Pitch Wars Blog Archive

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor: Stephanie Scott Mentee: Sarena and Sasha Nanua Title: A TASTE OF DARKNESS Category/Genre: Young Adult Mystery (Own Voices) Word Count: 67,000 Pitch: When seventeen-year-old Tessa Gill is chosen to compete in Bite Size—the televised teen cooking competition—she’s set on fighting for a scholarship her family could never afford. As the competition begins, she discovers cryptic letters written by her late chef grandfather hidden throughout the culinary institute. Tessa must now uncover the truth behind Read more…

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor: Sharon M. Johnston Mentee: Rosanne Rivers Title: ALL OUR VILLAINY LAID BARE Category/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Word Count: 99,000 Pitch: Lucks only slides her blade into the duke on instinct, hoping to protect her sister. But her action sees the young, sly, and rather dashing, Seaborne, rise to power, putting her gang at risk. To atone, Lucks enters court to find leverage on the new duke. While they play their game Read more…

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Names: Katie Bucklein and Megan Lally Mentee Name: Julia Darcey Title: FAMINELAND Category: Young Adult Genre: Historical Fantasy Word Count: 105,000 Pitch: In an England where World War I never ended, chemical weapons have created an army of mutant cannibals fighting to enslave humanity. Cannibal hunter Kimae is determined to defeat them with her father’s weapon: a poison that kills maneaters, and leaves humans alive. But to find it, she must unite with the one “person” who Read more…

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor: Judi Lauren Mentee: Alice Reeds Title: EVERYTHING IS EPHEMERAL Category/Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary LGBT Word Count: 87,000 words Pitch: When boyfriends Joey and Benji embark on their first European tour promoting their debut album, Joey’s happiness slowly begins faltering as he struggles with inexplicable sadness and negativity. Insecure, he keeps it hidden from Benji, until Joey passes out on stage during their London gig. Now he must face his diagnosis—severe depression—and learn Read more…

Manuscript Status: Six Weeks, Maximum Mentor: Dionne McCulloch & Fiona McLaren Mentee: Megan Peterson Title: NO PLACE LIKE HOME Category/Genre: Young AdultContemporary Word Count: 72,000 Pitch: 17-year-old Piper isn’t just the beloved daughter of a freak show family; she also wants to be its main attraction. When she’s kidnapped and held prisoner by a woman who insists Piper call her “Mom,” her world shifts. Imagined and repressed memories surface and she must untangle them or risk Read more…