It’s time for the annual Halloweensie challenge for picture book writers created by Susanna Leonard Hill and I’m once again participating. If you’re unfamiliar with it, you can check out her blog here.
This year’s challenge is as follows: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words, children here defined as 12 and under), using the words spider, ghost, and moon. Your story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people
(And yes, I know 100 words is short but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got nearly 150 fantastic entries last year so I know you can do it!) Also, you may use the words in any form – e.g. moon, moons, mooned, spidery, ghostly, whathaveyou No illustration notes please!
NOT an easy challenge is it? BUT I rather like my entry this year. I’m in love with this character (an unexpected perk) and could see myself making this story a bit longer (than the 98 words here) in the future perhaps. I share it below.
Glorious Gloria
Gloria was not your average spider. She wore pearls to dinner, tiaras to compliment the morning dew, and high heels to spin. Her webs were to die for!
Yet every year at Halloween, trick-or-treaters dressed up like ghosts or what-have-you trampled her web, which couldn’t be seen in the moonlight. What was she to do?
Offer candy? No, that would only attract more stompers. Put up a tp barrier? No, that couldn’t be seen either. Then Gloria had an idea!
She invited some friends over and voila! Gloria lit up her web with her cheerful firefly party guests!
Hopefully Gloria’s friends don’t end up as dinner guests in her web. Very cute idea!
LOL! I didn’t see them as dinner guests. 😉
Tee-hee. Love a spider who wears a tiara and knows how to rock a party.
Right? LOL! Thank you. =)
What a smart spider. Good luck and Happy Halloween!
You too!
What a great character. I hope you do expand your story. And what a great solution.
Thank you! =)
Gloria is a fantastic character! Super fun story, Jena.
Thank you! =)
Gloria is not only glamorous, but smart, too. A fun story!
Thank you!
What a great idea Gloria had, Jena! And how incredibly beautiful it must have looked – like fairy lights! Love this original and creative story! Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun!
Thank you. =)
What a fun and enchanting spider Gloria is, and I loved her firefly friends helping her out at the end!
Thank you!
Jena…this is so creative! And I love the firefly idea. 😉
Thank you! 🙂