Inspiring Stories of Animals Who Comfort and Heal Children

Inspiring Stories of Animals Who Comfort and Heal Children
Angel Animals Network 2010 True Story Contest

The Angel Animals Network 2010 True Story Contest is now accepting submissions of stories about animals helping children, parents, and families deal with chronically difficult situations and circumstances or temporary tough periods in a child’s life.

By reading Allen and Linda Anderson’s previous anthology books published by New World Library, contestants can get a better of idea of the types of stories that have the best chance of success in this contest. The Andersons’ books are available at shop.angelanimals.net, www.newworldlibrary.com, in bookstores nationwide, online bookstores, libraries, gift shops, and catalogs.

Animals featured in this contest’s stories can be dogs, cats, horses, gerbils, rabbits, ferrets, birds, or any family pet or animal in nature. They can be therapy, assistance, or service animals.

Anyone can submit a contest story but the Andersons are especially interested in stories by:
* parents, grandparents, or legal guardians of children or teens
* children or teens with consent of parents or legal guardians
* adults recalling their child or teenage experiences
* health care professionals, social workers, teachers, animal-assisted therapy volunteers or staff of organizations with stories about a child or teen

The following questions can serve as aids for selecting which experiences to write about for the contest:
* Has an animal helped you or a child/teen deal with difficult situations and circumstances?
* Has an animal helped with traumatic events such as divorce or other losses?
* Have there been times when a special animal from childhood or teen years helped you or a child/teen through a tough period?
* Has an animal helped you or a child/teen endure long-term or catastrophic illnesses?
* Have animals helped you or a child/teen with everyday ups and downs?
* Has an animal helped a child/teen who has learning disorders?
* Has an animal helped a child/teen who is blind or deaf or has physical/motor, mental, or emotional problems?
* Has there been an animal aiding a child/teen with autism?
* Has an animal helped you or a child/teen de-stress while learning valuable life lessons?
* Has an animal brought you or a child/teen a message of love, acceptance, gratitude, or inner direction?
* Has a relationship with an animal been a catalyst for physical, emotional, or spiritual healing for you or a child/teen?
* Have you or a child/teen felt a connection showing that animals are sentient, caring souls?
* Have animals helped you or a child/teen through suffering or offered protection from danger?
* Has the example of an animal caused you or a child/teen to become a better son, daughter, parent, or family member?
* Are there examples animals have shown you or a child/teen of how to handle life's challenges, deal with change, heal, trust, or creatively solve problems?
* Has an animal been a mirror for you or a child/teen to reflect your life, health, or attitudes?

Any contest entries, but especially those of the winners, will be considered for possible publication in a new book about animals who comfort and heal children by Allen and Linda Anderson to be published by New World Library in Fall 2011.

However, the contest and the new book are separate projects. Entering or winning the contest doesn’t mean a story will be published in the book. Allen and Linda Anderson will contact entrants if they are considering a contest story for possible publication in the book. Previous books in the Angel Animals series have included many stories that were contest entries.

Contest stories should be no more than 2,000 words and be original and true, written by the person entering the contest or about someone else with that person’s written permission.

There is no entry fee and there are cash prizes.

Deadline for entry is September 15, 2010.

Visit http://www.angelanimals.net/contests.html for details.

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