Tag: writing exercises

Would You Read It Wednesday #347 – The Dark Bigness (PB)

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I don’t know about you, but sometimes I like to procrastinate legitimately use my time to experiment with taking my writing to new places 🙂

On days when the words are slow in coming, I wander outside (weather permitting) or around the internet (too cold or wet for outside) looking for inspiration.  And sometimes I find it in unlikely places that are unexpectedly entertaining.

Yesterday I discovered a site that will write poetry for you! (I kid you not!)

With a few simple word choices by moi, it wrote this poem: (I added a little visual extra to make it even more stunning!)

 

Sunshine

sun-47083_1280

Sun dances serenade.

Unknown delights treat.

New enthusiasms hurray.

Such delights treat.

Hidden longings want.

Infectious laughs guffaw.

Night dews exhilarate.

Endless delights elate.

 

 

Now I ask you: is that poetry or what?

(The correct answer is or what! 🙂 But it was still fun 🙂 Luckily I don’t think the poem generator is going to put any of us out of our writing careers just yet 🙂 )

If you want to play around with it and possibly inspire yourself  – because who knows what heights of literary genius your generated poem could spur you to – check it out:

https://www.poem-generator.org.uk/

Have fun!  At the very least it’s good for a laugh 🙂  Share your poems in the comments if you like – you can entertain and inspire us all!

I think all that poeticizing calls for a little Something Chocolate (because we could all use something to help us recover from that “poetry” . . . 🙂 )  Today, we shall have something sunshiny (sunshiny because it is made out of bananas which are yellow as is sunshine – see how I made that seem logical? 🙂 )  I recommend a liberal hand with the chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks if you really want to do it up right) because, well, that’s the whole point of Something Chocolate, wouldn’t you say?!

Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

I know sometimes you question my classification of Something Chocolate as breakfast, but there can be no denying that this delicious treat definitely qualifies!  Bananas (fruit) + oatmeal (cholesterol-lowering gluten-free whole grain) + chocolate (a vegetable as we all know because it’s a bean) = healthy breakfast!  You can’t argue with math!  🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah who you know very well by now! 😊  Sarah says, “I am an Optometrist, mother, and lover of the outdoors. I live in NH with my husband and two children. I love to paint in my free time, when I’m not writing.”

Find her on the web at www.sarahheturadny.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Dark Bigness

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

The Pitch: Theo watches colors swirl like music sounds across his eyelids. But he knows it’s coming….the Bigness—shifty shadows and branches like witch’s fingers—and his Monster. If Theo is to fall asleep, he must conquer what his imagination conjures in the endless darkness behind his closed eyes. Otherwise, he’ll be trapped in The Bigness forever!

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 Sarah 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, and March is not that far away! 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!

Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the brand new picture book I feel sure I will write today about ☀️☀️☀️ SUNSHINE!!! ☀️☀️☀️ (although the jury is still out on whether or not it will involve “poetry” 🙂 )

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #346 – Does It Rain? (PB)

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Hiya Folks!

It’s Would You Read It Wednesday!

But before we get to Would You Read It, let’s have a go at You Can Write It!

Ready?

Put these three things in a story!

 

My Wednesday gift to you!  Have fun! 🙂

I’m guessing you’ll need a little Something Chocolate to get those writing synapses firing, (also maybe some caffeine because let’s face it, coffee was put on earth to go with chocolate 🙂 ) so how about a little Chocolate Cheesecake?  (Or a lot… no one is judging you here! 🙂 )

This is (supposedly) an easy recipe for those with an Instant Pot. I technically have an Instant Pot… but I’m a little afraid of it 🙂  Nothing like a delicious-looking Something Chocolate, however, to give me the incentive to try something new! 🙂

Easy Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake

 

Yum!  Doesn’t that look creamy and chocolate-y?  Let’s just call it Picture Book Pie because it’s sure to give you the energy and creativity you need to write!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Paul.  Paul Rondema spent his formative years in China and Nigeria before moving to central Indiana (talk about culture shock). He finally settled in Portland, Oregon where he teaches, writes and enjoys life with his wife and daughter. He can be found at: https://paulrondemachildrensauthor.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/paul.rondema.18.

Here is his pitch:

Working Title: Does It Rain?

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-6)

The Pitch: In a whirlwind tour of the world, Does It Rain? makes a persuasive argument for the commonality of us all, for the shared joys and hopes and fears and dreams of each and every person who walks this home we call Earth.

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 Paul 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!

Paul is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch!  I am looking forward to writing Cupcake Kid Flies A Plane!  Or maybe  Special Delivery For Baby Goat, or Sky High Picnic, or Greedy Goat And The Great Cupcake Heist!  Who knows???!!!  Check in with me after Picture Book Pie and Coffee 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #345 – Wheels And Waddles (PB)

52 Comments

 

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I hope you all had wonderful holidays and are ready to start the new year full of energy and enthusiasm!

Looking to kickstart your writing?

Join Tara Lazar’s Storystorm and fire up with a picture book idea each day for the month of January!

 

Need some new resources for writing, creativity, tips and techniques, etc?

Check out the Top 100 Writing Blogs and Websites for Authors in 2020 (which includes some of my personal favorites including KidLit411!) and find some new helpful blogs, websites, and writing communities.

Need a challenge or two to motivate you?

Look for upcoming contests including the Valentiny Writing Contest here on this blog in early February, and hopefully Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious Words Contest in March (last year’s link) and Kaitlyn Sanchez and Ciara O’Neal’s Spring Fling in April (last year’s link)

Or join Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Group and try to write a new picture book each month for the whole year!

Look for craft webinars hosted by groups like Picture Book Summit, Kids Book Revisions and others – many webinars are free or reasonably priced.

Perhaps you’d like to go larger and look ahead to an SCBWI Conference, either one of the big ones in New York or LA, or a more regional one – they’re all good!

Or sign up for an online writing course to learn new skills, brush up on old ones, look at things from a new perspective, or just get yourself in gear!  Making Picture Book Magic is available right here, but there are lots of other great options including the Institute of Children’s Literature courses, Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab, Emma Walton Hamilton’s Just Write For Kids, Alayne Christian’s Art of Arc course, Ari Chung’s Storyteller Academy, and many more!

And of course you can always hang out here for Tuesday Debuts to learn details of how others in your field are getting published, Would You Read It Wednesdays to practice your pitches, Perfect Picture Books for examples of great writing in every area of children’s picture books, writing contests, and whatever other high jinks and shenanigans I may decide to get up to around here 🙂  Who knows?  This could finally be the year I start that newsletter or write that new course I’ve been intending to get to for the last a-hem years! 🙂 One never knows!  It could happen! 🙂

Wow!  So much great stuff to get you up and writing!

How about Something Chocolate to spur you along even more?  Nothing like a few Easy Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites to get your creative motor revving!

Easy Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites

Easy and delicious!  Just the thing for a Wednesday morning breakfast and creativity fuel-up! 🙂

Now then, let’s get started on this new year of writing success with today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah who is a retired librarian, a member of SCBWI and Storyteller Academy. She has fallen in love with Highlights Foundation Workshops and will attend two this year. Sarah is drawn to characters and stories where friendship has no bounds. She has a sister with developmental disabilities and this has helped her to see and encourage the abilities in others.

Find her on the web at

Twitter: @peacefulheart63
Instagram: sarahpeaceandsmile

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Wheels And Waddles

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

The Pitch: Like the unlikely friendships of Jim Averbeck’s Trevor and Marianne DuBuc’s The Lion and the Bird, Wheels, a toy duck, and Waddles, a real duck become friends. Together their summer is filled with adventure as Waddles quacks and takes the lead. Wheels Clickety tickety, follows along. When fall arrives Waddles must migrate. Though he tries to take Wheels with him, Waddles realizes must leave Wheels behind. As always, Wheels waits for spring and Waddles.

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 Sarah 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 February, 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!

Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing what writing wonders 2020 will bring!  Hopefully good things for all of us! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #344 – Lilly’s Get A Great Night Sleep Book: Trust Me! It Works! (PB)

15 Comments

So guess what?  It’s National Cookie Day!

Therefore I believe it is our duty to jump straight to Something Chocolate without a moment’s delay!

Today we’re going super healthy with vegan cookies.  For those of you who may not know, vegan is a word that means “made out of air” because that is all that is left to make things out of when you take out wheat, eggs, milk, butter, and all the other usual ingredients involved in baking – hence, super healthy! 🙂

Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

chocolate-crinkle-cookies

Recipe HERE at Baked By Clo

 

Mmmm! There’s nothing like confectioners sugar to melt on your tongue – like snow but sweeter 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah whose mother shared a special bedtime wish, and Sarah didn’t realize until she was older, that everyone’s bedtime wish wasn’t the same. While her vivid imagination prevents her from always getting a great night’s sleep, she also uses it to hear her mother send her off to sleep. Sarah is an active member of SCBWI, 12 x 12, and Storyteller Academy.

Find her on the web at

Twitter: @peacefulheart63
Instagram: sarahpeaceandsmile

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Lilly’s Get A Great Night Sleep Book: Trust Me! It Works!

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

The Pitch: Lilly had a hard time sleeping. Maybe it was all the TV, the lack of bedtime snacks, or her wild imagination, but she finally figured out the (sort-of) perfect pre-sleep routine. Now she wants YOU to get a great night sleep too! In her made-for-TV style, Lilly shares her seven step method including bedtime buddies and a just right way to say good night.

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 Sarah 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 February, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to my upcoming school visits!  I need to put on my Santa hat and think up some fun things to do with DEAR SANTA and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET!  Feel free to suggest any ideas you have in the comments – I am always open to helpful suggestions!!! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #343 – Wired To Worry (PB) PLUS The October Pitch Winner!!!

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It’s Would You Read It Wednesday!

And tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means (technically) I should be vacuuming.

Rating household chores on a scale of 1 to 5, where

1 =  “I am filled with joy at the prospect of making my little home sparkle no matter what the task at hand, 🎶tra-la🎶”

and

5 = “GAH!!! why is this MY job?!”,

cleaning the bathrooms comes in at 963 (“What kind of animals LIVE in this house?! and seriously who scrubs tile grout with a toothbrush?!”

but vacuuming, due to a recent moment of sheer genius, comes in at a mere 37 (“Hmmm…. maybe I can teach the dogs to vacuum up their own hair!”)

Since I haven’t taught them to do it yet, though, and they’re currently exceedingly busy with other more important jobs

telling secrets on the stair landing. . .        and catching up on their beauty sleep. . .

IMG_7805 IMG_7003

it looks like I’m on my own for now so I’d better stop lollygagging about and get to it!

So!

Down to business!

I’m happy to announce that the winner of the October Pitch Pick is Sri with her ER/PB pitch for Mighty Little Nikita!  Congratulations, Sri!  Your pitch is on its way to editor Erin Molta for her comments.  I’m sure you will hear from her at her earliest convenience!

And congratulations to our other fabulous pitchers as well!  Since it’s Thanksgiving, here is a virtual chocolate turkey for each of you 🙂

TurlkeyXL

And while we’re on the subject of chocolate, how about a little Something Chocolate for everyone?  I’m thinking it’s a perfect day for Thanksgiving Pecan Pie Brownies!

Thanksgiving Pecan Pie Brownies

 

Do those look scrumptious or what?!

And I know I don’t need to tell you how healthy they are!  Everyone knows that pecans are an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants and that brownies are an excellent source of. . . brownies 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Megan who says, “I am a former early education teacher, marketing manager, and photographer.  I am also a mom of two, Art Literacy volunteer, library junky, and bookstore crawler.  Living in my children’s world provides constant inspiration.  And now that both of my children are in school full-time, I am lucky enough to be able to pursue my dream of writing.”

 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Wired To Worry

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

The Pitch: Every day new Bitty Bots arrive on doorsteps in smiling boxes ready to lead perfectly programmed lives.  But what happens when two Caring Bots notice an extra worry port on their new Bitty Bot?  Returns are not allowed.  The instruction manual is no help.  And all Bitty Bot’s clicking, shaking, and leaking is driving them mad.  Is Bitty Bot’s attempt to mail himself back the solution or the jolt they all need to manage their feelings?

Megan also shared the inspiration for her story: Inspiration: My daughter struggled with some significant anxiety as a young child.  When a local Portland, Oregon artist (Gary Hirsch) visited her elementary school to share his Botjoy Project, I knew I wanted to write a story about robots and feelings.  What better way to explore the overwhelming power of feelings than with something not meant to have any at 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 Megan 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 February, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Megan is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to when my dogs learn how to vacuum!  That is going to be a banner day, let me tell you! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

And a happy, healthy, love and family-filled Thanksgiving to all those who will be celebrating.  I hope you all have much to be thankful for.  ❤

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #342 – Mary Janes (PB) PLUS The September Pitch Winner AND The October Pitch Pick!

25 Comments

Boy has this week gone by in a blur!

In fact, I’m not at all sure I’m actually in this week.  I’s pretty sure I’m still in last week.

Certainly if you look at the pile of work on my desk that has yet to be done I should be in last week. . . there are many many things there that ought to be finished if it’s this week that most assuredly are not! (as anyone who is awaiting the results of the Halloweensie Contest can tell you! – SORRY!!!)

But I got to have a lovely visit with my son in sunny Brazil (where it is NOT snowing!😊) so with apologies to all of you for keeping you waiting on the things that should be finished and aren’t, I’m very glad I went!

Let’s just skip right ahead, shall we?

First, I’m happy to announce that the Winner of the September Pitch Pick  is Kim with her pitch for P.I. Goat: The Case of the Missing Bone!  Congratulations, Kim!  Your pitch is on its way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts, which I’m sure will be along at her earliest convenience!

Congratulations to our other pitchers as well!  You all did a terrific job of putting together a pitch, bravely sharing it so you (and all of us!) could have the opportunity to evaluate and learn from it, revising your pitch based on the feedback you received, and hopefully ending up with a better, stronger pitch than you started with, even if you didn’t get the chance for Erin’s input. We are lucky to have such thoughtful, perceptive, dedicated and helpful readers to aid us in improving our pitches!  Thank you all!

And now it’s on to the October Pitch Pick!  (There will be no grass growing under anyone’s feet around here! 😊)

Please read through the revised pitches below and choose the one you think most deserving of a read and comments by editor Erin Molta, then vote for your choice in the poll below by Sunday November 24 at 9 PM Eastern.

#1 – Sri – Mighty Little Nikita (ER/PB 4-8)

Nikita’s friends call her “Little Nikita” because she is really small but Nikita does not like it a wee bit. When a huge dragonfly enters the class, it scares the jelly out of everyone, except Little Nikita. Nikita shows everyone just how brave she can be even when facing a scary insect, thus earning a new nickname that she is absolutely proud of.

 

#2 – Greg – Furrysaurus Rex (PB 4-8)

Amateur paleontologist Edwin spies a furry looking dinosaur roaming his neighborhood. He convinces his best friend Jennifer to help him hunt for the creature. They discover his brother in a T-Rex costume, but no dinosaur. Jennifer doubts Edwin saw a dinosaur. Edwin persists and ends up discovering something dinotastic.

 

#3 – Melissa – Mandy’s Magical Quest (PB 4-8)

Mandy, desperate to save her ailing grove of trees, seeks the help of the four elemental Goddesses. Led by her black crow, Bram, they journey to the far corners of the earth, battling the harsh environment. Mandy falters and is anxious to return home. If she does not complete the quest, the trees will not survive.

 

#4 – Natalie – The Unexpected Suitcase (MG Mystery 8-12)

When eleven-year-old Henry plummets into a dark abyss, inside a tattered suitcase, he’s unexpectedly transported to 1950s Central Park. His only route home is through the suitcase popup portal. During several journey’s, Henry grows by overcoming the fear of starting middle school and owning up about hiding the suitcase from grandma. But first, he needs to discover what’s hidden within the suitcase while helping his grandma clear out her house and keeping his secret safe.

 

 

We should probably rest after all that reading and voting.  It’s very stressful having to choose between such great alternatives.  Luckily I am here for you.  And I am thinking that Oreo Cheesecake Chocolate Cake would be a very excellent antidote to our voting-induced stress 😊

Oreo Cheesecake Chocolate Cake

 

Num-nums!

Don’t you feel better?  De-stressed and fully operational?  Ready to tackle anything that comes along?

Fantastic!  Because what’s coming along is today’s pitch which comes to us from Lu –  author, former LD teacher, Santa maker, and collector of homeless artifacts.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Mary Janes

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

The Pitch: All 6 yr. old Bella wants is a pair of new shoes, not just any shoes, but red Mary Janes. On her Saturday shopping outing with her grandmother, she notices the shoes of others. There are jump-roping girls wearing Keds, ice cream eating girls in black and white saddle shoes, and well-heeled ladies at her uncle’s butcher shop. Bella’s dream comes true in an unexpected way.

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 Lu 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 February, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Lu is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to sharing the results of the Halloweensie Contest with you – hopefully tomorrow!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It #341 – Samantha’s Swimsuit (PB) PLUS The September Pitch Pick!

12 Comments

Hello, Everyone, and welcome to another exciting installment of Would You Read It Wednesday!

We’ve missed a couple weeks for Halloweensie, so it will be good to get back to our regularly scheduled programming!

First off, today (while you’re all warmed up from voting for Halloweensie winners) we have the September Pitch Pick.

Our pitchers, committed to making their pitches the best they can be, have reworked their original versions to reflect the helpful feedback you were all kind and thoughtful enough to provide.  So here are the new, updated pitches for you to vote on:

#1 Erin – Airport Goat (PB 3-8)

Under the zooming planes is a herd of goats munching the lawn day after day, but one goat is tired of grass, grass, grass. He follows his nose to the land of concrete in search of exciting things to eat. The luggage is leathery. The sanitation truck is less appealing. But then he gets a whiff of something new. His search creates chaos and sets airport security on a chase, but deep inside the airport is the most delectable discovery: the food court. THE AIRPORT GOAT is a cross between humorous animal stories like DUCK ON A BIKE and airport transportation books like THE AIRPORT BOOK for kids ages 3-8.

#2 – Kim – P.I. Goat: The Case of the Missing Bone (PB ages 4-8)

P.I. Goat has just opened his private investigator office when Puddles, a puppy, hires him to find Paw-Paw’s bone. Elderly Paw-Paw thinks Goat is a pig, but Goat has a worse problem: he faints when startled! A cast of wacky animals helps Goat discover the surprising truth behind the Case of the Missing Bone and that being a P.I. is not for the faint of heart—KLUNK!

 

#3 – Marcia – Isaac’s Apple Tree (PB ages 4-8; Informational Fiction  (includes Author’s Note)  

I dropped that apple—the one that helped Isaac Newton discover gravity.  I am Isaac’s Apple Tree, and I have a story for you—one that begins with that apple-drop and goes all the way to the International Space Station and back. That’s where my seeds (pips, people, pips!) floated in zero gravity, then came back to Earth where they grew into six beautiful saplings—my space children.  At almost 400 years old, my amazing story spans centuries and continents—and space itself!

 

Once you’ve had a chance to read through and evaluate the three September pitches above, please vote for your favorite – the one you feel most deserves a read and comments from editor Erin Molta, and vote for it in the poll below by Sunday November 17 at 9PM Eastern.

 

Thank you!

Wow!  Nothing like voting to work up an appetite!  And you know what that means… 🙂  Time for Something Chocolate!

I think today would be a great day for Chocolate Blackout Cupcakes, but then again, is there ever a bad day for those? 🙂

Chocolate Blackout Cupcakes

 

Yummity yum yum yum!  Chocolate heaven! 🙂

Okay!  Onward and upward!  Today’s pitch comes to us from Lynne who says, “I’m an avid reader who is working to push through the fears of coming out of the writer’s closet! Growing up overseas in the 60s and 70s nurtured my love to escape into imaginary and other worlds with books. My daughter’s struggle with dyslexia in elementary school made me realize the importance of great children’s books to keep her engaging in her battle to overcome her reading disability and develop a love to read.  She won:)”

 

Find her on the web at

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Samantha’s Swimsuit

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)

The Pitch: Samantha is a girl who knows what she wants when it comes to fashion. When she was imagining the absolutely dreamy suit for summer swim lessons, Samantha forgot about one.  Little.  Detail.  It would get wet. What if water ruins her perfect swimsuit?!?  Now Samantha must decide if she is relegated to the lounge chairs (safely outside of the splash zone!) or if she takes a chance in the pool!

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

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest.  If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Lynne 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 January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta! But no harm in reserving your spot. . . they tend to go like hotcakes!

Lynne is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing this little guy . . .

fullsizeoutput_1be

. . . okay, full disclosure, he doesn’t look exactly like that anymore – more like this

IMG_4897

but you know how moms are 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Oh, and by the way!  I will do my best to post the Halloweensie Winners ASAP, but I’m going to have to be doing it while getting myself to the airport and onto a plane, so I apologize in advance if it takes me some extra time!  Have an extra Chocolate Blackout Cupcake while you’re waiting! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #340 – The Unexpected Suitcase (MG)

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It’s Would You Read It Wednesday again and something about the title of today’s pitch made me think of that old game we used to play on long drives in the car.  I’m sure it goes by different names, but in my family we call it “I Packed My Grandmother’s Trunk.”  (e.g. I packed my Grandmother’s Trunk and in it I put something beginning with A – apple – and so on through the alphabet, and as each person took their turn they had to recite all the things that had come before) and it occurred to me out of nowhere (a lightning strike of inspiration!) that today we should start with Would You Write It Wednesday! 🙂

So why don’t we pack our October/Autumn/Halloween stories, and in them place something that begins with O (as in ghostly moans OOOOOOOHHHHH! 🙂 ) and then write an October/Autumn/Halloween story with your “O” word in it?

The obvious Halloween-related choices are October, Owl, and Orange, so feel free to write your Would You Write It Wednesday October/Autumn/Halloween story about one (or more) of those.  But I thought, why not go with something less obvious and challenge yourself to put that in a story?! So for those of you who want to go advanced, put an Orangutan in your story! 🙂

Since I have Halloween on the brain, and we are all writing our Halloweensie Contest stories (even if choose not to write about Halloween orangutans today) and therefore need serious creativity fuel, I think our Something Chocolate today should be this scarily delicious Death By Chocolate Halloween Cake!

Death By Chocolate Halloween Cake

 

If THAT doesn’t jump start your creative process, I don’t know what will! The amount of sugar and caffeine in a chocolate cake that dark and delicious-looking ought to be enough to set your pen on fire and have you writing like the wind!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Natalie who says, ” I have been writing for over a year now and I am loving every minute of it. I am a substitute teacher with three young kids. So, trying to write sometimes is impossible when they need my undivided attention. I am looking forward to one day having one of my own stories to be physically in my hands because I love the smell of a new book and its crisp pages.”

Find her on the web at Twiter@CohnNatalie

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Unexpected Suitcase

Age/Genre: MG Mystery (ages 8-12)

The Pitch: A clumsy, eager boy named Henry discovers a tattered suitcase under a floorboard, at grandma’s house. Figuring out the mystery of the suitcase won’t be easy, eventually, he will need to tell the truth to his grandmother, but when Henry falls inside the suitcase, he is taken on an unexpected journey back in time in the 1950s, maybe forever.

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 Natalie 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 January, which is not as far away as you might think! so sign up for a date and polish up your pitch because you could put it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Natalie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to writing an Autumn/Halloween story that involves Orangutans, Oreos, and Ovaltine 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #339 – Mandy’s Magical Quest (PB)

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Today, it seems, is National Dictionary Day.

Made for writers, don’t you think? 🙂

When I was in elementary school, I had a Latin teacher who let us play a game she called “Dictionary” on the day before we got out for school vacations.  (Undoubtedly she realized we weren’t going to learn anything on those days, so there was no point in teaching! 🙂 )  Someone would randomly select a word from the dictionary and write the correct definition on a slip of paper, and the rest of us would try to make up a definitions that sounded plausible and write them on our own slips of paper.  Then the teacher would gather them up and read all the definitions aloud and we’d vote on which one we thought was the real definition.  Whoever got the most votes won… and usually we did NOT choose the actual definition.  It was fun!

It’s not a game we can play here, I don’t think, but instead we can celebrate National Dictionary Day by closing our eyes, opening the dictionary to a random point (this is assuming you all still HAVE an actual dictionary and don’t rely solely on online versions) and point to a word on the page you open to.  Whatever that word is, let it be a story prompt for your writing today!

Maybe you have to use the word, or the idea of the word, in your story.  Or maybe the theme of your story has to be what the meaning of the word is.  Or maybe you play anagrams with the word and come up with three words made out of the letters from your word and include those three words in your story.  Or maybe you choose the antonym of the word and write your story using that.  Or maybe your main character’s name has to be the word… which could make for some interesting names… and characters… 🙂 Who knows?

Give it a try and see what you come up with!

And to fuel your creative efforts, let’s have Something Chocolate!  After all, there’s nothing like chocolate to get the old brain in high gear! 🙂  I think today we should have Chocolate-Covered Coconut Chocolate Chip Macaroons.  Only 4 ingredients – that’s my kind of simple 🙂

Chocolate-Covered Coconut Chocolate Chip Macaroons

 

Now THAT’S a breakfast that will fill you with energy and ideas!!!

Alrighty then!  Onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Melissa who says, “As a girl, I roamed the hills and forests.  Connecting with nature is still a magical experience that leaves me fulfilled and happy.  I hope my manuscript encourages others to appreciate what lies just outside their door and inspires them to nurture our beautiful lands and creatures.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Mandy’s Magical Quest

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

The Pitch: Mandy and her black crow, Bram, journey to the four elemental Goddesses in the far corners of the earth to save their grove of trees.  The journey is not easy, but they persevere.  Mandy is rewarded with a thriving grove and a magical thank you.

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 Melissa 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 January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta, but it doesn’t hurt to snag a date now!

Melissa is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Fall Conference which I am attending today!  I’ve never been before, so I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s all about! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

 

Would You Read It Wednesday #338 – Furrysaurus Rex (PB)

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Can you believe it?

It’s Would You Read It Wednesday again!

Where did the week go?

I’ve been thinking about it and I feel pretty certain that Would You Read It Wednesday needs a theme song!  Wouldn’t that be fun?

(Beverly Hillbillies tune)
Let me tell you all a story ’bout a perfect pitch
One for which an editor will find a niche…

Okay, so it needs a little work! 🙂

Feel free to submit theme songs in the comments! 🙂

Let’s have Something Chocolate, shall we?  It might help us write better pitches.  And theme songs!   I think this morning we’ll have fudge – the breakfast of champions!  (Well, one of the breakfasts of champions, the most well-known being Little Chocolate Donuts! 🙂 )

3 Ingredient Creamy Homemade Fudge

microwave-fudge-i-heart-naptime-7

Recipe HERE (including helpful video!) at iheartnaptime

Mmmmm!  Isn’t that delicious?  Creamy, chocolatey fudge and ooey-gooey salted caramel on top?  With a nice cup of coffee?

I admit it.  I’m swooning 🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Greg who says, “I’m a chocolate loving, hockey playing  happily married, father of an energetic seven year old who keeps me young and inspires me to write silly stories.”

Find him on the web at:

Twitter: @GEBray19
Instagram: @gregoryebray

 

Here is his pitch:

Working Title: Furrysaurus Rex

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

The Pitch: Having seen a live furry dinosaur roaming around in his neighborhood, Edwin grabs his friend Jennifer to investigate. After several false dinosaur sightings, his amateur paleontologist title is on the line.

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

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest.  If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Greg 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.  At this point, we’re pretty much looking at the new year (there might be one spot left in December) so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!  But there’s no time like the present to secure your date! 🙂

Greg is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch!  I am looking forward to Warwick Children’s Book Festival this weekend!  Always a well run, super fun event!  I hope I’ll get to see some of you there!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Oh!  And P.S.! Hopefully a special post tomorrow on something we’ve all been anticipating…! 🙂