Blog News of Vila Gingerich

Highlights for Children Yearly Fiction Contest--An Announcement!

6/21/2014

Months ago, I found out about the yearly fiction contest over at Highlights for Children magazine. This year, the theme was "holidays".

Hmmm...

My sisters and I loved reading Highlights magazine as kids--still do, actually--and nowadays my nephew and nieces wait for every issue.
I love writing for kids.
I adore holidays; I buy Christmas gifts in August and ration those shiny Valentine's hearts so they last until the chocolate Easter eggs come out. (Okay, maybe I just adore candy.)
All submissions that didn't win the contest would be automatically considered for publication in the magazine.

It was a win-win. So I sat down and scribbled a little story, working around a lovely holiday--Easter--and weaving in culture from a favorite country--Ukraine.

And it won! "Easter with Baba Lena" won the Highlights for Children Yearly Fiction Contest!

I still don't believe it.

But here's the link to prove it. It's one of three winning stories.

One more thing:

I've grown up with the Bible verse about "pride goeth before a fall". Mama always said "don't brag on yourself." My German roots and Mennonite culture don't like making this announcement. But as a friend said, maybe my news can inspire others to work toward their dreams.

Sometimes dreams come true.

Story Prompts -- Me? Write about Monsters?

3/6/2014

I don't often use story prompts, but when I do, I find the process fun and rewarding.

Prompts take me out of my writing comfort zone. It's like when the waiter accidentally switches your safe cheeseburger order to the Chef's Surprise, and you realize you actually quite like the smoked herring dish.

My latest story prompt experience went something like that.

The word limit:

500 words

The audience:

Middle grade readers

The topic:

MONSTERS

My reaction:

I don't do monsters. Sorry.

But then I went to bed with monsters on the brain.

I remembered being scared of the dark. The lights and shadows flickering through the bedroom I shared with my little sisters. How Second Sister and I used to terrify Small Sister with threats of the White Lady and the Thin Hand.

Somewhere in there I fell asleep. (To dream about monsters, probably.)

When I got up the next morning, a story bobbed before my eyes, even before my Southern Pecan latte appeared. I could hardly wait to start typing.

The word limit forced me to trim every extra monster talon and eyelash, with the help of amazing writer friends. (Thanks, guys!) Again, I realized I am too Dickens-like in my wordiness, so word limits are super healthy for me.

I submitted my story to Kids Book Review, and they chose to post it on their site this month.

Coming some Friday this month, to a website near you:

"Shadow Monsters"
by Vila Gingerich

Yay for story prompts and tight word counts!

And monsters.

Annual Holiday Writing Contest

12/9/2013

The 3rd Annual Susanna Leonard Hill Holiday Writing Contest is here! Being new to writing for kids, this is my first year to enter, so I'm both scared and excited.

The Contest: Write a children's story about a Holiday Mishap, mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster. Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words not counting the title.

Here's my entry, at 349 words:

A Merry, Mixed-up Table

Gavin sniffed. Spicy smells floated from the kitchen. A mixer whirred.

“Is the table set?” Mom called. “The guests will be here soon.”

“I’m done,” Gavin said, “except for the place cards.”

Mom came in, wiping her hands. “Good. Okay, where shall we seat everybody, I wonder. Of course, Grandma Sophie goes here because of her wheelchair.”

Gavin set the card marked Grandma Sophie above the end plate.

Mom said, “Put Great Aunt Katherine next, near the fire.”

Dad called from the kitchen. “Remember, don’t put Grandma and Katherine near each other. They aren’t speaking now.”

“I forgot.” Mom sighed. “Okay, put Cousin Max between them. No, don’t do that. He forgets to pass food and makes the old ladies grouchy.”

A timer went off and Mom hurried toward the kitchen. “Hurry, but make sure Aunt Susan doesn’t sit near Uncle Charlie,” she called, “She doesn’t like to hear his false teeth clicking.”

Gavin threw the cards on Grandma Sophie’s plate. How was he ever going to set this table? Had Mom said put Cousin Max by Grandma Sophie? Uncle Charlie by Aunt Susan? His head hurt from trying to remember. Why couldn’t his family get along?

The doorbell rang. Gavin jumped, then raced around the table, setting place cards wherever they landed.

“Come in,” Dad exclaimed, opening the door. “Give me your coats and find places at the table.”

Gavin said hello to the guests and watched them hunt for their spots.

His parents brought in the food and stared at the mixed-up table. Then they glared at Gavin. He hung his head.

A cheery voice made them turn.

“Why, Katherine,” Grandma Sophie said, rolling up to the table, “it’s been weeks since we talked.”

Great Aunt Katherine nodded. “And here’s dear young Max, too,” she said.

Uncle Charlie and Aunt Susan bumped elbows reaching for the potatoes, and everybody laughed. Uncle Charlie’s teeth clicked. Aunt Susan giggled. Cousin Max passed the ham.

“Best Christmas ever,” Grandma Sophie said.

Mom smiled down the table at Gavin.

He grinned back and gave himself a thumbs-up under the red tablecloth.

Highlights for Children Yearly Fiction Contest--An Announcement!

Story Prompts -- Me? Write about Monsters?

"Shadow Monsters"
by Vila Gingerich

Annual Holiday Writing Contest

A Merry, Mixed-up Table

What's New?

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Categories

Highlights for Children Yearly Fiction Contest--An Announcement!

Story Prompts -- Me? Write about Monsters?

"Shadow Monsters" by Vila Gingerich

Annual Holiday Writing Contest

A Merry, Mixed-up Table

What's New?

Archives

Categories

"Shadow Monsters"
by Vila Gingerich