Susanna Leonard Hill's Valentiny Writing Contest - Not So Perfect Valentines

 

It's that time of year -- Susanna Leonard Hill's Valentiney writing contest. This year, writers are to compose a Valentine's story for children that includes the feeling of worry. Stories must not be longer than 214 words. 

In my piece, Bink and Babs have returned, trying to get to Granny's house on time for their Valentine's Day party with their not so perfect Valentine's creations.

Not So Perfect Valentines

By Rebekah Hoeft

214 words

Bink bounced on Babs’s bed.

“Babs! Wake up, Babs! It’s Valentine’s Day! Let’s gooooo!”

Squeezing her eyes shut tighter, Babs yawned. “Too early, Bink. Granny’s not expecting us yet.”

“But we have so much to do. Paper chains. Snowflakes with heart cutouts. Glittering Granny’s card. How will we get it done if we don’t start now? Like, now now?!”

Bink handed her sister scissors and paper. Bleary-eyed, Babs began snipping. Bink glittered the card and glued strips of pink paper together.

When they finished, Babs got ready. Bink paced nervously.

“Bink, what’s got you worried?”

Bink sighed. “The chain’s too short, the glitter is globby–

“–and my snowflake hearts are lopsided.” Babs interrupted.

“It’s not perfect. I wanted Granny to see how much we love her.”

Babs hugged Bink. “Granny loves us. We don’t need to be perfect. Let’s goooooo!”

Bink smiled sadly. They scampered over the river and through the woods to where Granny lived. 

Granny was asleep, covered in glitter and paper scraps.

“Granny! Are you okay?” 

Granny squeaked. “Oh dear, you’re here! I got up early to finish your cards and must have needed a nap. Bother! I wanted your valentines to be perfect but they’re not done. I’m sorry.” Bink smiled. ”Who needs perfect? We love you! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

It's a Christmas Mystery!

Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting her annual holiday writing contest. You can enter your teeny tiny story on her blog from today until December 8, 2024. Your story for kids (12 and under) must be 250 words or less, include some kind of mystery, and be clearly a December holiday story.  It can be rhyming or prose and needs to include a main character and a true story arc.  The following is my entry.  

WHO STOLE THE STAR?

By Rebekah Hoeft

250 WORDS

The door was shut. Windows closed. No fireplace. No way for anyone to get inside the mice’s cozy cottage without being noticed.

*     *     *     *     *

On their porch, Babs and Bink drank cocoa. They watched the stars and snow twinkle. When they went inside, everything seemed as it should. The woodstove warmed the room. The Christmas tree, decked in lights, gingerbread ornaments, and popcorn strings, glowed in front of the window. Their supper, roasting in the oven, smelled delicious. 

But then Babs squeaked, pointing to the tree. “Where’s our star!?”

“Maybe it fell?” Binks wondered.

The mice scampered around the tree.

No star.

Babs slumped into her arm chair. “We worked so hard. The star was our masterpiece.”

Bink nodded. “It still is! We’ll find it, Babs.” 

The two mice sat staring at their tree. Bink pulled a cookie from her pocket, nibbling while thinking about the mystery of the missing star. She muttered to herself. “A thief? But how? Elves? Santa? Too soon.” 

Babs looked at her sister. She blinked. “Bink?”

No response. Bink munched, lost in thought. Silvery sprinkles stuck to her whiskers.

“BINK!”

Bink jumped.  “What!?”

“Whatcha eating?”

“Oh. A cookie. You know eating helps me think. I’m gonna solve this mystery.”

“Where’d you get it, Bink?”

“Hmm? Oh. From my pocket. I found it before we went outside.”

“Found it? Where?”

“On the floor by— BABS! Our star! I found it!”

Babs laughed. “Yes, you did. Case closed… as long as you don’t eat any more of the decorations!”

Susanna Leonard Hill's ValenTINY Contest - Grumpily Yours

It's almost Valentine's Day--time for love and hearts and flowers and cards and Susanna Leonard Hill's annual ValenTINY contest.

Story requirements?
❤ Be written for children
❤ Have a Valentine theme
❤ Contain a character who is hopeful
❤ Be no more than 214 words long

Easy-peasy.

Nope.

But fun. Give it a try. Just make sure it's in by Valentine's Day. And only 214 words. :)

Grumpily Yours
214 words

Miss Springtide chirped cheerily.  “Today we’ll create coffers of cordiality, crates of consideration…”

Crickets.  

“We’re making Valentine’s mailboxes.”

“Ohhhhhh.”  Her students smiled.  

Except Vern.

“Gross,” he grouched.  

“Utilize your superior skills to appraise the dimensions of your receptacles to ensure felicitous fits,” Miss Springtide directed.

Crickets.  

“She means measure so your paper fits,” Vern grumbled.

“Ohhhhhhh.”  They got busy, choosing cheery colors.  Vern chose grey.

“I hope no one gives me anything,” he muttered while measuring.

“I’m not giving anyone anything,” while cutting and complaining.

“Hmmph,” he groused as he glued.

All week, the class created their  cards.

Vern ignored the bustle but noticed when classmates delivered their creations.  

He grudgingly helped a few kids whose boxes were falling apart and those who forgot how to spell a word for their valentines.  

He started to hope they wouldn’t notice he hadn’t made any.

The day before Valentine’s, Vern asked Miss Springtide for paper.

“Indubitably,” she said.

On Valentine’s, the children dumped out their boxes and looked through their cards.  

The room quieted.

Vern felt his classmates’ eyes.    He looked up.  Each student held a beautiful card made with a rainbow of different-sized hearts.

“I hope you like them,” Vern said shyly, but meant “I hope you like me.”

Their smiles told him they did.

© Rebekah Hoeft February 2018

Edited:
Not a finalist but thanks for the fun, Susanna!

Sneaky Snoop: A Cautionary Christmas Tale

Last year, Susanna Leonard Hill, blogger and author of the Punxsutawney Phyllis books (among others) hosted her 6th Annual Holiday Contest.  It was a challenge to write a children's story of 300 words or less using the basic concept of the 12 Days of Christmas.  

Super fun.  And challenging to use that form to tell an actual story.  In 300 words or less.  

Better than 250, which is this year's challenge.  You can find more info about this year's challenge here and my entry here.  Hurry if you want to enter--your story is due by 11:59 p.m. tonight!

This was one of my entries from last year-not a winner, but fun to write anyway.  Possibly hard to sing correctly.  Also, I should point out, 292 words---waaayyy under the word limit!  Though I might have been pushing it using whoopity-whoop as one word instead of two.

Sneaky Snoop: A Cautionary Christmas Tale

Ten days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Found a gift that made me whisper, “Whoop!”

Nine days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Eight days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Seven days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Six days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS??!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Five days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Four days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Three days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Rocks wrapped so nicely.
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

Two days before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Two lumps of coal.
Rocks wrapped so nicely.
Ugly scratchy sweater.
New underwear.
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS?!
Wooden slingshot!
Yellow yo-yo!
Bright bicycle!
T’was a gift that made me whoopity-whoop!

The day before Christmas, I snuck a sneaky snoop:
Found a note from Mother,
It said, “You think you’re sneaky,
But you are not really.
Your gifts are all rehidden
Might not find them until
FIVE DAYS FROM NOW!!
It’ll be fun
Since you like
Hunting for your gifts
Merry Christmas, son! I love you, sneaky snoop!”

©2016 Rebekah Hoeft

Susanna Leonard Hill's 7th Annual Holiday Contest - Travelin' Blues

Susanna Leonard Hill, author, blogger, friend to the groundhog, and lover of chocolate, hosts a writing contest a few times a year at her blog.  I've entered a couple of them and find her challenges very...challenging.  Because there's a word limit.  A teensy-tiny limit.  

This year, her challenge is to write a children's story of 250 words or less centered around a holiday surprise.

250 words.  She thinks that is better than her Halloween challenge that was 100 words or less. 

Yes.  250 words is better than 100.  But still. Fitting a complete-ish story arc with a main character-ish into 250 words is a wee bit of a challenge.  

I  wrote and cut and felt cruel and my poor little story was screaming but I showed no mercy and did the necessary and ended up with a 250 word story.  Whew.  

Don't you feel inspired and full of Christmas cheer after that?

Happy Christmas.

Travelin' Blues

We’re travelers.  

Mom writes books about different cultures.  We’re home for a bit while we catch up with friends and school work.  Then -- off again!

The only time this is a problem is Christmas.  Every year, a new place.  I just want to be home.

This is how it goes before Christmas:

“Mama, can we go home for Christmas?”

“Not this year, Kels.  This year we’re going to [insert name of faraway country].”

And then we’re off. 

I’ve gotta admit we’ve been part of amazing Christmas celebrations.

When I was seven, fireworks and ice cream in Brazil:  spectacular!

Thirteen desserts in France.  YESSS!

A sauna on Christmas Eve in Estonia:    interesting?!

Last year, two Christmases.

Iceland in December:  books and pretty fried bread.  Perfection.

Ethiopia in January:  4:00 a.m. candlelight procession.  Intense.

This year, I’ve had it.  I wanna go home.

We’re in Australia.  I say, with grump:

“Mom.  Let’s go home for Christmas.”

She just gave a tired smile and kept typing.

Grrr.

Today we’re off to wherever we’re going.  Don’t care where.

We’re late, rushing to get settled with our flight standbys:  earbuds, neck pillows, books.  Mom pulls out a gift bag.

“Open it.”

I know it must be her buttering me up for another traveling Christmas. 

As the flight attendant says “...and then straight to the States,” I read the words “DTW” at the end of the printed itinerary that was in the bag.  Detroit.  Michigan.  Home.  Heaven on earth.

“Surprise,” Mom says quietly.

Best. Christmas. Ever.

©2017 Rebekah Hoeft

Edited:
I was a finalist!!  Out of the 10 finalists, I came in...10th.  

😁

I was very happy to recieve  a set of "What's the Story" cards from Susanna--thank you!!  

There's a desription and pictures of them on her site here.  You can order them by emailing her.  They would be great for classrooms or for writers who sometimes need a little push to get started.  My package also arrived with chocolate, because Susanna.