BIO
S.F. Henson was born and raised in the deep south. She loves writing about criminals and other dark, nefarious things. She lives beside a missile test range in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband, dog, two oddly named cats, and, of course, the missiles that frequently shake her house. DEVILS WITHIN (Sky Pony/2017) is her debut novel.
EXPERIENCE
I’ve been writing seriously since 2011 and have been agented since 2012. Several of my critique partners have gone on to get agents and to then publish. Prior to signing with an agent, I participated in Cupid’s Blind Speed Dating and the Writer’s Voice Contests, but my agent found me in the slush pile. My Bachelor’s degree is in Animal Science, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, which I put to great use by attending law school. I use my law degree to help other writers, though, and run a business reviewing publishing contracts for authors and literary agents. My greatest writing strengths are descriptions, characterization, and dialogue. I’m one of those weird writers who actually enjoys writing queries.
OVERVIEW
I really want to find a manuscript that I can’t put down with a voice that sings to me from page one. My ideal mentee is someone who has thick-skin and embraces critique. Plotting is not my strength, so I think I can help most with the story’s flow and pacing, and with the query. I want to help my mentee sand away their story’s rough edges and polish the story until it’s so shiny agents can’t help but get drawn in.
Give me all your darkness! Murder, blood, creepiness, intrigue, violence, “unlikeable,” quirky, or unreliable protagonists. I’m drawn to unique voices, high-concept hooks, and settings that feel like another character. I’m not afraid of tough topics. I’m especially interested in diverse authors/stories and #ownvoices, however, bear in might that while I would love to champion one of these stories, I don’t have the background or experience to weigh in on authenticity or sensitivity outside my lane–so if you need help in that area, you may want to consider another mentor. “My lane” when it comes to diversity and #ownvoices consists of mental health issues.
Most interested in: YA dark contemporary, mystery, and horror are right up my alley, but I also like light sci-fi/fantasy, especially if it’s a new take on old stories/myths.
Not the right mentor for: lighter contemporary, romance, hard sci-fi, or high/epic fantasy
MENTORING STYLE
I do both line edits and overall plot/story impressions. I like to leave comments as I read–both of lines that I love and that need work. Potential mentees should know that I will likely be editing my debut during the mentoring period, so we’ll need to work together on timelines.
IDEAL MENTEE
My ideal mentee is someone who has thick-skin and embraces critique; someone who is truly open to changes.
FAVES
I adore anything by Agatha Christie and Stephen King. Recent Netflix binges include Stranger Things and Peaky Blinders. I’ll watch anything directed by David Fincher.
MSWL
I love an anti-hero; think Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. I would also be super into YA along the lines of Stranger Things, Welcome to Night Vale or the movie From Hell.