About the Authors
Laura Younkin (standing with Santa) and Debra Mitchell (sitting in the back row with arms crossed and a dubious expression) met in kindergarten in Louisville, Kentucky.
Bizarrely, they became friends in Home Ec. class at Waggener Junior High when they discovered that they were both obsessed with classic Hollywood films. Instead of paying attention to filmstrips on how to prepare for dates, (find out what the boy likes, uh no!), they established their own film studio, MYM (Metro Younkin Mitchell), and began making Super 8 movies. Laura and Debra have been creating, writing, and having fun together ever since.
In high school, they invented a legendary board game—Barbie World of Smut—which has gone through countless renovations and is still played at late-night, champagne-soaked parties today.
Wilde Pitch is their first novel in the world of Sweetgum, a quirky place where wild dreams flourish, baseball is always a blast, people are funny and kind, and the arts are appreciated.
Debra began her love affair with baseball as an announcer for her brother Rob’s Little League team in the 70s.
About The Wilde Pitch Project
More than a decade ago, Laura suggested that she and Debra should write a rom-com together. At the time, they lived in different cities and loved writing actual letters to each other. So, Debra wrote a letter with an idea for a story rooted in their mutual love of baseball.
Nothing happened for a long time. But in January of 2025, when much of the world felt dark and sad, it seemed like the time had finally come to make something silly, fizzy, light and giddy. Why not try to write that joyful baseball rom-com?
And now, 18 months later, the novel is finished, and the authors came up with a plan to share the book as a labor of love, entirely for the enjoyment of any readers who want to ride the wave of joy.
Wilde Pitch is being released as a serial—three chapters per week for eleven weeks—starting at baseball’s All-Star Break, July 13, 2026. The final chapter will be released on the last day of the regular baseball season. All chapters will be available to subscribers on this website as they are released. Anyone can subscribe and there’s no fee.
As Hawk Harrelson, legendary announcer for the Chicago White Sox used to say at the start of every ball game, “Sit back, relax, and strap it down!”
We hope you enjoy the show.