Have questions about submitting to Pitch Wars or just want to know what it is? Start here!

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 YA #32: FOR GOLD AND GLORY (Science Fantasy #OwnVoices)
Mentee:
Tanvi Berwah
Mentored by:
Rebecca Schaeffer
Book Title:
FOR GOLD AND GLORY
Category:
2019 Entries
Genre:
Science Fantasy (#ownvoices)
Word Count:
94,000

Pitch:

In an ocean world teeming with terrifying creatures, a working-class girl cheats her way into a deadly monster chariot tournament to save her dying sister. Winning means gold and glory. Losing, certain death.

 

Excerpt:

We hunt when the world sleeps. A risk that could get us killed. But it’s a risk we must take. I wake my brother up, ignoring his sleepy swear. “It’s three already. Baba told us to be at the Beach by now.”

Emrik clutches his mattress like a crab stubbornly clinging to a rock. When I yank his blanket off, he snarls, “Get out of my room.” His flying shoe thuds against the door as I shut it just in time.

The only light in the hallway is the haze of a single starfish above the door. Despite the bitter rumors in town about our family, we don’t get any electricity either.

I press back against the stone wall, the chill grounding me.

Minutes later, Emrik appears, dressed exactly like me. Black pants, fitted white shirt with collars to our chins. Boots molded to our feet after so long. Beneath, we’re both wearing skaya-threaded watersuits. The Hunter siblings.

His fist tightens on the doorknob.

Being nervous before a hunt is good.

It means we’re alert, not stupid.

“Koral,” he says, voice hoarse, all swears forgotten. “Is anyone else up?” His hair is far past his shoulders, almost as long as mine. Before I say anything, he has his answer: Liria’s asthmatic coughs echo in the silence.

The thought of our little sister choking on air isn’t helpful as we climb the claustrophobic corkscrew staircase, leaving the safety of our house for above ground. But it’s a good reminder of why the hunt needs to go perfectly, why we cannot afford to let a maristag escape tonight.

16 responses to “PW2019 YA #32: FOR GOLD AND GLORY (Science Fantasy #OwnVoices)”

  1. Megan Manzano says:

    I absolutely love the writing here! Please send your query, synopsis, and first 30 pages to https://querymanager.com/query/MeganManzano/PitchWars

  2. Hannah VanVels says:

    This sounds great, and I’d love to take a look at a partial. Please upload the first 50 pages to: QueryMe.online/MarisaCorvisiero/PitchWars

    Thanks,
    Hannah

  3. Elana Roth Parker says:

    Hi! I’d love to read more! Please email me at eparker [at] ldlainc [dot] com:

    * Subject line: PitchWars Submission: YOUR BOOK TITLE
    * Your query letter in the body of the email
    * The full manuscript attached as a Word document

    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.

    Thanks!
    Elana Roth Parker
    Laura Dail Literary Agency
    http://www.ldlainc.com

  4. Tara Gilbert says:

    You had me at tournament. Please use the link below to submit the full along with a synopsis and query letter.

    Thank you for considering me! If more than one Corvisiero agent shows interest, please choose one of us to submit to and let them know who else liked the pitch, so that we can share it with each other.

    QueryMe.online/TaraGilbert/Requested

  5. Beth Phelan says:

    Umm yes

    please send the first 50 pages (word doc) to querybeth@galltzacker.com with your query letter in the body of the email and “pitch wars” in the subject line. looking forward to reading!

    <3 beth

  6. Marlo Berliner says:

    This is off to a great start and I’d love to read more! Please send the full with Pitchwars YA in the subject line to marlo.jdlit@gmail.com. Looking forward to reading!

  7. Samantha Wekstein says:

    I’d love to see the first fifty pages of this! If you are interested, please send them as an attachment to samantha@thompsonliterary.com with your query in the email body and #pitchwars in the subject. Thank you!

  8. Alexandra Levick says:

    Hi Tanvi,

    I would love to take a closer look at this! Could you send the query and first 50 pages to me at alevick(at)writershouse.com? Please label your email with ‘PITCH WARS’ if you wouldn’t mind!

    So excited to dive in!
    Alexandra

    Alexandra Levick
    Literary Agent, Writers House, LLC.
    http://www.writershouse.com

  9. Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Tanvi,

    I would love to see this! Can you send your query and full manuscript to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com with #PitchWars in the subject line? Thanks so much!

    All best,
    Penelope

  10. Caitlen Rubino-Bradway says:

    I’d love to see more! Please send a full ms and synopsis to crubinobradway AT lkgagency DOT com.

  11. Sabrina Taitz says:

    Can’t wait to see the world building on this one. Please send the full manuscript in PDF format to staitz@wmeagency.com. Thank you! — Sabrina Taitz @ WME

  12. Rena Rossner says:

    Hi Tanvi!

    I’d love to read this full manuscript! Please send it attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com

    Excited to read!

    – Rena Rossner

  13. Kaitlyn Johnson says:

    This sounds so intense and creepy. I’d love to read the full. Please submit to QueryMe.online/KaitlynJohnson/Contests. Looking forward to diving in!

    Best,
    Kaitlyn Johnson
    Literary Agent
    Belcastro Literary Agency

  14. Andrea Morrison says:

    Dear Tanvi,
    I hope you’re well! It’s so exciting to see FOR GOLD AND GLORY pitched here – it sounds wonderful, and I loved reading your sample (and as you may remember, I loved reading your work in Foreshadow, as well). I’d very much like the opportunity to consider your full manuscript if you’re interested in sending it along – I’m at amorrison@writershouse.com.
    I really hope to hear from you!
    All best,
    Andrea

  15. Tamara Kawar says:

    Hi Tanvi,

    I’d absolutely love to read FOR GOLD AND GLORY! Could you please send your full manuscript to tkawar[at]icmpartners[dot]com and include “PW2019” in the subject line?

    Thank you!

    Best,
    Tamara

  16. Kerstin Wolf says:

    Monster chariot tournament is something I never thought I’d hear, but I am completely fascinated by it. I would love to see the full manuscript of this! If you think we might be a good match, please submit your full manuscript using this link: QueryMe.online/kerstinwolf/Pitch_Wars