Wow! It seems like forever since we had a Would You Read It! It’s really only been a couple weeks, but Halloweensie kind of takes over the world 😊
Somehow we’re halfway through November! – how did THAT happen?! – and just 8 days away from Thanksgiving. I am cooking and have barely given it a thought and still don’t know exactly how many I’m cooking for. But you know me. I’m a daredevil. Live life on the edge – that’s me! Leave it to the last minute! That’s my motto 😊
Oh, no, wait. My motto is EAT CHOCOLATE CAKE!
Right now!
Let’s have Something Chocolate!
Since today is our pitcher’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Deborah!!! 😊🎈🎁🎉) I feel pretty sure we can’t go wrong with 24 layers of chocolatey goodness! Grab a fork(lift!) and dig in!
YUM! And since we’re celebrating a birthday, help yourselves to seconds and thirds!
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from birthday girl Deborah. Deborah Foster is a mother, an architectural drafter, and a fantastic cook. She is a member of 12×12, Inked Voices, and SCBWI. She is always looking for more writing friends on Twitter. Follow her @DeborahClaytonF or check out her blog at www.deborahfosterbooks.com.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Welcome To The Word Factory
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Come along on a tour of The Word Factory and listen as EP (exclamation point) explains how words are discovered, spelled, and defined. Despite the repeated interruptions from Oxford, EP is unaware of the growing problem until the tour arrives at the lunchroom where they find a messed up menu and hangry punctuation marks. Thankfully, EP knows the perfect punctuation needed, “Oh Oxford!”
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 Deborah 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 a little 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!
Deborah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to cleaning my house!
No. You’re right. That is a total falsehood!
How about this? I am looking forward to my house being clean!
That is completely true. I just wish Violet would do the cleaning. But she is busy with other things 😊
Someone needs to savagely chew this toy into a billion pieces and leave them all over the rug! Leave it to me! I’m a total pro!
Today’s perfect picture book is called Goosebumps.
Put a piece of pumpkin bread on a plate, pull up a pillow, and let’s peruse this perfect picture book together!
Ready?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
On Halloween, Gertie McCrackin fluffed up the straw in her broom tail.
“Let’s go, Blinx,” she cackled to her cat. “We’re going to give those kiddies goosebumps tonight!”
Blinx blinked. He didn’t care what they did as long as they went F A S T while they were doing it.
Gertie mounted her broom, adjusted her bulging panniers, and set Blinx up behind her.
“Away we go!” shrieked Gertie. “AH-HAHAHAHAHA!”
Blinx’s yellow eyes glowed in the dark as they took off into the night.
The broomstick zigged and zagged, zipped and zoomed.
The rushing wind blew Blinx’s fur flat, made his eyes squint, and threatened to blow him off the broomstick.
Was there anything better than speed?
They tore across the sky, emptying the panniers onto the kids below – handfuls (and pawfuls) of dust that Gertie’s magic turned to white crystals in the air.
“Ooh, goody!” the kids crowed. “It’s snowing!”
They danced with delight.
Maybe there was one thing better than speed. . . or at least as good as.
“I told you we’d give them goosebumps,” cackled Gertie.
Blinx had goosebumps, too!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Ah, wasn’t that a perfect picture book?
Alrighty, then.
Thanks for stopping by.
Enjoy your Friday.
Rest up.
Eat some bonbons.
Have a lovely weekend!
Oh, wait!
You guys have got to keep me in line!
I’m not doing Perfect Picture Book Friday today!
So just forget all that stuff above because today is all about. . .
the 2021 11th Annual Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest WINNERS!
As you are all aware by now, we had an amazing turnout for Halloweensie 2021 – 294!!! entries!
I was thrilled beyond measure to see so many wonderful stories and meet so many new writers! And I don’t know about you guys, but for me Halloween is all the better for 294 fabulous stories to read by jack -o’ – lantern light! 😊☢️
With large entry numbers come hard choices, though. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you for your vote.
There were, however, many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another (one reason being that, at a certain point, we just had to stop adding finalists to the list! :))
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (all-around well-written stories we loved that just missed the finals for one small reason or another!)
Heather Ferranti Kinser for Mean Halloween
Emily Durant for A Helpful Ghost
Barbara Kimmel for The Perfect Pumpkin
Ellen Seal for Halloween Helpers
Kathleen Lowry for Teal Halloween
Molly Ippolito for Itsy B. Spider
Ann Grilli for Tricky Treat
Melissa-Jane Nguyen for Halloween Bites
Pat Finnegan for Gotcha!
2. For Great Use of Language: (not already in the finals)
Alicia Meyers for How To Steal A Halloween Treat
Amy Leskowski for Warning: May Contain Sugar (great tongue twister!)
Jamie Donahoe for My Word – It’s Halloween! (great alliteration)
3. For Spookiest/Creepy Entry: (not already in the finals)
Denise Seidman for Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Glenda Roberson for The Mansion On Maple
Laura Howard for This Pumpkin’s Not For Picking
4. For Excellent Story Telling From Young Writers!
Ames Jegan (age 11) for Capture The Goodies On Halloween
5. For Great Humor: (not already in the finals)
Krista Harrington for The Greatest Night Of The Year
Barbara DiMarco for Ogre’s Halloween
Nancy Derey Riley for Disguise Surprise
6. For Entries That Were Clever & Fun (not already in the finals)
Susan Summers for A Witchy Potion
Patricia Nozell for Tricky Treat
Bonnie Kelso for All Hallows Eve At The Roller Rink
Alexa Tuttle for You Are What You Eat
Samantha Sinclair for The After Party
7. For Poignant Entries (not already in the finals)
JC Kelly for Can We Please Skip The Costumes?
Corine Timmer for Rainbow Bridge
Melissa Miles for Home For Halloween
8. For Nice Message (not already in the finals)
Amy Reitz for Post Halloween Goals
David McMullin for Enough
9. For Great Read For Younger Readers: (not already in the finals)
Kathy Raggio for Pumpkin Train
10. For Unique Concept
Sharon McCarthy for Thank You, Trick-or-Treaters! For Protecting Your Mother
11. For Multiple Well-Written Entries
Sue Ko for It’s Dark In Here, Eyelashes, & Fall
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com or use the handy contact form in the menu bar above, subject line Prize Winner to collect your prize, which is (and I have to be cryptic here because when I said it right out last year I got a LO-HO-HOT! of spam email!) a gift of a number of dollars that is between 4 and 6, for a large and well-known online store that begins with A, which will be presented to you in an email 😊 You can spend it on one of the many Kindle choices listed in previous contests here, or add it to your account for a gift for yourself or someone else, or whatever else you might choose to do! In addition, you will receive a beautiful badge of achievement that you may display on your blog or print out and frame or turn into a flag to carry with you everywhere and wave out the window of your hybrid pumpkin 😊
A word about the prizes before I announce the winners.
We have 13 fabulous prizes, generously donated by authors and various professionals in the writing field. My policy is to let the first place winner have first pick of all the prizes, the second place winner have second choice, etc. That way hopefully nobody gets something they already have, and hopefully everyone gets something that’s valuable to them. All prizes are listed at the bottom of this post for your convenience in perusing the goodies 😊
Now.
Finally!
Onto the moment you’ve all been waiting for. . .
. . . THE WINNERS OF THE 2021 HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST as chosen by you, our esteemed voters!!!!!
In First Place, winner of the whole entire contest and top of the heap who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Mary Catherine Amadu
for
Trick-or-Treat Night Animals!: A Holloween Story
Congratulations, Mary!
In Second Place,
Jen MacGregor
for
Santa’s Halloween
Congratulations, Jen! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Mary chooses!
In Third Place,
Donna Kurtz for Bunny’s Bored!
Congratulations, Donna! You get first choice of the prizes that are left after Mary and Jen choose!
In Fourth Place,
Ingrid Boydston for A Few Of The Scariest Things: A Parody to the tune of My Favorite Things
Congratulations, Ingrid! You get to pick a prize after Mary, Jen, and Donna.
In Fifth Place,
Scott Kinder for Jellyfish George’s Halloween
Congratulations, Scott! You get to pick your prize after Mary, Jen, Donna, and Ingrid.
In Sixth Place,
Colleen Murphy for How Hannah Saved Halloween
Congratulations, Colleen! You get to pick your prize after Mary, Jen, Donna, Ingrid, and Scott!
In Seventh Place,
Kaye Wright for Astronaut Aidan
Congratulations, Kaye! You get to pick your prize after Colleen!
In Eighth Place,
Kristen Littlefield for It’s Halloween In Toothytown
Congratulations, Kristen! You get to pick your prize after Kaye!
In Ninth Place,
Reed Hilton-Eddy for My Last Trick-or-Treat
Congratulations, Reed! You get to pick a prize after Kristen…!
In Tenth Place
Kari Ann Gonzalez for Kit’s Costume
Congratulations, Kari Ann! You get to prize pick after Reed!
In Eleventh Place
Holly Vagley for Pumpkin’s Halloween
Congratulations, Holly! You get to pick a prize after Kari Ann.
In Twelfth Place
Jennifer Kaap for The Witch’s Mistake
Congratulations, Jennifer! You get to pick your prize after Holly!
In Thirteenth Place
Sue Lancaster for The Haunted House High Up On The Hill
Congratulations, Sue! You get to pick your prize after Jennifer!
And, I don’t think I need to remind anyone that in addition to all these fabulous prizes, everyone mentioned on this page has bragging rights as having won or placed in the Pretty Much World Famous Halloweensie Contest! Not just anyone can say that 😊
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com or use the handy contact form in the menu above with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! If you choose a prize that requires snail mailing, PLEASE include your snail mail address so we don’t have to email back and forth too many times 😊 If you would like a beautiful badge to celebrate your accomplishment, you are most welcome to one! Since everyone’s prize depends on everyone else’s choices, please get in touch as soon as you can.
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause, a confetti parade, and a truckload of leftover fun-sized chocolate. . . if there is any 😊
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize! It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
And before we go, I will give you all advance warning so you can start planning a little time into your December schedule…
Assuming you guys are up for it – and you’d better let me know in the comments!!! – the 11th Annual Holiday Writing Contest will be coming up sometime in the neighborhood of December 5 so we can all fully enjoy it and still have time for last minute holiday things. I will do my best to post the rules well in advance (maybe a few days before Thanksgiving, good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise! 😊 although yikes that’s just around the corner!) so you all have time to work on your stories! But please let me know if you feel like it’s too much and you’d rather not do it!
Have a terrific weekend everyone, and thanks again for making the Halloweensie Contest such a wonderful time for all! 😊
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or any) or First 10 Pages of a longer MS (winner’s choice) by Kenda Henthorn, author of the forthcoming BAA, BAA TAP SHEEP (Sleeping Bear Press, April 15, 2022)
Kenda works in the aviation industry now so it’s no surprise that her writing inspirations and aspirations are sky-high, too. She resides in Oklahoma and when the winds aren’t sweepin’ down the plains, Kenda enjoys acting, flying, kayaking and riding horses or her motorcycle. (Vroom-vroom!)She has served as a Regional Coordinator for the Oklahoma SCBWI and a Best in Rhyme Award committee member and judge.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or lyrical) by Randi Sonenshine, author of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT (Candlewick March 2020) and the forthcoming THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT (Candlewick Fall 2022)
⭐️ Winners of the 6 signed picture books above may also receive their choice of any one of the following writing craft books to go along with their picture book:
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Right up until the moment when I have to narrow a field of 300 fabulous stories down to a finalist list of 12 or so!
That’s the moment when I say to myself (every single time!), WHAT WAS I THINKING???!!! WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS WHOLE CONTEST THING ANYWAY???!!!
It’s all fun and games when the entries are rolling in, and each one is better than the last, and I’m enjoying the stories and marveling over everyone’s talent and creativity.
But then I have to evaluate all those wonderful entries – dissect and weigh and nitpick (and hem and haw and dither over every single one I have to let go) – because really, everyone steps up and does an amazing job, and there is at least something to like about all of them!
So here I am, along with my fellow judges, doing our best impressions of the Pillsbury Dough Boy after all the chocolate we’ve consumed to get us through this torturous decision-making, having not gotten out of our pajamas for days as we read and re-read. . . really, it’s a very good thing you can’t see us right now! 😊
Please know that we did the best we could to make good choices – entries that met the contest criteria, that were kid-friendly and Halloween-y and had a strong element of story (because those were big reasons why many entries were cut – too adult, not Halloween-y enough, not enough story – which we know is VERY hard in 100 words!)
I just want to say three little things before I post the actual finalists (shocking, I know, because normally I’m so quiet you can hardly get a word out of me 😊😊)
First, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for many!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 😊
Third, I want to reiterate how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. There was a huge amount of competition. Judging, no matter how hard we try to be objective, is always subjective at a certain point – we all have our own preferences for what makes a great story. And the fact that you didn’t make the final cut DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to revise, expand, and polish if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. A lot of people have successfully done that at this point – we have quite a few books in the world that were born in Halloweensie, Holiday, or Valentiny Contests, plus a chapter book series that came out of the Fractured Fairy Tale Contest one spring! So bravo to everyone who entered!
So.
Are you ready for the finalists?
I hope you like them!
Please read through them all, then vote for your favorite in the poll below by Thursday November 11 at 3 PM Eastern (so I can post the winners on Friday!)
And I’d like to be very clear about the voting process. You are MOST welcome to share a link to this post on FB, twitter, or wherever you like to hang out, and encourage people to come read ALL the finalists and vote for the one they think is best. Please do that. The more people who read and enjoy these stories the better, and the more objective votes we get the better. HOWEVER (and I want to be very clear on this) please do notidentify yourself or ask others to identify you as a finalist on social media, please do not ask people to vote for a specific number or title, and please do not ask people to vote for the story about the broomstick-riding vampire princess or whatever. Trolling for votes or trying to influence the outcome is counter to the spirit of this competition which is supposed to be based on merit. I thank you in advance for respecting this.
“Just wait until my friends see how good I look. How creepy. And SOOOOO boney!”
George visited Susie Sponge’s house first. He rang her bell with excitement, full of goosebumps.
The door opened.
George could see envy seeping from Susie’s pores as she gave him candy.
She wanted bones too. And he was FULL of them.
George floated the night away, collecting goodies and passing his jelly buddies with their silly mediocre masks.
He felt like a king.
UNTIL he noticed …
David Dogfish eyeing him.
And DROOLING.
UH-OH.
2. SANTA’S HALLOWEEN
‘Tis Halloween evening, and up at the pole ol’ Santa sneaks into his sleigh, with one goal.
“I know it’s not Christmas but I need a snack! I’ll gather some goodies and—WHOOSH—I’ll be back.”
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and—YIKES! I didn’t expect to see skulls stuck on spikes!”
“Monsterly mayhem and ghouls on the streets? Galloping goosebumps! Now where are the treats?”
But glow-in-the-dark decorations galore shock Rudolph so much that he’s shook to his core.
“My poor little reindeer have had such a fright. We’re outta this town—good riddance, good night!”
3.TRICK-OR-TREAT, NIGHT ANIMALS!: A HOLLOWEEN STORY
Coyote was first to spot the stampede. “Trick-or-Treaters! Hide!” he yelped with alarm, hurrying into the big tree’s hollow.
Goose heard Coyote. If Trick-or-Treaters scared fierce Coyote, they must be goosebump worthy. She honked and joined Coyote inside the tree.
Racoon heard Goose. If Goose and Coyote feared Trick-or-Treaters, Racoon couldn’t mask his nerves. He chattered, then crammed into the hollow.
Cat heard Racoon. She didn’t fancy herself a fraidy-cat, but Trick-or-Treaters sounded ferocious. She hissed, then jammed into the tree with the others.
Deep in the hollow, Coyote’s sharp teeth glowed-in-the-dark.
“Goody,” he drooled.
“Trick AND treats.”
4.A FEW OF THE SCARIEST THINGS: A Parody to the tune of My Favorite Things
Witches on broomsticks and vampires flying, Frankenstein monsters and zombies not dying, Ogres and aliens, all ghastly green! I’m getting goosebumps ‘cause it’s Halloween!
Halloween night doesn’t make me feel merry. Walking around in the dark is too scary. Glow in the dark, that’s what I need to be. Trick or treat goodies would all be for me!
Hey I’ve got it! I could light up…. I know what I’ll be! Bright lights and some tinsel, a glittering star! A Halloween Christmas Tree!
5.BUNNY’S BORED!
“Won’t Easter ever come?” sighs Bunny. “I’m bored.” He checks his calendar. “Yay! Tonight’s Halloween—I’ll hide yummy glow-in-the-dark goodies.” Hopping through creepy woods, Bunny hears branches shake. “What’s that?” Goosebumps spike up his back. “ROARR!” Out jumps Monster. “Eee-yoww!” Bunny dashes. “Wait!” Laughing, Monster removes his mask. “Santa?” “I got bored waiting for Christmas.” The ground trembles— Killer-Robot clanks from the dark. “Great costume!” cheer Bunny and Santa. Red beams shoot from Killer-Robot’s eyes— ZAAPPP! Bushes explode into flames. “Eee-yahh—he’s real!” Bunny and Santa skedaddle. Killer-Robot’s head slides off. “Tee-hee-hee!” Ms. Claus grins— “HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!”
6.HOW HANNAH SAVED HALLOWEEN
A wicked storm blows out the lights up and down the street. With costumes set, the children fret, “They’ll cancel trick-or-treat.” Except for hopeful Hannah who, as always, starts to plan, certain she will find a way to shift from can’t to can. She first imagines fireflies, “Too scattered to control.” She next considers candlelight. “Too hard to hold and stroll. Aha!” she says as goosebumps form. “A perfect resolution! We’ll use my sticks that glow-in-the-dark for lighting substitution! I’ll ride throughout the neighborhood, deliver while it’s bright, then everyone can still collect their goodies when it’s night.”
7. MY LAST TRICK-OR-TREAT
It was the biggest house, once showy now spooky and scary with oodles of stairs that led to darkness; but this was my last Halloween.
Leaves crunched and the wind cried.
Alone except for goodies bumping in my bag.
Ahead, a glow-in-the-dark hand on a curtain at the window. A ghost? A ghoul? Goosebumps form.
Shadows surround me.
At the top a door – large and looming.
Knock, Knock.
CRRREEEEEEK.
A hand materializes from the darkness behind the door.
PLUNK.
I look in my bag.
I am filled with horror.
Looking back at me, one small box of … RAISINS!
8. THE HAUNTED HOUSE HIGH UP ON THE HILL
Across a front door where no one dared roam, Spider had woven a web-tastic home. Dead in the middle, she stifled a cry. “What?!” grumbled Goosebump, a ghost floating by. “Halloween’s coming, the ONE night they call! Children won’t notice… my cobweb will fall!” Goosebump replied: “I know what to do…” Then into the derelict mansion he flew; He reappeared holding a luminous potion, Splattered it over the web in one motion. When tricksters arrived for their goodies, they spied A cobweb that glowed-in-the-dark, stretching wide. “Best not approach,” someone sounded unsure, He scurried away…
To try the BACK door!
9.KIT’S COSTUME
“Finally, Halloween!” Kit couldn’t wait to go trick-or-treating. The ooey-gooey goodies, the goosebumps, the KIDS! All he needed was a bit of black paint and he could be part of it! One last glob… “Purrrrfect!” Under the moon’s glow-in-the-dark light Kit crept to the corner and peeked. “Look Mum, a kitty!” Kit beamed, finally walking freely. And with so many people in sight! Kit marched with creative costumes, devoured thrills, chills and too-much candy Until… He felt a wave of wet. “SPRINKLERS!” Kit raced to stay dry but, the paint had… “Run! SKUNK!”
Goosebumps covered Aidan’s arms. This Halloween he was flying into space.
No huge piles of goodies like last year, he thought. No parading through the streets with his brother either.
Nervously he waited to take flight.
“The nurses have a special surprise for you,” Mom encouraged.
Do all astronauts feel this topsy-turvy before take off, he wondered.
“Ready, Astronaut Aidan?” the nurse called.
Slowly the lights dimmed. One by one, glow-in-the-dark stars shone from above.
Reassured, Aidan smiled.
From his seat aboard the radiation machine rocketship he bravely counted. “3, 2, 1 … blastoff!”
11.IT’S HALLOWEEN IN TOOTHYTOWN
It’s Halloween in Toothytown, The ghouls and goblins gather ‘round.
Their trays arranged with cakes and pies, In hopes of grabbing this year’s prize.
Miss Dragon’s Breath, the crusty judge, Turns up her snout at Franky’s fudge.
She sneers at Ogre’s goosebump blintz, And gags on Troll’s toejam with lint.
But Gremlin’s spicy pepper bread, Makes Dragon hold her scaly head.
Her nostrils flare. She starts to wheeze, And lets out a gigantic…
SNEEZE!
The goodies sizzle, snap, and spark, Like pumpkins glowing in the dark. Miss Dragon’s eyes begin to brim, “Now that’s a treat! Let’s all dig in!”
12.THE WITCH’S MISTAKE
OH, GOODY, my first victim! Goosebumps prickle my warty body. “Trick-or-treat!” At last I will turn these horrid children into delightfully frightful black cats!! It was an easy potion: dog tears, firefly butts, swamp mud, and a fingernail of salt. Looks just like king-sized chocolate bars! Yes, they all come running now. Greedy goblins! I stifle a cackle and wait… But instead of feline screeches and yowls, I hear… “Woah! Check us out! We glow-in-the-dark! Best. Halloween. EVERRRRRR!!!” OH, BOO! I can’t believe I mixed up the sugar and salt again. Worst. Halloween. Ever.
13.PUMPKIN’S HALLOWEEN
Alone near the farm truck, Pumpkin sagged and straightened his white tag like a tie.
Ryan zigzagged through the pumpkin patch. “Here’s the last one!”
Grandpa shook his head, “Cracked.”
Ryan touched Pumpkin’s white tag. “What’s it say?”
“Sound it out.”
Ryan traced the letters. “F-R-E-E. We’ll take Free home! Put two happy eyes and a great grin on his goose-bumply face!”
Glowing-in-the-dark on Ryan’s stoop, Pumpkin enjoyed the costumes. The giggles. “Halloween is beautiful…”
Ryan thanked her shining friend with goodies. “Your midnight snacks.”
Soon, Pumpkin’s light faded. His eyes drooped. But his smile didn’t. “I’m Free.”
So there you have them! Your 2021 Halloweensie Finalists!
(And yes, I realize we posted 13 finalists and 12 prizes, so I’ll dream up an extra prize!)
Please vote for your favorite in the poll below by Thursday November 11th at 3PM Eastern!
Tune in Friday November 12th to see THE WINNERS!!! – same bat time, same bat station 😊
Thank you all so much for taking the time to write (if you did), read, and vote! These contests simply wouldn’t be what they are without all of you!
I truly cannot wait to see who you choose as the winner! Good luck!!! 😊
Sorry for the delay in posting finalists, everyone! So many great entries – it’s really hard to narrow the field and it’s taking us longer than expected. I will do my best to post them no later than Monday afternoon, sooner if I can. Thank you all so much for your patience, and have a great weekend!
Witch’s wart and wing of bat! It’s time for. . .
The 11th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
THE CONTEST: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in word count) using the words glow-in-the-dark, goosebumps, and goodies.
Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words. Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 😊
You can go under the word count but not over!
Title is not included in the word count.
Also, being super clear for this year, glow-in-the-dark counts as 1 word (even though it looks like 4 😊)
You may use the words in any form i.e. glowed-in-the-dark, goosebumpley, goody (“Oh, goody!”, goody-two-shoes etc.), whathaveyou 😊
You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊
No illustration notes please!
And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got just shy of 300 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!
POST: your story in the comment section below between right now this very second and Sunday October 31st at Midnight – the witching hour! Please include your title, word count, and byline with your entry so that if your posting handle is MomNeedsAVacation I’ll still be able to tell who wrote your entry 😊
For those of you who would also like to post on your blogs, please feel free to do so! You are welcome to include the link to your blog with your entry in the comment section below so that people can come visit your blog, but all entries must be posted in the comment section of This Post between now and Sunday October 31st at Midnight.
If you have difficulty posting your entry to the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you! Contact button above or [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and bylineat the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! They will not be opened.
I know how hard you all work on your entries, and how anxious you are to get them posted, but please try to be a little patient if your entry doesn’t show up immediately. Many comments have to be manually approved, and it sometimes takes me a little while to post entries that come in by email. I promise I will get to everything as soon as I can. I try never to leave my desk during contests, but sometimes it’s unavoidable 😊
Side Note: WordPress will not properly format entries written in the shape of a pumpkin (or anything else!) or with fancy or colored fonts or unusual spacing. No matter how great it looks in whatever program you compose it in, be forewarned that when you post it in the comment section it is going to be basic and I am not able to change that for you, I’m afraid.
THE JUDGING: in a grueling marathon over the days following the contest close, my devoted assistants and I will read and re-read and narrow down the entries to a finalist field of about 12 which will be posted here for you to vote on I hope by Friday November 5th (though if the judging takes longer than expected it might be a little later – we will do our best!) The winner will be announced Monday November 8th (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. Use of all 3 required words and whether you came it at 100 words or less.
4. 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.
5. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
6. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
7. How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines. If you don’t follow agent and editor submission guidelines, they won’t even read your submission.
THE PRIZES: So amazing! What wonderful, generous people we have in our kidlit community! Just wait til you see what you can win!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or any) or First 10 Pages of a longer MS (winner’s choice) by Kenda Henthorn, author of the forthcoming BAA, BAA TAP SHEEP (Sleeping Bear Press, April 15, 2022)
Kenda works in the aviation industry now so it’s no surprise that her writing inspirations and aspirations are sky-high, too. She resides in Oklahoma and when the winds aren’t sweepin’ down the plains, Kenda enjoys acting, flying, kayaking and riding horses or her motorcycle. (Vroom-vroom!)She has served as a Regional Coordinator for the Oklahoma SCBWI and a Best in Rhyme Award committee member and judge.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or lyrical) by Randi Sonenshine, author of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT (Candlewick March 2020) and the forthcoming THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT (Candlewick Fall 2022)
⭐️ Winners of the 6 signed picture books above may also receive their choice of any one of the following writing craft books to go along with their picture book:
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Happy Writing! Happy Reading! And Happy Halloween!
Now, let the Halloweensie begin!
The 294 entries listed below are linked to where they appear in the comments so you can click on the titles and get right to them! (Assuming WordPress cooperates . . . fingers crossed!) Anyone who feels kind can start at the bottom of the list so those entries get some comments too! 🎃 😊
Revised and edited and polished and proofread and revised and edited and polished and proofread and revised and edited and polished and proofread. . . ? yeah, I know how it is 😊
I did it on this little sample for you and I bet you can’t even tell! It probably looks like I spouted it right off the top of my head. (Okay, maybe I did. But if I’d had time I would have revised and edited and polished and proofread and it might of ended up being worth reading 😊)
Pomeline‘s Halloween (100 words)
Pomeline had a problem. Her glow-in-the-dark grin gave her goosebumps. Jeepers creepers! She scared her pumpkin self! If only she hadn’t eaten all those goodies! Tootsies and toffees and sticky-sticky caramels! What had she been thinking? Now her gappy three-toothed grin was truly terrifying! Pomeline’s teeth needed protection before she ended up with a gappy one-toothed grin. . . or WORSE! She sucked up an orange quarter, swallowed the fruit, and pressed the peel against her smiling lips. Presto! Protected teeth and no more glow-in-the-dark smile! Pomeline would have patted herself on the back, but she was short on arms.
I think we can agree that we all need Something Chocolate after that! 😊🎃🎃🎃
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Melissa who says, “I have spent the last 15 years living in Tanzania as an English teacher, a journalist and then as a wife, mum and storyteller.”
Find her on the web at Twitter: @MelissaKValente
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: The Pied Piper Of Grannies
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: THE PIED PIPER OF GRANNIES: Malakai thinks he wants a granny, but when he pied-pipers a crazy conga line of grannies home using his enchanted harmonica he discovers he still feels lonely and now he has to face the town’s grandkids!
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Melissa improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for/[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!
Melissa is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to HALLOWEENSIE!!!!!!! (Rules on that link if you haven’t written yours yet and need the guidelines!)
I’m in the first group this week because I’m still somewhere back around last Friday! 😊
But I know just the cure for that.
I bet you can guess. . . 😊
Something Chocolate!
Since Halloween is practically here, let’s indulge in some Hocus Pocus Cookies – so bright and cheery and, most importantly, so CHOCOLATE! (They also have “slime” in them – meant to be delightfully gross for the youngsters in your life 😊)
DELECTABLE! don’t you think? Let’s have seconds! 😊
Now then, onto today’spitch which comes to us from Jan who says, “I’ve been writing picture books for two years and meeting regularly with three critique groups. I’ve attended Susanna’s class, “Making Picture Book Magic”, as well as several conferences and many webinars. I’m in my second year with Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge, and I read about 10-20 picture books every week and many with my grandsons. They are my motivation for seeking an agent and getting published. I’m on twitter as @jansuhr.”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Do Your Thing, Peking
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: As the zoo’s only peachick, Peking struggles to discover what makes him unique. He can’t swing like Monkey or waddle like Penguin or trumpet like Elephant. He looks at his reflection in the lily pond and doesn’t see anything spectacular. Peking visits the zoo’s animals, tries to copy their talent and asks their advice. Peking’s specialty does surface with time and patience and he becomes brighter and bolder than anyone could have ever imagined.
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 Jan 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!
Jan is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to more Hocus Pocus cookies! I need a little magic this week.
Pithy Polly penned a pack of perfect pitches, A pack of perfect pitches Pithy Polly penned; If Pithy Polly penned a pack of perfect pitches, Where’s the pack of perfect pitches Pithy Polly penned?
Now say that 5 times fast 😊
Now say it 5 times fast with your mouth full of Something Chocolate (and try not to spit crumbs all over your keyboard 😊)
All I have to say to that chocolate cake is YUM! Come to Mama! 😊
And the answer to where Pithy Polly’s pack of perfect pitches got to is, of course, right here, where a peck of practiced pitchers can always be found!
Let’s have a look at today’s pitch which comes to us from Melisa who says, “By day, I work in the corporate world, but at night and on weekends I wrangle words into stories. Writing has always been an interest of mine, and over the past couple years I’ve decided to give it the time it deserves. This story started as a seedling during Storystorm 2021 and I’m glad that it actually blossomed into something rather than dying on the vine. I’m definitely a better writer than a gardener. Thank you for your help with my pitch.”
Find her on the web at Melisa Wrex (Twitter @mowrex)
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Hibernation Exasperation
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7)
The Pitch: We all have that one neighbor…Groundhog just wants to hibernate, but tiny miscommunications keep Beaver SMACK WHACK WHACKing at the door—offering ingredients for…soup?! Groundhog has to figure out a way to get the message across before Beaver whittles hibernation season down to a mere nap. Back matter, colorfully narrated by Beaver, includes fun facts about groundhogs and the uniquely U.S. holiday—Groundhog Day.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Melisa 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!
Melisa is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to the upcoming Halloweensie Contest, only 16 days away! In case you missed this year’s contest guideline, they are posted HERE. I hope you’ll all come join the fun!
So, I know it’s Monday and I don’t usually post on Mondays.
But this is a special Monday.
A Monday I post on almost every year (except when I’m really behind schedule and end up on a random Thursday…😊)
And you know what I’m about to say, right?
Of course you do!
This isn’t your first trip around the blog! (See what I did there?)
I removed a section of this post because although it was intended to be in good fun it caused offense to some people, which was never my intention.
So, get ready for. . .
The 11th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
So! Are you ready?
THE CONTEST: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in word count) using the words glow-in-the-dark, goosebumps, and goodies.
Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words. Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 😊
You can go under the word count but not over!
Title is not included in the word count.
Also, being super clear for this year, glow-in-the-dark counts as 1 word (even though it looks like 4 😊)
You may use the words in any form i.e. glowed-in-the-dark, goosebumpley, goody (“Oh, goody!”, goody-two-shoes etc.), whathaveyou 😊
You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊
No illustration notes please!
And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got just shy of 300 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!
POST: your story in the comment section of the Official Contest Post between 12AM Eastern Friday October 29th (the day the official contest post will go up here) and Sunday October 31st at Midnight – the witching hour! (see, there are those witches again 😊)
For those of you who would also like to post on your blogs, please feel free to do so! You are welcome to include the link to your blog with your entry in the comment section of the Official Contest Post so that people can come visit your blog, but all entries must be posted in the comment section of the Official Contest Post between 12 AM Eastern Friday October 29th and Sunday October 31st at Midnight.
If you have difficulty posting your entry to the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you! [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and bylineat the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! and please do not submit any entries before the official opening of the contest at 12AM Friday October 29th. They will not be accepted.
I know how hard you all work on your entries, and how anxious you are to get them posted, but please try to be a little patient if your entry doesn’t show up immediately. Many comments have to be manually approved, and it sometimes takes me a little while to post entries that come in by email. I promise I will get to everything as soon as I can. I try never to leave my desk during contests, but sometimes it’s unavoidable 😊
THE JUDGING: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will read and re-read and narrow down the entries to a finalist field of about 12 which will be posted here for you to vote on I hope by Friday November 5th (though if the judging takes longer than expected it might be a little later – we will do our best!) The winner will be announced Monday November 8th (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. Use of all 3 required words and whether you came it at 100 words or less.
4. 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.
5. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
6. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
7. How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines. If you don’t follow agent and editor submission guidelines, they won’t even read your submission.
THE PRIZES: So amazing! What wonderful, generous people we have in our kidlit community! Just wait til you see what you can win! (This list is still under construction, so there may be changes…!) (And in the interest of getting this posted I’m merely listing the prizes tonight – I will add details ASAP!)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or any) or First 10 Pages of a longer MS (winner’s choice) by Kenda Henthorn, author of the forthcoming BAA, BAA TAP SHEEP (Sleeping Bear Press, April 15, 2022)
Kenda works in the aviation industry now so it’s no surprise that her writing inspirations and aspirations are sky-high, too. She resides in Oklahoma and when the winds aren’t sweepin’ down the plains, Kenda enjoys acting, flying, kayaking and riding horses or her motorcycle. (Vroom-vroom!)She has served as a Regional Coordinator for the Oklahoma SCBWI and a Best in Rhyme Award committee member and judge.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or lyrical) by Randi Sonenshine, author of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT (Candlewick March 2020) and the forthcoming THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT (Candlewick Fall 2022)
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Now! Lay in a good chocolate supply (no better time than right before Halloween for THAT!)! Butt In Chair! Pencils, pens, or keyboards ready! Put on your pointy black thinking cap (you know, to get in that Halloween mood 🧙🏿♀️ 😊!) And write those prize-winning stories!!!
Guess what? It’s the first Would You Read It Wednesday of October!
So I wrote you a song to celebrate.
Yup, I did.
Just for you. (And the rest of the whole entire world that will soon be singing it because it is SO SO good.)
(And I’m not just saying that because I made it up and I’m so incredibly talented at songwriting. I mean, remember my theme song for Tuesday Debut? Woohoo! Woohoo! Time for something new! Woohoo! Woohoo! Tuesday Debut! I know you’re all still singing THAT one! Admit it. It was your shower song this morning.)
This one is going to be all the rage. Everyone is going to be singing it.
You all know London Bridge, right? That will be the tune 😊
So are you ready?
Aaaand…EVERYBODY!
Autumn leaves are turning gold, Orange, red, bright and bold. Autumn leaves are turning gold, It’s October!
Apple picking, what a treat! Smooth and round, crisp and sweet, Gather all that you can eat, It’s October!
Pumpkin’s insides have to go, Carve out eyes, mouth and nose, Light it with a candle’s glow, It’s October!
Wowee! That is some kind of song isn’t it?
If that doesn’t require Something Chocolate, I don’t know what does! Let’s stick with our autumnal theme and have some Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread – you know, you can use those pumpkin insides that have to go, just like the song says!
A few slices of that delicious and nutritious Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread and a few rousing choruses of my new song and I bet you’re ready to get down to pitching! Am I right or am I right or am I right?
Today’s pitch comes to us from Robin who says, “As a librarian and ordained clergy, I love to connect children with the right book for the right moment. I live in the Chicago suburbs where I write stories to read and read again. http://www.robincurrie.net/index2.html “
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: The Worry Zoo
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: “I have a Worry Zoo inside me.” A child imagines the unsettling feelings and resulting actions as various zoo animals. “it is crowded and noisy when they all come at once.” With help, the child discovers simple self-soothing techniques to tame the animals and become the Zookeeper.
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 Robin 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!
Robin is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to when my new song hits #1 on every kind of chart that measures music popularity which I think is going to be by the end of the week! 😊😊😊
I don’t know about you guys, but ever since the whole pandemic thing started (and by the way, whose idea was that because we totally shouldn’t listen to them any more!) it feels like everything has ground to a halt. I used to actually do stuff, but these days going to the mailbox is what passes for excitement around here.
Imagine, therefore, the absolute thrill I got today when I was out walking the dogs and. . . wait for it!. . . I saw a cray fish crossing the road! I kid you not! I mean, come on! That’s big news! I’ve lived here for just shy of 29 years and never seen a cray fish before, on or off the road. I’m not sure what business a cray fish had wandering around in the road far, far away (in cray fish miles) from anything that could be classified as water. So I think the only question to be asked here is. . . (I know it, you know it, let’s ask it together!) . . .
Why did the cray fish cross the road? 🤣
Surely there’s a picture book in that!
Anyway, cray fish aside, I do believe it’s time for Something Chocolate! Now that autumn is in the air, I know that even though it’s too early o’clock, you are all sitting around your own personal campfires faint with hunger, so what could be better for our Something Chocolate snack than S’mores Cupcakes?
a. nothing b. what time exactly is too early o’clock? c. Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the candlestick d. who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
I’m sorry. Did I forget to say there was a pop quiz? Well there is, and you were all wrong (unless you said (a)). The correct answer is: e. Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore! Have a S’mores Cupcake!
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Jennifer who says, “¡Hola! I’m Jennifer the mother of The Readerosaurus (@Readerosaurus for IG and Twitter). I have been itching to do a story about a kiddo or dino or kiddo wearing dino costume and using his voice to be heard!
My son last year heard about a local center closing in our state and he decided to offer his drawings to donate to people who make a donation to the center.
In doing so he was about to get over $5,000 of donations to go to the center. This helped make sure they didn’t close during 2020 when Covid was affecting many places. He read all 7 continents and all 50 states his joy and excitement for helping a place was just unbelievable. He wanted to help so much. Any money he was given he put towards the center.
I thought wow a child who is 6 has such a big heart and wants to reach so many people has to be heard. His joy and kindness spread like wild fire. Who would have thought this 6 year old’s voice would matter.
So the story idea came to life. In a perfect world I want to have this book so that I can get proceeds from the book to donate to places all over the world that need help with their animals. Maybe it’s a zoo, an aquarium or maybe a marine center. Anyway we can help we want to!”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Readerosaurus
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: A kid who loves dinosaurs all because he devours books finds out that his favorite place in the whole world is closing and there isn’t anything he can do about it. Or is there? Will his roar be heard among giants?
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Jennifer improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in 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!
Jennifer is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to a little sleuthing. Someone’s got to! That crafty cray fish was clearly up to something. . .and I’m going to find out what!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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