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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.
PW2021 MG #11: BURIED (Horror)
Mentee:
Laurie Lascos
Mentored by:
Julie Artz
Book Title:
BURIED
Category:
Middle Grade
Genre:
Horror
Word Count:
48,000

Pitch:

CORALINE x HIDE AND SEEKER. Leo’s Rule of Survival is to bury everything: his anger, his fear, even his alcoholic father’s car keys. But when shadows pull his family into an underground labyrinth, Leo realizes his "rules" created actual monsters. Now Leo must dig up the truth about everything he's hidden, including from himself, or his family will stay buried forever.

 

Excerpt:

The little nerfherder had taken it too far this time.

Leo’s heart echoed in his ears as he burst out of his front door, eyes flicking every which way. The late June sun baked the back of his neck and sweat soaked the collar of his t-shirt. When he had agreed to play Hide and Seek with his little brother, Noah, he hadn’t signed up for thirty minutes of dashing around the house, imagining all manner of horrible things that could happen.

Every second without a glimpse of velcro sneakers or rumpled t-shirt squeezed Leo’s lungs a little tighter. Nobody melted into the shadows under the porch steps or disappeared into the void under a bed like Noah.

Most people thought Leo’s sleepy street wasn’t dangerous. But he knew better. Noah could be hurt. Or lost. It had happened before. So Leo had to be more than an older brother. More like a big-brother plus. 

He inhaled a gulp of soupy air to steady himself. He was overreacting. Noah was somewhere. Except he had been all over the house, the yard, even behind the green utility box down the street. Nothing.

Relax! Noah wasn’t gone; he was hiding. 

Panic threatened to choke him. A fleeting black smudge moved at the corner of his eye, making his stomach flip. Leo whipped his head around. 

No shadow. No Noah, either.

12 responses to “PW2021 MG #11: BURIED (Horror)”

  1. Shannon Snow says:

    Laurie,

    I was very excited about your pitch and excerpt and would love to take a look at this! If you would like to submit to me, please email your first three chapters and synopsis in Word format to shannon@cmalit.com.

    Please put “Pitch Request” in the subject line. I hope to hear from you!

    Shannon Snow
    CMA, Inc. Literary Agent

  2. Katie Grimm says:

    Dear Laurie Lascos,

    I’m so intrigued by the concept and opening of BURIED and would love to see more. If you think we’re a match, please send your query and full ms (as a Word doc) to dca@doncongdon.com with “PITCH WARS REQUEST” in the subject line. Thanks!

    Best,
    Katie Grimm
    Don Congdon Associates

  3. Lauren Spieller says:

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! I’d love to read more. Please send your query + full manuscript + synopsis to Lauren@triadaus.com, and put “PW Request” in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you! ~Lauren Spieller

  4. Jennifer Herrington says:

    Hi Laurie,

    Wow! This sounds fabulous! I would love to see more if you were comfortable sharing. Please submit your query, synopsis, and the full manuscript to: QueryManager.com/JenniferHerrington/PitchWars2022.

    I hope to see your submission!

    Jenn
    Jennifer Herrington
    Associate Agent
    Harvey Klinger Literary Agency

  5. Jessica Errera says:

    Dear Laurie, I have the chills from this synopsis and would love to read your full manuscript. Please send it (and your query and/or synopsis) via email to jerrera@janerotrosen.com. Excited to dive back in!

  6. Quressa Robinson says:

    Dear Laurie,

    Congrats on making it through the editing rounds with your mentor! I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to check out everyone’s showcase samples. Based on what I’ve read so far, I’d love to see more. Please query me at this link (QueryManager.com/QueryQuressa/PW2022) and follow the directions. If more than one Folio Lit agent requests work from you it is okay to query more than one of us, just give us a heads-up. Good luck!

    Thanks!

    Quressa

  7. Alex Rice says:

    Would love to see this manuscript in my inbox! Please send over the full manuscript and a synopsis to me at alex.rice@caa.com, using the subject line of “Pitch Wars Query // TITLE.” If another agent at CAA also requests, please include their name in the query as well. Looking forward to reading! All my best, Alex Rice

  8. Hi, Laurie,

    This sounds cool! I’d love to see 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. Paste your pitch in the body of the email and attach the manuscript and synopsis as two separate Word documents (docx). Send 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

  9. Kaitlyn Johnson says:

    I cannot get over the creativity behind this! I would love to see the full manuscript. If you find us a match, please send query, synopsis, and pages to QueryManager.com/KaitlynJohnson/Contests

    Best,
    Kaitlyn Johnson
    Belcastro Literary Agency

  10. Carrie Hannigan says:

    Dear Laurie,

    I would love to read BURIED. Please send the full manuscript as a Word attachment to: carrie@hgliterary.com.

    I am looking forward to reading it.

    Best wishes,
    Carrie Hannigan
    HG Literary
    http://www.hgliterary.com

  11. Hannah Andrade says:

    Hi Laurie! I am so enraptured with your concept! Can you please send the first 100 pages of this to me on my QueryManager (https://QueryManager.com/hannahandrade)? And don’t forget to put PitchWars in the subject line along with your project. I can’t wait to read it!

  12. Christa Heschke says:

    Hi Laurie!

    As a huge horror fan, I’m hooked! My assistant Daniele and I would love to read this. 🙂

    Please send your query, synopsis, and full manuscript via Query Manager at this link: QueryManager.com/christa_heschke/PitchWars2122

    Thank you!
    -Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis