Pitch:
WINTER’S BONE x PRACTICAL MAGIC. Secrets don’t stay buried long in Rue Perkins’ tiny Ozarks town. When the local golden boy shows up after being presumed dead, Rue suspects he’s hiding a dark crime. But to discover the truth, Rue risks revealing her family’s biggest secret: that the Perkins women are witches, and her own twin sister may have made an unforgivable exchange for her magic.
Excerpt:
My rules are simple: get in and get out.
Lunch hour is slipping away, and I’ve sat in my truck for most of it, thinking about the ways this can go wrong.
Dog-day cicadas scream like a hissing buzz saw, whining to a fever pitch and dying down with a slow, softening sigh. On a day like this the backs of my thighs stick to my truck’s cracked vinyl seats. The windows are cranked down, but the breeze is dead. Gone. My hair slithers down the back of my neck in damp snakes, and I yank it into a ponytail, drumming up enough courage to do what I need to do.
Across the street, Rocky’s Rec is a spot of activity in a long stretch of sad shopfronts. Cain, Arkansas, is the kind of dying town they talk about on national news, but here, Harleys line up along the curb, their chrome sparkling hard in the stark September sun.
I need to get out of this truck. I have to. If I don’t, I could have this black hole in my memory forever. Not to mention detention for showing up late to fifth period.
The rusty hinges on my Sierra Grande creak as I jump out and land on the simmering blacktop. I push into Rocky’s Rec, blinking through the smoky gloom at the words trickling down the back wall–hell is here.
Hi Mara,
Oh my goodness this sounds intriguing–right up my alley! A gothic twin story would be a dream come true for me to work on. I’d love to see more of this one. If you’d like, please send the first 25-30 pages to QueryMe.online/1325/PitchWars. Thanks and I hope to hear from you!
Karyn Fischer
Hi Mara: This sounds great! I’d love to see the full manuscript and synopsis. Please upload them here: QueryMe.online/KimLionetti/PitchWars. Can’t wait to read it! – Kim
Hi Mara,
This sounds great – I’d love to keep reading! Can you please send the full manuscript to queries@parkfine.com attached as a Word document, along with a 1-3 (or so) page synopsis if available (in the same document as the MS or attached as a separate doc is fine)? Please include a query letter in the body of the email and put “PitchWars Submission – Pete Knapp” in the subject of the email. Thanks so much for the opportunity, and I look forward to reading!
With warm regards,
Pete Knapp
Park & Fine Literary and Media
This is so intriguing, please send query + full manuscript to QueryMe.online/evascalzo/PitchWars
I. Am. All. In. Love the premise and the voice! 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!
Color me interested, Mara. Having gone to school in Arkansas I love this vibe you have going here. I would love to see the full. Please upload to QueryMe.online/natascha/PitchWars.
Thank you!
Best,
Natascha Morris
BookEnds Literary
Hi Mara,
I’m intrigued. I’d love to take a look! Please send the ms as a doc to medwards at stonesong dot com. Thanks!!
All best,
Melissa
I’d love to have a look! Kindly send the manuscript to me at jmccarthy@dystel.com. Good luck, and have fun!
Best,
Jim
Hi Mara,
I’d love to read this! As the agency for Daniel Woodrell, I think it would be an awesome fit. Please feel free to email ASlater@tridentmediagroup.com with the full.
Many thanks,
Alex Slater
Trident Media Group
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
Hi Mara,
I would absolutely love to read this – will you send me your query and first 20 pages to tara@emliterary.com at your convenience, and mention Pitch Wars in the subject? There’s no timeline on my end, just whenever you feel ready!
Thanks so much!
Tara Gonzalez
Associate Agent
Erin Murphy Literary Agency
http://emliterary.com/
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!
Dear Mara,
I’m fascinated by this setting and would love to read further! Could you send along your query and first 100 pages as a Microsoft Word attachment, with #PitchWars in the subject line, to abishop (at) dystel (dot) com?
I look forward to reading!
All best,
Amy
Hi Mara,
This sounds fantastic, and I’d love to read more! Could you please send a query and the full manuscript to ebauman@aevitascreative.com, and put “Pitch Wars” in the subject line?
Looking forward!
All best,
Erica
Hi Mara,
I would love to read more! Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com
Thank you!
My best,
Hillary
I love witches, I love Practical Magic, I love Southern Gothic, and I love a good mystery, so I’m definitely interested in reading more of this (also the writing that I’ve seen so far is fantastic)!
Would you please send me your query in the body of an email, with the first 100 pages attached as a Word doc? The subject of the email should be “THE IRONWOOD GIRLS” and you can reach me at cpestritto(at)ldlainc(dot)com.
Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you!
Hi, Mara —
I would love to read more of THE IRONWOOD GIRLS. Please send the first 5 chapters to me at your earliest convenience (jhanson@metamorphosisliteraryagency.com).
Thank you so much, and I wish you the very best of luck in Pitch Wars!
Jana Hanson
I’m intrigued! I’d love to read the full manuscript. Could you email to me at slandis@sll.com? Thanks!!
I’d like to see this! Please send 10 pages and a query letter to carlisle @ fuseliterary .com with the subject PItch Wars – TITLE. Thanks!
The voice here gives me definite Veronica Mars vibes! I’m intrigued and would love to see more. Please send query, full synopsis and first three chapters (and reference PItch Wars in subject line) to Tara@onetrackliterary.com if you’d like.
Hi Mara,
I love a good witch story, and this sounds so good! Your sample is intriguing, I’d love to read more. Please follow the directions on my query form and submit your MS here: QueryMe.online/LiteraryPenny/PitchWars2020. Thanks!
All the Best,
Penny Moore
I would love to take a look at this. Can you email me the first fifty pages as either a PDF or DOCX or RTF? Put the words “Pitchwars 2020 request” in your subject line. Thank you so much!
Hi Mara,
I would love to see this! Can you send your query and first fifty pages to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com with #PitchWars in the subject line? Thanks so much!
All best,
Penelope
I’m a sucker for witches! May I please see the full manuscript + synopsis? It would also be great if you could include ‘Pitch Wars Request’ in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
Lauren Spieller, TriadaUS Literary Agency
lauren@triadaus.com
Hi Mara,
Would love to read this. Could you send the full manuscript to mollie.glickasst@caa.com?
Best,
Mollie Glick
Would love to read more! Please send me your full manuscript with your query pasted into the first page (a word .doc is best but an .rtf will also work). Send to suzie@newleafliterary.com. You can put PITCH WARS REQUEST in the subject line.
Practical Magic is one of my favorite movies/books. I’d love to see more. Please query me at this link (QueryMe.online/QueryQuressa/PW20192020) and follow the directions. If more than one NLA agent requests work from you it is okay to query more than one of us, just give us a heads-up. Good luck!
I’d love to see more of this! Please send the first 50 pages as a Word doc or PDF attachment to melissa@rpcontent.com with Pitch Wars in the subject line. Thank you!
-Melissa Nasson, Rubin Pfeffer Content
Love the hook! The excerpt is just barely launching into what will come and I’d love to read further…
Please email me the full ms + synopsis and make a note in the subject line that this is a Pitch Wars entry. laura at bradfordlit dot com.
Laura Bradford
Bradford Literary Agency
The voice and concept for this feel so captivating. I’d love to read the full. Please send to QueryMe.online/KaitlynJohnson/Contests. Looking forward to diving in!
Best,
Kaitlyn Johnson
Literary Agent
Belcastro Literary Agency
Hi Mara,
I love Southern Gothic! 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
Dear Mara,
I hope this finds you well. It was great to read your Pitch Wars blog post, as well as your pitch and sample. Your prose is electric and I wish I could turn the page already! I would LOVE to read THE IRONWOOD GIRLS. If you’re interested in sharing, could you send the full manuscript to me at amorrison@writershouse.com?
I really hope to hear from you!
My best,
Andrea
Hi Mara,
I’d love to read the full! Please email me directly at colleen@adventurewrite.com. Paste your query and synopsis directly into the body and attach your full. Thanks and looking forward to reading!
Colleen
Colleen Oefelein
Associate Agent
The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
245 Park Avenue
39th Floor
New York NY 10167
212-372-8989
colleen@adventurewrite.com
http://www.jdlit.com
Facebook: Colleen Oefelein
Twitter: @eerie_o
Celebrating 19 years of making dreams come true!
Hi! I’d love to see this. Please send a query and 25 pages to symondsqueries@thebentagency.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. I’m looking forward to reading more!
Hi Mara, I’d love to see more of 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.
I have a soft spot for Southern Gothic and this sounds great! Please send the full manuscript and query to chquery [at] mcintoshandotis [dot] com. Please put “Pitch Wars request” and the title in the subject line. Can’t wait to read!
–Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis
I love this! This is right up my alley–both your comp titles are on my MSWL. 🙂 You can submit via my online submission form:
http://QueryMe.Online/dorianmaffei
Dear Mara,
I would love to have a look at THE IRONWOOD GIRLS. Please feel free to be in touch with me–with a synopsis and your first three chapters–via my box at this link:
https://stimolaliterarystudio.com/#/Submissions
It would be great if you could write REQUESTED MATERIAL at the top of your e-mail.
Thank you so much; I’m looking forward to it!
Best wishes,
Allison Remcheck
Hi Mara,
I would love to read 50 pages of this! Would you please email me and my assistant, Alice, the first 50 pages as a Word document or a PDF, and please make the subject line “Pitch Wars 2020”? We look forward to reading! ahenkin@tridentmediagroup.com and henkin.assistant@tridentmediagroup.com. https://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/alyssa-eisner-henkin/
Best,
Alyssa Henkin
I’d love to take a look! Please send the query and the first twenty pages to querybridget@awfulagent.com. Thanks – can’t wait to read more!
Dear Mara,
I’m so intrigued! I’d love to read more if you’d like to send the full manuscript to cindy.uh@caa.com.
Best,
Cindy
Hi Mara, I am intrigued and would love to read more! Please send a query + 50 pages to shannon@marsallyonliteraryagency.com (with PitchWars in the subject line). Thanks, Shannon
I love the voice here and have been looking for a great Southern voice with a WINTER’S BONE setting–so excited this has witches and is a Southern Gothic! I hope you will send me the full manuscript to read with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line to: submissions (at) greenhouseliterary (dot) com. Thank you!
Heck yeah! Would love to see more of this! Please send this pitch in the body of an email, synopsis and first fifty pages attached as a Word doc, with YA PITCHWARS and your title in the subject, to Jennifer@theseymouragency.com.
I’d really like to read more! Please email me the full manuscript at diana at foxliterary dot com. (Including “Pitch Wars Request” in the subject line is also helpful but not required.)