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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.
YA #28: THE CELESTIAL SEAS (Science Fiction #OwnVoices)
Mentee:
Tina Chan
Mentored by:
Chelsea Hensley
Book Title:
The Celestial Seas
Category:
2018 Entries
Genre:
Science Fiction (#OwnVoices)
Word Count:
98,000

Pitch:

Genderbent MOBY DICK reimagining set in space.

The Celestial Seas are unforgiving.

They’ve taken Ishara’s family.
Her right arm.
Her memories.

It’s time to turn the tides. Prove her worth. Destroy the Ballena Blanca, the cause of all her tragedies. If she doesn’t drown among the stars first.

 

Excerpt:

Aegis Station, Halo System

“Call me Ishara.” I shake my head, walking down the outer corridor of the station. Too forward. “My name is Ishara.” Better, but a bit formal, especially in this part of the system. I try another variation. “Name’s Isha—”

“Your mic’s still on.” Quinn’s lyrical voice sounds in my earpiece.

I cringe and cuss, attracting the glances of a couple station techies passing by. Hunching my shoulders, I tug on the right sleeve of my gray shore jacket. I blow out a long breath and continue down the overpass connecting the recreational ring of the station to the docking bays. At least I’m on the private line. Stars know the Dorado’s crew wouldn’t have let me hear the end of this, fussing over a simple introduction.

“But do go on,” my first mate continues. Her Halo accent rises and falls like a siren’s song. Quinn claims it’s because the first celestial whalers originated from the Halo system, and that their songs of the hunt—shanties—used to fill every spaceship, every household, until every native Haloite grew up speaking in that lilting rhythm. A melodic accent I can never quite mimic, no matter how hard I try. And I’ve been trying ever since I arrived in this system seven years ago.

“What were you practicing?” she asks. “Let me guess, the speech you’ll give right before you blow up the Ballena Blanca’s biocore?”

17 responses to “YA #28: THE CELESTIAL SEAS (Science Fiction #OwnVoices)”

  1. Patricia Nelson says:

    Hi Tina,

    I would love to read more of this! Could you please send your query, along with the full manuscript as a Word doc attachment, to patricia@marsallyonliteraryagency.com? Please make the subject line “PitchWars YA Request: The Celestial Seas.”

    Thanks so much!
    Patricia

  2. Rena Rossner says:

    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

  3. Caitlen Rubino-Bradway says:

    I’d love to see more! Please send the full ms and a synopsis to crubinobradway AT lkgagency DOT com.

  4. Peter Knapp says:

    This sounds wonderful – I would love an opportunity to consider! Can you please send the query letter (in the body of the email) and full 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

  5. Danielle Burby says:

    Your opening made me laugh, which is a good sign! I’d love to read more. Please follow this link for submission guidelines: http://queryme.online/1352/PitchWars2019

  6. Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Tina,

    I’d love to see this! Can you send your query and full manuscript to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com with #PitchWars in the subject line? Thanks so much!

    All best,
    Penelope

  7. Alexandra Weiss says:

    Hi Tina! I love your pitch and that first line hooked me in. I’d love to read more! Please send a query letter and attach the full manuscript 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!

  8. Melissa Nasson says:

    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

  9. Elana Roth Parker says:

    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

  10. Kristin Nelson says:

    I really liked this one. I can see that Danielle on my team has already requested so when it comes in, I’ll read alongside. Kristin

  11. Karly Caserza says:

    Please query me at http://queryme.online/Karly and include “Pitchwars19” before your title. I’ll immediately request a full. Excited to read your work.

  12. Kerstin Wolf says:

    I love how you twisted the classic line “Call me Ishmael”! I would love to read more of this! I’d be thrilled if you could send your full manuscript to QueryMe.online/kerstinwolf/Pitch_Wars.

  13. Nicole Payne says:

    I’m intrigued! Please send the query, synopsis and first three chapters to nicole@goldenwheatliterary.com with Pitch Wars in the subject line. Thanks!

  14. Christa Heschke says:

    This sounds awesome. I’d love to see more! Please send the query, synopsis and first 100 to chquery [at] mcintoshandotis [dot] com with Pitch Wars request in the subject line. –Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis

  15. Heather Flaherty says:

    Would love to see! Please send query + 10 pages pasted in body of email + attach the full, to: flahertyqueries@thebentagency.com, with subject line: PITCHWARS + Title. Thank you! 🙂 Heather

  16. Hillary Jacobson says:

    Hi Tina,

    Your pitch has caught the eye of my brilliant colleague Tamara Kawar. She would love to read. Please do send the full manuscript as a word document to tkawar@icmpartners.com.

    My best,

    Hillary

  17. Sandy Lu says:

    Hi Tina, What an awesome premise! Please send the full manuscript with complete synopsis and author bio (all in one Word document) to sandy@lperkinsagency.com. Looking forward to reading!