<![CDATA[Charlotte Dixon - Blog]]>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:21:21 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[#FallWritingFrenzy 2022 Contest]]>Sat, 01 Oct 2022 20:52:21 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/fallwritingfrenzy-2022-contestThe #FallWritingFrenzy 2022 contest train has pulled into the station and its raring to pullout with some awesome fall entries! Huge thanks to our hostesses, Lydia Lukidis, Kaitlyn Sanchez, and Alyssa Reynoso-Morris for this fall fun with SPOOK-tacular prizes.
This contest is for un-agented writers. Your entry should be 200 words or less and appeal to ages from board books through young adult. See image prompts and contest rules by using the button below. 

CONTEST RULES
My 196 word story started the moment I passed my first pumpkin patch. I live in a farming community and those cornstalks went down and the pumpkins lined up. I hope you enjoy reading my pumpkin humor and horror entry. Happy fall y’all!
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Halloween - Credit: Samantha Hurley/Burst

SADIE GRACE CARVES A PUMPKIN
(Word Count: 196)
by
Charlotte Dixon

Ghost Sadie Grace searched for the perfect pumpkin in her patch, until . . .
she spied Scarecrow.
“Poor thing. Would you like a face?”
​Scarecrow nodded.
Sadie Grace carved eyes, poked a nose, and scooped a mouth.
She held up a mirror.
“Humph!” mumbled Scarecrow.
“What’s wrong?”
Scarecrow pointed to his mouth.
“Wuffle, wuffle.”
“Oh!” said Sadie Grace. “A larger mouth?”
She gashed and gouged a cavernous crater.
“Spookier eyes!” said Scarecrow.
Sadie Grace sliced and slit eerie eyes.
“Is this scary enough?” she asked.
“I want freaky!” grumped Scarecrow.
Sadie Grace chiseled super-sized fangs.
“Is this freaky enough?” she asked.
“BONE-CHILLING!” cackled Scarecrow.
“You’re SPOOK-TACULAR,” said Sadie Grace.
“Oh! Thank you,” tee-heed Scarecrow. “Happy Horrific Halloween.”
Sadie Grace faded away.
POOF!
Scarecrow sneered under a red moon until . . .
a murder of crows perched on his head.
CAW! CAW! CAW!
They PECKED.
They JABBED.
And CRUNCHED until . . .
“Those pumpkin seeds were CA-CAWESOME!” clamored the crows.
Later, Sadie Grace returned to the pumpkin patch but . . .
her ectoplasm shook like jelly.
“Scarecrow!” screeched Sadie Grace. “Why is your head hollow?”
“Can’t remember. My brain itches,” said Scarecrow. “It feels like its stuffed with
tickling feathers.”



]]><![CDATA[I'M A WINNER AT #KIDLITZOMBIE2022!]]>Thu, 23 Jun 2022 18:46:19 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/im-a-winner-at-kidlitzombie2022My zombie feet are tapping to a new beat! I won critiques from the awesome team of Kaitlyn Sanchez, Jolene Gutierrez, Sarah Heaton, Kristin Wauson, and Mark Irvine!! A huge thank you to y'all and to the amazing donors!
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]]><![CDATA[SPRINGFLINGKIDLIT 2022]]>Fri, 01 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/springflingkidlit-2022Thank you for reading my entry for SPRINGFLINGKIDLIT 2022!
It's a sunny SPRING day & what great timing for Spring Fling Kidlit contest! Special thanks to @CiaraONeal2 & @KaitlynLeann17 for organizing a fun event. I'm looking forward to reading all the amazing entries! Here are the rules:
1. Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.
2. Choose a gif to inspire your story.
3. All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.
4. Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.
5. Your title is not included in the word count.
6. No illustration notes pretty please.
7. Your gif should be the only visual with your story.
8. The Spring Fling contest officially begins on Friday, April 1st.
9. From April 1st to April 3rd, post your gif and story on your blog. (If you have one.)
10. Then, add the link to your blog to the form on the Entries page of Ciara's blog*
11. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is Sunday April 3rd, 2022 at 11:59pm CST.
12. Only one entry per contestant is permitted.
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GIF  by supersimple.com 

supersimple.com
SILVIE’S TEENY TADPOLES
by
Charlotte Dixon
145 WORDS


Springtime clouds shoved gloomy clouds. Sunshine poked between them.
“Mom! The rain stopped!” 
Silvie smiled. “I’m going puddle-muddling.”
Splish! Splash! Sploosh all the way to the overflowing pond, Silvie squished mud between her toes.
Something tickle-tickled . . .
Silvie sloshed to a halt.
In the muddy water, she spied teeny tadpoles.
“Oh no!” squealed Silvie. 
She slipped and slid to the tool shed, grabbing her bucket and shovel.
She filled her bucket with water and scooped tiny tadpoles.
“You’re safe with me now,” said Silvie. “I’ll patch up your pond.”
Silvie gathered rocks and dirt . . . 
piling, packing until water stopped gushing.
She tipped her bucket.
Dash! Dart! Dive!
 Out rushed teeny tadpoles.
Over the next fourteen weeks, Silvie fed her teeny tadpoles bits of boiled cabbage,
spinach, and broccoli until—
wiggle—back legs pushed,
squiggle—front legs stretched,
wriggle . . . Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit!
FROGS.
Silvie smiled.

​ 


 














]]><![CDATA[KidsChoiceKidlitWritingContest 2022]]>Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:55:43 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/kidschoicekidlitwritingcontest-2022WOOT! I received an Honorable Mention Badge for my story. Thank you kid judges and Kailei Pew for your hard work! Congrats to all the winners!
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]]><![CDATA[The 7th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest]]>Sun, 06 Feb 2022 20:30:16 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/the-7th-annual-valentiny-writing-contestThe Contest:  since writing for children is all about “big emotion for little people” (I forget who said that, but someone did so I put it in quotes!) and Valentines Day is all about emotion, write a Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone feels proud!  They can be proud in a good way or a bad way. They can be proud of themselves for asking someone to be their Valentine, or they can be proud of how they asked. They can be proud of a Valentine they make, or a Valentine celebration they plan. They can be proud of giving something up, or proud of asking someone they’re not sure about for some reason in order to be nice. They can be proud of their performance in a Valentines Day play or concert or parade. . . sky’s the limit!  Just make sure it is clearly Valentine-centered! Think beyond the obvious!  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 proud (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day 😊 ) You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.)  If you are so inclined, you are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊  No illustration notes please!

​Please click the button below for further information. GOOD LUCK!
7th Valentiny Contest 2022
]]><![CDATA[Kailei Pew's Kids Choice Kid Lit Writing Contest]]>Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:05:10 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/kailei-pews-kids-choice-kid-lit-writing-contestI'm excited to participate in the 1st Annual Kids' Choice Kidlit Writing Contest, organized an hosted by the awesome author Kailei Pew.
Details and rules for the contest can be found here. 
Participants can submit stories with a 200 word count. Illustration notes count so be careful how you use them. You can submit PB, MG, or YA , but the stories must hook a kid judge's attention. THAT'S RIGHT--this contest will be decided by our actual readers---KIDS!  
Hope you enjoy reading these stories! Check out all the entries on Kailei's blog (linked above). 


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]]><![CDATA[STORYSTORM WINNER 2022!]]>Tue, 01 Feb 2022 19:58:04 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/storystorm-winner-2022STORYSTORM 2022 ended yesterday and I'm a winner with 31 story ideas! Thank you, Tara Lazar and guests, for the inspiration and jump into the creative spirit!
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]]><![CDATA[NF FEST 2022 IS HERE!!]]>Mon, 10 Jan 2022 20:52:13 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/nf-fest-2022-is-hereIt's happening again and you are invited! February is NF Fest. This year you won't need to register, just show up. Learn more at https://www.nffest.com/ and get your participant badge. We have an amazing lineup of authors and illustrators who will inspire, educate, and support you.
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]]><![CDATA[STORYSTORM 2022 IS HERE!]]>Sat, 08 Jan 2022 23:31:13 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/storystorm-2022-is-hereSTORYSTORM 2022 IS HERE! Get those writing ideas down for your creative journey! I'm a participant and those guest blogs are filled with great idea generators. Join me for the fun! Click the button below!
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STORYSTORM 2022
]]><![CDATA[FALL WRITING FRENZY 2021 ENTRY]]>Fri, 01 Oct 2021 21:41:30 GMThttps://www.charlottedixon.net/blog/fall-writing-frenzy-2021-entryThank you for stopping by to read my story SLEEPY SEEDS! Good luck everyone!
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SLEEPY SEEDS  146 Words 
Image halloween-samantha-hurley-burst
by
Charlotte Dixon
 
In a ripe plump pumpkin, resting in a sack, 
slept dozens of seeds in a pack.


In a pack, plump, wet seeds clumped so nice,
lulled in sleep filled with sugar and spice.  


But . . . they awoke to . . .


SLICE! SLICE! SLICE! 


In a glob, plump, wet seeds plopped. 
In a spin, plump, wet seeds dropped. 


SQUIGGLE! WIGGLE! JIGGLE!


In a pile, plump, wet seeds lumped in muck! 


YUCK!


Dumped in water, and tossed on a sheet,  
swirling seeds spread and dried in the heat.


The next day . . .   


SCRAPE! SCRAPE! SCRAPE!


In one scoop, flat, crisp seeds built a stack.    
In a stack, flat, crisp seeds slept in a pack. 


Until . . . they awoke to . . .  


THUMP-THUD! THUMP-THUD!


In a hole, a crisp seed found a room.    
In a room, a crisp seed found a womb.    
In a womb, a crisp seed sprouted in earth--
WAITING FOR . .  .
REBIRTH!








 




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