Woo-hoo! It's finally here! The Birthday Contest! Although, due to the busy-ness of April we had to push the contest back to a month that is no longer my birthday, surely someone is celebrating! :) Let the games begin!
For anyone who hasn't seen the rules, here they are:
The contest is to write a children's story about a very creative and/or unique birthday celebration in 300 words or less. Poetry or prose, your choice.
Entries must be posted on your blog (or in the comment section of this post if you don't have a blog) between right now this very minute and 11:59 PM EDT Tuesday May 22. Please add your entry-specific link to the list below (or, as mentioned, if you don't have a blog and want to enter, just copy and paste your entry in the comment section below.)
If there are fewer than 20 entries there will be one prize. If there are more than 20 entries there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes! Finalists will be chosen by me and my assistant judge and will be posted for you to vote on Monday May 28. (I'm trying not to skip Would You Read It or Perfect Picture Books, or overload you with extra posts, hence the wait til Monday the 28th, which I realize is Memorial Day so the voting will stay up throughout Tuesday May 29!)
If there are fewer than 20 entries, and therefore one winner, the winner may have his or her choice of the following 4 options. If there are more than 20 entries, and therefore a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, 1st place will get 1st choice, 2nd place will get 2nd choice, and 3rd place will get 3rd choice of the following 4 options:
#1- a PB ms critique by me
#3 - a duo of craft books - your choice of 2 from the following: Writing Picture Books, The Giblin Guide To Writing Children's Books, Save The Cat, or The Writer's Guide To Crafting Stories For Children.
#4 - a $15 gift certificate to Merritt Bookstore.
So now, to get the party started, I will share a sample entry. As I mentioned yesterday, my original idea did not pan out and I was VERY pressed for time this week, so don't expect literary brilliance. And what I mean by that is please don't throw rotten tomatoes at me!
Hoppy Birthday!
(206 words)
(206 words)
Joey said, "My birthday's coming! I can hardly wait!
Here's an invitation. I sure hope you'll save the date!
We'll have silly hats, and blowers that make noise like a kazoo!
Balloons - at least a hundred! - orange, yellow, red and blue!
We'll play games like Duck Duck Moose and Pin The Tail On Cousin Fred.
We'll have contests to see who can stand the longest on their head!
If you happen to like water we've got lots of room to swim!
But if you'd rather climb and hang then try the jungle (gym).
I'm just hopping with excitement for my party - how 'bout you?
After all it isn't every day that you turn 2!
Mom will make a birthday cake like you have never seen!
Seven luscious layers filled with icing in between!
All my friends will sing the Happy Birthday song to me.
I'll make a wish and blow out all my candles - one, two, three!
We'll serve up cake and ice cream by the gallon and the ton.
We're going to need a LOT to have enough for everyone!
So won't you please come join your little friend the kangaroo
For my Hoppy Birthday Party at the San Diego Zoo?
So now that you're filled with confidence about how good your entry is compared to that! :) please add your entry-specific post link to the list below, or copy and paste your entry into the comments. I can't wait to read them!
