Giveaway | Cathy C. Hall Writes

I’m in a bit of hurry this Friday, what with a SCBWI conference on my schedule! But I had to drop in and check on the October Things Baseball Giveaway. I sorta, kinda forgot when the giveaway closed and the winner was supposed to be drawn.

So I took a few minutes to read all those swell writing tips. How serendipitous! A tip or two was just what I needed to pack for the conference.

From Donna over at Donna’s Book Pub: “Sometimes you have to “play ball” with editors and agents to get published.

From Barb Hodges at God Whispers in My Ear: When we network, someone else may go to bat for us.

From Jodi (who’s doing a conference, too!): Baseball is like writing because we’re both wacky superstitious!

Which reminded me that I need my lucky boots on the trip with me. Along with Cathy-on-a-Stick, my business cards, and my courage.

Perhaps courage is what I need to find the most this Friday. When I attend big conferences, that little, shy girl who never opened her mouth all through first grade seems to grab a hold of my hand once again. But since I go to conferences to network and make new friends, speaking is required.

So, I’ll be packing my smile, my Southern charm, and a few prayers, too. And then I’ll start introducing myself.

(P.S. Since I’ll be conferencing, I’m extending comments on the Baseball Giveaway till Sunday. Drop in here this weekend for a chance to win -or maybe read the swell writing tips yourself!)

I am not gonna lie. I wanted my team to still be in the playoffs when I featured baseball on my October Things Giveaway. But you can’t always get what you want, as the song goes. Which brings to mind another song I’ve prepared for the occasion of Bobby Cox’s retirement. We’ll get to the baseball giveaway goodies, but first a little baseball philosophy…

A Tribute to Bobby (Sung to the tune of “My Way”)

And now the end is here, and Bobby faced the final showdown.
My friends, I’ll say it clear, I wished we’d had more of a hoedown.

He gaves us fits, he gave us thrills,
He gave us cheers along the highway.
And more, much more than that,
He did it his way.

For what is a coach, without a team?
If he can’t yell, or really scream?
To say the things he truly means,
Get thrown from games and make big scenes!
The record’s done, his Braves sure won!
Doing it hiiiiis waaaaay!

I’m seriously a little farklempt here. So I better move on to the goodies you can win:

1. A really neat sports card album from 2000’s FanFest (AllStar game tie-in). Juniorest Hall filled up one album, but never used the other. So wheee for you! Um, you’ll have to get your own cards.

2. A crafty Braves pin that you can wear next year…or try making one with your favorite team’s colors. Honestly, I thought I’d get my preschoolers or Girl Scouts to try this craft, but as those kids are 20ish now, the time has come to give up on this idea.

3. A shiny baseball charm bracelet that I thought I’d wear when Juniorest Hall played baseball. Then he switched to golf. So, yeah, never quite got around to wearing it. But I polished it nicely for y’all.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What’s this baseball stuff have to do with writing? If you want to win, leave a comment by October 16th telling me how baseball and writing connect. Then we’ll all know.

(P.S. Want extra chances? Sign up to follow me, send a friend over, tweet about this post…oh, you know the drill.)