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Pitch Wars Showcase

Please note: These are the entries for the Pitch Wars season beginning in 2021 and continuing through 2022. Please note that our Agent Showcase ends at 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 14, 2022. Agents will not be able to leave comments requesting material after that time.
PW2019 Adult #26: COMPANY WE KEEP (Thriller)
Mentee:
Rose Erickson
Mentored by:
Kristen Lepionka and Ernie Chiara
Book Title:
COMPANY WE KEEP
Category:
2019 Adult Entries
Genre:
Thriller
Word Count:
83,000

Pitch:

Tess's apartment complex is bugged with hidden cameras. She’d know; she installed them to spy on her ex. When her casual stalking catches a deer-masked intruder abducting her neighbor—who then turns up partially-preserved and completely dead—she must venture into the tunnels beneath Seattle, hunting a killer hell-bent on hunting her.

 

Excerpt:

I hated him. It was a burning, live passion that sizzled in my veins and possessed my every thought. Yet, I loved him. My Colton. I loved his raucous laugh and the way he slapped his knees when he watched sitcoms. I loved his wayward curls and how his lip trembled when he’d asked me to marry him.

My empty ring finger shook as I held it up in the moonlight and lost my grip on the rusted railing. The fire escape shuddered beneath me in consolation. What was I doing out here? It was the middle of the night. I shoved my curly brown hair out of my face, but several strands clung to my sweaty cheeks. It was an unseasonably hot night for Seattle, well over 80 still, and muggy as hell. The kind of humidity that sucked the breath out of you and left your lungs sticky and tight. 

My gaze traveled over the fire escape to the sleeping neighborhood of houses below. A few blue lights flickered in the windows, night owls watching late-night television more than likely, but most of the houses were dark. Even my complex towering beside me, a precarious box of six apartments stacked two-by-two, was dark. There would be no lights to guide my way when I crept up the creaking fire escape, not even from the Orville’s place at the top where Doug the perv spent his nights perusing porn. 

Just go back inside. Stop being a psycho.

11 responses to “PW2019 Adult #26: COMPANY WE KEEP (Thriller)”

  1. Marlo Berliner says:

    I’m intrigued! Please send the full with Pitchwars Adult in the subject line to marlo.jdlit@gmail.com. Looking forward to reading!

  2. Lori Galvin says:

    Hi, Rose I would love to see the full and a query letter. lgalvin@aevitascreative.com PITCH WARS in subject line. Thank you so much.

  3. Sabrina Taitz says:

    Would love to read more. Please send your query letter + full manuscript in PDF format to staitz@wmeagency.com – thank you! – Sabrina Taitz @ WME

  4. Amanda Jain says:

    What an atmospheric opening! I’d love to see more of this. Please send your query letter, synopsis, and full manuscript as a .doc attachment to ajain@bookendsliterary.com with PitchWars in the subject line. I look forward to reading!

  5. Melissa Edwards says:

    Hi Rose,

    I’m intrigued! I’d love to see the full manuscript as a .doc. My email address is medwards @ stonesong dot com. Looking forward!
    All best,
    Melissa

  6. Rosie Jonker says:

    I’m intrigued! Would you send the first three chapters, pasted in the body of an email, to Rosie@Rittlit.com with [QUERY] and [PITCHWARS] in the subject line?

  7. Jennifer Unter says:

    I’m intrigued & would love to read more! Please forward the first 50 pages as a Word attachment to jen.nadol (at) theunteragency (dot) com with PW Request in the subject line. Thanks!

  8. Jill Marsal says:

    I would be happy to read your manuscript. Please email it to jill@marsallyonliteraryagency.com.

  9. Hi, Rose,

    I love this concept!!! Can you send me the full and a synopsis (2-4 pages)? Please use Times New Roman, size 12, black, double-spaced text, 1” margins all around, and ½” paragraph indents. Paste your pitch in the body of the email and attach the manuscript and synopsis as two separate Word documents (docx). Sent to: lynnette (at) theseymouragency (dot) com and add “Pitch Wars Request” along with your title in the subject line. Thanks.

    If more than one agent from The Seymour Agency likes your entry, please send requested material to the agent you feel will be the best fit. #OneAgentAtATime
    Looking forward to reading more.

    Best,

    Lynnette

  10. Dawn Dowdle says:

    Dear Rose,

    Thank you for your pitch. Your manuscript sounds very interesting. I would like to read more.

    Please follow the query instructions at http://www.blueridgeagency.com and make sure to put “Pitch Wars” in who referred you.

    Thank you! Looking forward to reading more.

    Dawn Dowdle

  11. Laura Bradford says:

    Love your pitch! Sounds like your protagonist is wonderfully complicated and this sounds so juicy!

    Please email me the full ms + synopsis and make a note in the subject line that this is a Pitch Wars entry. laura at bradfordlit dot com.

    Laura Bradford
    Bradford Literary Agency