A .-
B -...
C -.-.
... google Mr. Morse for the rest :)
I know. The holidays are approaching. There are decorations to hang, guest rooms to freshen, meals to plan, travel arrangements to make, gifts to buy, the mall to survive, and your mother-in-law to avoid. It can be a bit stressful. Which is why you guys are totally going to love me. I have solved ALL your shopping dilemmas. Seriously! I have the answer to everything. Ready?
Your Shopping Dilemmas Solved!
Take your time. I'll wait while you read it. It's so funny, and so TRUE! When you're done, be sure to tell me which is your favorite (and I apologize to Beth who saw this on my Face Book page yesterday - it was too fun not to share here, too!)
Then, when you're done with that list, buy books. See? I've just done all your shopping for you! You can thank me by sending large quantities of chocolate anything to Blueberry Hill :)
Now that you can breathe a sigh of relief because I've done your shopping, it's time to reveal the winner of the November Pitch Pick! Who will it be? Yikes! The anticipation is just killing me!
This month's race was the closest one yet. The contestants were neck and neck. First one looked like the winner, then another pulled ahead. Very exciting!
So exciting that perhaps we should calm ourselves down by discussing my mother-in-law's bunions...
Tee hee...
(I wouldn't really subject anyone to that!)
The winner of the November Pitch Pick, whose Pitch is flying through cyberspace to Erin Molta as we speak, is none other than the amazing DEE!!! Congratulations, Dee! I hope Erin will have lots of helpful things to say!
Now then. It's time for everybody's favorite show, Would You Read It! Today's participant is the lovely Christie from Write Wild. (BTW, for all you picture book writers, Christie's blog is terrific!) Christie, come on down!
Working Title: Draggin' My Tail
Age/Genre: PB
The Pitch: Orville the dragon loves to fly, but when he quits breathing fire, his wings fail him. Orville has to figure out how to get his fire back so he can lift off again.
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 Christie 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. SIDE NOTE: Would You Read It is booked only through January, so there are lots of openings ahead. Please send pitches and spread the word to your writerly friends :)
Christie is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!
Please join us Friday for Perfect Picture Books, and I hope everyone is hard at work on their Holiday Contest entries! Congratulations again to Dee, and don't forget to let us know which of those gifts is your favorite :)
I had a good laugh over Geekdad's post yesterday. LOL. I was a mud girl, all the way!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Dee, on her November win.
My response to today's pitch is YES. I have a soft spot for Dragon's and certainly want to know how Orville resolves his fire n flight problems. I enjoyed checking out Christie's blog too.
Yes - I love books about dragons. But I think I'd like a hint of what conflicts Orville will face as he tries to get his fire back -- I think that would help give me more of a feel for the tone of the story.
ReplyDeleteYes - I would definitely read it!
ReplyDeleteReason #1 - It is by Christie, and we all know she is wonderful! (how is that for constructive criticism, LOL?)
Reason #2 - The name Orville. Makes me think of popcorn. Hmm...could a dragon's fire pop popcorn? Could a mound of corn popped by fellow dragons lift Orville high into the air where he could take flight again?
See? Totally fun. Keep going Christie!
The dragon story sounds cute! I would read. Good luck to Christie!
ReplyDeleteJoanna - if only you could see the amount of "poison soup" my kids made out of mud and leaves, stirring with a stick :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea, Cathy, and Coleen - thanks for your thoughts for Christie!
Those presents are fab, what a great post lol.
ReplyDeleteI love Christie's dragon pb idea and she nailed the pitch. Go Christie!
It's my son's birthday today, he's 6. The cake is already out of the oven but icing it like a power ranger will probably take me the rest of the day lol.
Catherine - Happy Birthday!! What are you giving him? Stick? Dirt? :) Good luck with the cake. In my day I have made cakes in the shape of a covered wagon, a snowman, a pirate ship (that one was really tricky!), a rainbow fish, a lion, Arthur, a fire engine, a dog, a horseshoe.... hmmm... I can't even remember them all - I must be getting old :) (And let me just add, I am not that clever with cake - you will notice I am not posting photos :))
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys! I chose Orville because of Orville Wright and the whole "first in flight" thing. Aviation and all. But I can totally see Orville with the popcorn, too. There is already a book out there about dragons and popcorn, so no popcorn in my book. But there IS pizza!
ReplyDeleteI love pizza!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Dee.
ReplyDeleteLove that list of toys. We're a Box family here.
Yes to the story. I love cute dragons and love the explanation about the name (and love pizza too). I'll tweet about the pitch contest. Did you post it in the PiBoIdMo group? That would be a good place.
Stacy - good thinking, Batman! I didn't post there. And thanks for tweeting - I really appreciate it :) We love BOXes at our house too - but also STICKs and DIRT -I guess we're just really not a one-toy family :)
ReplyDeleteOMG! I commented but I forgot to vote. Great choice for a winner. :D
ReplyDeleteYes, I would read it. I have come to like dragons. Especially after reading the Unicorn Chronicles. I want to know how he find his power -- sorry fire! :)
ReplyDeleteI vote for the stick as a best gift. I am always carrying a stick around :)I wonder how Orville gets his flame back?!?
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Dee!
ReplyDeleteYes, I would read this book. I love pb books about dragons, and so do my students! The title is also cute and catchy:-)
First, Congratulations, Dee!
ReplyDeleteChristie's book? YES, I would definitely read it. I want to know how Orville gets his fire back.
I wonder about the wording of "when he quits breathing fire, his wings fail him" -- will an editor wonder what the connection is between his breath and his wings? Perhaps something like "when he quits breathing fire, he's suddenly grounded" ?
I absolutely LOVE the title. It is perfect. And I can see Orville in my imagination. (Thank you for sharing why you chose that name, Christie! Of course! Excellent.)
As for the perfect Christmas gift, I'm BOXes, BOXes, all the way. They are incredibly versatile.
Congrads Dee!
ReplyDeleteI would most definitely read this book. Who couldn't love dragons and fire and all that stuff. And a dragon who can't lift off? Poifect! I agree with Elizabethanne though. Gotta be careful about that word choice. If the fire lifts him and his wings do the flapping then she needs to make that clear in her pitch. Just changing a couple words should do the trick. :-)
Boxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If my grown boys were still around, I'd get Christie's book. I was thinking I'd like to know more about the effect of losing his fire on his life not just 'lifting up' Christie have you heard of the story of Custard the dragon? I think I read it back many years ago.
ReplyDeleteI love this concept and I'd read it in a heartbeat. Who could resist a dragon named Orville?
ReplyDeleteSquee, I'm so excited, Susanna.
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who voted for my pitch, Hating Ric. I really appreciate all your valuable feedback too.
And thanks so much, Susanna for making this opportunity available on your blog. Congratulations to everyone else who entered. They were all great pitches.
Dee