Pitch:
Seventeen-year-old Ally is thrilled to spend her summer lifeguarding at the prestigious Camp Fireside—until her epilepsy labels her a liability and she's assigned a counselor position instead. When one of her campers disappears and she becomes a suspect, Ally digs for answers, revealing dark secrets lurking beneath the camp’s picture-perfect facade.
Excerpt:
Childhood summers are supposed to be like magic. Late nights, lightning bugs in jars, laughing until it’s hard to breathe. Scary stories and s’mores and campfire smoke.
But it doesn’t last forever. That spark, that intoxicating magic, eventually flickers out.
Sometimes, it happens in the darkest ways possible.
That glow of excitement was alive and well when I stumbled upon Camp Fireside the summer before ninth grade, thanks to a stack of brochures at my local library urging parents to consider a premier summer camp experience for their kids. I snuck one home to plead my case.
“These could be my friends,” I told my mom, pointing at the grinning, glossy-faced campers. They posed in Lincoln Log-looking cabins, beside sky-high pines, floating on a deep blue lake.
She looked at me with big eyes. At the time, I interpreted her gaze as exasperated, but I can parse pity a little better now. You’re not going to a camp that costs two months of my salary, her pupils told me between blinks.
Instead, I spent that summer imagining the fun I’d have if I lived in a cabin instead of a tiny apartment. If I had bunk beds full of other girls to whisper to in the dark instead of an empty room. If I spent my days bonding over silly camp activities, not home alone in front of the TV.
It’s taken me four years, but I’m finally going to Camp Fireside, only to work, not play.
I can *deeply* identify with people discounting you due to a disability. I cannot wait to discover the secrets Ally uncovers. Please submit the query, synopsis and first three chapters here: https://querymanager.com/query/sarahnfisk/PitchWars
If multiple agents at Tobias request your materials, please submit to the one you think would be the best fit.
I would love to see this! Please send me your query and full manuscript to masha@azantianlitagency.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. If any other agents from ALA request this as well, please send to one of us at a time at your choice.
Dear Rachel,
This sounds really interesting. I’m an agent at Stimola Literary Studio, and I would love the chance to read. Please feel free to send it to me at:
allison@sls-submissions.com
Please put PITCHWARS in the subject line and attach the full manuscript.
I’m looking forward to it!
Best wishes,
Allison
I would love to read more! Please follow submission guidelines here https://QueryManager.com/JordyAlbert
Intrigued! I’d love to read more.
Please submit your query letter and the full manuscript at this link: QueryManager.com/querybeth/PitchWars. I’d appreciate it if you pasted your query letter as the first page of your manuscript (like a sort of cover sheet), so when I send it to my kindle, I’ll have both!
If another agent at GZLA requests your work as well, feel free to submit to both of us, but let us know that the other has it too. 🙂
This sounds really good and I would love to see it!
Please send 3 chapters plus letter and synopsis if you can to
jenniferweis@rossyoon.com
Looking forward to reading…
Hi Rachel. Congrats on PitchWars. I loved summer camp as a kid – I went every year – and have always thought that it was the perfect back-drop for a thriller. I can’t wait to see what secrets Ally uncovers and would love to read the full of your manuscript. Please us this link to upload your materials: QueryManager.com/1353/PW2022
Talk soon,
Joanna
Hi Rachel,
Really enjoyed your sample & pitch and would love to read more. If you think we’d be a match, please send a query & first 50 pages as a Word attachment to jen.nadol@theunteragency.com
Thanks!
Jen
I enjoyed these opening pages and would love to take a look at the manuscript if you’d care to send it along! Word document to Andrea[at]harveyklinger.com would be great, with PitchWars Requested Manuscript in the subject line. Thanks! -Andrea Somberg/ Harvey Klinger Inc./ http://www.andreasomberg.com/ http://www.harveyklinger.com
This sounds great! I would love to read more. Can you please send the full manuscript attached as a Word document to queries@parkfine.com with “Pete Knapp – Pitch Wars – YA” in the subject of your email? Please include the query letter at the start of your Word document, and if available please also send a short synopsis (but no worries if not readily available). Thanks! I look forward to reading.
Pete Knapp / Park & Fine Literary and Media
Hi Rachel,
This sounds fantastic! I would love to read your manuscript. Please send to querytamar@contextlit.com, making sure to write Pitch Wars Request in the subject line.
Thanks!
Tamar
Hi Rachel! I’m Caitlin from Emerald City Literary Agency and I JUST tweeted that I’ve been looking for a YA story that has teens who work, specifically mentioning camp counselors and lifeguards. But you went above and beyond by adding thriller/mystery and summery elements — which I also adore!! I would be thrilled to see your query and full manuscript, so if you’re interested you can submit here: https://querymanager.com/query/caitlinwhite/PitchWars
If more than one ECLA agent comments, please feel free to send to any or all, and if more than one of us falls in love, we can work that out on our end! Thank you and congratulations! – Caitlin (@caitforestell)
Hi Rachel!
I’m digging your pitch/excerpt and would love to request the query, synopsis, and the first 3 chapters of your manuscript!
Submit here: QueryManager.com/AnaliezeCervantes/PitchWars
Can’t wait to see this in my box soon! Have a great day!
Best–
Analieze Cervantes
Literary Agent
Harvey Klinger Literary Agenc
Absolutely love the idea behind your work. Can you please send me your first 10 pages to the following:
QueryManager.com/Karly/PitchWars