2024 Bombeck Workshop Pitchapalooza Hosts Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry

Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry (aka “The Book Doctors”) are writers, producers and entrepreneurs who have been breaking ground with their stories and ideas for decades.

In 2005, they created Pitchapalooza, billed as the “American Idol for books, only kinder and gentler.” Recently, they co-founded Can Do Entertainment, a production company that champions independent writers and artists during a time of mass conglomeration in the media business. Using Pitchapalooza as the foundation, they’ve developed a new television series, America’s Next Great Author.

Eckstut is an executive producer on two TV shows in development with Silvergate/Sony and the Jim Henson Co. Sterry is an executive producer for Master of Ceremonies, a TV series based on his memoir by the same title, and several of his other books have been optioned for TV and film. Prior to his life in books, Sterry was a professional actor for 20 years and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows and more than 1,000 commercials.

Between them, Eckstut and Sterry have written 26 books and helped countless authors bring their books to publication.

Pitchapalooza was offered as a free, virtual pre-workshop event. View the recording here.