Welcome to the Pitch Wars Team Interviews by Marnise Nicole
Bringing you a closer look at each Pitch War Team and their project.
Be sure to comment with support, comments, and questions.
Meet Lucinda Troy and Phil Stamper
Team: #TeamExPat
Phil Stamper (Mentor), tell us a little about yourself.
I’d peg my writing style as a mix of Ryan Graudin and David Arnold. Fast-paced action. Quirky, interesting contemporary. To answer the age-old plotter or pantser question, I’m a little bit of both! I start with a small synopsis and beat sheet and make up the rest as I go. I love to read all YA contemporary, but I especially like those that step outside of an ordinary high school and have action/adventure elements—which is exactly why I picked Lucy’s manuscript.
Lucinda Troy (Mentee), tell us a little about yourself.
I’m pretty omnivorous in my reading tastes. I started out at the ripe old age of eleven reading everything from Michael Crichton to David Eddings. My favourite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, probably because I’m always on the lookout for my very own Mr. Darcy. But I’ll read anything that can take me away from it all. Contemporary, historical fiction, romance, urban fantasy. You name it, I’ve probably read it. As for writing style, I’m definitely an outline kind of girl. It helps keep me on track, and the idea of flying by the seat of my pants terrifies me. Without an outline I’d never get going.
Phil, why did you decide to participate in Pitch Wars?
This was the easiest decision ever. Last year’s PitchWars was a turning point for me. Without it, I would never have gotten an agent. I’d still be in WIP hell with my next project, and STORM CHASER would have been all but abandoned. There were so many times I wanted to give up, but amazing CPs and the writing community stopped me every time. PitchWars is the ultimate contest, and though everyone’s experiences are different, they are almost always incredibly positive. I’m so excited to give back this year!
Lucinda, why did you decide to participate in Pitch Wars?
The decision was completely on the fly, which is the exact opposite of how I normally work (because hello I live and die by outlines). I was getting ready to start querying a new MS and I saw PitchWars on Twitter, checked out Brenda’s website, and figured why not? I tried not to overthink it because I knew I’d wig myself out and then I’d never actually hit the submit button.
Phil, what are you most excited for?
I’m most excited to watch Lucy grow in her writing career. Okay, I’m sure everyone’s said that about their mentees. But it’s true! The agent round doesn’t matter much to me. (I got zero requests in last year’s PW, but I still got an agent!) I think we have the potential to get a LOT of requests there, but the important part is that she learns as much as she can through this process—it’ll help her with CAST IN SHADOW, of course, but she’ll be able to apply this learning to every one of her future WIPs. And who knows, maybe she’ll be a mentor in a future PitchWars!
Lucinda, what are you most excited for?
This probably sounds sort of silly, but learning. Phil is an excellent mentor and my fellow mentees are all amazing. I know I’m going to learn so much through this process. This is a great community and I’m excited to get to know everyone as we go through this together.
Lucinda, describe your novel in 3 words.
Japanese ninja feud.
Phil, describe your mentee’s novel in 3 words.
Ninja boarding school.
Check Us Out …
Lucinda Troy, Mentee
I’m Lucinda. I live in London by way of Washington D.C., which explains my half of our team name. Right now I’m writing contemporary stories set in Japan. I blame it on studying Japanese, living in Tokyo, and studying martial arts. Also, since I stick to green tea in the mornings, I’ve committed the cardinal writer sin of not drinking coffee.
Phil Stamper, Mentor
I’m YA writer Phil Stamper, a public relations professional who recently earned his MA in Publishing and Creative Writing from Kingston University in London. Growing up, I was an only child in a small farming village in Ohio. While it could be seen as a boring lifestyle to some, I kept myself entertained by playing the piano and writing stories that stretched my imagination. I’m represented by Caitie Flum of Liza Dawson Associates.