Pitch:
Memories of his dead family haunt grieving archaeology student Jasper, whose only solace lies in unearthing the burials and artefacts of prehistoric Britain. When a charming yet emotionally unpredictable Irishman tries seducing him back to the present, it will take all of Jasper's heart to finally bury his dead and start curating a new, chosen family.
Excerpt:
Does your life matter if no one’s around to witness it? Imagine if everyone forgets you’ve ever existed, and all that’s left of you are a few inconsequential clues.
Let’s say I died right now.
Imagine this is Pompeii instead of the Haddon Library and Vesuvius erupts, killing me instantly. Nothing’s left of me but negative space entombed in ash, and a paltry handful of the shit I lug about in my rucksack that by some miracle wasn’t incinerated in the chaos.
What can you find out about me based on what’s left? Aside from my wallet—spoiler alert: Cambridge uni ID for one Jasper Michael Thomas and three quid—you’ll find a battered smartphone with cutting-edge technology…from 2013. A relict laptop. Hobnobs for daily emergencies. A notebook. Pens. Inhaler. His Dark Materials trilogy, for when required readings are too dull.
No exotic artefacts or ancient secrets found here. Really, those are rather shambolic grave goods. Poor sap, future archaeologists will say.
Chairs scrape the wooden floor. Thin light falls from tall windows.
Glancing up from my laptop, I dare look across the room. It’s pointless, but I can’t help it. It’s been a year since I first saw Jack McEwan.
Chestnut hair, pale skin, freckles. A grin that ruins me…and everyone else who crosses his path.
Mercifully, Jack’s oblivious as ever.
I’m so outside his orbit that I’m in the next galaxy.
Jack would have some class grave goods, no doubt.
I would love to take a look! Please send a query along with your full manuscript as a Word attachment and #Pitchwars in the subject line to me at jordy@thebookeralbertagency.com. Thanks!
Hi Hugh,
This sounds great! Please send the full manuscript my way at mollie.glickasst@caa.com.
Best,
Mollie Glick
Great writing and interesting pitch – would love to read more! Please forward the first 50 pages as a Word attachment to jen.nadol (at) theunteragency (dot) com with PW Request in the subject line. Thanks!
Would love to read more. Please send the full manuscript to staitz@wmeagency.com – thank you! Sabrina Taitz @ WME
Hi Hugh,
I’d really love to read HOW TO BURY THE LIVING. Could you please send the full manuscript as a Word doc to tkawar[at]icmpartners[dot]com? Please make sure to include “PW2019” in your subject line.
Thank you!
Best,
Tamara
Hi Hugh, I’d like to read more. Would you please send your query (body of the email) and the first 50 pages (Word doc)? spelletier@dystel.com
Thanks,
Sharon
Hi, Hugh, I’d love to take a look at this! If you’d like, send the full manuscript to ashley@reesagency.com and put QUERY PITCH WARS in the subject line. Hope to hear from you soon!
Dear Hugh,
May I request the manuscript as a Word document sent to submissions@stonesong.com with “Pitch Wars” as part of the subject line?
Many thanks,
Emmanuelle Morgen
I’d love to see more. Please email the full manuscript with the query letter, proposal/synopsis, and an author bio to EWRquery@mcintoshandotis.com. Please attach all materials as Word documents, and include in your subject line: “PITCH WARS REQUEST – (Title of Project)”.