CL MONTBLANC
BIO
CL Montblanc is a writer, producer, and escape room enthusiast based in the US. CL is the author of YA mystery-comedies Pride or Die and They Want Us Dead, both out now with Wednesday Books/Macmillan. Outside of books, CL is a giant nerd who enjoys video games and anything horror-related. You can find CL everywhere @clmontblanc.
In addition to being a Round Table Mentor in the past, CL is a regular first reader for RevPit and has been on the other side of things as a mentee. CL is especially eager to support marginalized authors, and always loves to provide help and advice regardless of one’s genre or age category. For RTM, CL is primarily looking for fast-paced stories that take place in our current world.
MSWL
What I’m Looking For
Comedy, in any genre! I'm having a huge sitcom phase right now, and I think the whole world is, too. I want to see banter among love interests or friend groups. Silly hijinks. Campiness. Satire. Witty one-liners. Characters forced to endure awkward scenarios. Strong voice.
High-concept horror like The Getaway, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, and This Delicious Death. Social horror. Body horror. Creepypasta/internet horror. Horror-romance. Horror-comedies, especially if they evoke campy '80s movies. This year I've really enjoyed We Used to Live Here, Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist, and Adam, Mine.
Mysteries and thrillers where the characters are even more memorable than the plot itself. Unique settings. Multiple twists. Amateur, underdog heroes who are totally unequipped for this shit.
Also seeking: Dark twists on normally-innocent things. Weird little guys committing atrocities—any unhinged characters, really. Nerds. Corruption arcs. Betrayals and revenge. Enemies-to-lovers. Slow burn romance. Homoerotic tension. Found families. Social commentary. Gen Z energy. Anything hooky, high-stakes, or fun!
What I’m Not Looking For
This is not about my personal interests, but what I feel equipped to tackle as a mentor. It's what you would need versus what I could actually help you with.
Stories where the plot revolves around drugs, self-harm, or sexual violence.
Hard SFF (second worlds, dragons, space travel, etc.) Speculative elements (such as a monster or superpower) brought into the modern world are okay, but if it involves fantasy worldbuilding or magic systems, it might be out of my wheelhouse.
Historical. Loosely-based is fine, but anything rooted in a large amount of research and facts.