Lauri Meyers .

Susanna Hill has a guilty heart. I mean she has a Guilty Heart Valentiny contest this year! By midnight on 2/14 write a children's story in 214 words or less where the character feels guilty. I love how these contests stretch my writing muscles, plus she has amazing prizes, plus it is a great sense of community reading everyone's entries. This year I learned something important. I struggle with endings. The evidence should have been obvious. There are many manuscripts weeping in their files, wondering if the writer will ever return to properly finish them. I vow to try! *If anyone has read any great blog posts about endings or would like to send tools my way, post them in the comments or email me! I have a problem, and I need help! The ending to this one came after a week of struggle, in a bolt of morning dream sleep. I hope you enjoy it! Don’t Eat Your Valentine By Lauri C. Meyers Giant fiddled with a doily. Heart shaped cakes, kissy lip crumpets and cupid ...

Susanna Hill is hosting her 8th annual Holiday Story contest ! The Contest :   Write a  children’s holiday story  (children here defined as age 12 and under) about  A Holiday Hero !  Your hero’s act of heroism can be on a grand scale or a small one – from saving Christmas to leaving a fresh-baked loaf of Challah bread for a homeless person to something like Gift Of The Magi where two people give up the thing most important to them to be sure someone they love has a good holiday.  Your hero can be obvious or unlikely.  Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is  not to exceed 250 words. Something about winter pulls me out to the woods to spy on the wild creatures and sneak a peek of their Christmas shenanigans.  Happy Holidays everyone!  Squirrel Wraps Up Christmas By Lauri Meyers (via publicdomainpictures.n...

It's crazy at my house right now with a trip coming up, a new puppy coming soon, and the HORRORS of fifth grade homework! But I couldn't miss S usanna Hill's Halllweensie Contest! The Contest :  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  shiver ,  cauldron , and  howl .  Your story can be scary, funny, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!)  Here's my entry. I wish everyone a Happy and Safe Halloween. May you get every candy you want *after* the kids go to bed! Mwa Ha Ha! Photo via GoodFreePhotos Five Hungry Zombies By Lauri Meyers Five hungry zombies rotting on a street. The first one wailed, “Need something to eat!” The second one groaned, “Cauldron over there.” The third one screamed, “Smell children ...

Happy Valentine's Day! Susanna Hill is hosting her third annual Valentiny contest where she forces us to write complete stories in 214 words or less. She's tough, but these contests are great ways to get your inspiration flowing and see what your mind can do with constraints. In this year's contest, someone must be hopeful. You can read all the great entries here . Entries can be posted through 2/14. In my 146 word story, Joey must try every superstition to get a snow day or risk being Katie's Valentine. Snow Day Valentine By Lauri Meyers Jammies inside out. Ice in the toilet. Shake up the snowglobe. Snow day guaranteed! Snip lucky snowflakes. No need to cut hearts. I’m not gonna be Katie’s valentine. (via sxc.hu) Roll ice cream snowmen. Will she stare at me? Chow down on scoops of No School Tomorrow! Put a dime in the Window for Jack Frost. What if she hugs me? Add a few quarters. Run outside, spin twice. She...

Susanna Hill's 7th Annual Holiday Contest is here. The challenge is to write a holiday story for kids with a surprise in under 250 words. Writing friends in Southern California have been posting about the wild fires this week and about finding safety. (Stay safe!!) There is a fire in the Los Padres National Forest , which inspired my 220 word story. Christmas Wildfire By Lauri Meyers Black bear pawed at the ground by a big douglas fir and snorted, “This one.” Elk wrapped the tree with honeysuckle vines, carefully tucking in the ends with his antlers. Bluebird dotted the needles with red Christmas berries. Jackrabbit dangled wild carrots, joyously jumping to the highest branches.   Coyote paced around the tree and howled with delight. Black bear grunted, “Quiet.” Jackrabbit’s nose twitched, “Smoke.” Elk raised his antlers, “Danger.” Bluebird chittered, “Run, run, run!” Coyote snapped at their feet to hurry. Black Bear (by Martha Jane Cordell via fr...

I've been busy making spider egg sacks,  creating creepy decapitated heads, and smurfing myself this Halloween season.  But once all the goblins were in bed (and the blue face paint removed) there was just enough time to finish my Halloweensie Story. Susanna Leonard Hill's contest challenges writers to create a Halloween story for children in 100 words or less which includes the words Shadow, Monster, and Candy Corn (bonus, candy corn counts as one word.) Post your story by Tuesday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT. (Otherwise known as "Dude, you only have 30 minutes left")   Timmy’s Sweet Success The monsters were prowling, but Timmy wanted his bag full. A chill stopped him on the sidewalk.   “I vant to suck your sweets,” the vampire said. “Open up,” Timmy said. He shoved candy corn on Dracula’s fangs and ran. He stopped to ring another doorbell, but a growl made him freeze. “I need a chewy snack,” the werewolf said. “Open up,” ...

International Dot Day encourages kids to "make their mark." Any mark will do. It's unique. It's you.  When it comes to making my mark, I like to be funny. Often this is a self-deprecating humor, or said another way, I celebrate laughing with myself at myself! For instance, I nearly threw out my back yesterday. See, I despise doing dishes. So I put on music. And a funky fresh song came on. And some twerking-while-drying occurred. Everyone knows moving around the room with a plate in the air works significantly better than a dish towel alone.  You only know the twerking is working when it hurts a little, and my twerkin’ was workin’. So…. The dishes are done, and I have a heating pad on my back. And in honor of this laughable occasion I give you “Dancing Dish Dot.” Another time, I indulged in my favorite naughty treat. TACO BELL. Well, my husband was telling me a story, and it must have been HILARIOUS, because right there in the middle of a bur...