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KidLit Vibes Contest 2023

5/12/2023

And now for the kidlit community's grooviest contest...Kidlit Vibes 2023!

The challenge: Spin the "wheel of feels" and use the vibe given as a prompt for creating a kidlit story (12 years of age and younger), all in 125 words or less. The contest is open to both unagented and agented creators alike, and the entries are judged anonymously.

Contest dates are May 12-14th, so there's still time to spin and create your own story. You can find more details at the link here and all the great prizes can be found here.

Last year I landed on "longing," which was a great (and prize winning!) inspiration. This year I spun "cozy," which happens to be one of my favorite feelings. I hope you like this little taste of a kidlit cozy mystery.

Thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts in the comments - did you get a cozy vibe? Do you want to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a plate of cookies and find out whodunnit?

p.s. Feel free to leave a link to your own entry, as I'd love to read yours, too. Good luck!

The Pie Spy
A Baker's Burrow Mystery

by Carrie Karnes-Fannin
(125 words)

Autumn rain pattered on the burrow’s window and sugar wafted into the air as they opened the old trunk. “Granny was Watson Woods’ best baker ever,” Blanche said. “I hope her recipes are in here.”

Max’s long ears flopped in his face while he rummaged inside. He held up some yellowed papers tied with twine. “Is this a cookbook?”

Blanche squinted as she made out the old-fashioned handwriting. “The Case...of...the...Pie Spy.”

“Detective notes?” Max clapped his paws together. “Ooh, delicious...let’s read them!”

“Now?”

“Pretty please?”

Blanche laughed. “Oh, who could say ‘no’ to that face?”

Max settled against her shoulder with a contented sigh as Blanche began to read. “My latest creation was cooling on the windowsill when the stranger knocked...”

Baker's Burrow kitchen - Art by Carrie Karnes-Fannin

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Spring Fling Kidlit Contest 2023

4/1/2023

16 Comments

After a long cold winter, spring is in full bloom!

And what would a new season be without a seasonal writing contest? A super fun one is the annual Spring Fling Kidlit Writing Contest, hosted by author Ciara O'Neal and agent Kaitlyn Sanchez and open to entries April 1-3.

The challenge:

"Find a gif and write a spring-inspired story. Blossoming flowers? Sure! Easter eggs? You bet! Mothers day? Of course! Anything related to Spring is yours for the telling."

(You can find more details about the rules and samples here.)

Telling a complete story (beginning, middle, end) within the 150-word limit works all the writing muscles! I enjoyed "borrowing" well-known rabbit characters to use in my piece. Can you spot them all?

Writing tip: Borrowing (or "intertextuality") is a recognizable echo from another work of literature. It's a great way to pack a lot into a few words, as the reader brings the backstory with them. As someone who writes poetry and humorous picture books, intertextuality one of my favorite devices.

While contestants aren't required to create the GIF paired with the entry, a lot of them do. I took that on this year as well. It was nice to play with visual storytelling in addition to words. Even though they look a little bit like potatoes, aren't the bunnies sweet?

I hope you enjoy my 150-word story and homegrown GIF. Are you entering this year? If so, please leave a link in the comments so I can also read yours. Good luck to everyone who entering!

p.s. As anyone who reads my work will notice, I love archaic words. Here are some from the story, along with their definitions:

Burrow: a hole or a tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, to use as a dwelling
Cony: rabbit, especially a male (boy) one, usually older
Doe: a female (girl) rabbit, deer, ferret, rat, or kangaroo
Fluffle: a group noun for wild rabbits
Kerfluffle: a disturbance or commotion, usually as the result of a dispute
Kit: a baby or young rabbit

p.s.s. My blog won't support playing my GIF for some reason, so I had to load it as a MP4. But I do have it as a GIF as well.

The Fluffle Kerfuffle ~ A Rabbit's Tale

As was their custom since time out of mind, a fluffle of rabbits gathered to choose the Easter Bunny. They sipped rosehip tea and nibbled carrot cakes while debating this year’s hopefuls.

“What about Peter?”

“Bugs is our bunny!”

“In my day, a pocket watch meant something.”

Lanky, half-grown kits rolled their eyes. The perpetually late white rabbit never let anyone forget his ancient brush with fame.

Jessica’s cloak flared as she hopped up. “What about me?”

A kerfuffle ensued. “But...but...you’re...”

“A girl?” Jessica’s whiskers twitched.

“It’s never been done!” one old cony gasped. All around, long gray ears sagely nodded. Who could argue with that?

This doe could.

“When better for new beginnings than spring?” Jessica filled the egg basket and flung open the burrow’s door. “Count on me, gentlemen.”

With a flick of her cottony tail, she was gone. Easter mornings would never be the same.

16 Comments

50 Precious Words 2023 Winners & Honorable Mentions

3/20/2023

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Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions in this year's 50 Precious Words contest!

This was an amazing outpouring of creative talent--756 entries!--as well as support and celebration by the kidlit community. (Check out the list here. ) A heartfelt thank you to Vivian Kirkfield and the rest of the judges for all the time and care they put into reading and making decisions, as well as the generous prize donors.

I'm pleased to say my entry MY BEST FRIEND IS GONE AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS CHEW THE FURNITURE is among the honorable mentions. My muse Bodhi is stoked at being a little bit famous.

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My Best Friend Is Gone and All I Want to Do is Chew the Furniture - My 50 Precious Words Contest 2023 Entry

3/3/2023

4 Comments

It's that time again ~ the 50 Precious Words International Writing Contest.

This fun competition started in 2016 thanks to Vivian Kirkfield's unflagging enthusiasm and support for the kidlit creative community. Thank you to Vivian, the judges, and prize donors for your time and generosity!

Entries can be silly or serious, poetry or prose. You can let your imagination run wild! But, whatever the piece, it must be an actual story (with a beginning, middle, and end) and no more than 50 words.

Quite the challenge, right? I always love seeing what people come up with--you should check it out here, too. {{link}}

My 50-word entry was inspired by watching my dog cycle through the 5 stages of grief repeatedly one afternoon, as he ripped up one cheap squeaky ball after the other in quick succession. I had fun getting inside my pup's mind for this one.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

MY BEST FRIEND IS GONE
AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS CHEW THE FURNITURE
by
Carrie Karnes-Fannin

So chewy! So slimy!

Ball and me. Me and Ball.

Best buds,
fur-ever.

Uh-oh. No.

NO.

Shh...Ball’s asleep.

Right?

Ball? Ball?

Grrr! C'mon, bounce...

Please? Pretty please?? I promise I’ll fetch you.

Oh, Ball. I miss...

...Woof!

So shiny! So fast!

Frisbee and me. Me and Frisbee.

Best buds,
fur-ever.

4 Comments

2023 Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest Finalists and Honorable Mentions

3/1/2023

12 Comments

I'm thrilled to see my YA piece 'The Trouble with Chloe and Olivia' listed as an honorable mention! If you'd like to read my story, check it out here.

Read all about the finalists in PB, MG, and YA, as well as additional honorable mentions on Kailei Pew's blog here.

12 Comments

Baby's First Valentine

2/12/2023

15 Comments

Just in time for Valentines!

Once again, one of Susannah Hill's fun holiday-themed contests is getting the kidlit community's creative juices flowing. Between now and February 14th, enter a 214-word max story for the chance to win one of many fabulous prizes. [Check it all out here.]

The gist of the rules is that it must be 1) Kid appropriate, 2) Valentine themed, 3) incorporate this year's prompt/concept, which is skepticism, 4) and be a real story, with a beginning, middle, end.

I don't know how well I did with the story arc aspect. But even so, I had fun with this little piece, which is a love letter to newer parents everywhere.

What do you think? Drop a note and let me know in the comments if you relate to this one.

Thanks for reading!

Baby's First Valentine
by
Carrie Karnes-Fannin

Description: Toddler in yellow dress is being chased by toddler in dinosaur onesie, against a pink background. Heart confetti floats down all around them. (Illus. composed by me with Canva.)

You
might not believe this
right now...

You
might not feel it,
with my small, sticky hand flung
across your face, with just one hour left
to sleep.

You
might be pressed
to imagine this as you discover the two bites
I took from the very last piece
of double-chocolate
pie.

You
might not see it,
while you scrub those knee-high crayon marks
from the bathroom wall.

You
might not believe this
right now,
but...

...I love you.