Pitch:
Savannah dreams of being a TV-famous archeologist like her parents. When she sneaks on-set and unleashes an ancient curse, she must solve a magic puzzle, battle a ghostly Polish hussar, and outsmart her crush-turned-rival to break the spell...all while surviving seventh grade. If she fails, she'll be history.
Excerpt:
Savannah loved the stale scent of crypt dust. Sure, it made her sneeze and kept her curly, brown hair smelling gross all day long. But it meant something special.
It meant she was about to find something ancient.
She opened the camera app on her phone and started a video, focusing on the giant hill standing before her. It was a burial mound, carved into the earth and filled with treasure. The grassy knoll was flat on top, like someone had slid a cardboard box under a green quilt.
“Day one of our new dig in Poland!” she announced, scanning the camera across the landscape. Sun poured over the sides of the tomb like spilled lemonade. “Welcome to my video journal for the National Geographic Coolest Discovery Competition.”
The magazine had just announced the annual event, and this was the first year that Savannah Indiana, newly-minted twelve-year-old, was old enough to compete.
In one month, she would submit her video journals in hopes of winning the grand prize: a NatGeo TV episode dedicated to her. She could already picture her face going viral on screens across the globe. People would stop her in the grocery store to autograph their apples.
There was only one thing standing in her way. She had to, y’know, discover something.
That wouldn’t be too hard, since she and her family had just landed in Gdansk, where her parents would be filming the newest season of their TV show, Crypts and Catacombs.
I would love you to submit your Pitch Wars entry to me, using my Query Manager form: QueryManager.com/Amanda_Rutter/PitchWars Please send through the query letter and the full manuscript. If more than one Azantian agent requests materials, please pick the one you feel would fit you best.
I can’t resist a title with Indiana in it! If you decide to send to me (hopefully), please upload your query, synopsis, bio, and full manuscript using my query form: QueryManager.com/2011/PitchWars If another agent from Storm Literary Agency requests, you may send to both agents.
Hi, Amanda. SAVANNAH INDIANA sounds like everything that I didn’t even know I needed in MG! 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
Hi Amanda! I’m Caitlin and I’m with Emerald City Literary Agency. As an Indiana Jones superfan since I was about 5 years old, your pitch immediately captured my attention! If you’re interested, I would LOVE for you to send me your query and full manuscript here: https://querymanager.com/query/caitlinwhite/PitchWars
Please let me know if you get multiple requests from ECLA agents, and we will coordinate internally if one (or more!) of us falls in love with your manuscript.
Hi Amanda,
This sounds fun! I’d love to take a look. Please upload your material to booksubmissions.caa.com with “Pitch Wars Request” in the subject line.
Best wishes,
Mollie
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.
Hi Amanda,
Wow! This sounds fabulous! I would love to see more if you were comfortable sharing. Please submit your query, synopsis, and the full manuscript to: QueryManager.com/JenniferHerrington/PitchWars2022.
I hope to see your submission!
Jenn
Jennifer Herrington
Associate Agent
Harvey Klinger Literary Agency
Hi Amanda— This is so charming! And the premise is excellent. Please send your full manuscript as an attachment with your query letter in the email body to marcy@foliolit.com. Make sure to put Pitch Wars in the subject line so I can find it easily! If you happen to receive requests from my other colleagues, please select the agent you are most interested in working with and send materials only to them.
TV archeologists and ancient curses? Yes, please! I’d love to read more. Please copy/paste your pitch or query letter as the first page of your manuscript, and then click on this link to submit:
QueryManager.com/1350/PW2022
If you encounter any issues, please email query@nelsonagency.com and we will assist you. Thank you!
This sounds like so much fun! Please send me your query and full manuscript to masha@azantianlitagency.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. Should anyone else from ALA request to see this, you can just send it to one of us at a time at your choice.
Hi,
I would like to read more. This sounds like a fun manuscript. Please go to http://www.blueridgeagency.com, click on Submissions, and then click on my name. This will provide a button to take you to Query Manager. Please complete the form and upload your first three chapters. Please mention Pitchwars for who referred you. I look forward to reading your chapters. Thank you!
Dawn Dowdle
Blue Ridge Literary Agency
The voice is great and his sounds so fun! Please send me the full manuscript and synopsis (as attachments) at laura@bradfordlit.com. Please put Pitch Wars in your subject line.
Looking forward to it!
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***
I’d be delighted to consider this. Please see submission guidelines here: https://www.contextlit.com/submissions under Kaitlyn Sanchez, and please put PITCH WARS REQUEST and your genre and title in the subject line of the email. Thanks for sharing your work!
Hi Amanda,
I’d love a story with an Indiana Jones vibe, please do query me through my email, becca@darleyanderson.com and include #Pitch Wars in the subject line. Darley Anderson is a well established global agency and I am so pleased to be building a US focussed list in a team that includes a Film and TV agent and a well experienced international rights team.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Becca
I’d love to see this! Please query me at https://querymanager.com/query/kristinostby! If my colleague Chelsea Eberly has also requested it, please choose one of the two of us—whomever you think would be the best fit. Thank you so much!