Hi!
When my critique partner introduced me to Pitch Wars, I was so amazed by the many busy writers willing to 
give their time to help other writers grow in their craft. Huge TARDIS full of thanks to all the mentors! Thanks also to the amazing YA writer and marketing guru Lana Pattinson for hosting this PitchWars mentee blog hop.
A bit about me:
As young girl, I tossed away the dolls that came with my dollhouse and replaced them with the
cast of Star Wars and Star Trek. Chewbacca went to school, C-3PO cleaned house, and Spock taught school. (I think my husband might have married me for those Star Wars toys.) And when I grew up, I wanted to be a ninja-Jedi-princess.
But…
I can’t run a four-minute mile, and I lost my tiara along the way, so instead of a lightsaber and the ability to use Jedi mind tricks on my children–that would make cleaning the house a WHOLE lot easier–I make up stories about people with fantastic powers, fighting battles in far-off places, and/or mischievous hacking skills.
I also have a Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders, and as a speech-language pathologist with a boutique private practice I’ve found another way to put my toy collection to good use–Star Wars toys make speech therapy so much more fun.
Why me?
As far as what to expect from me: I appreciate the mentors giving their time, and their time is valuable. I want to learn more about the art of writing, and I want to grow as a person. That takes hard work, stuffing my ego under the couch, and probably throwing some little darlings down the garbage disposal. Eating chocolate might come in handy, too. I’m a cancer survivor and a mom of a child with autism, so I’m not afraid to work hard.
I write YA spec fiction. My YA cyber suspense manuscript for Pitch Wars was a finalist in the 2016 YARWA (Young Adult RWA chapter) Rosemary Contest and won second place in the 2016 Wisconsin RWA chapter (WisRWA) Fab Five Contest.
Another of my manuscripts, a YA fantasy, came in third in the same 2016 WisRWA Fab Five Contest and was a finalist in the 2015 Washington, DC, Romance Writer’s Marlene contest, the 2015 Toronto Romance Writer’s Catherine Contest, and the 2014 YARWA Rosemary contest.
Some of my fav things…
Books: SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Steifvater (what an amazing lyrical writing style), BEYOND THE RED by Ava Jae, and MIND GAMES by Kiersten White. For interpersonal conflict, TINY PRETTY THINGS by the amazing Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton kept me up late and thanking God I had no dancing ambition. Also ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis. Some classics: ENDER’S GAME, and almost everything by Terry Pratchett (I’d even read his grocery lists). I also loved THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson, CINDER by Marissa Meyer, and STORM SIREN by Mary Weber. Of course, HARRY POTTER (could read those over and over), HUNGER GAMES (such a deep message about humanity). I love suspense too–NEARLY GONE by Elle Cosimano and DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas.
TV/movies: Anything written by Joss Whedon, Flash, Avatar the Last Airbender, Star Wars, Young Justice, Batman, almost anything superhero. Loved the new Wonder Woman movie. It wasn’t just that she was a beautiful woman saving the world. It was that she had the compassion of a maternal figure with the heart and courage of a warrior.
Some other things about me. I have two children, a Lab mix who thinks he’s a cat, and a rescued Greyhound who grins in his sleep.
When I have time, I enjoy making fun cakes:
Birthday cake for my nephew. The Storm Trooper threw the pirates overboard.
*ponders TARDIS-cake with ice cream on the inside*
./droool
Okay, I’ll stop drooling on the manuscript.
The first fellow YA writer I’ve seen while poking around the bios. You seem pretty awesome, if I dare say so!
Hahaha! Tardis cake! Bigger on the inside. Yum! Can’t wait to check out the other author profiles. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Jennifer,
Your bio rocks! From tossing your dolls for Star Wars figurines to those cakes to all your awards! I’m so impressed and hope you get matched with your #1 mentor pick!! I’m glad to meet you here!
Hi Kim! Glad to meet you too! Can’t wait to see everyone else’s author profiles. Good luck to you in PitchWars!
I don’t know who you wrote this for but you helped a brohter out.
That’s the best answer of all time! JMHO
It is not at all difficult to handle. It is more like a fashionable thing to do these days. You don’t swear means you are not cool enough to live in this world of coolness. How such words become cool is beyond me!
Nice cakes and I hear you about the dolls. I used to give mine away to the neighborhood kids. I didn’t play with dolls but I had a huge collection of stuffed animals. Good luck in PW!
Good luck to you too! I had a huge collection of stuffed animals too, especially dogs.
The smiling dog is killing me. Nice to meet you, Jennifer. Good luck in Pitch Wars
Good luck to you too! Thanks for stopping by!
Very entertaining and informative blogpost, Jennifer. Those Star Wars figurines look so happy and content at that yellow house. The Empire’s just a blip on the horizon…
Haha. The suburban life suits Chewbacca. I hear he loves IKEA.
Make me a Marauder’s Map cake! PLEEEEEZE! I’ve been a good girl this year. Well, not really, but no one is perfect.
Good luck on PitchWars this year!
Awweeee. Thanks! I was so sad when we cut that thing open and served it to the kids.
Best of luck to you in PitchWars! Thanks for stopping by!
Those cakes are awesome! Best of luck in PitchWars. So glad to start putting names and faces. CANNOT wait for the Twtitter ‘splosion.
Thanks for stopping by, Bokerah! Best of luck to you in PitchWars too! See you on Twitter. I can’t wait to read your blog post.
Superior thinking deomtstraned above. Thanks!
Vaya pedazo de explicación te has currado para contarnos la experiencia, desde luego quien este interesado en la Teneré si encuentra esto te lo agradecerá fijo. Espero que pronto encuentres tu Santo Grial en lo que a moto se refiere, de momento creo que el camino que llevas es bastante acertado, VanVan, KLE,…, el tiempo lo dirá.
Hi, Neat make known. Here’s a problem with your locate in internet explorer, would ensure this… Specifically still is the advertise set head along with a large percentage of people can miss the excellent letters for this reason problem.
Love your cakes, especially the pirate ship one! (You nephew is so lucky.) I’m a huge Terry Pratchett fan too; what’s your favorite book of his?
Awe, thanks! My nephew is a special guy.
Hmm. Favorite Terry Pratchett book. So hard to say. I loved Going Postal–that scene with Boris the crazy horse! Equal Rites, especially the scenes with Granny on the broomstick. Thud had some great humor, but I loved the depth of the social commentary in that book. There are some great scenes in one of his later books, maybe Thud, with Angua the werewolf and Sally the vampire–so funny! How about you?
You’re the one with the brains here. I’m wacntihg for your posts.
most women of all races prefer black menReally? Not Asian or white women, according to all known statistics. You shouldn't try and push your afrocentric ideals on others. Secondly, white men can never become black men-begining and end of story. So, I imagine that will put an end to any thoughts of more black women dating white men.
Yes!! I definitely have an Inner Muse, and she’s ticklish! I know that because I get all tingly when I’m inspired, and doing my true heart and soul’s work. I imagine it as my Muse giggling happily inside of me, while I work away Much love and blessings!Sibylle
That’s more than sensible! That’s a great post!
A few years ago I’d have to pay someone for this information.
Now I know who the brainy one is, I’ll keep looking for your posts.
Those cakes!!!! They look so amazing! Maybe we need a Pitch Wars one this summer
Good luck and nice to meet you!!
That would be fun to have a PitchWars party! Hmm. I could imagine a cake with the graphic…but then I’d have no time to finish my editing before August.
Wow – those cakes!
Awe! Thanks, Sharon!
Ninja Turtles. I had Ninja Turtles. Great bio, and very cute dogs!
I do love me some good ninja turtles! Thanks for stopping by, Tricia!
Good luck with PitchWars!
Thanks! You too!
Hi Jennifer!
Lol–I love that pic of the Star Wars figures in the doll house! When I was a kid, I played with Barbie, but I also really wanted to play with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other “Boy’s World” toys. They were radical.
Nice to meet you and good luck in Pitch Wars!
I hear you. I watched a lot of “boy” cartoons growing up. I really wanted GI Joe to be the same size as Barbie.
I’m just imagining the mentors checking into this post and thinking, “My GOD! The TOYS! The CAKES! I must have her!!!”
For so many things in this intro, it is obvious to me that you rock. Best of luck in the Pitch Wars.
Awwweeee, thanks Nicole!!! Best of luck to you too!!!!
This post was just way too ridiculously cute (and I don’t mean that in a condescending way, but in a I-couldn’t-stop-smiling-the-entire-time-I-read-it way). Also, your dogs are too adorable and those cakes are damn impressive.
Best of luck to you!
Thanks for stopping by Nicole! And best of luck to you in Pitch Wars!