This spring (2024) was the third annual Kids' Choice Kidlit Writing Contest hosted by author Kailei Pew!
For the middle grade contest, a writer enters only 500 words from one of their WIPs (Work-In-Progress). Kids are the judges!! The entries are split up among the kid judges and they rate their favorites. There can be up to 80 entries in each category (Picture books, Middle Grade, Young Adult).
Last year, I entered an excerpt from my Middle Grade Fantasy (currently on subs!) and got Honorable Mention! But this year (2024), I entered an excerpt from a spooky paranormal Middle Grade book I'm working on and got 4th place out of 75 entries!! I was so surprised and honored!!
Check out my entry below!! (But be warned - it's spooky!!)
For the middle grade contest, a writer enters only 500 words from one of their WIPs (Work-In-Progress). Kids are the judges!! The entries are split up among the kid judges and they rate their favorites. There can be up to 80 entries in each category (Picture books, Middle Grade, Young Adult).
Last year, I entered an excerpt from my Middle Grade Fantasy (currently on subs!) and got Honorable Mention! But this year (2024), I entered an excerpt from a spooky paranormal Middle Grade book I'm working on and got 4th place out of 75 entries!! I was so surprised and honored!!
Check out my entry below!! (But be warned - it's spooky!!)
The Ghost of Windwood County Fair
“There’s a lot of people at the fair tonight.” Chloe ducked and maneuvered around a group of kids eating cotton candy.
Maddie noticed their fingers were coated in the sticky sweet cotton. Her hands cringed.
“Let’s go through here.” Brayden pointed between a few smaller buildings set up for games. “We can get to the ride faster. It’s like a shortcut.”
Maddie stepped over a large power cord that snaked through the grass between the buildings. “Are we allowed back here?”
“I’m sure it’s fine.” Brayden waved her off.
Chloe raised a brow but followed Brayden.
Maddie was certain they were not allowed to walk back here, but she followed her friends through the small spaces. It was dark here. The sun was setting, and the colorful lights of the rides did not reach the in-between spots of the towering booths. She quickened her pace and got in front. She could hear the splashing sounds of a water game when a side door of one of the booths opened right in front of her. Maddie yelped and jumped to the side.
Brayden and Chloe bumped into her.
Maddie knew they were going to be in trouble. She slowly turned her head to the person standing in the door.
The man was very tall and wore a red shirt, like all the other carnival workers at the fair. His smile was crooked, and he glared down at the three kids.
“What you kids doing back here?” He spoke in a low voice.
“Sorry,” Brayden shrugged. “We didn’t know we weren’t supposed to be here.”
That was a lie. Maddie gave Brayden a long side-eye.
“We’re very sorry.” Chloe at least looked sincere.
“It ain’t safe being around here,” the man said.
Maddie was shaking. She hated getting in trouble. The sewn name on the man’s shirt pocket said JOE. “We’re sorry, Mr. Joe.” Her voice came out as a whisper. “We’ll never do it again.”
Mr. Joe nodded. “See that you don’t.” He waved his arm, shooing them. “Y’all go have fun. Go on! It’s what you came here for.”
The three friends nodded and began to walk away.
“Wait!” Mr. Joe stepped out from the door frame.
They turned back.
He clicked his teeth. “Don’t go lookin’ in the mirrors.”
Maddie’s mouth opened and she noticed Chloe tilted her head.
“What do you mean?” Brayden asked. “What mirrors?”
“All mirrors,” Mr. Joe said. “They’re not safe. Not this year.”
Maddie shared her friends’ faces of confusion.
“Y’all don’t want any trouble at the fair, do ya?” asked Mr. Joe.
“Well, no,” Brayden said. “But what do looking in mirrors have to do with—”
“She’s here tonight. I can tell.”
Brayden rolled his eyes and Chloe gave him a shove. “Who’s here?” She pressed.
“Bad Luck Laney.” Mr. Joe pointed his finger at each of them. “So don’t be lookin in the mirrors or you’ll have bad luck too. Bad things happen at the fair when you see Laney.”
Maddie noticed their fingers were coated in the sticky sweet cotton. Her hands cringed.
“Let’s go through here.” Brayden pointed between a few smaller buildings set up for games. “We can get to the ride faster. It’s like a shortcut.”
Maddie stepped over a large power cord that snaked through the grass between the buildings. “Are we allowed back here?”
“I’m sure it’s fine.” Brayden waved her off.
Chloe raised a brow but followed Brayden.
Maddie was certain they were not allowed to walk back here, but she followed her friends through the small spaces. It was dark here. The sun was setting, and the colorful lights of the rides did not reach the in-between spots of the towering booths. She quickened her pace and got in front. She could hear the splashing sounds of a water game when a side door of one of the booths opened right in front of her. Maddie yelped and jumped to the side.
Brayden and Chloe bumped into her.
Maddie knew they were going to be in trouble. She slowly turned her head to the person standing in the door.
The man was very tall and wore a red shirt, like all the other carnival workers at the fair. His smile was crooked, and he glared down at the three kids.
“What you kids doing back here?” He spoke in a low voice.
“Sorry,” Brayden shrugged. “We didn’t know we weren’t supposed to be here.”
That was a lie. Maddie gave Brayden a long side-eye.
“We’re very sorry.” Chloe at least looked sincere.
“It ain’t safe being around here,” the man said.
Maddie was shaking. She hated getting in trouble. The sewn name on the man’s shirt pocket said JOE. “We’re sorry, Mr. Joe.” Her voice came out as a whisper. “We’ll never do it again.”
Mr. Joe nodded. “See that you don’t.” He waved his arm, shooing them. “Y’all go have fun. Go on! It’s what you came here for.”
The three friends nodded and began to walk away.
“Wait!” Mr. Joe stepped out from the door frame.
They turned back.
He clicked his teeth. “Don’t go lookin’ in the mirrors.”
Maddie’s mouth opened and she noticed Chloe tilted her head.
“What do you mean?” Brayden asked. “What mirrors?”
“All mirrors,” Mr. Joe said. “They’re not safe. Not this year.”
Maddie shared her friends’ faces of confusion.
“Y’all don’t want any trouble at the fair, do ya?” asked Mr. Joe.
“Well, no,” Brayden said. “But what do looking in mirrors have to do with—”
“She’s here tonight. I can tell.”
Brayden rolled his eyes and Chloe gave him a shove. “Who’s here?” She pressed.
“Bad Luck Laney.” Mr. Joe pointed his finger at each of them. “So don’t be lookin in the mirrors or you’ll have bad luck too. Bad things happen at the fair when you see Laney.”
