Blue Monday? Bah! Humbug! Play the Write Contest!

When I was in school, back in the 1900s, I liked English (surprise, surprise!)

Math, not so much.  I mean, seriously, what are you supposed to do with this?

Well, since you asked, that is the formula for calculating the most depressing day of the year, whereby Sky Travel hoped to book a lot of vacations.

Taking into account the weather, debt, time since the holidays, failure of New Year's resolutions, motivational level, the need to take action, and the fact that it's Monday, the formula doesn't actually work and is completely meaningless in mathematical terms.  And yet it still allows us to know that today, January 17, 2011, is the Most Depressing Day of this Year.  See how useful math is(n't)?

Even though it's totally bogus, it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Now that people know which day they're supposed to be most depressed, they follow along like sheep.

But here's what I think.  Bah!  Humbug!  I don't want you to be depressed!  It's a beautiful day (even though it's zero!) and I have something to cheer you up!  A game!  With a prize!

Below is a list of (I think pretty) well-known picture books and their authors.  The trick is, all you get is initials.  For example:  CW by EBW (which would, of course, be Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - yes, I realize that's not a picture book, I'm just giving you an example - I don't want to give away the farm!)

Get it?

So figure them all out and list them in the comments (and no cheating! - we're on the honor system here!  Keep your eyes on your own paper because other people might be wrong, and if you copy you will not have the satisfaction of a job well done and you will feel guilty should you win!)

If you get them all, you will be eligible to win a free signed copy of whichever of my books you want (although if you choose April Fool, Phyllis you'll have to wait a bit because I don't have any yet :))  This is assuming anyone plays and that at least one person gets all the answers.

Since I realize not everyone reads all blogs every day, you have until midnight Wednesday January 19 to get your answers in.  You may ask for an extension if need be.  Since I am in charge, and exceptionally nice, I might consider it. And I'll give you one hint:  these are all traditional picture books - not novelty books or early readers -  and they are all personal favorites (and that was actually two hints!)

So, you're not depressed anymore, are you?  You're energized, motivated, and gung-ho to beat everyone else to the finish line!

Good luck everyone!  Ready, set, GO!

1.  CG by HAR
2.  BAJFF by RH
3.  L,L,C by BW
4.  WTWTA by MS
5.  OBAG by PR
6.  M by LB
7.  FNATPP by JO'C
8.  MWFD by RM
9.  PP by SLH
10.  MMAHSS by VLB
11.  HTDD by GZ
12.  AATT,H,NG,VBD by JV
13.  TPE by CVA
14.  TVHC by EC
15.  TRF by MP
16.  TSOF by ML
17.  LPPP by KH

(P.S.  It's nearly 10:30 - time for The Writer's Club - so grab your coffee and come on over and say what's on your mind this morning!  I'm thinking about PLOT - and how hard it is!)