The In Just Spring Contest!!!

The In Just Spring Contest!

Hurray!  It's here!!  The In Just Spring Contest!!!  And so timely, because I'm really ready for spring and it doesn't seem to be obliging just yet :)

The Contest:  Write a children's story, in poetry or prose, maximum 350 words.

The story must be about something that really says "SPRING" to you - something that really makes you feel that spring is here!  It can be nature oriented - the robins or geese returning, eggs hatching, flowers blooming, baby animals being born, bears waking up, sunshine or rain, etc.  It can be holiday oriented - St. Patrick's Day, Easter, April Fools' Day etc.  It can be school oriented - the spring pageant, spring vacation, the spring talent show.  It can be activity oriented - picnics, bike riding, baseball - anything at all that makes you think spring.

The only other requirement is that the last line must be "[Character Name] knew Spring was really here!" or "[Character Name] knew Spring was here at last!"  (You can also write in first person if you want - e.g. I knew Spring was really here.... and present tense is fine too.)  I've given the rhymers amongst you a choice... but if you can't make either option work with your rhyme scheme you have permission to tweak it slightly as long as the essential meaning stays the same.

Post:  Your entry should be posted on your blog between Friday March 15 at 12:01 AM EDT and Monday March 18 at 11:59 PM EDT, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on this post which will remain up through Tuesday March 19 (no new post on Monday March 18).  If you don't have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comments here.  (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, please email me and I'll post your entry for you!)

The Judge:  My lovely assistant and I will narrow down the entrants to five finalists (or possibly a couple more if we get a lot of entries :)) which will be posted here on Wednesday March 20 (no WYRI that day) for you to vote on for a winner.  The vote will be closed at midnight March 23 and the winner will be announced on Monday March 25.

The Prizes!:
The First Place Winner will get the chance to put one of his/her picture book manuscripts in the hands of editor Laura Galvin of KidsBooks for a read and comments! (and who knows? she might love it! :))

If we get more than 20 entries, prizes will be give through 3rd place.  2nd Place will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate, and 3rd place will receive his/her choice of the craft books listed below.

Should the winner happen not to be a picture book writer or for some reason not want to show his/her work to an actual real live editor at an actual real live publishing house, he/she will receive a $25 gift certificate to Amazon and a choice of Writing Picture Books: A Hands On Guide From Story Creation To Publication by Ann Whitford Paul, Writing With Pictures: How To Write And Illustrate Children's Books by Uri Shulevitz, How To Write A Children's Book And Get It Published by Barbara Seuling, The Writer's Guide To Crafting Stories For Children by Nancy Lamb, or 2013 Children's Writers And Illustrators Market by Chuck Sambuchino, and the editor prize will go to the highest placed finisher who wants it.

Here is my sample, squeezing in just under the wire at 348 words:

That's Better

     As soon as the hockey rink opened in November, Charlie shot out the door with Dad to go skating.

     “Hold it, mister!” said Mom.

     Charlie skidded to a stop.

     Mom pulled a hat down over his ears.  She wound a scarf around his neck.  She slid mittens on his hands.  “That’s better.”

     Charlie didn’t think so.  “I itch,” he complained.

     Mom shrugged.  “No warm clothes, no skating.”

     That was a no-brainer.  Hat, scarf, and mittens stayed on, and Dad and Charlie went to the rink.

     When the first snow fell in December, Charlie raced outside to build a snowman.

     “Hold it, mister!” said Mom.

     Mom pulled the hat over his ears, wound the scarf around his neck, and slid the mittens on his hands.  Then she zipped him into his winter jacket and stuffed his feet in clunky boots.  “That’s better.”

     Charlie didn’t think so.  “I’m hot,” he complained.

     “You won’t be when you get outside,” said Mom.  “Now scoot.”

     Charlie scooted.

     In January, when the deep cold gave the snow a perfect icy crust, Charlie sped out to sled.

     “Hold it, mister!” said Mom.

     Out came the hat, the scarf, the mittens, and the boots, but this time Mom bundled him into his snowsuit.  “That’s better.”

     “Mo-om,” said Charlie.  “I can’t even walk!”

     “You can stay in and help me fold laundry,” Mom offered.

     “Hmmm,” said Charlie, “maybe I can walk,” and out the door he shuffled.

     All through February and March, for tobogganing, fort-building, and snowball-fighting, Charlie could not get out the door without every inch covered in warm clothes.

     “I’m tired of winter,” he said.

     Then the days got longer.  The sun got warmer.  The snow melted, and one day there were robins on the lawn.

     Charlie opened the door and the air was soft and warm.

     “Hold it, mister!” said Mom.

     “Please, Mom,” begged Charlie.  “I don’t want all those clothes.”

     Mom smiled.  She put his baseball cap on his head and handed him his ball and glove.

     “That’s better!” said Charlie.  He hugged her and laughed.  “Now I know spring is really here!”

Now.  I KNOW you can all do better than THAT - talk about circling the drain! - so take heart and get those stories posted!  I can't wait to read them! :)  Don't forget to add your post-specific link to the list below so that we can all come read your stories and feel like spring is coming!  The list will stay up through midnight Tuesday March 19.

Good luck! :)
And please remember to check the comment section!  There are already entries there from Linda, Jill, Pat, Marie-Therese, Nancy C, Jenny, Doris, Nancy M, Kimberly, and Lizzie.  (You may have to scroll down aways...)