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Howdy boys and girls!

I'm going to be so succinct today you won't even recognize me!

(That is because my sister is visiting from Georgia and I barely ever get to see her, so I'm taking advantage of the time :))

So straight down to business!

First off, the March Pitch Pick.

Our March pitchers have taken all your good advice to heart and revised their pitches for your consideration.  Please read through them and then vote below for the pitch you like best.  Hopefully we will not get a three-way tie this time! :)

#1 Donna - The Chocolate Train Wreck - ER - ages 6-9

Nine–year-old Abigail must do an essay about one of her favorite things. But train whistles or chocolate-chip-cookies don’t seem big enough for her paper and nothing new ever happens in Hamilton. That is, until an airborne diesel engine and 50 tons of chocolate create a delicious mystery still unsolved more than fifty years later.

#2 Maria - A Pup Called Freelance - PB ages 5-8

Pam - Freedom's Eve - PB ages 5-8

Eight-year-old Eve-Lynn groans about attending Watch Night service. A night commemorating the vigil of December 31st, 1862, when her ancestors watched and waited for the dawn of a new day. Freedom from slavery. But it is 1962. Gathering in an old barn, with a bunch of old relatives holds little excitement for Eve-Lynn. She dislikes her old-timey name. A hush interrupts Eve-Lynn’s grumbling. Eve-Lynn comes face to face with her one-hundred-eight- year old aunt, Lil’ Eve, an former-slave for whom she was named. The old aunt's voice rings out with an ancestral song, signaling the start of Watch Night. It is a song Eve-Lynn loves but has never understand the words, until tonight. Will Eve-Lynn learn to honor the Watch Night tradition? Will she learn to appreciate the significance of her name, and its link to her rich heritage?


Carrie - Stepping Into Adventure: The Magic Rocks - PB ages 4-8

Stepping Into Adventure: The Magic Rocks is the story of Jude, a boy who is on a quest to find adventure because boredom has captured him.  He discovers he cannot escape his suddenly dull days without the help of his step-mom.  This results in high-flying adventure and a discovery that they are even better together.  

Please vote for the pitch you think most deserves a read and comments from editor Erin Molta by Sunday April 12 at 5 PM.
March 2015 Pitch Pick
Today's pitcher is sharing her own favorite Something Chocolate with us: Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream with thawed frozen raspberries on top!



YUM!!!  Help yourselves :)

Now then, today's pitch comes to us from Amelia who says, "I am a former teacher - preschool, elementary, and middle school, both general education and Spanish, and now I'm staying at home with two boys who love to roar at each other.  I've been a writer my entire life, and have my eyes set on a second career as an author, so I've committed to saying yes to every writing opportunity that arises in 2015, to see where that takes me!

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Princess And The Pee
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 2-5)
The Pitch: When little Addy discovers an unexplored room in the family castle, her sister informs her that it holds The Royal Throne - a special seat only true princesses can use.  True princesses who are so sensitive they just can't play one second in a dirty diaper.  True princesses who are so clever they can sense wiggles and tinkles moving around even before they come out.  Addy knows she's a princess, but if she ever wants to see The Royal Throne for herself, she'll have to find a way to prove it!

So what do you think?  Would You Read It?  YES, MAYBE or NO?

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My goodness we have a busy day today!

Good thing I gave you Monday off to rest up :)

First up, we have Straight From The Editor for Kristine, the February Pitch Winner.  You will recall her pitch:

Here are editor Erin Molta's comments:

This is a great premise and goodness knows, we definitely need more books about girls succeeding in science, technology, engineering and math. However, in order for this to catch an editor’s eye, you need to put a little more spark into it. It’s very generic right now. What is her science project? How was it not cooperating? Was she snubbed because she was a girl and had something to prove? It seems to infer that, but the focus in your pitch is on perseverance and teamwork, whereas it should be more specific. Think of the one thing that she did to get everyone to help her OR why her project was failing and base your pitch around that. And if there’s humor—see if you can get that in, too.

As always, I find Erin's comments so helpful and insightful!

Now, after all that education, we should probably have a snack :)  Something Chocolate anyone?  I'm in a cupcake mood. And this one is kind of cheerful and spring-like as well as luscious and chocolate, don't you think? :)

Scrumptious! :)

Now that we're all fortified, let's take a look at the awesome pitches from March and see which lucky writer is going to get her pitch reviewed by Erin.

#1 Karen - Puddles And Rainbows (PB ages 4-6)
Growing up is hard, but learning to rain might just prove harder. Either way, this Little Cloud needs plenty of patience and determination. A colorful discovery makes it all worthwhile.

#2 Ann - Sk8r Boy (PB ages 5-8)
Peter wants to be an ice skater but can’t because he’s homeless, and he doesn’t have the money for a pair of skates. But when there’s a poetry contest at school with a small cash prize, he may be able to make his smooth words glide and spin so that he can buy the skates and win his classmates’ respect.

#3 Beth - Martin's Perfect Web (PB ages 5-7)
In a quest to build a perfect web, a fussy spider confronts his biggest fears through an unlikely friendship with an inquisitive dragon.  Laurent the dragon takes Martin on a wild ride on his tail.  No one is more surprised at the ending than this stubborn intractable spider who finally learns how to relax, and enjoy the simple process of creating.

Please vote for the pitch you feel most deserves a read by editor Erin Molta in the poll below by Sunday April 13 at 5PM EDT.

Many thanks!!!

March 2014 Pitch PickToday's pitch comes to us from Morgan who says. "I am an aspiring children's book writer, a licensed school psychologist, and a mother of two boys (ages 1 1/2 and 3), with another on the way. Reading and writing emotional literacy is my passion. I also enjoy writing social stories and making reward charts for fun!" 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Sammy Dougie Foxtrot: Look, Smile, Roar
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Boogie along with Sammy Dougie Foxtrot and his trusted lion, PJ, on their courageous playground adventure. When PJ gets stuck in a sycamore tree, Sammy is scared: “The kind of scared when brakes on a truck screech, it’s dirt dumps, and it is as stiff as stabilizer legs.”Sammy discovers the true meaning of courage: that one can feel scared and brave at the same time. Even though the children at the playground look different, Sammy looks, smiles, and roars, bravely asking for their help. Find out if Sammy and the playground crew can work together to rescue PJ. “Look, Smile, Roar” enhances 4 to 8 year olds emotional literacy through the use of their imaginations. While entertaining, Sammy and PJ also emphasize tolerance and acceptance to promote early intervention. Oh, and I forgot to mention, they love to have fun! 

So what do you think?  Would You Read It?  YES, MAYBE or NO?

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