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Pitch Wars Interview with Heather Murphy Capps and her mentor, Kendra Young

Thursday, 29 October 2015  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

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Welcome to the Pitch Wars Team Interviews by Marnise Nicole

Bringing you a closer look at each Pitch War Team and their project.

Be sure to comment with support, comments, and questions.

 

Meet Kendra Young and Heather Murphy Capps

Team Ghost!

 Kendra Young Kendra Young (Mentor), tell us a little about yourself.

I live in southeast Tennessee and have a serious soft spot for good sweet tea, lightning bugs, and a good ghost story.

While paranormal fiction is my first love, I enjoy any kind of well-told story regardless of genre. Sci-fi? Yes. Mysteries? Please. Romance? Bring it. With that said, I love to see mashups! I’m a huge fan of comedic horror, to say the least.

My writing style tends to be pretty “voice-y” (that’s a word, right?) and I try to make every character unique in the way they think, sound, and move. It’s no small secret that my characters are very real to me, and I hope I show this in my writing.

Heather Murphy CappsHeather Murphy Capps (Mentee), tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mashup – born in Peru, raised in Minnesota, married a Southerner, and live on the East Coast. Of course I believe in magic — and also going with your gut, using your manners, and being loyal. Plus, I’m an extrovert, which makes me a fun person to invite to parties — I’ll always mingle and be happy about it. I love to read thrillers, horror, light sci-fi, and speculative fiction, all with a healthy dash of humor, which is also how I write. When things get serious (and they always do because there’s nothing I like more than DRAMA! SCARE! EMOTIONS!), my main characters say something silly or funny to lighten the mood.

Kendra, why did you decide to participate in Pitch Wars?

For me it was about giving back to the writing community. Unlike my mentee, I’m a true introvert. So there have been many times that people in the writing community have encouraged me through blog posts, Tweets, and especially through contests, without any knowledge that they did so (because I’m too shy to tell them, haha!). I’ve learned so much from my fellow writers and know my writing would not have grown the way it has without them, so this is just my way of paying it forward.

Heather, why did you decide to participate in Pitch Wars?

I watched the Pitch Wars feed last year and loved all the inspiring stories of collaboration and friendship. This year I decided I wanted the chance to be included in the fun – so I steeled my nerves and jumped in.

Kendra, what are you most excited for?

I’m most excited to see how Heather’s manuscript turns out in the end. Some writers prefer drafting while others prefer revising, and I’m definitely in the revision camp. I absolutely love to watch a manuscript take shape and can’t wait to see Spooky Jane’s final draft!

Heather, what are you most excited for?

I’m most excited to dig in and learn new tools to help me find the gem under the rough rock that is my current ms. I’m also completely jazzed about developing a new network of friends in my “tribe” – including my amazing mentor, Kendra Young.

Heather, describe your novel in 3 words.

Death battles life.

Kendra, describe your mentee’s novel in 3 words.

Creepy. Unique. Unity.

 

Check Us Out …

Heather Murphy Capps

Heather Murphy Capps, Team Mentee

Twitter | Website | Facebook

Heather’s a mother, young adult and middle grade author, social media and writing instructor, and recovering television reporter. She’s fascinated by things that are hard to understand, like quantum physics and difficult people.

Kendra Young

Kendra Young, Team Mentor

Twitter | Website

As a child, Kendra wrote her first books on construction paper and bound them together with ribbon, though she can’t remember even one of those early stories. Once a teen and young adult, she jokingly referred to herself as Queen of the First Five Chapters, as that’s where every story seemed to fizzle out. It wasn’t until she was in her mid-thirties, when her family relocated to the West Coast, that she got lost in libraries again and finally managed to type “The End.” Kendra is represented by Taylor Haggerty of Waxman Leavell Literary Agency. She’s also a proud member of Kick-Butt KidLit!

 

Filed: Pitch Wars

One Comment
  • Chris Bailey says:

    I’m ready for spooky, especially at this time of year. This team’s enthusiasm for the work bubbles over–I can’t wait to see the excerpt. How can you top “death battles life?” Good luck in Pitch Wars!

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