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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.
PW2020 Adult #19: BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED (Romantic Comedy – Steamy)
Mentee:
Sarah Burnard
Mentored by:
Tricia Lynne
Book Title:
BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED
Category:
2020 Adult Entries
Genre:
Romantic Comedy (Steamy)
Word Count:
86,000

Pitch:

THE UNHONEYMOONERS meets Netflix’s HOLIDATE

Strangling her brother’s BFF would ruin Christmas, but playing the villain to Nic’s Hollywood superhero comes easily to graphic artist Jessie, after he insulted her art years before. When a pair of mistletoe panties and a snarky comment become an enemies-with-benefits arrangement, Jessie catches feelings. With her family stuck in between, she must choose—play the bad guy and get left out in the cold, or let Nic break her heart.

 

Excerpt:

Pain blossomed across the side of my ass, but damn, my boots looked good up in the air. Sinfully pointed at the heavens, the black, knee-high stilettos had, sadly, met their match in the ice at the end of the driveway. Not their fault. 

Fucking Timbo. My asshole brother had parked in my spot.

Turning toward the glow of my parent’s Connecticut home, I pushed up onto my elbows and blew a stray lock of hair out of my face, hoping nobody saw me fall. The windows were mercifully void of laughing family and friends, lined instead with Christmas lights of the large, vintage variety. I was alone in the silvery-blue world of moonlit snow, staring at a scene straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting. 

Home—where the hot chocolate had more Bailey’s and whipped cream than was wise for my battered ass. Our carols were dirty, our Christmas Eve party was legendary, and I was going to love every minute of this holiday.

Unless Dominic Fontana was here.

My brother’s BFF––the star of a successful superhero franchise––had gotten a divorce. With no supermodel wife to turn her nose up at our silly Christmas traditions, there was a good chance Captain Dickhead was inside, silent and broody and losing at Scrabble.

Ready to ruin my holiday.

 

12 responses to “PW2020 Adult #19: BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED (Romantic Comedy – Steamy)”

  1. Eva Scalzo says:

    Hi Sarah,

    This sounds like so much fun! I love the tension you establish in the sample! I’d be delighted to read more if you would submit the full manuscript to QueryManager.com/evascalzo/PitchWars2020.

    Cheers,
    Eva
    Speilburg Literary

  2. Jessica Alvarez says:

    Enemies with benefits over the holidays? Count me in! Please upload your manuscript, synopsis, and query at this link: http://www.QueryManager.com/JessicaAlvarez/PitchWars. I’d love to give this a read.
    Jessica Alvarez, BookEnds Literary

  3. Melissa Edwards says:

    Hi Sarah,

    I’d love to take a look! Please email the full to medwards @ stonesong . com with PitchWars and the title in the subject line.

    Thank you!

    All best,
    Melissa

  4. Ashley Blake says:

    Hi Sarah! Steamy holiday rom? Yes please. I love the voice here–this sounds like a lot of fun and I’d love to read more! If you’d like to query me, please include your query letter and upload your full manuscript using the link below. If you end up querying more than one agent at Rees, that’s totally fine, just let us now you did so in the query. Thanks and congrats on all your hard work!

    QueryManager.com/AshleyBlake/PitchWars

  5. Kari Erickson says:

    Hi Sarah, I’d love to read more! Please upload your full manuscript, synopsis, and query letter here: QueryManager.com/KariErickson/PitchWars
    Thank you for considering me!

  6. Samantha Wekstein says:

    Hi Sarah! I love the voice in your first page. If possible, can you please send your first 50 pages to samantha@thompsonliterary.com? Thanks!

  7. Hi Sarah,
    I so loved meeting Jessie and can’t wait to read the full manuscript for Batteries Not Included. Please use this link to upload your pages: QueryManager.com/1353/PW2021
    Thanks,
    Joanna

  8. Paige Wheeler says:

    Thank you for your participation in Pitch Wars. I found your project intriguing and would very much like to see the first three chapters of the manuscript. Please email me at paige@cmalit.com the following attachments in Microsoft Word format (not PDF):
     
    1. the first three chapters,
    2. a synopsis of your project,
    3. a short bio including any previous publications.
     
    To expedite the review process, please use “requested material-pitch wars” as the subject heading of your email.
     
    As a professional courtesy, please let me know if any other agents are considering your work. Also, if you do get an offer, please contact me so that I may be able to review and respond accordingly.

    I look forward to reading your work!
     
    Kind regards,
     
    Paige Wheeler 
    paige@cmalit.com

  9. Chelsey Emmelhainz says:

    Hi Sarah,

    I would love to read the first 50 pages of BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED! To submit to me through Copps Literary Services, please use Query Manager and note “Pitch Wars Request” in the subject line: QueryManager.com/ChelseyEmmelhainz/PitchWars
     
    If you receive multiple requests from the agency, please refer to our Teams page to choose which agent feels like the best fit for you and your work: https://www.coppsliterary.com/our-team.

    All best,
    Chelsey

  10. I’d be happy to take at look at your synopsis and first three chapters. Please submit all as a Word document attached to an email: rosenberglitsubmit@icloud.com

  11. Hi, Sarah!
    This premise!!! *LOVE*!!! Between that and your incredible voice, I can’t wait to read more!!! 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. Please go here: QueryManager.com/QueryLynnetteNovak/Pitch_Wars_2020_Requested_Only to submit to me. Attach the manuscript and synopsis as two separate Word documents (docx). 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

  12. Jennifer Herrington says:

    Hi Sarah,

    You have a great pitch! I am intrigued. I would love to see more.

    I hope you’ll consider submitting to me. You can send query, synopsis, and the first three chapters to QueryManager.com/JenniferHerrington/PitchWars2021

    Thanks! I hope to see your submission!

    Jenn