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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 MG #02: DON’T PLAY THE BONE FLUTE (Horror; BIPOC)
Mentee:
Damara Allen
Mentored by:
Shannon A. Thompson and Sandra Proudman
Book Title:
DON'T PLAY THE BONE FLUTE
Category:
Middle Grade
Genre:
Horror; BIPOC
Word Count:
57,000

Pitch:

MG FEAR STREET X SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE

When 12-year-old Sam blows into a bone flute and makes a wish for his parents to stay together, he wakes up in another reality where his siblings don’t exist. Desperate for answers, he meets Lena—a spunky girl who shares his fate. Together, they set out on a mission to unravel a centuries-old mystery and save their alternate selves from a vengeful healer before they’re trapped in the wrong reality forever.

 

Excerpt:

Heights aren’t my thing. Being up high makes my head spin and butterflies surge into my stomach. The high dive at Lake Ingershall stretches out over the blue-green water, twenty feet above the glittery surface. Taunting me. Everyone else in the seventh grade can make the jump. Heck, even most of the sixth graders have done it. But not me.

My nine-year-old brother, Grayson, plops down on the beach blanket next to me. His curly black hair is dusted with sand, and his light brown skin is shiny from the sunscreen Mom made him put on when we got here.

“This is weird,” he says, his mouth puckering. “Why did they let us skip school and come to the beach?”

“Who cares?” I say, watching Mom and Dad chase our three-year-old sister, Addie, across the sand. “We’re at the beach on a school day. Derek’s gonna freak when I tell him.”

“Sam,” Grayson says, impatient. “Don’t you think Mom and Dad are being strange?”

I shake my head. “No.”

It’s just like Grayson to try and ruin an epic day at the beach by being grumpy. Never mind that Mom’s eyes were puffy as she drank her coffee this morning, and that Dad carried the beach chairs to the car with a sad smile on his face.

16 responses to “PW2021 MG #02: DON’T PLAY THE BONE FLUTE (Horror; BIPOC)”

  1. Paige Wheeler says:

    This looks intriguing. I’d love to take a look at the first 50 pages. Please email me the first 50 pages and the synopsis to my email address, paige@cmalit.com. In the subject heading write “Requested MG from Pitchwars” and I’ll do my best to expedite it. Thank you!

  2. Haley Casey says:

    Hi, Damara. I’ve been looking for more MG horror, and this title alone left me fully invested in your premise. If you’re willing, I would love to have the full manuscript, synopsis, and an author bio sent to me at haley@cmalit.com! As a note, if another agent at Creative Media Agency requests your work, please only send your materials to whichever agent you feel would be the best fit. (Though I hope it’s me, I hope even more sincerely that you make the best choice for you and the future of your writing.) Thanks! —Haley

  3. Beth Phelan says:

    What a cool premise! I’d love to read.

    Please submit your query letter and the full manuscript at this link: QueryManager.com/querybeth/PitchWars. I’d appreciate it if you pasted your query letter as the first page of your manuscript (like a sort of cover sheet), so when I send it to my kindle, I’ll have both!

    If another agent at GZLA requests your work as well, feel free to submit to both of us, but let us know that the other has it too.

  4. Alexandra Weiss says:

    Hi Damara! I’m completely hooked by your pitch and the excerpt has me wanting to read more. I would love to request the full manuscript.

    If you’d like to send it my way, please upload it here: QueryManager.com/AlexandraWeiss/PitchWars2021

    ​Alexandra Weiss (she/her)
    Azantian Literary Agency
    http://www.azantianlitagency.com

  5. Jessica Errera says:

    Dear Damara, I am a sucker for alternate realities/timelines so would love to read your full manuscript. Please send it (and your query and/or synopsis) via email to jerrera@janerotrosen.com. If you could mention PitchWars in the subject line that would be great. Looking forward to reading!

  6. Allison Hellegers says:

    This is just the kind of book that kids are looking for theses days – escapist and fun – and a relatable voice (from what I can tell in the sample). I’d love to take a look! You can e-mail a query, a full synopsis, and the first 50 pages to alli@sls-submissions.com

  7. Eva Scalzo says:

    Hi Damara,

    I love how this story seems to explore what it means to be a family, especially in this age category. I’d love to see the full manuscript, if you are interested in sending it my way. You can submit the full here: QueryManager.com/evascalzo/PitchWars2022

    And if you want to know more about me, here’s a link to my website: http://www.evascalzo.com and my twitter handle is @evascalzo.

    Best of luck to you!
    Eva

  8. Masha Gunic says:

    I would love to take a look at this one! Please send your query and full to masha@azantianlitagency.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject. Should more agents at ALA request to see this, you can just send it to us one at a time at your choice.

  9. Hi, Damara,

    This is intriguing! I’d love to read more! Can you send me the full and a synopsis (2-4 pages)? Please use Times New Roman, size 12, black, double-spaced text, 1” margins all around, and ½” paragraph indents. Paste your pitch in the body of the email and attach the manuscript and synopsis as two separate Word documents (docx). Send to: lynnette (at) theseymouragency (dot) com and add “Pitch Wars Request” along with your title in the subject line. Thanks.

    If more than one agent from The Seymour Agency likes your entry, please send requested material to the agent you feel will be the best fit. #OneAgentAtATime

    Looking forward to reading more.

    Best,

    Lynnette

  10. Saritza Hernandez says:

    This sounds so cool! I’d love to read the full! If you think we could be a good fit, please submit the materials via my QueryManager form here: QueryManager.com/Saritza/PitchWars

    If more than one ABLA agent has requested the pages, please let us know via the form and we’ll make sure to share.

    Looking forward to reading this one.

    ~Saritza

  11. Carlisle Webber says:

    I’d like to see this manuscript! Please submit it along with a query letter here: QueryManager.com/Carlisle/PitchWars2022.

    If more than one agent from Fuse Literary requests your work, please choose one of us to submit to.

    Good luck, and I look forward to reading your work.

  12. Erica Bauman says:

    Hi Damara,

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! Your pitch sounds amazing, and the excerpt is already so gripping! I’d love to have the chance to read the full manuscript. If you could please submit your query and materials using my Query Manager link: QueryManager.com/EricaBauman/PitchWars

    I’m looking forward to reading more!

    All my best,
    Erica

  13. Katelyn Detweiler says:

    Hi Damara,

    This sounds fabulous! Could you please send your query and full manuscript to me at katelyn@jillgrinbergliterary.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line? (Please note, if multiple agents from Jill Grinberg Literary Management request your ms, we ask that you only share with one.) Thank you!

    Best,
    Katelyn

  14. Cate Hart says:

    I’d love to take a look at the full manuscript. It’s sounds intriguing. Please send along using QueryManager.com/CateHart/REQ

  15. Rena Rossner says:

    Hi there!

    I’d love to read the first 50 pages of this. Please send them attached as a word document along with your query pasted into the email to: rena@dhliterary.com

    Best,

    Rena Rossner
    The Deborah Harris Agency

  16. Christa Heschke says:

    Hi Damara!

    This sounds incredible–what a standout premise! My assistant Daniele and I would love to read your book.

    Please send your query, synopsis, and full manuscript via Query Manager at this link: QueryManager.com/christa_heschke/PitchWars2122

    Thank you!
    -Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis