Pay It Forward Contest

Today, I'm posting my entry for the Pay It Forward Contest over at Shelli Johannes's blog. The rules are simple and the prizes are fabulous.
Just post an entry about a person who has helped you somehow and then leave your pitch in the comments section on Shelli's blog. Shelli will select several of the pitches for a free query and chapter critique. And she will also recommend one of those lucky winners to her agent, Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media Group!

So, my post today is dedicated to my teachers. Without the teachers that encouraged both my reading and writing, I wouldn't be where I am today.

My English teacher my freshman year of high school, who assigned us Of Mice and Men, which changed the way I looked at books for the rest of my life.

My English teacher my senior year, who assigned The Awakening, which opened my eyes to the world of women in literature.

My college English professor who encouraged me to keep writing and told me I was one of the best student poets he had ever taught (swoon!).

My grad school professor who told me my writing was clear, concise, and well-done so many times I actually started to believe him.

If I had never read those books or never received that positive feedback, I might have never decided to major in English and pursue a career as a writer.

So, thanks to all of you and the countless other teachers who played a part in making me into the person I am today.

-- Lisa