Susanna Leonard Hill has a Birthday Story Contest going on at her blog (click HERE to see the post) and I wrote a story for the contest. I have the story at the end of this post but first I wanted to let you know about a couple of changes I made at my blog. I made the changes because I am trying to make it more organized and easier. Let me know what you think about the changes 🙂
First I made a FAQ page (this was one of my New Years Resolutions anyway). You can click on the tab at the top of my home page to see or (or click HERE). Let me know what you think or if there are any other FAQs I should add.
Secondly I made an official section saying how to send me a book to review. You can see it at the tab at the top of my home page or by clicking HERE.
Thirdly I made a blog schedule. I saw that on a lot of your blogs and I think it’s a good idea! Click on the tab at the top of my page or HERE. To go to it.
Let me know what you think of my changes and if you have any other suggestions!
Now for something fun!
The Birthday Contest hosted by Susanna Leonard Hill!
The rules are “The contest is to write a children’s story about a very creative and/or unique birthday celebration in 300 words or less. Poetry or prose, your choice.”
Here’s my entry!
Not Another Birthday!
By Erik
Billy hated his birthdays, every single one of them. The day was always a complete disaster. One time, on Billy’s seventh birthday, most of his party guests ended up in the emergency room! In fact, none of Billy’s friends will come to his parties anymore. Only Billy’s relatives show up because they have to.
Things usually start off pretty well. The guests arrive with smiles on their faces, carrying presents in colorful paper. There’s lots of ”Hi’s”, hugs and “How are you’s?” Everyone puts their party hats on. There’s pizza for dinner, and games like guess the wizard, and pin the drawbridge on the castle.
Then comes the cake. Billy’s dad carries it in. This year it has twelve candles on it, brightly lit with flames dancing in the air. Billy notices it is an ice cream cake, “UGH!” He says to himself. “Even WORSE!”
The cake is placed on the table in front of Billy; all the guests cower behind their chairs and under the table as they nervously sing “Happy Birthday to You” in hushed voices. As Billy listened to the song, getting ready to blow out the candles, he thought to himself, “This makes no sense for a fire-breathing dragon.”
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Categories: Creative Kids, Other Stuff Related to Books and Reading
Flat out excellent, Erik! The ending made me laugh out loud! VERY fun 🙂 I thought Billy was going to be an elephant, but a dragon is so much better! Thanks so much for this terrific entry!
And I really like your new sections. I’m sure readers will find them very helpful!
Thank you Ms. Hill! HA HA! I think an elephant would have been funny!
I hope you are right about people finding them useful.
Oh my gosh, Erik, I am laughing out loud at this story! I was picturing a young wizard who couldn’t control his magical powers and was completely surprised by the dragon at the end! Brilliant 🙂
I am glad you liked it! I think a wizard would have been good, too! I was going to have Pin the Sword on the Knight, but I though that would’ve given it away.
Haha Erik! Great story! I had no idea he was going to be a dragon!
Thank you Ms. Pierce! 😀 Oops! I mean Cindy! 😉
Great job Erik.
Thank you Mr. Lothian!
Love it! Fantastic Erik! A fire breathing dragon! Not what I expected, gave me a chuckle & a smile. Thank you. Keep up the great work on your great blog:)
Thank you Mr. Hewlett! I am glad I made you laugh! 😉
You’re a great writer, Erik! And very neat twist at the end!!
Thank you Ms. Cho! I am glad you like it! Please stop by again!
Your blog changes are excellent, Erik! Well done!
And I love your story. I laughed so hard at the ending — I didn’t see that coming at all!
Thank you Ms. Stilborn. I am glad you like the changes I made.
I’m glad I made you laugh!
Loved your Birthday contest entry. And your blog is much more organized than many so no suggestions to offer.
Thank you Ms. Brown! 🙂
Your story is great!! Just loved it and your improvements to the blog are very good as well.
Thank you Ms. Foster! I am glad you like my story and improvements! 🙂
Erik, I think you have a winner. I did not see the twist and laughed at the ending. I should have known something wasn’t right when no one would go to Billy’s parties anymore. I like your writing. It is creative and humorous. To get all that in under 300 words was probably a little harder than it seems. You made it look easy. Great job!
Thank you Ms. Morris! I am glad I made you laugh! When I first wrote it, it was to short, so I added more details to make it more interesting. 😉
HA! Loved the surprise ending. Great entry 😉
I am glad you like it Ms. Renauld! Thank you!
Wow Erik! I really thought that Billy was just a kid who’s dad was gonna drop the huge fiery cake! 😛
That would have been a funny ending! Maybe I could have said Billy was a dragon in the beginning, and then have his dad drop the cake… 😉
Ha! I so enjoy your sense of humor, Erik. I have to make sure my boys see that one.
Your policies look super. They’re easy to find, concise, and complete. I think you AND your readers will find them helpful, I like the schedule idea, too.
Thank you Mrs. Isenhoff! I hope they like it!
I am glad you like my policies! It WILL be helpful to me… I got some ideas from your blog and my Mom said that you came up with some ideas, so thank you! 😀
Cute! I was trying to figure out why everyone was cowering. Ha, ha.
HA HA! Thanks! 😀
Excellent ending! You had me fooled.
Thank you Ms. Campbell!
My pleasure!
Erik…I wished I could click the “like” button a hundred times!!!! This story is FANTASTIC! I felt so sorry for the birthday “child”…and was totally blown away (hopefully not by the fire-breathing dragon) at the end…you are quite a gifted writer. 🙂
Thank you Ms. Kirkfield! I am glad you like my story a hundred times! 😉 I am also glad you like my writing. I LOVE your story too!
Brilliant twist in the end there, Erik! How absolutely delightful! 🙂 Loved it! 🙂
Thank you Ms Bascal! I am glad you loved it! 😀
Love the twist on the end 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
Super twist Erik, you rocked this contest!
Thank you Ms. Johnson! I am glad you like it!
I admit it, you got me — I absolutely did not expect a dragon at the end. Then I went back and saw the clues you left (pin the drawbridge on the castle, guess the wizard…) — very, very clever, and funny too! Well done, my friend.
And I’m an organization freak, so I love your new tabs — a place for everything, and everything in its place. 🙂
Thanks Ms. La Tulippe! I did leave clues. I am glad you saw them! I was going to have “Pin the sword on the knight”, but thought that would give it away. 😉
Like everyone else I did not see the dragon coming – in spite of the clues (themed party, I thought). You even had me wondering if the Dad was like a kid himself and enjoyed using rockets for candles! Very clever, funny…and is that you’re drawing too?
HA ROCKET CANDLES!!! That would have been hillarious!! I wish I thought of that 🙂
No it’s not my drawing (microsoft clip art) and I photoshopped the party hat on him. That’s a good idea too! Next time I’ll do the drawing!
I saw the contest pieces you and your sis did! Of course you should be doing the artwork! The attached commencement speech is great and Mr. Gaiman says the same thing: make good art! http://uarts.edu/neil-gaiman-keynote-address
Thanks! I will watch the video – thank you for telling me about it 🙂
Well, no wonder those kids were huddled and hushed! I’d be under the table! Very funny, Erik!
Jo
Thank you Ms. Marshall! 🙂 Little did they know it was a WOODEN flamable table!! 😮
Great ending, Erik! I was laughing!
I’m glad you thought it was funny Mr. Winn!
Oh poor Billy! And an ice cream cake to boot! My daughter says dragons lives at least a thousand years, so I hope by Billy’s 999th birthday he finally has a great birthday party!
Wonderful story Eric!
Yeesh! I hope it doesn’t take THAT long 😉
Thank you!
Excellent. I loved it. Great twist ending that I didn’t see coming, and that made me laugh! Maybe next year they’ll have s’mores!
That’s an AWESOME idea too! That could be the happy ending for his future birthdays 🙂
Once again I absolutely did not see that twist ending coming. GREAT job!! I also love the changes you’ve made to the blog.
Thank you Ms. Hedlund!
Great surprise ending, Erik!
Thank you Ms. Degman!
I always enjoy your twist endings. I enjoyed your FAQs page. It’s fun to learn more about your process and how you do it all! Your book reviews are always helpful. I appreciate all that you (and your parents/sister) do.
Thank you very much Ms. Jensen! I am glad you like the twist ending to my story!
I loved your story.
Thank you! Mrs. Isenhoff!! 🙂 🙂
Very clever twist at the end, Erik…well done! I am finally a follower of your blog, so I’ll look forward to more of your reviews and other goodies…cheers!
Thank you! And “thank you” for following my blog! 😀
Hi, I’ve read some of your reviews before, but I didn’t know you also wrote… Really a cute story that made me smile at the end !! You got yourself a new follower 🙂
Thank you for following my blog! 😀 Please stop by again!
Even though I am reading this post VERY late, I just want you to know the ending of your story caught me completely by surprise and made me laugh out loud. Brilliant, Erik! 🙂
Thank you Ms. Davidson! If you don’t mind my asking, how did you stumble upon this post?
An old email in my folder. 🙂 Doing major catch-up right now so I haven’t missed any of your reviews and such. You do such good reviews I have found several books I want to read and/or buy for a couple of younguns in my life. 🙂
Thank you CGLynn! That means a lot to me! 😀