Would You Read It Wednesday #171 - Monster Bakery (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor x 2!!!

Well, hello there!  Fancy meeting you here!

Oh, right!  You're here for the chocolate.

We'll get to that in a sec.

First, I have to tell you what a big week it's been here at the Hill Homestead.  I have been to Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont.  I celebrated the 21st anniversary of my 29th birthday and joined the half-century club.  My husband and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary.  And Princess Blue Kitty has a headlight that is almost out!

I know!

Not every week is that chock-full of love, travel, adventure, drama, and the knife-edge of danger (what if a policeman sees us before our beloved Subaru mechanic gets back from vacation to replace Blue's headlight???!!!  Edge-of-your-seat thrill ride - that's the way we roll around here!)

A week like this gives me a chance to pause and reflect (whilst driving), to look at all the blessings in my life and be grateful, and to think holy swiss cheese, Batman, when did I get so OLD?! :)

All this by way of saying if I owe you an email or haven't commented on your blog or etc., etc., that's why.  Blame it on senility :)

Now then, first on today's agenda we have Straight From The Editor for both February and March!

February - you will recall Kirsten's winning pitch for Finley vs. The Fly (PB ages 4-8)

When a pesky fly fixes his eye on Finley’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the game is on. Armed with a magazine, vacuum cleaner, and sink sprayer, Finley is determined to deliver a final blow to the buzz. But when Finley serves up the final swat and the fly lands — splat — on the sandwich, Finley wonders whether he’s really won after all.

Editor Erin Molta had this to say:

I really like the potential action of Finley vs. the Fly. However, Finley wondering whether he won after all is a bit of a downer and nobody likes a fly. Finley needs to be the victor in this story and it seems as if he’s not.

March - you will recall Carrie's winning pitch for Stepping Into Adventure: The Magic Rocks (PB ages 4-8)

Stepping Into Adventure: The Magic Rocks is the story of Jude, a boy who is on a quest to find adventure because boredom has captured him.  He discovers he cannot escape his suddenly dull days without the help of his step-mom.  This results in high-flying adventure and a discovery that they are even better together.  

For this one, Erin said:

This sounds interesting but you need to tie in the beginning and the last sentence.  A discovery that Jude and his stepmom are even better together implies that he thought they weren’t and that seems to be more a problem than boredom. Perhaps if you started the pitch with something like, Jude’s new step mom took some getting used to but Jude is incredibly bored…and then perhaps make it so that his step mom gives him some adventurous ideas. Then it becomes a family story with more of a hook than just alleviating boredom.

As always, I find Erin's comments very enlightening (thank you, Erin!), and I hope Kirsten and Carrie will find her thoughts helpful!

Now then.  You've been very patient.  And now your patience shall be rewarded.  It's time for everybody's favorite snack: Something Chocolate!!!

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chocolate-brownie-cookies

Really, when the name is Chocolate Brownie Cookies you just need to grab a cup of coffee or a glass of milk and dive in :)  (With many thanks to the lovely Teresa who supplied this deliciousness.  There was a rumor that Renee was going to test the recipe, but results have not been reported in! :))

Onward!

Today's pitch comes to us from Pat who says, "As an established food writer and cookbook author, my food obsession spills over into my children’s writing. I love reading and writing picture books, and am especially attracted to stories that have clever punch lines and subterfuge, diverse characters and themes are a bonus!  

Find me at--

Blog: Picklesandtea.org link

Twitter: @ediblewords 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Monster Bakery
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Esme and her parents run The Ghoulangerie, a popular bakery in their neighborhood. Every day, maggot and mince meat pies, booger bagels with brain cheese, and bloody orange cupcakes fly off the shelves. However, the neighborhood is changing and their regular customers soon stop coming in. To bring in new customers, Esme comes up with a three-step plan: tweak their recipes, change their opening hours, and advertise. Nothing’s working until a crisis encourages Esme to push the limits of her creativity.

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 Pat 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 September 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!

Pat is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to watching the grass turn green.  It's happening folks! :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! :)

Would You Read It Wednesday #162 - Barebones The Skeleton (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

It's time for another round of every writer's favorite game, Would You Read It?!!!

But first, I have to tell you about the Christmas present my brother gave me - a one year subscription to Audible!  (You have my permission to skim this bit if you're in a hurry :) - I just wanted to share because it's awesome.)

One of the best presents EVER!  And I'm telling you this in case you need a gift for a writer, or even a normal person :) in your life, because I know how hard finding a perfect gift can be.  (It's also a great answer to the question, "What do you want for your birthday?"! :))  This present is great for the car, yes, but also great for listening to while exercising, whatever your punishment of choice happens to be - unless it's swimming - not sure how your iPod or MB3 player would work with that... :)

The only hard part is making the monthly pick.  I have to read through many possibilities, and read and compare the ratings, and listen to a few moments of the narrator, and evaluate, and weigh, and finally, FINALLY, make a careful choice.  Because I only get ONE!  And it has to be GOOD!

For January I had The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy, read by Elisabeth Rodgers and it was fabulous!  For February, I have Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, read by Jenna Lamia.  After The Baker's Daughter, I thought, there's no way it could be as good.  But it IS!  Different kind of story, but such a great listen!

I am totally hooked.  But that's part of what makes the selection process so hard.  Now that I've had two that are so good, I don't want to accidentally get one that is a disappointment and waste my precious pick!  It's a teensy bit paralyzing!

Current titles in the running for March are All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr... but I might not get that on Audible because my daughter has the book and I could technically borrow it... if I ever have time to read.  Also in the running is The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins which looks really good and Kristen Larson said it was even better than Gone Girl.  But it's way too early for a decision yet!  So if anyone has any stellar recommendations, feel free to share!

Now that I've given you completely free and fantastic advice on what to get everyone you need a present for this whole entire year I'm hoping you're still awake :)

*** Those of you who were skimming - stop and pay attention now! :) ***

Because it's time for Straight From The Editor for the December/January pitch winner.

You will recall Michele's winning pitch: Hoot And Holly (PB ages 4-8)

When Holly finds the orphaned owlet Hoot in a windswept field near home, she knows he won’t survive without her help. With clues from Hoot and a bit of creativity, Holly teaches Hoot to hunt and fly. And when he is ready, they say goodbye.    

Editor Erin Molta says:

Hoot & Holly is a great title, BTW! And the pitch seems intriguing but I think it might be more successful if you reworked the bit about the clues. That connotes a mystery and that’s not really what this story is about, right?

The highlighted section could be more like a question: But how will Holly teach an owl how to hunt and fly? With research and some imagination, the young girl teaches the little orphan owl how to find it’s food and soar high in the air. When he is ready, they say goodbye.

When Holly finds the orphaned owlet Hoot in a windswept field near home, she knows he won’t survive without her help. With clues from Hoot and a bit of creativity, Holly teaches Hoot to hunt and fly. And when he is ready, they say goodbye.    

As always, I find Erin's thoughts so insightful!  I hope they're helpful to you too!

Now then, dearies, lest you grow faint, let's have a little second breakfast, shall we?

Our Something Chocolate today has been provided by our pitcher, and I must say, she has EXCELLENT taste!

Recipe for this delicious beauty at the Stay At Home Mom HERE

All that luscious chocolate would go perfectly with a cup of coffee, don't you think?  And that way we'll get twice the veggies out of this healthful breakfast - cocoa BEANS in the cake, and coffee BEANS in the coffee.  Truly, it's a win-win! :)

Now, if you can just stave off that chocolate coma for a moment or two, today's pitch comes to us from the one and only Robyn - she of the luscious chocolate cake - who says, "I write stories for children making them giggle, making them think."

You can visit her at:

linkage: Blog http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorswrite  

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Barebones The Skeleton
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: BAREBONES THE SKELETON looses his click-clack, and it’s Halloween. He has to find it before the sun goes down, or he’ll lose his Halloween job. With a little help from his friend, Barebones searches high and low and where he finds it is truly a musical surprise in this Jack Skellington meets Fred Astaire story.

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 Robyn 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 July 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!

Robyn is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to poring over my Audible choices!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!!

Would You Read It Wednesday #159 - The Trouble With Homework (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor x 2

Wait til you hear how forethoughtful I'm being!

Seriously.  You are NOT going to believe it.

It's Sunday night.  SUNDAY.  And I am putting the finishing touches on this post which isn't due to go up until Wednesday!

Wednesday is like 2 1/2 entire days from now!

I don't think this has ever happened before in the history of my blog!

Don't worry.

You're in the right place.

I have not been possessed by aliens or anything.  (Of course, I would probably say that if I had been, wouldn't I? Because they'd make me... But I'm pretty sure I haven't!)

It's just that the weatherperson in these parts seems pretty convinced that we're going to be getting heavy snow - at least a foot - maybe 3 - and that means, in all probability, that I will have no internet.  So my usual operating procedure of finishing my Wednesday post 37 seconds before it's due to go up may not pan out well.  And I don't want today's pitcher to miss her day!

PLUS!  We have not one, but TWO Straight From The Editors to share - always educational AND fun - so I wouldn't want you to miss that either.  Or the most important part of the post... Something Chocolate :)

Black Magic Cake

Yummmmm!  Scrumptious!!

I know how you all count the hours until Wednesday for your chocolate treat, so far be it from me to deprive you! :)  I would never want it to be said that I don't take good care of you!

Alrighty!  Now that we're fortified, let's see what the editor has to say!

Straight From The Editor for October:

You will recall Michelle's winning pitch:

Miss Knaffle and her second graders all just want to have fun at school. But when her students take theiridea of fun too far—conducting a farting symphony during reading time, smuggling coffee beans to the class hamster, and using their desks for a bubblegum sculpture contest—Miss Knaffle decides that only a field trip to the zoo will avert classroom disaster. Once there, the canny teacher enlists irritable zoo animals to her cause. When Fátima tangles with a snake and Mario ends up on the wrong side of a baboon, the students quickly come to appreciate the zoo rules—and their teacher—in a whole new way.

Here are editor Erin Molta's comments:

This is so cute! My only suggestion is to be more specific about the zoo incidents like Fatima tangles with a snake because she did what? You are specific about the farting symphony (hilarious!) and the coffee beans to the hamster so we need to see the zoo side, too—at least one. I’d omit the bubblegum sculpture contest to fit in more specific zoo incidents.

Straight From The Editor for November:

Here is Heather's winning pitch:

The harpsichord is dusted, the tea is poured, the vases are arranged on doily laces, and Hubert the pug is settled calmly on the rug. Lottie Dobson is ready for her fancy luncheon party. But when the members of the Grandview Rose Society arrive with even more blooms, poor Hubert's allergies kick in. What happens next is a riot of mishaps that gets him banned from the room. But when a wily rat sneaks in, steals the cheese, and dangles from the chandelier, it sends the proper party guests on a crazy chase--with a sneezing Hubert in the lead. One big sneeze will save the day! Too bad for Hubert, the sneezing doesn't end there. 

And here are Erin's comments:

Cute! The only problem I saw with it was that why wouldn’t Hubert be allergic to the roses that are already there? Would more make that much of a difference? I think Hubert’s allergies should be a new issue—a surprise, so to speak. And then be specific about at least one of the mishaps. Otherwise, it’s very fun and sounds like a delight!

As always, I find Erin's comments insightful and helpful!  I hope they help you in your mission to create the perfect pitch!

Today's pitch comes to us from Maria.  Maria is an educator with the best job in the world – she works as a Fire & Life Safety Educator for a municipal fire department! When she isn’t teaching others how to be safe, she can be found writing under a pecan tree, playing with her dogs and cats, or cruising around town with the top down searching for inspirational ideas or the next big story.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Trouble With Homework
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 6-9)
The Pitch: What’s a kid to do when he’s waited until the last minute to do his homework? Sometimes, you just have to improvise!

Join Connor along with his zany classmates as they prepare (some more than others) for their first-ever demonstration speeches.  Follow Connor’s speech outline and you, too, can show others what skills and talents you have.

Disclaimer: No snails or house cats were harmed in the making of this book! 

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 Maria 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 June 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!

Maria is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting my internet back so I can catch up on everything I've missed!  It should be back this morning, but we shall see... (Of course, I'm just assuming... because it's SUNDAY! so I don't know yet what will happen!)

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, and for everyone who lives on the East Coast, I hope you all weathered the storm okay!!!

Would You Read It Wednesday #150 - Zoo Rules (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor

There is never a dull moment around here.

First, I got a flat tire.  (It's possible this had something to do with the wood full of nails and screws that someone left directly in front of the garage... that I drove over as I hurried out to pick up my daughter from school and wondered, "Hmm... what was that?" Really, your guess is as good as mine... :))

Then the bear came and had a picnic out of our trash cans.  (If you haven't had much experience with bear picnics, I can tell you they are not at all tidy.  There is much clean-up involved...)

Then on Monday the house that's going in down the road from us had its foundation poured, so a parade of cement trucks thundered up and down the road all day.  Scout felt it her duty to bark at the passage of each one.  Both ways.  Jemma hid under the piano.  It was traumatic for everyone.

And now we are expecting rain in these parts so if anyone needs me I will be in my basement in the canoe.

I know!

Harrowing tales of this nature just don't come along every day!

I'm dreadfully sorry if my horror stories have left you in a weakened state, but never fear!  I have snacks!

Continuing with our get-ready-for-Halloween-theme, today's Something Chocolate is just the thing for when you want something sweet, salty, and candy-corny all at once.  (Because really, isn't that a combination you often find yourself wanting?  I know I frequently find myself thinking, "Hmm... I'm in the mood for something sweet, salty and candy-corny... what to have?"  Okay.  I admit it.  I have never thought that.  But there's always a first time :))  And they are pretty :)

Candy Corn Pretzel Hugs :)  Recipe HERE!

I think they might be easy enough for even me to make, so go ahead!  Give them a try!

Now that we have averted any danger of fainting, we have Straight From The Editor for September, which you will recall was won by Hope with her pitch for Cleo And Pinkie:

Whether it is marker stains on the carpet or mud trails in the hall, Cleo blames her mischievous, imaginary friend, Pinkie, for everything. “Pinkie did it!” Soon Mommy can’t take it anymore and declares, “No more Pinkie!” But without Pinkie, the house is too quiet until Cleo makes another mess, this time, to everyone’s delight.

Here's what editor Erin Molta had to say:

This sounds really cute. I made a small tweak because I think if you put the Pinkie did it in the beginning it’s more of a hook. The only thing that didn’t quite work for me was the very ambiguous ending—Cleo made a mess to everyone’s delight? You don’t want to make readers guess, you want to intrigue them, yet this is just confusing. It would be better to be more specific so they can get the joke. Then they would appreciate it more.

“Pinkie did it!” Whether it is marker stains on the carpet or mud trails in the hall, Cleo blames her mischievous, imaginary friend for everything. Soon Mommy can’t take it anymore and declares, “No more Pinkie!” But without Pinkie, the house is too quiet until Cleo makes another mess, this time, to everyone’s delight.

It's amazing what a difference a small change can make, isn't it?  As always, I find Erin's comments so helpful!

Let's move onto Would You Read It, shall we?  (Please, have another pretzel hug if you're feeling peckish!)

Today's pitch comes to us from Michelle, who you will remember from her July pitch for Escalators Don't Bite (WYRI #140).  She is a mom, a teacher, and a writer.  She blogs at http://amomnextdoor.wordpress.com/about/

Here is her pitch: (and she did mention that she's still looking for a title that really zings, so feel free to chime in if you've got any brilliant ideas!)

Working Title: Zoo Rules
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Miss Knaffle's second graders have a thing or two to learn about their teacher. They think they can get away with feeding coffee beans to the class hamster, or making farting houses during read aloud. Will a trip to the zoo set them straight? When the canny Miss Knaffle enlists zoo animals to her cause, readers will delight in seeing what happens to children who don't follow the zoo rules in this PB cross between Peggy Rathmann's GOODNIGHT, GORILLA, and William Bee's WHATEVER.

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 Michelle 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 December 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!

Michelle is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to (yes, I warned you last week I would probably say this again!) the Halloweensie Contest!  At least 4 people have mentioned here and/or on FB that they have written stories and I can't wait to read them!  I also can't wait until I think up my sample story, because time is running out and I'm getting just a teensy bit anxious about the fact that I haven't even started thinking about it.  Which is shocking, because usually I'm prepared months in advance.  Oh wait.  That's not me.  Okay.  Everything is right on schedule :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! :)

Would You Read It Wednesday #144 - Cleo And Pinkie (PB) PLUS The July Pitch Winner PLUS Straight From The Editor x2!

Hellooo Dearies!!!

I am so glad to be back after my August off of blogging, and so glad to see you all!!!

I know the year officially begins on January 1st, but really, September always feels like the new year to me.  Too many years in school, I guess :)

It's lovely to see so many friends reappearing on their blogs after a summer off.  There is energy and excitement and enthusiasm in the air.  I am, as always, full of ideas I don't have enough time to implement (but that never stops me from thinking I can follow through on them somehow :))

There will probably be some changes afoot around here.  I'm not sure what yet, exactly, but I might want to try something new and different on Mondays at some point... feel free to make suggestions in the comments if there's something in particular you'd like to see.  And I'm going to try (after today :)) to make my posts a little shorter...  Stop laughing!  Seriously!  I can HEAR you!

I find I'm having a hard time keeping all the balls in the air, what with writing, teaching, critiquing, blogging/social media, school visits, marketing, continuing ed, and my position as COO in a home with a husband, 5 kids, 2 dogs, aging parents just down the road and a pony up the road, so my answer to that is A SCHEDULE.  Novel idea, don't you think?  I haven't written it down yet, but I am cogitating on it (er, since January...), and I feel confident that at some point a Master Plan that is helpful and productive will emerge that will allow me to get everything done in half the time.  There is a faction here on Blueberry Hill that objects to me working 24/7 :)  You'll know the Master Plan is in place when I tell you I've read a book longer than 32 pages for fun :)

I'm already looking forward to the upcoming writing contests! and I'll give you a heads up: The Halloweensie Contest will run from October 27-31, and The Holiday Contest will run from December 8-12.  In both cases the judging, voting, and winner announcements will occur in the week following.  So mark your calendars :)

Now, before we go a step further, there is something CRUCIAL we must attend to after these weeks off!  It's time for...

SOMETHING CHOCOLATE!!!

Ultimate Brownie Sundae - YUM!

And something specially NOT chocolate for Julie R-Z because she did something deserving of a special treat and she doesn't like chocolate for breakfast - go figure!  (And if you give me a few minutes I might remember what it was she did - all I have here is a note that it had something to do with a survey... :))

Glazed Apple Crumb Muffins!
Recipe here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/06/10/glazed-apple-crumb-muffins/

Alrighty!  Now that we have bolstered our blood sugar, let's continue, shall we?

(The problem with vacation is there's always catching up to do afterwards.)

First, did I get a chance to tell you who won the June and July Pitch Picks?

I think I mentioned that Kimberly had won the June pick with her pitch for Sprinkles The Clown.  But we can't have gotten around to the July winner yet because we haven't been here!  The July Pitch Pick was won by Brandie with her pitch for The Trouble With Keeping Vikings!  Congratulations to Kimberly and Brandie as well as to all the other brave and talented writers who submitted pitches.  Your pitches were ALL so good, and it's such a wonderful opportunity for us all to learn from each other!

Second, we have Straight From The Editor for both June and July!

Let's start with June since that appeals to my sense of orderly chronology.  Because I am so orderly :) (Please refer back to the Master Plan under construction :))

You will recall Kimberly's pitch for her picture book, Sprinkles The Clown:

Sprinkles the Clown wants to fit in with her classmates on the first day of Kindergarten, but when her show-and-tell juggling act goes wrong, all the other little clowns laugh at her. However, as a storm rolls in scaring all the students, Sprinkles puts her own fears aside and uses one of her true clowning skills to save the day!

Here are editor Erin Molta's insightful thoughts:

This sounds cute, though for a pitch you need to be a little more specific. Don’t worry about giving it all away. I’m assuming that all the kids are clowns, right? So I’d say something like I’ve done below. Also what is a “true” clowning skill? I would definitely say what Sprinkles did that made all of the other little clowns feel safer or less afraid.

Sprinkles the Clown wants to fit in with her classmates on the first day of Kindergarten, but when her show-and-tell juggling act goes wrong, all the other little clowns laugh at her. However, as a storm rolls in scaring all the students, Sprinkles puts her own fears aside and [does what?] to save the day!

Brandie's pitch for her picture book, The Trouble With Keeping Vikings, was as follows:

A boy opens his front door and comes face-to-face with a startling surprise. A Viking horde has come for a visit, and they REEK of mischief. From snot-snakes to clashing swords, the outrageous antics of these pesky pillagers are never-ending. That is until the boy makes a certain phone call that will leave these manner-less brutes quaking in their Viking-boots.

Erin had this to say:

I love Vikings and they are somewhat "hot" now, so this definitely has potential, but no need to hide so much. Who is the boy calling? An editor might be so curious that they'll ask for the manuscript to find out, but usually they'll ask because the idea intrigues them and they want to see how you go about it. So it's much better to give them as much information to aid in that process as possible.

Thanks as always to Erin for her very helpful thoughts.  We are so lucky that she is such a cheerful contributor to this series!

Now, then.  The moment you've all been waiting for - Would You Read It!

Today's pitch comes to us from Hope who says, "I used to travel around the globe, working as a contract interpreter for the US State Department and a freelance translator until I became a mother. Now as the mother of two children, I continue my love of language by reading with them and writing."

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Cleo And Pinkie
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Cleo is always busy doing something, but that often turns into trouble. As Mommy grumbles, Cleo brings in Pinkie, her imaginary, mischievous friend, and blames him for everything. “Pinkie did it!” But soon Mommy can’t tolerate it anymore and declares, “No more Pinkie!” With Pinkie gone, the house is quiet and trouble free until Mommy discovers another mess…this time to her delightful surprise.

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 Hope 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 October so jump right in and send your pitch for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Hope is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting back into a routine and implementing my Master Plan... as soon as I think it up :)  I am also looking forward to starting up Perfect Picture Book Fridays again in only 2 days!  I have a special one on deck for you that includes a giveaway so yay! :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!  So glad we're all back together again! :)

Would You Read It Wednesday - The July Pitch Pick! PLUS Straight From The Editor And Summer Vacation :)

Do you guys know what today is?

Well, yes, you're right, it is Would You Read It Wednesday.

It also happens to be the day before my granddaughter's 3rd birthday (which coincidentally falls on the same day as Harry Potter's, Neville Longbottom's, and J.K. Rowling's! :))

It also happens to be National Cheesecake Day, which I intend to honor in a moment...

But it is also the last day of posting here until September!

It's true.  In order not to be disowned by my family I am taking August off from blogging.  I promised I would, and so I shall.  But it's going to be hard and I'm going to miss you all terribly!

Let's have Something Chocolate to lift our spirits, shall we?  In honor of the day, I'm thinking Chocolate Cheesecake!

Death-By-Chocolate Cheesecake!
Recipe here: http://hotpolkadot.com/2013/02/10/death-by-chocolate-and-the-birth-of-a-blog/

I think I speak for all of us when I say I may not feel that much better about not seeing you for a month but boy is that good! :)

And now, how about Straight From The Editor for May?  Hearing from Erin Molta, our wonderful and helpful visiting editor, always perks us up, doesn't it?

You will recall that the May Pitch Pick was won by Todd with his pitch for Orville Wright's Final Flight.

Here is his winning pitch:

Orville Wright's Final Flight by Todd Burleson (NF PB ages 7-12)

Orville Wright may be best remembered for his first flight, but it was his final flight 41 years later would completely change the world of aviation.  

And here are Erin's thoughts:

This sounds somewhat intriguing but in the crowded nonfiction picture book market you need to give us a little bit more.. Is there any way you can give us a little hint about what made his last flight so special? 

That could make or break whether an editor will ask you for the whole manuscript.

As always, I find her thoughts insightful!  Thank you, Erin :)

And now, it's time for the July Pitch Pick, which is always so exciting :)  Here are our 4 fabulous pitches:

#1 Michelle - Escalators Don't Bite! -  Picture Book (ages 2-6)

Salim, world traveler, worries about whether he’s packed enough crayons. He worries his backpack will come unzipped. But with his whole family on its way to see Grandma and Grandpa, he’s worried most about his little sister Malika, who never does what she’s supposed to do. On her first trip to the airport, Salim knows that if it’s sticky, Malika will spill it. If there’s an escalator, Malika will get stuck on it. And if there’s a red button, Malika will push it. Desperate to ensure his family gets to the gate on time for their flight, Salim has started work on a Little Travelers’ Guide to Airports. But while he’s busy writing, the irrepressible Malika is busy exploring. When Salim’s sage travel advice comes up against Malika’s infectious sense of adventure, both siblings learn something important from each other about airport travel safety and fun.

(And Michelle adds: Many thanks to all who gave their revision advice. I hope I've gotten closer with this version!)

#2 Lavanya - How Not to Be a Monster Meal - Picture Book (K-3)
Posey has a brand new room. But something lurks within the gloom -- A monster with a riddle dare! And he's hungry as a bear. If Posey can't outwit the cretin, little Posey will be eaten...

#3  Brandie - The Trouble With Keeping Vikings - Picture Book (ages 4-6)
A boy opens his front door and comes face-to-face with a startling surprise. A Viking horde has come for a visit, and they REEK of mischief. From snot-snakes to clashing swords, the outrageous antics of these pesky pillagers are never-ending. That is until the boy makes a certain phone call that will leave these manner-less brutes quaking in their Viking-boots.

#4 Erin - Love, Emmett - Picture Book (ages 4-8)

Emmett loved books so much that he eventually loved them to pieces…literally. After his favorite one falls apart, Emmett saves the last remaining page, only he can’t remember the story quite right. When his teacher asks the class to share their favorite books, Emmett must decide how to tell the story. But his love for the book might just say everything.

Please vote for the one you think is best and deserves a read by editor Erin Molta by Sunday August 3 at 5 PM.

Thank you so much!

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 September 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!

And now, my poppets, I bid you happy August.  I hope you all have tons of fun with your families and your writing and reading, swimming, sailing, sunning, hiking, biking, kayaking, riding, playing volleyball, tennis, baseball, or whatever floats your boat - generally enjoying all summer has to offer!

See you September 10 for the return of Would You Read It, and September 12 for the kick off of Perfect Picture Books Year 3!

xoxoxo :)