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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 MG #08: INDIGO AND IDA (Upper MG Contemporary #OwnVoices)
Mentee:
Heather Murphy Capps
Mentored by:
Chad Lucas
Book Title:
INDIGO AND IDA
Category:
2020 Entries
Genre:
Upper MG Contemporary Ownvoices
Word Count:
58,000

Pitch:

Seventh-grade journalist Indigo vlogs hard-hitting stories about her school while running for student council president. Emulating her journalist idol Ida B. Wells, she exposes the school’s racist discipline practice, but her report turns many classmates against her—including her former BFFs. Now she must choose—rock the boat or rock the vote.

A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE x THE PARKER INHERITANCE 

 

Excerpt:

For her first-ever act of vandalism, Indigo chose a deep blue paint, studded with glitter, like stars flung across the galaxy—the color of breaking rules and revealing truths. For sure, two offenses in one week would land her on a list somewhere labeled “Troublemaker.” She smiled as she assessed the blank stretch of concrete in front of her.

Indigo had decided on the cafeteria side of the school for her project: treeless, shadeless, endless end-of-summer brown grass stretching to the far border of the Loon Lake Middle School grounds. She glanced at her phone, yet another act of disobedience. Five minutes left before every seventh grader at lunch—including Abbie, Manning, and the Tictacs—would be able to see her through the huge window when they came in to eat. Her stomach snarled, a reminder that she’d skipped breakfast.

She ignored the sun scalding the back of her neck and paced the length of bright sidewalk. She had enough time to write the first few words of the song—not much, but a few were enough. The first time she’d tried to get busted, by using her cell phone during school hours, her mother had managed to smooth things over.

Since desperate times called for desperate measures, here she was, taking things to the next level. Pulse thrumming, she shook the can, rattling the mixing ball inside the metal canister.

29 responses to “PW2020 MG #08: INDIGO AND IDA (Upper MG Contemporary #OwnVoices)”

  1. Tara Gilbert says:

    Love the voice! I’d love to see the first three chapters! Please use this link to send in the materials. QueryManager.com/TaraGilbert/PitchEvent

  2. Renae Moore says:

    Please send your query, synopsis, and first two chapters of your book using the following link: QueryManager.com/renae/PitchWars
    Please feel free to apply to more than one agent at Tobias simultaneously. We will handle multiple submissions on our end.

  3. Melanie Castillo says:

    Hi Heather, Congratulations on completing PitchWars! I’d love to continue reading. If you’d like to share the full MS, please send the query in the body of an email with the full manuscript and synopsis attached as a Word document. The subject of the email should be “Pitch Wars Request: YOUR TITLE for Root Literary” sent to submissions@rootliterary.com. Although not all of Root Literary is participating in Pitch Wars, please feel free to query whomever feels like the best fit! We’re happy to coordinate internally. Best, Melanie

  4. Molly Ker Hawn says:

    I’d like to read this! Can you send it to hawnqueries [at] thebentagency.com, with PITCHWARS: INDIGO AND IDA in the subject line? And if you’re submitting to multiple Bent Agency agents (which is totally fine), please let me know, either when you send the ms. or in a follow-up email. Thanks so much!

  5. Sara Crowe says:

    Dear Heather, I would love to read this story, if you’d like to share it with me! Please send the full as an attachment to scrowe AT pippinproperties.com. All my best, Sara

  6. Rick Richter says:

    Hello Heather! This sounds like a very exciting project and I would love to read more! Could you please send a full manuscript to rrichter@aevitascreative.com and cc my assistant at cmarsiglia@aevtiascreative.com. Please include ‘Pitch Wars’ somewhere in the title. Thank you!

  7. Megan Manzano says:

    I absolutely love this! I’m also a huge sucker for opening lines and yours is gorgeous!

    If you’d like, please send your query, synopsis, and first 50 pages to the following:
    QueryManager.com/MeganManzano/PitchWars

    If more than one agent from D4EO requests your work, please choose the best fit for you.

  8. Jessica Kasmer-Jacobs says:

    Hi! I’d love to read more. Please send your query, the full MS, and a synopsis (if you’ve got one) to jessica@dhliterary.com. Looking forward to reading!

  9. Lauren Spieller says:

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars, Heather. I’d love to read more. If you think we’d be a good fit, please send your query + full manuscript to Lauren@triadaus.com, and put “PW Request” in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you! ~Lauren

  10. 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 two chapters of the manuscript. Please email me at paige@cmalit.com the following attachments in Microsoft Word format (not PDF):
     
    1. the first two 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

  11. Hi, Heather.

    Political MG! I can truly never read enough of it. I was hooked from the first line—the benchmark of “first-ever act of vandalism” is perfect—and want to follow this tension all the way through to the end. I would love to see more.

    If you head to my agent page (jdlit.com/savannah-brooks), you’ll find my submission guidelines and link to QueryManager. Please be sure to include that this was a Pitch Wars request somewhere in the query.

    I look forward to reading more!

  12. Elizabeth Copps says:

    Dear Heather,

    I would love to read INDIGO AND IDA! To submit to me through Copps Literary Services, please use Query Manager and note “Pitch Wars Request” in the subject line: QueryManager.com/QueryManager_ElizabethCopps/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.

    Warmly,
    Elizabeth

  13. Andrea Cascardi says:

    Dear Heather,

    I love what you’re exploring in this book! The opening makes use of so many wonderful sensory details that I felt transported right into the moment. The character is already embedded in my brain as a fighter for justice. I’d be honored to see the full manuscript in my in-box! andrea@transatlanticagency.com

    Since several Transatlantic agents are involved in Pitch Wars, we just ask that you submit to only one of us at a time. We’re a great, collegial agency, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed you steer this one my way.

    Thank you!
    Andrea Cascardi
    Senior Literary Agent
    Transatlantic Agency
    http://www.transatlanticagency.com

  14. Carlisle Webber says:

    I would like to see this. Please send your query letter and the full manuscript to carlisle @ fuseliterary .com with the subject PitchWars Requested Material: TITLE.

    If you get a request from more than one agent at Fuse, please choose one of us to send your work to; we don’t compete with each other for manuscripts.

    Thank you! I look forward to reading your book.

  15. Claire Friedman says:

    Hi Heather! This sounds fantastic — I’d love to consider. Please send the full manuscript to claire@inkwellmanagement.com. Looking forward to reading!

  16. Alyssa Eisner Henkin says:

    I would love to see the full manuscript as a pdf or word doc at ahenkin@birchpathliterary.com

    Thanks,
    Alyssa

  17. Allison Hellegers says:

    I’m loving this and want to read more! Can you send the full https://www.stimolaliterarystudio.com/Submissions and put PITCH WARS at the top of your query letter? Thanks! -Allison Hellegers

  18. Shannon Hassan says:

    Hi Heather, I’d love to read more! Could you please send a query letter + 50 pages to shannon@marsallyonliteraryagency.com. Thanks for the chance. Best, Shannon

  19. Laura Bradford says:

    WE NEED THISSSSSSSSS! This sounds like the best kind of Good Trouble story and I am so excited to read more! Pretty please email me the full manuscript + synopsis at laura@bradfordlit.com. Please put Pitch Wars in the subject line and paste the pitch into your email. Thank you!

    Laura Bradford

    *If more than one agent from the Bradford Literary Agency has requested this, go ahead and send it to those agents and just let us know

  20. Hi Heather. I’m intrigued by your pitch. Please send me a synopsis and the first 20 pages to Isabelle (at) Nordlysetagency.com. Also include “Pitch Wars” on the subject line of your email. Thanks!
    Isabelle

  21. Katie Grimm says:

    Dear Heather,

    This is such a great opener–I’d love to read more of Indigo’s story! If you think we’d be a good fit, please send the query and full manuscript as a Word document to my attention at dca@doncongdon.com with PITCHWARS in the subject line. Thanks!

    Best,

    Katie Grimm
    Don Congdon Associates, Inc.

  22. Peter Knapp says:

    This sounds great! I’d love to read more. Please send a query in the body of the email to queries@parkfine.com with = “Pete Knapp – Pitch Wars: INDIGO AND IDA (MG)” in the subject line. Please attach the manuscript as a Word document, and include a short synopsis (either in the beginning of the same document as the manuscript or as a separate attachment). Thank you, and I’m looking forward to considering. Warmly, Pete

  23. Rebecca Eskildsen says:

    Hi! I would love to see this story in my inbox. If you would like to submit your manuscript to me, please send a query letter and the first 50 pages to reskildsen@writershouse.com. Please include “Pitch Wars” and your title in the subject line, and please only submit to one agent at Writers House at a time. Thank you!

  24. Zabé Ellor says:

    Wow! I love the voice and imagery you’ve captured here, and I can’t wait to see the rest of Indigo’s story.

    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.

  25. Rebecca Sherman says:

    Hi Heather,

    I would love to take a look at Indigo and Ida. Please email me with your query, synopsis (optional), and first 50 pages at rebeccasubmissions@writershouse.com. Please put Pitch Wars Requested- [Title] as your subject line. If you receive requests from more than one Writers House agent, you must chose one agent to receive your material.

    All my best,
    Rebecca

  26. Cindy Uh says:

    Heather,
    I can already tell that I’m going to love Indigo. Please send the first 100 pages as an attachment to cindy.uh@caa.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. If you are submitting to more than one agent at CAA, if you could just make note of it, that would be great.
    Looking forward to reading!
    Warmly,
    Cindy Uh

  27. Analieze Cervantes says:

    Hi!

    I would love to read more 🙂

    Please paste your query, synopsis, and upload the first 15 pages of your manuscript, here QueryManager.com/AnaliezeCervantes/PitchWars

  28. Christa Heschke says:

    This sounds amazing and I loved your writing! Please send the full manuscript, synopsis and query to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com with Pitch Wars request and the title of the manuscript in the subject line. –Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis

  29. Tori Sharp says:

    I’d love to read more of this! Please send the full manuscript as a word document to tori.jdlit@gmail.com and include “Pitch Wars” in the subject line.