The next current contest “officially” launches January 2, 2023 as the first Annual Contest in two years (the last one was hosted in 2021). However, I posted a preview the first of December so I am updating this page for all of the eager beaver writers who wish to get a head start on this contest. The deadline for submissions is April 15, 2023. You can read everything you need to know about entering the Circle C Writing Contest by clicking the Contest Tab. There you will find the Official Rules, the word count, FAQs (frequently asked questions), the prizes, and so on. I am very exited for this new contest and can’t wait to see the winners’ stories in print!
Questions? Ask in the comments or Contact Mrs. M >>
To see winners of past contests (with links to their stories), go to Past Contests >> or Annual Contests >>
Andi Carter's Blog 
Can we start writing our story for the 2023 annual contest now, or do we need to wait until a specific date?
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Sure, but I’m not answering any contest-related questions until after the official rules go up. 🙂
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One small question; do second place and third place get a prize as well as first place? And then the honorable mentions, i know, get a ebook of the book with their story in it
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Yes! And honorable mention each get a print copy, not an ebook. Not sure where you heard that….
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Why do you only go to age 17?
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Because then it would be unfair.
Pro authors could enter the contest then, haha 🙂
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Well, that’s not exactly the reason, because real “authors” are not allowed to submit to a young person’s contest. But it sounds good.
The real reasons is because “18” is officially an adult, and the contest is not for adults. 🙂 Sorry! And a 14 year old has enough competition with a 17 year old already. (although a 15 year old has won before)
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Okay, yeah, sorry!
i was just trying to help 🙂
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You’re sweet! 😘
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Can we start writing or does the story have to be about a certain topic?
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It always has a certain topic
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Guess I shouldn’t start writing then. I just thought if it was just a story about Andi or one other character from the Andi series then I could start writing now.
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Yes, that is correct. It is about Andi or any of the Circle C characters, or Goldtown, or even combination of the two.
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No, the annual contest does NOT have a certain topic!
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@Anonymous
You can start a story now, if you like, but it has to be about Jem, Andi or both
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Thanks, Jesea! Apparently, he hasn’t been born yet! The midwifes have calculated the due date wrong, so one of his due dates was yesterday, and another was Monday!! Every day my dad’s like, “Today’s your brothers birthday!!” and he hasn’t turned out to be right just yet!! I’ll let you know when he’s born!! I can’t wait!!😊
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Hi Emmalee, I deleted your email comment. You should never put your email up in a public comment anywhere on the Internet. If you want to share emails with anyone, ask me to share the two emails with each other (and you have to have parent permission, BTW).
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NOAH WAS BORN TODAY!!!!!!!
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Congratulations!
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Congrats!!!!
Little Babies are AWESOME!!! My sister just had her 4th baby, a girl!
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Aww…congrats!😃
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Congrats! Give him a hug for me 😂❤️
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And he’s HUGE!!! Noah’s about 22 inches long!!! And he’s really chubby, which makes him super cute!!! My mom’s gonna need a lot of rest!! He was born at 6:10 am. I got suspicious when at 6:58 am, Grace, my oldest sister, came in and said, “Two minutes!” Everyone was there! My Grammy and Grandpa, Mamaw, three midwifes, and our tenant!! Soooooo awesome!! My Grandpa bought cinnamon rolls, and large milkshakes from Whataburger!! This day has been fun so far!! ❤👍😊
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Oh, and Danielle, I can’t give him a hug right now because he’s sleeping!! LOL😉
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He’s the cutest in the world!! Mom’s recovering quickly. Brianna, do you have any brothers?? I have four, counting Noah. And I have four sisters, not counting me. Your birthday is August 10?? So cool! How old are you??👩 This one looks like me!!
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Three brothers! I’m 12. What about you? New siblings are so exciting! Does your new brother have a middle name?😀
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-Except I have almost black hair!!
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Really, Tori?? 4th?? Cool!! Congrats on your new niece!!
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Yes i have 9 neices and nephews!
My sister in law is pregnat again too!
I have 5 brothers and 1 sister btw
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Congratulations Emalee!!! Yeah babies are amazing!!😍 my sister had a girl in July and My sister in law is pregnant and due in… NINE DAYS!! I’m really excited😍😍😍🥰😘
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Thank you!!!
And you must be loving your new little brother 🙂
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Yes!! I have four brothers, and four sisters!! Here there are in age order: Grace, 13, Andrew, 12, Me, 11, Miriam, 9, David, 7, Jonathan, 5, Susanna, 3, Esther, 1, and Noah, 1 day! Yep, that’s us!!👨👩👧👦
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Thats cool! I have a sister named Susanna, and a brother named Jonathan! -Katie
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Noah Isaac Rawson!!
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A very cut name!
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**cute
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When Father died, was Mitch still in school?
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Since the Carter kids must go to school until they are 16, yes, he was in his final year since he was 15 when Father died in the spring. Then … Ohh, just making this up…. He dropped out and did not finish the term
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Okay, thanks!
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I don’t know if more people would enter the Annual more then the Seasonal (bigger prizes; stories go into a book), or less people would enter (stricter rules; no prompts). but also there’s three age groups and your blog has grown in followers since your las Annual contest Mrs. M…
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Historically, many, many more young writers enter the annual contest than the seasonal “for fun” contests. We shall see what happens this year, since it’s been awhile since I’m hosted the annual contest.
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Hi… So when you said the next seasonal contest starts January 1 does that mean the specific topic that we need to write about comes out that day?
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There is no seasonal contest in January. January 1 launches the ANNUAL contest, which is a much bigger deal. You will get the rules (a whole page) but there is no topic or prompt. You can pretty much write whatever you want, so long as it has to do with the Circle C or Goltown in some way.
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Ohh…ok thx😁
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So when or how often do the seasonal contests start and end? Because I didn’t really understand that.
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When I am not doing an annual contest then I have time to do contests (smaller ones) maybe three times a year. Since I have not hosted an Annual Contest since 2019-20, I thought it would be fun. So…. Since the prizes for first place are more valuable and there are so many winners in the annual contest (12 in all) at various levels, I’m putting the seasonal contest on hold.
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Maybe next year we can go back to the seasonal contests? Although i voted for an annual contest, i would like more contests a year. Also, we get prompts in seasonal contests☺
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Depends on what you mean by “next year.” LOL If you mean 2024, that is possible, but 2023 is the “year of the annual contest,” which doesn’t end until April or May. By the time I get the prizes out and get the book up on Amazon, it would not be until maybe FALL of 2023 that would be the earliest to put on a seasonal contest. However, writers might want another annual contest. They are a big deal and it’s very cool to have your story in a real book that people can buy from Amazon.
Regarding prompts. That is the hardest thing for me to do .. . . think up prompts for seasonal contests. I have to wrack my brain.
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Is there any nickname for Melinda or Katherine? For when they were younger before Kate ran away? thanks!
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Kate is Katherine’s nickname.
I always thought Melinda’s would be Linda, but I have never used it. You are welcome to use it. Many have before.
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Ok, thanks.
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Really? I remember the name Linda for Melinda…i thought it was from your books, but it must be from a Fan Fiction
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Yes, it’s from a fan fiction. I have never used “Linda” for Melinda in any of my books as far as I know. It sounded a bit too “modern” to me.
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How many years apart are Andi, Melinda, and Katherine?
Thanks again!
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Andi and Melinda are five years apart. Kate, I can’t remember, but it’s on the timeline or family tree, so you can figure it out. 🙂
https://andicartersblog.com/family-tree-and-timelines/
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September 2022 update. The three Christmas stories below are being collected into a new Circle C Christmas Collection book of five Christmas stories. I will have it available in print form hopefully before December 1, 2022. These three stories plus two new ones will be included.
I just saw this notice on the stories page and am excited! Will this new book be in the fan fun pack? Or will it be a special holiday book? Also, can we help decide on the cover and\or the title? And do you already know what stories you’re goanna add to the ones you already have? And will you be posting those stories on this blog or can we only buy them? Thanks! Sorry for all the questions, just curious!
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Well, I forgot I put that comment there. I went in and updated it.
Here is the follow up on that. I have pitched the Circle C Christmas Collection to my publisher, Kregel (they have first rights of refusal), and I just emailed them yesterday to find out if they want it or not. I am waiting to hear. If they don’t want it, then yes, it will go up on Amazon, actually, hopefully in November. It is a special holiday book. I just finished Andi’s Icy Christmas, a 14,000 word novella that will be included in the book.
However, if my publisher DOES pick it up, it will not come out until NEXT Christmas (2023). And I am very sorry about that, since I really wanted to have it for you guys THIS Christmas. But in order to be able to make it available on Amazon (for even international readers), I must offer it to Kregel first (part of my contract). If they pass then I can do whatever I want, and I want it out NOW. LOL
I already have a cover that is pretty awesome and the title (at least for if I publish it) is Circle C Christmas Collection. It doesn’t really need options for that. LOL
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How many stories are in the collection? I know there’s the original three, and Andi’s Icy Christmas, but are there any more? And how old is Andi in the story Andi’s Icy Christmas? Thanks
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If Kregel takes it, there will be six. If I do it myself there will probably be five. Andi is 12 in Icy Christmas. It is set just a couple of weeks after Family Secret.
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Makes sense. 😀 Thanks! I hope we get it this Christmas!
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Me too!
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Good luck!
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Okay!
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Did your publisher respond? I probably wouldn’t respond that quickly to an email, but i’m curious
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I wish! But they have their own agenda and they move like a glacier!
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Did the publisher reply? Or are you going to do the short story christmas collection?
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Yes, I am doing it. Just got the proof book and I’m hoping to announce it by October 31. I’m very very excited!
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That’s great!
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Ahh i see…
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Oooh! I just thought of something. When the Christmas Collection comes out, can you record it and release it on this blog for Christmas, maybe? That would be awesome. If not, it’s okay
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If my publisher picks up the collection then my narrator will record the stories since they will be official. They will be up on Audible but not free
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Yes, i can’t wait! I don’t have the Tales book, so all these stories are new to me! If your publisher does not pick up your new book, you can record it (or get a pro narrator to do it), then sell it on the blog as well as the book. If you put it low enough, everyone will grab it. 😊
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If my narrator records it, it will cost a ton of money, so I can’t put it “low enough.” Audible sets the prices. Boo.
I can only sell it as a USB not a download because the MBs are too high to allow downloads, unlike my little short stories.
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How old was Andi when her father passed away? (getting the idea for a story!)
I just read Anna Parks story on the stories tab, makes me sign in to google to comment so I’ll just comment here.
-Anna Parks, I know I commented before but this story is so sweet, and so- I can’t even began to describe it in just words. It was such a good story, you wrote it very well, you put the Carter’s emotions in it so well, I am still thinking about it. I just reread it and my, even though I already read it once, reading it again was wonderful. It really really touched me. Thank you for writing that story.-
Mrs M, thanks for letting Anna Parks put her story up there.
-S. M.
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She was 5 and a half. I fixed the comment issue on the Stories so you can go back over there and comment on Anna Parks’s story
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Can I enter in older age groups? I’m 11😊
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Why would you want to since you are in competition with all those older writers? 😉
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Am i aloud to submit more then one story???
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You will learn the answer to that when I post the official rules, which isn’t for quite some time. 👍
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****Thanks!!!!!****
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I saw in another comment that we’re allowed to send in two stories. But the rules might have changed
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The new Christmas mugs look so cute! I would love a mug like that (or any Circle C mug) for the up coming Annual contest. Hint, hint. Sorry, the mugs will probably be posted tomorrow. I just couldn’t wait😁
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Do you have the audio rights to your own self published books Mrs. M.?
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If I published a book would you want to do a post about it, Mrs M?
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Sure! Would you include a giveaway?
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Mrs. M., you mentioned you might show us the rules before January. When will we see the rules?
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The beginning of December
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Aw! Lol, i was hoping for a sooner date😄
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I think I’d be grateful that the rules and stuff are releasing a month early rather than January 2 like it is officially. 😉
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Oh yes, i am grateful😊
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The rules at the top says January 1. Lol, one day sooner!
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I will change it. I’m not launching anything on New Years Day.
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So what day is the Christmas Collection coming out?
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When the books arrive. 😉👍 It takes Amazon forever to print and ship!!! Hopefully before November 11!
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Yay!!!!!! I’m so excited!!!!!!!
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Yeah, me too!!
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Here’s a story prompt for a seasonal contest, hopefully next year;
A story that has something to do with a gun\gunshot.
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Great. Now I hope I remember. 🤪
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Also, we can do a story about Andi’s friends, like Rachael, Maggie, Macy and even Katherine
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Yes, so long as they is some mention of the primary characters
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