Oz-Stravaganza! is sponsoring a writing contest! And you can enter to win Oz-Stravaganzically!
Below, you will find the beginning of your story, complements of Greg Ellstrom, who is no stranger to good fiction.
Greg Ellstrom was an English teacher, department chairman, and drama director at Chittenango High School for 33 years. He has written and directed 9 plays, which were presented both at Chittenango High School and as part of the Village of Chittenangoʼs SUMMERPLAY.
Ellstrom also won the POST-STANDARD Holiday Fiction Contest in 2001 and 2003. His blog is called “
The Blue Moon Grille.” You can check out that link to see that he hasn't retired from writing.
Just complete "The Things One Stumbles Upon" (below), in three-hundred words or less, and you are on your way to entering the contest.
Please see the rest of the rules, submission form, and submission information at the bottom of this post.
The Things One Stumbles Upon
by Greg Ellstrom
After she returned from Oz and moved back in with Uncle Henry and Auntie Em, life
for Dorothy became very normal. She went off to school like the other kids of her age, did
her homework, helped Aunt Em around the house, took Toto for walks--but always, in the
back of her mind, were her memories of her wonderful adventures in the Land of Oz.
As happens to all children, Dorothy quite quickly grew up. And when she was 18
years old, she went off to college at the Kansas University in the city of Lawrence. There
she lived in what was called a rooming house and met many interesting people.
Dorothy couldnʼt figure out just what to study in college. She thought that perhaps
she would study writing, so she could tell the stories of her magical adventures. Or
perhaps, she would study painting, so she could create great works of art depicting the
Emerald City and the lands around it. Or perhaps, she would study to be a veterinarian, so
she could help dogs like Toto or even work at a zoo and, maybe, take care of lions.
Sometimes when she was trying to figure just what she would study to be, she would take
a walk around the campus or through the city or around one of the nearby parks, and think
One day, while taking one of these strolls, she wandered farther away from her
college campus than she ever had before. Just when she was considering going back to
the rooming house, she came upon a little bit of a forest, just some trees really, growing
around and on top of a little hill. This was very unusual for the flat lands of Kansas. A little
path led through the trees, and her curiosity made her follow it. She went up and down the
hill, jumped over a little brook, and went through thick trees and thin trees, as the path
twisted along. Then all at once, the trees came to a stop, and Dorothy couldnʼt quite
believe what she saw in the meadow in front of her. (Part 1 ending point)Information and Rules for The Oz-Stravaganza! Writing Contest
The object of the contest is for each entrant to complete the short story begun here. Entries
must be completed in 300 additional words or fewer. There are four groups for entrants:
A. the 3rd to 5th Grade Group
B. the 6th to 8th Grade Group
C. the 9th to 12th Group
D. the Adult Group
Participants will complete the story titled “The Things One Stumbles Upon.” (Above)
First, Second, and Third Prizes will be awarded in each Group.
(Questions may be addressed to writing-contest@oz-stravaganza.com)- Only one entry per person.
- All entries must be typed, double-spaced, on one side of sheets of white printer paper. Entries of more than one page should be stapled in the upper left hand corner.
- Electronic entries will not be accepted.
- Entries will not be returned.
- The information form below (which you should print) should be clipped, filled out, and attached to the entry. Be sure your name and page # is on each page of your entry.
- All entries should be sent to:
Writing Contest, Oz-Stravaganza!
Village of Chittenango
222 Genesee St., Chittenango, NY 13037
- All entries must be postmarked by midnight on Friday, April 30, 2010.
- The entries will be judged by a group of writing professionals.
- The winners will be announced the week of May 31 , 2010, on the Oz-Stravaganza! Website. The 4 first place story endings will be printed in the SYRACUSE POST STANDARDʼs Sunday Edition, on June 6, 2010 .
- Prizes will be awarded and winning entries will be read at a reception to be held at a time and place to be announced.
(Members of the Oz-Stravaganza! Committee are not allowed to enter the contest)
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Name:____________________________________________
Group: (circle one)
A. B. C. D.E-mail address:______________________________________
Address:___________________________________________
Phone #: ( )_________________________________________
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