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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.
PW2019 Adult #33: THE FAITHFUL DARK (Fantasy)
Mentee:
M. K. Havas
Mentored by:
Hayley Stone and Erin A. Tidwell
Book Title:
THE FAITHFUL DARK
Category:
2019 Adult Entries
Genre:
Fantasy
Word Count:
104,000

Pitch:

In a city where touch reveals holiness, soulless Csilla is worthless in the eyes of the Church that raised her. When a serial killer threatens their divine protection, she sees a chance to earn her place—and a miracle—by catching the murderer, even though it means helping a heretic. But when the conspiracy they uncover pits her against the faith she’s trying to save, her personal salvation may destroy everything she believes in.

 

Excerpt:

Three parts willow, six drops of poppy, mixed into an ale-jug of consecrated wine… 

Csilla swirled the mixture, then rapped on the weather-worn door. It opened before the echo of the first knock had faded. Elmere knew when his mercy visits were due.  

“How are you feeling?” she asked, waving him to the firelight. Lesions dotted his face and neck, and the wool over his elbows and knees had rubbed thin against his swollen joints. Bitter winter had been hard on everyone in Silgard, the sick most of all. 

Every day new smoke carried the ashes of the dead: those delivered by illness, or hunger, or battlefront injuries that refused to heal. Stomach-churning rumors suggested less natural deaths, but that was only fear. There was no such thing as murder in the brilliant city, but it was easier to believe in the impossible strike of a knife than accept that every soul was a frozen slip or cough away from the evermore.

Except for Csilla. She had no soul, no eternity waiting. She had mixtures and mercy work and, today, Elmere.

“Better,” Elmere answered as she poured blessed water onto fresh linen and dabbed at the open wounds. They did look cleaner, free of pus or crusting edges. “Surprised you’re working alone. I don’t suppose that means they’ve accepted your vows?”

9 responses to “PW2019 Adult #33: THE FAITHFUL DARK (Fantasy)”

  1. Sarah Landis says:

    I’m intrigued! Could you email the first 50 pages to me at slandis@sll.com? Looking forward to reading more! Thanks!

  2. Samantha Fabien says:

    Hi M.K,

    It’s so nice to e-meet you and congratulations on completing PitchWars! You should be proud of all your hard work. My name is Samantha Fabien and I’m an agent at the Laura Dail Literary Agency. This manuscript really caught my attention with the high stakes, unique voice, and exciting portrayal of religion in fantasy. I’m dying to read more! With that in mind, I’d love to read the full. Please send the manuscript with your THE FAITHFUL DARK + PitchWars for SAMANTHA to queries@LDLAinc.com. I hope to hear from you! 🙂

    If more than one LDLA agent requests your book, you are welcome to send to as many or few of us as you like. Just tell us in the query, and we’ll chat amongst ourselves.

  3. Laura Crockett says:

    Hi MK — I know I’ve seen a draft of this before, and it’s clear you’ve gone through some great revisions. I would be interested in seeing this again. Please send an email with subject line containing “Pitch Wars,” your official query in the body of the email, and the full manuscript in an attached Word doc to laura(at)triadaus(dot)com. Looking forward!
    -Laura Crockett, TriadaUS

  4. Rena Rossner says:

    Hi there!

    I would love to read this full manuscript. Please send it attached as a word document.

    Thank you!

    – Rena Rossner

  5. Sabrina Taitz says:

    Love this title. Would love to see more. Please send the query + full manuscript to staitz@wmeagency.com – thank you! Sabrina Taitz @ WME

  6. Paul Lucas says:

    M.K., I love this opening and am dying to read more. Please send the full to PLucas@Janklow.com with Pitch Wars in the subject.

  7. Bridget Smith says:

    I’d love to take a look! Please send the query (in the body) and the full manuscript (as an attachment) to querybridget@awfulagent.com, with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. Can’t wait to read!

  8. Sandy Lu says:

    Hi M. K.,

    Your writing is lovely. Please send the full manuscript with your bio and complete synopsis (all in one Word document) to sandy@lperkinsagency.com. I look forward to read more.

    Best,
    Sandy Lu
    L. Perkins Agency

  9. Cortney Radocaj says:

    Hi M.K.,

    I adore your premise and your first pages and would love to see more!!

    Please submit the first 50 pages of THE FAITHFUL DARK, along with your query and synopsis, here:

    QueryMe.Online/CortneyRadocaj/Requested

    Please also make sure to put “Pitch Wars” in the referral line or mention that I requested here in your query.

    I look forward to reading! 😊

    Warm Regards,

    Cortney Radocaj
    Associate Agent
    Belcastro Agency
    http://www.belcastroagency.com