Pitch:
Aisha didn’t know why her childhood crush, Brian, asked her to homecoming—they haven’t spoken in years. Still, she puts on the dress, abandoning her plans to focus on her Stanford application for one night, and sets out for the dance. But when Brian stands her up, Aisha decides she’s done playing it safe—jumping into the first car she sees. After Aisha confides in the car’s driver, Quentin, they strike a deal. If Aisha helps Quentin pass math, he’ll help Aisha complete her wishlist of things that’ll make senior year soar—and maybe even get to the bottom of why she was stand-upable. Between adventures with Quentin, pursuing Brian, and applying to Stanford, Aisha feels unstoppable. That is, until she realizes that her wishlist might be full of all the wrong things…
Excerpt:
There’s no Colonel-Mustard-did-it-in-the-study-with-a-candlestick way to summarize Brian’s crimes, but I’ll try.
Brian Wen and I used to be best friends. We spent summers catching fireflies in mason jars (and releasing them, after a scolding from Pa to respect all atmas on earth). There aren’t many Asian families in Arledge, so ours stuck together like Mrs. Wen’s sticky rice cakes. She tweezed the sesame seeds into a smiley, and Pa sent foil-coated burfi that beamed back.
Then, Mrs. Wen rose in the ranks at a local car company. Brian’s family moved out of our quaint neighborhood. Along with the sticky rice cakes, Brian stopped smiling at me.
He stopped being my friend.
Now, we’re two desks away in A.P. Literature, but Brian is oceans away. He’s docked on I’m-Rich-Slash-Hot Island, and I mean hot. For reference, I ordinarily reserve hot for Michigan summers, tea, and pockets.
Right then, Ms. Kavnick uncaps her expo marker with the gusto of unsheathing a sword. Before she addresses the class, Brian’s hand shoots up.
I would love to see this! Please send me your query and full manuscript to masha@azantianlitagency.com with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. If any other agents from ALA request this as well, please send to one of us at a time at your choice.
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.
Dear Ambika,
I LOVE this pitch!!! AISHA AND THE STICKY NOTE MANIFESTO sounds incredible, and your sample pages had me wanting more…I would so love to read your full manuscript if you’re open to sharing it with me? I’m at andreasubmissions (at) writershouse.com (we just ask that creators only submit to one Writers House agent at a time). Either way, it was such a pleasure to read your pitch, and congrats on being at this point in the Pitch Wars process!
Very best wishes,
Andrea Morrison
I’d love to read this! Please send query letter and first 50 pages to jessica@dhliterary.com.
Hi Ambika!
I love your premise and the opening to your novel, and I am really interested in what happens next. If you’re up for sharing with me, please send your query letter, a 1 or 2-page synopsis, and your full manuscript to https://querymanager.com/query/Jemiscoe/PitchWars. If someone else from my agency requests, please send it to only one of us, but let us know of our colleague’s interest, and we will share if it’s not the right fit.
Best,
Jem~
I would love to read this! I am focused on contemporaries and this feels right up my alley.
Please send 3 sample chapters plus synopsis to:
jenniferweis@rossyoon.com
Looking forward to reading!
Hi Ambika. Congrats on PitchWars. I love the voice here and can’t wait to see how Aisha navigates her senior year. Please use this link to upload your work: QueryManager.com/1353/PW2022
Thanks,
Joanna
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
I’d love to see this! If you’d like, can you send your query and full manuscript to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com with #PitchWars in the subject line? Thanks so much!
All best,
Penelope
Hi Ambika,
I’d love to take a look at your manuscript! Please upload your query to booksubmissions.caa.com with “Pitch Wars Request” in the subject line.
Best wishes,
Mollie
This sounds delightful, and I’d love to take a look! Please send me your query and first 50 pages at QueryManager.com/BridgetSmith/PitchWars2022. Can’t wait to read!
This sounds great! I would love to read more. Can you please send the full manuscript attached as a Word document to queries@parkfine.com with “Pete Knapp – Pitch Wars – YA” in the subject of your email? Please include the query letter at the start of your Word document, and if available please also send a short synopsis (but no worries if not readily available). Thanks! I look forward to reading.
Pete Knapp / Park & Fine Literary and Media
Hi Ambika! I have been looking for an awesome YA contemporary with touches of romance, and your pitch and clever writing (“For reference, I ordinarily reserve hot for Michigan summers, tea, and pockets” — that really made me smile!) caught my attention. If you’re interested, you can send your query and full to my special page here: https://querymanager.com/query/caitlinwhite/PitchWars
If more than one agent at Emerald City Literary Agency comments, feel free to send to any or all of us, and if more than one of us falls in love, we will work that out on our end!
Thank you and good luck! — Caitlin White (@caitforestell)
Hi, I’d love to see more! Please feel free to send your query and first 50 pages to Ameerah@serendipitylit.com
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!
I’d like to read the full manuscript. Can you send it and a query letter to claire@thebentagency.com. If you are submitting to multiple agents at our agency that’s more than okay, just let us know in your email. Thanks!
Wow! The premise and voice here are so wonderful and I’m a huge Clue lover (game and movie) so you had me at the opening line. 🙂 I’d really enjoy reading more! If you think we’d be a good match, can you please send the full to me using the submission form: QueryManager.com/Kari_Sutherland_Query_Form/PitchWars
Warm wishes,
What fun! Thanks for sharing your work at Pitch Wars. I’d love to read more! Please send the first 100 pages and synopsis to me at paige@cmalit.com. Please use “Requested Material from Pitch Wars” in your subject heading. Thanks so much.
Hi Ambika
I loved your pitch and excerpt, it gives me great BOOKSMART vibes! 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
Hi Ambika!
Wow–what an outstanding premise! My assistant and I are hooked (and we’re huge fans of Dante Medema as well!). 🙂
We would love to read this! 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
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!