UPDATES, GOOD NEWS, AND PIPPA’S HANUKKAH HUNT GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Posted on October 7, 2026 by viviankirkfield

Hello dear friends. My blog, which was just selected again by FeedSpot as one of the Top 100 Children’s Book Blogs on the web.https://bloggers.feedspot.com/childrens_book_blogs/, began back in 2010 when my very first book launched…the parent/teacher activity guide, SHOW ME HOW: Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

Yes, it’s true…even before the thought of writing books for children crossed my mind, I was enthralled with the concept that reading with children…and picture books in particular…could help kids soar. I set out to connect with parents, teachers, librarians…basically all caregivers of young children. I still have copies of this great resource…which I would love to send to anyone (US addresses only) for the cost of the postage…which is about $5. Please reach out in the comments or via email (viviankirkfield@gmail.com) if you are interested in receiving the book that started me on my writing journey. If you are a preschool teacher, daycare provider, parent or grandparent, the book is an excellent resource. If you want multiple copies, I can pack 8 into a flat rate box for $25. And if you are local to me and can swing by and pick them up, I’m happy to give them away for FREE! Books sitting in boxes aren’t doing the job they were created to do.

After that book launched, my son took me skydiving for my 64th birthday and I was empowered to believe that I could not only read and review those picture books…but perhaps I could WRITE them. I’m so grateful to the many mentors who seemed to appear magically…Susanna Leonard Hill with her Perfect Picture Book Friday blog and Making Picture Book Magic class; Julie Hedlund with her 12×12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, Emma Walton Hamilton with her Just Write 4 Kids course, Renee LaTulippe with her Lyrical Language Lab, Tara Lazar with her PiBoIdMo/StoryStorm, Angie Karcher with her RhyPiBoMo…and the legion of critique partners who encouraged me and provided much-needed feedback on manuscripts…Carrie Finison, Tina Cho, Hannah Holt, Alayne Kay Christian, Diane Tulloch, Maria Marshall, Ellen Leventhal, Nancy Churnin, Hanh Bui, Carmen Castillo Gilbert, Beth Gallagher, Beth Anderson, Julie Abery, Pam Courtney, Linda Hofke…well, you get the idea. If I continued listing all the fabulous CPs who helped me become a better writer, this post would never end. Whether I named you or not, please know how grateful I am for your support. And throughout this journey on the path to publication, I’ve met so many of you…more than the writing, I’ve fallen in love with the kid lit community.

Last week, while I was in the Peloponnese, enjoying the incredible beauty of the area and the kindness of the wonderful people, my latest book, PIPPA’S HANUKKAH HUNT, illustrated by the talented Jill Weber and published by the amazing Holiday House team headed by editor Mary Cash, flew into bookstores.

The book continues the adventures of dear Pippa Mouse and her friends…and there is a mystery for our youngest story lovers to solve. In the blog post that went live on launch day, September 29th, I promised a GIVEAWAY of a signed copy of the book…and the winner is…

CARMELA MCCAIN SIMMONS!!
I’ll reach out to you, Carmela, so I can get your address and mail a signed copy to you!

I’m actually still catching my breath from my whirlwind trip to Vienna and Greece…one of my long-time critique buddies, Linda Hofke, traveled over 7 hours by train with her daughter to spend time with me in Vienna…we had a ball!. And because I know that many of you may not be active on social media, I wanted to share some travel photos with you.

Vienna with Peter, Linda Hofke and her daughter, Katarina

As you can see by all the smiles, it was a wonderful trip! And I’ve already booked a trip to Alaska…the one state I’ve never been to…for July 2027…I’m excited. According to WordCat.org, there is already a copy of Pippa’s Hanukkah Hunt at the Anchorage School District Library…and I will be in Anchorage at the back end of my trip.

Other than a couple of book events in November and December, (one is at the Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton, MA on December 5th…so if you are anywhere local to the Boston/Southern New Hampshire area, I hope you’ll SAVE THE DATE and stop by).

I’m keeping my calendar free so I can clear my desk of promised critiques…as well as do some writing of my own. Even though the publishing industry is moving at snail speed and all of the manuscripts my agent has out on submission have only received passes, I still have stories to tell…and will continue to hold to my belief that as long as the joy is still there, moving forward is the only way to proceed.

Also on my agenda is to read the dozens of books I’ve received over the past few months from publishers who are hoping their titles will be among the SCBWI Golden Kite finalists. I’m honored to be one of the judges in the Nonfiction for Older Readers and Nonfiction for Younger Readers categories…and when it is all over (Winners are announced in January, I believe), I’ll be donating all of the books to local schools in need. Through the #50PreciousWords Literacy Initiative…and because of the generosity of the kid lit community, we’ve already been able to donate 1200 books!

Speaking of #50PreciousWords…I am excited for the new year. I’ll begin gathering prizes in January…and the Heads-Up-The-Contest-Is-Coming post will go live sometime in early February. If you were a prize last year, I will be reaching out to you again. If you weren’t, but would like to donate a manuscript critique or a 30-minute Ask-Me-Anything virtual chat or some other fabulous prize, you can reach out to me to let me know. Also, if you have/know an agent and/or editor who would like to offer a submission opportunity or a critique or an Ask-Me-Anything virtual chat, please share that info with me. Last year we had 67 awesome prizes (and 677 amazing entries)…and although more prizes mean more time to distribute them, I’m happy to add more to make the event even more exciting for all the participants. Hosting the contest is a joy for me…and I’m thankful to my wonderful judges, many of whom have been part of the event for many years. Maria Marshall, Diane Tulloch, Pamela Courtney, Carmen Castillo Gilbert, Leah Moser, Shirin Shamsi, Amber Lavoie…I’m grateful for them all and hope they will want to return for the 2027 contest.

If you made it to the end of this post, congratulations! It was a long one. The important points to remember:
1. If you’d like a copy of SHOW ME HOW, email me. They are FREE…I only ask for $5 if I have to mail it to you (US addresses only).

2. If you haven’t left a review for PIPPA’S HANUKKAH HUNT, I wish you would: And with Hanukkah just around the corner, perhaps you need to purchase a copy for yourself or for a young story lover you know.
AMAZON
GOODREADS
B&N

3. If you’d like to be a prize for the 2027 #50PreciousWords, please reach out to me. This is such a challenging time for those on the path to publication…I know that the contest is a bright spot of hope and recognition for those who participate.

Thank you for spending your precious time with us. Fall is definitely upon us here in New England…the mornings are crisp and cold…and the trees are sporting headdresses of scarlet and gold. I’m not a fan of the coming winter…but it’s definitely a great time to hunker down with a good book…what book has you turning the pages?

Giveaway Recap and a Request for Reviews

Posted on January 27, 2026 by viviankirkfield

Hello dear friends! January is racing to a close and I wanted to award the THREE giveaways I offered in my last post.

Question #1: When did I purchase the outfit I wore for our Fall 2025 family photo?
This was obviously a really challenging question – partly because I didn’t provide the answer in the post. Many of you guessed the 80s or 90s when there was a resurgence of pleated mini skirts. And some of you guessed that I bought it when I was in college, which would have been 1963-1967. I actually purchased it in 1968 when my husband and I, on summer vacation after our first year of teaching, took a trip to Gananoque, Ontario and the Thousand Islands. The skirt has weathered exceedingly well, I think…and me, too, I hope.

Since no one guessed the actual year, I put names of folks who came pretty close into a hat and picked out:

SUSAN SCHIPPER – Congratulations, Sue…I’ll email you and we can see what manuscript you’d like to send me for feedback.

Question #2: When was the first #50PreciousWords, how many entries did we get, and who won?
The answers for this question were mentioned in the post and lots of folks got that answer correct…so I had to put those names in a hat and picked two winners of the 30-minute Ask Me Anything chat who are…

ROSE CAPPELLINI – Congratulations, Rose. I’ll email you and we can set up a time to chat.

ROBIN CURRIE – Congratulations, Robin…I’ll email you and we can set up a time to chat.

Question #3: Who is the editor and who is the illustrator for ONE GIRL’S VOICE?
The answers for this question were also found in the post – and LOTS and LOTS of folks got this one right…I shuffled up their names to find the winner of a signed copy of one of my books and picked out…TWO WINNERS…

VICKI HAMMOND – Congratulations, Vicki…I’ll email you to get your mailing address and to see if you want me to personalize it.
By the way…our wonderful #50PreciousWords logo was created by Vicki back in 2018, I think…huge thanks, Vicki!

LINDA HOFKE – Congratulations, Linda…I’ll email you to see if you want me to personalize it to your niece.

That’s it for the giveaway…but I also wanted to share that we’ve got SO MANY INCREDIBLE PRIZES lined up for #50PreciousWords this year! Please let writer friends know about the contest…the Heads-Up-The-Contest-Is-Coming-Soon post will go live on February 7th…so please stay tuned!

And please stay tuned for a COVER REVEAL on February 4th for my upcoming book, PIPPA’S HANUKKAH HUNT (illustrated by Jill Weber & published by Holiday House) which launches September 29.

And there’s more…a Triple Book Birthday post on February 2 for THREE brand-new Board Books from three dear friends.

And don’t leave yet…I’ll be finding out the results of the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards on February 6th and will include that info in the Heads-Up contest post. I’m honored that ONE GIRL’S VOICE: HOW LUCY STONE HELPED CHANGE THE LAW OF THE LAND, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon and published by Calkins Creek/Astra, is a FINALIST! And it has won other accolades as well during last year. But one thing it has not received are…

REVIEWS!
Yes, sadly, even though this amazing book has been out since last February, it only has 35 Amazon reviews. That’s right…35. Even though I have almost 2000 blog followers and almost 4000 Facebook friends plus I host a contest that attracted almost 600 submissions last year.
Believe me…I totally understand how busy our lives can get. But if you can find a few minutes and you love the book, I’d really appreciate your help. The review doesn’t have to be long-winded…just a sentence or two. Here is the link for the Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/One-Girls-Voice-Helped-Change/dp/1662680457/?

And as always, thank you for spending your precious time with us. Your support means the world to me.

Kerri Kokias: Will Write for Cookies Plus Critique Giveaway

Posted on January 6, 2018 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INSPIRATION – INFORMATION

FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

KERRI KOKIAS

I met today’s guest in Picture the Books 2017. Debut picture book authors together, we really had no clue as to how the process of publication worked. As Robert Burns said in To a Mouse: “The best laid schemes o’mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.” Which in plain English means, sometimes your plans don’t work out exactly as you thought they would. There can be all kinds of hold-ups in the publishing industry…that’s just how it is. So here it is 2018, and Kerri and I are part of Epic Eighteens, the group formed to give support and encouragement to debut picture book authors and illustrators with books coming out this year.

Now it looks like there is a chance Sweet Dreams, Sarah may be pushed back even further to 2019, but I’m thrilled to welcome Kerri and congratulate her on her exceedingly beautiful 2018 picture book debut!!!

Kerri’s writing features unique structures, playful language, humor, tension, tenderness, simple text, and complicated characters. She has a good vision for how text and art can work together to tell a complete story. Kerri credits most of her story ideas to her “fly on the wall” personality. This means she’s both a keen observer of social interactions and a nosey eavesdropper. Kerri lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, two children, and three dogs.

Hello, Kerri! Thanks so much for stopping by! We enjoyed finding out about SNOW SISTERS yesterday on Perfect Picture Book Friday and everyone is excited to hear a little bit more about you.

ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

KERRI: In my youngest reading memories I was a big fan of anything written by Shel Silverstein, James Marshall, Arnold Lobel, Judith Viorst, and William Steig. As I got a little older I liked books by Beverly Clearly, Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, and Ann Martin. I still treasure these author’s books and expect that I’ll never outgrow them.

ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?

KERRI: Hmm, I started to say that I wish I knew how long it was going to take me to get published, but then I realized that it was probably a good thing that I didn’t. (12 years!) I guess I would reframe that a little and say that I wish I knew that a career as an author doesn’t really come easy for anyone, even if it may look like it from the outside. I’ve been fortunate to make a lot of author friends through the years and everyone’s path to publication is different, but every one includes a lot of hard work, determination, grit, a little luck and some disappointment along the way. And as best as I call tell, this doesn’t change post publication either.

ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?

KERRI: I can tell you the most unusual place I have even written- at the swimming pool while swimming laps. There was one particular manuscript I was working on that I kept getting ideas for while I was swimming. So I kept a waterproof notebook at the end of the pool and would jot down notes between laps. But more ordinarily, I have a nice space with my picture book collection set up in my basement but I usually prefer to just sit on my living room couch or at my kitchen table and write on my laptop. Occasionally, if I’m having a hard time staying focused I’ll go to the library or a coffee shop to work. One thing that I’ve noticed is that I often come up with my best ideas when I’m driving or falling asleep. So a surprising amount of my writing originates as notes taken on my phone or whatever scrap of paper happens to be nearby. I have learned the hard way that these pieces of inspiration are lost if I don’t record them immediately, so I know to pull the car over when I need to jot something down and that it’s worth it to turn on that bedside lamp at record my idea even if it’s tempting to just roll-pver and fall asleep.

ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?

KERRI: I’m not very structured with my writing time (gasp!) and have never had much luck with the old butt in the chair technique. I’m more prone to just go about my day and write as the muse strikes. However, projects are ALWAYS stewing in my brain, even if I don’t have anything on paper to show for it. I take notes throughout the day and typically when enough of them build up I feel motivated to sit down and pull them together.

ME: Why do you write for children?

KERRI: Kids are my favorite kind of people!

ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share.

KERRI: I often hear beginning aspiring authors say that they can write better stories than what’s already out there. My advice here is that people’s tastes vary, and there is an audience for just about anything. So don’t compare your writing to books that are outside of your taste; compare it to the books that you most admire. Take your time striving to get your work the best that it can be.

ME: What awesome advice, Kerri. TAKE YOUR TIME STRIVING TO GET YOUR WORK THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE!!! That’s a great mantra for all of us!

I know we are want to thank Kerri for her insights, her generous picture book manuscript critique giveaway, and for spending this precious time with us. But we’re not done yet!

I guess Kerri is part seer…she must have known that here on the East Coast, we have been hit by a blizzard and record cold temperatures and we are in need of some warm beverages. So pull out some of those previous cookie recipes and bake up a hatch and then…

KERRI: How about some hot cocoa to go with all of those cookies?

Homemade Hot Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Cup milk

Dash of salt

Multiply by desired number of servings. Heat until warm. Snuggle up and enjoy!

YUM! And while you are sipping your hot chocolate, don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of A PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE from the lovely and talented Kerri Kokias! And after you do that, choose one or more of the following to help your favorite author:

1. One of the best ways is to post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and other book review sites.

2. Ask your local library to order the book…many libraries honor patron requests and some even have online request forms.

3. Buy a copy of the book.

4. And most importantly…TALK ABOUT THE BOOK…to friends, family, and anyone who will listen!

Amazingly, it is almost time to start talking about the #50PreciousWords writing challenge. The challenge opens March 2 – it celebrates the birthday of Dr. Seuss – last year we had 253 incredibly wonderful entries and 40 prizes! I’ve already got two kidlit powerhouses to help me. So, if you have a prize you’d like to donate (book, critique, original art, or anything a writer would love to have), please contact me at viviankirkfield@gmail.com or via FB or Twitter PM. This challenge brought out amazing talent…the 1st place winner in 2016 already has a contract for that story and a sequel to it! Many people who participated said it was the FIRST time they had ever submitted anything. That is a huge accomplishment for them right there! And the camaraderie and positivity that wove through the thread of over 2000 comments was a testament to what a beautiful kidlit world we are creating! The informational post will go up in mid February, but I just wanted to get the ball rolling.