Some Alligator Fun And A Contest Rule and Prize Update!!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

**Warning!**

I have made up a poem!

(Yes, I realize I'm playing it fast and loose with the term "poem" :))

(And yes, I have a reason for this gross departure from sanity.  I didn't just go off the deep end :))

Anyone whose sensibilities may be injured by my attempt at poetry should leave immediately!

Those of you who are brave enough to stay, prepare yourselves.

You may need some cake to fortify you.

Alligator cake by Courtney

Are you ready?

Here we go:

Boy's Best Friend

Daddy said, "A boy like you

Should really have a dog.

A parrot, an iguana, or a happy, hoppy frog."

I answered, "Thank you, Daddy, but on this my heart is set.

I want an alligator for my one and only pet!"

Thank you.  Thank you very much :)

Now.  About that reason.  The lovely and talented Catherine Johnson, author of Weirdo Zoo (buy your copy HERE), has a new book out!

It's called The Everglades (hence the alligator themed "poem") and she describes it as a collection of poetry for children who are old enough not to mind the odd arm hanging out of an alligator's mouth :)  Seriously.  How can you resist that? :)  She says, "Half the poems are serene, and half are snorty."  And she drew the illustrations herself!!  Such talent!!

She is celebrating on her blog HERE and running a giveaway, so scuttle on over as fast as your little alligator legs allow and join in the fun!

Should you happen not to be lucky enough to win a copy, you may buy one HERE!

Now, before you all go marching off to your magnificent Mondays, I'd like to clarify a couple things about the March Madness Writing Contest.

You will recall the contest guidelines:

The Contest: Write a children's story, in poetry or prose, maximum 400 words, that is a fractured fairy tale.  Feel free to add a theme of spring, or mix in one of the spring holidays if you like - St. Patrick's Day, April Fools Day, Easter or Passover, Arbor Day, Earth Day...  Have fun with it !  The madder* the better! :)
*as in wild and wacky, not angry :)

I want to clarify three things (because a few people have asked.)

1.  You do not have to include spring - that is optional.

2. The story can be a picture book or a short story - whatever you like.

3. If it's a picture book, you may NOT include art notes, because we get into a weird area of whether that's fair in terms of word count and added description etc.  So if you write a picture book that's wonderful, but make sure art notes aren't necessary to understand it.

The other thing I want to add is a full description of the prizes!!!  (So you'll all be very motivated to think up stories! :))

 - 1st Prize is a read and critique by Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary!!! (Unless for some reason you don't want a read and critique by an agent, in which case you may swap for any of the other prizes)

 - 2nd Prize is a picture book manuscript critique (for rhyming mss only) by Lori Degman, author of 1 ZANY ZOO and the forthcoming COCK-A-DOODLE-OOPS! OR a picture book manuscript critique (for non-rhyming mss only) by Cori Doerrfeld, author/illustrator of LITTLE BUNNY FOO FOO and PENNY LOVES PINK as well as illustrator of many others.

 - 3rd Prize is personalized signed copies of THE THREE NINJA PIGS and GOLDI ROCKS & THE THREE BEARS by Corey Rosen Schwartz PLUS a $25 Amazon Gift Card

 - 4th and 5th Prizes are your choice of any two of the following picture books PLUS a $20 Amazon Gift Card:

     - THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG by Eugene Trivizas

     - CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA by Susan Lowell

     - LITTLE RED WRITING by Joan Holub

     - THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE SOMEWHAT BAD WOLF by Mark Teague

     - THE PRINCESS AND THE PEAS by Caryl Hart

     - THE WOLF'S STORY: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD by Toby Forward

     - GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS by Mo Willems

And don't forget, all you illustrators out there, we're going to have an illustrator contest immediately following the writing contest!  (Details coming soon... :))

Now then!  I hope that fills you with inspiration and fuels the muse!

Have a marvelous Monday, everyone!! :)