Entering contests is a great exercise in creative writing. It hones your writing skills, brings you into fellowship with other writers and helps you gain courage to put your work out there. For the past three years, I’ve been participating in Susanna Leonard Hill’s Holiday Writing Contests – today begins;
The Contest: Write a children’s story about a Holiday Mishap, mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster (a la Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer :)). Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words.
A letter came for me today.
Dear Jack O’Lantern, don’t delay.
Please come to Santa right away
And help make balls and bikes and clay.
A strong wind blows – I rock, I roll.
I barely miss a huge mole hole.
No hole will stop me from my goal
Of elfing at the cold North Pole.
I cross the street – the light is red.
A tire almost hits my head.
I fear the car will squash me dead.
It pushes me along instead.
And in a muffin shop nearby,
The baker gives a battle cry.
She wants to put me in a pie.
I quickly tumble past – “Bye-bye!”
I see the lights of Santa’s shop.
I slip and slide and belly flop.
I’m turning like a spinning top.
What if I never ever stop?
I hear a jolly Ho-Ho-Ho.
It’s Santa standing in the snow.
He says, ‘The workshop’s down below.”
Elf Jack O’Lantern, come, let’s go!
I hope you enjoyed my little Christmas story – I’ll be linking up on Susanna’s website and you can go and read ALL of the amazing entries here. For the Halloweensie Contest, there were 79 stories!
A couple of important items to mention:
1. The Authors for the Philippines auction is over – they raised over 55,000 British pounds (not sure how many US dollars that is…but it is a lot!). I’ve just packed up a copy of my book that I donated – it is going to a mother of two in Staffordshire, England.
2. Please don’t forget the Kid Lit Giveaway Blog Hop Holiday Extravaganza that is still happening here and on 48 other blogs around the blogsphere. There are so many books and gift cards being given away.
3. I guest posted on the PreK and K Sharing Blog – one of the most incredible blog resources I have ever seen…please go and check them out.
4. Pull out those old manuscripts and dust them off – Meg Miller is hosting a challenge for the New Year – REVIMO will encourage you to REVISE – REVISE – REVISE. There will be prizes, inspiration and information.
5. And, one more reminder about the limited time only Holiday Sale of my book on Amazon – only $10!
Related articles
- December Contest Round-up (subitclub.wordpress.com)
- Getting Things Done? When? (clarbojahn.wordpress.com)
- How I Got My Agent: Alayne Kay Christian (sylvialiuland.com)
- No Fee Fiction Contest – Win Money – Get Published (kathytemean.wordpress.com)
- A Picture Book Is Worth A Thousand Words (teacherlingo.com)
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
Lots of mishaps in this fun little adventure. Thanks for sharing this one!
LikeLike
Glad you liked it, Stacy! Can’t wait to read them all.:)
LikeLike
Oh the poor elf! Great meter in this story, Vivian. Well done!
LikeLike
Oh Iza…that is high praise indeed…I do thank you. It was definitely a challenge…I’m glad you feel I succeeded.:
LikeLike
Wonderful rhyme! I like the idea of your story! 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you, Erik! I’m glad you like it…the rhyme was tricky because I wanted to do four rhyming lines for each verse.:)
LikeLike
I always wondered what happened to all those little Jack-o-lanterns! (At least the ones the deer don’t eat in our neighborhood!)
LikeLike
When we lived in Colorado Springs, our pumpkins would disappear…yes, the deer loved them. But here in New Hampshire, they’ve been safe…I still have one uncut pumpkin outside…I’d better take him in and rescue him…so that I can put him in some muffins.:) 🙂 🙂 Mwa-ha-ha!
LikeLike
Mmmmmm… And if you we’re a good little girl, you’d leave a muffin for Santa!
LikeLike
That is so funny, Juliana! I actually have a couple of cute T-shirts with a Santa theme…one of them says, “How much for the naughty boys list…another says,”Santa, define good” and the last says, “I’m not short, I’m just elf-size” (I’m kind of small:).
LikeLike
My new favorite Santa saying, “Santa, I can explain.” 🙂
LikeLike
Love that, Juliana…I’ll have to remember those words.:)
LikeLike
So funny about Jack wanting to be an elf (we should all aspire to be more than we are)! Is it wrong of me to laugh so hard at poor Jack nearly getting nailed by a tire? 😉
LikeLike
And when the baker takes chase, Jack thought he was a goner for sure.:) I’d love to be an elf (except for the snow-all-year-long situation…just think…toys all day!
LikeLike
Now pumpkins have something to aspire to when Halloween turns the corner to reveal Christmas on its way. 😀
LikeLike
You know, Nancy…it was one of our left-over from Halloween jack-o-lanterns that sparked this idea.:) Recycle – Reuse – Repurpose!
LikeLike
Very unique. Love your rhyming.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Pat! Writing in rhyme is both rewarding and frustrating…the rewarding outweighs the frustration. 🙂
LikeLike
hahaha! Great job Ms Kirkfield!! I can sure picture poor Jack rolling down the street. I’m glad Santa showed up in time!
LikeLike
I thought of having a dog chasing after him, thinking he was a ball to fetch and play with…what do you think of that, Rhythm? 🙂
LikeLike
That would be me! 😀
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Loved the suspense! Good luck, Vivian!
LikeLike
Thanks, Julie. I was biting my nails as Jack narrowly missed the spinning wheel attack.:)
LikeLike
I love the idea of a pumpkin becoming an elf for Christmas…it made me think of a fairy tale. 🙂
LikeLike
That is so sweet, Angela. I’m really surprised I have not written a fairy tale, either fractured or otherwise…I LOVE fairy tales…maybe that will be my next writing project.:)
LikeLike
Vivian, I loved the image of the little Jack O’Lantern, rolling along, evading the baker, and finally becoming an elf. Cute! We all can dream, can’t we?
LikeLike
Dreaming is what life is all about…and where our dreams will take us when we work towards realizing them.:) Thanks, Carrie…glad you like it. I started reading down Susanna’s list and then my internet went out for a couple of hours. 😦 But it is back up now.:)
LikeLike
Love the mashup of holidays!
Will Tom Turkey make a North Pole appearance as well?
I love “elfing” – great verb!
LikeLike
Tom Turkey…oh, what a great idea, Cathy…perhaps Jack O’Lantern could have ridden on his back.:)
LikeLike
Such a cute and festive story Vivian. I’m glad the elf survived all the dangers that could have kept him from his task!
LikeLike
I love your story! Great rhyme and great job! Happy Holidays! :0)
LikeLike
Happy Holidays to you, Donna! This is great fun, isn’t it.:) Thanks for the kind words.
LikeLike
Yes, it’s wonderful fun, Vivian! I’m so grateful that Susanna holds these contests. It really helps work those writing muscles and allows us to nurture each other as well.
LikeLike
You said it, Donna! The encouragement we receive from each other is so important.:)
LikeLike
Great idea and fun twists and turns, Vivian. Great post!
LikeLike
Thanks, Catherine! It was fun to write! I’m grateful to Susanna for the inspiration.:)
LikeLike
This is wonderful, Vivian! So clever and beautifully written. Well done!
LikeLike
There are so many awesome entries, Cheryl! I appreciate your kind words. 🙂
LikeLike
Using an old pumpkin is a really fresh idea for a Christmas story, Vivian! The squirrels ate our pumpkin, bit by bit till it was all gone. Glad you recycled yours into a story!
LikeLike
We were lucky…all of our pumpkins escaped wildlife attack.:) I’ve still got one or two that I plan to use…maybe pumpkin muffins? What do you think? I’m so glad you like the story, Deborah…I’ve read some of the other entries…WOW! People have put their heart and soul into this contest…it is very inspiring!
LikeLike
Really clever story and great rhyme. I Liked it very much!
LikeLike
Thanks so much for stopping by, Kim…and I’m so glad you like the little jack-o-lantern tale. Isn’t it amazing how many different stories there are…each one is unique!
LikeLike
That was a perilous journey, I hope Jack fares better in the workshop 🙂
LikeLike
Hee Hee! That is the stuff of the next story, perhaps.:) Thanks for stopping by, Yvonne!
LikeLike
Very cute story! Now we know to send our Halloween pumpkins to the North Pole!
LikeLike
Or you can send them to me…I love baking with pumpkin.:) Glad you liked the story, Milka!
LikeLike