Thursday, October 19, 2017

Guest Post by S.A. Larsen (Marked Beauty Blog Tour)

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am that my dear friend and critique partner, Sheri Larsen, has a book baby releasing this week. Welcome to the world, MARKED BEAUTY! I had the privilege to read an ARC of this fabulous book, and trust me when I say that everyone should be getting their grabby hands ready to obtain a copy. Here's what I said about MARKED BEAUTY:

"Vividly rich in detail, this compelling read has a tension-filled romance that leaves you turning pages and wanting more. A must-read for paranormal fans." 
-Kristin Smith, bestselling author of Catalyst


So, without further ado, let's celebrate the release of MARKED BEAUTY!!! But don't leave the party until you've entered the giveaway and read Sheri's awesome guest post. Everything you've ever wanted to know about the difference between writing middle grade versus YA is in a nifty post right below. Be sure to check it out!


MARKED BEAUTY BY S.A. LARSEN BLOG TOUR


Sheri's Blog Tour will run from October 16-27th, and if you want to read exclusive excerpts, interviews, and guest posts, you can visit the Tour Schedule HERE.



Title: Marked Beauty
Author: S.A. Larsen
Publisher: Ellysian Press
Release Date: October 2017

Uncovering hidden secrets can sometimes kill you . . . or worse, steal your soul.

Anastasia Tate has a secret. She can feel the emotions of others through their life energy auras. Not a welcome gift for a teenager. Especially when a sinister presence begins stalking her.

Viktor Castle also has a secret. He’s tasked with protecting humanity yet cursed by an ancient evil to destroy it.

After Viktor saves Ana’s life, her abilities grow stronger. Drawn together, she senses Viktor has answers to lifelong questions. Only he shuns her at every turn, knowing he has saved her only to put her in more danger.

As Ana struggles with her attraction to Viktor, he tries everything to bury his unexpected feelings for her. But they must find a middle ground. For only together can they combat the dark forces threatening both their lives . . . and their souls.


Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links:



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S.A. LARSEN is the author of the award-winning novel Motley Education, the first book in a fantasy-adventure series for middle grade readers. Her work has appeared in numerous local publications and young adult anthologies Gears of Brass and Under A Brass Moon by Curiosity Quills Press. Marked Beauty is her debut young adult novel. Find her in the land of snowy winters and the occasional Eh’ya with her husband of over twenty-five years, four children, a playful pooch, and three kittens. Visit her cyber home anytime at www.salarsenbooks.com.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog | Goodreads



GUEST POST BY S.A. LARSEN:

“MG vs. YA – How to Write Them Differently”
by S.A. Larsen

The first thing a writer of both middle grade and young adult stories needs to do is understand what sets these two audiences apart, but also what links one to the other. To explore the young adult arena and characters one must build upon their experiences, lessons, and guidance received during the middle grade years. Both stages pose an intricate labyrinth of growth and development from emotional and physical to mental and spiritual. There are many similarities, but at some point the teen maturity will take off, leaving the tween mentality behind.

Middle Grade conjures images of curious innocence and the first glimpses of possible risk-taking to sneak passed the boundaries set by adults. Hungry sweetness that yearns to spread its wings beyond elementary mind-set. Children of this age are just learning how to stretch their attitudes, opinions, and decisions. Middle Graders are still dreamers. They believe in the possibilities, yet tend to still see the main people in their lives as bigger-than-life or even heroes. But this is also a time that brings about their quest to discover who they are, their likes and dislikes, and where they fit into this thing we call the world. They look outward at what others are doing and try to find themselves in the mix until they push beyond themselves. This eventually bends and twists their Me-ism – the idea that the world revolves around me. We’re all born with it, and we all work through it toward the teen years.

Although the Young Adult age carries with it many of what middle graders thrived on, it's more complicated. By these years, most have experienced some sort of loss or pain that the world cannot give a resolute answer for. They’re less impressionable and more determined in those attitudes and opinions they discovered during their tween years. They’ve also established a sense of where they belong in their immediate world. Now, they look inward to solidify more of who they are so that eventually they can take in the outside world and make it theirs. Learning acceptance of personal failures, as well as failures of those around them—family, friends, teachers, and mentors—can be a difficult lesson to learn. Perfection is obliterated, which, for some, can be devastating. The realization that people they’ve thought of as heroes are nothing more than mere humans can be scary. But there’s also hope, a yearning for more of whatever is out there. They are more fortified than ever before in their short lives.

For the purpose of writing dynamic MG and YA characters and their worlds, here are a few elements to keep in mind. I’ll start with middle grade.

  1. MGers love adventure and the messier the better. Whether it be racing a fire giant to the finish line or passing notes in Mrs. Studebaker’s classroom, it has to have stakes. And again, the bigger the better.

  1. Humor is a must-have for middle school tales. Silly jokes or pranks, or even poking fun at themselves can go a long way. It’s refreshing and also relatable to MG readers.

  1. Incorporate history and all it has to offer. We already established tweens love to dream, so why not add in some real-life history mingled with a myth or two? It’s intriguing and will get them to think, which is a fabulous.

  1. At this age, most important relationships come in the form of existing friendships with their peers or those yet to be developed to move your story along. There are family interactions and those of acquaintances like the school janitor who’s always nice. Or maybe not nice. Romance can come into play with a sweet crush or the inevitable knowledge that someone doesn’t return their affection. It’s new and more or less on the surface.

  1. Magic is another huge factor that can be used to develop characters and worlds of this age group. Noticing the way a bird floats on a breeze can be magical for an MGer. It doesn't have to consist of wands and space invaders. Although, those are really cool too! Magic can be the unexpected or simple gesture that warms the heart. Help readers see the beauty and positivity in the world you're creating.

  1. Animals are another big hit with middle grade readers. Use them to teach lesson or responsibility within your story world. They also conjure a softer and sweeter reaction to unwanted hurts from the world around them.

  1. Speed (or pacing) is one of the biggest differences between MG and YA stories. Keep the action moving forward at all costs. Take an incident and use it as the foundation to build a race track of scenes that push and prod the reader to your finish line.

Young adult stories have a different set of needs. I don’t like to use requirements because you’ll always find an exception.

  1. The pacing of young adult tales is much different than in middle grade stories. The quick action isn’t as necessary. What is more pertinent is the depth of the action—the why, the how, the when, where, and what. There still must be action, but it tends to take its time, stewing along the story line until it eventually boils over in the climax of a scene or the inevitable climax of the story. Throughout this, subplots can be used to add a rev here and there of the main story line's goals and conflicts.

  1. Humor can best be used in YA as a character detail. This can be done through a physical quirk, a past event, or a scene that adds to the character. It can draw a reader into the reality of the world you’re creating.

  1. Descriptions have some similarities to middle grade, but usually focus on different aspects of the story. Where in middle grade seeing details of the world move the story along, adding to pace and adventure, young adult readers like to see, feel, and touch character. It's more personal. Of course, if your writing fantasy or paranormal and those world characteristics are important to story, then by all means use them. But as with middle grade, insert them within a scene in direct correlation to the characters.

  1. The essence of violence can be found in YA material through dialog, gestures, and even fight scenes. These readers are more emotionally equip to handle such realities and the aftermath for character and story than MGers. However, that does not negate some sort of maleficent action in middle grade. Whether writing reality or fiction the lives of your characters must be as tangible as possible. We’d like to shield younger children from the ugly of the world, but in reality that’s not always possible.

  1. Tension—pacing, violence, ME-ism, magic, and memories—can be used to add pull to the strings of your story. Roadblocks, unexpected boundaries, nibbles of mysteries unfolding will jive with anxieties your plot is pressing against your young adult characters. This is a great tactic to keep readers reading.

  1. YAers have learned or are learning about different cultures, histories, and famous (or infamous) figures. For the most part, these are used for world building, genre setting, and such as that. But that doesn't mean lessons still cannot be taught through these elements.

  1. Relationships are my absolute favorite part of writing YA. As with middle grade, use family interactions, social acquaintances (could be the kid in the row next to them in class or the older guy that works at the diner with them), and authority figures but all to a greater, deeper, and more intense degree. Romance is at a high in YA, as I'm sure most of you know. The young adult age is when wings are spread to explore this aspect of human reality. So whether in contemporary or fantasy literature, use it. Teasing and flirting can be sweet and playful or more forthcoming. Push love and/or lust through stares and discreet gestures or be bolder. The heart has a novel all its own. Each character's is unique. Use physical touch from hugs and long, lusting kisses, to the inevitable topic of sex--first timers and those who have been around the block a few times. For me, sex should be used with discretion and to add to character and world.

Ultimately, whether it’s a middle grade character or a young adult character, write from your heart and your character will grow one.



TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY!!!!


Blog Tour Giveaway:
  • One (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)



Release Party Giveaway:
What better way to celebrate a book birthday then by a giveaway! There are many ways to enter, which you'll find below. You can win an iTunes, Amazon, or Starbucks gift card, an authentic Vera Bradley Little Crossbody in Cobalt Tile, an assortment of bookish swag, and even a KINDLE Fire HD 7"! The giveaway runs from release day, October 17, 2017 to December 5, 2017. Winners will be announced via social media December 7, 2017.



*No purchase necessary to win*
However, if you have read Marked Beauty or purchase it and read you can earn extra entries by posting a review on any major online retail bookstore and Goodreads! All the information you'll need is in the form below.

BUT there's more...

FOR WRITERS!

Writers who enter can WIN a first five pages critique!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 



***

Thank you so much to Sheri for her insight into writing middle grade versus YA books. What an informative guest post! And huge congrats to her on the release of MARKED BEAUTY!!! <3 Readers, did you add MARKED BEAUTY to Goodreads? Did you enter the Giveaway?



Tuesday, October 3, 2017

YA Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway!


Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt!

This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize—one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 120 hours!

But first, I want to take a moment to introduce myself! I'm Kristin Smith, your hostess for this leg of the hunt. Be sure to enter my Giveaway at the very end of the post!!


ABOUT ME:

I love fall.

My favorite store is Home Goods because I adore decorating.

I have a slight pillow fetish.

I'm the mother of 5 boys (my house is loud and crazy).

I'm a big fan of Karaoke and Just Dance.

I may or may not have a stash of chocolate in my nightstand.

I usually write on my bed.


Now back to the Hunt!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SEVEN contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the ORANGE TEAM—but there is also a red team, a gold team, a blue team, a green team, a pink team, and a purple team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.


SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the orange team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, October 8th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST



Today, I am hosting C.M. Boers on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Obscured was C. M.'s debut novel. What began as a way to spend her free time slowly transitioned into a passion for writing. She's currently working on her fourth novel​. The best is yet to come!

C. M. is a mother of three. She grew up in the sunshine state of Arizona with a love of reading and an ambition to write. But never took her writing seriously until after the birth of her first child. After that she took up writing more seriously in her spare time and hasn't stopped since.

Find out more information by checking out her author website HERE. Or you can purchase her book HERE. And for this week ONLY, Obscured is 99 cents, so hurry and grab your copy!

About the Book:

Abby Martin thought she was an ordinary girl about to start high school. But when her mom announces that they’re moving to Arizona, vivid nightmares start plaguing Abby’s nights. As she settles into her new school and a cute guy named Pete catches her eye, she hopes that life might somehow get back to normal. To Abby’s horror, “normal” becomes a thing of the past as she’s swept up into a world of immortal protectors wielding supernatural gifts. When Abby realizes she’s a pawn in a centuries-old feud, she must figure out who she can trust before she’s caught in the crossfire.

Prepare yourself for heart-pounding suspense in the world of Obscured, where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks in unexpected places.

Obscured Buy Links:
**EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL**

Abby's Favorites
This or that

  1. Tea or soda?
Soda
  1. Cake or pie?
Cake
  1. Ice cream or sherbet?
Ice cream
  1. Fast food or sit-down restaurant?
Well, this depends on my mood, but sit-down.
  1. Chocolate or vanilla?
Mmm. . .Chocolate
  1. Pulp or no pulp?
No pulp, yuck.
  1. Pancakes or waffles?
Pancakes
  1. Football or baseball?
I don't watch either, but if I had to it would be football.
  1. Ocean or mountains?
Ocean of course.
  1. Running or walking?
Walking. I hate running.
  1. Video games or board games?
Board games
  1. Book or movie?
Book.
  1. Sneakers or flip-flops?
Flip flops, easier to slip off and bury your feet in the sand!
  1. Bare feet or shoes?
Bare, always bare.
  1. Bikini or one piece?
One piece. Unless it's a tankini.
  1. Boxers or briefs?
How about Boxer briefs.
  1. Bracelet or necklace?
Necklace.
  1. Facial hair or clean shaven?
Clean shaven
  1. Funny or romantic?
Both, at the right times.
  1. Roses or wildflowers?
Sunflowers
  1. Calling or texting?
Texting
  1. Bath or shower?
Both, depends on how I'm feeling.
  1. Weird or normal?
Ha! Nothing about my life has been normal for a long time. I guess I'll go with Weird.
  1. Evil or good?
Good, I've had enough of evil.
  1. Earthquake or tornado?
Been in many earthquake from my days of living in California, so I'll go with that.

****

And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a bundle of awesome books by all of the authors on the orange team! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 12. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the orange team and you'll have all the secret codes to enter for the grand prize!



GIVEAWAY!!

But before you go, don't forget to enter my individual Giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of FORGOTTEN (Book #2 in the Deception Game series) and some awesome swag! (Prize is for US residents only. International winners will receive ebook instead.)

Prize does not include everything pictured. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway



CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author—TAMAR SLOAN! Click on her name to be redirected to her website.




Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

#PitchWars 2017 Mentor Blog Hop


Welcome to #TeamVictoriousSecret! If you're reading this, it's probably because you're a potential mentee and you're trying to choose the right mentor(s) for you and your awesome work. And Beth and I are about to convince you why WE are the mentors for you! (On a side note, Beth and I are accepting YA only.)

(On another side note: If you are thoroughly confused right now, you can read all about Pitch Wars HERE.)


WHO WE ARE:




Kristin Smith


Hi there! I am so excited to be co-mentoring Pitch Wars this year with my friend and critique partner, the very talented Beth Ellyn Summer. Beth and I have a great love for many of the same books, and we are dying to find that ms we immediately connect with and will go to battle for.


Im a YA author who loves jewelry and scarves, and would trade summer for fall any day. Im the best-selling author of the YA near-future thriller Catalyst (released Nov. 16 from Clean Teen Publishing) and its sequel Forgotten (released April 17). You can find my books in your local Barnes and Noble or online HERE.




Fun Facts:


I LOVE to dance and may or may not be the Just Dance champion in my house.


If you take me to a karaoke bar, I might not be the one drinking, but Ill certainly be the one singing.




I play a killer game of Scrabble, but I suck at drawing—my biggest claim to fame would be stick figures and flowers.

I have a slight addiction to chocolate, and I’m a strong believer that if a dessert doesn’t have chocolate in it, then it’s not considered a dessert (except for creme brûlée—I can always make an exception for creme brûlée).

I love to laugh (no, seriously, I LOVE to laugh).

I’m a Southern girl by birth and by heart, but I’m fascinated with big cities.


As the only girl in a house of six boys (1 husband, 5 sons), I'm WAY outnumbered, which is probably why I love rom coms so much.


I love broadway plays, music, Zumba, sunsets, the ocean, my family, the piano, reading (of course), and a million other things.


You can read more about me and my books at kristinsmithbooks.com OR connect with me on Twitter: @SwordsStilettos OR find me on Instagram: @kristinsmithwrites





Beth Ellyn Summer:



Hi! I am so thrilled to be a Pitch Wars mentor with my good friend Kristin Smith. There is something so crazy exciting about this contest, and the lead up to it every year reminds me of the electric buzz just before a concert's about to start. We can’t wait to find the manuscript that makes us fan girl!




I'm a YA author in love with makeup, words and pretty pastel things. My debut novel, AT FIRST BLUSH was published by Bloomsbury Spark in April '17. Check it out HERE.




I firmly believe books > movies, but I do love television about as much as I love books. I’m a bit of a TV addict. I spent my college years interning at NBC for Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon (which means I possess the answer to the age old question: how many interns does it take to change a water cooler?) Also: please don't tell my journalism degree, but my favorite news source is Colin Jost and Michael Che on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.


Fun Facts:


I live, breathe, sleep, eat, exist for fitness (yes, I'm one of *those* people) with a special love for HIIT (actually HIIT classifies as a love/hate relationship), weight training, core work, and yoga.


I have a cat named Penny Belle who loves to "hunt" my laundry downstairs at night and "present" it to me in my room upstairs which is adorable, as well as incredibly helpful.


The Roots once wrote a song about me and Whoopie Goldberg eating frozen yogurt together on a desert island.


I can’t for the life of me remember high school math, yet Britney Spears’ entire dance routine to “Crazy” is still somehow embedded in my brain (and feet) for all eternity.  


I can solve Wheel of Fortune puzzles with, like, three letters. Sometimes less.


I love Hanson. Yes, Mmmbop Hanson. Yes, they still have a fan base.


As I mentioned above, I love makeup. My main character in At First Blush is a makeup guru. But I can’t apply eye liner to save my life, and the one time I did a decent wing, I took 7,000 selfies to document the occasion.


To learn more about me and my writing check out www.BethEllynSummer.com or connect with me on Twitter and Instagram @BethEllynSummer


NOW ON TO THE GOOD STUFF!



We are interested in YA in the following genres: contemporary realistic, contemporary magical realism, contemporary suspense/mystery/psychological thrillers, fantasy/speculative fiction


Here are some things wed LOVE to see:


-VOICE, VOICE, VOICE (If you have an ms with a voice that truly stands out, we are the mentors for you!)
-Romance (were a sucker for great romantic tensionhowever, the romance doesnt have to be part of the main plot; it can be a subplot and wed be happy)
-Complex family dynamics
-Unreliable narrators (If you have anything that can be comped to We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, we want to see it!)
-Love triangles (done right!)
-Complicated or flawed characters
-Twists and turns we dont see coming
-Stories told in an unusual way (with letters or text messages, etc. Think Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher)
-Fairy tale retellings
-High concept plots (Think Pretty Little Liars)
-Own voices
-Writing that grounds us in the characters every emotion
-Artistic characters: dance, painting, acting, singing, writing, photography, etc.
-Anything that can make us laugh or cry (preferably both!)
-Anything a la Pretty Little Liars or Gilmore Girls
-Characters dealing with the death of a loved one (Think The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson)
-Boarding schools
-Phantom of the Opera inspired retelling
-YA version of the Bachelorette
-Foreign settings
-Anything with cooking
-Anything that can be comped to Sarah Dessen or Stephanie Perkins




THE BREAKDOWN:


CONTEMPORARY:


It's no secret that we LOVE contemporary YA. So, if you've got swoony boys, complex characters and unique plots, we're your girls. We love the light and fluffy stuff (humor is always a plus) but on the flip side, if your character is gritty and dark, we want it too! In short, when it comes to contemporary, to quote Sharpay Evans, we want it all.





We love strong female friendships, but Beth has a love for the slow burn and inevitable heartbreak of close friendships falling apart.


Beth is also addicted to Disney shows and movies, so if your book is anything like High School Musical or Teen Beach (think What You Always Wanted by Kristin Rae), she will move heaven and earth for it! (bonus points for manuscripts with musical elements: rock stars, concerts, etc.)




Kristin is a sucker for voices, so if you have a voicey ms that can make her laugh (or cry) she’ll fight Wonder Woman-style for it.



Kristin would love to see anything that could be comped to Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins, or Kasie West. Shes also a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera, so if you have a contemporary version of this classic masterpiece, shed love to see it. Kristin ships stories that have emotional depth, such as dealing with the death of a loved one, so if you have a ms a la The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson or Hold Still by Nina LaCour, please submit to us.


MAGICAL REALISM:


We are looking for magical realism in a contemporary setting. Think If I Stay by Gayle Forman or Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Or anything else you think we'd love.


FANTASY/SPECULATIVE FICTION


Were looking for light fantasy or light sci-fi/near-future sci-fi. So if you have an epic fantasy or anything with dragons, trolls, or unicorns, we are probably not the right mentors for you. We're also not the right mentors for spaceships or aliens. However, if you have a superhero ms a la Wonder Woman or anything as badass as that, wed love to see it! Most of all, we want impressive world-building and unique plots. Give us something we've never seen before, and we'll be over-the-moon excited!


Some favorites include: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Defy by Sara Larson, Catalyst by Kristin Smith (*wink, wink* See what I did there?)


CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE/MYSTERY/PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS:


We are open to thrillers and books that mess with your mind. If you have a suspenseful or psychological thriller that can keep us turning pages late into the night, wed love to see it.


Specifically, we want anything a la Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, The Darkest Secret by Pintip Dunn, or a YA version of The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.


***


We know this is a wide range of interests, but mostly if you have a great story with a ton of VOICE and a lot or a little bit of romance (remember, romance can be a subplot), then we want YOUR manuscript!


FAVORITE BOOKS, MOVIES, & TV SHOWS:


Kristin


Favorite authors: Lauren Oliver, Jandy Nelson, Jenny Han, Kasie West, Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, Suzanne Collins, Jennifer E. Smith, Gayle Forman, Jennifer Niven, Rainbow Rowell, E. Lockhart, Kiera Cass


Favorite books: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, The Fill-In Boyfriend by Katie West, The Selection Series by Kiera Cass, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


Favorite movies: The Notebook, Kate and Leopold, Youve Got Mail, Family Man, Batman Begins, Wonder Woman, Titanic, Life As We Know It, The Holiday, My Best Friends Wedding, Dirty Dancing


Favorite TV shows: Gilmore Girls, Pretty Little Liars, Reign, Switched At Birth, Modern Family, Vampire Diaries, Drop-Dead Diva, Poldark, Hart of Dixie


Beth


Favorite authors: Kasie West, Sophie Kinsella, Kiera Cass, Stephanie Perkins, J.K. Rowling, Morgan Matson, Emery Lord, Sarah Dessen, Harlan Coben, Jenny Han, Allie Larkin.

Favorite books: Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins, Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, The Selection series by Kiera Cass, Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen, P.S. I Like You, by Kasie West (all by Kasie West), The Summer I Turned Pretty series and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han, My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord.

Favorite movies: Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, Harry Potter, Titanic, High School Musical 1, 2, 3, Camp Rock, Teen Beach Movie, Frozen, The Little Mermaid... All things Disney.

Favorite TV shows: Friends, The Middle, Modern Family, Gilmore Girls, Younger, Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, The King of Queens, Wheel of Fortune.


NOT FOR US:


There are some things we know would not be right for us, and as a potential mentee, you want a mentor who will be a champion for your work. With that being said, here are some things were not looking for:

-The murdering of darlings is about all the blood we can handle, so please: no horror!
-Erotica
-Incest
-Glorification of rape
-Cruelty or death of an animal
-High fantasy
-Dystopian (while we LOVE dystopian, its such a hard sell right now)
-Paranormal in the form of vampires, werewolves, or shapeshifters
-Space opera


WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE US (aka OUR GENERAL AWESOMENESS)


We love nothing more than finding that special something in a manuscript and exploring ways to make it come alive, while maintaining the structure and integrity of the story. BUT, that said, we'll push you to work hard and encourage you to make real, deep changes. Revisions aren't about cutting and pasting bits of the story and rearranging. They're about digging deep into structural edits and discovering new scenes (and sometimes characters) in the process. So be ready to kill some darlings and do whatever it takes to make that ms shine. Oh, and we LOVE brainstorming! So we'll always be available to bat ideas around and work through snags. In short, as long as you're willing to put the work in, we'll be there for you every step of the way!



Now head on over to Beth's blog to say 'hi' and find our word for the scavenger hunt. You can visit her HERE.


Be sure to check out the other mentor bios below!

2017 Pitch Wars YA Mentors


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