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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 YA #11: THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ (Contemporary Fantasy – Latinx #OwnVoices)
Mentee:
Briana Miano Ruiz
Mentored by:
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland and Sandra Proudman
Book Title:
THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ
Category:
2019 Entries
Genre:
Contemporary Fantasy (Latinx #OwnVoices)
Word Count:
95,000

Pitch:

After her mother’s death, Sophie’s wish to escape into her imaginary world becomes reality with the help of an enchanted quill. One problem: Her sister has fallen in with her. Stuck, Sophie must grapple with more than a bruja-cursed prince to get them home. She’ll need to navigate a story that’s no longer the one she wrote. THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER + INKHEART.

 

Excerpt:

Scientists say it’s possible other worlds exist, but I know for a fact there are three: The World of Before, the World of After, and the World of Eden.

The World of Before is vivid colors and bright lights. It’s shiny, like a new penny, and just as useless. Because the World of Before doesn’t exist anymore. It lives in memories where it thrives in embellishment and is gilded in gold and silver. Where it calls to me so loud, I can’t forget how much I wish to go back.

But I’m stuck in After.

My cheek sticks to my desk when I lift my head. It’s dark and the streetlight paints the early morning a sepia tone. The house is quiet. It’s always quiet. Like everyone still alive became a ghost by association.

My heart thuds dully in my chest.

Don’t think. Don’t think. Don’t think.

I’m vaguely hungry, which is my state of being lately. Hollow but knowing nothing can fill me. I sit up and fish Pop-Tarts out of a shelf beneath my desk. There’s an open packet already and I take a piece, the brown sugar melting against my tongue. Out in the hall, a door creaks open, and shuffling footsteps follow.

Sara passes my room. She doesn’t pause the way she would’ve a week ago. Or slam open my door to scare me the way she liked to a month ago.

25 responses to “PW2019 YA #11: THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ (Contemporary Fantasy – Latinx #OwnVoices)”

  1. Karyn Fischer says:

    Hi Briana,

    This sounds wonderful–right up my alley! I’d love to see more. 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

  2. Quressa Robinson says:

    I’m intrigued by the enchanted quill and love the voice! 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!

  3. Megan Manzano says:

    The concept and writing are gorgeous! I’d love to see more. Please send your query, synopsis, and first 30 pages to https://querymanager.com/query/MeganManzano/PitchWars

  4. Eva Scalzo says:

    I love this! Please send the query + full manuscript to QueryMe.online/evascalzo/PitchWars

  5. I’m intrigued by the world you’ve created here, and by the opening scene. I’d love to read more. If you could please send your query, full manuscript and a complete, detailed synopsis to hilaryquery@ktliterary.com with “Pitchwars: Your Title” in the subject field. Can’t wait to dive in!

  6. Marlo Berliner says:

    Intriguing premise! 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. Melissa Edwards says:

    Hi Briana,

    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

  8. 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

  9. Erica Bauman says:

    Hi Briana,

    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

  10. Jennifer Unter says:

    Great voice & concept – I’d love to read more! Please forward the first 50 pages to jen.nadol(at)theunteragency(dot)com with PW Request in the subject line. Thanks!

  11. Hannah Fergesen says:

    Hi Briana, I love the voice in your pages and would love to read the full! Would you please send it along with a full synopsis in Word format to hannah@ktliterary.com, with Pitch Wars Request + your title in the subject line?

    I’m really looking forward to reading!
    Hannah

  12. Ginger Clark says:

    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!

  13. Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Briana,

    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

  14. Melissa Nasson says:

    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

  15. Kari Sutherland says:

    This is really intriguing and I love Sophie’s voice. Can you please query me here with “Pitch Wars” in the title? https://querymanager.com/query/Kari_Sutherland_Query_Form

  16. Andrea Morrison says:

    Dear Briana,
    Your excerpt is beautiful, and I enjoyed reading your Pitch Wars blog post and pitch. I’d love to read your full novel if you’re interested in sending it along to amorrison@writershouse.com. I hope to see THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ in my inbox!
    All best,
    Andrea

  17. Jessica Craig says:

    Hi, I’m a “nice” Scorpio too and I’m interested in learning something new about Colombian culture before I visit Bogota this spring. Your excerpt intrigues me and I would love to read more of The Many Worlds of Sophie Ruiz. Please send me your full manuscript with PitchWars + title + your name in the subject heading. submissions@craigliterary.com

  18. Hi Briana,

    THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ sounds so good! I love a sister story, and toss some magic in there? Totally here for it. If you think we’d be a good fit (you can find more about me and my tastes here: https://www.jdlit.com/savannah-brooks and here: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/savannah-brooks/), head to http://queryme.online/1346 to submit more info and a 20-page sample. Be sure to put Pitch Wars 2020 in the referral section or as part of the title (ex: THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ: Pitch Wars 2020).

    I’m looking forward to reading more!

    Best,
    Savannah

  19. Alexandra Weiss says:

    Hi Briana! This sounds so lovely. I’d love to request the first 50 pages, which you can send to me at http://queryme.online/AlexandraWeiss/PitchWars2019.

    Thanks so much!
    Alexandra Weiss
    The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

  20. Nicole Payne says:

    I would love to read more! Please send query, synopsis, and first 3 chapters in the body of the email to Nicole@goldenwheatliterary.com. Thanks!

  21. Christa Heschke says:

    I’m hooked! 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

  22. Elizabeth Bewley says:

    Dear Briana,
    I’d be excited to read your full manuscript. Can you please email it to me at ebewley@sll.com?
    Thanks!
    Elizabeth Bewley
    Sterling Lord Lit

  23. Heather Cashman says:

    Hi, Briana. I love the comps and your intriguing beginning! If you think we’d be a good fit, please query me at http://QueryMe.Online/HeatherCashman with Pitch Wars in the referral line, and I’ll respond soon with a full request so you can upload the file. Thanks!

  24. Amelia Appel says:

    Hi Briana,

    I love everything about this premise, and this opening has me ready to have my heart broken. I’m dying to read more. Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc. attachment to amelia@triadaus.com and please include your pitch, full synopsis, and author bio in the email. Please also put “PITCH WARS REQUEST – THE MANY WORLDS OF SOPHIE RUIZ” as the subject line so I can keep an eye out!

    Thank you so much and I can’t wait to read!

    All best,
    Amelia

  25. Erin Harris says:

    Hi Briana,

    Thank you for participating in Pitch Wars! I LOVE the writing and the premise here. Please send the full manuscript to eharris@foliolit.com, along with your full query letter (description of project + author bio) with “Pitch Wars” in the subject of your email.

    I look forward to reading and talking further!

    All best,
    Erin

    ERIN HARRIS VP / LITERARY AGENT
    _________________________________________________
    Folio Literary Management |Harold Ober Associates |Folio Jr.
    630 9th Avenue, Suite 1101, New York, NY 10036
    212-400-1494 x350 | eharris@foliolit.com | FolioLit.com