Left to Write: Pitch Contest

It's here!!! Please read this post before clicking the link! 

My new adult manuscript, AS LONG AS YOU'RE MINE, is now available to read FOR FREE on Swoon Reads. Just download the app, and follow this link to preview the manuscript. All I ask is that you download, read, and give it a rating once you're done please! Every few months Swoon Reads chooses a manuscript from this slushpile to offer a publishing contract through Macmillan. It's based on editor opinion, reader feedback, and which manuscripts gather the most interest. So every vote, comment, and rating will help. Please note that this is a New Adult manuscript, NOT Young Adult. So it's intended for a more mature audience than some of my other works. Please feel free to share the love and spread the word on this one. I need all the help I can get!

Click Here to download the app and start reading!

About the Book

Two years ago, Rennie Cobain's heart was hulk-smashed by Mack, an Emmy-winning, altar boy turned boy band icon. After a world tour as a guitar tech, Rennie gets an offer she should refuse: on Broadway.The show stars the only guy to ever break her heart. 

There's more than dignity at risk once the director discovers Rennie’s family legacy.Out of the orchestra pit and into the spotlight; blue-haired, fame-phobic Rennie is hand-fed to the press. She’s terrified the media will resurrect her past as a homeless, emotionally abused, musical prodigy. Rennie wants to be Rennie-not Kurt’s cousin.Not a survivor.Not a victim.

Mack understands her, but their first chance at love ended in agony. Now she has to kiss him every night in front of a packed house. Trusting Mack may be the only way Rennie can embrace her talent without selling her soul.

Woooot! PitchWars Mentor Bio Numero Foooooooooouuuuuuur! It's like Christmas Eve! Or whatever Eve people make their wishlists on. Yeah, that one.

Before we dive into this year's wishlist, for those who really like to do their homework, you can check out my lists from 2013, 2014, and 2015 respectively. (See? I even make stalking easier!)

Each year the mentors compile Top Ten Lists and the like as to why you should pick them to be your mentor. After three years mentoring, that gets to be a little...redundant.

This year I wanted to do something a little different.

If any of this is resonating with you (and I really hope it is!) you're probably wondering whether your manuscript might find a good home in my inbox. Some other stuff prospective mentees typically want to know:

I'm very accessible to my mentees--though most of my "work" time will be on the weekends. But the dialogue between us is a two way street and my mentee can contact me any time--there are no dumb questions in PitchWars!

My goal is to help you make your book the book YOU want it to be. We're working on this as a team, but I've got zero desire to take over your project. This is your book baby, not mine.

My favorite reads so far this year: CONVICTION by Kelly Loy Gilbert, WE ALL LOOKED UP by Tommy Wallach, KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Moldavsky, EVERY EXQUISITE THING by Matthew Quick, THIEF OF LIES by Brenda Drake (shameless plug because she's a fucking rockstar, you guys!), THE ROGUE RETRIEVAL by Dan Koboldt (shameless CP plug but really, if you like SFF I'm not sure what you're waiting for).

You can find out more about my mentoring style and process via the "Me" tab at the top of my blog, which links to articles and interviews I've done.

What's on my "want" and "don't want" list this year? Again, I wanted to do something a little different rather than the usual bullet points. And since apparently Excel spreadsheets "scare right brained people" (humpf!), I decided to go with a flow chart instead. Because that's like totes writerly, right?

But really here's what I'm looking for.

A unique story with a strong, marketable hook.
A main character I adore and want to champion
A writer looking to work hard and ready to engage in some courageous editing.
The skeleton of a strong plot arc.
A writer who wants to work with ME!
A story with ALL. THE. FEELS!!!!!!!

O dear, what's this letter doing here?

Do I expect your story to be perfect? Hell no. If anyone tells you this whole thing is supposed to be ready to send off to editors before it hits an agent's inbox, they are lying liarpants. Traditional publishing is a saga of a journey with many many chapters along the way. Nobody knows that better than me.

So if you're ready (but your manuscript's NOT quite ready) to kick ass and take names in the agent round, SEND ME ALL THE WORDS!! Or, ya know, whatever Brenda tells you to send in her instructions post.

Got questions? Comment below or hit me up on twitter (no DMs please!)