Pitch:
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME x THE WEST WING
Trying to leave England and his past behind him, James Darling takes an assignment reporting on the election between Bobby Kennedy and America’s favorite cowboy, John Wayne.
Partnering with American reporter Hal, James follows the candidates around the US, soon becoming embroiled in the cutthroat world of presidential campaigning. But when James develops feelings for his male partner, the potential scandal could jeopardize his and Hal’s careers and ruin their lives. But what's an election campaign without a bit of scandal?
Excerpt:
Americans weren’t afraid to stare.
They gawked at me like I’d fallen through the ceiling instead of walking through the door, and they didn’t hide it at all. One bloke, dressed in a suit and shiny shoes, smoked a cigarette and studied me with a mixture of disgust and amusement.
I didn’t hold anyone’s stare. I couldn’t. In England, you looked at a stranger the same way you looked at the sun. Briefly and with caution. Otherwise, you were making a statement. You either wanted to fight or… you had other things in mind.
These Americans didn’t have the other thing in mind.
Uncle Richard had warned me about all this. He had bought a magazine based in New York called Coast. In Coast’s heyday, it had rivaled Life and Time, but the heyday had passed, and the magazine had needed investors. My Uncle, Richard the Hun, had stepped in and bought it lock, stock, and barrel. His moneymen had gutted the staff and moved the office from New York to Wyoming.
Making friends over there might be tough at first, Uncle Richard had said. They’ve lost a lot of pals in the reshuffle, and they’re probably not going to take too kindly to some foreigner rolling in and taking a job.
Hi, Sean— This concept hits me right at the junction of high school American history nerd and lifelong fan of queer love! I would love to see your query and a full manuscript—you can send me an email at mcooper@aevitascreative.com and mention Pitch Wars in the subject line.
Very best,
Maggie
What an incredible pitch–the voice just leaps off the page, and the comp titles immediately sucked me in!
Please could you send the query and first fifty pages to me, as an attachment, at zrellor.books@gmail.com? Please paste your query on the first page of your attached sample pages, and also in the body of the email, and include PITCH WARS in the subject line. If more than one JDLA agent requests, feel free to first submit to the one you think is the best fit.