Longtime readers of this blog know that I hate Halloween. Continue reading “Oh, Right. Halloween Is Here.”
Oh, Right. Halloween Is Here.
One Hat. Two Versions.
Sometimes I’ll rewrite a story so many times I’ll forget how much it’s changed.
That was certainly the case with my story Harold’s Hat. As I mentioned on this blog, Harold’s Hat was published in the July issue of Highlights for Children. And because the folks at Highlights are lovely, wonderful people, they gave me permission to reprint a PDF of the finished story! Here ya go:
I just adore Harold’s crazy eyes in that last illustration.
This isn’t the only version of Harold’s Hat floating around. An embryonic draft of HH appeared on this blog in June 2013, which I wrote for one of Susanna Leonard Hill’s awesome writing contests. Both versions share many of the same story beats, but otherwise they are two very different animals.
Feel free to compare ’em. It’s fun!
Eeek.
Do I like Halloween? Well, let me put it this way: If I wanted to make a spectacle of myself panhandling in costume, I would be on Times Square shaking down tourists.
So, no. I do not like Halloween.
I do like Susanna Leonard Hill, however. (How can one not, really?) I also like Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog contests, and I enter as many as I can.
Yes, even the Halloweensie one.
Here are the rules: Entrants have to write a Halloween-themed story no longer than 100 words. (In Halloween parlance that means the story is “Fun Size.”) This story also must contain the words “costume,” “haunt,” and “dark.”
So, here’s my submission! Enjoy!
***
Night Ninja
“I’m the black ninja! Hiyah!”
“That costume is too black.”
“The better to haunt my victim’s dreams!”
“Well, you’re going to have to haunt their dreams with a little reflector tape. Stand still.”
“Mom! Ninjas can’t reflect! They gotta disappear!”
“I don’t want you to disappear into the fender of a car. Take this flashlight, too.”
“Flashlight?!”
“It’s cold out. Get your coat.”
“But my coat is green! Light green!”
“Then you’ll be an adorable light green ninja. Out you go.”
“Ninjas aren’t adorable!”
“Have a good time, sweetie! And don’t come back without dark chocolate!”
“I hate Halloween.”
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 