Tag: writing exercises

2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge – Week #4

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Good Monday Morning, Everyone!

I know it’s Memorial Day and many of you are busy with family celebrations, parades, and honoring those who have done so much for all of us.

But in case you also have the day off and a little free time. . .

. . .let’s have some Mix ‘n’ Match fun because it’s time for Week #4!

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)

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #4 for Week of May 31:

So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, and a picture prompt with random words and a secret!  This week we’re going to have some musical fun with themes! 😊

Choose a song from Column A, a theme from Column B, and an important item from Column C (optional.)  Write a 100 word story for kids where your version of the song tells a story that shows your chosen theme (including your important item if you wish!) You may use the original song opening if you like, but you are not required to (just make it obvious in your writing and/or identify which song you’re using along with your title and word count), and if rhyming isn’t your thing you can write in prose as long as it’s still clear which song you’re working with.  You may add or subtract characters (e.g. Bob and Joe rowed their boat gently down the stream), change the destination (e.g. Row, row, row your boat up the mountainside), change the type of action (e.g. Row, row, row your boat wildly down the stream) etc… Anything you like!  Have fun with it! (For examples in kidlit, see Iza Trapani’s extended nursery rhyme songs.)

Column A – SongColumn B – ThemeColumn C – Important Item (optional)
Row, Row, Row Your BoatIt’s important to try new thingsNecklace
The Itsy Bitsy (Eensie Weensie) SpiderEven when you’re bad, you’re still lovedTeddy bear
Twinkle, Twinkle Little StarIt’s important to stay true to yourselfBlackberries
Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it isPink Blankie
The Bear Went Over The MountainIf you work together you can solve a problemStory book
Here We Go Round The Mulberry BushYou don’t have to be big to stand up for yourselfMap
It’s Raining, It’s PouringFriends should always stick togetherTractor
Jack And JillBelieve in yourself and you can achieve your dreamsMoon
Rock-A-Bye BabyIf you don’t succeed the first time, try againDaisy

Post your story in the comment section below! (If for some reason you have trouble posting, you may use the contact form to email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you.)

  • 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 theme 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 song, theme (and important item if you choose to use one) you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, word count, and title if you have one.

I am SO looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with!  You continue to knock my socks off with your creativity every week!!!

Now 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)

Check out the Week #4 stories!

It’s Raining! It’s Pouring! – Leslie Degnan

Dreams Inside! – Robin Currie

Jack And Jill’s New Adventure – Jen Subra

Untitled – Lauri Meyers

Charlie’s Search – Rose Cappelli

Rock A Bye Daisy – Laura Bower

Arachnid At Your Service – Jill Lambert

The Itsy Bitsy Spider And The Moon – Erika Romero

About Our Friends Who Tried To Row A Boat (Perhaps Under A Full Moon?) – Erin Cleary

Untitled – Lauren Scott

Believe In All You Imagine – Sally Yorke-Viney

The Itsy Bitsy Puppy – Marty Findley

All That Glitters Is Not Gold – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf

Spunky Little Teddy – Joyce Uglow

Flap Flap Flap Those Wings – Marty Bellis

Dress Dress Dress For Rain – Amy Leskowski

Mark And Grace – Colleen Murphy

I Love Shopping With My Mom – Sara Kruger

Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Pet Spider Gone – Aly Kenna

Where, Oh Where Has My Story Book Gone – Ashley Sierra

Ninja, Ninja, Little Sneak – Bevin Rolfs Spencer

Jack And Jill Revisit Their Hill – Ashley B. Pedigo

Jo And Flo – Christine Alemshah

Little Lilly’s Blunder – Elenore Byrne

Ride, Ride, Ride My Bike – Sue Lancaster

Friends For Life – Deb Sullivan

Fireflies – Lyn Jekowsky

The Rescue – Marta Cutler

Bear’s Fresh Start – Allison Strick

Rock A Bye Zombie – Susan Summers

Rainy Day Problem…Solvers – Susan Schipper

To Grandmother’s House We Go – Jeannette Suhr

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring – Dianne Irving

Tinkle, Tinkle, Potty Stress! – Michelle S. Kennedy

Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

Use Your Map – Padgy Soltis

The Daisy – Barbara Renner

Oopsy Daisy! – Marta Cutler

Yummy, Yummy, Little Pie – Nicole Loos Miller

The Bat Flew Over The Pumpkins – Sarah Meade

Read A Book – Dawn Young

Sun And Moon – Dawn Young

The Itsy Bitsy Scratchy Spider – Bru Benson

Wait For Me – Candace Kubinec

Untitled – Sarah Marhevsky

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring – Sarah Hawklyn

Don’t Row The Boat Please – Linda Schueler

How Much Is That Bicycle In The Window – Mia Geiger

The Itsy Bitsy Tadpoles– Hannah Roy LaGrone

Rock Star Baby Brother – Katie Schwartz

Albert Went Over The Mountain – Deb Buschman

The Itsy Bitsy Spider Is Bored – Brenna Jeanneret

The Just Right Story Book – JC Kelly

PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

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 Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is penny-parker-klostermann.jpg

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is jennifer-buchet.jpg



⭐️ 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)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is jen-raudenbush.jpeg
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)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is becky-scharnhorst-collage.jpeg

⭐️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.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2021-05-23-at-7.58.46-pm.png

⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is alayne-kay-christian.jpg

⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is writing-irresistible-kidlit.jpg

⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner


This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is squarecover.jpg

⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is email-header-final-susanna-hill.png

⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a-flood-of-kindness.jpg

⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is making-their-voices-heard.jpg

⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2c5b9-dragon2bcover.jpg

⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is sloth-cover.jpg

⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is bindus-bindis.jpg

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Magnetic Poetry - Little Box of Happiness Kit - Words for Refrigerator - Write Poems and Letters on The Fridge - Made in The USA

Would You Read It Wednesday #391 – Lucy And The Fear Monsters (PB)

39 Comments

Hello, my fellow kids’ book lovers!

Today I have Dr. De Soto by William Steig on the brain because yes, you guessed it, I have to go to the dentist. I don’t know about you, but this is the first time I’ve been since covid. I am not looking forward to it!

I’m sorry to admit I have a long history of bad behavior with dentists, starting with my first visit at age 5 when I bit the dentist hard enough to draw blood and my mom was told in no uncertain terms never to bring me back! As a result, I had to go to a “children’s specialist” the primary benefit of which was that it made my siblings jealous 😊

Probably I should write a story about something to do with teeth!

But while I think on that, we should all help ourselves to Something Chocolate, because that makes everything better, don’t you agree? Even the dentist!

For our Something Chocolate today I have finally found it – the perfect chocolate breakfast item – No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cups! It’s like an oatmeal cupcake with chocolate! Easy, delicious, portable, and most of all, CHOCOLATE! 😊

Recipe HERE at OMG Chocolate Desserts

I mean really. Does breakfast get any better than that? 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Caitlin who says, “I suffer from an anxiety disorder and when I was a kid I was afraid of almost everything. This story is inspired by my own experiences in the hope it will help kids cope with their fears. You can find my online portfolio here:https://ckhan8.myportfolio.com/“

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Lucy And The Fear Monsters

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

The Pitch: Lucy’s fears are terribly inconvenient. She clings to the edge of the pool, holds tight to the first monkey bar, and hangs back at the petting zoo. Lucy takes to art and draws her fears as monsters scaring her away from diving in the pool, swinging on the monkey bars, and petting large animals. Then her fear monsters start showing up in real life trembling with fright and begging for Lucy’s help. Lucy must help her fear monsters cope with the very same anxieties she faces herself before they follow her around indefinitely. 

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 Caitlin 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 as early as next week for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Caitlin is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to having my dentist visit over! 🦷🦷🦷 😈

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge Week #3

295 Comments

Ok, writers, are you ready?

Forget the dishes in the sink, the pile of work in your inbox, and the fact that it’s your mother-in-law’s birthday on Thursday and you still haven’t thought of a good present!

It’s time to Mix ‘n’ Match your way to a new story! 😊

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)

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #3 for Week of May 24:

So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, and with writing a cumulative story.  This week we’re going to play with a picture prompt, 3 random words. . . and a secret!

Here’s the picture, drawn by the incredibly talented Julie Rowan-Zoch (author/illustrator of I’M A HARE, SO THERE! HMH Books For Young Readers 2021, and illustrator of LOUIS by Tom Lichtenheld HMH October 2020!) and used with her permission for your writing fun 😊 (Thank you, Julie!!! 💕)

illustration copyright Julie Rowan-Zoch 2021 used by permission, all rights reserved

And here are random words! Choose one from Column A, one from Column B, and one from Column C.

Column AColumn BColumn C
raindropspicnicstrawberry tart
nestrope swingpond
cherry treemistakebucket/pail
unicornlosttantrum
bridgespringadmire

But wait! There’s a twist! One of the characters has a secret! Which character? What secret? And how does it impact the story? You will probably want to think up your own secret, but in case anyone needs an idea, here are a few suggestions:

-took something that didn’t belong to them
-hid something on purpose
-told someone something that wasn’t true
-doesn’t want to play hide ‘n’ seek (or duck, duck, goose, or musical chairs, or tag, or. . .)
-only wants to play hide ‘n’ seek (or duck, duck, goose, or musical chairs, or tag, or. . .)
-is allergic to acorns
-wants to invite someone to their birthday party (or for a sleepover, or. . .)
-is afraid of dogs (or cats, or bicycles, or bees, or swimming, or. . .) and doesn’t want anyone else to know
-plans to bake a surprise cake for someone
-has a special present for someone
-isn’t telling someone something they should
-secretly really likes someone
-secretly doesn’t like someone
-is getting something they know everyone will love

Write a 100 word story for kids about the pictured characters, using three random words and giving one of the characters a secret which you incorporate into the story, and post your in the comment section below! (If for some reason you have trouble posting, you may use the contact form to email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you.)

  • 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 random words that are not on the list you can use them instead – 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 random words you’re using you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, word count, and title if you have one.

I am SO looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with!  There have been so many amazingly creative, clever, fun, and entertaining stories written so far!!!

Now 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)

Check out the Week #3 stories!


Ruth’s Birthday Surprise – Sue Lancaster

The Perfect Gift – Erika Romero

Getting There – Rose Cappelli

A Hare Raising Mistake – Bru Benson

Acorn Day – Jen Subra

The Secret – Marty Findley

The Secret Spot – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

The Smashed Bash – Laura Bower

The Secrets of Beryl The Bunny – Elenore Byrne

Hare…Or Not – Susan E. Schipper

Better Than Acorns – Erin Cleary

Acorns And, Er, What?! – Marty Bellis

Bunny’s Problem – Deb Sullivan

Floppy And The Rope Swing – Dawn Young

Untitled – Elizabeth Volkmann

The Cherry Pie Problem – Ashley B. Pedigo

Chip, Drip, And Skip – Meg King-Sloan

A Small Mistake – Leslie Degnan

Turtle’s Strawberry Hill Surprise – Joyce Uglow

Disappearing Dewberries – Candice Marley Conner

Rabbit Won’t Have To Wait – Sara Kruger

Hare Today And Gone Tomorrow: From Brey To Form, A Secret That Saved! – Sally Yorke-Viney

Miss Bun’s Secret – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf

A Happy Tail – Marta Cutler

Safe Cracking Squirrels – Susan Summers

Clueless Squirrels – Lyn Jekowsky

Scratch And Scritch’s Show Stopper – Ashley Sierra

Fireworks – Aly Kenna

Late Lunch – Hannah Roy LeGrone

Bunny’s Magic – Dianne Irving

Thoughtful Harry – Padgy Soltis

A Secret Entrance – Lauri Meyers

The Scavenger Hunt – Barbara Renner

Vanishing Act – Marta Cutler

Rabbith’th Thee-cret (Rabbit’s Secret) – Allison Strick

Harah Helps Look – Sarah Meade

Momo’s Cherry Tree – Bevin Rolfs Spencer

In The Mood To Play? – Amy Leskowski

A Couple Of Nuts – Jill Lambert

Mr. Bunny’s Secret Skill – Mia Geiger

B-U-N-N-Y Spells Trouble – Jeannette Suhr

Rainy Picnic – Nicole Loos Miller

The Secret of Sassafras – Linda Schueler

A Friend In Need – Candace Kubinec

Untitled – Lauren Scott

The Unicorn – Lynn Katz

Unicorn’s Secret – Michelle S. Kennedy

The Happiest Habit – Christine Alemshah

The Bunny’s Secret – Marla Yablon

Watch Out For Bear? Watch Out For Hare! – Katie Schwartz

The Will To Win – Colleen Owen Murphy

Magic Unicorn – Robin Currie

Happy Spwing – Deb Buschman

The Unicorn’s Mistake – Brenna Jeanneret

Tantrum Blues – Sarah Hawklyn

That Hare – JC Kelly


PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

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 Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is penny-parker-klostermann.jpg

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is jennifer-buchet.jpg



⭐️ 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)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is jen-raudenbush.jpeg
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)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is becky-scharnhorst-collage.jpeg

⭐️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.

⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is alayne-kay-christian.jpg

⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is writing-irresistible-kidlit.jpg

⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner


This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is squarecover.jpg

⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is email-header-final-susanna-hill.png

⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal

⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield

⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann

⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey

⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Magnetic Poetry - Little Box of Happiness Kit - Words for Refrigerator - Write Poems and Letters on The Fridge - Made in The USA

Would You Read It Wednesday #390 – Simon Soars (PB)

18 Comments

Hurray! It’s Would You Read It Wednesday once again!

And speaking of reading, if you haven’t had a chance to read the stories that have been posted in the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge so far, hop on over and enjoy! There are so many – clever, entertaining, and fun! (I mean, stories with titles like A Horse For Hermit Crab and There Was A Mean Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bee really make you want to read them, speaking of Would You Read It!) And if you’re inspired to join in and write some of your own, even better! Check out Week #1 and Week #2!

And since you’ll probably need something to snack on while you’re reading and/or writing Mix ‘n’ Match stories, how about a little Something Chocolate? I’m thinking Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, because that sounds like breakfast, right? 😊

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Recipe HERE at Princess Pinky Girl

YUM! We’re going to definitely need a glass of milk or a cup of coffee with THAT! 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sandy who says, “I am a retired teacher and came to admire the undervalued turkey vulture while teaching sixth-grade life science.  Simon Soars has been floating around in my head for years and has finally landed on paper.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Simon Soars

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 7-11)

The Pitch: Simon, a timid turkey vulture, is teased by the blue jays at Aviary Academy because he eats formerly living earth creatures (F.L.E.C.) and he looks peculiar.  Despite the jawing of the jays, Simon has an impeccable sense of smell and his teachers hoot over his accomplishments.  When the teasing and taunting become too much, he hatches a plan.  Simon neglects his “clean-up crew” responsibilities to rachet up the rank fetid funkiness in order to prove his worth.  The birds are atwitter and beg Simon to resume his duties.   With some negotiations, F.L.E.C. is no longer, “Blech!” and Simon’s confidence soars.  He moves up in the pecking order and the air is foul no more.

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 Sandy 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 June, 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!

Sandy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing what kind of fun I can think up for next week’s Mix ‘n’ Match prompt! I think I’ve got an idea. . . 😊

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge – Week 2!

377 Comments

Writers, start your computers!

It’s time for Week #2 of the 2021 Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!

WOOHOO!

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost 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 keeps getting added to!)

For a full description of the challenge or to enter your Week #1 entry, please go HERE.

Let’s jump into Week #2!

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #2 for Week of May 17:

Last week we played with character needs, an important thing to keep in mind when you’re writing because characters should always need or want something desperately – a goal, an object or possession, a role, a quality, to prove something (to herself or someone else), to overcome something. . . You all did splendidly!

This week we’re going to play with a specific story type: the cumulative tale!

Cumulative stories build and build, growing sillier, or more chaotic, or more outrageous, or more complicated with each new addition, as in There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.

She swallowed the goat to catch the dog …
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.…


Some published examples of clever re-tellings are:

There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann
There Was An Old Monster (Who Swallowed A Tick) by Adrian, Rebecca & Ed Emberly
There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth by B.J. Lee

Your mission, should you choose to accept it 😊 is to choose an adjective from Column A, a character from Column B, a verb from Column C, and a noun from Column D. Mix ‘n’ Match and write your own version!

e.g. There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bear
There Was A Huge Baby Who Lived On A Boat
There Was A Shy T-Rex Who Wished For A Friend

Column A – Adj.Column B – CharacterColumn C – VerbColumn D – Noun
OldMonsterTurned IntoGhost
SmartGrandmaFollowedToad
BraveWarthogFought With/BulliedFriend
ShyT-RexRan From/Ran To/Ran UpSword
HugeKittenPlayed Tricks OnBear
SmallPythonWished For/Wished OnMoon/Star
MeanCowboyLassoedBee
StrangeBabySwallowedWitch
WildZookeepTauntedTree
CuteLionLived With/Lived In/Lived OnBoat

If choosing from all 4 columns is more than you want, or if you don’t like any of the words but the list inspires you to think up your own words, feel free to use as many or as few from the columns as you like and supply the other words yourself, but you must follow the format:

There Was A(n) ___ADJ___ ___CHARACTER___ Who ___VERB___ A(HIS, HER, THE) ___NOUN___

and it must be a cumulative story!

  • 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 another set of words, go for it! – 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 column items you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, title, and word count.
    For example:
    There Was A Cute Kitten Who Followed His Nose
    by Marcia Writer
    107 words
    cute, kitten, followed

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!

Post your Week #2 story in the comment section below, or, if you have trouble for any reason and can’t post yourself you may email it to me using the Contact Form and I will post it for you.

Ready, set, WRITE! 😊

(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)

Check out the Week #2 stories!

There Was A Small Baby Who Wished For A Star – Sue Lancaster

There Was A Wild Warthog Who Wanted To Dance – Sally Yorke-Viney

There Was A Shy Monster Who Followed A Toad – Jen Subra

There Was A Young Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bee – Rose Cappelli

There Was A Strange Witch Who Turned Into A Bee – Candice Marley Conner

Who Might She Be? – Dawn Young

There Was A Brave Grandma Who Followed A Star – Erin Cleary

There Was An Old Grandma – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

Where Is Baby’s Bear? – Hannah Roy LaGrone

There Was A Smart Grandma Who Bullied A Bee – Kimiko Wadriski Lumsden

Traffic Jam Baby – Elenore Byrne

There Was A Huge Monster That Lived In A Tree – Erika Romero

There Was A Huge Baby Who Followed A Bear – Leslie Degman

I Know A Small Baby Who Swallowed Some Milk – Lauri Meyers

There Was A Mean Cowboy Who Lassoed A Bee – Aly Kenna

There Was A Huge Heron Who Followed A Toad – Jill Lambert

There Was An Old Cowboy Who Wished For A Boat – Candace Kubinec

There Was A Shy Kitten – Nicole Loos Miller

There Was A Shy Monster Who Lived On A Star – Susan E. Schipper

There Was A Small Kitten Who Followed A Toad – Barbara Farr Renner

There Was A Weird Warthog Who Lassoed A Bear – Lyn Jekowsky

There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Deb Sullivan

There Was A Wild Warthog Who Wished For A Witch – Susan Summer

There Was A Young Writer Who Wrote A Great Word – Sarah Meade

Wishing Kitten – Julie Kurtz

There Was An Old Monster Who Wished For A Boat – Brenda Whitehead

The Nose Of A Kitten – Elizabeth Volkmann

There Was A Mean Monster Who Swallowed A Toad – Laura Bower

Come To My Party – Ashley B. Pedigo

There Was A Brown Cow Who Lived In A Tree – Marty Bellis

There Was A Strange Cowboy Who Wished For A Friend – Sophia Zafra

There Was A Shy Lion Who Wished For A Friend – Marta Cutler

There Was A Brave Woman Who Wrote Down A Note – Ashley Sierra

The Hungriest Python Turned Into A Boat – Allison Strick

There Was An Author Who Got Stymied By The Prompt – Joyce Uglow

There Was A Small Kitten Who Followed A Bee – Diane Irving

Are you New? – Marla Yablon

There Was A Shy Lion Who Wished For A Friend – Lauren Scott

There Was A Strange Kitten Who Lassoed The Moon – Linda Schueler

There Was A Smart Baby Who Followed A Star – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf

There Was An Old Grandma Who Followed A Ghost – Marta Cutler

There Was A Brave Grandma Who Lassoed A Witch – Jeannette Suhr

There Was A Brave Zookeeper That Taunted A Bear – Sarah Hawklyn

There Was A Wild Zookeeper Who Ran From A Bear – Jana Mattern

There Was A Smart T-Rex Who Played Tricks On A Witch – Bevin Rolfs Spencer

A Huge Baby Swallowed A Witch – Bru Benson

There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Jamie Bills

The Old Cowboy – Katie Schwartz

There Was A Cute Baby Who Charmed A Mommy – Christine Alemshah

There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Bee – Sara Kruger

There Was A Strange Cowboy Who Lived On A Boat – Michelle S. Kennedy

The Grandma Who Bullied A Bear – Lynn Katz

There Was A Brave Baby Who Followed A Witch – Padgy Soltis

There Was A Shy Monster Who Taunted A Tree – Amy Leskowski

A New Friend – Mia Geiger

There Was A Smart Grandma – Marty Findley

There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Star – Melissa Wrex

There Was An Old Cowboy Who Wanted A Friend – Robin Currie

Not Guilty – Colleen Owen Murphy

There Was A Wild Warthog Who Ran Up A Tree – Deb Buschman

There Was A Wild Grandma Who Turned Into The Moon – Brenna Jeanneret

There Was An Old Cowboy Who Lassoed A Friend – JC Kelly



PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

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 Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)

⭐️ 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 (details coming)

⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian

⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller

⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner

⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal

⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield

⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann

⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Magnetic Poetry - Little Box of Happiness Kit - Words for Refrigerator - Write Poems and Letters on The Fridge - Made in The USA

Would You Read It Wednesday #389 – Friends ‘Round The Bend (PB)

33 Comments

Howdy, friends! I hope you’re all having a great week so far!

If you’re looking for a little writing inspiration or something to read – to yourself or to any kiddos you spend time with – check out the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge Week 1! There are a whole bunch of fun stories up already for your reading pleasure – short and entertaining – and if you’re inspired to write, I encourage you to join in. There are some great prizes on offer for writers who complete the challenge!

Since nothing goes better with reading and writing than a little Something Chocolate, please help yourself to some of this delicious Old Fashioned Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cake!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cake

Recipe HERE at Lidia’s Cookbook

YUM! Mouth-wateringly chocolate-y, and so cheerful and springy with that pretty pink cherry filling! (Plus cherries = fruit = healthy choice 😊)

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Katie who says, “I am a children’s book writer (non-published as of now), pursuing this now that my three boys are grown and gone. My hubby and I live in Colorado with one little rescue pup who has the honor of being my best hiking buddy. And sometimes we run around in circles! Well, he is an Agility dog  .    .    .  “

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Friends ‘Round The Bend

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

The Pitch: Pip’s journey to fix his no-good nose takes a detour as he hikes deep into the forest meeting forlorn critters who need his help. But when it’s time for him to head for home, the solitary journey leaves him lost – again – and he fears his trailblazing days may be over.

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 Katie 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!

Katie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to reading lots more fun stories as the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge continues!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Here We Go Again! Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge Take 2!

360 Comments

Good morning, my little chickens!

Are things feeling a wee bit humdrum?

Is daily routine getting you down?

Does this look familiar?

Just as I suspected!

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 – CharacterColumn B – Something NeededColumn C – random item
HedgehogHomeHockey Stick (or Hockey Puck)
HammerheadHugHorse (or Sea Horse)
Hermit CrabHintHarmonica
HummingbirdHobbyHero
HareHolidayHelp
Henry or HilaryHatHelicopter

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 Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)

⭐️ 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)

⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian

⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller

⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner

⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Magnetic Poetry - Little Box of Happiness Kit - Words for Refrigerator - Write Poems and Letters on The Fridge - Made in The USA

Check out the Week 1 Stories!

Henry Needs A Holiday – Joyce Uglow

Hank Needs A Hug – Jen Subra

Hare Needs (To Take) A Hint – Candice Marley Conner

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Laura Bower

Hummingbird Needs A Hug – Ann Gray

Humphrey Hummingbird Needs A (New) Hobby – Clearywriter

Hedgehog Needs A Hobby – Erika

Hare Needs A Hug – Brenda Whitehead

Henry Hare Needs A Hat – Marty Bellis

Henry Needs A Hug – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

Hermit Crab Needs A Home – Sarah Hawklyn

Henry Hedgehog – Michelle S. Kennedy

Henrietta’s New Home – Rose Cappelli

Hilary Needs A Hug – Sarah Meade

Hermy The Hermit Crab’s New Home – Susan E. Schipper

Helicopter Hummingbird – Linda Schueler

Untitled – Marta Magellan

Hilary The Hummingbird – Julie Kurtz

A Holiday For Mrs. Hare – Judy Sobanski

Alphonso’s Real Estate: Fashionable Homes For Hermit Crabs – Nicole Loos Miller

Hyena’s Hiccups – Marla Yablon

Hermit Crab Needs A Holiday – Carrines Clifton

Henry Hummingbird Needs A Home – Jennifer Reichow

Henry’s Discovery – Dawn Young

Henry Needs Some Luck – Allison Strick

Henry Needs A Holiday Hero – Ashley Sierra

Hoglet Hurry Home – Sally Yorke-Viney

A Hat For Hammerhead – Ashley B. Pedigo

Hallie Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Christine Alemshah

Hudson Hammerhead Needs A Hug – Jeannette Suhr

Henry Needs A Hobby – Sue Lancaster

Hare And His Harmonica – Lyn Jekowsky

Horst Needs A Hug – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Sara Kruger

Hammerhead Needs A Hockey Stick – Les Degnan

Henry Needs A Hint – Deb Sullivan

Hare Needs A Hobby – Marta Cutler

Hare Needs A Holiday – Aly Kenna

Hilary Needs A Hint – Mia Geiger

Henry Needs A Hint – Elenore Byrne

Hare Style – Hannah Roy LaGrone

Hillary Hare Needs A Holiday – Barbara Farr Renner

Hammerhead Needs A Holiday – Dianne Irving

Hilary Needs A Harmonica – MWREX

Henry Needs A Hug – Val McCammon

Harry Hammerhead Has A Hard Day – Susan Summers

A Horse For Hermit Crab – Jill Lambert

A Home For Hedgehog – Elizabeth Volkmann

Hare Needs A Home – Jessica Murray

Hammerhead Needs Help – Katie Schwartz

Untitled – Lauri Meyers

Hedgehog Needs A Hat – Candace

Hedgehog Needs A Home – Summer Hinderer

Spiny The Hedgehog – Eva Kaman

Hopping Lonely – Jamie Bills

Henry Needs A Hint – Lauren Scott

Hare Needs A Hat – Jana Mattern

Hilary’s Holiday – Bevin Rolfs Spencer

Henry Hare’s New Hobby – Bru Benson

Hedgehog Hugs – Marty Findley

Hermit Crab Needs A Hat – Lynn Katz

Henry Hammerhead Needed A Hug – Padgy Soltis

Hedgehog Hates Hugs – TL Fales

Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Amy Leskowski

Mama Hedgehog’s Mother’s Day Holiday – Robin Currie

Henry Needs A Hero – Colleen Owen Murphy

Hugo Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Deb Buschman

Henry Hedgehog Needs A Home – Elizabeth Muster

Hedgehog Needs A Hint – Brenna Jeanneret

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – JC Kelly

Would You Read It Wednesday #388 – Ty’s Treasures (PB)

47 Comments

Howdy, friends! Welcome to another exciting episode of Would You Read It Wednesday!

Since everyone here lives in the land of picture books (and therefore surely has at least a bit of the young-at-heart about them ) I think you will all understand the importance of the following brief dissertation on Swings I Have Known 😊 Let’s call it research, because you never know when you might need to write a swing into a book! 😊

I have always loved to swing.

I began my swinging career fairly tamely in the playground in Central Park, across the street from my apartment.

OK. Not as tamely as in this still photo! I promise, I did actually swing! 😊

Later on, we had a metal swing set – the kind with the A-shaped ends and flat plastic seats hanging from stiff chains. It creaked a lot and you couldn’t swing very high, but it served the purpose. And you could stand on the flat seats and swing for an added element of excitement! (I will confess that I also did a lot of very loud singing while on that swing 😊)

The best swing of my childhood was at grandma and grandpa’s house in California. They had a swing that my siblings and cousins and I all loved, hung from a huge black oak at the top of a little hill, so you could pull the rope back to the top of the hill, take a running start, leap onto the circular wooden seat, and sail out into the air like you were flying! If you were really lucky, you could get grandpa to push you and fly even higher 😊 . . . and spin!!! 😊😊 Now THAT was a swing!!! 😊😊😊 The only bad part was we had to take turns. . . and there were a lot of us!

I wish I could find a picture of it. It was a great swing!

But I am not picky when it comes to swings. I’m happy with anything 😊

When my kids were little, I swung on their swing set – a really nice wooden one with a covered play deck and monkey bars and those rubber belt seats – usually with one of them in my lap, but lots of times on my own.

It was pretty new when this photo was taken – it looks a LOT more weathered now! And my daughter is now 28 (years not months 😊)

That one is still in the back yard.

You know that Robert Louis Stevenson poem?

Oh, how I love to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue!
I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do. . .

My mom used to say that poem to me when we swung (really, shouldn’t it be swang?), and I used to say it to my kids (all three verses 😊)

So the cause of all this swing nostalgia it that this year for my birthday, I got a different kind of swing – a lovely porch swing with comfortable cushions and a nice adjustable canopy to provide shade on my very sunny back porch. In just a couple weeks it has become my favorite place to hang out. Who knew a porch swing could be so awesome?! Great for sitting and chatting, talking on the phone, working on your laptop, sipping your morning coffee, or just sitting and gently swinging listening to the birds say goodnight while the sun goes down.

I’ll post a better photo when it’s sunny and I have my flowers planted! 😊

It’s a little less daredevil than grandma and grandpa’s swing 😊, but I highly recommend acquiring one if you can!

Next thing to try on the swing? A little chocolate chip cookie snack! 😊

Because I just happened to be baking Chocolate Chip Cookies yesterday for a friend, let’s go with that tried and true classic today for our Something Chocolate. I think you’ll love this recipe with tips on how to make your cookies thin and crispy, soft and chewy, or light and cakey – whatever you like best! – as well as tips on how to keep cookies fresh, whether to freeze, how to make them all the same size, and how to add a sweet and salty twist in case you want to give that a try! Best cookies ever!

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Recipe HERE at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Patricia who says, “I’m an aspiring picture book writer who has fallen in love with the craft of picture book writing. The best part is the kindness and generosity of the writing community.  I raised two boys, three dogs, and have the appliance repair bills as best  evidence  that children need hiding places for their treasures!  You can find me at  www.patriciajfranz.com or @patriciajfranz1 (Twitter).”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Ty’s Treasures

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

The Pitch: A lucky penny.  A feather .  A thimble.  Another rock.  No one else appreciates the treasures Ty finsd.  Now Ty needs a hiding place to safeguard them; someplace close where he can touch and inspect them and wonder…

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

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

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  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!

Patricia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to enjoying a chocolate chip cookie snack on my porch swing! 😊 And hearing any swing stories any of YOU would like to share! 😊

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #387 – Stop! Stop! (PB)

13 Comments

Good Wednesday to you all!

This morning we have something very important to discuss. So important that it has to come even before chocolate!

I know!

It boggles the mind!

But here it is:

Last year we did a 7 week Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge. I had tons of fun. I hope you did too! So the question is, assuming I can think up some prompts and scare up some prizes, would you all like to do it again? I know we’re all (hopefully!) coming out of complete covid isolation and maybe not feeling so much like we need something extra to occupy our time in a fun way and keep us in contact, but I thought I’d put it out there. . .

I think I might run it on Mondays starting May 10th (which is pretty soon, so maybe we’d have to start on the 17th…) and run it for 6 or 7 weeks.

Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section!

Or, ooh! I could do a little mini poll! Please vote by Friday April 30th at midnight Eastern so if we decide to go ahead with this crazy little plan I have as much time as possible to pull it together! 😊

After all that excitement and the hemming and hawing of having to make a choice, I’m sure we could all use Something Chocolate! (I mean really, when could we NOT use Something Chocolate? 😊) How about some Cookie Dough Brownies? That sounds like a healthy way to start the day, doesn’t it? 😊

Recipe HERE at OMG Chocolate Desserts

If you’re drooling on your keyboard, please feel free to go get a napkin 🤣

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Diane who says, “I love all writing but I particularly enjoy creating stories for children. I write picture books and chapter books and use inspiration from my teaching, my interests in nature, travelling, diving and theatre, plus my sense of humour in creating my stories.”

Find her on the twitter at @Diane02789257

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Stop! Stop!

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

The Pitch: Three sea creature friends boring day suddenly turns into an adventure as they attempt to free themselves from some ocean waste and try to find a solution to their ocean home problem.

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 Diane 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!

Diane is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks about whether or not to run the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge again!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #386 – Buddy And The Blue Crew (PB)

32 Comments

Hey, Everyone! Today is the perfect day for us!

Do you know why?

Because April 21st is Kindergarten Day!

And I think pretty everyone here reads and/or writes for 5 year olds 😊

I think we should all challenge ourselves to write a story today – suitable for reading in kindergarten!

Need a topic?

Let me rummage around and randomly pick something. . .

Tomorrow is Earth Day, so maybe let’s write stories that celebrate our earth, or show how important it is to take care of it! Play with POV! Maybe write from the perspective of an apple tree, a crocus, or an inch worm…!😊

First we shall fuel our creativity with Something Chocolate. Never let it be said that I don’t provide breakfast! It’s the most important meal of the day, especially when it includes chocolate 😊

Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake

Recipe HERE at Plain Chicken

Mmm mmm good! Buttery, flaky croissant and chocolate – what’s not to love? 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Angela who says, “I’m an aspiring children’s writer and mum to four, living in London.  Up to now, I’ve written 4 complete Picture Book Manuscripts and I’m currently querying Literary Agents for representation.  I’ve had a handful of my short stories published by Keys For Kids Ministries, a US quarterly devotional.  

I’m on Facebook (Angela Jelf) and my twitter handle is @angietange.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Buddy And The Blue Crew

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-8)

The Pitch: On Buddy’s first day at school, all he really wants to do is blend in.  But the problem is, he’s the only kid in school with bright, blue feet!  When Buddy meets Bill, a friend with an even crazier feature, will Buddy finally come up with a way to convince the other children, and ultimately himself, that there’s so much more to him than first meets the eye?

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 Angela 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 is an opening next week! as well as openings in May, so you could get your pitch up very soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Angela is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to my dad’s birthday tomorrow! I still have to decide what kind of cake to bake!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊