If you happen to follow this blog, you’ll see that I haven’t posted in…oh…a year? Oops! Picture book cover letters I sent to agents used to brag that I posted monthly picture book reviews and honestly I would love to get back to that, but with two teenage sons and a full time teaching job that also has me covering multiple extra-curricular activities (fun stuff like being the Speech & Debate coach, but time-consuming nonetheless), something has to give. Self-care and priorities, people.

Sadly, the paucity of blog posts is also indicative of a general writing slump. I still participate in my critique group, and I still send out queries, but after many years querying and only one book published, it can be hard to keep up the enthusiasm. Yes, I’m super proud of the book I’ve published (“The Great Holiday Cookie Swap” with Pelican Publishing in 2020), but if you don’t push on, you go backward. So let’s push on.

It’s time for the Fall Writing Frenzy, a fabulous writing contest put on by Kaitlyn Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis. (Click the link and scroll down to read entries in the comments). I’ve entered several of the past few years and it’s a great way to stretch your writing muscles. You pick a prompt (from about a dozen photos) and write something that’s kidlit friendly and under 200 words. This year I went a little more spooky than normal (cozy autumn is totally my vibe), so see what you think! Would love comments!

The Jack-o’-Lantern (Inspired by photo #12): 199 words

Katrina wanted more than anything to carve a pumpkin for Halloween. Her friends all had jack-o’-lanterns on their steps. It seemed so magical, but her father said it was wasteful. Her family didn’t have much money.

“We grow squash in the garden for eating! We’re not growing silly pumpkins just to cut them up and watch them rot.” 

After school on Halloween, Katrina found a jack-o’-lantern in the field near their house. It was even lit! Maybe it was magic! Someone knew she wanted one. She brought it home and put it on their front porch. It seemed to smile at her.

“Where did that stupid pumpkin come from?” her father bellowed when he got home from work.

“I found it!” Katrina cried. “Now our house will look like all the others!”

“Horsefeathers! A good solid pumpkin like that! We’ll have soup for supper!” He stabbed at the pumpkin and roasted it, then pureed it into a thick soup.

Her father ate the whole pot. Katrina couldn’t eat a bite. She was too upset. 

It was a good thing, too, because when the Headless Horseman came to retrieve his pumpkin that night, he knew just where to find it.