We are pleased to announce our mentees for the 2021-22 Mentorship Program. In the program’s second year, thirty-seven writers will work one-on-one with a published author to analyze every aspect of their manuscript for a six-month period.
This year, we also have six winners of our DEI Scholarship. They are Sonya Kenare, Brandi-Ann Uyemura, MeiLin Chan, Nelly Nuñez, Lenore Wan, and Maritess Zurbano.
Thanks to all the entrants! It was difficult for the mentors to choose from so many excellent applicants. We look forward to reading more fabulous work by local writers next season and foster talent by establishing relationships with great mentors.
Meet our mentors here!
| # | Name | Category | Mentor |
| 1 | Sandra Bohman | PB text | Katherine Pryor |
| 2 | Amy Reitz | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 3 | Christiana Doucette | MG | Joy McCullough |
| 4 | Sonya Kenkare | PB text | Dan Richards |
| 5 | Kirsti Ringger | PB text + illustration, Nonfiction | Ellie Peterson |
| 6 | Sarah Bartlett Schroeder | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 7 | Kathy Swart | YA | Michelle Bacon |
| 8 | Karen Kent | PB text | Craig Orback |
| 9 | Beth Stickley | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 10 | Pamela Campbell Bickford | PB text + illustration, Nonfiction | Craig Orback |
| 11 | Elayne Crain | Poetry | Vikram Madan |
| 12 | Devin Leatherman | PB text | Eric Ode |
| 13 | Chey Bowlan | YA | Michelle Bacon |
| 14 | Heather Dewar | MG | Sarah Kapit |
| 15 | Philippa Webster | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 16 | Susan Niemann | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 17 | Kate Phillips | Illustration Portfolio | Craig Orback |
| 18 | Allison P Lee | MG | Will Taylor |
| 19 | Brandi-Ann Uyemura | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 20 | Jennifer Howard Kicinski | PB text + illustration | Craig Orback |
| 21 | Leslie Armstrong | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 22 | Amy Everson | PB text + illustration | Ellie Peterson |
| 23 | MeiLin Chan | PB text | Ellie Peterson |
| 24 | Marianne Blackstone Tabner | PB text, Nonfiction | Curtis Manley |
| 25 | Nelly Nuñez | PB text | Katherine Pryor |
| 26 | Chloe Naranjo | YA | Courtney Gould |
| 27 | Rachel Purcell | MG/YA | Trudi Trueitt |
| 28 | Jacqueline Lockwood | PB text + illustration | Craig Orback |
| 29 | Lenore Wan | Illustration Portfolio | Liz Wong |
| 30 | Marguerite Crowley Weibel | Nonfiction | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 31 | Maritess Zurbano | Graphic Novel | Cam Montgomery |
| 32 | Nicola Moore | PB text | Eric Ode |
| 33 | Tiffany Doerr Guerzon | MG | Katherine Kirkpatrick |
| 34 | KJ Albright | PB text | Ellie Peterson |
| 35 | Lauren Clark | YA | Catherine Linka |
| 36 | Laurie Zaleski | Nonfiction, MG | Mary Boone |
| 37 | Holly Huckeba | MG | Will Taylor |