SLUSH PILE CHALLENGE WINNER Libby Hartwell
Libby Hartwell, winner of the July 2024 Slush Pile Challenge, tells us why she entered the competition and about her experience of having feedback from Callen Martin, of Bell Lomax Moreton Literary Agency.
Callen’s challenge: “Please can I have the first full chapter of a book aimed at readers aged 8+, (from Middle Grade upwards to YA/NA)? I know that some authors will have Prologues but if I could have their official Chapter One that would be really exciting to read.” Callen requested that the manuscript be completed before entering the competition.
Callen stated: “As I read and reread the entire collection of entries, I found myself returning again and again to one story in particular – one story that I couldn’t stop thinking about in those quiet moments where our creativity runs away from us and our mind wanders down the path of ‘What If?’ – and this story was ASTRO PONIES by Libby Hartwell. It’s for this reason that ASTRO PONIES is my stand-out winner!
From its very first line, ASTRO PONIES was a joy to read, managing both to be excitingly new in setting and concept, and familiar enough to ensure that the reader is firmly on board, able to keep up with the fast-paced events of the story that quickly unfold. Though I’ve only read the opening chapter, ASTRO PONIES struck me as a wonderful Lower Middle Grade Paw Patrol-esque story, with ponies, that just so happened to be set in space... What a wonderful and immediate concept that was clear from just this opening chapter! While, within this novel’s opening, there was lots of narrative excitement and action, and plenty of description to bring the (outer)world to life in my mind’s eye (the humour and clever wit throughout was an absolute joy to read!), what really captivated me about ASTRO PONIES was its balance between plot and narrative – its high stakes moments and those that were tender, more character-led. It’s this balance – this balance between concept and action, and character heart (character interactions, relationships and arc) – and how it is that these two, key threads of a story interact on a page that truly captivates me about the world of children’s fiction. In ASTRO PONIES, I really feel as if I have a sense of the wider plot of the story and who Casey, Calamity and Butch are as characters (and as ponies), understanding the roles that they play both within the story itself and the expansive world they inhabit.”
Libby:
“Waking up to an email from Elaine to say I’d won the Slush Pile Challenge was amazing. I’d entered the first chapter of ASTRO PONIES into the competition at the last minute, not really thinking it had much of a chance. But wow, it won.
To have someone connect with your story is a fabulous feeling. It outweighs all those long negative moments in your writing journey and gives you that boost to keep going.
Connection in writing is so important, isn’t it? The crit groups I belong to are invaluable and it’s usually my crit buddies cheering me on or commiserating with me that keep me writing. When Callen wrote that ASTRO PONIES was the story that he couldn’t stop thinking about, it was high praise indeed – he’d ‘got’ it, and his comments are now pinned above my desk to remind me that my work is good enough to make people sit up and take notice.
Meeting Callen was a dream. He put me at my ease straight away and we were soon chatting about my story, my writing aspirations, the publishing industry and things we had in common. Callen was very generous with his time, advice and guidance, and I came away feeling inspired and empowered.
Thank you so much Callen for picking my story as your winner. I think you know how much it meant to me. Thanks also to Elaine for all the hard work you do organising the Slush Pile Challenge.
To everyone writing out there – take a chance, share your work – you never know who it will connect with.
Photo: Libby Hartwell
A special thanks to Callen Martin of Bell Lomax Moreton for setting the competition, judging it and providing such valuable feedback to Libby.
Elaine Cline has been a SCBWI member for over ten years and loves to write picture books, middle-grade and teen books. She lives by the sea and has one adorable dog. Elaine is a member of the Words & Pictures editorial team, managing The Slush Pile Challenge.
Twitter: @elaineccline
Bluesky: @elaineccline.bsky.social
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