1. Sponsor The Pitch Slap Contest (“Contest”) is sponsored and administered by Tuleburg Press (“Sponsor”).
2. Eligibility
Open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.
Employees, directors, officers, and immediate family members of the Sponsor are not eligible to enter.
Entries must be original works authored solely by the entrant.
3. How to Enter & Submission Guidelines
All entries must be submitted through email at tuleburgpress@gmail.com with the subject title “Pitch Slap Entry” by 11:59 PM PST on October 1, 2026.
Limit one (1) entry per person.
Submissions must not infringe upon the intellectual property rights, privacy, or any other rights of any third party. Entries must be unpublished manuscripts in prose fiction or narrative non-fiction.
And entry will comprise chapter one of the manuscript, or the first ten pages, whichever is longer.
4. Judging and Selection
Entries will be evaluated based on originality, concept strength, voice, and overall pitch clarity by a qualified panel selected by the Sponsor.
All decisions made by the judges and Sponsor are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest.
The potential winner will be notified the day of the event. If a selected entrant cannot be reached within 7 days, the prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate entrant.
5. Prize Description & Terms One (1) winner will receive an Editorial Package provided by Tuleburg Press, consisting of:
Comprehensive editorial services: developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and light final proofreading for one (1) complete manuscript up to e.g., 85,000 words.
Cover design consultation and feedback.
Back-cover/promotional blurb critique and suggestions.
Prize Conditions:
Non-Transferable & No Cash Value: The prize is non-transferable, non-assignable, and may not be redeemed or exchanged for cash or any alternative substitute.
Expiration Date: Editorial services must be initiated within twelve (12) months of prize notification. Any unused portion of the package following this one-year period will be forfeited in full.
Scheduling: The editorial timeline will be determined mutually by the winner and Tuleburg Press, subject to the editor’s reasonable professional availability.
6. Intellectual Property & Rights Entrants retain 100% ownership and copyright of their work. Entry into the contest or receipt of the prize does not constitute a publishing contract, nor does it obligate Tuleburg Press to publish, print, or distribute the completed work.
7. Limitation of Liability & Publicity By entering, participants release and hold harmless Tuleburg Press, its partners, and affiliates from any claims, liability, or damages arising out of participation in the Contest or acceptance/use of the prize. Except where prohibited by law, entry constitutes permission for the Sponsor to use the winner’s name and pitch title for promotional purposes in connection with the Contest.
8. Governing Law This Contest is governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law doctrines. Void where prohibited by law.
I’ve been dragging this on for almost eight years. Eight long, wonderful, child-filled years, but the time has come to finish the third installment of the Black Cape Case Files. Behold, Old Iron. In order to find the man who framed him for the murder of his former partner and mentor, Dane Curse must enter the dreaded… Impenetron.
Oh yeah, big DC is headed up the river in this thrilling sequel to Dane Curse and The Coconut Swindle. I don’t mind saying, even in its current unformed form, it’s a stellar read. I expect it out by Christmas. So strap in, I know I’ve said it dozens of times before, but it’s getting done.
My God, just look at it… So big. So yellow. So finally printed and published. Man alive, this was a long one. No other book in my life straddled worse events, but despite everything we brought it in for a landing. Anyway, back to the mines. The word mines. Because I’ve got another announcement coming in moments!
Oh, and you can buy it here. Or you can just window shop by reading the blurb. It’s really up to you.
Behold, my first ever book tour! I’ll be hitting a whole bunch of spots in the next two months on a countdown to the release of my newest novel, Petty, Greedy, and Evil! “Why didn’t I schedule the tour for when I released the new book” you may ask? Because I didn’t finish it in time, nosey-pants! Anyway, I hope to see you there!!!
tart planning your Literary Crawl stops now! Join us Saturday, April 11th on the Miracle Mile for an afternoon of stories, poetry, and creative expression.
🌧️ Rain or shine, we will be here! All live readings take place indoors.
Begin by exploring the schedule and choosing the genres that inspire you. Not sure where to start? Follow this guide:
🕒 Start at 3:00 PM 📍House of Shaw 3pm – 5:45pm 📍Mr. Otto’s Bookstore 3pm – 5:45pm
🎉 Final Stop 📍 Stockton Art League & Goodwin Gallery 🕕 Meet & Greet Mixer | 6:00–7:00 PM
Feel free to circle back to House of Shaw and Mr. Otto’s Bookstore to catch additional readings!
🎟️ Raffle & Giveaways Each stop earns you a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of the book baskets featured in this post! Each basket is filled with books, wine, and treats. Raffles will be drawn at the end of the event at the Stockton Art League Goodwin Gallery Meet & Greet Mixer. You must be present to win. 📖 A special thank you to our talented local authors for donating books. 🍫 Treats provided by A Sweet Deal, featuring delicious chocolate and taffy.
*Please note Valley Brew’s live readings have been moved to MonTea Boba.
Indie bookstores are the low watermark for a civilized culture. nowhere else will you find people so deeply devoted to the written word. And I’ll be reading and signing at Stockton’s premier (and only) indie bookseller, Mr. Otto’s Bookstore on the Miracle Mile! Swing by why dontcha, I might just be reading the opening chapter from my soon-to-be-published sequel to Old Debts, Petty, Greedy, and Evil…
So I’m super excited to announce a reading at Terra Coffee on Friday, April 11 at 1. I’ll be doing a little from Old Debts, but also the first chapter from its sequel, Petty, Greedy, and Evil. Hope to see you there!!!
Mr Otto’s Bookstore joins the proud group of retailers now carrying Old Debts and I’m feeling super grateful! A HUGE thanks to Alex for carrying my work!!!