Because we’re turning three we’ve been giving away notebooks and pens to celebrate—one writer’s notebook and pen to giveaway each day for three days (today is the last day but check out Monday’s and Tuesday’s posts because you still have until Friday to enter.).
Here’s today’s notebook and pen giveaway. One spiral bound notebook and a blue pen.
A spiral-bound notebook with elastic attached to hold it closed. Plus blue pen.
If you’d like to enter today’s notebook-and-pen-giveaway, there is one step.
1) Leave a comment at this post letting us know the best children’s book you have read this year. (Or that your child/student has read if you are a parent/teacher entering on a child’s behalf.)
Note: this is a random draw and we will put all the entrants’ names in a hat and draw out the winner.
Some fine print:
We are only able to post the prize to Australian addresses. You are welcome to enter if you live overseas but you will need to nominate a lucky friend or relative in Australia to receive the prize.
Competition opens at 3am on Wednesday 19 October 2011 and ends on Friday 21 October at 11.59pm. (Times as per Perth, Western Australia)
We will announce the winner on the blog on Saturday 22 October. We will ask that the winner emails us an address where we can post the prize. If we do not hear back from the winner by 28 October, we will award the notebook to the runner-up of the competition.
Notebooks and pens were purchased by Alphabet Soup’s editor. We have no affiliation with the brands or stockists and have received no incentives from these companies. (Our editor just went out and bought notebooks with inviting-looking covers.)
No correspondence will be entered into regarding the winner. Our decision is final.
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is Sandy Fussell, author of many books including the Samurai Kids series, Polar Boy and Jaguar Warrior.
1. Where do you like to write?
I write everywhere—even at the school bus stop. I like to sit in the sun and draft longhand but when it comes to the ‘spit and polish’ I work on a laptop in my office.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
I am very fortunate as a reviewer to have an advance copy of The Outcasts, the first book in John Flanagan’s new Brotherband series. I think it’s even better than his Ranger’s Apprentice books and I loved those. The Outcasts is released 1 November.
Sandy Fussell recommends The Outcasts by John Flanagan
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have writer’s block?
I have two favourites. ‘snizzle’ which I used in Polar boy (a snizzle of snow’) and ‘screak’ (the screak of a bat) which I used in Samurai Kids 2: Owl Ninja. I collect unusual words and often use them as inspiration or to give a description more impact.
It’s always fun to unwrap a few presents at a birthday party—and since we’re turning three we’ve decided to give away some notebooks and pens to celebrate. All writers need a notebook for jotting down interesting words, snippets of conversation or ideas for the next story or poem. We have one writer’s notebook and pen to giveaway each day for three days (starting yesterday!).
Here’s today’s notebook and pen giveaway. One hardcover notebook and a blue pen. (And don’t forget you still have time to enter yesterday’s giveaway—entries for all three notebooks close on Friday 21 October. See the fine print for details!)
This STRIPED notebook is perfect for scribbling down story ideas
Note: this notebook is a hardback. It’s great for story ideas and thoughts and newspaper snippets but you probably wouldn’t want to write a novel in it from beginning to end because it doesn’t lie flat.
If you’d like to enter today’s notebook-and-pen-giveaway, there is one step.
1) Leave a comment on this post, letting us know what you’d like to see more of on this blog. (e.g. book reviews, author/illustrator interviews, poetry, writing tips etc … or you might like it just as it is.)
Another note: this is a random draw and we will put all the entrants’ names in a hat and draw out the winner.
Some fine print:
We are only able to post the prize to Australian addresses. You are welcome to enter if you live overseas but you will need to nominate a lucky friend or relative in Australia to receive the prize.
Competition opens at 3am on Tuesday 18 October 2011 and ends on Friday 21 October at 11.59pm. (Times as per Perth, Western Australia)
We will announce the winner on the blog on Friday. If an email address has been provided with your comment, we will also email the winner asking for an address where we can post the prize. If we do not hear back from the winner by 28 October, we will award the notebook to the runner-up of the competition.
Notebooks and pens were purchased by Alphabet Soup’s editor. We have no affiliation with the brands or stockists and have received no incentives from these companies. (Our editor just went out and bought notebooks with inviting-looking covers.)
No correspondence will be entered into regarding the winner. Our decision is final.
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is Rebecca Cool, illustrator of Isabella’s Garden and For All Creatures (both written by Glenda Millard).
1. Where do you like to draw/paint/sketch?
My favourite place to paint is of course in my studio and I often sketch out ideas while watching T.V.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mavor published by Houghton Mifflin is a book I recently bought. Each traditional nursery rhyme is illustrated by stitching onto felt—gorgeous!
Rebecca Cool recommends 'Pocketful of Posies' by Salley Mavor
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have illustrator’s block?
It’s always fun to unwrap a few presents at a birthday party—and since we’re turning three we’ve decided to give away some notebooks and pens to celebrate. All writers need a notebook for jotting down interesting words, snippets of conversation or ideas for the next story or poem. We have one writer’s notebook and pen to giveaway each day for three days (starting today!).
Here’s today’s notebook and pen giveaway. One spiral-bound notebook and a blue pen.
Win this notebook & pen and get writing!
If you’d like to enter today’s notebook-and-pen-giveaway, there are two steps.
1) Leave a comment on this post, saying how you first heard about Alphabet Soup magazine.
2) Send our editor an email quoting a favourite first sentence in a children’s book you have read, and the book it is from. (Children’s book must be suitable for readers under 12.)
Note: this is not a random draw, we will choose the entry with the first sentence that makes us want to read (or re-read) the book in question!
Some fine print:
We are only able to post the prize to Australian addresses. You are welcome to enter if you live overseas but you will need to nominate a lucky friend or relative in Australia to receive the prize.
Competition opens at 3am on Monday 17 October 2011 and ends on Friday 21 October at 11.59pm. (Times as per Perth, Western Australia)
We will email the winner asking for an address where we can post the prize. If we do not hear back from the winner by 28 October, we will award the notebook to the runner-up of the competition.
Notebooks and pens were purchased by Alphabet Soup’s editor. We have no affiliation with the brands or stockists and have received no incentives from these companies. (Our editor just went out and bought notebooks with inviting-looking covers.)
No correspondence will be entered into regarding the winner. Our decision is final.
Thanks to Charmaine, who made Number Three biscuits for our writers to take home - in honour of our 3rd birthday.
On Friday we met an enthusiastic group of young writers at the City of Vincent Library in Leederville (WA). The afternoon was off to a festive start with door prizes to celebrate our third birthday—Riley and the Dancing Lion, a set of the complete Jake series (so far!), a writer’s notebook-and-pen, and Pearlie in Paris. Annette Flexman—one of the magazine’s illustrators—drew a pirate ship for everyone to collage and colour, and also assisted with the folding of origami sailboats (sailing is the theme of our spring issue!). Photos to come!
We had a great time. A big thank you to all our young writers who attended and wrote such brilliant poems and book reviews. (We’ll be sharing some of their book reviews on the blog later this week, so stay tuned.)
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is Katrina Germein, author of Big Rain Coming and My Dad Thinks He’s Funny.
1. Where do you like to write?
I’m not picky. I’ll draft anywhere—on a bus, in a park, beside the sea. I love notebooks with fancy covers and keep a store in my car and my handbag for when I find a few minutes to scribble ideas. When it comes to sustained writing and editing I like to work at a desk with my computer. It doesn’t need to be my desk and it doesn’t need to be very big but it needs to be in a quiet place. I’m not one of those authors who can work with music playing.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
George and Ghost by Catriona Hoy and Cassia Thomas. It’s beautiful. I love all of Catriona Hoy’s picture books. I’d love to have written them myself!
Katrina recommends George and Ghost by Catriona Hoy, ill. Cassia Thomas
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have writer’s block?
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is Aleesah Darlison, author of many books including the Totally Twins series and new series, Unicorn Riders.
1. Where do you like to write?
I usually write in my study where it’s quiet and cosy and where I can display photos, posters and props, etc about what I’m writing about.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
A book I read recently—The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths. Very funny.
Aleesah recommends The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have writer’s block?
Magic.
Find out more about Aleesah Darlison and her books—visit her website.
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is author Sheryl Gwyther—her most recent book is Charlie and the Red Hot Chilli Pepper.
1. Where do you like to write?
I have a study to write in, but I can write anywhere (if I’m in the writing mood). Funny thing, though, the place where I write a first draft reminds me of that time whenever I go there—like on our back deck, where I wrote the first draft of Singing the Wires and the words poured out of my head. Luckily, it’s all good memories.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
Just finished John Heffernan’s book Battle Boy—Spying on the Past, written under the name of Charlie Carter. It’s the first in a series of exciting, short adventure books for young readers. Easy to read, gripping and cleverly bringing the past alive when a young boy—Napoleon Augustus Smythe—hurtles back through time and into … the big battles of the past. Lots of techo stuff (and illustrations) to intrigue kids.
Sheryl Gwyther recommends Battle Boy by Charlie Carter
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have writer’s block?
Sheryl Gwyther
Rather than one word or phrase, I use my ‘Double Trouble Game’—think of two words that are ‘bad roommates’, put them together and ask, ‘What If? I used this method to get the ideas flowing for my story Princess Clown. Also for my work-in-progress, Fangus Fearbottom (fang and banana—yes, bad room mates!)
All through October, Alphabet Soup is celebrating turning three. We have heaps of writers and illustrators stopping by to answer THREE QUICK QUESTIONS and today’s visitor is Cristy Burne, author of the Takeshita Demons books.
1. Where do you like to write?
In a café, on my laptop, with a chilli hot chocolate somewhere nearby. I like writing in cafés because it usually means I have two or three hours of uninterrupted time.
2. Can you name a book you’d recommend to our readers?
I usually read action-adventure-fantasy stories, but lately I’ve been trying some different genres. Most recently, I loved Meg McKinlay’s Duck for a Day … it’s quirky and clever and fun. I also loved Warning! Aliens are Invading the School! by Dinah Capparucci—it’s Very Funny!
Cristy Burne recommends Duck for a Day by Meg McKinlayCristy also recommends Warning! Aliens are Invading the School! by Dinah Capparucci
3. Can you offer a word or phrase that kids could use for inspiration if they have writer’s block?
Cristy ... and head
“headless”
I like to write scary stories about strange monsters and spooky demons, so “headless” is a great start for imagining a new kind of creature. It opens up lots of nice questions: Why is it headless? Does it miss its head? Does it have any extra bits to make up for its missing head? Is it attacking me? Is it making me a cup of tea?
alphabetsoup.net.au 