end. Something more along the lines of: Patch loves being a pirate. “Yohoho! The shiny gold coins! The beards! There’s only one problem…he gets seasick. When his shipmates poke fun of him, Patch looks for a new gig. But where to work? What to do? He fumbles as a barber, flounders as a singer, and can’t tell a diamond from a pearl—before finding the perfect place for a pirate –((and I would say what it is)).

For October:  Laura’s pitch:
Laura – Gustavo’s Big Idea (PB ages 4-9)
Aliana’s little brother Gustavo wants to be in charge for the day. Knowing she’s really the boss, Aliana agrees to play along. Now Gustavo needs to come up with a BIG idea to impress his sister! As they head out to explore the woods near their Rocky Mountain home, Gustavo searches for inspiration, finding his idea in the clouds. The power of observation combined with imagination show both siblings new ways to take pride in their discoveries. Easy-to-follow hands on science project for home or school included.

And here are Erin’s thoughts:
I love the concept of this pitch, but I wish you gave an example because I have no idea what the big idea is and how that correlates to being in charge. You need to make that connection for the reader, especially when you mention a science project included. An editor will be confused—is this a picture book about little brother finally being in charge or a book of scientific observation?

Essentially, you just need to provide some more information.

And last but not least, for November: Candace’s pitch:
Candace – Cock-A-Doodle WHAT? (PB ages 2-4)
Clarence Rooster is pacing around the barnyard. He is the smallest rooster at the farm and tomorrow morning will be his first turn at waking up Farmer Judy. What if he’s not loud enough and she sleeps right through his crowing? He decides to hold a practice session behind the barn. Clarence invites his friends to come listen. Each one has a bit of advice for him. Now, he must figure out whose idea is the best.

And Erin’s advice:
This is very cute. Everybody likes an underdog 🙂  However, it would liven it up a tad if you added more specifics. Draws the reader in. So, if you say something like, Cow says stand still to maximize loudness.. Goat says kick your feet when you crow. OR if different Roosters are giving him the advice, then include their different opinions—two maybe—just to add some color.

As always, I find Erin’s thoughts very insightful, interesting, and helpful, and I hope her words help all of you to strengthen your pitches!

Gosh!  All that awesome pitching advice has left me a mite peckish!  How about you?  I think we should refuel with Something Chocolate before we go on to today’s pitch.  As you can see, I’m on a Valentine-themed roll the last couple weeks – very fitting for this time of year 🙂  This looks easy and delicious!

Valentines Day Marbled Graham Cracker Toffee

Graham-Cracker-Toffee

Recipe (including helpful video!) HERE at The Country Cook

I personally am not a fan of sprinkles on anything – they interfere with texture to my way of thinking.  So I’ll probably make my toffee with colored sugar instead.  But you guys feel free to sprinkle to your heart’s content 🙂  (Or use “jimmies” if that’s what you call them in your neck of the woods!)

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Tim who writes under a pseudonym (Francis S. Poesy) and says, “Francis S. Poesy was born on Slipshod Island off the northwest coast of Ireland in 1961. He attended the St. Blathmac Monastary School which was well known for producing many great Slipshod writers, until the island was reclaimed by the sea in 1969.

Francis is also entirely a figment of Tim Canny’s imagination, which many have characterized as “over-active”. Tim currently writes under the pseudonym Francis S. Poesy as he always thought an author should have a much more interesting back story than growing up in the Mid-west and writing technical manuals for a living. Tim is an unpublished writer and is currently working on a presentable version of his second children’s book manuscript. His website is http://www.mulberryandbliss.com.”

Find him on the web at
www.mulberryandbliss.com

Here is his pitch:

Working Title:  The Troublesome And Unpleasant Adventures Of Murphy The Reluctant Potato

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

The Pitch:  Murphy isn’t like all those other potatoes. He doesn’t dream of becoming delicious French fries; of making beautiful art that gets displayed on the fridge; or of winning ribbons as a science fair project. No, Murphy is very happy kicking back in Farmer McCubbin’s cozy little garden. He has no plans for going on any “potato adventures” thank you very much. But that all changes the day a shovel turns his world upside down and getting back to the garden turns into the biggest potato adventure of all.

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above.  There are openings in March, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Tim is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch!  I am looking forward to Friday, which as you may know is Groundhog Day – a big favorite around here! 🙂  Phyllis is all set to get her furry brown self outside at the crack of dawn to let us know if spring will come early!  Fingers crossed…!!! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂