First, I will start off with the story for the Summer Send-Off Contest entry. Below is my entry and I think I may use the idea to write a book or a longer story.

The rules for the contest as stated on Ms. Hill’s blog are:

The contest is for a children’s story of 250 words or less based on the picture below and in which somebody somewhere in your story says, in dialogue, “Did/do you see that?” (you may substitute any of the other senses – “Did/do you hear/feel/taste/smell that?”) and somebody somewhere in your story says, “Goodbye!” (you are allowed to substitute “Farewell!”, “Au revoir!”, “Sayonara!”, “Ciao!”, or “So long!”). Click HERE to go to Ms. Hill’s blog and see all the entries!

Heather Newman made the awesome illustration for the contest. I really like all the action going on in it! To go to Ms. Newman’s website click HERE.

illustration copyright Heather Newman 2012 used by permission

Dragon!

By Erik

Once Upon A Time, in a land far away (depending on where you are), a princess named Violet was high in a tower. She wasn’t trapped there, mind you. You see, Violet wasn’t an ordinary princess.

One day, Violet heard a commotion outside her window.

“He lit the moat on fire again!” Shouted the stable-boy to Josi, the princesses’ faithful servant.   “I already asked The Pale Sorceress to cast an extinguishing spell!”

Josi yelled up to Violet’s window. “Did you hear that? Your parents will banish us all! What kind of princess has a pet dragon anyway?”

“But Cuddles is just a baby!” was the reply.

“A BABY? He’s about 15… Oh-no, here comes Timothy!” Josi groaned. Violet rolled her eyes at the approaching figure.

As Timothy got closer he boasted, “I shall smite thee, foul beast and save yonder fair maiden, Violet! Oh dear Violet, I hath come hither to rescue thee!”

Violet felt her face get red with anger as she screamed back. “First of all, don’t talk funny. Smite and hither, who talks like that? It’s weird. Second, Cuddles is my PET! I DON’T NEED RESCUING!”

Just then, Sorceress cast the spell to blow out the fire. As the gust came, it lifted Timothy and blew him back to his kingdom!

“Farewell!” Timothy called as he faded in the distance.

“Will he be alright? Josi asked.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back. He always comes back.” Violet sighed.

And they all lived happily ever after…well, until next time.

Now, for my 12×12 update!

For those of you who don’t know, I am trying to do Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge. It is a challenge to write 12 picture book drafts in 12 months in 2012. You can click on the 12×12 banner on the right side bar or the one above to learn more about it. I have been working on a PB about a bird and a worm who are friends and I have been trying to make it rhyme well. I wrote the story last month and have been working on the rhyming, but I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to. In September I am going to try to complete the draft! Wish me luck 😀

Categories: Other Stuff Related to Books and Reading

Tags: 12x12, contest, creative writing, heather newman, Julie Hedlund, susanna leonard hill