Welcome to the Winner’s Circle where we celebrate the success of our ICL students. Today we are cheering for Sharri Sandnes!
What contest was your winning entry submitted to? The Holiday Picture Book Contest
How many writing contests have you entered? Two
Tell us the title of your entry and a short summary of the story. The Valentine’s Bully is the story of a girl who thinks a boy is a bully, but realizes that he just wants to make friends at school, but does not know how to do it.
What inspired your winning entry? I had been thinking about children who might be considered bullies at school, and how sometimes they are just kids who don’t know how to relate.
How has entering this contest helped your writing? This contest was extremely helpful in my writing. Following the contest guidelines is a good learning experience. The critiques during the webinar were very useful! Having my work selected was a huge boost to my confidence level. Thank you so much.
Are you a full-time writer? If not, what is your “day job”? I am a retired elementary school librarian, and I have always enjoyed writing. Now I can write full-time.
How long have you been writing? I have always enjoyed writing, when I was 12 years old I wrote my first book, and have been writing ever since.
What will you do with your piece now that it’s been recognized? I hope to send it to a children’s magazine, or book publisher, and maybe it will be published.
Any fun plans for the prize money? I plan to join the SCBWI organization.
What do you do when you’re feeling discouraged or blocked? Do you have any tips for your fellow writers? I look through my journal for ideas. Also, I save newspaper clippings which help me come up with new ideas for writing.
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 think it would be fun to go to Harold and the Purple Crayon‘s yard sale. I would buy a crayon of course. Maybe a bright Pink one.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your ICL experience? I highly recommend taking a ICL class. I have learned so much! The assignments are just what I need to push myself in my writing, and the feedback is perfect.
What contest was your winning entry submitted to?
