It’s hard to believe I’ll be hosting the Third Annual Spooktacular Halloween Contest at the Storyteller’s Blog this year. Where does the time go?
For the last two years The Spooktacular Contest was limited to rhyme, as I am an avid rhymer. My published picture book is rhyming and I’m currently working on a poetry collection.
Last year, I added a glossary of Halloween Creatures titled “Monster Mania.” You can find them on my blog and use them in preparing your entry this year.
But my other love is novel writing. So this year I would like to add a new aspect to the Spooktacular Halloween Contest.
The contest this year is titled “THE MAGNIFICENT MONSTER!”
To enter:
- Write a dark fantasy poem of no more than 250 words, or a dark fantasy short story of no more than 500 words about “a magnificent monster” of your choice.
- Become a follower of “The Storyteller’s Blog.”
- Post your entry in the comments section of The Storyteller’s Blog and comment on at least two other entries.
There will be two winners.
The winner of the poetry section will win an autographed copy of There’s An Eyeball in My Garden, a Halloween poetry collection by the renowned poets of The Poetry Garage.
and
Contest runs from September 15th to October 12th. Winners will be announced on October 26th and will receive their books by Halloween.
Here is an example:
BEWARE!
Dark as night.
Black as pitch.
Meaner than a nasty witch.
Teeth like knives.
Claws like nails.
Pointed ears and hairy tails.
Shirt in rags.
Pants in tatters.
Feed the hunger. All that matters.
Smell of prey.
Life of ruin.
Beware the werewolf. It’s full moon.
What a great contest, Gayle, and what a deliciously spooky, enticing poem! Fabulous costume, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Clara. It's that time of year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting such a "monsterly" contest. Here is my entry.
ReplyDeleteThe White Lady
Beware the comely lady
dressed in flowing robes of white.
She'll haunt the inner chambers
of your mind on this dark night.
She'll whisper of undying love
with her orange-scented breath.
Please do not respond in kind
for your answer marks your death.
Thanks for posting Caszia. I assume your monster is a ghost. If I smell oranges I'll run. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gayle for hosting this contest. It gives me and others the opportunity and fun to post our works and read new poems and stories.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed "The White Lady". It painted a picture with so few words. It was kinda spooky too!!
I now look at oranges in a different way.
"The Heeblahs"
ReplyDeleteMy mother and father were divorcing and the family would never be the same. This would be the last time I would ever see my friends and school. Not that I loved school, but I would miss this school.
The comfort of all my friends and routine of life would surely be missed!
Dad was moving to Chicago not only because of the split, but because of his new job. This was one of the main reasons for my mom and dad’s departure. Brother and I will be living with mom moving to Colorado. No more beach, no more Jack’s Shack were we would all meet after the beach, and no more seeing my father on a daily basis. We were lucky if we would see him twice a year. I do not even want to think about Christmas.
Summer in Colorado seem to fly by faster than a witch on a broom. We did manage to meet some nice friends, and we had a new hang out at the local pizza place in town.
My new friend Donna and my brother Joseph, walked home from school, but this time, decided to take a different route. Donna said this way was quicker. Before heading home, we decided to stop for some ice cream.
Half way home, I could not finish my ice cream, so a few feet up was a drainage ditch under the curb were I decided to ditch the rest of my ice cream. Running ahead I bent down saying farewell to my treat listening for the splash of water. This time no sound was heard. Were those hundreds of the tiny glowing eyes? I ran back to my brother and Donna practically leaving a trail of pee behind.
“Donna, you are going to think I’m crazy, but I swore I saw tiny glowing eyes”.
Thinking ahead that Donna would think I was crazy, she calmly said, “it was not your imagination, they are called Heeblah’s, and that’s where they live”. I walked the rest of the way home in a fog.
Donna insisted we walk home the same way as yesterday.
I was so scared, but I did not want to show my new friend my fear. Passing the drainage ditch, Donna stopped and seem to be talking and not to us. All of a sudden Donna was no longer there and hundreds of red glowing claws tried to grab us taking us to their world of darkness. Joseph kicked one of them and we managed to get away.
The next day in class Donna was not there. I was very tired in class, as I did not sleep well that night.
The teachers back was turned, so I decided to rest my head for a minute. The screaming sound of a hawk flying by startled me. As I lifted my head back up my classmates eyes were glowing as they made
sickening sounds of claws opening and closing like a lobster.
Heeblahs! Ha! There's a lesson in this story.......eat all of your ice cream! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for entering angellulu4. Good luck!
I love the title Heeblahs. You've conjured up little monsters that can be different for every reader. Good idea.
ReplyDeleteFun contest! So were those "blood oranges" on the White Lady's breath Caszia? I'm betting the "Heeblahs" will give many kids the "heebie jeebies" angellulu4!
ReplyDeleteCreating my monster was definitely cathartic! When I felt the "Monster Mom" within hungry to make an appearance the other night, I remembered your contest and decided to give life to it on paper instead. I'm sure my daughters are grateful for that! Hee Hee!
ReplyDeleteMONSTER MOM
It’s scary when I see what sometimes happens to my mother.
Without a warning she is taken over by another.
Blood-shot, bulging eyes appear, no longer sparkly-brown;
Lips now taut and quivering, where freakish fangs point down.
With twisted claws she pulls at hair, that’s now a matted mess;
Her shrill-like screech, heard miles away, warns all she’s in distress.
She shrieks and moans; she shakes and groans, arms flailing in the air;
With no time left, I move to make this monster disappear.
Then racing ‘round I grab my dirty laundry off the floor,
And haul a heaping laundry basket quickly out the door.
I start a wash then brew some tea, “Sit down, dear Mom,” I say.
I’ve saved us all from “Monster Mom”, if only for a day!
I love your "Monster Mom"! Great concept. Every mommy can relate. My laundry is transforming before my eyes. I have to go and rescue my family before our mountainous monster suffocates us.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you!
Cool monster, Kathy. Very scary...... especially since we can all relate. :)
ReplyDeleteWith a little expansion you might transform this into a cool PB.
Good luck,
Gayle
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJiggs:
ReplyDeleteI <3 this. It is so clever. I have only one comment...........Why haven't you sent this out as a picture book manuscript instead of posting it here? It's got great originality and of course the familiar ring of a song children of all ages know. And the Halloween rhyming scheme is great!
Good luck, Jiggs!
Jiggs:
ReplyDeleteAre you signed in as a follower of The Storyteller's Scroll? Make sure you do before the contest is over. :) If you are signed in under another name, please PM be to tell me. You can contact me through my website at the top.:)
Hi, Gayle,
ReplyDeleteI thought I was signed in as a follower, but now I'm thinking that somehow I must not be! Oh no! I love the Storyteller's Scroll. I'll double check that right away.
Stephanie (aka Jiggs)
What a fun contest! I'm loving the creativity here. I, too, thought Jiggs should have sent 'Over in the Mansion' off on submission. And I could so relate to 'Monster Mom!' Ha! :)
ReplyDeleteBelow is my contribution:
A TRULY, SCARY MONSTER
A scary monster grumbles, a scary monster groans,
A scary monster chews on decayed, rotten bones.
A scary monster dribbles, a scary monster drools,
A scary monster lurks in saliva-filled pools.
A scary monster bellows, a scary monster bites,
A scary monster stalks you through dark, moonless nights.
A scary monster torments, a scary monster tugs,
But a truly, scary monster wants to wrap you in his hugs!
Truly cute!!!
ReplyDeleteMorning Scribbler:
ReplyDeleteYou've really got that scary monster down.
I hope your scary monster brings you luck!