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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.
PW2021 Adult #39: CATCH US IF YOU CAN (Contemporary Romance)
Mentee:
Tauri Cox
Mentored by:
Brooke Abrams and Falon Ballard
Book Title:
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
Category:
Adult
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Word Count:
86,000

Pitch:

OCEAN’S ELEVEN meets EMILY IN PARIS

Violet Abrams lacks two things: life experience and grad school tuition. When a charming French conman offers her a deal – pose as his fiancée and he’ll not only split his profits but spice up her resumé, too – Violet figures she can bend the rules, just this once. Swindling their way through Provence, she falls for more than the rosé. But as the police close in, Violet must choose: risk her future or break her own heart.

 

Excerpt:

They say Paris is the perfect place to fall in love.

For me, it was just another calculated step of my ten-year plan. At least, it had been.

My scuffed heels clicked on the marble floors of the Ritz Hotel lobby. Amidst the ornate chandeliers and sky-high windows, I stood out like a sore thumb. My dress was five seasons out of style, my hair in a hasty bun. I didn’t sparkle like the stars in the Parisian sky or the diamonds dripping off the woman in the scarlet ballgown ahead of me.

But I wasn’t here for couture or jewels.

The rejection letter crinkled in my tight grip. A life of perfecting my resumé – with the famed Sorbonne immersion program as the final puzzle piece – had been derailed.

The decision had to be a mistake. No scholarship meant no MIT doctorate program, and that simply wasn’t bearable.

The end-of-term fundraiser spilled over from the bar at the back. I tucked myself into a shadowed corner and scanned the crowd: guests mingling, champagne flutes tinkling, false laughter tittering. Searching for Director Perrault was like looking for a needle in a very luxurious haystack, but it was my last chance to beg him to call the scholarship review board and convince them I was the right choice.

18 responses to “PW2021 Adult #39: CATCH US IF YOU CAN (Contemporary Romance)”

  1. Sarah Landis says:

    I’d love to read the full manuscript! Could you email it to me at slandis@sll.com? -Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic

  2. Paige Wheeler says:

    You had me at Provence. I’d love to take a look at more of your work. Please email me the synopsis and first 100 pages to me at paige@cmalit.com. Please write “Pitch Wars Requested Material” in the subject heading. Thanks so much!

  3. Lauren Spieller says:

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! I’d love to read more. Please send your query + full manuscript + synopsis to Lauren@triadaus.com, and put “PW Request” in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you! ~Lauren Spieller

  4. Jen Nadol says:

    Hi Tauri,
    Love the premise and would like to see more! If you think we’d be a match, please send a query & opening 50 pages to jen.nadol@theunteragency.com
    Thanks!
    Jen

  5. Lori Galvin says:

    Dear Tauri,
    Thank you for sharing your work. I would love to see the full. Could you please send to lgalvin@aevitascreative.com with Pitchwars in the subject line. Please feel free to submit to other ACM agents who request. Thank you so much.
    Sincerely,
    Lori

  6. Jessica Mileo says:

    I’d love to consider this! Could you please send me the full manuscript at Jessica@inkwellmanagement.com?

  7. Sophie Cudd says:

    Hi Tauri, I’m interested in reading your manuscript. Please send it along to mking.assistant@wmeagency.com!

  8. Sarah N. Fisk says:

    Ok I love a good con artist story. Please submit the query, synopsis and first three chapters here: https://querymanager.com/query/sarahnfisk/PitchWars

    If multiple agents at Tobias request your materials, please submit to the one you think would be the best fit.

  9. Jessica Errera says:

    Dear Tauri, I’m so intrigued by this idea and would love to see more (I hope no tiny driving gloves or bucket hats make an appearance though!). Please send your synopsis and first three chapters (if you have a query letter, also welcome) to jerrera(at)janerotrosen(dot)com at your convenience. Pitch Wars in the subject line would be appreciated!

  10. Isabel Kaufman says:

    What fun—I’d love to see where this is going! Please send your query letter and the first 5 pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to submissions@foxliterary.com, with ATTN: ISABEL and PITCH WARS in the title of the email. So looking forward to reading more!

  11. Laura Stone says:

    Hi, I’d like to see more. Please go to http://blueridgeagency.com/LauraStone.html and complete the submission process. This will include a query letter, a full synopsis (all major points and the ending), and the first three chapters. Ensure your chapters are formatted with 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced, with indented paragraphs. Please state in the query letter that I requested the submission through Pitch Wars.

  12. Allison Hellegers says:

    I’d LOVE to read more! If interested, you can e-mail a query, a full synopsis, and the first 50 pages to alli@sls-submissions.com. Thanks, and good luck!

  13. Alex Rice says:

    Would love to see this manuscript in my inbox! Please send over the full manuscript and a synopsis to me at alex.rice@caa.com, using the subject line of “Pitch Wars Query // TITLE.” If another agent at CAA also requests, please include their name in the query as well. Looking forward to reading! All my best, Alex Rice

  14. Dani Segelbaum says:

    I would love to read! Please send your query and first 50 pages to dani@carolmannagency.com.

  15. Laura Bradford says:

    I can’t get enough of con artist/grifter stories and what an amazing setting for one! This sounds so good! Please send me the full manuscript and synopsis (as attachments) at laura@bradfordlit.com and please put Pitch Wars in your subject line.

    Can’t wait!
    Laura Bradford

    ***If you receive a request from more than one agent at Bradford Literary Agency, you are welcome to send to all agents who made the request, but just let us know when you send the material***

  16. Nicole Payne says:

    I’d love to take a look at this. Please send query, synopsis and first 5 chapters to nicole@goldenwheatliterary.com with Pitch Wars in the subject line. Thanks!

  17. “I’d like to see more— please send query letter, full manuscript, author bio, and synopsis to EWRquery@mcintoshandotis.com. Please attach all materials as Word documents, and include “Pitch Wars” in subject line. Thanks!”

  18. Alyssa Reuben says:

    I’d like to read this! Please send your query + full MS via email to Areuben@wmeagency.com. Please include “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. Also, if anyone else at WME has requested your material, please let me know!