Today is #PitDark on Twitter, which means a hoard of writers are pitching their stories in hopes of catching the attention of literary agents and acquiring editors, which just might lead to the magic unicorn of a traditional publishing deal.

I've participated in pitch parties over the years and managed to collect a handful of likes, none of which have yet led to that magic unicorn. But I've made some great friends out there, and you've got to shoot your shot, right?

Pitch party etiquette says RT's and comments are welcome, but likes are supposed to be reserved for industry professionals so the writer knows they're interested in the story. (Full rules, hashtags, and a list of participating agents and publishers can be found on the PitDark Website.)

Part of the fun of these little soirées is squeezing the premise of a full-length novel into a pitch.

It's a teaser. A tasty morsel to lure the reader in for a bigger bite.

Like so...

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Pitch poem fun...

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Today's PitDark pitch party inspired this little ditty. I took a pitch I'd used previously and started revising the first line, and by the time I'd finished it rhymed quite nicely, so I broke it up into lines and called it a poem.

After a failed revolt against a tyrant king,
An executed rebel queen
Carries a sword within her soul and
Navigates the paths between.
Reborn, her past is the key
To win a prince's trust and free
The kingdom from ancestral greed.

Yes, I'm proud of myself. Tickled, really. Even if I don't lure in the magic unicorn this time around, I made a pretty bit of poetry out of my story's premise.

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Twitter Writers Rock

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The great thing about pitch parties, for me, is discovering other writers and stories that intrigue me. If you scroll my Twitter feed today, you'll see pitches I RT'ed with stories I'd love to read.

There are so many stories that deserve a ride on that magic unicorn of publishing dreams! ✨💫🦄

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Soul Sword: The Eternal Library Book One

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Soul Sword, the story I'm pitching today, is a 90,000-word dual-POV adult fantasy with camaraderie, forbidden love, and a castle that possesses secrets of its own.

If you liked the pitch, here's a bigger bite:

Sneaking into the library of souls is a bad idea, but Rowenna risks it, descending to the heart of the castle for a ritual that gives her the skills of her warrior ancestor and a mission that spans lifetimes. When the king is killed, Rowenna fights at the side of scholarly trickster Prince Collin, whose magical abilities are a guarded secret. In the aftermath, she joins his rogue team of advisors, along with a librarian, a sorceress who specializes in fashion design, and a battle-ready secretary. Together they must reform the kingdom, prepare for war, and stop members of the old king’s court who will hire assassins and commit treason to keep a sorcerer prince from taking the throne.

Soul Sword is a planned duology, and I love this story so much, even if it makes me cry every time I read it. It's beautiful, and heartbreaking, and hopeful, with a slow-burn romance and delightful side characters.

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Go Write, Katrina.

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I have so much writing to do this weekend. So. Much.

Soul Sword is one of the manuscripts I've set aside for the time being, while I focus on an interactive fiction game I'm writing for Heart's Choice, and also get the sequel to Falling Through the Weaving ready for publishing.

I'm grateful to have so many stories to keep me company. And now, to avoid obsessively checking my Twitter notifications, I will go focus on one of my WIPs.

If you're on Twitter, please follow me and say hello! 😇

Thanks for reading! 💖

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Whatever happens, keep singing your song!
Peace @Katrina-Ariel / @LeiaTalon

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Author bio: Katrina Ariel is an old-soul rebel, musician, mama bear to twins, and author of Yoga for Dragon Riders (non-fiction) and Wild Horse Heart (romance). She’s also written two books as Leia Talon: Shelta's Songbook and Falling Through the Weaving. Visit her website at www.KatrinaAriel.com

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