Vivian Kirkland is holding a 50 Word Contest with prizes. Write a 50 word story and share the fun. Who doesn't appreciate a challenge? Your story can be prose or rhyme. The title is not part of the word count. Get your writer's cap on and enjoy a great adventure. https://viviankirkfield.com/2016/03/04/ppbf-brave-girl-plus-50-precious-words-contest/ The contest ends March 18 so get busy!

BUNNY AND WORM
By Charlotte Dixon
Bunny digs a burrow wide.
Scritch Scratch 
Dirt flies.
Scritch Scratch
Deeper deeper grows the hole.
Scritch Scratch 
Worm digs a wormhole skinny.
Wiggle Jiggle Blow 
Dirt flies.
Wiggle Jiggle Blow
Deeper deeper grows the hole.
Wiggle Jiggle Blow
Bunny and Worm meet.
Two new friends
share a home.
​

Susanna Leonard Hill has put Halloweensie away, but she has brought out a spanking new contest, VALENTINY! Get your red on and write a Valentine story filled with emotion. Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between. Please conform to 214 words or less. You MUST have a grumpy character to add some obnoxious flavor to all that ooey-gooey sweetness. Please do not include illustration notes. Post your story on your blog between 12:00 AM EDT Monday February 8th and Friday February 12th by 11:59 EDT and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany Susanna's February 8th post. Chomp your chocolate and sing a song while you dream of your sweet love ... or the contest prizes ;)
​   

CUPID #6
by Charlotte Dixon
Cupid #6 stared at the people snatching up potted plants of red and pink blooms. A humongous Valentine’s Day banner hung over his head. He couldn’t move. Statue’s must be silent and still ...
until ...
Cupid #6 wiggled his itchy big toe.
“Ronnie, did you see the cupid move his big toe?” asked Silbey.
“Silbey, don’t be silly,” grumped her brother. “Help me carry this fertilizer.”
Silbey tottered back and forth under the bag’s weight. Glancing over her shoulder, she gasped.
 Cupid #6 winked.
“Ronnie, that cupid winked.”
“Silbey, I’m going to tell mom you’re fibbing. You’ll get a timeout,” grouched Ronnie.
Ronnie poked Silbey in the arm and pulled her ponytail. 
Silbey puckered her lip. While Ronnie chatted with the store clerk, she snuck back to the statue.
Cupid #6 stood frozen, alone on his shelf. Silbey smiled.
He smiled back.
“Will you be my Valentine?” asked Silbey. 
Rushing up to his sister, Ronnie hissed, “Boy, are you going to get it.” 
“No. You’re going to get it,” said Cupid #6.
Ronnie’s knees shook. 
Cupid #6 aimed his arrow and shot Ronnie with love.
Ronnie yowled ...
until ...
he swooned and grinned.
Before leaving the store, Ronnie bought Silbey a Valentine ... Cupid #6.

Julie Hedlund's 2015 12x12 held such writing adventure for me. I didn't know what to expect, but I took an adventure in a terrific writing world. Webinars with great agents, editors, and authors filled the months of the year. I had my BIC armed with incentive, new tips, examples, and guidance through the world of a children book writer. The support of all the membership drove me forward each month to find that idea and write about it. Thank you 12x12 for keeping my resolve firm as I journey on my writing path.

March is the time to get your research reading ready for ReFoReMo presented by Carrie Brown and Kirsti Call. The ladies have a fab lineup of guests and prizes. You won't want to miss this fun with fellow writers and our fearless leaders, Carrie and Kirsti. This is an opportunity to find the perfect mentor text to assist you with your ms. Click the button to follow the magic!

Meg Miller's ReviMo 2016 comes to a conclusion with lots of great prizes. It was a fast-paced week of revision and I kept my BIC! Thank you, Meg, for the inspiration, fabulous blog guests, and all your hard work to make revision a happy process :) 

RYS is open for registration. I became a member last year and I'm glad I did. RYS has qualified individuals who will critique your manuscripts and give you honest feedback. Visit their website and learn about their services and giveaways. If you want to start the new year off with a gift to yourself, this would be a great one. 

PiBoIdMo 2015 sent me on the chase for 30 ideas or more for PB's. I found those 30 ideas thanks to the guest bloggers who inspired, gave great tips and fab examples. The community of the writing folks is always present, cheering each other on as we search life for kid friendly stories. A BIG SHOT OUT to our fearless leader, Tara Lazar!! Thank you, Tara, for all your hard work to keep our incentives moving forward.

October and Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie Contest is trick or treating with a story hop. Join the crowd and find Halloween fright and fun. Contest begins October 26th at 12AM and ends October 30th at midnight. Stir the caldron and meet the spooks on Halloween night!

Arabella’s Web
by
Charlotte Dixon
Halloween morning and Arabella, the house spider, skittered up the living room curtain.
In the corner of a window, she wove a silky web as fine as Venetian lace. 
Her eyes sparkled as she scurried to gather...
orange sequins...
glossy yellow buttons...
and twinkling lights.
She twisted, curled, and twined her treasures into a creation with...
an orange sequined body...
glistening yellow eyes, nose, and mouth...
and lights shimmering like stars in the sky.
As darkness folded over the old haunted house...
costumed children giggled...
happy eyes danced...
tiny fingers pointed...
to Arabella’s pumpkin web.

Registration for PiBoIdMo 2015 will open on October 25th at taralazar.com. When you get there, click “blog” in the menu bar or type “registration” in the search bar in the left column.) Registration will remain open through November 5th. What is PiBoIdMo? Why, it's Picture Book Idea Month!​

I just finished Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann's Course: From Prose to Pictures to Publication. This is a terrific workshop offered by Jodell Sadler at Kidlit College. It was refreshing to see Candace's writing process and Eric's fab illustrations. Together, they explored the PB form with great examples and tips. Each of the 4 weeks, they gave a webinar and opened up for question and answers. If you are up to honing your skills or finding answers, this is the course for you. Check it out: http://www.kidlitcollege.com