I think I can say that now that Thanksgiving is over and it’s December 😊❄️🎄
At some point in the not-too-distant future, I’m going to plug in all my holiday lights and see how many bulbs need replacing – always a fun job – which promises to be even more fun with Violet’s help! (Apparently there is no dog-tangled-in-Christmas-lights emoji, but there should be! 😊)
Since we’re embracing the Holiday Spirit, for today’s Something Chocolate let’s have some Candy Cane Pie! Doesn’t that sound delicious? And festive?!
Look at that chocolate-y crust, the little chocolate chips, and that lovely chocolate drizzle! Yum! And so pretty with the candy canes sprinkled in! I know I don’t even need to remind you of the health benefits of eating vegetables for breakfast (peppermint is a leafy green, and chocolate is a bean!) 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah. Sarah Tobias is a, writer, artist, master naturalist, and retired librarian. She loves rescuing worms from puddles, has a collection of dead insects, and found bones. She would rather be outside than inside even on a bad weather day. She discovered on the playground during recess, that the kids at school couldn’t remember if worms had eyes, she thought she should clear things up.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: My Antler Is Missing
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: “MY ANTLER IS MISSING” Moose cries when he wakes and scratches his head. A mystery is afoot. Moose and his bestie Mouse head off on an adventure discovering clues and track prints. They romp through the winter forest chasing down possible thieves as they search for Moose’s missing antler.
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 January, 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 untangling miles of Christmas lights – so sparkly! 😊
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so it seems an appropriate moment to say
It would be no fun at all around here without you guys, so thanks for hanging around and participating in the high jinx and shenanigans and general tomfoolery! 😊
And since it’s almost Thanksgiving, let’s have something Thanksgiving-y for Something Chocolate today! I was going to go with chocolate-covered strawberry turkeys, (I added the link in case any of you wish to check them out) but this Chocolate Pecan Piecaken looked too good to miss 😊
And everyone knows that pecans are really good for you because of some reason or other 😊 so you don’t even have to feel guilty having seconds! 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Aundra who says, “I am a middle school special education teacher and mother to a 4 year old and 2.5 year old. This book was inspired by my 4 year old son who has loved garbage cans and trucks for more than half his life.”
The Pitch: GREGORY THE GARBAGE TRUCK is a 548-word picture book for the 3-9 year old range, especially those who wake up early to watch the garbage trucks come by. Gregory is a lonely garbage truck who putters through his daily routine: Drive around/Clamp the bin/Lift it up/ Dump it in. Day after day, his boredom, loneliness, and stench grows until he meets some clever and unexpected friends. This whimsical, humorous story shows the struggle of making friends when you smell like old socks sprayed by a skunk and washed in dirty diapers. GREGORY THE GARBAGE TRUCK combines the refrain of TRASHY TOWN (1999) by Andrea Zimmerman with the desire for friendship in THE INVISIBLE BOY (2013) by Trudy Ludwig and the symbiotic relationship modeled in AMAZING ANIMAL FRIENDSHIPS (2017) by Pavla Hanackova.
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 Aundra 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!
Aundra is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. It’s going to be a little weird – not the big family get-together of other years because we’re all trying to be cautious and maintain small, same-household gatherings with appropriate social distance, for everyone’s benefit but especially because my parents are 91 and 90 – but still a moment to give thanks for all that we have, most especially each other.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone, and a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!!! 😊
‘Twas nearly Thanksgiving When here on my site I realized you guys needed Guidelines to write For the annual Holiday Contest. I know! I’ve left you with only fourteen days to go! So put on your thinking cap! Warm up your pen! For Holiday Contest – numéroTEN!
Okay.
Clement C. Moore I may not be. . . 😊
I mean, if I’m going to be honest about it, I’m not really sure what a sugarplum even is. . . !
Let’s just put dancing fruits right out of our heads for a moment because I have big news!
Huge Excitement!
SOMETHING TO TWIRL YOUR TINSEL FOR!
The guidelines for . . .
THE10THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
~forchildren’swriters~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about a Holiday Helper!
Your helper can be one helper, or a pair, or a group or a bevy or a herd of helpers. Your helpers can be children, animals, elves, aliens, unicorns, fairies . . . whatever your heart desires. He/she/they can help bake, decorate, shovel snow, wrap gifts, clean the house, entertain guests, feed the hungry, comfort the lonely, bring the holiday spirit to those who have lost it – sky’s the limit 😊 But the focus of the story must be on helping – not just a brief mention in passing that Marla helped Dad set the table in the middle of a story about her frustration at not getting the starring role in the school holiday pageant.
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s or whatever you celebrate during the Holiday Season, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 😊 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 😊 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between 12:01 AM EST Monday December 7th and Wednesday December 9th at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on the official holiday contest post which will go up on my blog on Monday December 7th and remain up for your reading pleasure until I post the finalists. There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or Perfect Picture Book) for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you would like to enter but don’t have a blog you are welcome to paste your entry in the comment section of my December 7th post when it goes up. If you have trouble commenting, you can email me. (We’ll go over this part in more detail on the December 7th post! 😊 )
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 10 finalists (depending on the number of entries and final number of prizes – if we get a lower turnout we’ll post fewer finalists, a higher turnout possibly one or two more.) In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Monday December 14th for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Wednesday December 16th at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Thursday December 17th. (These dates are subject to adjustment if it takes the judges longer than we anticipate to get the judging completed.)
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Helpers! – the rules state a Holiday Helper story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about someone helping someone else in some way during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s, or whatever seasonal winter holiday you choose. The story must center on helping – the help must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 😊 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes!: The prize list is under construction. . . But I wanted to get the guidelines up so you guys would have as much time as possible to work on your stories! Stay tuned for an updated list at some point 😊
A Picture Book Manuscript Read and Critique by Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez of Olswanger Literary! Although she is currently closed to submissions (making this prize EXTRA special!) a look at her wish list will give you an idea of what she likes.
Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez
A 12×12 Silver Membership (valued at $177 but worth so much more!) generously donated by author and 12×12 founder and queen, Julie Hedlund! 12×12 is a fantastic, educational, supportive community with TONS to offer its members, including interesting and informational webinars of all kinds, access to forums and critiques, and the chance to submit to agents. If you’re not familiar with it, you can learn all about it HERE. Julie is the author of A Troop Is A Group of Monkeys (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013), My Love For You Is The Sun (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2014), and the forthcoming Over, Bear! Under, Where? (Philomel Books, Fall 2021)
Julie Hedlund Photo credit Kim Huggins
Rate Your Story owner, Picture Book Mechanic, and author Lynne Marie is offering 4 amazing prizes!
[From the Rate Your Story site] “A SPEED PASS allows a Non-Member to submit to Rate Your Story, as well as a Member to submit additional items to best serve the rating and feedback needs of our writing community.
We have a variety of Speedpass options, including pitches, query letters, art or a single manuscript at any time for a rating + guaranteed comments*, and it will be returned in less than 7 days’ time. Should you require a faster turnaround, fast pass options may be purchased to facilitate that.”
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021)
Two Picture Books (TBD) donated by Darshana Khiani, whose own picture book How To Wear A Sari is forthcoming from Versify in June 2021.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
So there you have it! Fire up those brain cells! Grab a cup of hot chocolate, plonk your tiny hiney into a comfy chair, and get to writing your potentially prize-winning Holiday Helper story!!! You have 14 full days! (And remember, I’m being a helper because deadlines are great for creativity and productivity!) So what if you’re in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this week! Your little cherubs can model helpfulness and serve as inspiration for your contest entry by peeling potatoes, making up the bed in the spare room for Great Auntie Brunhilda, bathing the cats, and whatever other little chores need doing! You’ll have plenty of time to write! 😊
On your mark…
…get set…
…GO!
I am SO looking forward to getting to read all your stories!!!
In this unusual year, when people have been isolated and separated and lots of folks are more than ever in need of holiday cheer, lending a helping hand seemed like a nice topic. I hope you’ll all have fun with it!
I don’t mean to make you jealous, but it’s pretty much non-stop fun and games here on Blueberry Hill where the dogs and I entertain ourselves with such tried-and-true favorite activities as vacuuming, laundry, sweeping leaves out of the garage, and dusting. (I know! What times are these when Susanna Hill is reduced to dusting?! 😊) Violet is especially helpful, doing her energetic best to protect me from the vacuum, abscond with every single sock she can get her little jaws on, pounce on every leaf, and grab the dust cloths and run away with them, refusing to be caught. Scout contributes by shedding so I have something to vacuum and dust 😊
The weather is getting colder. Yesterday it actually snowed at my house for a little while, and today the expected high temperature is only 34 degrees, so I think the perfect Something Chocolate is Hot Cocoa Cookies! Doesn’t that sound good?
I think they’d be extra delicious with some hot cocoa! You can never have too much chocolate, especially on a chilly day! I mean, let’s face it – we need to be well-fueled because we’re burning an outrageous number of calories just staying warm! Or we would be if we didn’t have central heating and/or a fireplace or wood stove 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Diana who says, “I am Diana Lynn Gibson, a retired teacher who never gave up her passion for children’s picture books. There are more picture books on my bookshelves than novels- and what serious children’s book writer does not? And the funnier, the better. Come on over and we’ll giggle together! Here’s my spinoff on Little Red Riding Hood.”
Find her on the web at
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Little Witch Zooming Broom
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Look up! There she zips again. Now she’s off to Grandma’s house with her basket of Trick-or-Treat goodies. But when Werewolf tries to trick Little Witch Zooming Broom, he finds she has tricks of her own under her hat.
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 Diana 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!
Diana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to writing something new if I can get Violet to take a nap long enough for me to put two sentences together! 😊
I mean really. How scrumptious does that look? It’s like hot chocolate turned into a cake. Clearly breakfast! 😊
nonnomnomnomnom!
Ah! I feel refreshed! How about you? Ready for some pitching?
Me too!
Today’s pitch which comes to us from Patricia. Patricia is a serial mover and mother to three adult humans and two orange pups. She loves gardening, snorkeling, and exploring new places.
Find her on the web at: Wander, Ponder, Write Twitter: @ptntweets Instagram: ptnozell
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Back To The Sea
Age/Genre: Informational Fiction Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: One magical morning on a lush, tropical island, a young child accompanies a cast of terrestrial hermit crabs as they scritchedy-scratch and clickety-clack on their annual journey to spawn in the sea. Inspired by a viral video of this rarely-viewed event, this lyrical STEM manuscript is Hawk Rising for beach lovers.
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 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!
Patricia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to a very long nap which I will be scheduling to take place when I have time. . . perhaps a year from Tuesday or so 😊
Before we go, let’s take a moment to celebrate and thank our veterans, since today is their day. I’m sure we all have at least one veteran right in our own families, and to say we owe them everything is not an overstatement. We live the lives we live today because of them. Thank you all for your service ❤️
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask. Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got over 325 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. skeletons, creepy/crept, masked/unmasked, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between right now this very second and Saturday October 31st by 11:59 PM Eastern Time and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Tuesday Debut, Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the emailincluding your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries in more than one place because it becomes confusing.
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 369 12? top choices (give or take… you know how hard it is to choose!) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Wednesday November 4th or Thursday November 5th (if the judging takes longer than we expect if could be later…but we will do our best!) The winner will be announced on Monday November 9th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 😊 )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊
1 – Get Your MS in Tip Top Shape With Vivian Kirkfield!
Vivian is offering a PB MS Critique (fiction or nonfiction/rhyming or prose), along with a 30 minute Skype or FB video chat to discuss, along with a read-through of the revision. And top it all off she will also help you with a query/cover letter edit to go with your polished up ms! WOW!
2 – Penny’s Two Cents – an incredible opportunity for any picture book writer!
Sometimes it’s helpful to chat with a published author about your writing journey. Penny Parker Klostermann is offering her two cents. The prize includes General/Big-Picture Feedback on one picture book manuscript + One 30-Minute Chat (Rhyming or prose-750 words or under) Penny doesn’t claim to have it all figured out, (by any means) but she’s happy to share her two cents based on what she’s learned and continues to learn on her journey as an author.
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 holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 😊
Now then, my pretties! It’s past the witching hour in the dead of night – very appropriate for a Halloween story, don’t you think? – and the time has come for me to embarrass myself my sample entry which should fill you with confidence in your own MUCH MUCH better efforts!!!
Halloween A pumpkin moon A ghostly ship A still lagoon Tattered sails Like swirling mist Ancient rigging Creaks and twists Skull and crossbones Striking fear Warning sailors Far and near Captain Jack Comes thump-a-peg Limping on His broomstick leg “Steady now,” breathes Captain Jack, “Mustn’t blow our sneak attack!” Silently The ghost ship glides Closer . . . Closer . . . On the tides Guided through The murky blue By the ghastly Skeleton crew Stealthily it comes abreast creeping uninvited guest nearing windows warm with light no idea of their plight Captain Jack Deceit complete Unmasks and shouts out, “Trick-or-treat!”
It’s truly spooky how willing I am to embarrass myself for you! 😊😊😊
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 3 days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 😊 🎃
And don’t miss the 169!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments
below! (Hopefully each one is a link, but thanks to the new wordpress, I’ve redone the list twice with uncertain success!)
Okay. I know a lot of us feel that white chocolate isn’t real chocolate, only dark and milk chocolate’s poor cousin. But it is technically chocolate, and these mummies are so cute for a Halloween snack that I figured we could excuse white chocolate for being a bit of a wannabe today 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Nicole. A school social worker by day and a mama by every other waking moment, Nicole can usually be found laughing with her husband and two toddlers, drinking room temperature coffee, and cramming writing into every spare second.
The Pitch: When her octopus stuffie moves to the ocean to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a mermaid, a young girl is forced to move out of her comfort zone and an octopus learns what is truly important.
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 Nicole 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!
Nicole is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊
And can’t wait to see you TOMORROW for Halloweensie!!! 😊☢️
It’s nice that some things stay the same in spite of the crazy times we’re living in, isn’t it?
This past weekend should have been the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival – an all around delightful event that I have attended every year since CAN’T SLEEP WITHOUT SHEEP came out in 2010 – 10 years! – and this year for all the reasons you know so well they weren’t able to hold it.
Merritt Bookstore did a virtual version, and lots of us who are usually there in person, including fellow kidlit folks Nancy Shaw and Iza Trapani, did little videos. There were still signed books for sale. But it wasn’t the same. 😞
Hopefully next year things will be back to normal!
If you can call this normal. . . 😊
Meanwhile, at least some things are the way they should be as we’re here for Would You Read It Wednesday!
I think we need Something Chocolate immediately to bolster our spirits and get us in the mood. For today’s delicacy, I have chosen a cake with the longest name ever! 😊
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze
I think this is really a case where a picture (or two) is worth a thousand words. Just look at that beautiful creation! If that doesn’t make your mouth water, no amount of words will entice you more 😊 So dig into that lusciousness and let’s get to pitching!
Today’s pitch comes to us from Katie whom you will remember from last month and her MG pitch for Winx Thinks Dinosaurs. Katie writes stories and learning resources to engage young minds with big ideas. Happy to leave her desk for family fun and sports Katie is fueled by faith, laughter, and ice cream. She lives in Maryland where one of her favorite runs is the ~10 miles to the Washington Monument in D.C. Her website is here and she’s on Twitter @KTOEngen
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Imagine That: The Lion, Maria, and Brindy
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Brindy spends hours each day imagining worlds packed with amazing characters. So, reading alone is never lonely for Brindy. But being with other kids is. On the school bus, at the park, or during swim practice, Brindy can’t imagine making even just one real friend. Until the books conspire… After Maria and the Lion visit, the unimaginable becomes possible. Brindy finds her own way to sing with confidence and speechify with courage – and make a friend.
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 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!
Katie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to getting a bag (ok, probably 2 or 3 bags 😊) of miniature Halloween chocolate bars – you know, the kind that are so tiny they have no calories 😊 They’re not called Fun Size for nothing! Snickers, Twix, and KitKats, here I come!
I know it’s Thursday and not a usual posting day, but sometimes there just isn’t room for everything in the normal course of our weekly schedule.
This is one of those times.
And what is it we must make time for, you may wonder?
Well, I’ll tell you.
I feel it is imperative that we shake our booty. . .
. . . to the tune of
Your leg bone connected to your knee bone Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone Doin’ the Skeleton Dance!
etc… 😊 ☠️
It is a well known fact that a little dancing sparks creativity!
(And if that isn’t well known. . . or a fact. . . it should be! 😊)
I believe, under the circumstances, that the Hokey Pokey would also be an excellent choice, given that body parts get shaken around in that one too 😊
Any dance will do, however, because all that matters is that your creativity gets fired up as we (I’m using the Royal We here) announce the rules for. . .
The 10TH Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
(Holy Caped Crusaders, Batman! I just have to interject here! Can you believe this is the 10th year of Halloweensie? The TENTH???!!! ZOWEE!)
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask. Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got over 325 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. skeletons, creepy/crept, masked/unmasked, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between 12:00 AM Eastern Time Thursday October 29th and Saturday October 31st by 11:59 PM Eastern Time and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany my special October 29th post. There will be no Tuesday Debut, Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section of my October 29th post once it’s up (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the emailincluding your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries before the start of the contest!
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 12 top choices (give or take… you know how hard it is to choose!) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Wednesday November 4th or Thursday November 5th (if the judging takes longer than we expect if could be later…but we will do our best!) The winner will be announced on Monday November 9th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 😊 )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊 (and I’m still working on this part of the post so it’s incomplete and will be updated with links and photos and more prizes!)
– Get Your MS in TipTop Shape With Vivian Kirkfield!
Vivian is offering a PB MS Critique (fiction or nonfiction/rhyming or prose), along with a 30 minute Skype or FB video chat to discuss, along with a read-through of the revision. And top it all off she will also help you with a query/cover letter edit to go with your polished up ms! WOW!
– Penny’s Two Cents – an incredible opportunity for any picture book writer!
Sometimes it’s helpful to chat with a published author about your writing journey. Penny Parker Klostermann is offering her two cents. The prize includes General/Big-Picture Feedback on one picture book manuscript + One 30-Minute Chat (Rhyming or prose-750 words or under) Penny doesn’t claim to have it all figured out, (by any means) but she’s happy to share her two cents based on what she’s learned and continues to learn on her journey as an author.
Picture Book MS Critiques from Carrie Finison Lydia Lukidis Teresa Robeson Kirstine Call Ellen Leventhal Heather Gale
Signed book and 15 Minute “Ask Me Anything” Video Chat with Keila Dawson
Either A Signed Copy of ROCK AND ROLL WOODS (PB) or an ARC of SPIRITS AMONG US (MG) from author Sherry Howard
A signed copy of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE by Gabi Snyder
2 Picture Books donated by Darshana Khiani
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 holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
Now! Lay in a good chocolate supply (no better time than right before Halloween for THAT!)! Butt In Chair! Pencils, pens, or keyboards ready! Fire up the old idea generator! And write those prize-winning stories!!!
Hi everyone, and welcome to Would You Read It Wednesday where each week we help someone out with their pitch, polish our own pitch skills, and indulge in Something Deliciously Chocolate 😊 (Does it get any better than that? 😊)
Before we jump into today’s pitch, I want to mention that, due to my daughter’s wedding, I didn’t quite manage to post the Halloweensie Contest Guidelines for this year on Columbus Day as I usually do – my apologies! But it is entirely possibly (hint hint) that there will be a special post tomorrow and I hope you’ll all check in and get inspired to get down to some spooktacular writing!
To fuel you for such creative endeavors (and to help out with today’s pitch) how about Something Chocolate? Theses French Silk Pie Brownies look mighty scrumptious!
Please feel free to help yourself to as much creative fuel as you need – there’s plenty to go around!😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sandy who says, “I’m Sandra McGraw, a retired teacher, grandma, and the writer of Jesus Jingles. Check me out at http://www.jesusjingles.com. “
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Little Blue
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-6)
The Pitch: Little Blue is glum. He’s low, low, low which is distressing when you’re a balloon! Little Blue’s buddies display real friendship as they rally around to bolster him when he’s down. Perhaps a bit of flatulence will help Blue float again.
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 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!
Sandy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to posting the 10th Annual Halloweensie Contest guidelines tomorrow so you can all get your thinking caps on and start writing! It isn’t October without Halloweensie! 😊
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