I'm squeaking my entry in. It's been a gloriously busy week--all great things, so I can't complain. I love Susanna Hill's holiday writing contests, and the Halloweensie is one of my faves. This years rules: "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 candy corn, monster, and shadow. (Candy corn will be counted as 1 word.)" My entry for this year coming in at 97 words:
If you're a fan of Susanna Hill's blog, you'll know that her holiday writing contest is open now! The rules for this year: "Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) using the basic format/concept of The Twelve Days Of Christmas! Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 300 words..." And coming in exactly at 300 words, my 2016 entry:
Griselda's Christmas Witch List
by Johnell DeWitt
Dear Santy Claws,
You haven’t brought me anything for eleven Christmases. I’ve been a good witch, so I’m sure it’s a mistake.
Yours wickedly,
Griselda
Dear Griselda,
You have been a good witch. Please send your list.
Love,
SantA ClaUS
Dear Santy Claws,
Here’s my list from each of the Christmases you missed (plus interest):
12 hungry children
11 tubs of frosting
10 walls of gingerbread
9 taffy curtains
8 giant gum drops
7 yards of licorice
6 pounds of peppermints
5 chocolate soldiers
4 cookie cobblestones
3 sugared steps
2 candied roof tops
And this year, an industrial-sized child proof oven.
All the Worst,
Griselda
Dear Griselda,
I thought your list sounded familiar. Fortunately, I read to my elves every night. We will not bring you children for Christmas.
Santa Claus—no “y” and no claws.
Dear Santy Claws,
I only want the sweet kiddies to help me decorate my gingerbread house. It gets lonely for witches at Christmas. How could a nice guy like you think so ill of me?
Grumbly yours,
Griselda
Dear Griselda,
I’m sure then, that the recipe for ‘Kid Knee Pie’ was not meant to be on the back of your last letter?
Santa—with an A andClaus—no WS!
Dear Santy Claws,
I recycle like all good witches. I reused that old paper to write you a letter. If you send it back, I’ll return it to the recycling bin.
Impatiently awaiting my presents,
Griselda
Dear Griselda,
Some kids and the other presents will arrive soon.
Merry Christmas,
Santy Claws
Dear Twerp,
Those baby goats ate everything! All they left was the oven, and I’m not setting one foot near there. I read too, you know. You just wait until October 31st. No treats for you!
I love Susanna Hill's contests. Thank you, Susanna! This year, I tried something new. I do not write in rhyme. I can't tell if the lines are anapest, dactyl or Dr. Seussian, but if I follow a mentor text (Langston Hughes happens to be one of my favorites), I can pull it off (shameless plug for mentor texts). This year, I used as a mentor text the "Water, water, everywhere," stanza from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. So here you have it folks, my 98-word Halloweensie entry using the words spider, moon and ghost. Spiders, Spiders, Everywhere by Johnell DeWitt Spiders, spiders, everywhere, On spindly legs they creep. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, A festival to keep. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, The Hallowball begins. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, With leaps and twirls and spins. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, They hang the moon with lace. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, And weave a ghostly face. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, They catch a tasty treat. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, And wrap it up to eat. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, They party through the night. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, And scatter at first light. Spiders, spiders, everywhere, You feel that on your cheek? Spiders, spiders, everywhere, Don’t look or you might … SHRIEK! If you want to see more about using mentor texts and learn about an upcoming mentor contest, please visit my site: https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/10/27/mentor-texts-and-a-contest/
It's that time again. Susanna Hill is hosting her Halloweensie contest. Rules: Write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words spider, ghost, and moon. The story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, but must include those 3 words stay at or under 100 words. I've been working on my entry to be posted here soon. Get started and join me. See here for the rest of the details: https://susannahill.com/2016/10/10/and-now-the-moment-youve-all-been-waiting-for/
I have a very sad kitty on my lap. She was spayed yesterday, and wow, did she hate that cone of shame. I concocted a kitty jumper today that still keeps her from getting to her stitches, but gives her more mobility and less clanging her poor little cone head on the walls. She's a much happier kitty now. So many things have been going on, not the least of which is our decision to homeschool our children. Since we are overseas, our options in schools are a bit limited, but not anymore. Now the world is our school and I hope to learn along with them. Our new adventure starts Friday. I am worried, of course, that I won't be able to pull off being a teacher, and that I will lose all my writing time. But we have an awesome curriculum, and I have to remind myself that I did work part time and go to college full time, so I can do this. It will take time to find our groove, but in the long run, I hope my children's educational experiences will be what is best for them. And who knows, maybe this adventure will help me be more productive with my writing time. Here's hoping. On that happy note, I have a few great things to share from the writing world this week: Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting the first ever Vanlentiny contest--much like the Halloweensie but with a Valentines theme obviously. The rules:
Write a "Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone is grumpy! Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone grumpy (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day)."
"The only writer to whom I should be comparing myself is the writer I was yesterday."
And finally, an incredible video from Jarrett J. Krosoczka (author of the Lunch Lady series) on how writing a reading saved his life. Inspirational story and a good reminder of why we need to write quality books for children. Have a great week.
Susanna Hill is holding her annual holiday writing contest. The rules:
Write a children's story (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) beginning with any version of "Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop." You may use that actual opening, or you may change it to any similar version "[Verb of your choice]ing [any preposition you choose] the [any item you choose] [any preposition you choose] the [venue of your choice]."
Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie contest starts today. The rules: Write a 100 word or less Halloween children's story using the words costume, dark and haunt. My entry for this year is:
Dark's Knight
by Johnell DeWitt
Dark didn’t usually need a costume. He scared most kids without one. But this year, Dark wanted to trick or treat, and people always stopped handing out candy when he showed up.
He could try something funny. But the clown nose with nothing behind it looked even scarier.
Something sparkly? But all the glitter in the world couldn’t make Dark shine.
He needed something solid.
He slipped into an old house and oozed into the lighted spaces. The house looked spooky, but he couldn’t trick or treat as a haunted house.
Hi all. Quick note to tell you that Picture Book Idea a Month--PiBoIdMo--is open for registration. Whoop! My third year running and I've loved it every year. Fantastic information, great people to meet and connect with and a chance to come up with 30 new ideas for picture books. Register on Tara Lazar's site here: http://taralazar.com/category/piboidmo-2015/ And stay tuned for tomorrow. My Halloweensie entry will be going up. Dancing a happy dance.
That time of year again! Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie writing contest. Rules: In 100 words or less, write a Halloween story using the words costume, dark, and haunt. You can use variations of the word, such as haunted, but the whole word must be in it. No art notes allowed. I did it last year and had a blast. So get your cackle on and start writing. Good luck.
It's here! Susanna Leonard Hill's holiday writing contest. The rules are: Write a children's story in which wild weather impacts the holidays in 350 words or less. (Scroll down to skip the info and get straight to the story.) Although my story is fictional, it is based on plausible events inspired by two of the places we've lived--a city near the Sahara and Djibouti. And no I'm not trying to offend anyone, Djibouti is an actual city in the country of the same name.
The French occupied Djibouti at one time and still maintain a foreign legion base there, and the U.S. military has its only military base in Africa there as well. I googled Djibouti and was rather disturbed to find several sites that listed Djibouti's average temperature at 85°F. I suppose that number is possible if the reading was taken from the air-conditioned office of the Minister of Propaganda, but I don't remember a day that felt below 90 °F. In fact, it was not uncommon to have temps in the 120s. A temperature reading at the U.S. military base even placed one summer day at 130°F with the humidity factored in.
Djibouti is hot, barren, and stinky. It's full of sand, feral dogs and goats that climb on cars or into the trees to reach the scruffy foliage that somehow survives in a place that smells and feels like a dryer full of towels washed in low tide. But it does have crystal-clear water (outside the city) and white-sand beaches. I frequently heard of wild sandstorms in the Sahara. I never personally experienced any while living near there nor in Djibouti, but as the video at the beginning shows, it can happen. And in my 338-word story, it does:
A Djiboutian Christmas by Johnell DeWitt
On Christmas Eve the desert wind howled and growled. Beth growled back.
“I want to go to our old home and build a snowman with Nana.”
“Sweetheart,” said Mom. “We can have Christmas in Djibouti too.”
“I hate Djibouti! It’s too hot for snow and too hot for Santa.”
“Santa will find us,” said Mom.
“But what if Santa’s reindeers get hot and can't fly? The only animals here are scruffy goats who climb trees and stinky dogs who live by the ocean. Santa can’t use climbing goats or soggy dogs to fly his sleigh.”
“Santa won’t come at all if you’re not asleep.”
“I don’t care if Santa comes,” huffed Beth. “Even Santa can’t make it snow in the desert!”
Mom sighed and pulled one of two dangling strings. The light went out, but the fan stayed on.
“Maybe Santa will surprise you.”
Beth grumbled as Mom closed the door, but the whir of the fan and the chick-chick-tap of sand caroled a desert lullaby.
All night the wind howled. All night the sand blew and in the morning…
Beth’s mom shook her awake.
“I’m waking you up on Christmas Day,” she laughed. “I think Santa heard you. Look out the window.”
Beth pushed aside her curtains. She could barely see her scraggly yard. Drifts of creamy sand frosted the walls like gingerbread icing.
“It’s a desert snow!” Beth squealed.
Dad held up a box dotted with prancing reindeer. “I think you should open this present first.”
Beth tore the wrapping off a new pail and shovel. She hugged her dad, slipped on her sandals and pushed her way out the door.
All morning Beth packed pail-loads of sand. All morning she molded and adorned until finally...
“I’m done,” she shouted. “Santa didn’t bring me snow for a snowman, but he did bring me sand for a sandman.”
A baseball-cap-wearing, carrot-nosed sandman grinned at Beth, and the desert wind blew in to say, “Merry Christmas.”
As if Halloweensie wasn't fun enough, Susanna Leonard Hill is at it again with her Holiday writing contest. Here are the rules: Write a children's story in which wild weather impacts the holidays! Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words. Any kind of weather is fair game.
