Today I am .... a Prospective #PitchWars Mentee

Hello People of #PitchWars!

*Waves*

Let me introduce myself:

I'm Heather Murphy Capps. 

I’m a mom (I have two children, my youngest is 3), an Army wife (we call ourselves Dharma and Greg), a Minnesotan (but haven’t lived there since my early twenties), a teacher (business/government writing and public speaking), of course, a writer. I dig kidlit -- both MG and YA.

My Backstory:

 I’ve got an acidic sense of humor and love to laugh, but I’m also deeply earnest and nice because Minnesota.

I <3 Christmas decorations.

If I wasn’t a writer, I’d be a rock star. 

I love, love, love reading and writing adventures and thrillers, especially those with sci-fi, magical, or ghostly twists. The cherry on top is when there’s humor involved. (I’m the one who jokes when everyone gets too serious) But I also like a good cry, and it doesn’t have to be for sad reasons. I’m a big fan of the happy cry. I cry at the end of Frozen and Cars. EVERY. TIME.

I’m committed to writing diverse characters. I’m mixed race, so are my kids. I want them to have access to non-white characters who are smart, interesting and funny, who do cool, exciting, adventurous things.

I’m fascinated by: cell biology, what might happen when we learn how to use more of our brains (magic! Super powers!), time travel, clones, reincarnation, witches, and ghosts. What else? Fringe science, pop culture, and quantum physics.

I like music, poetry, the ocean, coffee, tea, and chocolate. Both cats and dogs. And sunflowers.

I’ve always been a writer, but have only recently turned to fiction. I was a television news reporter for nearly two decades before I stepped away to raise my kids. Now I never want to go back because STORIES! IMAGINATION! So much more fun than real life.

I reported many stories I’m proud of, but THE ANCHOR DESK was where I gained some cocktail-party-worthy notoriety.

I was also briefly the press secretary for the mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. 

Why Chose Me?

• I no longer have anchor hair, yay!
• I am a hard worker, straightforward communicator, and I WANT THIS. I have the FIRE IN THE BELLY to improve my work.
• I will happily slice and dice characters and scenes under your guidance. I will revise until my ms is shiny and pretty, even when it hurts.
• I will respect your time and understand you are a volunteer and I will THANK YOU for giving back to the writing community in such a HUGE way.

My favorite MG Writers (IMPOSSIBLE to pick a short list!!):

Madeleine L’ Engle, Rebecca Stead, Kate Messner, Linda Urban, Holly Black, Shannon Hale, Sharon Creech, Mary Downing Hahn, L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Laura Ingalls Wilder (did I mention I’m from Minnesota?), Louisa May Alcott, E. L. Konigsburg, C.S. Lewis, Rick Riordan, Anthony Horowitz, Tim Federle

   

Favorite YA:

Libba Bray, Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor, Myra McEntire, Tess Sharpe, Stephenie Meyer, Victoria Schwab, Maureen Johnson

Favorite TV:

Grey’s Anatomy (I have a medical degree earned from watching all seasons since its pilot)

The Vampire Diaries

Orphan Black

The X-Files (I’m a VERY recent but enthusiastic fan)

Fringe

Scandal

The West Wing

The Newsroom

Some Favorite Movies (I have WAY too many to list – this is just a taste)

Star Wars (New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi), Phenomenon, Fried Green Tomatoes, Dead Poets Society, Steel Magnolias, Contact, Dogma, The Blues Brothers, Casablanca, Bridesmaids, Shrek.