October 29, 2022

 

Halloween is almost here! Every year I enter Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie Writing Contest. Rules: write a Halloween story using 100 or less words. Also, three words must be included in the story. The words for this year are scare, treat and slither. Here is my entry:

 

HALLOWEEN SNACK

By Debra Daugherty

100 words

“Hey, kid. Cool zombie costume. Want to go trick or treating with me?

‘I take it your nod means yes. Okay. Let’s go!

‘I love Halloween. Scary costumes. Spooky decorations. Candy. Look! My bag’s almost full.

‘Watch out! Snake.

‘Whew! It slithered away.

‘See that house? My brother says a witch lives there. I don’t believe him. Let’s knock on the door.

‘Trick or treat!”

“Zombie, you brought Witchy a snack. The boy’s brain is yours. I get the rest.

‘Yum. Witchy loves Halloween.”

Crunch.

“So does Zombie.”

Chomp. Chomp.

“Thanks for eating my candy instead of me.

‘Friends? Cool.”

My original ending had the child getting eaten by the witch and zombie. I like this version better as there's a surprise twist at the end. I fool the reader by making him think the witch and zombie are snacking on the boy, and then surprise! Instead, they are eating candy and they all become friends.

Happy Halloween!

 

September 26, 2022

 

It's been a busy year for revisions. I think a manuscript is perfect, and then after reading it for the umpteenth time, I start changing lines, tweaking a word or phrase. I don't believe I will ever be completely happy with any of my work as I know there is always room for improvement and different interpretations.

 

One of my favorite works is A River's Song. I've shared it with my critique group and received amazing suggestions which I took to heart. Recently, I shared again with the members of my group, and they loved it, but there were still a couple of lines that needed work.

 

One of my critique friends wasn't at the meeting, but Suzy critiqued it online and she offered lovely word choices, much better than the ones I had used. I'm 99% satisfied that this piece is ready to send out into the world. The 1% is my worry gene. Like I said, I am never completely happy with my work.

 

I entered the Rate Your Story (RYS) writing contest this year. Although I didn't win or place, as a participant I won a free RYS speedpass. This is where one sends a manuscript to them for a critique with a rating from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest. I sent A Magical Day with Grandma. I had shared this story with my critique group, and felt it ready, but wanted another expert opinion. It rated a  4 - "A decent story. Merits some reworking and/or revisioning." The critiquer offered a full page of ways to improve my story, so it's back to revisions.

 

It's not Thanksgiving yet, but I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I am thankful I now have an agent. Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary Agency is amazing. She edits my work and corresponds with me about my submissions. If I have a question, she gets back with me immediately. Once a month, she hosts a happy hour on zoom where I connect with her and her other clients, and we share ideas.

 

 

I'm thankful for my wonderful SCBWI-IL writers group. They have helped me tremendously and my writing is greatly improved because of them. Yesterday, my group celebrated their 20th anniversary. I wasn't around since the beginning. I joined in 2012, but Louann has been a Springfield Scribe since Kim Hutmacher started the Springfield chapter in 2002. Louann's daughter, Juli, said she joined two years after her mom, so she's been a member for 18 years.

 

We celebrated this milestone anniversary with a luncheon at the Sangamo Brewing Company in Chatham, Illinois. Kim came, as well as many past members. Of the ten in our luncheon group, seven were, or are, SCBWI-IL network representatives. To quote Kim about our day, "We laughed. We reminiscenced. We ate cake." (Louann and Juli brought a beautiful and tasty cake to finish off our meal.)

 

A week ago, the SCBWI-IL representatives were honored with a picnic lunch at Allerton Park. I'm so glad to have hitched a ride with Juli and Louann, as I don't think I would have found this place. This park is beautiful, and I wished I had the energy to walk the grounds. I did walk a bit with Juli to see the Allerton mansion. The weather was warm, but we had a wonderful breeze under the trees. Ten must be a magical number, as there were ten at this luncheon, the same number who attended our anniversary celebration. It was nice being able to connect with other representatives from Illinois and to share ideas.

 

As the SCBWI-IL representative for the Central Illinois area, I am always trying to find ways to help my members with their writing and illustrating careers. We critique our stories at meetings, we have guest speakers/authors present writing programs on zoom, but after Covid, I found many members losing interest or just not inspired to write. I felt the same way.

 

My thought was we all need to be challenged to do more, to put ourselves out there. So, each month I post a challenge to my group. I challenge them to submit to certain publishing houses that are open for submissions and I provide the link for these publishers. I challenge my group to query agents, and I provide the names of agents looking for submissions from authors who write children's stories. Other challenges are to post a blog - that's why I'm posting this today. My main goal is to have everyone submit, submit, submit.

 

The response to these challenges touch my heart. My group loves them and they are accepting these challenges and putting themselves out there as I had hoped. My challenges are the push they needed. Imagine how pleased I'll be when they all find agents or a publisher because of one of my challenges.

 

The release date for my picture book, The Memory Jar, is drawing nearer. My editor at Young Dragons Press, Amy Cowan, said she expects it will be ready in the Spring of 2023. I've already set up two blog interviews for next March.

 

September is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. I posted on twitter about my book and mentioned that I dedicated it to my Aunt Luella, who had Alzheimers. A teacher from Montanna tweeted that she's put my book on her wish list, and a beauty pageant winner from Georgia, who advocates Alzheimer's Awareness, also tweeted that she can't wait for my book to come out. Isn't that amazing? I feel the need to pinch myself to make sure I haven't dreamed all this.

 

Victoria Marble is illustrating our book. I have two books she has illustrated on my bookshelf, so when I found out she was chosen by my editor for my story, I was thrilled. Victoria has shared a few of her drawings with me. Seeing how she turned my words into pages of art gives me goosebumps. Victoria stated she's halfway done, so I guess we're on schedule for the Spring, 2023 release date.

 

So, this is what I've been busy doing this year, my year of revisions and challenges. I've also written a few PB manuscripts, but they need a lot of work before they are ready to send out. I mainly want to concentrate on the manuscripts that I want to send my agent, and that means revise, revise, revise.

 

I intend to work on a middle grade novel in November for NaNoWriMo, (national novel writing month). I had one chapter done, about twelve typed pages, but they were lost when my computer crashed. I hadn't saved them on a disc. Now I save everything.

 

I love writing and I'm excited to see what next year brings.

 

Happy writing! Happy revisions!

 

 

 

April 1, 2022

 

It's time again for the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/737m0m/umbrella_dance/

Gify – Dog Reaction Gif by Moodman

 

                                    AN UMBRELLA DAY

                                    By Debra Daugherty

 

Hooray! I’m hopping, prancing and dancing with joy. Spring is here! And it’s an umbrella day!

Ah, Spring! Plush green grass to roll in. Daffodils, tulips and irises to sniff.

Time to dig up my bones, chase balls, and catch frisbees.

Oh, how I’ve dreamed about taking long walks in the park with my humans, chasing squirrels, and barking at the ducks in the pond.

Rainy days are the best! I love to jump in puddles and splash water everywhere. Swoosh! Whoosh!

The rains help flowers grow. Soon their tiny buds will open in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Rain nourishes the trees while gentle winds caress the branches.

And these trees shelter my feathery friends who have returned home.

Welcome back, dear robins, goldfinches, chickadees, sparrows and Blue Jays! How I missed your songs!

A spring rain fills the air with a fresh, clean scent.

Ah, Spring! I love you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 1, 2022

 

Oh, my gosh! It's already February in the new year! The older I get, the faster time flies.

 

January was bitter cold. Twelve inches of snow fell mid-month and closed my driveway. A kind neighbor plowed it open for me, but I waited a week before venturing out.

 

I'm happy to report I accomplished some writing in January. I wrote three picture book drafts, all based on StoryStorm ideas. StoryStorm is Tara Lazar's brainchild. The goal is to think of a picture book idea a day. By the end of the month, one should have at least 31 ideas.

 

There's been a theme to my stories. Animals. I chose to do a concept non-fiction story on dogs of the world. It's nearly finished, but I still have some research to do to verify all my facts.

 

My next story was for a contest, but I also hope to market it. The contest is #KidsChoice Writing Contest sponsored by Kailei Pew. The judges are kids! Winners will be announced sometime in March. This concept PB is titled TEN REASONS TO ADOPT A CAT. It's funny with a surprise twist at the end.

 

And two weeks ago, I wrote a Christmas story. All the snow put me in the mood. What would happen if Rudolph couldn't lead the sleigh? Who would take his place? With those questions in mind, I wrote how a furry arctic animal saves Christmas. It's been through several critiques, and I also submitted it to Rate Your Story's First Page for a critique by Clear Fork publisher, Callie Metler, and Spork publisher, Lynne Marie. In my original story I had a penguin sidekick. I found out from Lynne Marie that there are no penguins in the North Pole. My entire story had to be revamped, and thanks to Callie Metler's thoughts, my sidekick is Rudolph. I have high hopes for this story.

 

Susanna Leonard Hill has a valentine contest every year. The goal is to write a 214 word story based on a theme. The theme this year is pride, to show someone who is proud for something they did or didn't do, or for something they said. The contest opened this morning, February 12th. I decided on the spur-of-the-moment to enter. Before getting out of bed, I thought of an idea, and after breakfast I wrote my story. It took me about 30 minutes.

 

If you'd like to read my 214-word story about a lovesick groundhog, it's posted below: 

 

THE LOVESICK GROUNDHOG

Every February 2^nd, Groundhog played a game. Pop out of his burrow, see his shadow, pop back in for six more weeks of winter. If no shadow, stay up and enjoy an early Spring.

This year, Groundhog had a new plan. “I’m going to stay up, shadow or not, and spend Valentine’s Day with Ginny.”

He met Ginny Groundhog last Fall before hibernating. He was instantly smitten, but too timid to tell her how he felt.

On the appointed day, Groundhog climbed out of his home. “Today I tell Ginny I love her.”

Groundhog gathered raspberries and clover and sat on a log by Ginny’s burrow. With pride in his voice, he said, “I will not be shy. I will impress Ginny with my gifts, and she will be my girlfriend.”

The lovesick groundhog waited all day, but Ginny never showed. “I must have just missed her.”

Groundhog burrowed in some leaves and fell asleep. Six weeks later, a noise woke him. “It’s Ginny!”

He shouted down the hole, “I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend,” a soft voice answered.

Groundhog’s eyes popped when a bunny hopped out of the burrow.

The bunny munched on the clover in Groundhog’s paws. “I thought you’d never ask.”

 

I'm happy to be writing and submitting. I declare 2022 as my year of writing.