Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Holiday Writing Contest!

Submitting a last-minute entry into Susanna Hill's Holiday Writing Contest. Thanks for the opportunity Susanna!  See all the entries HERE.

GINGERBREAD HOUSES HAVE MAGIC
By Debbie
250 Words 

It’s the last day of school before Christmas break.
Everyone in my class is talking, laughing…
If only I had someone to build my gingerbread house with.
I don’t really have friends but I’m sort of used to it.
Ms. Wilkinson helps me glue graham crackers together.
“Gingerbread houses have magic,” she says.
If you leave them out, elves may visit.”
I laugh, but I wonder if she’s right.
I work hard on my house.
Licorice and fruit rings for the roof.
Candy canes for a heart door.
After school, I want to show my mom,
but she isn’t home,
so I set it on the porch.
I watch out the window a long time, but nothing happens,
so I go to bed.
In the middle of the night, I wake up and look outside.
My house is gone!
I step out to investigate.
My breath blows a white cloud.
It’s quiet.
Across the street, I see a light in the woods.
I walk closer.
No way. My house! Big enough for ME to fit inside!
I open the heart-shaped candy cane door.
“Welcome!” says a sparkly elf.
She gives me a hug.
“Have some hot chocolate,” says another.
“Is this real?” I ask.
“Just for tonight. But you get one Christmas wish before you go.”
All night, the elves tell me stories.
I laugh, sip cocoa, and think about my wish.
Before I leave, I finally decide:
“I wish I could feel this way always - like I belong.” 

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

2019 Halloweensie Contest!!

It's that time of year again! Susanna Leonard Hill's 9th annual Halloweensie contest is upon us and I'm so excited to join the fun.

This year's rules are as follows: Write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words potion, cobweb, and trick.

To see all the entries and read the judging criteria, you can go to Susanna's blog right here. Thank you so much for this fun writing opportunity that I've come to look forward to every year!

And now for my entry. Thanks for reading!


GLOONA THE GRINCHY WITCH
By Debbie - 100 words
Gloona the witch was a ghastly old soul-
more greed than a dragon, more warts than a troll.
On Halloween evening, she mixed up a brew
with lizard tail, bedbugs, and pickled worm goo.
From out of her potion, a ghoulish mist crept.
It oozed through the streets until everyone slept.
Beaming with glee, Gloona flew out unseen.
She swept through the city and stole Halloween.
She took every cobweb, each pumpkin and light,
the scarecrows, the sweets, the decor made of fright,
and inside her cottage, she laughed with conceit.
That is, ‘til she heard, “Ring-a-ding. Trick or treat!”

Monday, October 7, 2019

Checking in

Hi friends!
I know it's been awhile. I've been crazy busy this last year. Living in a foreign country with little ones while your husband travels most the time is no joke!
However...I wanted to check in quick and mention a few things!
First of all, I started a new project writing a new poetry now that my kids are in school (time to write, hooray!) You can find the site on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Debspoetrycorner
So that's been fun and motivating! I hope you'll read a few now and then.
Also, I just registered for a cool picture book opportunity I wanted to share with any pb writers out there. It's called #PBCritiqueFest hosted by Brian Gehrlein at Picture Book Spotlight. Register for a chance to win a pb critique by some pretty impressive kidlit folks at https://www.pbspotlight.com/pbcritiquefest
I hope to check in again soon! But if you don't hear for me in awhile, find me on twitter (@deborah_writing) and FB where I'm a little more active these days! :)

Saturday, March 2, 2019

50 Precious Words Contest

It's time for Vivian Kirkfield's 50 Precious Words Writing Contest! Can you write a story for kids in 50 words or less? Give it a try! Click here to read all the rules and make your own entry. The contest ends March 6th. Good luck, All! Here's what I got this year: 

DOWN THE SPIDER HOLE
By Debbie Day
48 words

Kat the rat
swings her bat.
It’s a fly!
Wait - oh my.
Where’d it roll?
Down THAT hole?
Creepy, steep.
Dark and deep.
Now she spies
SEVERAL eyes.
Kat’s worst fear
inching near.
Creepy crawl.
There’s the….BALL?
“Here you go!”
“Really? Whoa.
…Want to play?”
“Hmmm. Okay!”