Would You Read It Wednesday #196 - Unicorn With A Stache (PB) PLUS Some New Year's News!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I hope you all had wonderful, happy, healthy holidays and are raring to charge full speed into 2016!

I confess that I'm unusually glad to be starting a new year.  I'm ready for some changes and I hope you'll be excited to come along with me!

For starters...

DRUM ROLL...!!!

I'm about to unveil my new and improved website and blog!

Some people (who shall be nameless) (you know who you are Julie Hedlund and Katie Davis) have been urging me for some time to switch to Wordpress.  So I'm taking the plunge!  Seeing as how I'm completely inept when it comes to technology there are bound to be some glitches during the switchover, so I beg your patience with me! :)

I am also (hopefully) on the verge of launching a totally awesome newsletter (she said modestly).  More on that when it's closer to ready - I'm still working on layout and format, and my incredibly talented artist and I are still working on the banner.

I am also hoping to have a new class and/or workshop on offer at some point... though that may take me a little longer since I'm wrestling with how to make it make sense and work smoothly.  It's in the hopper, though, so fingers crossed!

In the meantime, my old class will be now be offered at two levels: the traditional one that's been offered for the past 3 years at a wee price increase and a new Self Study version (for less $) where you can work on your own.

I'm cutting back on critiques a bit for the next little while to give myself more time to work on these other projects, but will continue to offer a shorter, quicker, (cheaper :)), less formal version of my critiques for those interested as well as a limited number of full critiques for returning writers who have gotten critiques from me before.

WOW!  That's a lot of new news, don't you think?  I'm thrilled by all of it... now it just remains for me to get it all finished and up and running! :)

Now then!  Onto the business of Would You Read It Wednesday!

Somehow, due to one thing and another, we haven't had a Pitch Pick since July!  So this coming Monday January 11 there will be a special Pitch Pick post in which you will have the chance to choose your favorite pitches from September, October and November without having to focus on anything else - a new pitch or a Perfect Picture Book or whatnot.  I will provide an extra Something Chocolate to make it worth your while :)  but it just seems easier and less stressful to put the Pitch Picks by themselves then to lump them all in with another post, don't you think?

But, lest you be in voting withdrawal :), I have something else for you to vote on today.

Quite a few people have asked me how I'd feel about running a writing contest in February to break up the winter doldrums.  If there is interest, I'd be happy to run one with a Groundhog Day or Valentines Day theme (providing I can drum up good prizes on short notice.)  I've never run one in February before because I feared it would be too much for you all coming so close on the heels of the Halloweensie and Holiday Contests, but it DOES seem appealing to have something fun in February, and it WOULD be a great opportunity for you to create a new manuscript!  So here's a poll where you can vote to let me know if you'd like a contest and whether you'd prefer a Groundhog Day or Valentines Day theme or if you have a better idea!  And if anyone has brilliant ideas for prizes (given that a Groundhog Day Contest would take place in barely a month!) please mention them in the comments or email me! :)  I'll leave the contest poll open from today until Saturday evening.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for (admit it! :))... today's Something Chocolate!  It is frigidly cold here in the Northeast, so I'm thinking rich and delicious and decadent Belgian Hot Chocolate would really hit the spot!!!  (Which if you've never tried you MUST!)

Recipe HERE at
Busy Creating Memories
http://busycreatingmemories.com/belgian-hot-chocolate-recipe/

Ah!  That's better!!! :)

Today's pitch comes to us from Gabi.  Gabi lives in Oregon with her husband, two kiddos, one dog, and one dog-like cat. She loves reading, nature, and caffeine, and she'd love to see you at her blog: https://writingtoconnect.wordpress.com/.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Unicorn With A Stache
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Meet Eustace.  Like his fellow unicorns, he smells like roses. Unlike his fellow unicorns, Eustace grows a mustache. He likes his dapper new look, but his schoolmates tease. 

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 Gabi 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 February so you've got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Gabi is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting all my projects finished and launching my new site, and to your answers about a February Writing Contest!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! :)