Pitch Wars 2017 Mentor Wish List

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This week on the blog, I’m so excited to feature the multitalented S.E. Anderson. From astrophysics to knitting, writing to Bookstagram photography, and sourdough to sushi, this amazing woman does it all. Today, we’re celebrating the release of INALIENABLE—Book Seven in her fabulous scifi STARSTRUCK SAGA.

EC: What inspired you to write the STARSTRUCK series—and how long have you been working on it?

SEA: Believe it or not, it’s been ten years now since the seed of what would become Starstruck was born! One of my best friends – my first ever writing buddy! – and I really wanted to write something fun and episodic. We were missing Doctor Who, and lamenting the lack of fun scifi in the YA genre. So we wrote the books we wanted to read. Years later, I still couldn’t get these adventures out of my head, and they gave me their blessing to take it and do with it what I will. The books that are out now don’t look anything like those first tentative attempts!

EC: What’s your favorite aspect of the series?

SEA: I love how the characters surprise me. I always try to go into my drafts with a plan, but Sally will constantly pull me another direction. 

EC: Is INALIENABLE the last book in the series? If so, how will you feel about closing the book on STARSTRUCK—so to speak? And if not, what’s next in the STARSTRUCK world? 

SEA: Not done, not yet! It’s only book seven and I’ve promised my readers this saga will be ten books long. I have a feeling it’s going to be incredibly cathartic to close the book on this series, so to speak. I have the whole arc planned – if Sally doesn’t pull a fast one on me.

EC: How have you grown and changed as a writer since you started writing the series? What’s the most important lesson you learned along the way? 

SEA: So much. So much so that I find it hard to reread the first book(s), despite it not being that long since I’ve read them! I can’t put my finger on what department I’ve grown the most in. I’ve learned so much about pacing, dialogue, and writing for myself. These days, there’s so much more I want to say with these silly books!

EC: What advice would you have for new writers who are just starting out? 

SEA: Just keep writing. Even if it’s bad. Especially if it’s bad. You learn to write well by writing lots. Reading loads. And your first draft will always, absolutely always, be terrible.

About the Book

Framed for a murder you actually did commit? Rude.

Sally’s saved the Earth from another alien predator only to be rewarded with a jail cell. With her family threatened by the Agency if she doesn’t rat out Zander and Blayde, her only option to escape the Alliance is to plead ‘aliens’ in a court of law. At least at the Hill Institute for the Criminally Insane, she’ll have time to clear her mind and focus – on revenge.

Finding a way to break out of an institution and cross half the galaxy would be much easier if it weren’t for the midnight screams of terror and eerie doppelgangers lurking at the Hill. With the Agency too focused on capturing the siblings to actually protect the planet, it’s up to Sally to save the day.

Between murder-clown apparitions, alien advocacy groups, and a new translator with compulsive corporate branding, Sally’s got her work cut out for her. Too bad the best plan she can come up with amounts to faux-regicide with the help of an exasperated starship captain. Will she ever find the time to just Netflix and chill?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56644645-inalienable

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08VHNLSZV

About the Author 

S.E. ANDERSON is the author of the YA science fiction humor series THE STARSTRUCK SAGA, as well as a YA contemporary novel, AIX MARKS THE SPOT, based on her childhood in Provence. Currently, she is working on her PhD in Astrophysics and Planetary sciences in Besancon, France.

You can find her at seandersonauthor.com.

Hello, Pitch Warriors! First of all, congratulations on having the courage to enter this competition—for valuing yourself and your work enough to take this step. Pitch Wars is not just about improving your manuscript and finding an agent—it’s also about forging relationships in this sometimes-lonely world of writing, finding people who’ve been there to support you and cheer you on, to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the words won’t come. So, welcome to the Pitch Wars community and kudos for believing in your dream.

Who I Am
This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve got two books out in the world. The Memory Thief (Ballantine Books, 2012) was a Target Emerging Authors Pick and made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. My second novel, The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, comes out July 25th, 2017 from Ballantine. I’m represented by the fabulous, indefatigable and eponymous Felicia Eth Literary Agency.

What else? I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but went to college in North Carolina and have lived here ever since. I’ve been an itinerant teenage violinist and a grownup book editor, run a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, interned at the Children’s Television Network and at the Florida Keys’ Dolphin Research Center, helped to launch two small publishing companies, and spent the second half of my senior year of high school living in New Zealand, simply because it was the furthest place from NYC I could think of.

My undergraduate degrees are in psychology and literature, and my master’s is in youth development. I spent a decade as the associate director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through the arts, and I continue to partner with the NC Arts Council to explore how the arts can benefit vulnerable youth. My loves: travel, food, animals, social justice through the arts, good coffee, better chocolate, adult fiction with a paranormal bend, and YA lit of all kinds (though I’m not mentoring YA this time around). Oh, and I’m a Gryffindor, with a healthy dose of Ravenclaw thrown into the mix. You can learn more about me--especially my quirks--here, and read about my own search for an agent, plus an awesome interview with Heather Cashman on all things #PitchWars, here.

What I’m Looking for in a Manuscript

  • Even though I love YA, I can only mentor Adult. So, only authors writing for a grownup audience need apply.
  • I’m looking for urban fantasy with a strong love story, contemporary romance with speculative elements, fantasy romance, women’s fiction as long as there’s at least a hint of the paranormal lurking around the edges, (red) and dystopian fiction. Diversity of any and all kinds is a major plus. I prefer books grounded in our own world with superimposed magical systems or dystopian distortions to high fantasy.
  • I’m also excited to read genre-bending manuscripts that cross lines and mix things up.
  • I’m not interested in erotica, but sexy scenes are just fine. No need to fade to black; I’ll happily read scenes that follow your characters into the bedroom, as long as your #sexytimes scenes are well-written and not clichéd. (I sometimes teach a writing workshop called How Not to Win the Bad Sex Award…but that’s another story.)
  • I don’t mind vampires, werewolves, etc. at all, as long as there’s something new about the way you build the world or present the characters.
  • A good love story—or more than one—is essential to any manuscript that I’ll take on. I like my romances to have tension and obstacles, chemistry that’s thwarted either by the characters themselves or circumstances beyond their control.
  • I vastly, vastly prefer stories that contain an element of the supernatural. Yes to ghosts, unexpected abilities, worlds that exist alongside our own, and people who are not what they seem.
  • I LOVE witty banter. Wordplay and the ability to make me laugh are a major plus.
  • I’m not scared off by the darkness! Books that take risks and venture into deeper waters, that deal with some of the tougher issues that we face as humans, are just fine with me. I’m comfortable with manuscripts that feature children in foster care, youth with special needs, mental illness, etc., and my work/life experience positions me well to advise on the way these issues are presented.
  • Extra points for books that are written from multiple POVs.

What I’m Not Looking For

  • I’m not a huge fan of sports. If your character does something amazing or unusual, then maybe the book will catch my eye. But if the book centers around golf, baseball, basketball, etc. I’m probably not the mentor for you.
  • I’m also not interested in books that feature cruelty to animals. No thank you!
  • Books without a hint of the paranormal or supernatural
  • Books with a strong religious component
  • Legal thrillers, crime fiction, erotica or rom-com

My Strengths
Plot holes
Characterization
Dialogue
Spotting inconsistencies of any and all kinds
Romance, sex scenes and sexual tension

My Communication Style
Email is my preferred form of communication, simply because it’s often hard to find an uninterrupted stretch of time to chat via phone or Skype—but I’m happy to make time to talk through sticky plot points or editorial comments. I read quickly and generally respond at the same rate.

What You Can Expect from Me as a Mentor
Thoroughness—I’ll do a complete line edit on your manuscript as well as provide you with big-picture notes. I’m much more interested in developing an ongoing relationship with you as a writer than I am in mentoring you during the contest and then stepping away. If I choose you, I’ll be invested in you and your career, and want to see you succeed. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, coax you through your neuroses, but refuse to let you wallow in the doldrums of writerly despair. And I’ll go through your complete manuscript multiple times before, during and after the revision process, until it’s as shiny as we can make it.

What I’m Looking for in a Mentee

  • Someone who submits their best work. Typos slip through the cracks for everyone, but if your manuscript is riddled with spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies, I’ll conclude you’re not ready for Pitch Wars yet.
  • Someone who doesn’t fight me at every turn. Writing is subjective, and edits are a matter of opinion. I treat the revision process as a discussion, going back and forth until we figure out what works. But if you snarl, claw and bare your teeth at everything I suggest, we won’t get very far.
  • Someone who isn’t afraid of revision. Believe me, I’ve been there. Revision can be challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating…you name it, but it’s the only way to make a book better. Writers have to be willing to dive in again and again, carving away and restructuring, until the story sings. If you’re resistant to this process, it will be hard for us to work together.
  • Someone who isn’t horrified by sarcasm. I am a kind human being—I promise!—but I am also snarky and have a dry sense of humor. It’s all in good fun, but if sarcasm turns you off, we probably aren’t a match made in heaven.
Books I Love (both YA and Adult)

The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
The Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison
The Raven Cycle, by Maggie Stiefvater
Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Madness, by Marya Hornbacher
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Shows I Binge-Watch When I Have Time
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The Americans
Stranger Things
American Gods
Banshee

Thanks for considering me for your mentor! Feel free to chat or ask me questions on Twitter, and check out the other awesome Adult mentors who are participating in Pitch Wars here.


Latest Posts


Latest Tweets


Follow Me

This week on the blog, I’m so excited to feature the multitalented S.E. Anderson. From astrophysics to knitting, writing to Bookstagram photography, and sourdough to sushi, this amazing woman does it all. Today, we’re celebrating the release of INALIENABLE—Book Seven in her fabulous scifi STARSTRUCK SAGA.

EC: What inspired you to write the STARSTRUCK series—and how long have you been working on it?

SEA: Believe it or not, it’s been ten years now since the seed of what would become Starstruck was born! One of my best friends – my first ever writing buddy! – and I really wanted to write something fun and episodic. We were missing Doctor Who, and lamenting the lack of fun scifi in the YA genre. So we wrote the books we wanted to read. Years later, I still couldn’t get these adventures out of my head, and they gave me their blessing to take it and do with it what I will. The books that are out now don’t look anything like those first tentative attempts!

EC: What’s your favorite aspect of the series?

SEA: I love how the characters surprise me. I always try to go into my drafts with a plan, but Sally will constantly pull me another direction. 

EC: Is INALIENABLE the last book in the series? If so, how will you feel about closing the book on STARSTRUCK—so to speak? And if not, what’s next in the STARSTRUCK world? 

SEA: Not done, not yet! It’s only book seven and I’ve promised my readers this saga will be ten books long. I have a feeling it’s going to be incredibly cathartic to close the book on this series, so to speak. I have the whole arc planned – if Sally doesn’t pull a fast one on me.

EC: How have you grown and changed as a writer since you started writing the series? What’s the most important lesson you learned along the way? 

SEA: So much. So much so that I find it hard to reread the first book(s), despite it not being that long since I’ve read them! I can’t put my finger on what department I’ve grown the most in. I’ve learned so much about pacing, dialogue, and writing for myself. These days, there’s so much more I want to say with these silly books!

EC: What advice would you have for new writers who are just starting out? 

SEA: Just keep writing. Even if it’s bad. Especially if it’s bad. You learn to write well by writing lots. Reading loads. And your first draft will always, absolutely always, be terrible.

About the Book

Framed for a murder you actually did commit? Rude.

Sally’s saved the Earth from another alien predator only to be rewarded with a jail cell. With her family threatened by the Agency if she doesn’t rat out Zander and Blayde, her only option to escape the Alliance is to plead ‘aliens’ in a court of law. At least at the Hill Institute for the Criminally Insane, she’ll have time to clear her mind and focus – on revenge.

Finding a way to break out of an institution and cross half the galaxy would be much easier if it weren’t for the midnight screams of terror and eerie doppelgangers lurking at the Hill. With the Agency too focused on capturing the siblings to actually protect the planet, it’s up to Sally to save the day.

Between murder-clown apparitions, alien advocacy groups, and a new translator with compulsive corporate branding, Sally’s got her work cut out for her. Too bad the best plan she can come up with amounts to faux-regicide with the help of an exasperated starship captain. Will she ever find the time to just Netflix and chill?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56644645-inalienable

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08VHNLSZV

About the Author 

S.E. ANDERSON is the author of the YA science fiction humor series THE STARSTRUCK SAGA, as well as a YA contemporary novel, AIX MARKS THE SPOT, based on her childhood in Provence. Currently, she is working on her PhD in Astrophysics and Planetary sciences in Besancon, France.

You can find her at seandersonauthor.com.

Hello, Pitch Warriors! First of all, congratulations on having the courage to enter this competition—for valuing yourself and your work enough to take this step. Pitch Wars is not just about improving your manuscript and finding an agent—it’s also about forging relationships in this sometimes-lonely world of writing, finding people who’ve been there to support you and cheer you on, to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the words won’t come. So, welcome to the Pitch Wars community and kudos for believing in your dream.

Who I Am
This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve got two books out in the world. The Memory Thief (Ballantine Books, 2012) was a Target Emerging Authors Pick and made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. My second novel, The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, comes out July 25th, 2017 from Ballantine. I’m represented by the fabulous, indefatigable and eponymous Felicia Eth Literary Agency.

What else? I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but went to college in North Carolina and have lived here ever since. I’ve been an itinerant teenage violinist and a grownup book editor, run a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, interned at the Children’s Television Network and at the Florida Keys’ Dolphin Research Center, helped to launch two small publishing companies, and spent the second half of my senior year of high school living in New Zealand, simply because it was the furthest place from NYC I could think of.

My undergraduate degrees are in psychology and literature, and my master’s is in youth development. I spent a decade as the associate director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through the arts, and I continue to partner with the NC Arts Council to explore how the arts can benefit vulnerable youth. My loves: travel, food, animals, social justice through the arts, good coffee, better chocolate, adult fiction with a paranormal bend, and YA lit of all kinds (though I’m not mentoring YA this time around). Oh, and I’m a Gryffindor, with a healthy dose of Ravenclaw thrown into the mix. You can learn more about me--especially my quirks--here, and read about my own search for an agent, plus an awesome interview with Heather Cashman on all things #PitchWars, here.

What I’m Looking for in a Manuscript

  • Even though I love YA, I can only mentor Adult. So, only authors writing for a grownup audience need apply.
  • I’m looking for urban fantasy with a strong love story, contemporary romance with speculative elements, fantasy romance, women’s fiction as long as there’s at least a hint of the paranormal lurking around the edges, (red) and dystopian fiction. Diversity of any and all kinds is a major plus. I prefer books grounded in our own world with superimposed magical systems or dystopian distortions to high fantasy.
  • I’m also excited to read genre-bending manuscripts that cross lines and mix things up.
  • I’m not interested in erotica, but sexy scenes are just fine. No need to fade to black; I’ll happily read scenes that follow your characters into the bedroom, as long as your #sexytimes scenes are well-written and not clichéd. (I sometimes teach a writing workshop called How Not to Win the Bad Sex Award…but that’s another story.)
  • I don’t mind vampires, werewolves, etc. at all, as long as there’s something new about the way you build the world or present the characters.
  • A good love story—or more than one—is essential to any manuscript that I’ll take on. I like my romances to have tension and obstacles, chemistry that’s thwarted either by the characters themselves or circumstances beyond their control.
  • I vastly, vastly prefer stories that contain an element of the supernatural. Yes to ghosts, unexpected abilities, worlds that exist alongside our own, and people who are not what they seem.
  • I LOVE witty banter. Wordplay and the ability to make me laugh are a major plus.
  • I’m not scared off by the darkness! Books that take risks and venture into deeper waters, that deal with some of the tougher issues that we face as humans, are just fine with me. I’m comfortable with manuscripts that feature children in foster care, youth with special needs, mental illness, etc., and my work/life experience positions me well to advise on the way these issues are presented.
  • Extra points for books that are written from multiple POVs.

What I’m Not Looking For

  • I’m not a huge fan of sports. If your character does something amazing or unusual, then maybe the book will catch my eye. But if the book centers around golf, baseball, basketball, etc. I’m probably not the mentor for you.
  • I’m also not interested in books that feature cruelty to animals. No thank you!
  • Books without a hint of the paranormal or supernatural
  • Books with a strong religious component
  • Legal thrillers, crime fiction, erotica or rom-com

My Strengths
Plot holes
Characterization
Dialogue
Spotting inconsistencies of any and all kinds
Romance, sex scenes and sexual tension

My Communication Style
Email is my preferred form of communication, simply because it’s often hard to find an uninterrupted stretch of time to chat via phone or Skype—but I’m happy to make time to talk through sticky plot points or editorial comments. I read quickly and generally respond at the same rate.

What You Can Expect from Me as a Mentor
Thoroughness—I’ll do a complete line edit on your manuscript as well as provide you with big-picture notes. I’m much more interested in developing an ongoing relationship with you as a writer than I am in mentoring you during the contest and then stepping away. If I choose you, I’ll be invested in you and your career, and want to see you succeed. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, coax you through your neuroses, but refuse to let you wallow in the doldrums of writerly despair. And I’ll go through your complete manuscript multiple times before, during and after the revision process, until it’s as shiny as we can make it.

What I’m Looking for in a Mentee

  • Someone who submits their best work. Typos slip through the cracks for everyone, but if your manuscript is riddled with spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies, I’ll conclude you’re not ready for Pitch Wars yet.
  • Someone who doesn’t fight me at every turn. Writing is subjective, and edits are a matter of opinion. I treat the revision process as a discussion, going back and forth until we figure out what works. But if you snarl, claw and bare your teeth at everything I suggest, we won’t get very far.
  • Someone who isn’t afraid of revision. Believe me, I’ve been there. Revision can be challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating…you name it, but it’s the only way to make a book better. Writers have to be willing to dive in again and again, carving away and restructuring, until the story sings. If you’re resistant to this process, it will be hard for us to work together.
  • Someone who isn’t horrified by sarcasm. I am a kind human being—I promise!—but I am also snarky and have a dry sense of humor. It’s all in good fun, but if sarcasm turns you off, we probably aren’t a match made in heaven.
Books I Love (both YA and Adult)

The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
The Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison
The Raven Cycle, by Maggie Stiefvater
Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Madness, by Marya Hornbacher
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Shows I Binge-Watch When I Have Time
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The Americans
Stranger Things
American Gods
Banshee

Thanks for considering me for your mentor! Feel free to chat or ask me questions on Twitter, and check out the other awesome Adult mentors who are participating in Pitch Wars here.

Hello, Pitch Warriors! First of all, congratulations on having the courage to enter this competition—for valuing yourself and your work enough to take this step. Pitch Wars is not just about improving your manuscript and finding an agent—it’s also about forging relationships in this sometimes-lonely world of writing, finding people who’ve been there to support you and cheer you on, to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the words won’t come. So, welcome to the Pitch Wars community and kudos for believing in your dream.

Who I Am


This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve got two books out in the world. The Memory Thief (Ballantine Books, 2012) was a Target Emerging Authors Pick and made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. My second novel, The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, comes out July 25th, 2017 from Ballantine. I’m represented by the fabulous, indefatigable and eponymous Felicia Eth Literary Agency.

What else? I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but went to college in North Carolina and have lived here ever since. I’ve been an itinerant teenage violinist and a grownup book editor, run a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, interned at the Children’s Television Network and at the Florida Keys’ Dolphin Research Center, helped to launch two small publishing companies, and spent the second half of my senior year of high school living in New Zealand, simply because it was the furthest place from NYC I could think of.

My undergraduate degrees are in psychology and literature, and my master’s is in youth development. I spent a decade as the associate director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through the arts, and I continue to partner with the NC Arts Council to explore how the arts can benefit vulnerable youth. My loves: travel, food, animals, social justice through the arts, good coffee, better chocolate, adult fiction with a paranormal bend, and YA lit of all kinds (though I’m not mentoring YA this time around). Oh, and I’m a Gryffindor, with a healthy dose of Ravenclaw thrown into the mix. You can learn more about me--especially my quirks--here, and read about my own search for an agent, plus an awesome interview with Heather Cashman on all things #PitchWars, here.

What I’m Looking for in a Manuscript

  • Even though I love YA, I can only mentor Adult. So, only authors writing for a grownup audience need apply.
  • I’m looking for urban fantasy with a strong love story, contemporary romance with speculative elements, fantasy romance, women’s fiction as long as there’s at least a hint of the paranormal lurking around the edges, (red) and dystopian fiction. Diversity of any and all kinds is a major plus. I prefer books grounded in our own world with superimposed magical systems or dystopian distortions to high fantasy.
  • I’m also excited to read genre-bending manuscripts that cross lines and mix things up.
  • I’m not interested in erotica, but sexy scenes are just fine. No need to fade to black; I’ll happily read scenes that follow your characters into the bedroom, as long as your #sexytimes scenes are well-written and not clichéd. (I sometimes teach a writing workshop called How Not to Win the Bad Sex Award…but that’s another story.)
  • I don’t mind vampires, werewolves, etc. at all, as long as there’s something new about the way you build the world or present the characters.
  • A good love story—or more than one—is essential to any manuscript that I’ll take on. I like my romances to have tension and obstacles, chemistry that’s thwarted either by the characters themselves or circumstances beyond their control.
  • I vastly, vastly prefer stories that contain an element of the supernatural. Yes to ghosts, unexpected abilities, worlds that exist alongside our own, and people who are not what they seem.
  • I LOVE witty banter. Wordplay and the ability to make me laugh are a major plus.
  • I’m not scared off by the darkness! Books that take risks and venture into deeper waters, that deal with some of the tougher issues that we face as humans, are just fine with me. I’m comfortable with manuscripts that feature children in foster care, youth with special needs, mental illness, etc., and my work/life experience positions me well to advise on the way these issues are presented.
  • Extra points for books that are written from multiple POVs.

What I’m Not Looking For

  • I’m not a huge fan of sports. If your character does something amazing or unusual, then maybe the book will catch my eye. But if the book centers around golf, baseball, basketball, etc. I’m probably not the mentor for you.
  • I’m also not interested in books that feature cruelty to animals. No thank you!
  • Books without a hint of the paranormal or supernatural
  • Books with a strong religious component
  • Legal thrillers, crime fiction, erotica or rom-com

My Strengths
Plot holes
Characterization
Dialogue
Spotting inconsistencies of any and all kinds
Romance, sex scenes and sexual tension

My Communication Style
Email is my preferred form of communication, simply because it’s often hard to find an uninterrupted stretch of time to chat via phone or Skype—but I’m happy to make time to talk through sticky plot points or editorial comments. I read quickly and generally respond at the same rate.

What You Can Expect from Me as a Mentor
Thoroughness—I’ll do a complete line edit on your manuscript as well as provide you with big-picture notes. I’m much more interested in developing an ongoing relationship with you as a writer than I am in mentoring you during the contest and then stepping away. If I choose you, I’ll be invested in you and your career, and want to see you succeed. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, coax you through your neuroses, but refuse to let you wallow in the doldrums of writerly despair. And I’ll go through your complete manuscript multiple times before, during and after the revision process, until it’s as shiny as we can make it.

What I’m Looking for in a Mentee

  • Someone who submits their best work. Typos slip through the cracks for everyone, but if your manuscript is riddled with spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies, I’ll conclude you’re not ready for Pitch Wars yet.
  • Someone who doesn’t fight me at every turn. Writing is subjective, and edits are a matter of opinion. I treat the revision process as a discussion, going back and forth until we figure out what works. But if you snarl, claw and bare your teeth at everything I suggest, we won’t get very far.
  • Someone who isn’t afraid of revision. Believe me, I’ve been there. Revision can be challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating…you name it, but it’s the only way to make a book better. Writers have to be willing to dive in again and again, carving away and restructuring, until the story sings. If you’re resistant to this process, it will be hard for us to work together.
  • Someone who isn’t horrified by sarcasm. I am a kind human being—I promise!—but I am also snarky and have a dry sense of humor. It’s all in good fun, but if sarcasm turns you off, we probably aren’t a match made in heaven.

Books I Love (both YA and Adult)
The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
The Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison
The Raven Cycle, by Maggie Stiefvater
Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Madness, by Marya Hornbacher
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Shows I Binge-Watch When I Have Time
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The Americans
Stranger Things
American Gods
Banshee

Thanks for considering me for your mentor! Feel free to chat or ask me questions on Twitter, and check out the other awesome Adult mentors who are participating in Pitch Wars here.

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Hello, Pitch Warriors! First of all, congratulations on having the courage to enter this competition—for valuing yourself and your work enough to take this step. Pitch Wars is not just about improving your manuscript and finding an agent—it’s also about forging relationships in this sometimes-lonely world of writing, finding people who’ve been there to support you and cheer you on, to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the words won’t come. So, welcome to the Pitch Wars community and kudos for believing in your dream.

Who I Am


This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve got two books out in the world. The Memory Thief (Ballantine Books, 2012) was a Target Emerging Authors Pick and made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. My second novel, The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, comes out July 25th, 2017 from Ballantine. I’m represented by the fabulous, indefatigable and eponymous Felicia Eth Literary Agency.

What else? I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but went to college in North Carolina and have lived here ever since. I’ve been an itinerant teenage violinist and a grownup book editor, run a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, interned at the Children’s Television Network and at the Florida Keys’ Dolphin Research Center, helped to launch two small publishing companies, and spent the second half of my senior year of high school living in New Zealand, simply because it was the furthest place from NYC I could think of.

My undergraduate degrees are in psychology and literature, and my master’s is in youth development. I spent a decade as the associate director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through the arts, and I continue to partner with the NC Arts Council to explore how the arts can benefit vulnerable youth. My loves: travel, food, animals, social justice through the arts, good coffee, better chocolate, adult fiction with a paranormal bend, and YA lit of all kinds (though I’m not mentoring YA this time around). Oh, and I’m a Gryffindor, with a healthy dose of Ravenclaw thrown into the mix. You can learn more about me--especially my quirks--here, and read about my own search for an agent, plus an awesome interview with Heather Cashman on all things #PitchWars, here.

What I’m Looking for in a Manuscript

  • Even though I love YA, I can only mentor Adult. So, only authors writing for a grownup audience need apply.
  • I’m looking for urban fantasy with a strong love story, contemporary romance with speculative elements, fantasy romance, women’s fiction as long as there’s at least a hint of the paranormal lurking around the edges, (red) and dystopian fiction. Diversity of any and all kinds is a major plus. I prefer books grounded in our own world with superimposed magical systems or dystopian distortions to high fantasy.
  • I’m also excited to read genre-bending manuscripts that cross lines and mix things up.
  • I’m not interested in erotica, but sexy scenes are just fine. No need to fade to black; I’ll happily read scenes that follow your characters into the bedroom, as long as your #sexytimes scenes are well-written and not clichéd. (I sometimes teach a writing workshop called How Not to Win the Bad Sex Award…but that’s another story.)
  • I don’t mind vampires, werewolves, etc. at all, as long as there’s something new about the way you build the world or present the characters.
  • A good love story—or more than one—is essential to any manuscript that I’ll take on. I like my romances to have tension and obstacles, chemistry that’s thwarted either by the characters themselves or circumstances beyond their control.
  • I vastly, vastly prefer stories that contain an element of the supernatural. Yes to ghosts, unexpected abilities, worlds that exist alongside our own, and people who are not what they seem.
  • I LOVE witty banter. Wordplay and the ability to make me laugh are a major plus.
  • I’m not scared off by the darkness! Books that take risks and venture into deeper waters, that deal with some of the tougher issues that we face as humans, are just fine with me. I’m comfortable with manuscripts that feature children in foster care, youth with special needs, mental illness, etc., and my work/life experience positions me well to advise on the way these issues are presented.
  • Extra points for books that are written from multiple POVs.

What I’m Not Looking For

  • I’m not a huge fan of sports. If your character does something amazing or unusual, then maybe the book will catch my eye. But if the book centers around golf, baseball, basketball, etc. I’m probably not the mentor for you.
  • I’m also not interested in books that feature cruelty to animals. No thank you!
  • Books without a hint of the paranormal or supernatural
  • Books with a strong religious component
  • Legal thrillers, crime fiction, erotica or rom-com

My Strengths
Plot holes
Characterization
Dialogue
Spotting inconsistencies of any and all kinds
Romance, sex scenes and sexual tension

My Communication Style
Email is my preferred form of communication, simply because it’s often hard to find an uninterrupted stretch of time to chat via phone or Skype—but I’m happy to make time to talk through sticky plot points or editorial comments. I read quickly and generally respond at the same rate.

What You Can Expect from Me as a Mentor
Thoroughness—I’ll do a complete line edit on your manuscript as well as provide you with big-picture notes. I’m much more interested in developing an ongoing relationship with you as a writer than I am in mentoring you during the contest and then stepping away. If I choose you, I’ll be invested in you and your career, and want to see you succeed. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, coax you through your neuroses, but refuse to let you wallow in the doldrums of writerly despair. And I’ll go through your complete manuscript multiple times before, during and after the revision process, until it’s as shiny as we can make it.

What I’m Looking for in a Mentee

  • Someone who submits their best work. Typos slip through the cracks for everyone, but if your manuscript is riddled with spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies, I’ll conclude you’re not ready for Pitch Wars yet.
  • Someone who doesn’t fight me at every turn. Writing is subjective, and edits are a matter of opinion. I treat the revision process as a discussion, going back and forth until we figure out what works. But if you snarl, claw and bare your teeth at everything I suggest, we won’t get very far.
  • Someone who isn’t afraid of revision. Believe me, I’ve been there. Revision can be challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating…you name it, but it’s the only way to make a book better. Writers have to be willing to dive in again and again, carving away and restructuring, until the story sings. If you’re resistant to this process, it will be hard for us to work together.
  • Someone who isn’t horrified by sarcasm. I am a kind human being—I promise!—but I am also snarky and have a dry sense of humor. It’s all in good fun, but if sarcasm turns you off, we probably aren’t a match made in heaven.

Books I Love (both YA and Adult)
The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
The Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison
The Raven Cycle, by Maggie Stiefvater
Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Madness, by Marya Hornbacher
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Shows I Binge-Watch When I Have Time
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The Americans
Stranger Things
American Gods
Banshee

Thanks for considering me for your mentor! Feel free to chat or ask me questions on Twitter, and check out the other awesome Adult mentors who are participating in Pitch Wars here.

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Follow Me

Latest Posts

Hello, Pitch Warriors! First of all, congratulations on having the courage to enter this competition—for valuing yourself and your work enough to take this step. Pitch Wars is not just about improving your manuscript and finding an agent—it’s also about forging relationships in this sometimes-lonely world of writing, finding people who’ve been there to support you and cheer you on, to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the words won’t come. So, welcome to the Pitch Wars community and kudos for believing in your dream.

Who I Am


This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve got two books out in the world. The Memory Thief (Ballantine Books, 2012) was a Target Emerging Authors Pick and made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. My second novel, The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, comes out July 25th, 2017 from Ballantine. I’m represented by the fabulous, indefatigable and eponymous Felicia Eth Literary Agency.

What else? I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but went to college in North Carolina and have lived here ever since. I’ve been an itinerant teenage violinist and a grownup book editor, run a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, interned at the Children’s Television Network and at the Florida Keys’ Dolphin Research Center, helped to launch two small publishing companies, and spent the second half of my senior year of high school living in New Zealand, simply because it was the furthest place from NYC I could think of.

My undergraduate degrees are in psychology and literature, and my master’s is in youth development. I spent a decade as the associate director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through the arts, and I continue to partner with the NC Arts Council to explore how the arts can benefit vulnerable youth. My loves: travel, food, animals, social justice through the arts, good coffee, better chocolate, adult fiction with a paranormal bend, and YA lit of all kinds (though I’m not mentoring YA this time around). Oh, and I’m a Gryffindor, with a healthy dose of Ravenclaw thrown into the mix. You can learn more about me--especially my quirks--here, and read about my own search for an agent, plus an awesome interview with Heather Cashman on all things #PitchWars, here.

What I’m Looking for in a Manuscript

  • Even though I love YA, I can only mentor Adult. So, only authors writing for a grownup audience need apply.
  • I’m looking for urban fantasy with a strong love story, contemporary romance with speculative elements, fantasy romance, women’s fiction as long as there’s at least a hint of the paranormal lurking around the edges, (red) and dystopian fiction. Diversity of any and all kinds is a major plus. I prefer books grounded in our own world with superimposed magical systems or dystopian distortions to high fantasy.
  • I’m also excited to read genre-bending manuscripts that cross lines and mix things up.
  • I’m not interested in erotica, but sexy scenes are just fine. No need to fade to black; I’ll happily read scenes that follow your characters into the bedroom, as long as your #sexytimes scenes are well-written and not clichéd. (I sometimes teach a writing workshop called How Not to Win the Bad Sex Award…but that’s another story.)
  • I don’t mind vampires, werewolves, etc. at all, as long as there’s something new about the way you build the world or present the characters.
  • A good love story—or more than one—is essential to any manuscript that I’ll take on. I like my romances to have tension and obstacles, chemistry that’s thwarted either by the characters themselves or circumstances beyond their control.
  • I vastly, vastly prefer stories that contain an element of the supernatural. Yes to ghosts, unexpected abilities, worlds that exist alongside our own, and people who are not what they seem.
  • I LOVE witty banter. Wordplay and the ability to make me laugh are a major plus.
  • I’m not scared off by the darkness! Books that take risks and venture into deeper waters, that deal with some of the tougher issues that we face as humans, are just fine with me. I’m comfortable with manuscripts that feature children in foster care, youth with special needs, mental illness, etc., and my work/life experience positions me well to advise on the way these issues are presented.
  • Extra points for books that are written from multiple POVs.

What I’m Not Looking For

  • I’m not a huge fan of sports. If your character does something amazing or unusual, then maybe the book will catch my eye. But if the book centers around golf, baseball, basketball, etc. I’m probably not the mentor for you.
  • I’m also not interested in books that feature cruelty to animals. No thank you!
  • Books without a hint of the paranormal or supernatural
  • Books with a strong religious component
  • Legal thrillers, crime fiction, erotica or rom-com

My Strengths
Plot holes
Characterization
Dialogue
Spotting inconsistencies of any and all kinds
Romance, sex scenes and sexual tension

My Communication Style
Email is my preferred form of communication, simply because it’s often hard to find an uninterrupted stretch of time to chat via phone or Skype—but I’m happy to make time to talk through sticky plot points or editorial comments. I read quickly and generally respond at the same rate.

What You Can Expect from Me as a Mentor
Thoroughness—I’ll do a complete line edit on your manuscript as well as provide you with big-picture notes. I’m much more interested in developing an ongoing relationship with you as a writer than I am in mentoring you during the contest and then stepping away. If I choose you, I’ll be invested in you and your career, and want to see you succeed. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, coax you through your neuroses, but refuse to let you wallow in the doldrums of writerly despair. And I’ll go through your complete manuscript multiple times before, during and after the revision process, until it’s as shiny as we can make it.

What I’m Looking for in a Mentee

  • Someone who submits their best work. Typos slip through the cracks for everyone, but if your manuscript is riddled with spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies, I’ll conclude you’re not ready for Pitch Wars yet.
  • Someone who doesn’t fight me at every turn. Writing is subjective, and edits are a matter of opinion. I treat the revision process as a discussion, going back and forth until we figure out what works. But if you snarl, claw and bare your teeth at everything I suggest, we won’t get very far.
  • Someone who isn’t afraid of revision. Believe me, I’ve been there. Revision can be challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating…you name it, but it’s the only way to make a book better. Writers have to be willing to dive in again and again, carving away and restructuring, until the story sings. If you’re resistant to this process, it will be hard for us to work together.
  • Someone who isn’t horrified by sarcasm. I am a kind human being—I promise!—but I am also snarky and have a dry sense of humor. It’s all in good fun, but if sarcasm turns you off, we probably aren’t a match made in heaven.

Books I Love (both YA and Adult)
The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
The Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson
The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison
The Raven Cycle, by Maggie Stiefvater
Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Madness, by Marya Hornbacher
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Shows I Binge-Watch When I Have Time
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The Americans
Stranger Things
American Gods
Banshee

Thanks for considering me for your mentor! Feel free to chat or ask me questions on Twitter, and check out the other awesome Adult mentors who are participating in Pitch Wars here.

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  • No spam, ever
  Want YA or adult bookish news? Choose one—or both!
Join the VIP List
Sign up for my newsletter, The Cozy Corner, and receive a free bonus short story, plus…
  • First peeks at new releases
  • Access to exclusive bonus material
  • Behind the scenes glimpses into my writing process
  • Insight into my quirky, awkward existence
  • Book recs and cute pet pics
  • No spam, ever
  Want YA or adult bookish news? Choose one—or both!
Join the VIP List

Sign up for my newsletter, The Cozy Corner, and receive a free bonus short story, plus…

  • First peeks at new releases
  • Access to exclusive bonus material
  • Behind the scenes glimpses into my writing process
  • Insight into my quirky, awkward existence
  • Book recs and cute pet pics
  • No spam, ever

  Want YA or adult bookish news? Choose one—or both!

Join the VIP List

Sign up for my newsletter, The Cozy Corner, and receive a free bonus short story, plus…
  • First peeks at new releases
  • Access to exclusive bonus material
  • Behind the scenes glimpses into my writing process
  • Insight into my quirky, awkward existence
  • Book recs and cute pet pics
  • No spam, ever

  Want YA or adult bookish news?
Choose one—or both!

Join the VIP List

Sign up for my newsletter, The Cozy Corner, and receive a free bonus short story, plus…

  • First peeks at new releases
  • Access to exclusive bonus material
  • Behind the scenes glimpses into my writing process
  • Insight into my quirky, awkward existence
  • Book recs and cute pet pics
  • No spam, ever

  Want YA or adult bookish news?
Choose one—or both!