Fourth Grader Becomes Published Author

SmokeLong Quarterly is an internet journal dedicated to “flash fiction,” a genre of literature in which stories contain 1,000 words or fewer.

 

Aubrey’s story, “The Lions, The Litterbox, and the Lily Pads,” was written last year for an alliterative story writing contest held at her school, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, in Melbourne. Librarian Judy Houser held the contest for third graders after the students read the book, “Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke,”written by Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrated by Henry Cole, who visits the school each year.

 

 “Aubrey’s story was chosen as the winner because of her detailed illustrations and creative use of so many words beginning with the letter L,” Houser explained. “Lions, litterboxes and lily pads are central to the story—each has a purpose in the plot, rather than just being words to kick off a story about things beginning with the letter L.  My favorite line is ‘Lily lay in bed, looking like a lonely, little lost lion….’”

 

In Aubrey’s story, a mother lion named Lucy must spring into action when one of her cubs is bitten by a snake. According to Houser, “The story has an engaging introduction, a conflict and a resolution.”

 

Aubrey’s biography on the SmokeLong Quarterly website describes her as spending “almost all of her free time with a book in her lap.”  Her library teacher concurred, “Aubrey is a prolific reader and confirms the theory that the more you read, the better you write.”

 

Aubrey’s story may be found on: http://www.smokelong.com/fridge-flash-the-lions-the-litterbox-and-the-lily-pads/