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Spring Fling Kid Lit 2023

3/28/2023

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Here's my entry, and self-illustrated gif, for the #SpringFlingKidLit contest, hosted by Ciara O'Neal and Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez. Make sure to check out all the entries here!

SATURN RINGS IN SPRING

Picture
...148 words

While Earthlings welcome spring,
proud of surviving another cold season,
Saturn watches, shivering.

Jealous.

“Your winter’s over already?!”
moans the King of Rings.
“Lucky!”


Far out amongst the giants,
Saturn’s trip around the Sun takes a 
looooooong 
time–
Earth makes 29 orbits
for each ONE of his–

so his winter is 
looooooong
too.

Seven Earth years’ worth of 
cold
quiet
darkness
exaggerated by the shadow of his own rings.

But then–
finally–

LIGHT!

Precious sunlight kisses his North Pole for the first time
since fall began!
“That’s fourteen Earthling years, if you’re counting. But..”

“I MADE IT TO SPRING!”

Saturn slips on his sunglasses,
eager for...

Hurricane-force winds!
“Feel that breeze?”

A hexagonal storm wider than three Earths!
“The power!!”

And his favorite part:
a crown of spectacular,
space-tacular
Northern Lights.


“You’re cute, Earth,”
says Saturn.
“But keep your bunnies, breezes, and buttercups.
I’M the king of spring!”
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Fall Writing Frenzy 2022

9/28/2022

12 Comments

 
It's kid lit writing contest season! Here's my entry for #FallWritingFrenzy, hosted by Lydia Lukidis and Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez. Make sure you check out this blog post to read all the other entries!

This contest challenges you to write a fall-themed piece inspired by several provided photos. I loved the look of the one of the leafy tree-lined path; it reminded me of the hidden ravine we have near our home in Seattle that's particularly beautiful this time of year. But was there a story there?

Picture
School started here recently, and we've got quite the neighborhood crew that hops aboard the bus bright and early every morning. But not our youngest, Gwen. She'll go to Kindergarten next year, but for now she's the only one left behind when the big kids head off. There's something mellow but a little magical about the time we have together when Leo's at school for the day. That felt like something I could tie into a fall-themed piece.

I recently read the book Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greenias (Illustrated by Tracy Subisak), which is SO INCREDIBLE. The author wrote it as a reverse poem, where the second half of the story is in perfect reverse order of the first and tells quite a different tale. Not an easy feat! But I thought I'd give it a shot for this entry. 

And, for funsies, I made a digital painting to go along with it. 
​
Picture

A Little While: A Reverse Poem

By Allison Strick
119 words


It’s only Mom and me,
for a little while.
Brother’s getting on the bus.
Things feel different.
I sigh.
She says, “He’ll be back soon.”
No school for me--
I’m younger, littler.

In the woods,
it’s quiet, quiet,
except for our feet in the leaves.
Two sets of tracks
follow
Mom and me, 
holding hands.

Crunching,
Kicking.
Pausing. Listening. Being. Turning back.
Kicking,
Crunching.

Holding hands,
Mom and me
follow
two sets of tracks.
Except for our feet in the leaves,
it’s quiet, quiet
in the woods.

I’m younger, littler--
No school for me!
She says, “He’ll be back soon.”
I sigh.
Things feel different.
Brother’s getting on the bus.
For a little while,
It’s only Mom and me.​
12 Comments

SCBWI Draw This August Winner!

9/28/2022

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I create a piece of art to match the SCBWI Draw This August illustration prompt--"Lunch Break."

​To my delight, I was chosen as one of the winners! I've really been working on my storytelling skills in my illustrations--I guess it's paying off!
Picture
I work in Procreate on the iPad. This piece was done with the "Imperfect Patterns" brush set created by Lisa Bardot, to whom I owe most of my knowledge of Procreate. If you're looking to get started with digital illustration, look her up!
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