Have you read the entries in the Birthday Contest? (If you haven't, you should, They're really amazing! So much creativity!)
But they're all so good! And somehow my assistant judge and I have to choose finalists! We certainly have our work cut out for us. (Thank goodness we have a very large tray of donuts!)
The contest is now closed, but never fear. The finalists will be posted on Monday May 28 and I hope you will all come back and vote!
Meanwhile, we have Straight From The Editor, where everybody's favorite editor, Erin Molta, comments on the winning pitch from last month.
You will recall that Rebecca won April's Pitch Pick with her pitch for Broomstick Rodeo:
Working Title: Broomstick Rodeo
Age/Genre: Picture Book (4-7)
The Pitch: The Thistlegulch Sisters have thirteen trophies between them and they’re determined to win another. They practice for the rodeo until they’re chapped under their chaps and have calluses on their warts. But when a buckin’ broomstick charges towards their youngest sister, Myrna, they realize there are more important things in life than winning trophies.
Here are Erin's comments, so that we can all learn!
This sounds like it could be very cute! But I think the pitch would work better if, rather than saying how hard they practiced, you mentioned what they neglected because they wanted to win so badly—like perhaps Myrna. That way it makes sense that suddenly they would care about Myrna.
Interesting. And encouraging, I think :)
Now then, I'm in the mood for some of those lovely cider donuts today. How about you?
Would you like one (or three?) Help yourselves! There's coffee and tea, too.
Then get comfy for today's pitch which comes to us from our very own Banana Peelin' Elizabeth!
Elizabeth Stevens Omlor loves slipping on banana peels. She has at least one slip a day, physically or verbally. She loves writing for children, although she has recently discovered she is a delusional rhymer. When she isn’t writing for children, you can find her having a kitchen dance party with her husband and two young children or drinking a large glass of milk. She loves milk. Yum. Especially when it’s in chocolate. She blogs about all of this on Banana Peelin’: The Ups and Downs of Becoming a Children’s Writer.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Magnificent
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: When the synchronized swimming Savanna Belles lose their watering hole to drought, the troop of elephant calves decide ballet is the perfect way to make them feel magnificent once again. Facing the challenges of trunk-tickling ants, loss of weightlessness, and the scarcity of tutus, can the girls tame the doubtful roars, hisses and cackles of the their wild friends, proving that they really can be magnificent ballerinas? Follow the tutued journey of these silly mammals as they sashay, leap and plié their way into even the wildest of hearts.
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 Elizabeth 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. There are openings in August, so you have time to polish :) for a chance for it to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Elizabeth is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!
See you all on Friday for Perfect Picture Books (assuming I haven't run off to Outer Mongolia to avoid having to pick finalists in the contest! :))
