Pitch Wars Blog Archive

PW #210: Middle Grade Contemporary Mystery: THE SECRET OF SAGAMORE HILL

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor: K.C. Held Mentee: Patty Lenz Bovie Title: THE SECRET OF SAGAMORE HILL Category/Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Mystery Word Count: 38,000 Pitch: Twelve-year-old history fanatic Rebecca Finley is haunted by her Roosevelt historian father’s tarnished reputation and recent death. When Rebecca visits Theodore Roosevelt’s summer home on a class trip, a strange gravestone in the pet cemetery entices her to not only dig into the famous family’s past, but into her own. Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #211: Middle Grade Historical Fiction (Neuro-diverse, Own Voices): PLANET EARTH IS BLUE

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Ellie Terry Mentee Name: Nicole Elizabeth Panteleakos Title: PLANET EARTH IS BLUE Category: Middle Grade Genre: Historical Fiction (Neuro-diverse, Own Voices) Word Count: 37,000 Pitch: In ten days, Space Shuttle Challenger skyrockets into orbit. Which means non-verbal, autistic Nova has ten days to reach her missing sister, Bridget, so they can watch together as promised. Excerpt: Bridget was gone. And Nova was broken. Nova hadn’t wanted to run away from Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #212: Middle Grade Contemporary Horror: GHOST TRAIN

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Rebecca Petruck Mentee Name: Liz Edelbrock Title: GHOST TRAIN Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Horror Word Count: 42,000 Pitch: As the only living passengers on the Lost Souls Express, bickering siblings must work together to avoid evil haunts and a Conductor who can’t abide stowaways. It’s a race against time to escape the ghost train—or die trying—before they reach the End of the Line. Excerpt: Heat radiated off the pavement Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #213: Middle Grade Light Science Fiction: THE SOCIETY OF FLYERS

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Kim Long Mentee Name: Taylor B. Gardner Title: THE SOCIETY OF FLYERS Category: Middle Grade Genre: Light Science Fiction Word Count: 51,000 Pitch: Twelve-year-old Nicole will do whatever it takes to join the Society of Flyers—a secret club that relies on ancient, mystical science to travel the skies. But passing its impossible entrance exam while balancing her best friends and their poi spinning team proves harder than flying through an electric storm blindfolded. If Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #214: Middle Grade Contemporary Realistic Fiction: THE SOUND OF BELONG

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Ellie Terry Mentee Name: Marcia Hoehne Title: THE SOUND OF BELONG Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction Word Count: 41,000 Pitch: Bitsy was three when her sister dropped her off at Jellicle House, a cross between a boarding home and cat sanctuary. Now, eight years later, Bitsy’s admission ticket—her own cat—goes missing. The search fails, and a fellow resident urges her to combine science and poetry to discover and Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #215: Middle Grade Contemporary Animal Story: CALL ME ALASTAIR

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Amanda Hill, Cindy Baldwin Mentee Name: Cory Leonardo Title: CALL ME ALASTAIR Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Animal Story Word Count: 53,000 Pitch: THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN meets FLORA & ULYSSES, (mixed format, three POV): All disgruntled, de-feathered parrot Alastair wants is to fly off with his beloved sister, retire in a palm tree, and feast on Norton Anthologies. But when that sister goes home with pre-pre-med student Fritz, Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #216: Middle Grade Contemporary Magical Realism: BREATHING UNDERWATER

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Ellie Terry Mentee Name: Sarah Allen Title: BREATHING UNDERWATER Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Magical Realism Word Count: 46,000 Pitch: While on the cross-country road trip of her dreams, Olivia hopes to acquire the perfect shot for the National Geographic Photo Contest, but when her sister Ruth’s depression takes a turn for the worse, Olivia’s determined to do all she can to save her sister—even teaming up with a bearded Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #217: Middle Grade Contemporary Fantasy: SISTERS OF THE SEA

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Alexandra Alessandri Mentee Name: Suzi Guina Title: SISTERS OF THE SEA Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Word Count: 60,000 Pitch: While visiting Faial, twelve-year-old Isabel learns she’s descended from Portuguese mermaids and can transform. But the legacy has a darker side. When her great-grandmother’s prophesies of natural disasters leave her gravely ill, Isabel turns to the mermaids before she loses Vis-Avó forever. Excerpt: Isabel scanned her bookshelf, looking for more Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #218: Middle Grade Light Science Fiction/Humor: MISHAPS OF A SIXTH GRADE SCIENTIST

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor: Allison Ziegler Mentee: Chrystal Carver Title: MISHAPS OF A SIXTH GRADE SCIENTIST Category/Genre: Middle Grade Light Science Fiction/Humor Word Count: 40,000 Pitch: Eliana’s sixth grade to-do list includes winning the science fair, defeating her nemesis, and resurrecting her pet turtle. Perfecting the formula for a home-grown zombie should cover all three. But when her best friend goes rogue and drinks her zombie juice, she’ll have to find a cure before he transforms Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago

PW #219: Middle Grade Contemporary: STEPPING UP

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Shari Schwarz Mentee Name: Patrick Thornton Title: STEPPING UP Category: Middle Grade Genre: Contemporary Word Count: 40,000 Pitch: When twelve-year-old Nate’s dad deploys to Afghanistan, Nate’s Xbox, a gift from Dad, is stolen and he feels responsible. Father/son emails gloss over the dangers and hardships each face while Nate is determined to make Dad proud by catching the thief and holding their family together. Excerpt: Twelve-year-old boys don’t cry. They Read more…

By Heather Cashman, ago