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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 Adult #36: WATCH ME (Psychological Thriller)
Mentee:
V.A. Vazquez
Mentored by:
Ashley Winstead
Book Title:
WATCH ME
Category:
Adult
Genre:
Psychological Thriller
Word Count:
89,000
Manuscript Content Warning(s):
Assault, Violence, Death, Child Endangerment, Self-Harm

Pitch:

YOU meets MY FAVORITE MURDER. YouTuber Darby reenacts famous murders with Tinder matches for her popular dating channel. When it gets demonetized amid scandal, she's forced to return to her hometown to reenact the unsolved murder of her high school boyfriend for clicks. But she wakes up to a new body in her backyard and a serial killer convinced he could be her perfect match. As the body count rises, Darby launches her own investigation to catch the killer — and ensure her dark secrets stay buried.

 

Excerpt:

“Do you want me to take the handcuffs off?”

Resting his palm on the back of the passenger seat, Elijah turns to look at me. Saliva soaks the gag between my teeth, and the corners of my lips feel crusty and cracked. He dips into the pocket on the driver’s side door and pulls out a key. “Just say the word.”

The word gets muffled behind a mouthful of fabric. Realizing his mistake, he leans forward and unties the knot at the back of my scalp. The gag falls free. I wipe my mouth against the backseat, leaving a sticky smear across the vinyl.

“Is my makeup all right?”

“Eyeliner’s still intact.”

“Shit.” I rapidly blink my eyes in a desperate bid to drum up tears. “I knew we shouldn’t have switched from Wet n Wild. It costs less than two dollars and runs like a bitch.” I nudge my shoulder towards the plastic bottle in the cupholder. “Can you slosh a little on me?”

He unscrews the cap and dribbles water onto my face. The chemicals in the eyeliner burn my retinas, but hey, that means it must be working. “Now?”

Elijah gives me a smile that makes the skin around his eyes crinkle and tilts the rearview mirror in my direction.

22 responses to “PW2021 Adult #36: WATCH ME (Psychological Thriller)”

  1. Shannon Snow says:

    V.A.,

    Your pitch definitely caught my attention. I would love the opportunity to check this out!!

    If you would like to submit to me, email me your first three chapters and synopsis in Word format to Shannon@cmalit.com. Please put “Pitch Request” in the subject line.

    I definitely hope to hear from you!

    Shannon Snow
    CMA, Inc. Literary Agent

  2. Amy Giuffrida says:

    This sounds absolutely amazing and right up my alley! These comps are fire and I would LOVE to see the full manuscript!

    Please send me the query, synopsis, and full manuscript to me at this QM link: QueryManager.com/AmyGiuffrida/PitchWars

    Since we ask that you only submit to one of our agents at a time, if you receive multiple request from agents at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, please choose which one best fits you to submit to.

    I’m excited to get reading!
    Amy

  3. Melissa Danaczko says:

    Hi V.A., I’d love to read more–it seems to really up the ante on murder podcasts! mdquery@skagency.com. Melissa

  4. Jim McCarthy says:

    I’m game! I’d be happy to take a look if you’d like to share. You can send the manuscript to me at jmccarthy@dystel.com. If any other DGB agents request, please feel free to choose whichever of us feels like the best match and let us know who else asked, and we’ll work it out in house! Thanks!

  5. Stephanie Winter says:

    I’m intrigued! This sounds delightfully twisty. I’d love to read the full.

    Contact information:
    query@psliterary.com
    Please mention Stephanie Winter and Pitch Wars in the subject line.
    Please attach the manuscript in a word doc and a synopsis with your query in the body of your email.

  6. Ronald Gerber says:

    Hi V.A., this looks so fun and twisted! I’d love to read more. Would you please send your query and attach the first 75 pages to ronald@boohkaven.com, with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line?

  7. Hi V.A.,

    I’m actively building my list of thrillers at the moment, and this project sounds excellent! I’d love to see more of it. If you’re interested in submitting, visit my Pitch Wars event QueryManager page (QueryManager.com/SavannahBrooks/Pitch_Wars_2022). It’ll ask for your first 20 pages.

    I look forward to reading more!

    Warmly,
    Savannah

  8. Penelope Burns says:

    I would love to see more of this! If you’d like, can you send your query and full manuscript to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com, with #PitchWars in the subject line? Thanks so much!

    All best,
    Penelope

  9. Zabé Ellor says:

    Hello! This sounds so clever–I would love to see more! Please send the query (in the body of the email) synopsis (an attachment) and the first fifty pages (an attachment) to zrellor.books @ gmail.com (remove spaces.) Please include “PitchWars Request” in the subject line, and please only query one JDLA agent at a time!

  10. Lori Galvin says:

    Dear V.A. Thank you for sharing your work. I would love to see the full. Could you please send with your query letter to lgalvin@aevitascreative.com with Pitchwars in the subject line. Please feel free to submit to other ACM agents who request. Thank you so much.
    Sincerely,
    Lori

  11. Chris Bucci says:

    HI V. A. This sounds creepy good. would love to take a look. Can you please send a query plus 50 pages to cbucci@aevitascreative.com. I look forward to reading.

  12. Hi V.A. Congrats on PitchWars. I really love the premise here and can’t wait to see what happens next. I’d love to read the full of Watch Me. Please upload your manuscript using this link:QueryManager.com/1353/PW2022
    Talk soon,
    Joanna

  13. Marcy Posner says:

    Hi V.A.—

    Enormously intrigued by this pitch. Please send your full manuscript as an attachment with your query letter in the email body to marcy@foliolit.com. Make sure to put Pitch Wars in the subject line so I can find it easily!

    If you happen to receive requests from my other colleagues, please select the agent you are most interested in working with and send materials only to them.

  14. Claire Friedman says:

    What a fun concept! I’d love to consider. Please send the full ms to claire@inkwellmanagement.com. Excited to read!

  15. Analieze Cervantes says:

    Hi!

    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 Agency

  16. Kimberly Brower says:

    Hi V.A.,

    We’ve read your pitch with interest. Could you please send the full manuscript and synopsis to queries@browerliterary.com, with the subject line PITCH WARS 2022?

    Thank you!
    Kimberly and Joy

  17. Allison Hellegers says:

    I’m intrigued and want to read more! Great excerpt and premise. I’d love to take a look! You can e-mail a query, a full synopsis, and the first 50 pages to alli@sls-submissions.com. Thanks!

  18. Carlisle Webber says:

    I’d like to see this manuscript! Please submit it along with a query letter here: QueryManager.com/Carlisle/PitchWars2022.

    If more than one agent from Fuse Literary requests your work, please choose one of us to submit to.

    Good luck, and I look forward to reading your work.

  19. Laura Bradford says:

    This is so wrong, I MUST read more! What a fabulous hook! Please send me the full manuscript and synopsis (as attachments) at laura@bradfordlit.com. Please put Pitch Wars in your subject line.

    Can’t wait!
    Laura Bradford

    ***If you receive a request from more than one agent at Bradford Literary Agency, you are welcome to send to all agents who made the request, but just let us know when you send the material***

  20. Hannah Andrade says:

    Hi, I am so fascinated by this premise! I have to know more. 🙂 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!

  21. Sandy Lu says:

    Hi V.A.,

    I’m intrigued! Please send the full manuscript, preceded by your bio and complete synopsis (all in one Word document), to https://querymanager.com/SandyLu/Requested_Materials

    I look forward to reading more!

    Best,
    Sandy Lu
    Book Wyrm Literary Agency

  22. I’d like to see more— please send query letter, full manuscript, author bio, and synopsis to EWRquery@mcintoshandotis.com. Please attach all materials as Word documents, and include “Pitch Wars” in subject line. Thanks!