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| “Wit Beyond Measure is Man’s Greatest Treasure” |
The theme for this fall’s PitchSlam competition is the Hogwarts House Cup, and I couldn’t possibly be more excited to be Head of Ravenclaw. (Seriously. I may have cried.) Never fear: we’re not looking for the smartest authors out there. I really don’t have a way of judging your intelligence from a first page and pitch as long as you follow the rules of spelling and grammar, and I’m certainly not going to be tracking anyone down on Twitter to see if they come across as wise in 140 characters. But I do enjoy clever and witty writing, I love concepts that make people think, I appreciate stories that teach me something new, and you will, of course, get bonus points for correct spelling and grammar.
The head of a house is only as good as the people standing behind her. I’m delighted to introduce you to my Head Girl, Carey O’Connor and Prefect, Kimberly Ito.
Carey O’Connor is one of the wittiest people I know, so it’s no surprise that I asked her to join me on Team Ravenclaw as Head Girl. My first manuscript was a hot mess before she helped me whip it into shape, and I’m eternally grateful for all the hard work she put in to help me get an agent (and still puts into the drafts I send her for every manuscript).
Carey is a writer of MG stories, advertising copy, and (ambitious, always unfinished) to-do lists. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, she has a wanderlust that’s led her to explore five continents (and temporarily settle in Texas). Carey loves stories that allow her to explore interesting places with fascinating people and voices with a hint of poetry. For #PitchSlam, you can count on a star from Carey if you make her laugh, check under the bed, or want to research some element of your manuscript. Follow Carey on Twitter @OConnorCarey.
I read Kimberly Ito’s manuscript at the beginning of January, and it’s still the best thing I’ve read all year. She’s also smart, an awesome person and a good friend. I’m thrilled to have someone so talented as a prefect to help me choose the wittiest and most clever entries for the agent round.
Kimberly Ito writes realistic contemporary fiction for teens and adults, and reads just about anything, from steamy romance to hard sci-fi. Her favorite stories are character-driven, with unforgettable voices and settings—bonus points if you can make her cry. She lives outside of Tokyo with her family and in addition to writing, works as a freelance editor, proofreader, translator, and part-time EFL teacher. She blogs occasionally at kimberlyito.com, and is always fangirling on Twitter as @KimberlyIto.
For more information on PitchSlam, click here. We look forward to reading your entries starting October 17!
