Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting her 8th Halloweensie Contest. Last year she got 235 entries. Wowza! To enter, write a kid’s Halloween story using no more than 100 words including cauldron, shiver, and howl. Visit her site for complete rules if you want to play along, but hurry.
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A Beasty Brew
“Beauty blood.” Grissella Ravenclaw squinted at the potion’s blurred label, shrugged her crooked shoulders, and poured. The cauldron burbled with a green, stinky goo. She wrinkled her warty nose and swallowed the goop down anyway. She’d be the queen of the Goblin’s Halloween ball.
Her stomach gurgled.
She shivered and burped.
Then her nose bulged into a toothsome snout, and her ears perked up. Gray fur covered her skin, ending in a fluffy tail… and itchy FLEAS! Her paws on the shelf, she read the label with wolf-sharp eyes. “Noooo,” she howled. “I wanted beauty blood. Not beasty blood! Aahhroooo…”
**
Happy Halloween!
Myths of the Mirror 
Hahahaha! Love it!
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Thanks, Kaitlyn. I write adult fiction, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to be a little playful. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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Really? That’s awesome! I just started writing picture books and my critique partners sometimes tell me I’ve started an mg instead haha, I guess writers just love writing, no matter what it is 😊 excited to read more of your posts. *Following*😊
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I have one picture book that I wrote and illustrated just because the story came to me and I wanted to do it. It’s far from perfect since the language is more middle-grade, but it was a fun way to spend a summer. Real children’s book authors are amazing to me. There’s so much to it! Good for you for having critique partners. That was the route I took with my overall writing and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the eye-opening critical feedback. 😀 Happy Writing!
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Thank you so much! That really means a lot to know I’m on the right track 😊
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Btw, did you publish the picture book? I’d love to see it!
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Yes. It’s called Grumpy Ana and the Monsters. I’d be delighted. Here’s a blog link if you just want a peek at it: https://mythsofthemirror.com/2017/09/22/childrens-book-submitted-to-agents/
There’s an Amazon link if you decide to take the plunge. Many thanks for your kindness!
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Oh I’m super excited!!
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She wanted to be the Queen of the Goblin’s Ball, right? …Then, it was the right recipe I guess 😉
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I don’t think it was what she had in mind, but hopefully she had a nice evening out anyway. 🙂 Next time she’ll wear her glasses! Thanks for the visit, my friend. ❤
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❤
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This seems like a legitimate mistake that could happen in real life. So important to read instructions. Happy belated Halloween!
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Thanks, Molly. Wear your glasses when mixing potions, right? Hopefully Grissella got a good belly rub before the night was over. 🙂
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She’ll feel better once a goblin rubs her belly.
And, oh, BTW, I love this!
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Ha ha ha. See, Mike, I needed more words to give the story that happy ending! 100 words was a killer, but I love doing these little challenges and couldn’t resist sneaking it in. I’m just tickled that you enjoyed it. Hope you had an awesome Halloween!
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Haha! This is great! Gives new meaning to the warning to read the label 🙂 Happy Halloween, Diana!
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My grandson makes potions all the time, Julie, but I would never drink one! Poor Grissella needs new glasses, I think. Thanks for reading and I’m glad you enjoyed the little story. 🙂 Happy Halloween!
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Hahaha this is really good, I chuckled to myself reading it! She must have forgotten to wear her witchy spectacles!
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She did! Big thick ones shaped like cat’s eyes. I’m glad you enjoyed my Halloweensie story, Lenora. I couldn’t resist the challenge. 🙂 I hope you have a wonderfully creepy day!
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I hope you do too!
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She’s got to be a smart cookie to be your muse! Your like buttons not working for me today. I think it’s my phone. Have e a lovely day … your faithful elf Holly.
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Thanks elf Holly. Darn that like button. But it’s Halloween and things are likely to get a little scary. Thanks for stopping by to read, and have a fabulously creepy day. 🙂
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😀 Always read the directions!
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Yes. Something I rarely do! And wear your glasses! Lol. Thanks for stopping by to read, Chelsea. Happy Halloween!
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👓
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ha. beauty, beast and fleas.
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Thanks for taking a peek, Jina. It was a fun little challenge, and writing something for kids is a nice break. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 ❤
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Oh, shweet! This a lovely and brilliant take on Halloween. I must confess I’m not a fan of, but your story is great fun. Love the brevity, too. You are a winner, already. 😀
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Thanks, Khaya. Not a fan of Halloween? I loved dressing up as a kid and now enjoy seeing the little ones in their costumes. The candy – that’s another story, all that damaging sugar. But I’m glad you enjoyed the little story. It was hard squeezing it into 100 words! Thanks for the visit, my friend. 🙂
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Lol! One word can make all the difference for sure. Very well-done! It’s hard to tell a complete story in 100 words.
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No kidding about the challenges with 100 words. I started with 200 and had to get out my chisel! One “letter” made all the difference. Ha ha. This is a cautionary tale about spellcheck. Lol.
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I liked this short story and the poor witch needed glasses. Hopefully as a wolf, she will have sharp eyes and a handsome wolf mate, Diana. There’s my happy ending to your story! 🐺💕
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Thanks, Robin. I love your happy ending. I think the potion will wear off. She did end up beautiful, but more hairy and fluffy than she expected. 🙂
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Hahaha! 😂 I’m glad you loved my ending, keeping my upbeat reputation up! 🙂 Hairy and fluffy was definitely not the result she wished for. . .
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Well done Diana. Your entry is great fun. Happy Halloween. 🌼
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Happy Halloween to you too, Brigid. I like these little challenges and 100 words isn’t too time consuming (once the story is squished down to size). Thanks for stopping by!
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Fabulous story Diana and that too within 100 words! Happy Halloween.
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Thank you for swinging by to read, Balroop. I enjoy these little challenges and writing with kids in mind allows me a greater degree of silliness. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 Happy Writing!
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I’ve missed your keen wit and storytelling! Wonderful entry!
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Hi Erik!! So great to see you here. I couldn’t resist participating in this little challenge. Writing for kids allows for some silliness and squeezing my prose into 100 words is good practice. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. ❤
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You. Nailed. It. Great story. I love this kind of writing practice, kudos 🙂
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Thanks, Didi. I had to really work to get it down to 100 words. And you’re so right that it’s good practice. I like these little challenges and writing with kids in mind is a blast. Happy Writing!
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You did a brilliant job! You’re welcome 🙂
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As usual, I love your stories! Maybe I’ll go see if I can do something within 100 words… That’s going to be difficult for me!
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I had a really hard time cutting it down to 100 words, Dawn. The original was about 150 and I had to keep squeezing and squeezing. But it’s good practice. The deadline is the 31st, so if you want to join in, you only have a few days. I’d love to read what you come up with. 🙂
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As I wrote in a comment… 2 missed trials so far. I’ll still post them, because, you know 😉 As for the challenge… We’ll see… 🙂
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Third time’s the charm, is that the saying? I’ll post on her page, since my blog is private. I’ve got no chance at winning, seeing what you wrote, but I had fun trying 😉
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I doubt I’ll win either, Dawn, but that’s not the point, really. It’s just fun. I’ll head over and read your entry tomorrow. 🙂 I’m turning in now. ZZzzzz.
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Me too… and I’m a good few hours ahead of you 😉
Sweet dreams!
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Two missed trials so far. Happy with the finished product, I just struggle with the 100 words rule!
Third attempt… 😀
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😀 That rule is a bear, isn’t it? Keep trying.
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Yes, especially for people like you and me!! I can’t seem to do short, which is where poetry is a great helper, as I otherwise tend to ramble quite a lot!!
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Ha! Well done Diana, and so much fun! ❤
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Thanks, Debby. A quick one. I love working with prompts, and trying out something for kids adds to the fun. I get to use words like stinky and warty. 🙂
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Lol, great descriptive words! 🙂 xx
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Very good. The minute distance between Beauty and the Beast… 🙂
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Thank you! They are such close words aren’t they. I didn’t set out with a deeper meaning to this little story, but it did pop up at the end. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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I understand what you mean. Stories do pop up on us don’t they? 🙂
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Boo-tiful… 🤦♀️
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Aaahhrooo! Thanks, Bette. It was a fun little challenge and 100 words went by quickly. Happy Halloween. 🙂
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What–wait? Wolves are beautiful! I love that you included all the favorite Halloween kids words!
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Yes, of course wolves are beautiful, and this one has a fluffy tail too. Ha ha. But it wasn’t exactly what Gissella had in mind. I was going to try to add “farts” to the story, but the word limited killed me. Glad you enjoyed it, Jacqui.
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I so admire you folks who can compose a legitimate story – and make it humorous – in just 100 words. I’m the type that prefers to insert several more tasty words in any sentence that requires less than five. This is
why writing is not my chosen art form 🙂 Poor old Grissella, a foil in a fable in the need to read instructions carefully before imbibing……….
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Thanks for reading my little story, Pauline. Trust me, I could have easily used twice as many words. It was hard to squeeze and squeeze them down to 100. It’s good practice though. I’m glad you enjoyed it. ❤
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Hahaha! This was wonderful, Diana! Totally love this 100 word Halloween story! It’s brilliant! Happy Halloween! 😄🎃❤
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I’m usually much more wordy, Sarah, so squeezing this into 100 words was hard for me. But otherwise just plain fun. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 😀
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You did it brilliantly, Diana! 😄❤
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Wonderful ! Beauty and beastie, perfection.
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Spelling matters, huh? Ha ha. Thanks for reading, Holly. Happy Halloween ❤
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❤️
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A lovely Halloween story, Diana.
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Thanks, Robbie. I almost skipped the contest, but played last year and couldn’t resist the prompt. It’s fun to read all the entries (well, maybe not all 200+ of them). Happy Halloween!
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Lol, enjoyed this, Diana!
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Thanks, Jackie. Gissella’s plan to be queen of the ball is probably ruined, but hopefully she has fun until the spell wears off… if it does! I’m glad you got a laugh. 🙂
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Diana, just wonderful!! 😀 This has me chuckling away and one story to be a hit with children! Love the twist … precision with words is just so important! Kudos to Susanna for hosting the contest and reading all those entries! Good luck to everyone.
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Thanks for swinging by, Annika. Yes! Spelling is very important, as well as wearing your glasses. (Sometimes my glasses don’t even help, though). Ha ha And I don’t envy Susanne the reading or judging, but it is great fun. 🙂
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Wonderful Halloween story Diana. May all your spells be loving and beautiful. 🙂
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My potions are carefully labeled, Brad, and I wear my glasses. This is more like something that my grandson would cook up, the little wizard. Thanks for visiting and Happy Halloween.
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I appreciate your gift for story telling and the humor! 🙂
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What a cute story! Nicely done, Diana. Boo!
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Ha ha. Boo back at you. This was a quick fun write, Jill. Though I’ll admit that writing a story in 100 words is challenging! Happy Halloween. 😀
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Love it, Diana! Happy Halloweensie. 🦊
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Thanks, Mary. Just a bit of fun. And easy, except for keeping the word-count to 100! I had to give it a try. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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Great story. Great fun. Will have to try.
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The deadline is the 31st, so get on it, Ron. It’s really fun and short, so not a major commitment. Poems are welcome, too. I hope you give it a go. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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Very cute and so nicely done! 🙂
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I am wordy, wordy, wordy. These limits are always a challenge and good practice. 🙂 Thanks for taking a peek! Happy Monday.
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