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"Required reading" for today's smart writer.
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Friday, October 5, 2012

I'm "Sweet" on Chocolate Writing Contest* Honoring National Chocolate Week


In my mind, there's never really a bad time to celebrate chocolate. Am I right here, readers? :-)
In fact, chocolate and writers just go together. For many of us, it's the ultimate in "comfort food".
It's as synonymous with scribes as donuts are with cops. :-)

Interestingly enough, while doing research for writing ideas, I stumbled across some "trivia" that I thought was pretty sweet. Did you know that there is such a thing as National Chocolate Week?

Yep. There really is. It's actually celebrated in the U.K. October 16th-October 22nd.
There are shows, events, tastings, and a whole lot of fun happenings.

So, I thought I'd take the opportunity to celebrate it here at Pen and Prosper, with "I'm Sweet on Chocolate" writing contest!

Here's your "mission," if you should choose to accept it:

1. All entries must be original and unpublished.
2. Send me a slogan, quote or poem that has to do with writers and chocolate.
3. Word count can not exceed 112 words, (let's keep things interesting, shall we?)
4. Submissions can be entered as "comments" through the Pen and Prosper site, or they can be emailed to me at Gemsjen@yahoo.com embedded in an email. Please, no attachments. 
5. I will choose three winners from entries received.
6. No entry fee required.

Prizes? Bragging rights. A badge to place on your site. And some form of chocolate mailed to you. It could be a book of chocolate recipes, or a chocolate certificate, or real chocolate! More details to follow...

Oh yeah...the deadline is October 22nd (in America...not in the U.K.).:-)

Good luck!


CHOCOLATE TRIVIA...

1). Chocolate produces serotonin, which reduces sensitivity to pain and promotes a feeling of well-being.
From Belleabouttown.com

2). An organic molecule in chocolate can help strengthen tooth enamel, according to research from Tulane University.
From Womenshealthmag.com

3). 87% of men consume chocolate, as compared to 91% of women.
From Mintel.com

4). Every Russian mission and American voyage has included chocolate bars.
From Lindtusa.com

5). Dark chocolate contains flavanoids, which is said to lower blood pressure.
From Womenshealthmag.com

6). The biggest bar of chocolate ever made weighed 5000 pounds!
From Lindtusa.com


Thoughts?

Image: SPFF

37 comments:

  1. Jennifer,

    This is so much fun! Thanks for putting on such an interesting contest, and I will definitely be submitting an entry. I loved your chocolate trivia - some interesting things about chocolate that I didn't know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yasmin,

      I'm tickled pink that you like the idea! I try to keep things lively here @ Pen and Prosper---and I am always inspired by the feedback and thoughtful comments by readers like you. Good luck with your entry. :-)

      Delete
  2. I should also mention that submissions will be judged on originality, creativity, and adherence to contest rules. Two entries per person.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer,

    I know you always mix it up and keep things very interesting :)By the way, I watched Shark Tank. Loved it!

    Great to know that we can submit two entries. Makes it so interesting.

    Here is my first entry, a poem. The title is Chocoholic Me:

    Chocoholic me, penning words
    in between my must-have chocolate fix;
    fixing commas, adding a line
    while on glorious chocolate I dine.
    Godiva
    Ghirardeli
    Hershey's
    any one will do,
    while I compose a poem or two.
    My world would never be complete
    without my chocolate, o so sweet
    and I could never, never write
    until I have had my first bite!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 5, 2012 at 4:04 PM

    Yasmin,

    Thanks so much for your entry. As for Shark Tank? I knew you would enjoy. :-) Don't forget that it comes on tonight as well. Check your local listings for details.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like fun! Will give this some thought, and will pass it along as well. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen,

      I'd love to see you take it on! Should be fun. Thanks for stopping by and weighing in. And, yes...it would be lovely if you would share this contest. :-)

      Delete
    2. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 13, 2012 at 6:21 PM

      Karen,

      I just saw where you blogged about it @ your site. How cool. Thanks!

      Delete

  6. This just in from Linda O'Connell...

    Writer's Inspiration by Linda O'Connell

    M&Ms three at a time ... colorful ellipses for my writer's mind.

    Melted exclamation point on my tongue, a puddled Kiss.

    Dark chocolate covered coconut, Mounds of happiness.

    Chocolate solidified or liquified, a writer's Bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Folks,

    ...Love the entries I'm receiving so far. Keep 'em comin'! What have you got to lose, right? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. What Brown Does

    M&M: Sends two letters into my mouth instead of out,
    Snickers: Enables laughter to be eaten,
    Three Musketeer: Makes everyone wish the number inside matched the wrapper name
    Hershey: Promotes polygamous lips, so everyone can enjoy the same kiss,
    Milky Way: Makes galaxies go down smooth with a glass of milk,
    Reese's: Creates cups you can't drink from,
    Twix: Accepts the misspelling of the word Twin because it's delicious,
    Godiva: Supports the world's divas…godiva go

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 7, 2012 at 11:24 AM

    Jeremie,

    Hi, guy! Thanks so much for your clever entry. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your welcome. And thanks for having the contest

      Delete
  10. I know it will be disqualified for more than 112 words, so I'll just share it here without entering:

    THE CRAVEN

    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I typed, eyes drooping, bleary,

    A forgotten box of SnoCaps called me, high above the floor.

    No more would my strength be sapping, leading to clandestine napping,

    Voraciously I’d be SnoCapping, SnoCapping like I’d done before.

    “I must get them now,” I muttered. “SnoCapping makes my writing soar!

    “Now a pleasure, not a chore.”


    Stashed upon a shelf they languished, since my habit I had vanquished,

    Yen for it, though, not extinguished; now I had to have some more.

    No willpower could I muster, tiny white beads--oh, the luster!

    SnoCaps the great diet buster--buster of the vows of yore.

    Their chocolate has a hold upon me, gripping at my core.

    This dark master I adore.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Val,

    Nice! Welcome, and thanks so much for sharing your creativity here today. I'm sure my readers will enjoy this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I forgot to mention, I found your link on Linda O'Connell's blog. And, well, I borrowed a bit from Poe, obviously, and from Kramer kidding George Costanza about his Bosco addiction.

      Delete
  12. Val,

    Much appreciation for letting me know this; Linda remains one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters. She is as sweet as chocolate! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  13. 'I like the idea
    of having a Contest,'


    Because something like that can also be something that can build anticipation, generating curiousity about what others wrote, and can make you want to come back for more, only currently I don't seem to have any sudden inspiration for Writers & Chocolate slogans. On the other hand while writing this....., How about this:

    'As a Writer you write in a way that wants
    your readers to constantly read more,
    In a way it's just like Chocolate
    from - Cote d'Ore -'


    As I wrote about in a previous comment on your previous post, my post about Greeting Card Writing made it into the Most Popular List, I also just read about the Greeting Card Business that you can increase your chances with lettering at the top, because (in a Rack) can be seen behind other cards, and usually sells better.

    Also that you can create - your own Line - and Promote & Sell them online, and you can attempt to approach Book - & Gift Stores, Online Retailers or Catalogue Companies etc. etc. to sell them for you.

    'Want to read more....?'

    You - now - know where
    you can find it on my Blog :)








    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 13, 2012 at 6:27 PM

      H.P.,

      ...Would also love for you to share some of the best Greeting Card companies for freelance submissions, based upon your experience. If you have the time or inclination. :-) Thanks again.

      Delete
  14. H.P.,

    So glad you liked the idea of a contest. Thanks too for sharing the info on your blog and greeting cards. I appreciate your time and input. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmmm, the best greeting card companies for freelance submissions, based upon my experience...?

      Currently it's more based upon some of the research
      I did for that post about Greeting Cards, you can also find some Greeting Card Markets in that (Most Popular) post titled:

      Open Up Books, Laptops and Greeting Cards

      Because up till now it all has been pretty 'Hap Hazzard' and I didn't really had a very specific approach yet other than just frequently enter competitions, and jotting down submissions in a special - Submissions Book - and underlining the ones I actually won prizes with.

      As I recently wrote about on my About Page, I won Prizes with all kinds Creative Contests from companies, like Banks, Ice Cream Companies,(also Chocolate Copanies btw), Music Publishers, etc. etc. and also writing that actually made it into some of the Glossy Magazines as you can read about on 'The Secret to Writing Success' page on my blog.

      It's just that now I am thinking about a little more organised approach, and actually created special file folders for several of my writing projects to be able to have a more focussed approach.

      Delete
  15. This just in from "A.D."

    Chocolate, it's so dear to my heart ... I idolize it!
    Have to! . . . Because it's my birthmark!

    A. D.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A.D.,

      ...And your entry was "dear to our hearts". Thanks!

      Delete
  16. Hi Jennifer, here is my poem.

    I Must Write

    Bring me a Kiss
    Wrapped in foil.
    Bring me a Reese’s
    While I toil.
    Bring me a plate
    Filled with fudge
    Bring me a Twix
    While I trudge.
    Bring me a Godiva
    For me to bite
    Because today
    I must write!

    I saw this over at Linda's site. I love chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Janet,

    Welcome! I'm tickled pink to get your entry. Good luck and thanks for sharing! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Jennifer,

    This is my second entry, entitled "A Chocolate Sonnet"

    Wondering what the world would be like
    if we just never had any chocolate.
    Writers wouldn't have the creative spike
    and remarkable characters we'd never get.
    This sweet, irresistable taste,
    food of the gods, and symbol of love;
    eaten at leisure, or eaten in haste
    endorphins unleashed, ideas fly like a dove.
    Give us our chocolate, writers declare,
    without it not a line we can write.
    Unless we have it, we wallow in despair;
    writer's block wins out, o what a fright!
    Chocolate, o chocolate, you are the thing
    whose praises writers everywhere sing.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Yasmin! Here's wishing you a lot of chocolate-filled days. :-)

      Delete
  19. Chocolate and Caramel go hand in hand. They satisfy my snack lust like nothing else can.
    jrs362 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 11, 2012 at 8:24 PM

    Squiresj,

    Welcome! That was short and "sweet". :-) Thanks for submitting!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jennifer,

    Happy Friday to you! I just had to share an article I read just this morning (via the Associated Press) about a new study in Wednesday's New England Journal of Medicine, which ties chocolate consumption to the number of Nobel Prize winners a country has (based on population). Switzerland was the top country in chocolate consumption and Nobel prizes. The United States, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Belgium and Germany are in the middle. You are right about the link between chocolate and creativity!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 12, 2012 at 9:36 AM

    Yasmin,

    How "sweet" of you to share this! Very interesting indeed...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi, Jen. It doesn't take much to drag the poet out of me. Here's my submission.

    Come here my lovely Ghiradelli
    I need you inside my belly.
    Once we two have had our fun,
    Perhaps I’ll get some writing done!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 15, 2012 at 6:33 PM

    Susan,

    I thought I would hear from you. LOL Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 22, 2012 at 1:06 PM

    Chocolate, Oh Chocolate my love…

    The dark rich cacao morsel rests pensively

    Between tongue and upper palate warming now

    Quietly evoking remembrances of plot,

    Of haunting first words that connect, that draw in

    Taste buds at once flooded, delighted, fulfilled

    This sensuous morsel captures and captivates

    Flavors encircle words, emotions spark senses

    Toying, creating a longing for more.

    Like remembrance of spent love,

    A pleasant flood of joy, tastes still linger

    A scintillating feeling of emotions touched

    Yet abandoned climactically, leaving in its wake

    A need … oh yes, an incredible want for more.

    Drawn to savor, to taste, to untangle the mystery

    Of taste, of words, of life’s delicious story.

    Vicki L. Ward

    This was entered by publisher, Vicki Ward

    ReplyDelete
  26. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 22, 2012 at 1:08 PM

    Thanks so much, Vicki!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Replies
    1. Jennifer Brown BanksOctober 26, 2012 at 2:31 PM

      Thanks, Linda. You get no argument here. :-)

      Delete