Sarah Ward’s inspiration for her current novel Aesop Lake was a local news story about a young man who was bullied for being gay. When her youngest child came out at the age of fourteen and faced issues of gay rights and bullying in rural Vermont, Sarah knew that she had to tell this story. Sarah is also the author of the self-published novel, Stone Sisters. In 2007, she won the New England Anthology of Poetry’s Editor’s Choice Award for her poem “Warmer Waters.”
“Pitch Week is a unique opportunity to develop yourself as an author and an entrepreneur. Learning the craft of pitching, how to become the brand and to market one’s art is truly valuable in an industry that can seem overwhelming to new authors.
The coaching aspect of this competition makes all the difference. To be able to meet with the judges prior to the pitch week and learn from their feedback, with the support of two writing coaches makes this opportunity incomparable. I feel confident that my co-competitors will find great success in the publishing world and hope that we will remain friends for many years to come.
I am grateful for the opportunity that Pitch Week IX provided to bring Aesop Lake to life on the page.”