At the age of 5, she wrote and submitted a story to Georgia Public Television's Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Competition. Her tale of the ''Knight and the Beautiful Dragon'' won first prize in the state competition. Cricket features short stories, poems, illustrations and articles by children's authors and artists from around the world. Every month, Cricket sponsors a different writing or art competition. The writing contests are competitive, each receiving approximately 800 entries from as far away as Africa and Australia.
Strict guidelines stipulate that the writers' work be original and that they receive no help.
All stories must be 350 words or less. The task of placing in the contest was no small feat. Colin submitted several entries before she placed. Fortunately for her, ''she doesn't quit,'' said her mother, Dora Azariah-Kribbs. Colin said she found out she was a winner when she received a packet in the mail.