PW #220: YA Contemporary: ACING ATHERTON

  Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Diana Gallagher Mentee Name: Kelly Garcia Title: ACING ATHERTON Category: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary Word Count: 73,000 Pitch: When an honors student with master hacking skills stumbles upon her school’s richest bad boy in a compromising situation, she schemes to improve her senior standing, and learns blackmail is harder than a perfect SAT. Pretty Little Liars cyber-infused with Mr. Robot. Excerpt: Lindy Montoya bellied up to her terminal, as Read more…

PW #221: YA Magical Realism: A PALE, DARK SUMMER

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Lisa Maxwell Mentee Name: Pasha Westbrook Title: A PALE, DARK SUMMER Category: YA Genre: Magic Realism Word Count: 65,000 Pitch: In a town too small to exist on an Arizona map, sixteen-year-old Summer can’t free herself from her brother’s tragic death. Then Levi comes along—a beautiful, schizophrenic boy who claims he can heal her past. But Levi’s secrets may undo them both. Excerpt: We came to Ashwood to remember. Though I’d Read more…

PW #222: YA Contemporary: A BROTHER’S OATH

  Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Trisha Leaver Mentee Name: Anne Slease Title: A BROTHER’S OATH Category: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary Word Count: 58,000 Pitch: Fifteen-year-old Dylan Truman is used to his brother’s erratic moods; he’s been dodging nasty comebacks and the occasional flying fist for years, never imagining Cole’s behavior would become dangerous. That is until Dylan finds a loaded handgun stashed in Cole’s sock drawer. Cole insists the gun is “for protection” and, desperate Read more…

PW #222: YA Contemporary: A BROTHER'S OATH

  Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Trisha Leaver Mentee Name: Anne Slease Title: A BROTHER’S OATH Category: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary Word Count: 58,000 Pitch: Fifteen-year-old Dylan Truman is used to his brother’s erratic moods; he’s been dodging nasty comebacks and the occasional flying fist for years, never imagining Cole’s behavior would become dangerous. That is until Dylan finds a loaded handgun stashed in Cole’s sock drawer. Cole insists the gun is “for protection” and, desperate Read more…

PW #223: YA LGBTQIA/Science Fiction: GATHOS

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Linsey Miller Mentee Name: Maria Mora Title: GATHOS Category: Young Adult Genre: LGBTQIA + Science Fiction Word Count: 73,000 Pitch: When the drug keeping him alive runs out, sixteen-year-old, genetically engineered Nate must choose between dying gruesomely but free with the boy he loves by his side or convincing his gang to collect the life-changing bounty on his head by turning him over to the ruthless scientists who created him. Excerpt: Nate’s Read more…

PW #224: YA Fantasy: ASKARI

  Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Names: Renée Ahdieh & Traci Chee Mentee Name: Kristen Ciccarelli Title: ASKARI Category: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy Word Count: 96,000 Pitch: Asha must hunt a deadly dragon and bring her father its head, or be forced into a political marriage. In the vein of GRACELING and THE WINNER’S CURSE. Excerpt: Asha lured the dragon with a story. It was an ancient story, older than the mountains at her back. Asha Read more…

PW #225: YA Contemporary: WHISPER

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Lizzy Charles Mentee Name: Tanya Spencer Title: WHISPER Category: YA Genre: Contemporay Word Count: 66,000 Pitch When her family relocates to Wyoming to escape her dangerous ex, seventeen-year-old Chloe takes a summer ranch job rehabilitating horses. Vowing to remain guy-free, she doesn’t expect threats seeping up from her past, or a rugged cowboy competitor who just might break her old wounds wide open again. Excerpt Burgundy clouds threw a mystical Read more…

PW #226: YA Vietnamese-Inspired Fantasy: DIAMOND QUEEN

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Brianna Shrum Mentee Name: Michelle Tran Title: DIAMOND QUEEN Category: Young Adult Genre: Vietnamese-Inspired Fantasy Word Count: 75,000 Pitch: Avere is blessed with the ability to turn rocks into diamonds, and cursed with a royal title that got her mother murdered. Before the emperor’s assassins kill her, she must flee, but finds herself drawn to stay—both by her mischievous hired escort and her desperate desire to assassinate the emperor. Excerpt: It was Read more…

PW #227: YA Fantasy: HESPERIA

Manuscript Status: Finished Mentor Name: Mara Rutherford; co-mentor Jessie Humphries Mentee Name: Joan He Title: HESPERIA Category: YA Genre: Fantasy Word Count: 88,000 Pitch: When Princess Hesperia unwittingly hires a legendary assassin to investigate the king’s murder, she discovers that the centuries-long persecution of magicians and seers is building toward a revolution. Now on the brink of war, Hesperia must decide whom to trust in a court ruled by lies and divided by blood. Excerpt: Silent as a tadpole, quick Read more…

PW #228: YA Paranormal Comedy: ALEXIS VS THE AFTERLIFE

  Manuscript Status: 2 weeks delivery Mentor Name: Tamara Mataya and JC Nelson Mentee Name: Marcus Alexander Hart Title: ALEXIS VS THE AFTERLIFE Category: YA Genre: Paranormal Comedy Wordcount: 92,000 Pitch: When seventeen-year-old former child star Alexis drops dead, she finds the afterlife disturbingly similar to her old sitcom. Monsters are real, and so is the nonsense TV magic she used to destroy them. But Alexis wants no part of fighting off a paranormal apocalypse Read more…