A Pitch Wars Mentor's Real Reward

Someone once asked me about being a Pitch Wars Mentor, "But what do you get out of it?"

Pitch Wars is a contest for authors seeking representation (a massive step towards becoming traditionally published.)

Brenda Drake, selected some qualified members of the publishing industry (mostly agented/published authors) who were willing to spend months of their own time mentoring one promising author, hopefully giving them a leg up towards meeting their goal of publishing success!

I am one of those mentors
 (or at least I have been since PW year #2)


I give a few weeks of my time, reading through the 70-100 submissions sent to me in order to find a book I personally want to see published. We then spend two months working with that author to make their full manuscript SHINE! Sometimes this means big revisions, other times it means just some sprucing or somewhere in between. Then we send their lovelies into the world, hoping agents,(followed by editors) will love them and sign them, and eventually turn their words into a real live book.

Pitch Wars mentors don't get paid for any of this. Not even if/when one of those authors is published because of PW. All I expect, as I've said many times before, is a signed copy once it's published.

So what do I get out of it?

Well, I first volunteered because I wanted to continue to be a part of this amazing community of writers. I entered as an aspiring author the first year PW existed, and even once I became published, I didn't want to give it up!

I've met some amazing friends through Pitch Wars. Some great, amazing and successful authors, who are all willing to help each other out whenever possible. That means they've helped promote my books, and they've also helped me revise some of the WIPs (work in progress).

That's reason enough, to be honest.

But there is one thing that is bigger than all the rest. One REAL reason I do this. One reason this is all worth it.

YES! THAT IS ONE OF MY MENTEE BOOKS!

I picked Amanda Searcy's book, then titled TRUTH IS, out of my "slush pile" during Pitch Wars 2015. I spent months working with her on this book. She then went on to snag an agent AND a book deal in a matter of weeks after Pitch Wars.

I realize that I can only take so much credit, because this book was amazing (seriously guys, that ending? Believe me I had nothing to do with that. Read it to find out ;)) but the fact that I had a hand in helping this book get published is an amazing feeling.  Seeing my name in the acknowledgements? Holding a personally signed copy? Is a feeling only second to holding my own book, with my own name on the cover ;)

I am SO PROUD of Amanda and her accomplishments. She did this, I was just there to help her along the way a little.

Being that little part of her author-story is the best reward any mentor can ever have ever. 

Check out her book here!
http://www.amandasearcybooks.com/books/

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My 2016 MUST read list

I've given up on "to-read" lists, those random lists of tons of books that I rarely actually get to. Or those reading goals where you try to read a certain amount of books. Both have their place, and can be great but my needs are a bit bigger this time around.

See, life has been a bit crazy and my reading has suffered. Ever since I had a baby I've been reading less and I want that to change. There are some books that I keep hearing about but never get around to reading. Even some I have sitting on my shelf (or e-reader), already bought and ready. So I've decided to try a new approach at reading goals.

So I've spent the last two days compiling a list.  Books that I've heard a lot about, or books that people have compared to my own novel to, or awesome sounding 2016 books, or books by friends/Pitch Wars mentors, plus a few recs I received from twitter.

I ended up with 36 books. (which still leaves me a bit of space to pull from my regular, low pressure, to-read list!)

And the books are.....

 The same list on goodreads for easy following and adds: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/38978972?shelf=will-read-in-2016

So here are my rules:
- I have to get to them all by the end of 2016 (this is starting now, so I'm a month behind the year reading goals)
- I don't have to finish them all. I'm not the kind of person to keep reading even if I don't like a book. But I have to read at least 50 pages, if it's a physical book, or 25% if it's an ebook before I can cross it off. I'm pretty sure I won't have too much of a problem with not finishing these books though. I doubt there are many duds in this list!
-I'll update here every once in a while, to say which books I've crossed off my list, how/why they made my list, and how I felt about them.  


I most definitely have an awesome year of reading ahead of me. I'm super excited to get started!

What's on your to-read list? Have you ever done a "must read" list? How did it go?

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NAKED cover reveal!!!!

It's totally surreal to think that my book baby is going to be born this year! If there is one thing that will make that feel real... it's a cover. The visualization of all my hard work, characters that will never leave me and a story that wouldn't let go. 

I love this story, and I am love with this cover. I hope you love them too!

by Stacey Trombley

Release Date: 07/07/15

Entangled Teen

305 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
A teenage prostitute looking for redemption must face her secrets before they destroy her...

When tough teenager Anna ran away to New York, she never knew how bad things would get. After surviving as a prostitute, a terrifying incident leaves her damaged inside and out, and she returns home to the parents s he was sure wouldn't want her anymore.

Now she has a chance to be normal again. Back in school, she meets a boy who seems too good to be true. Cute, kind, trusting. But what will he do when he finds out the truth about her past? And when a dark figure from New York comes looking for Anna, she realizes she must face her secrets...before they destroy her.

Pre-Order Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

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