PBParty Entry #55: The Day The Hiccups Came {ART}

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GENRE: Character Driven, Humor

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WORDS: 300

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Author/Illustrator’s website

Query:

Dear Reader,

Sometimes stories come spontaneously, much like the hiccups do. My humorous 300 word picture book, The Day The Hiccups Came, is geared toward readers aged two to six.

When you get the hiccups, they can be quite difficult to contain… especially when they are running amok around your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and yard. Follow our young hero’s day trying to get rid of the pesky intruders, alongside his trusty golden retriever. Our character discovers having the hiccups around may not be so bad, after all.

You will find this story comparable to The Whatifs, by Emily Kilgore, or The Hiccupotamus, by Aaron Zenz. The Whatifs personifies emotions, while The Hiccupotamus explores a character having the hiccups. There are a few books about hiccups, but none where they take on their own personalities.

I am a former artist in the animation industry, most recently working on TV adaptations of Captain Underpants and Where’s Waldo for DreamWorks Animation. I have also directed several animated projects, including Mattel’s Monster High: Meet the Ghouls and National Geographic’s, The Greeks. Making the transition from animation to children’s books seems like a natural path for me. I’m a mom of two kids, aged four and two, and I love discovering new books with them. Now I spend my available time dreaming up new concepts to write and illustrate.

In addition to The Day The Hiccups Came, I have other manuscripts available.

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Excerpt:

I was minding my own business, when suddenly…
Hiccups came from my mouth, one by one. [The “hiccups” are little creatures]
Hiccup!

One came with a parachute.
Hiccup!
One did a backflip.
Hiccup!
Two performed a synchronized dive.
Hic- Hiccup!

The hiccups were spreading fast. I had to stop them!
I covered my mouth and ran to the door.
But they kept coming.
Hiccup! hiccup! Hiccup!

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What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:

This story came out of some playful banter with my 3 year old when she got the hiccups. I pretended to “catch” one, but it got away, which sent her into the giggles. I explored how my kids might respond in this silly scenario.

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