Lauri Meyers .

 The tree is decorated, the house is lit up, and far too many cookies are in my belly-- the holidays are here! I hope you are all staying healthy and finding ways to make new memories in this weird time. One of our favorite traditions is making gingerbread cookies. Even though I am a perfectly smart, sensible, scientific young lady, I can't help but open the oven carefully every year just in case a gingerbread comes to life and runs amok. Which brings us to this year's annual holiday contest from Susanna Hill.  The challenge: Write a 250 word story for kids about the holidays with the theme of a Holiday Helper. To see the entries click here .  Gingerbread Girl to the Rescue   By Lauri C. Meyers   “Who wants to make gingerbread?” Ella asked. “I’m shopping,” Mom said from the couch. “Reading the news,” Dad said, not looking up. “Ugh, lame,” Charlie grunted while tapping his screen. Ella frosted dozens of gingerbread girls in colorful dresses with p...

Susanna Hill is hosting her annual Halloweensie Contest! To play:  write a  100 word Halloween story appropriate for children , using the words  skeleton, c reep , and  mask and enter it here . My 100 word story is Puppywolf. Happy Halloween! Puppywolf By Lauri C. Meyers   “I can be a werewolf for Halloween!” Puppy woofed.                “You would need a mask ,” Cat replied.   “I can sharpen my teeth on this  skeleton !”              “You mean your chewy bone?” Cat asked with sass. “I can howl at the moon. A-woo! A-woo!” Puppy howled. “Sounds like a screech owl.” Cat covered her ears. “I can stick up my ears and growl.” “That ear is still floppy.” Cat laughed. “I’m a werewolf,” Puppy said. “And I smell cat!”               Cat hid under the couch. “I can creep in the shadows, finding my prey, and… pounce!” Cat hissed....

 The Fall Frenzy picture prompt challenge is here. The event is cohosted by Lydia Lukidis and    Kaitlyn Sanchez .     The challenge is full of fun fall pics, any of which could inspire a good sprint of writing to warm your fingers as the chill of fall sets in. The 200 word limit is a good reminder to keep your writing tight.  This one inspired me to go YA, a bit unusual for me, but we all need some change :)  Image 1, courtesy of  Unsplash Waiting By Lauri Meyers   Fuzzy socks. Wool blanket. Coffee. I leaned against the porch railing, not letting some cool air keep me from finally seeing Tommy Hendricks on his morning run. Actually, I saw him every morning, but from the safety of my couch peeking through the bay window. I was turning 14 tomorrow, and it was time to pull down the curtains. Today, Tommy would see me. A yawn slipped out, and I saw my breath. I pulled the plaid blanket over my legs, careful not to hide my perfectly...

I was scrolling through old pictures today looking for a certain picture of a mushroom, and it occurred to me that I like a bunch of totally random stuff. You may call it "eclectic" or just cut to the chase and call it geeky... but with this many things that interest me, I'm rarely bored. Things I like to learn about in no particular order... Shells (I have another box too) Butterflies  (& tangentially butterfly gardens) Gardening (and making zucchini bread when the harvest is good. And taking pictures of my harvest shaped like smiley faces. Also, have you eaten zucchini flowers before?) Astronomy Bugs Cows (And statues of cows) Mushrooms Lichens * totally different from mushrooms, but equally weird Birds (also birds on things. It just always cracks me up when a pigeon lands on a statue's head) Trees & Identifying trees. Also trees that have grown around things/eaten things/overcome things. Nature amaz...

I wanted to write a story for Susanna Hill's Valentiny contest , but it turns out I must not know anything about love! I had a perfect character and wrote him in 15 (15 I tell you!) situations and it just wouldn't work. I went so far as to review Robin Lovett's " Structure of Romance " on DIYMFA, but I still couldn't make this guy fall in love. Poor fellow was too darn shy, so I had to bench him until next year. Luckily there was another Storystorm  character idea from a few year's back who had potential and was ready, if perhaps too willing to fall in love. If you'd like to play, stories must be for kids, about a curious character, and under 214 words. pic by Graphic Mama Here's my entry in 196 words: Dragon in Love By Lauri C Meyers I wonder what a dragon does when she falls in love. Does she send a valentine by a homing dove?                   Would it be a heart with edges charred a bit, Asking ...

Last year Julie Hedlund encouraged writers to keep track of successes and failures by month throughout the year as part of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers. (by Linnell  Esler via freeimages) And I actually did it! Wow, it was empowering. It felt like a little pat on the back each month. There were those times it felt like I hadn't done a single thing. I was the worst writer ever. I wasn't even a writer, I hadn't put a word on a page, since, well, wait, lookie here...it was earlier this month. Oh, that's not so bad. I'm okay. In fact I think I'll write something right now! And that's the magic of writing down your successes.   5    New Picture Books started  12   Contest Stories (a 2nd place, a 10th place, 2 honorable mentions, a critique win)  60   Critiques Given & Received 106  Revisions (see?! Holy Happy Dance! I had no idea.)  6     PB Submissions  9     Mag...