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

May 17, 2021June 27, 2021377 Comments

Writers, start your computers!

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

WOOHOO!

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost or a little encouragement to get writing….or maybe just a little fun!

You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies…which keeps getting added to!)

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

Let’s jump into Week #2!

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

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

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

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

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

Some published examples of clever re-tellings are:

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

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

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

Column A – Adj.	Column B – Character	Column C – Verb	Column D – Noun
Old	Monster	Turned Into	Ghost
Smart	Grandma	Followed	Toad
Brave	Warthog	Fought With/Bullied	Friend
Shy	T-Rex	Ran From/Ran To/Ran Up	Sword
Huge	Kitten	Played Tricks On	Bear
Small	Python	Wished For/Wished On	Moon/Star
Mean	Cowboy	Lassoed	Bee
Strange	Baby	Swallowed	Witch
Wild	Zookeep	Taunted	Tree
Cute	Lion	Lived With/Lived In/Lived On	Boat

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

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

and it must be a cumulative story!

Stories can rhyme or not – totally up to you!
You can go under or over 100 words if you want to – also totally up to you! – 100 is just a guideline
If you’re deeply inspired by another set of words, go for it! – the purpose here is inspiration and to get you writing!
For simplicity’s sake (and to aid skimming readers who might be interested in a particular thing) please say which column items you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, title, and word count.
For example:
There Was A Cute Kitten Who Followed His Nose
by Marcia Writer
107 words
cute, kitten, followed

So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!

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

Ready, set, WRITE! 😊

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

Check out the Week #2 stories!

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

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

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

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

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

Who Might She Be? – Dawn Young

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

There Was An Old Grandma – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

Where Is Baby’s Bear? – Hannah Roy LaGrone

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

Traffic Jam Baby – Elenore Byrne

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

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

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

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

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

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

There Was A Shy Kitten – Nicole Loos Miller

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing Kitten – Julie Kurtz

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

The Nose Of A Kitten – Elizabeth Volkmann

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

Come To My Party – Ashley B. Pedigo

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

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

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

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

The Hungriest Python Turned Into A Boat – Allison Strick

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

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

Are you New? – Marla Yablon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Huge Baby Swallowed A Witch – Bru Benson

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

The Old Cowboy – Katie Schwartz

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

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

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

The Grandma Who Bullied A Bear – Lynn Katz

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

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

A New Friend – Mia Geiger

There Was A Smart Grandma – Marty Findley

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

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

Not Guilty – Colleen Owen Murphy

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

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

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

PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊

Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊

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

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

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

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)

⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)

⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade (details coming)

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

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

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

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

⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal

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

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

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

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

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

May 12, 2021May 11, 202133 Comments

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

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

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

Old Fashioned Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cake

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

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

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Friends ‘Round The Bend

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

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

May 10, 2021June 27, 2021360 Comments

Good morning, my little chickens!

Are things feeling a wee bit humdrum?

Is daily routine getting you down?

Does this look familiar?

Just as I suspected!

It seems we’ve all got a case of the I Haven’t Gone Anywhere Done Anything Seen Anyone For A Year So What The Heck Can I Write About Blues!

But don’t worry.

I can fix that! 😊

All that’s required is a little tomfoolery! A few high jinx and shenanigans to knock the K off of FUNK and get us back to good old F-U-N!

Who’s with me?

Give me a woo!

WOO!

Give me a hoo!

HOO!

What does that spell?

Well. . . technically it doesn’t actually spell anything, since neither woo nor hoo is a letter, but one way or another it comes out

WOOHOO!

Now! Let’s have some fun!

And fun in this instance is. . .

another round of the ever-popular, practically world famous

(Not a contest exactly… no room in the blog calendar, no time for judging, no gigantic prizes on offer…but still (hopefully!) tons of fun!)

Here’s how it works:

Starting today, each Monday until June 21st (which makes 7 Mondays total and will get us to the end of the school term) I will post a Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt for a 100 word story. Post your story in the comment section for that week’s challenge (or if you have trouble posting it, email it to me and I’ll post it for you.) At the end of the 7 weeks, everyone who has posted one story for each week’s prompt will

A) have 7 brand new stories to play with! (Who knows? Your next picture book or even chapter book or longer might be sparked by something you write for the Challenge!)

B) be able to take credit for entertaining lots of fellow writers and their kids (not to mention you’ll entertain yourself and your own kids!)

and

C) qualify to win a prize from the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Mystery Bag of Marvelous Prizes for Writers! (Last year we managed to scare up enough prizes that all of the approximately 40 people who completed the challenge got something, but we’ll have to see how the available prizes stack up this year – if there aren’t enough for everyone who completes the challenge we’ll have to randomly draw winners until we run out of prizes, but you will still win A and B above!)

You can compete with yourself to see if you can write all 7 stories! You can compete with your writing friends to see if you can write more than they do! And if you want to get really competitive, you can all read the stories that are posted and “like” the ones you think are best and see who gets the most “likes” 😊 (If you do that there might be some special prizes…who can tell??? 😊)

When the going get’s humdrum, children’s writers beat the blues by playing writing games and creating new stories to keep themselves and everyone around them entertained!

So here we go!

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #1 for Week of May 10:

Choose a character from Column A and something the character needs from Column B and write a 100 word story for children entitled _____Column A_____ Needs A _____Column B_____ If you wish, you may also select a random item from Column C to include in your story.

For example: Hermit Crab Needs A Home. (And perhaps you’d include a harmonica somewhere in the story.)

Or, if something in Column C strikes your fancy you can use that as the thing your character needs, e.g. Hummingbird Needs Help.

Get the idea?

Here are the options:

Column A – Character	Column B – Something Needed	Column C – random item
Hedgehog	Home	Hockey Stick (or Hockey Puck)
Hammerhead	Hug	Horse (or Sea Horse)
Hermit Crab	Hint	Harmonica
Hummingbird	Hobby	Hero
Hare	Holiday	Help
Henry or Hilary	Hat	Helicopter

If a central idea would be helpful to you in your writing, you can focus your story on Mother’s Day, since that is fresh in all our minds this morning 😊, but that is NOT required.

In an attempt to answer possible questions I will say:

you can write as many stories as you want each week
you can post them at any time during the week (just make sure they’re on the Monday Mix ‘n’ Match Mini post for the week you’re entering – e.g. below for Week #1))
you can play catch up (so if you miss a week you can go back and add to an earlier week if you’re trying to complete the challenge and qualify for prizes as long as all entries are posted on the correct week and are posted no later than Saturday June 26th at midnight Eastern time.)
no illustration notes
You may go over the word count if you’re on a roll and you wish to (because there is no judging 😊)
You may write in poetry or prose

(This is where the sample I intended to write belongs, but since I haven’t had time to write it yet I’ll have to add it in!)

And here’s a little sampling of the prizes up for grabs to whet your competitive spirit 😊 MORE TO COME!

When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who completed the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊

⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann

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

⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)

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

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

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

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

⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

Check out the Week 1 Stories!

Henry Needs A Holiday – Joyce Uglow

Hank Needs A Hug – Jen Subra

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

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Laura Bower

Hummingbird Needs A Hug – Ann Gray

Humphrey Hummingbird Needs A (New) Hobby – Clearywriter

Hedgehog Needs A Hobby – Erika

Hare Needs A Hug – Brenda Whitehead

Henry Hare Needs A Hat – Marty Bellis

Henry Needs A Hug – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez

Hermit Crab Needs A Home – Sarah Hawklyn

Henry Hedgehog – Michelle S. Kennedy

Henrietta’s New Home – Rose Cappelli

Hilary Needs A Hug – Sarah Meade

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

Helicopter Hummingbird – Linda Schueler

Untitled – Marta Magellan

Hilary The Hummingbird – Julie Kurtz

A Holiday For Mrs. Hare – Judy Sobanski

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

Hyena’s Hiccups – Marla Yablon

Hermit Crab Needs A Holiday – Carrines Clifton

Henry Hummingbird Needs A Home – Jennifer Reichow

Henry’s Discovery – Dawn Young

Henry Needs Some Luck – Allison Strick

Henry Needs A Holiday Hero – Ashley Sierra

Hoglet Hurry Home – Sally Yorke-Viney

A Hat For Hammerhead – Ashley B. Pedigo

Hallie Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Christine Alemshah

Hudson Hammerhead Needs A Hug – Jeannette Suhr

Henry Needs A Hobby – Sue Lancaster

Hare And His Harmonica – Lyn Jekowsky

Horst Needs A Hug – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – Sara Kruger

Hammerhead Needs A Hockey Stick – Les Degnan

Henry Needs A Hint – Deb Sullivan

Hare Needs A Hobby – Marta Cutler

Hare Needs A Holiday – Aly Kenna

Hilary Needs A Hint – Mia Geiger

Henry Needs A Hint – Elenore Byrne

Hare Style – Hannah Roy LaGrone

Hillary Hare Needs A Holiday – Barbara Farr Renner

Hammerhead Needs A Holiday – Dianne Irving

Hilary Needs A Harmonica – MWREX

Henry Needs A Hug – Val McCammon

Harry Hammerhead Has A Hard Day – Susan Summers

A Horse For Hermit Crab – Jill Lambert

A Home For Hedgehog – Elizabeth Volkmann

Hare Needs A Home – Jessica Murray

Hammerhead Needs Help – Katie Schwartz

Untitled – Lauri Meyers

Hedgehog Needs A Hat – Candace

Hedgehog Needs A Home – Summer Hinderer

Spiny The Hedgehog – Eva Kaman

Hopping Lonely – Jamie Bills

Henry Needs A Hint – Lauren Scott

Hare Needs A Hat – Jana Mattern

Hilary’s Holiday – Bevin Rolfs Spencer

Henry Hare’s New Hobby – Bru Benson

Hedgehog Hugs – Marty Findley

Hermit Crab Needs A Hat – Lynn Katz

Henry Hammerhead Needed A Hug – Padgy Soltis

Hedgehog Hates Hugs – TL Fales

Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Amy Leskowski

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

Henry Needs A Hero – Colleen Owen Murphy

Hugo Hammerhead Needs A Hat – Deb Buschman

Henry Hedgehog Needs A Home – Elizabeth Muster

Hedgehog Needs A Hint – Brenna Jeanneret

Hummingbird Needs A Holiday – JC Kelly

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

May 5, 2021May 4, 202147 Comments

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

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

I have always loved to swing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That one is still in the back yard.

You know that Robert Louis Stevenson poem?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Recipe HERE at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons

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

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Ty’s Treasures

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

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

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

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

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

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

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

April 28, 2021April 27, 202113 Comments

Good Wednesday to you all!

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

I know!

It boggles the mind!

But here it is:

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

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

Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section!

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

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

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

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

Find her on the twitter at @Diane02789257

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Stop! Stop!

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

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

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

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

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

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

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

April 21, 2021April 20, 202132 Comments

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

Do you know why?

Because April 21st is Kindergarten Day!

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

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

Need a topic?

Let me rummage around and randomly pick something. . .

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

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

Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake

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

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

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

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Buddy And The Blue Crew

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #385 – Looking For Scorpions (PB)

April 14, 2021April 13, 202134 Comments

Good Wednesday to you all!

Here on Blueberry Hill, the flowers are finally making an appearance

and Violet’s fence is coming along – not something I really wanted to have to install, but she’s getting a little too adventurous and baby animal season is upon us! The baby animals of Blueberry Hill must be protected from my bad baby!

Don’t worry – it’s not done! Gaps that wide would obviously be completely ineffective! 😊

What with it being April and all (really, anything will do as a reason 😊) I think it’s past time for Something Chocolate. How about some Fudgy Oreo Brownies? Because what’s better than a brownie? A fudgy oreo brownie!

Fudgy Oreo Brownies

How good do those look?! I recommend a little scoop of vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream to go along with. You know, just to add to the nutritional value (already high with all the vegetable goodness of the cocoa bean) with some calcium and protein 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Marta who says, “I’m a copywriter and Creative Director who has spent her entire career in advertising. I’ve ALWAYS loved children’s books and am an ardent collector. Having my own child was just an excuse to add even more.”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Looking For Scorpions

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

The Pitch: The minute Roz and her Mom arrive in Mexico she just knows it’s going to be the Best Most Special Mom-Daughter Holiday Ever—until the Hotel Manager tells them they have scorpions. Convinced they could be hiding anywhere Roz starts seeing them everywhere!! Will Roz be able to have fun? Will her Mom? Or will this turn out to be the Worst Most Awful Mom-Daughter Holiday Ever!

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 Marta 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 on April 28 and in May, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Marta is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to a little bit of birthday cake later…which I will probably be baking myself, but at least I have a good excuse 😊 It’s not every day you turn 29. . . for the 27th time 😊 🧁🧁🧁

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #384 – Princess Lucille’s Castle (PB)

April 7, 2021April 4, 202114 Comments

Howdy, Friends!

It’s once again time to answer that all important question: Would You Read It?

Because at the end of the day, that’s what writers, agents, and editors need to know, and what kids, parents, teachers, and librarians want to answer!

I think we should start by fueling up with Something Chocolate. After all, it’s important that our brains be firing on all cylinders 😊 How do you feel about No Bake Oreo Cheesecake (that manages to look like a milkshake!) for breakfast, coffee break, second breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon pick-me-up, tea time, dinner. . . or whatever coincides with your arrival time here?

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

YUM! I knew you’d be in favor! It is impossible to resist anything with Oreos 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Carol who says, “My passion is writing for children. I love to entertain, amuse, and inspire them.”

Find her on the web at http://caroliverson.net

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Princess Lucille’s Castle

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-5)

The Pitch: Princess Lucille gives you a tour of her castle beginning at the moat and drawbridge and takes you through each room to the exit where you can buy princesses souvenirs.

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 Carol improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

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

Carol is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to getting started on fencing part of my yard (not that I really want to…) because some people (ahem…Violet!) cannot be trusted now that baby animal season is fast upon us. Also, she has exhibited a proclivity for taking herself nearly 1/4 mile down the road to help herself to the neighbor’s trash. She brought back a 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk in a plastic jug on Friday. The time has come to rein this bad baby in!

Don’t let the sweet innocent look fool you! 😊

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #383 – Goldilocks: A Very Tired Tale (PB)

March 31, 2021March 29, 202118 Comments

Howdy, Friends!

I don’t know where the days disappear to, but somehow here we’ve rolled around to another Would You Read It Wednesday AND it’s the last day of March!

Seeing as how tomorrow is April Fools’ Day, may I suggest (at the risk of promoting my own book 🙃) a little reading material for anyone who is looking?

I’ll make it teeny so it’s less self-promotional 😊

Ok, forget teeny 😊 And forgive me for getting Ain’t She Sweet stuck in your head for the rest of the day 😊

Now, as a reward for putting up with my shameless self-promotion, may I offer you Something Chocolate? Death By Chocolate Eclair Cake sounds like a perfect choice!

Death By Chocolate Eclair Cake

Recipe HERE at Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen

Yumyumyum! Creamy and chocolate-y and scrumptiously delicious! Feel free to take an extra slice for later. You never know when you might need a quick pick-me-up!

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Jamie who says, “I’ve been working on picture books for a few years. In terms of style, they are all over the place: lyrical, humorous, and now a fractured fairy tale. I have entered a few editions of your fabulous contests and enjoy the community you’ve created. People can find/follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/jmdonahoe or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jamiedonahoe/“

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Goldilocks: A Very Tired Tale

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

The Pitch: Goldilocks is exhausted and knows deep down there is a solution, but she can’t quite put her finger on it. Mares? Pears? Stairs? Hijinks ensue as Goldilocks puts her quest for rest to the test in this fractured fairy tale.

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 Jamie improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

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

Jamie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to APRIL which, in addition to having a realistic chance at a little spring weather, is a month which boasts 6 family birthdays PLUS jelly beans and chocolate easter eggs! Eggsellent!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #382 – Wait For Cate (PB)

March 24, 2021March 23, 202114 Comments

Howdy, friends!

Did you know that today is National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day?

Raisins, being very tiny, are perhaps not the best vehicle for maximizing one’s chocolate experience, but still, chocolate is chocolate and raisins do happen to go well with it! And clearly they make an excellent writing snack. I knew you would want to celebrate accordingly 😊

But that was just a bonus because it happens to be a National Holiday!

Since it’s Wednesday, we still get to treat ourselves to Something (else) Chocolate. I picked cake, because…well… it’s cake! 😊, and cherry because it’s pink and spring-like and makes me think of cherry blossoms 🌸 Dig in!

Cherry Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake

Now that we are extra-specially supplied with chocolate, let’s get to today’s pitch which comes to us from Diana. Diana Gibson is a pre-published author with 30 years teaching Special Ed and El-Ed children. She has a Masters Degree in Reading Diagnostics and Remedial Reading. She’s also spent 22 years in the Army and worked weekends as a Pyrotechnician all over the world.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Wait For Cate

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

The Pitch: Cate promised her team she’d finally be on time for the championship kickball game. But when she encounters the new girl in her class, stuck in the sand on the playground in her wheelchair, she has to make a BIG decision. Should she help or hurry on by? The clock’s ticking.

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 April, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Diana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to getting to see 2 of my daughters, whom I have not seen in way too many months! (Because they work in priority fields they are both fully vaccinated now – hurray! 😊)

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Susanna Leonard Hill

Children's Author

Tag: writing fun

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

Check out the Week #2 stories!

PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

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

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

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

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

Would You Read It Wednesday #385 – Looking For Scorpions (PB)

Would You Read It Wednesday #384 – Princess Lucille’s Castle (PB)

Would You Read It Wednesday #383 – Goldilocks: A Very Tired Tale (PB)

Would You Read It Wednesday #382 – Wait For Cate (PB)