Hey guys! I am SO freaking excited to be a Pitch Wars mentor this year, and I can’t wait to see all your wonderful YA submissions! I participated as an alternate last year, and the contest helped me prep my submission materials and rack up quite a few agent requests. I signed with Jim McCarthy only 2 months later, and I definitely owe at least part of that success to Brenda Drake’s wonderful contest! YAY BRENDA! YAY PITCH WARS!

To start, here’s a little about me (aka why you should choose ME as your mentor!):
I’m a YA writer (represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich) and a freelance editor. With my help, many of my clients have found agents such as Louise Fury (2 clients!), Lucy Carson, Christa Heschke, Carolyn Forde, and Marlene Stringer, among others. I’m a voracious reader of YA, but I’m also well read in other age categories thanks to my BA and MA in Literature and my unhealthy obsession with buying every book I see. I’ve now interned for three literary agencies, so I know not only how to write/edit YA, but how YA agents think and what they’re looking for. In fact, I’m hoping to be one myself one day 🙂 Hmmm what else…oh yeah! My clients have great luck in contests! Just last month my clients made it to the finals of #QueryKombat AND are now agented! YAY!

But what can *I* do for YOU, you ask?
–As your mentor, I’ll use my writing, editing, and internship experience to help you make your manuscript the very best it can be. But warning! I’m a tough critiquer, and I’ll expect you to give revisions everything you’ve got!
–I’ll provide you with developmental feedback in the form of a reader report, AND a line by line critique once you’ve revised. That’s 2 critiques for the price of one!
–I’ll also help you develop a pitch and query that’ll knock the socks off all the agent judges. We’ll not only get to the heart of your book, we’ll leave them wanting much, MUCH more!
–Finally, we’ll work on your first chapter until it’s absolutely the best it can be. That means striking the perfect balance between voice and conflict, with an eye to your genre and teen audience. We’ll put special focus on the first 250 words, since that’s where most agents stop reading.
–I participated in Pitch Wars last year as an alternate, and I was lucky enough to be chosen by two mentors. I know the importance of making your first chapter really shine, but I also know that most alternates end up relying on their query to find an agent. That’s why I’ll put just as much time into helping my alts with the pitch/query as my mentee. By the end of our mentorship, I want my alternates to be ready to participate in the agent round AND query widely!

MY WISHLIST
I’m going to be mentoring YOUNG ADULT MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. I’m interested in tightly plotted, character-driven stories with heart. I tend to enjoy things on the darker/issue-driven side, so hit me with your creeptastic settings, your emotionally bankrupt villains, and your doomed-from-the-start relationships. Just make sure any and all submissions have a clear hook. I like my books to be on the commercial side!

Didn’t write a dark YA? Don’t fret: I might still LOVE your manuscript.

Here’s what I’m looking for in particular:

–Dark, Literary Contemporary: I love books that make me feel, especially when they do so with beautiful prose. Just make sure they have a clear hook! (Examples: Paper Covers Rock, Sea of Tranquility, I’ll Give You the Sun, We Were Liars etc.)

–Historical/ Retellings. I just finished CODE NAME VERITY and it made me cry for days. I’m probably going to start crying just thinking about it. ::blows nose:: If you have a heart wrenching, gut twisting historical/retelling, send it to me! Just make sure it has a clear hook, ie a commercial element. (Examples: Code Name Verity, Sekret, The Book Thief–I like books about war!)

–Fantasy/Magical Realism. I love immersive worldbuilding and character-driven fantasies. (Examples: The Raven Boys, Scorpio Races, Sabriel, Shadow and Bone, etc. No dragons or elves, please.)

–Thriller/Horror. The book that landed me an agent was a YA Psychological Thriller in the vein of MISERY meets LIVING DEAD GIRL…cheerful, huh?!I I’d *love* to read another dark thriller. BUT! If you’re going to send me a Thriller, make sure it’s got an edge to it. I’m not interested in heists or fugitive-type stories, for instance.  (Examples: Dangerous Girls,  Anna Dressed in Blood, maybe a YA Gone Girl/Sharp Objects?)

…or any combination thereof! I love Historical Fantasies (like The Diviners), and I would DIE for a YA Night Circus. Oh, one last thing! Quiltbag and diverse YA are welcome! So, if you have any of the above categories AND your manuscript features a diverse cast, I WANTS IT, THE PRECIOUS.

HOWEVER, I am NOT the right mentor for:

Romance
Dystopian
Mystery
Didactic or Inspirational Religious/Spiritual (see comments for more information)
Vampires/Werewolves/Angels/Demons/etc.
Novels told in verse
Young YA that walks the MG/YA line
Hard Science Fiction
Nonfiction

Just kidding–that stuff is great! I’m just not equipped to provide feedback on those categories, and you all deserve a mentor who knows your genre like the back of their hand!

Oh, one last thing: I love animals, especially dogs. If you have a dog death in your book, please don’t send it to me. I lost a dog a few years ago, and it still upsets me a lot. So just send those elsewhere, please. Thanks.

A little about you (aka who I’m hoping to work with!):
I’m hoping to find a mentee who is a hard worker dedicated to craft. I want someone who is passionate and excited, and who will put everything they’ve got into revisions, since I’ll be putting my heart into their critique. I love YA and I love good story telling, so hopefully I’ll find someone who is excited about them, too!

If this describes you, then we’ll make an UNSTOPPABLE team.

Okay, I think that covers it! If you have questions or you’re not sure if something is up my alley, feel free to tweet me. I’ll do my best to respond. Just make sure you also include the #PitchWars hashtag! If you have any questions regarding the technical aspects of submissions (we’re using a form this year!), head on over to brenda-drake.com

NOW SEND ME YOUR MANUSCRIPTS!

Now go check out the other Pitch Wars Mentors!

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I am thrilled to host my friend Leah’s Rhyne’s cover reveal for her upcoming Adult Horror, JO!!!! But before I do, here’s a little bit about the book…

Jolene Hall is dead – sort of. She can walk, think and talk, but her heart doesn’t beat and her lungs stopped breathing ages ago. Her body’s a mosaic of jagged wounds and stapled flesh.

Jolene Hall has a choice: turn herself in to the authorities, led by a suspiciously handsome police officer, or team up with her roommate Lucy and her boyfriend Eli to find a way to save herself. To Jo, the choice is clear. She’d like to know who turned her into a monster, and she’d like to live to see another sunrise.

But that choice has drastic repercussions.

On a trip deep into the snowy White Mountains, to a hidden laboratory filled with danger and cadavers, Jo and Lucy find more reanimated girls. Part body, part machine, run by batteries and electricity, these girls are killers, created by a shadowy Order with a penchant for chaos…and murder.

To make matters worse, a photo on a wall of victims reveals Lucy is next in line to be “recruited” into this army of beautiful, walking corpses.

When Jo’s physical condition takes a turn for the irreparable, and the Order kidnaps those she loves most, she must sacrifice herself to save them all.

Doesn’t that sound fantastic?? A little horror, a little sci-fi, all AWESOME. Leah is a fantastic writer and a lovely person, and I CANNOT WAIT to read this book.

Now, I know you’re excited to see the cover, so get ready to scroll.

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Get ready…this cover is creepy….

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BAM! A creepy cover befitting a sci-fi infused Adult Horror!

If you’d like to find out more about Leah and her book, you can chat with her on Twitter, visit her website, or even shoot her an email!

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I was invited to participate in the #MyWritingProcess blog tour, which is a chain-letter style blogging tour where authors answer four questions about the writing process, then pass the torch on to three more writers. Thanks to my friend Diana Urban for inviting me to join the tour! A few months ago I read Diana’s fantastic query for her YA Thriller STEALING PARIS, and shortly afterwards she signed with literary agent Louise Fury! I can’t wait to read her awesome book.

So, here’s the Q&A:

1. What am I working on?

I just signed with my agent Jim McCarthy a few weeks ago, so up Friday I was working on his first round of notes for CAPTIVE. Now that I’ve finished them, I’m getting ready to send my draft to the lovely Rebecca Enzor, who is going to beta read for me. In the meantime, I’m CPing for Juliana Brandt and working with my own editorial clients. To hear more about those services, click here.

Besides that, Patrick and I have been unpacking our new apartment in Brooklyn. We absolutely love the space, and we feel EXTREMELY lucky to have found a place with so many closets! The next step is buying flowers for the front yard 🙂

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

To quote Diana’s post on STEALING PARIS, most YA Thrillers are dystopias, fantasy/paranormal, or take place in your average high school. Mine, however, has a more psychological bent to it. Here’s the pitch:

Having stolen money from her pimp, seventeen-year-old Ginger needs protection now. Good thing her neighbor’s door is always open. But when southern hospitality takes a turn for the strange and sickening, Ginger must escape the one house she thought would keep her safe.

My book is also on the adult side of YA–probably for mature teens and adults, as opposed to MG kids reading up and younger YA. Not only is Ginger working as prostitute when the book opens, but she’s dealing with lot of heady issues–separation from her family, running for her life, and not knowing who to trust. There’s a big twist too…but I don’t want to spoil it for you 😉

3. Why do I write what I do?

CAPTIVE is my first Thriller, but I have a feeling that the fast paced style and the exciting cliffhangers, combined with the strong characters and dynamic settings are going to lure me back in for another someday in the future. In the meantime, I intend on taking the lessons I’ve learned writing CAPTIVE an applying them to my future books. Afterall, not only Thrillers benefit from a kick ass cliffhanger!

4. How does my writing process work?

Each book has unfolded differently, but the one thing they’ve all had in common is an outline. Sometimes they’re very detailed from the beginning–I see the whole book unfolding before my eyes–and other times I only know how I want it to start and end. I usually write the first few pages/first chapter, then return to the outline and add new information, since actually writing in the character’s voice helps clarify the plot. I continue this way–writing a little, editing my outline, writing a lot, revising the outline–all the way through the book. However, I rarely stick 100% to my outline. Like Captain Barbosa says in Pirates of the Caribbean says..

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And that’s it!

Up next on the #MyWritingProcess blog tour:

Juliana Brandt:

Juliana is a fiction writer hailing from the great state of Minnesota, although she now lives in the South. She’s represented by dream-agent Emmanuelle Morgen of the Stonesong literary agency. She’s currently working on two novels, one of which I have the priviledge of reading right now! To learn more, check out her blog next Monday! You can also find her on Twitter: @julianalbrandt. and Facebook.

Kiersi Burkhart:

Kiersi is a writer/copywriter/awesome person living in Portland, OR. She writes everything from young adult and middle-grade novels to childrens’ picture books, women’s fiction to epic sci-fi, fantasy to genre-bending short stories, and everything in between. She once wrote me an absolutely wonderful short story on her typewriter, and I have it framed in my living room at this very moment. Make sure to check in with her on Tuesday of next week to find out more about her writing process. You can find her blog here and you have follow her on Twitter here.

Rebecca Enzor:

I love Rebecca Enzor! Now that that’s out of the way, Rebecca is a nuclear chemist living in Charleston, SC who writes young adult and new adult fiction. Is that cool or what?! Rebecca is currently revising her YA Fantasy (one that I hope to beta read in the coming months!). To learn more about her project and her writing process, visit her blog (here) on June 2 and follow her on Twitter.

Want to share this post? Here’s a ready-made tweet:

Click to tweet: Read YA author @laurenspieller’s writing process! http://wp.me/p3c2s7-pJ Up next: @julianalbrandt @rebeccaenzor @kiersi #MyWritingProcess

I can’t believe I finally get to write this post. I’ve read so many, I’ve even helped pick out .gifs for a few, but nothing comes close to writing my own! So here goes:

I HAVE A LITERARY AGENT!

AHHHHH!!! Want to know who it is? You’ll have to keep reading! Here’s the story, in as few words as possible:

I wrote a book, it was meh. I wrote another book. It was better, MUCH better, but still…something was missing. That’s when I started my third book, CAPTIVE. Here’s what it’s about:

Having stolen money from her pimp, seventeen-year-old Ginger needs protection now. Good thing her neighbor’s door is always open. But when southern hospitality takes a turn for the strange and sickening, Ginger must escape the one house she thought would keep her safe.

Dark? Yes. I knew it was going to be a challenge to find an agent who was willing to represent a book I was describing as “SHARP OBJECTS for teens,” but I had faith! So I entered Pitch Wars, an awesome contest run by Brenda Drake that pairs mentors (agented/published authors) with mentees (writers looking for agents). I submitted my pitch and my sample, and crossed my fingers. Low and behold, I was lucky to be paired with not one, but TWO writers. Say hi, Lindsay Currie and S.P. McConnell!

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We worked for a month on my first 250 and my pitch, honing it until it was sharp enough to draw blood. When the time came, I received two full requests and a partial request! I couldn’t believe it. Still, there were some agents who weren’t participating in Pitch Wars, and I wanted to have an opportunity to query them, too. So I sent out a few more queries…and then a few more. And I got requests! It was a dream come true.

Long story short, and I ended up receiving an email out of the blue (because these things are always sudden, aren’t they?) from an agent I had been a HUGE fan of for years. He was the dream agent, the “ivy league” of agents, the WHOLE ENCHILADA. We immediately had “The Call,” during which he told me how much he loved the book, how he would be a “fool not to offer me an offer of representation,” how he already had multiple editors in mind for my dark, twisty little book.

It was a no brainer, really. This was everything I’d been waiting for. My own personal literary fairy tale. I immediately called Juliana and we had a virtual SQUEE over the phone.

I emailed him (after asking a few questions, all of which he answered PERFECTLY) and said…

I am now beyond proud to say that I am represented by…

JIM McCARTHY of DYSTEL AND GODERICH!

Amazing, right? I’ve been fangirling for the last few days. 🙂

Before I go, I just want to say thank you thank you thank you to: my dad and my sister, my wonderful and supportive boyfriend Patrick, my lovely grandmother Nonie, my amazing CPs (Juliana L. Brandt, Charlie Holmberg, Karma Brown, Stacey Trombley, Roselle Kaes, among many others who read snippets along the way–Jaye! Ashley! Cat!), my Pitch Wars mentors (Lindsay and Sean) and Brenda Drake for running Pitch Wars! THANK YOU!!