Pimp My Bio | Pitch Wars 2016

Welcome to my 2016 #PitchWars Bio.

I know I’m late to the game. In all honesty, I just made the decision yesterday to put it up in the hopes of garnering some intrigue for a story I’ve dedicated ten years of my life to.

Her name is Pirate Eyes and she is a part of my soul.

This is the third competition I’m entering this year as I continue my attempts to get my novel published. There’s something charming about a third try, right?

To my fellow mentee hopefuls I wish the best of luck. To the amazing mentors devoting time to helping us fulfill our dreams, thank you! To my friends and followers, your support and encouragement over the past few months has inspired me to reach this point.

Now, for all of you, a little bit more about myself and my passion project.

WHO AM I?

24601.

No, that’s wrong.

My name is Faith Rivens. I’m a Canadian girl in my twenties with a deep love for the written word. Stories are in my blood. Here’s a little secret: they’re in yours too! And I feel them, coursing through me, yearning to be told, to be released. So what else can I do but share them?

While I hope to convey most of these stories through the novel form,  I also dabble in other mediums, including (and most certainly not limited to) film and television screenplays, musical stageplays and graphic novels. None have reached a broad public yet, but that will change in a year or two. The omens are good.

Fear of rejection and failure have held me back in the past, but over the course of the past few months I’ve built up my confidence, and believe that I can accomplish those goals that my mind and heart are set to. To share stories is my Personal Legend. It’s my raison d’être.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
-Paulo Coehlo

While fantasy is my go-to genre (be it urban, epic, alternate history, fairy tale, etc.), I also have plans for stories that inhabit a myriad of others (i.e. family drama, thriller, historical fiction, Christian fiction….) The list could go on.

For a better sense of who I am as a writer, look no further than my five favourite books/series (believe me, this is a self-imposed restriction to avoid a run on listings of amazing books that have shaped my life!)

Harry Potter series, Sandman series, The Fionavar Tapestry, Jane Eyre and The Westing Game.

And my five last reads (ascending to most recent): Wind at the Door, The Prince of Lies,  The Book Thief, The Alchemist, Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Some other interesting and perhaps random facts about me: My current read is Saint Odd. The last movie I watched was Belle (directed by Amma Assante). The last TV series I watched was Game of Thrones. Now I need to make time to binge-watch the latest seasons of Veep, Orphan Black, Orange is the New Black, the Americans, Daredevil and Jessica Jones  (I’m really behind on my shows, and I honestly don’t have high hopes…). If I ever get down to New York, I must watch Hamilton!

So, you see, I love a number of genres and forms of storytelling, which inspires me to explore each on my own journey.

But that’s enough about me. Let’s not forget the real star…

Pirate Eyes

Purple eyes stared out at the ocean and the endless horizons it promised and saw possibility.

As I’ve mentioned, Pirate Eyes is a novel I’ve been working on for just shy of ten years. It was the first story I wrote in completion (took me a good eight months or so). I was sixteen at the time (those good at math can play guess my age).

That first draft hardly exists anymore. It’s gone through so many changes, been divided in two to spread out the story and allow more development. I’ve put a lot of effort into getting her where she is today. And I’m more confident in her than I’ve ever been before.

At the heart of the story is an eighteen-year old girl named Keira. She’s an orphan who was raised by pirates. She wants nothing more than to travel the oceans that surround her, free to discover new lands, free to live according to her own rules. Being a pirate should give her that freedom. But living aboard the Diamond Heart means answering to her captain. And Sean is as stubborn as they come, obstructing her every attempt to prove that she is just as capable as any of the others who call the Diamond Heart home.

Then whispers are heard, a voice beckoning Keira to the discovery of a larger purpose. It’s everything she ever wanted. The chance to be recognized, to be considered worthy. But Fate and Freedom are incompatible beings and choosing between one or the other will imperil not only her life, but the lives of her crew as well.

Pirate Eyes is an epic fantasy set upon the high seas. Full of adventure, magic, wondrous creatures and flawed characters.

This is my passion project. My baby. As a mentee, I am prepared to set myself to the task of perfecting her and stepping ever closer to my goal of publication.

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Well, that’s it from me. Thanks for stopping by friends, fellow #PitchWarriors and mentors alike. Have a beautiful day and a wonderful weekend!

May inspiration flow like ink upon your quill,

Faith