Holiday Writing Contest and Our Fundraiser Continues

“If I had been talking about drowning polar bears, people would have been weeping with me.
But nobody recognizes that a bookstore or library can also be a drowning polar bear.”

Author Sherman Alexie
from Mother Jones interview, Nov/Dec 2009

Trying to raise money for a children’s writing contest is similar to what Alexie says about the fate of bookstores and libraries. A writing contest for kids doesn’t portray a cute and fuzzy animal. Perhaps we need an image of a cuddly animal with a pen in his hand?

But on the subject of fundraising we had a fun and busy Saturday event at the Pleasant Hill Barnes and Noble. It continues this week. If you use our voucher found on the California Writers Club website http://mtdiablowriters.org/ and take it to ANY Barnes and Noble through Friday, Dec. 4, our Young Writers Contest receives 10% – 25% of your purchase! At no cost to you!

If you are a middle school (sixth, seventh, eighth grade) student in Contra Costa County you are eligible to submit essays, (personal narratives), poems, and short stories into our contest. I’ll post them here now and then and they are also available at the above CWC website.

HOLIDAY WRITING CONTEST – Sponsored by the Contra Costa Times

What’s your most memorable holiday decoration? Treasured ornament your now 40-year-old son made his first year in kindergarten? A quirky centerpiece the entire family can’t stand? A funny or unique item your parents gave you when you were little? Snap a picture and write a short explanation about what makes it so endearing (or maybe not) and send it to [email protected] or Joan Morris, P. O. Box 5088, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. The Contra Costa Times will publish as many as they can. Deadline is Dec. 9. Include your name, city and contact information.