Preslaysa’s 2021 Pitch Wars Wish List

Hi! I’m Preslaysa Williams. Welcome to my 2021 Pitch Wars Wish List. This is my first year as a mentor, and I’m thrilled to be part of such an amazing program. I’m an Adult (or New Adult) mentor looking for Contemporary Romance (all heat levels) and Women’s Fiction. Keep reading for more details.

A Little About Me

I write contemporary romance and women’s fiction. My contemporary romance novel, A Lowcountry Bride, released with Avon/HarperCollins on June 1, 2021. A Lowcountry Bride is about an Afro-Filipina bridal gown designer who finds love and her true voice when she ends up working at a struggling bridal shop in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. A Lowcountry Bride is my second published novel.

I self-published my first full-length novel, Healing Hannah’s Heart, in 2019.  It’s a women’s fiction about an Afro-Filipina fashion model who flips her definition of beauty and her identity after losing her skin in a fire.

My Background, Family Life, and Formal Education

I was born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. After finishing high school, I graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a degree in Spanish Language & Literature.

Shortly after earning my undergraduate degree, I married a Navy man, and we lived at various duty stations around the United States: San Diego, California; Norfolk, Virginia; and Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve also experienced the challenges of deployments, and so I salute all military families!

After he left active duty Navy life, we settled down in Virginia. We have two lovely children, and I homeschooled them for 8 years until 2021. (Homeschooling during a pandemic/quarantine was a huge stressor for me! We needed to make a change.)

I also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina/College of Charleston, and I earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June 2020. (Can you tell that I love school? LOL)

My Writing & Acting Experience

I have been writing fiction since 2008. During this time, I’ve had two agents, and I’ve experienced the highs and lows that come with being a career writer. If we pair up, then you will gain access to a deep well of publishing knowledge. I love to share my experiences with other writers.

I’m also a professional actress. I’ve been acting since I was eight years old. I co-starred on the Nickelodeon TV series, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. I’m a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and I’ve acted on TV commercials, radio voice overs, and regional theater.

How I Identify & Contact Information

My ethnicity is African-American and Filipino. My pronouns are she/her.

If you have any writing/Pitch Wars related questions for me, you can always email me at preslaysa.w.pitchwars(at)gmail(dot)com I will answer your emails within five (5) business days.

I don’t answer my social media DMs, but you can certainly comment on any of my tweets or social media posts with a writing/Pitch Wars related question. I’ll respond on that specific tweet or post! My Twitter handle is @preslaysawrites and my FB Author Page and Instagram handle is @preslaysa

My Wish List

I’m looking for stories from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or neurodivergent writers. While it can be helpful to know which submissions are #ownvoices, please don’t feel obligated to share any personal information that you would rather not disclose.

I’m looking for contemporary romance with all heat levels. I have a soft spot for sweet, small town, hopeful love stories with depth. I enjoy reading romance novels that explore deeper issues while remaining a love story at the core.

In women’s fiction, I’m interested in contemporary stories about family, friendships, and/or stories that explore issues affecting historically marginalized communities. I like stories about main characters who discover their voice and rise above stifling circumstances.

I also love women’s fiction with magical realism and/or women’s fiction that draw parallels between history and the present day. If you have a dual-timeline women’s fiction, I would love to read it!

Genres That I’m Not Looking For

• Erotica
• Paranormal romance
• Mafia romance
• Historical romance
• Fantasy and Sci-Fi romance
• Historical fiction
• Literary fiction
• Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Fantasy
• Thrillers
• Young Adult
• Middle Grade
• Picture books
• BDSM in the storyline

Triggers & Content That I Don’t Read

• Stories that lack clear sexual consent. And yes, I look for clear consent even in romance novels with no heat and low heat.
• Stories with rape, incest, bestiality, or pedophilia.
• Stories that show characters fantasizing about rape, incest, bestiality, or pedophilia.

Contemporary Romance Favorites (books & movies)

• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
• A Princess In Theory by Alyssa Cole
• My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
• anything by sweet romance author, Denise Hunter
• The Best Man (film)
• Poetic Justice (film)
• The Wood (film)
• The Wedding Planner (film)
• You’ve Got Mail (film)
• Love Jones (film)
• Love and Basketball (film)
• While You Were Sleeping (film)
• Hope Floats (film)

Women’s Fiction Favorites (books & movies)

• anything by Terry McMillan
• anything by Mary Alice Monroe

My Ideal Mentee

I’m looking for a mentee who has a clear vision for their manuscript, who already trusts their writing voice, and who is looking for a mentor to assist them in making their vision clearer to the reader.

I am also looking for a mentee who is willing to receive and incorporate writing craft-specific feedback on their stories. Even if you don’t land an agent, I would love for this mentor-mentee relationship to improve your manuscript and take it to the next level.

My Mentoring Philosophy & Preferences

I will honor your theme, your vision, and your voice. Most of my suggestions will be focused on writing craft, not story theme. If there are non-negotiable elements of your manuscript, I am happy to work around them.

I also love to work from an outline. If we pair up, I would like to read your scene-by-scene outline before we start revising. If you despise outlines and plotting, then I’m not the mentor for you! If you love outlining and plotting, then I’m your person. If needed, we will revise your outline and use it as a reference tool as you revise.

In addition, I like to provide regular feedback on your story as you revise your manuscript. I usually give in-line comments, and I prefer to use Google Drive’s shared document feature.

In addition to revisions and writing-craft stuff, I am also willing to provide feedback and advice on the publishing industry. If my mentee has questions related to publishing, they can always contact me – even after 2021 Pitch Wars is over.

If you have questions, leave a comment below or email me at preslaysa.w.pitchwars(at)gmail(dot)com

I can’t wait to read your submissions!

Be sure to check out the Wish Lists of my fellow

Pitch Wars Mentors below!

Pitch Wars 2021 Adult Mentors’ Wish Lists

1. Anna Kaling (Accepts NA)
2. Ian Barnes (Accepts NA)
3. Jackson Ford
4. Jake Nicholls (Accepts NA)
5. Jesse Q. Sutanto and Grace Shim
6. Charish Reid and Denise Williams
7. Saara El-Arifi (Accepts NA)
8. Rosie Danan and Ruby Barrett (Accepts NA)
9. Carolyne Topdjian
10. Falon Ballard and Brooke Abrams
11. Mary Keliikoa (Accepts NA)
12. E.A. Aymar
13. Amanda Elliot (Accepts NA)
14. Kelly Siskind
15. Vaishnavi Patel and Sarah Mughal (Accepts NA)
16. Mary Ann Marlowe and Laura Elizabeth (Accepts NA)
17. Mia P. Manansala (Accepts NA)
18. Peggy Rothschild (Accepts NA)
19. Natalka Burian
20. Courtney Kae and Jenny L. Howe (Accepts NA)
21. Rochelle Karina (Accepts NA)
22. Swati Hegde (Accepts NA)
23. Nanci Schwartz and LL Montez
24. Paris Wynters
25. Hudson Lin
26. Sarah Remy (Accepts NA)
27. AM Kvita (Accepts NA)
28. Heather Van Fleet and Jessica Calla (Accepts NA)
29. Melissa Colasanti (Accepts NA)
30. J.A. Crawford (Accepts NA)
31. Michella S. Domenici
32. Yvette Yun and Marith Zoli (Accepts NA)
33. Sari Coritz and Rosalie M Lin (Accepts NA)
34. Stephenie Magister and Noreen (Accepts NA)
35. Regina Black and Nikki Payne (Accepts NA)
36. Farah Heron and Namrata Patel
37. Alicia Thompson and Amy Lea (Accepts NA)
38. Lyn Liao Butler
39. Preslaysa Williams (Accepts NA)
40. Keena Roberts and Molly Steen (Accepts NA)
41. Alexandria Bellefleur (Accepts NA)
42. Samantha Rajaram
43. Ashley Winstead
44. Clay Harmon (Accepts NA)
45. Rob Hart
46. Cole Nagamatsu and Sequoia Nagamatsu
47. N.E. Davenport (Accepts NA)
48. Katherine Lim
49. Alexia Gordon
50. Cynthia Pelayo (Accepts NA)

Click here to view all Pitch Wars 2021 Mentors’ Wish Lists. To view the wish lists by genre, visit this link.