We're halfway through the Halloween Countdown, and the suspense is killing me! Will I survive this Insomnia?
A "weensie" dose of lighter fare may be just what I need to pull through, so I've decided to enter the 3rd annual Halloweesie Contest sponsored by Susanna Leonard Hill. The rules of the contest are simple: write a Halloween story in 100 words or less. It can be scary or funny, poetry or prose, but it must be appropriate for children and include the words spooky, black cat, and cackle.
Well, you know me, I took the "little ditty" approach.
THE WITCHING HOUR
This is the tale
of two cats and a whale
named Spooky, Cackle and Boo.
Each Halloween
the trio is seen
traversing the ocean blue.
An unusual sight—
black cats in the night
on the tail of a whale, it’s true.
But once every year
when bewitching time’s here,
they set sail and admire the view.
© 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All
rights reserved.
 |
| Courtesy of Eunice and Andrew, Lazy Cats Are Here |
Be sure to stop by Susanna's blog, Something for Everyone in the World of Children's Books, to read and enjoy all of the entries. After the finalists have been selected, there will be a vote for the winner on Monday, November 4th.
I adore this! How original. I wish I could have thought about it. Super job! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robyn, for such kind words!
DeleteWonderful, Michelle! What rhythm! What rhyme! I feel like I'm going up and down the ocean swells with the Spooky, Cackle and Boo :) Thanks so much for joining in on the Halloweensie fun and sharing your delightful tale!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Susanna! It's my first time taking part, but I'm sure it won't be my last. You all are such a welcoming, encouraging bunch-- I'm feeling very grateful right now. :)
DeleteSweet! a FUN mix of characters.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how characters sometimes just appear on your doorstep, don't you think?
DeleteGreat rhyming and a different Halloween tail. Um...I mean tale. :-)
ReplyDeleteBoth my tail and my tale thank you kindly!
DeleteThis is wonderful! I love the idea of two cats and a whale and the bewitching time. Beautifully written. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cheryl. Who knows where these crazy ideas come from!
Deleteloved it
ReplyDeleteI'm glad. :)
DeleteWonderful, Michelle. You wrote it well with those silly, ocean-loving cats!
ReplyDeleteThey're the best kind, don'cha know. :) Thanks Linda!
DeleteAwesome ditty, Michelle! Great rhyme and meter...and I love the characters. Nice to meet you...Susanna's contests are lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you, too, Vivian! Fun indeed... addictive too, I imagine.
DeleteFabulous Michelle! Great poem and I love the illustration too!
ReplyDeleteThanks BJ. :) Isn't that illustration great? Amazing what you can find on the internet... it's like they heard my poem before I even thought of it!
DeleteOooh, I liked this one a lot, Michelle...feeling a bit seasick, but I liked it! :0)
ReplyDeleteUh-oh. Wish I could offer you a magic spell for that seasickness!
DeleteJust wonderful! Love the rhythm and the unique take on Halloween.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Penny! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)
DeleteNow this was special! I was on the crest of the wave with Spooky, Cackle and Boo.
ReplyDeleteWere you riding a whale too? Or maybe a surfboard? ;)
DeleteSuch unlikely friends, but they all like the view, so it works :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way to put it, Janna! You're right, friendship IS all about enjoying the view together.
DeleteGreat fun, Michelle! Rollicking rhythm and rhyme.
ReplyDeleteThat's me... I love to rollick and roll! ;)
DeleteYes! It was lovely to read such well written rhyme. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteThanks much, Joanna. So glad you dropped by!
DeleteTried to comment this morning, but google was bewitched. So I'll try again, hope you don't end up with two! Just had to come back to say how much I liked your 'little ditty'!
ReplyDeleteHow nice of you to make the extra effort to come back and comment, Juliana. I appreciate it!
DeleteThis was clever and fun to read. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jackie. It was fun to write too. :)
DeleteMichelle, that was a joy to read! I'm particularly enamored of whales at the moment, so it was perfect on several levels (I'm always enamored of cats...) Great to meet you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth... and so nice to meet you too! Whales and cats both hold a special place in my heart as well.
DeleteWhat a unique idea to add a whale to your Halloween story! I'll bet no one else enters a whale into the competition. I LOVE the illustration.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, Boo is happy enough with just Spooky and Cackle for company. I love the illustration too-- an amazing find courtesy of Google!
DeleteI love this! Love the pairing of two cats with a whale -- so creative.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret. Somehow they paired themselves... in this case, I was just the messenger.
DeleteYou had me at whale!
ReplyDeleteWhales are some of my favorite people too. :)
DeleteWhat a unique approach - I suppose they must celebrate halloween at sea!
ReplyDeleteI think they like looking up into that big sky to see the witches flying past the moon.
DeleteGorgeous, really like your poem... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Catherine. Glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteHi, Michelle. What a fun poem! I thought of Wynken, Blynken and Nod, and the Owl & The Pussycat. I can just picture your two intrepid cats sailing off on the back of a whale.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to be thought of with such fanciful literary company! Thanks, Laura :)
DeleteI really like this! The rhythm reminds me of the sea and waves!
ReplyDeleteIn my case, minus the seasickness. Thanks Andrea!
DeleteYour "little ditty" flows right off my tongue. It's perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks Manju, such kind words!
DeleteWhat an evocative image! It reminds me a bit of the Owl and the Pussycat, sort of dreamy and fanciful.
ReplyDelete- Carrie
Can't complain about that! I noticed the connection too... though not while I was writing, only afterwards. Thanks for your nice comment, Carrie. :)
DeleteLovely rhyme and rhythm, Michelle, not to mention the sweet and unusual friendship. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sweet words, Renee. :)
DeleteYou have really good handle on the rhyming and the rhythm. Great job!
ReplyDeleteAppreciate you stopping by, Jessie!
DeleteIt's reminiscent of a nursery rhyme. . .never thought of a whale in the mix. Creative, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jarm. I had a whale of a time writing it. ;)
DeleteVery original. Nice rhythm. I enjoyed the image it provoked. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle-- I appreciate you stopping by to comment!
DeleteI did cackle at this boo-tifully spooky image!
ReplyDelete