A Pitch Wars Team Interview with Jason Beymer and mentors, Natasha Raulerson

Sunday, 27 January 2019 | Posted by Lisa Leoni

Our mentors are editing, our mentees are revising, and we hope you’re making progress on your own manuscript! While we’re all working toward the Agent Showcase starting on February 6, 2019, we hope you’ll take a moment during your writing breaks and get to know our 2018 Pitch Wars Teams.

Next up, we have . . .

Natasha, why did you choose Jason?

His novel concept and voice just grabbed me and didn’t give me any other choice.

Jason, why did you choose to submit to Natasha?

Natasha’s wish list hooked me right away. We shared a lot of fan and book interests, she wanted someone ready to work their ass off, and I felt my manuscript was right in her wheelhouse. I submitted a different manuscript to her last year for the same reasons.

Natasha, summarize Jason’s book in 3 words.

Twisted. Delightful. Original.

Jason, summarize your book in 3 words.

Cruise ship chaos.

Natasha, tell us about yourselves. Something we may not already know.

Sheesh! That’s hard. I’m pretty much an open book. No pun intended. I love classical TV shows and musicals, like M*A*S*H and 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. #Nerd

Jason, what do you hope to get out of the Pitch Wars experience?

Beyond the hope of getting my book out into the world, I’ve always loved Pitch Wars because of the community. I’ve found my best CPs and writer friends during the selection process each year. Now that I’m actually in, I love being in the trenches with the other mentees where we can support each other. And it’s great working with an awesome mentor who believes in my book and wants me to be successful. I hope to establish strong writing relationships through this process that will last for years to come.

Jason, tell us about yourself! What makes you and your manuscript unique?

I’m a stay-at-home dad living in the San Francisco Bay Area, an ex-English teacher with a passion for writing, Crock-pot recipes, and bad reality TV, and the author of two published novels.

I also love cruise ships.

I would describe my manuscript as TITANIC meets LATHE OF HEAVEN. Trapped on a claustrophobic cruise ship, an anxiety-ridden housewife must kill everyone she loves, or risk dying herself and returning to the afterlife she once escaped from.

The idea came when I was cruising with my family. I was writing by the pool and people-watching, when I saw a wife and husband get into a heated argument. I thought, “What if she was some kind of god with the power to create people and monsters, but trapped in a loveless marriage to a human? What would happen to the rest of us onboard if she finally snapped?” The book took on a life of its own, and SHIP OF SANDCASTLES was born.