Contest Winner

What contest was your winning entry submitted to?

ICL YA Fantasy First Pages

How many writing contests have you entered?

Several. I started with ICL over 20 years ago, and I’ve lost track!

Please give  the title of your entry and a short summary of the story.

One Kiss Is Not Enough This is a retelling of The Frog Prince, where one kiss is not enough to keep the prince from reverting back to frog form.

What inspired your winning entry? 

My husband gave me the what-if idea for this story.

How has entering this contest helped your writing?
These contests are always a good exercise in writing for a specific purpose, and especially in meeting a word count.

How did the critique in the Winners Workshop help you?
It was very encouraging that others found my humor amusing. Sometimes I don’t know if anyone else will think my ideas are as funny as I think they are.

Are you a full-time writer? If not, what is your “day job”?

I recently graduated the last of my home-schooled children. I’m trying to make this into a full-time gig, but I’m still a full-time wife and mom, struggling with priorities.

How long have you been writing?

A long time.

What will you do with your piece now that it’s been recognized?
I’m encouraged to figure out the plot and actually finish the story.

Any fun plans for the prize money?
Buy a friend’s book and attend a writing conference.

What do you do when you’re feeling discouraged or blocked? Do you have any tips for your fellow writers?
I like to get outside and go for a walk, or read in my genre until I’m inspired, or brainstorm, or chat with an understanding family member, or take a nap, or have a snack.

If you could go to the yard sale of any character in the history of children’s literature, whose would you go to, and what would you buy?

I would go to Winnie the Pooh’s, and pick up a useful pot to put things in.

Anything you’d like to share about your IFW experience?

As a mom of small children, ICL’s classes gave me the momentum and criticism I needed to start learning how to write well.

Will you be our next contest winner? Discover our current writing contests here!