I just got the final word from my editor that SPITFIRE will be available by the end of September! To celebrate the release and the work of all of us who write for young people, I’m hosting a contest and spitfire-of-the-day feature on my blog…
spitfire: (n) A fiery-tempered, passionate person
My middle grade historical novel is called SPITFIRE for two reasons.
1) On the bottom of Lake Champlain today rests the last remaining gunboat of Benedict Arnold’s Revolutionary War fleet. It sank while American vessels were fleeing from the British during the Battle of Valcour Island in October of 1776. Spitfire is the name of that boat and the setting for much of my novel.
2) My main character, Abigail Smith, is a 12-year-old girl who steals a leaky rowboat and runs away to join the American fleet on Lake Champlain. She is brave, passionate, and more than a little impulsive – a spitfire if ever there was one.
On to the contest…
Are you a SPITFIRE?
The more writers I meet, the more convinced I am that you have to be a real spitfire to survive this career choice. With that in mind, write a very short (300 words or less) essay on what makes you a spitfire in your writing life or in some other way that’s entertaining to read about.
OR… (I’m adding this at the request of modest writers who can’t possibly write about themselves that way) write about your favorite spitfire character in a book — yours or someone else’s.
I’ll feature some of the essays on my blog in the days leading up to SPITFIRE’s release, along with an author photo and/or a picture of your latest book if you’re published.
Send entries with the subject line “SPITFIRE CONTEST” to kmessner at katemessner dot com (no spaces). Please include:
-Your name
-A link to your website or blog if you have one
-Your essay pasted into the email, with permission to post on my blog
-A jpeg photo of you and/or your latest book attached if you’d like me to post it on my blog with your Spitfire Writer essay to promote your book
The deadline is September 25. Everyone who sends an essay will be entered in a drawing…and if you let people know about the contest on your website or blog and post a link to this page, I’ll enter you in the drawing twice. Just drop me a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
A winner will be drawn at random from all entries, and that person will receive a signed copy of SPITFIRE, along with a box of Lake Champlain Chocolates. Because everyone needs chocolate. Being a spitfire is hard work.