Pitch:
Fifty-four countries. One will be crowned champion of The Wana Cup. After accidentally selling an Almaz stone and exposing Africa’s secret magic, the only way 17-year-old Ma’aza can avoid life imprisonment is entering the tournament as Ethiopia’s player. And she’s not only battling against other players but an ancient political war that could tear the continent apart.
Excerpt:
The sight of Mathew Sanders approaching––pale, blue-eyed, handsome––evoked the exact opposite emotion of when I first saw him in seventh grade.
There was anger now. Disgust. Maybe even hate.
Thick clouds shrouded the hall windows, allowing little light to filter through. Somehow, this only emphasized the shine of his white shirt. I almost rolled my eyes. The last thing nature needed to do was cast more attention on Mathew.
“You ready, Mazi?” He rubbed his hands together. We’d both left our previous class early to discuss our deal––money in exchange for his shot at the basketball finals.
I cringed at the nickname. It was Ma’aza. Or Maz. “I am, are you?”
At a closer glance, his face had pinched more than usual, eyes a little dazed. “Yeah, I guess.”
He ran his hands over his forearm. Again. Then again.
I nearly reached out to swat it away. If this was his idea of being subtle, he’d give us away long before we’d make it to class. “Stop looking so nervous.”
While I kept my own face blank, my chest heaved when the enormous Victorian clock ticked above us. It settled heavy, almost crushing my lungs. I didn’t blink at rule breaking, and was relatively thick skinned––you needed it to conquer high school in a foreign country, but this was another matter I couldn’t shake.
“Uh, Mathew.” I perched my books on the small ledge. “We need to talk about what happened.”
Wow! This sounds awesome. Please send me the full manuscript (Microsoft Word form is best) at clelia@martinlit.com, along with a query. Please include “Pitch Wars” in the subject line. Thanks for sharing! Nice job!
Hi there!
I’d love to take a look at this full manuscript. Can you please send it attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com
Thanks! I can’t wait to read!
Best,
Rena Rossner
The Deborah Harris Agency
What a gorgeous opening. The writing, the way it lures the reader in. And that premise!
I’d love to read more. Please send your query and full manuscript as word doc attachments to hilary@ktliterary.com with PitchWars in the subject field. Can’t wait!
Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! I’d love to see more. Please send your query in the body of an email, plus your full manuscript and a synopsis (attached). I look forward to reading!
Lauren Spieller
TriadaUS Literary Agency
lauren@triadaus.com
Hi! I’d love to take a look. Please email the ms. as a double-spaced .doc to medwards@stonesong.com. Thank you!
This sounds incredible, and I’m already falling for Maz. Can you please send me the query, synopsis, and full to kat@theseymouragency.com?
P.S. If more than one agent at the Seymour Agency requests this, please only send to one of us! Best of luck.
Hi Tigest,
I’d be happy to read more! Can you please send me the first fifty pages as a Word doc attachment? I’m at ebewley@sll.com.
Thanks,
Elizabeth Bewley
Sterling Lord Lit
Hi Tigest!
I really love what you have here. Will you please send me the full manuscript as a word doc attachment to channigan@hsgagency.com ?
I can’t wait to keep reading.
Best wishes,
Carrie
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
Thanks!
Elana Roth Parker
Laura Dail Literary Agency
http://www.ldlainc.com
This sounds great – I would love an opportunity to consider! Can you please send the query letter (in the body of an email) and manuscript (attached as a Word doc) to queries@parkfine.com with “Pitch Wars submission – Pete Knapp” in the subject? Thank you!
– Pete Knapp / Park & Fine Literary and Media
Hi Tigest! This sounds so interesting and I really enjoyed your writing sample. I’d love to read more! Please send a query letter and attach the first 100 pages as a Word doc with “Pitch Wars” in the subject line to alexweiss.jdlit@gmail.com.
If more than one JDLA agent requests this, please feel free to submit to the best fit. Thank you!
I’d love to read 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, Esq.
Associate Agent
Rubin Pfeffer Content, LLC
https://www.rpcontent.com
Hi Tigest- I’d love to read the full manuscript. Please send it to dross@newleafliterary.com with “pitch wars request” in the subject line. Excited to read!
Dear Tigest,
I’m curious about the mixture of contemporary tone and an epic, elevated premise—I’d love to see the first three chapters to see where this goes! Please send to jmatt@andreabrownlit.com, with subject line Pitch Wars 2019 Requested Material.
If my colleague Kelly happens also to request this, please send to just one of us (your choice) and let that person know the other has expressed interest. Many thanks!
—Jennifer Mattson, Agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
YES!!!!! Just so much yes!!!!!! I’d be thrilled if you could send me the full manuscript at QueryMe.online/kerstinwolf/Pitch_Wars.
Dear Tigest,
Your query sounds interesting—I’d be happy to look at the first 50-75 pages of THE WANA CUP, along with a 1-2 page synopsis. A .rtf file for the former is preferred, and the body of your e-mail is perfect for the latter.
Thanks, and I look forward to reading your work.
Best,
Eddie
Hi Tigest,
I’d like to see more! 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