The FREE-Tique Contest Winner Is...

Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun with the Free-tique contest and for all your congrats on my recent exciting news. You guys are AWESOME!

In addition to the 32 contest participants, we had 36 favorite picture books listed. What fun! A list of all your favorites are at the end of this post, so please check them out. But first, let's get right to the WINNER of the free critique contest.

First, I noted each participant's name and placed those into a hat. (A special thank you, my darling hubby for offering up his favorite cap for this special occasion.)

Then, I had my daughter pulled out ONE name.

Congratulations to our FREE-Tique WINNER, Wendy Mintz!!! YAY!!!!! (Wendy, email me here for more info. I can't wait to read your story!)

Also, as a special thank you to those who participated in the contest, I'm extending the special price of $25 for picture book critiques. Email me for more info.

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the fun!  Now, here's the list of picture books tht you love best.  What a fantastic  list to bring with you on your next library visit. Enjoy and again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone!

A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker & Kady MacDonald Denton
Are You My Mother, by P.D. Eastman
Avacado Baby, by John Burningham
Barnyard Dance, by Sandra Boynton
Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo!, by Rosetta Stone & Michael Frith
Big Red Barn, Margaret Wise Brown & Felicia Bond
Chicks Run Wild, by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Ward Jenkins
Clever Jack Takes the Cake, by Candace Flemming & G. Brian Karas
Click, Clack, Moo, by Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin
Fortunately, by Remy Charlip
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd
Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
Hats for Sale
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss
I Stink, by Kate McMullan & Jim McMullan
I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen
Lost and Found, by Oliver Jeffers
Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans
Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney
Moo Baa La La La, by Sandra Boynton
Mr. Pusskins, by Sam Lloyd
Once There Were Giants, by Martin Waddell & Penny Dale
One Dark Night, by Lisa Wheeler & Ivan Bates
Piggie Pie, by Margie Palatini and Howard Fine
Rainbow Crow, by Nancy Van Laan & Beatriz Vidal
Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea, by Lisa Wheeler & Ponder Goembel
The Digging-est Dog, by Al Perkins & Eric Gurney
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, Ruth E. Harper & Nancy M. Leak
The Lorax, Dr. Seuss
The Other Side, Jaqueline Woodson & E.B. Lewis
The Rabbits, by John Marsden & Shaun Tan
The Very Cranky Bear, by Nick Bland
Turtle Tail, by Frank Ashe
Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

FREE-TIQUE Contest for Picture Book Writers

Hello Picture Book writers!

In the midst of all the excitement of late with a new agent and contest win (squee!), I'm closing out the Kick Off Launch Party of my critique service this weekend and I thought it would be extra fun to throw a FREE-TIQUE Party too.

What's that, you ask? It's a FREE picture book critique contest.  All you need to do to enter the contest is leave a comment on THIS POST before midnight, Saturday, Sept. 15th.  I will throw each name into a hat (one per person) and I will randomly choose one WINNER!

To add a little extra fun, tell me your favorite picture book of all time and I'll post mine too.

Of course, you can read more about my critique service HERE.

Good luck!

And the Winner Is....

I am so very honored and excited to share some fantastic news. I attended the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Summer Conference in August, which has truly been the highlight of my year for four years now.  It's a time to meet up with my beloved writer friends, make new friends, share stories and nuggets of gold, meet the awe inspiring publishers, editors and agents that help make this kidlit machine run so beautifully, and a time to learn more about this amazing craft of writing and the business side of being an author.

This year I submitted my manuscript, STARRY KALAHARI, for a consultation and I WON the MOST PROMISING PICTURE BOOK AWARD!!!! Words honestly can not explain how blessed and honored I feel.  The fact that this is the very first year for the award is truly an award all within itself.

SQUEEEEEE!

P.S. A HUGE congratulations to the winner of the 2012 Sue Alexander Award, Kat Yeh!!!

And the winner is....

I just found out that I won the SCBWI 2010 Barbara Karlin Runner-Up Grant. This grant is awarded each year to recognize aspiring picture book writers for their work in progress. The Barbara Karlin Grant is funded by Amazon.com and the Runner-Up Grant is funded by a generous donation by Ann Whitford Paul, which I am honored to receive. Thank you Ann!

Much appreciation and thanks to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and to the 2010 Barbara Karlin Grant Committee! THANK YOU!!!

I applied for the grant, submitting Starry Kalahari as my work in progress. I posted my USPS delivery confirmation receipt to my computer monitor with Scotch tape, taking a hopeful glance daily. It's an amazing thing when hope becomes a reality. 

I received a phone call yesterday afternoon from my SCBWI Assistant Regional Advisor, Q.L. Pearce who shared the exciting news. I can't describe the feeling, except to say that I'm honored, excited, and hopeful to share my books with young, curious minds all over the world... very soon!

Starry Kalahari WON!

The 2010 SCBWI-LA Writer's Day contest winners have been officially posted. HOW EXCITING!!!

See all the winners and titles posted here, including your's truely with my narrative nonfiction rhyming picture book manuscript, Starry Kalahari.