#FicFest Fables Series #1: Congrats Team India Finalists + List of Critiquees

Abated breaths and rapid heart beats started the moment #FicFest host Tiffany Hoffman started pouring out finalists and hints a night early for the big writing contest reveal.

And that was just the mentors. 

No one knew it was coming, but by the end of the night over 90% of the finalists knew whether or not they'd been chosen. Without further ado, I'd like to congratulate the newest members of Team India...

Team India Pick 1

Jessica Townes

And her humorous ms 

DOG SHOW DROPOUT

Working closely with Team India Leader E.G. Moore

 Team India Pick 2

Ann Magee

And her non-fiction manuscript 

DAREDEVIL DOLLY

Working closely with Team India Member Shari Schwarz

Team India Pick 3

Rebecca Cattie

And her humorous manuscript 

I AM FAMOUS

Working closely with Team India Member Jae Lowell

Team India Alternate

Kelly Byrnes

And her sweet fiction manuscript 

HOW DO YOU LOVE

Working closely with Team India Leader E.G. Moore, with input from entire team.

CONGRATS!!!!

The #QueryHelper also got in on the #FicFest action and offered up a query rewrite contest for an additional mentorship. It was a hard decision as 12 rewrites flooded my inbox, but my winner was...

Emily Kilmore

CONGRATS!!!!

Here is her winning query rewrite for my pb ms CRASH AND SEEK.

Dear Ms. Moore:

I enjoyed meeting you through the #FicFest Twitter event and appreciate your offer to look over my manuscript, Crash and Seek.After reading about your love of thunderstorms, I hope this story will pique your interest!

In Crash and Seek, siblings Mattie and John enjoy making up games and playing with each other. One day, while deep in a game of hide-and-seek, a low roar rumbles in the distance. Suddenly, lightning flashes through the sky like a spotlight and the wind pushes the trees towards the ground. Looking towards their house, the two notice it standing dark. Wondering if they should run home for safety and supper or continue their game, Mattie and John get wrapped up in the sounds of the storm -- crash, boom, bang – a natural orchestra is near! Similar to Bill Martin Jr’s Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Crash and Seek is a picture book text that plays up sounds, rhyming, and rhythm while also highlighting children's imaginations in creating a new storm-themed game of crash and seek.

I have been writing consistently for the last five years and enjoy reading children’s books with my family. The rhyming nature and focus on onomatopoeia in Crash and Seek will hook any young child. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions -- I look forward to hearing from you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

I also promised a list of those entries that would be receiving

 feedback from me over the next week. Here is that list!

Top 7

(Not chosen by other #FicFest Teams)

BRIDGET WRITES A POEM by Rosemary Whatley

GABBY DOUGLAS, MEET BAILEY RAE JOHNSON by Tina Mowrey

TIAGO HOPS ON by Rebecca Carpenter

A WALL OF MURALS By Rupali S. Mulge

FIVE HAMSTERS GO CAMPING by Juli Caveny

BERTHA'S BIG TRIP by Eva Christensen Polites

WHATCHAMASAURUS by Jeremy Todd Sturgell

In addition to these feedback emails, I will also be offering some suggestions to the following manuscripts. These were the ones I felt had a great concept but weren't quite there yet OR that are nearly ready to query:

T-REX TROUBLES

THE ARTIST AND THE CARP

ONE DRIP ONE OCEAN

THE LAST LETSGOBOY

A MEATY TRICK OR TREAT

TICKA TICKA TAP

LOSING ZZZZS AT THE ZOO

KITCHEN MAGIC

ARMSTRONG AND SPUTNIK

ANTON TAKES A WALK

BEDTIME KISS FOR LITTLE SAMARAI

THE WITCH BABYSITTER

WANTED: A FRIEND FOR A QUEEN

WHEN THE PAINT RUNS OUT

DRAC LETS IN THE LIGHT

HUGEDINI

HENRY BUILDS A HENHOUSE

Please, please, please don't assume the worst about your manuscript if it wasn't chosen for #FicFest or I am not offering a critique. I simply don't have the time to give everyone feedback. Traditional publishing is more realistic statistically than any writing contest, and everyone is at their own place on their writing journey. I'd like to invite all the #FicFest #PB peeps to follow my blog or check back over the next few weeks for my #FicFest Fables Series, which will have fun and more serious topics to help you write the best version of your story. Topics will include query writing, hints and tricks to ensure proper rhyming, literary device use in picture books, FicFest tweets revealed and how I made my super tough decision, and more!

Thank you to ALL of you for trusting me with your words!