Doesn’t that look delicious?! And I know you can appreciate all the calcium, protein, and vegetable of the cocoa bean therein! 😊
Also, it’s a good day for cake because it’s Scouty’s birthday (not that she can have German Chocolate Cheesecake, but there will be a little plain yellow cupcake for her later – it’s not everyday you turn 14!)
Please may I have some cake? 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah whom you will remember from last month with her pitch for My Antler Is Missing. Sarah grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan. She loves rocks and has collected many. She loves the Kindness Rocks project and leaves rock treasures for others to find on beaches, trails, and in neighbor’s trees.
Find her on the web at: sarahatobias.com Twitter: @peacefulheart63 Insta: @sarahpeaceandsmile
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Kindness Rocks
Age/Genre: Graphic Novel (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Even Kindness Rocks have their struggles. After Crin wakes up on the wrong side of the bedrock, his day feels like it’s going from bad to worse until his best friend Iggy arrives with a little gift. With the day turned around, Crin and Iggy plunge into the water for a swim and rock and roll into the evening as summer vacation begins.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Sarah improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in February, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to Scouty’s birthday cake! 😊 (which I have to go bake 😊)
I hope you’ll indulge me for one moment to share my new book with you since it had it’s birthday yesterday 😊
written by Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by John Joseph, published by Sourcebooks
I enjoyed writing this book to celebrate grandmas of every kind in every place – each one so special to her grandchildren in her own unique way. And John did such an amazing job with the illustrations! I hope you’ll like it if you get a chance to take a look at it.
Here’s a sneak peek at a couple of the pictures 😊
text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill 2021, illustration copyright John Joseph 2021, Sourcebooks Wonderlandtext copyright Susanna Leonard Hill 2021, illustration copyright John Joseph 2021, Sourcebooks Wonderland
Can’t everyone appreciate a grandma who helps her defeat dragons? 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Aundra whom you will remember from November with her pitch for Gregory The Garbage Truck. Aundra says, “I am a middle school special education teacher and mother to a 4 year old and 2.5 year old.”
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Beach Sand Waves
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: BEACH SAND WAVES is a 600 word picture book about a child who is willing to endure the thing they hate most to get to be with what they love.
Everyone loves the beach, but Morgan. Sand: It’s like glue. It’s everywhere. And there are bugs. Morgan’s day at the beach is nothing like a day at the beach, but to get to what Morgan loves more, first SAND. #wndb #nonfiction #pb
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Aundra improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Aundra is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to actually getting a copy of DEAR GRANDMA to hold in my hot little hands! I think my copies might come today. . . fingers crossed!
⭐️Deck the Halls! ⭐️ Light the menorah! ⭐️ Fill the Kikombe cha Umoja! ⭐️
It’s time for . . .
THE10THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
~forchildren’swriters~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about a Holiday Helper!
Your helper can be one helper, or a pair, or a group or a bevy or a herd of helpers. Your helpers can be children, animals, elves, aliens, unicorns, fairies . . . whatever your heart desires. He/she/they can help bake, decorate, shovel snow, wrap gifts, clean the house, entertain guests, feed the hungry, comfort the lonely, bring the holiday spirit to those who have lost it – sky’s the limit 😊 But the focus of the story must be on helping – not just a brief mention in passing that Marla helped Dad set the table in the middle of a story about her frustration at not getting the starring role in the school holiday pageant.
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s or whatever you celebrate during the Holiday Season, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 😊 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 😊 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted between right now this very second and Wednesday December 9th at 11:59 PM EST, in ONE of the following three ways:
Post your entry on your own blog and enter your post-specific link (not your main blog URL) to the link list below, OR
Paste your entry in the comment section below (please include your byline since if your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight I will have no idea who you are 😊), OR
If you have trouble pasting your entry in the comment section for any reason (which unfortunately does happen!) you can email it to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I will post it for you. If you email it, please copy and paste your entry into the body of the email NO ATTACHMENTS – they will not be opened. Please include your title and byline at the top of your entry. (And since there have been many questions about this byline means who it’s by, for example, The Hanukkah Helper by Janie Simcox.)
Please submit your entry only ONCE! If you add it to the blog link list, and the comments, and email me to post it, things get very confusing! I try to stay as glued to my desk as possible, but sometimes I have to get up so if I don’t respond to your email or approve your post immediately, don’t panic! I’ll get to it as soon as I can!
There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or Perfect Picture Book) for the duration of the contest so this post with the links and comments will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy until I post the finalists.
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 10 finalists (depending on the number of entries – if we get a lower turnout we’ll post fewer finalists, a higher turnout possibly one or two more.) In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Monday December 14th for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Wednesday December 16th at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Thursday December 17th. (These dates are subject to adjustment if it takes the judges longer than we anticipate to get the judging completed.)
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Helpers! – the rules state a Holiday Helper story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about someone helping someone else in some way during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s, or whatever seasonal winter holiday you choose. The story must center on helping – the help must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 😊 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes!: The prize list is completely and totally awesome! Read! Covet! Write your best! 😊
A Picture Book Manuscript Read and Critique by Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez of Olswanger Literary! Although she is currently closed to submissions (making this prize EXTRA special!) a look at her wish list will give you an idea of what she likes.
Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez
A 12×12 Silver Membership (valued at $177 but worth so much more!) generously donated by author and 12×12 founder and queen, Julie Hedlund! 12×12 is a fantastic, educational, supportive community with TONS to offer its members, including interesting and informational webinars of all kinds, access to forums and critiques, and the chance to submit to agents. If you’re not familiar with it, you can learn all about it HERE. Julie is the author of A Troop Is A Group of Monkeys (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013), My Love For You Is The Sun (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2014), and the forthcoming Over, Bear! Under, Where? (Philomel Books, Fall 2021)
Julie Hedlund Photo credit Kim Huggins
A Picture Book Manuscript Read and On The Spot Critique by prolific author Laura Purdie Salas! Laura offers a 50-minute on on-the-spot critique via Zoom for one picture book manuscript of up to 600 words (fiction or nonfiction, rhyming or prose or poetry). She will read it out loud to the writer and then do a critique right then and answer questions. Laura is a writer of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, her own submissions and work for hire – she’s done it all! She is also the author of a number of fantastic books for writers which are often given as prizes here. Some of her books include A Leaf Can Be (Millbrook Press 2012), Clover Kitty Goes To Kittygarten (Two Lions 2020), Snowman – Cold = Puddle (Charlesbridge 2019), If You Were The Moon (Millbrook Press 2017), Making A Living Writing Books For Kids (CreateSpace 2017), and Picture Books The Write Way (CreateSpace 2014)
Rate Your Story owner, Picture Book Mechanic, and author Lynne Marie is offering 4 amazing prizes!
[From the Rate Your Story site] “A SPEED PASS allows a Non-Member to submit to Rate Your Story, as well as a Member to submit additional items to best serve the rating and feedback needs of our writing community.
We have a variety of Speedpass options, including pitches, query letters, art or a single manuscript at any time for a rating + guaranteed comments*, and it will be returned in less than 7 days’ time. Should you require a faster turnaround, fast pass options may be purchased to facilitate that.”
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021) She is on twitter at @SarafinaDesign
Personalized, signed copies of The Night Baafore Christmas (WorthyKids 2019) by Dawn Young and Louis (HMH Books For Young Readers 2020) by Tom Lichtenheld, illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch. The Night Baafore Christmas will be signed by Dawn, the author. Louis will be signed by Julie, the illustrator.
Two Picture Books (TBD) donated by Darshana Khiani, whose own picture book How To Wear A Sari is forthcoming from Versify in June 2021.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
This is the part in the proceedings where I would normally post my sample to entertain and encourage you. Ahem. Seems I’ve been a little over-scheduled with life lately, and my sample isn’t quite finished. . . If I can get it done whilst running the contest I’ll pop it in here. If not, you guys have the hang of these contest by now and you don’t really need my example! 😊
I know you guys are going to come up with great stories, and I’m so looking forward to reading them all! 😊
***UPDATE 12/8/20*** – I’m late adding this in and it would have benefited greatly from more time to work and a slightly longer word count, but. . .
A Little Christmas Joy (249 words)
Cara longed to play in the snow. She wanted to open her mouth and feel the cold snowflakes melt on her tongue. She wanted to lie on her back and make snow angels. But Cara wasn’t allowed outside alone, and everyone was busy inside because it was Christmas Eve. “So many presents to wrap!” Mom said. “I’ll help!” said Cara. She handed Mom scissors and tape, and pressed her finger to the crossed ribbon so Mom could tie a snug bow. “This tree needs decorating!” said Dad. “I’ll help!” said Cara. She hung pepperminty candy canes from the fragrant-needled boughs wherever she felt spaces. “So much cookie dough to bake!” said Cara’s big sister. “I’ll help!” said Cara. She grinned and scooped a fingerful of dough from the bowl into her mouth. The whole day passed, and Cara never got to play in the snow. She carefully placed cookies and milk on the hearth for Santa, along with apples for the reindeer. When Santa arrived, he saw everything Cara had helped with – the presents, the tree, the cookies – and her snow boots waiting hopefully by the back door. He smiled and whispered, “You help everyone else. It’s time you got a little special help yourself.” When Cara awoke, her gift was beside her. A wet nose, a wagging tail, and a note in Braille on her collar that read: Hi Cara! I’m Joy, your Guiding Eyes. I can’t wait to take you out to play in the snow!
*** There you have it 😊 ***
With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot of entries – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories! And don’t miss the fabulous entries that are posted in the comments below! The titles are listed and linked just below the link list at the bottom of the post and will take you directly to the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Holidays!!!🎄⭐️ ✡️❄️☃️🕎
Don’t miss the 119!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments below! The titles are linked and will take you directly to the stories!
I think I can say that now that Thanksgiving is over and it’s December 😊❄️🎄
At some point in the not-too-distant future, I’m going to plug in all my holiday lights and see how many bulbs need replacing – always a fun job – which promises to be even more fun with Violet’s help! (Apparently there is no dog-tangled-in-Christmas-lights emoji, but there should be! 😊)
Since we’re embracing the Holiday Spirit, for today’s Something Chocolate let’s have some Candy Cane Pie! Doesn’t that sound delicious? And festive?!
Look at that chocolate-y crust, the little chocolate chips, and that lovely chocolate drizzle! Yum! And so pretty with the candy canes sprinkled in! I know I don’t even need to remind you of the health benefits of eating vegetables for breakfast (peppermint is a leafy green, and chocolate is a bean!) 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah. Sarah Tobias is a, writer, artist, master naturalist, and retired librarian. She loves rescuing worms from puddles, has a collection of dead insects, and found bones. She would rather be outside than inside even on a bad weather day. She discovered on the playground during recess, that the kids at school couldn’t remember if worms had eyes, she thought she should clear things up.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: My Antler Is Missing
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: “MY ANTLER IS MISSING” Moose cries when he wakes and scratches his head. A mystery is afoot. Moose and his bestie Mouse head off on an adventure discovering clues and track prints. They romp through the winter forest chasing down possible thieves as they search for Moose’s missing antler.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Sarah improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to untangling miles of Christmas lights – so sparkly! 😊
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so it seems an appropriate moment to say
It would be no fun at all around here without you guys, so thanks for hanging around and participating in the high jinx and shenanigans and general tomfoolery! 😊
And since it’s almost Thanksgiving, let’s have something Thanksgiving-y for Something Chocolate today! I was going to go with chocolate-covered strawberry turkeys, (I added the link in case any of you wish to check them out) but this Chocolate Pecan Piecaken looked too good to miss 😊
And everyone knows that pecans are really good for you because of some reason or other 😊 so you don’t even have to feel guilty having seconds! 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Aundra who says, “I am a middle school special education teacher and mother to a 4 year old and 2.5 year old. This book was inspired by my 4 year old son who has loved garbage cans and trucks for more than half his life.”
The Pitch: GREGORY THE GARBAGE TRUCK is a 548-word picture book for the 3-9 year old range, especially those who wake up early to watch the garbage trucks come by. Gregory is a lonely garbage truck who putters through his daily routine: Drive around/Clamp the bin/Lift it up/ Dump it in. Day after day, his boredom, loneliness, and stench grows until he meets some clever and unexpected friends. This whimsical, humorous story shows the struggle of making friends when you smell like old socks sprayed by a skunk and washed in dirty diapers. GREGORY THE GARBAGE TRUCK combines the refrain of TRASHY TOWN (1999) by Andrea Zimmerman with the desire for friendship in THE INVISIBLE BOY (2013) by Trudy Ludwig and the symbiotic relationship modeled in AMAZING ANIMAL FRIENDSHIPS (2017) by Pavla Hanackova.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Aundra improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Aundra is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. It’s going to be a little weird – not the big family get-together of other years because we’re all trying to be cautious and maintain small, same-household gatherings with appropriate social distance, for everyone’s benefit but especially because my parents are 91 and 90 – but still a moment to give thanks for all that we have, most especially each other.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone, and a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!!! 😊
‘Twas nearly Thanksgiving When here on my site I realized you guys needed Guidelines to write For the annual Holiday Contest. I know! I’ve left you with only fourteen days to go! So put on your thinking cap! Warm up your pen! For Holiday Contest – numéroTEN!
Okay.
Clement C. Moore I may not be. . . 😊
I mean, if I’m going to be honest about it, I’m not really sure what a sugarplum even is. . . !
Let’s just put dancing fruits right out of our heads for a moment because I have big news!
Huge Excitement!
SOMETHING TO TWIRL YOUR TINSEL FOR!
The guidelines for . . .
THE10THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
~forchildren’swriters~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about a Holiday Helper!
Your helper can be one helper, or a pair, or a group or a bevy or a herd of helpers. Your helpers can be children, animals, elves, aliens, unicorns, fairies . . . whatever your heart desires. He/she/they can help bake, decorate, shovel snow, wrap gifts, clean the house, entertain guests, feed the hungry, comfort the lonely, bring the holiday spirit to those who have lost it – sky’s the limit 😊 But the focus of the story must be on helping – not just a brief mention in passing that Marla helped Dad set the table in the middle of a story about her frustration at not getting the starring role in the school holiday pageant.
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s or whatever you celebrate during the Holiday Season, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 😊 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 😊 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between 12:01 AM EST Monday December 7th and Wednesday December 9th at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on the official holiday contest post which will go up on my blog on Monday December 7th and remain up for your reading pleasure until I post the finalists. There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debut, Would You Read It, or Perfect Picture Book) for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you would like to enter but don’t have a blog you are welcome to paste your entry in the comment section of my December 7th post when it goes up. If you have trouble commenting, you can email me. (We’ll go over this part in more detail on the December 7th post! 😊 )
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 10 finalists (depending on the number of entries and final number of prizes – if we get a lower turnout we’ll post fewer finalists, a higher turnout possibly one or two more.) In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Monday December 14th for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Wednesday December 16th at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Thursday December 17th. (These dates are subject to adjustment if it takes the judges longer than we anticipate to get the judging completed.)
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Helpers! – the rules state a Holiday Helper story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about someone helping someone else in some way during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s, or whatever seasonal winter holiday you choose. The story must center on helping – the help must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 😊 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes!: The prize list is under construction. . . But I wanted to get the guidelines up so you guys would have as much time as possible to work on your stories! Stay tuned for an updated list at some point 😊
A Picture Book Manuscript Read and Critique by Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez of Olswanger Literary! Although she is currently closed to submissions (making this prize EXTRA special!) a look at her wish list will give you an idea of what she likes.
Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez
A 12×12 Silver Membership (valued at $177 but worth so much more!) generously donated by author and 12×12 founder and queen, Julie Hedlund! 12×12 is a fantastic, educational, supportive community with TONS to offer its members, including interesting and informational webinars of all kinds, access to forums and critiques, and the chance to submit to agents. If you’re not familiar with it, you can learn all about it HERE. Julie is the author of A Troop Is A Group of Monkeys (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013), My Love For You Is The Sun (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2014), and the forthcoming Over, Bear! Under, Where? (Philomel Books, Fall 2021)
Julie Hedlund Photo credit Kim Huggins
Rate Your Story owner, Picture Book Mechanic, and author Lynne Marie is offering 4 amazing prizes!
[From the Rate Your Story site] “A SPEED PASS allows a Non-Member to submit to Rate Your Story, as well as a Member to submit additional items to best serve the rating and feedback needs of our writing community.
We have a variety of Speedpass options, including pitches, query letters, art or a single manuscript at any time for a rating + guaranteed comments*, and it will be returned in less than 7 days’ time. Should you require a faster turnaround, fast pass options may be purchased to facilitate that.”
A Picture Book Manuscript Critique by gifted author and former Holiday Contest prize winner, Jenna Waldman, author of the forthcoming Larry’s Latkes (October 2021) (originally written for the Holiday Contest!) and Shark-bot Shalom (August 2021)
Two Picture Books (TBD) donated by Darshana Khiani, whose own picture book How To Wear A Sari is forthcoming from Versify in June 2021.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
So there you have it! Fire up those brain cells! Grab a cup of hot chocolate, plonk your tiny hiney into a comfy chair, and get to writing your potentially prize-winning Holiday Helper story!!! You have 14 full days! (And remember, I’m being a helper because deadlines are great for creativity and productivity!) So what if you’re in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this week! Your little cherubs can model helpfulness and serve as inspiration for your contest entry by peeling potatoes, making up the bed in the spare room for Great Auntie Brunhilda, bathing the cats, and whatever other little chores need doing! You’ll have plenty of time to write! 😊
On your mark…
…get set…
…GO!
I am SO looking forward to getting to read all your stories!!!
In this unusual year, when people have been isolated and separated and lots of folks are more than ever in need of holiday cheer, lending a helping hand seemed like a nice topic. I hope you’ll all have fun with it!
I don’t mean to make you jealous, but it’s pretty much non-stop fun and games here on Blueberry Hill where the dogs and I entertain ourselves with such tried-and-true favorite activities as vacuuming, laundry, sweeping leaves out of the garage, and dusting. (I know! What times are these when Susanna Hill is reduced to dusting?! 😊) Violet is especially helpful, doing her energetic best to protect me from the vacuum, abscond with every single sock she can get her little jaws on, pounce on every leaf, and grab the dust cloths and run away with them, refusing to be caught. Scout contributes by shedding so I have something to vacuum and dust 😊
The weather is getting colder. Yesterday it actually snowed at my house for a little while, and today the expected high temperature is only 34 degrees, so I think the perfect Something Chocolate is Hot Cocoa Cookies! Doesn’t that sound good?
I think they’d be extra delicious with some hot cocoa! You can never have too much chocolate, especially on a chilly day! I mean, let’s face it – we need to be well-fueled because we’re burning an outrageous number of calories just staying warm! Or we would be if we didn’t have central heating and/or a fireplace or wood stove 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Diana who says, “I am Diana Lynn Gibson, a retired teacher who never gave up her passion for children’s picture books. There are more picture books on my bookshelves than novels- and what serious children’s book writer does not? And the funnier, the better. Come on over and we’ll giggle together! Here’s my spinoff on Little Red Riding Hood.”
Find her on the web at
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Little Witch Zooming Broom
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Look up! There she zips again. Now she’s off to Grandma’s house with her basket of Trick-or-Treat goodies. But when Werewolf tries to trick Little Witch Zooming Broom, he finds she has tricks of her own under her hat.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Diana improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Diana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to writing something new if I can get Violet to take a nap long enough for me to put two sentences together! 😊
I mean really. How scrumptious does that look? It’s like hot chocolate turned into a cake. Clearly breakfast! 😊
nonnomnomnomnom!
Ah! I feel refreshed! How about you? Ready for some pitching?
Me too!
Today’s pitch which comes to us from Patricia. Patricia is a serial mover and mother to three adult humans and two orange pups. She loves gardening, snorkeling, and exploring new places.
Find her on the web at: Wander, Ponder, Write Twitter: @ptntweets Instagram: ptnozell
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Back To The Sea
Age/Genre: Informational Fiction Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: One magical morning on a lush, tropical island, a young child accompanies a cast of terrestrial hermit crabs as they scritchedy-scratch and clickety-clack on their annual journey to spawn in the sea. Inspired by a viral video of this rarely-viewed event, this lyrical STEM manuscript is Hawk Rising for beach lovers.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Patricia improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Patricia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to a very long nap which I will be scheduling to take place when I have time. . . perhaps a year from Tuesday or so 😊
Before we go, let’s take a moment to celebrate and thank our veterans, since today is their day. I’m sure we all have at least one veteran right in our own families, and to say we owe them everything is not an overstatement. We live the lives we live today because of them. Thank you all for your service ❤️
The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask. Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂 (And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got over 325 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. skeletons, creepy/crept, masked/unmasked, whathaveyou 🙂 NO ILLUSTRATION NOTES PLEASE! (And yes, you may submit more than one entry if you’re so inclined 🙂 )
Post: your story on your blog between right now this very second and Saturday October 31st by 11:59 PM Eastern Time and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Tuesday Debut, Perfect Picture Book or Would You Read It posts for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline if your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight so I can identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the emailincluding your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! And please do not submit entries in more than one place because it becomes confusing.
The Judging: in a grueling marathon over the following days, my devoted assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to 369 12? top choices (give or take… you know how hard it is to choose!) which will be posted here and voted on for a winner on Wednesday November 4th or Thursday November 5th (if the judging takes longer than we expect if could be later…but we will do our best!) The winner will be announced on Monday November 9th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 😊 )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
6. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Large numbers of entries make it easy to cut entries that haven’t been entered as we asked.
The Prizes: SO AMAZING! What a generous community we have to donate so much awesomeness!!! 😊
1 – Get Your MS in Tip Top Shape With Vivian Kirkfield!
Vivian is offering a PB MS Critique (fiction or nonfiction/rhyming or prose), along with a 30 minute Skype or FB video chat to discuss, along with a read-through of the revision. And top it all off she will also help you with a query/cover letter edit to go with your polished up ms! WOW!
2 – Penny’s Two Cents – an incredible opportunity for any picture book writer!
Sometimes it’s helpful to chat with a published author about your writing journey. Penny Parker Klostermann is offering her two cents. The prize includes General/Big-Picture Feedback on one picture book manuscript + One 30-Minute Chat (Rhyming or prose-750 words or under) Penny doesn’t claim to have it all figured out, (by any means) but she’s happy to share her two cents based on what she’s learned and continues to learn on her journey as an author.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school visits, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 😊
Now then, my pretties! It’s past the witching hour in the dead of night – very appropriate for a Halloween story, don’t you think? – and the time has come for me to embarrass myself my sample entry which should fill you with confidence in your own MUCH MUCH better efforts!!!
Halloween A pumpkin moon A ghostly ship A still lagoon Tattered sails Like swirling mist Ancient rigging Creaks and twists Skull and crossbones Striking fear Warning sailors Far and near Captain Jack Comes thump-a-peg Limping on His broomstick leg “Steady now,” breathes Captain Jack, “Mustn’t blow our sneak attack!” Silently The ghost ship glides Closer . . . Closer . . . On the tides Guided through The murky blue By the ghastly Skeleton crew Stealthily it comes abreast creeping uninvited guest nearing windows warm with light no idea of their plight Captain Jack Deceit complete Unmasks and shouts out, “Trick-or-treat!”
It’s truly spooky how willing I am to embarrass myself for you! 😊😊😊
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! I’m so looking forward to them! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still nearly 3 days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Halloween!!! 😊 🎃
And don’t miss the 169!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments
below! (Hopefully each one is a link, but thanks to the new wordpress, I’ve redone the list twice with uncertain success!)
Okay. I know a lot of us feel that white chocolate isn’t real chocolate, only dark and milk chocolate’s poor cousin. But it is technically chocolate, and these mummies are so cute for a Halloween snack that I figured we could excuse white chocolate for being a bit of a wannabe today 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Nicole. A school social worker by day and a mama by every other waking moment, Nicole can usually be found laughing with her husband and two toddlers, drinking room temperature coffee, and cramming writing into every spare second.
The Pitch: When her octopus stuffie moves to the ocean to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a mermaid, a young girl is forced to move out of her comfort zone and an octopus learns what is truly important.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Nicole improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in January, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Nicole is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊
And can’t wait to see you TOMORROW for Halloweensie!!! 😊☢️
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