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Pitch Wars Team Interview with Jessica Parra and mentor, Hoda Agharazi

Tuesday, 1 December 2020  |  Posted by Rochelle Karina

 

Our mentors are mentoring, 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 10, 2021, we hope you’ll take a moment during your writing breaks and get to know our 2020 Pitch Wars Mentor and Mentee Teams.

Next up, we have . . .

Jessica Parra – Mentee

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Hoda Agharazi – Mentor

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Hoda, why did you choose (mentee name)?

Jessica’s writing immediately pulled me in. The voice leaps off the page, the characters are so relatable, and the story has so much heart. I knew there was something special about her book from the first page. I’m also such a sucker for stories about family. JUST ADD ME made me laugh, swoon, and tugged at my heartstrings. Warning: Do not read this book while hungry. Jessica’s vivid description of baked goods will have readers drooling.

Ooo baked goods! Sounds like my kinda book. OK, Jessica, why did you choose to submit to Hoda?

The first mentor I put on my list was Hoda. Her extensive background in editorial caught my eye, and when I scrolled down her wishlist, I knew I had to submit to her. She loves Disney and Austen as much as I do, so I knew she would appreciate the whimsical parts of my book and really make it shine. Also the dog pics!

All the other stuff IS great, but dog pics for the win! Now, Hoda, summarize Jessica’s book in 3 words.

Baking. Kissing. Self-discovery.

Jessica, summarize your book in 3 words.

Baking, swoons, family.

All the baking! And swoons! And kissing! So, Hoda, tell us about yourself. Something we may not already know.

I recently decided to learn the piano; hopefully, this won’t be another hobby I abandon mid-project (*cough* crochet *cough*).

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

I’m hoping to get a masterclass in revision, come out of this a better writer than I was going in, and start building a community of writers. I still can’t believe I’m HERE!

Welcome to the family, Jessica! Now, tell us about yourself. What makes you and your manuscript unique?

I’m a lawyer and a daughter of bakers, so I will never object to an extra slice of cake! Portions of the book are inspired by the pressures I felt as a first-generation Cuban-Guatemalan to “succeed” in all the ways my parents couldn’t due to their circumstances. I want kids to be able to relate to the younger characters in the book, but I also want older readers to relate to them, too. It’s never too late to whip up a new recipe for success.

Thank you Hoda and Jessica for the interview. Getting to know the team is always exciting!

Thank you for supporting our Pitch Wars Teams! The Agent Showcase is February 10-15, 2021. Make sure to stop by then and check out all our mentees’ entries when it opens. 

 

Filed: Interviews

One Comment
  • This was an informative, heart felt and a lip smacker of an interview. I can tell that Hoda and Jennifer are compatible with each other. This reminds me of some of the stories I have written about life in the southern state of Alabama, where I visited my grandparents each summer. They taught me about working, playing and learning as a family.

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