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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 #5: AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS (#OwnVoices Korean-Inspired Fantasy)
Mentee:
Madeleine Ji-Young Dresden
Mentored by:
Swati Teerdhala and Roseanne A. Brown
Book Title:
AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS
Category:
2018 Entries
Genre:
#OwnVoices Korean-Inspired Fantasy
Word Count:
95,000

Pitch:

THE YOUNG ELITES x Feudal Korea. Mirae possesses the ability to Switch places with her future self—for she is fated to destroy an enemy feared by even the gods. But when that enemy kidnaps her brother, she must decide if embracing her fate is worth placing her family in the blast radius of her violent destiny.

 

Excerpt:

Mirae’s mother had been disappearing for as long as she could remember. It was a random, unpredictable affliction, or so Mirae was told. And yet her mother’s curse always seemed to know the worst possible times to take her away.

Like when her mother was riding the royal palanquin to the Temple of the Sacred Bone for the Ceremony of the Honorable Question. That was definitely a terrible time for the Queen of Silla to disappear. Worse, even, than when Mirae watched her mother’s mind leave her body in the middle of court, in front of True Bone royals who were ecstatic to witness a crack in their cousin’s powerful front. That had been very bad timing.

But this was a pretty close second.

Not that the Wonhwa warriors carrying them would notice—the weight of their queen remained the same. She still rested beside Mirae, sweating out her rosewater bath in the close quarters of the palanquin. But her face, crinkled with a smile moments before, had become as smooth as the red and gold silk of her ceremonial hanbok. She stared at the walls as if she could see through them, eyes glistening darkly like the jewels set into her hair. Mirae’s mother was in another place, seeing things that could be anywhere across the peninsula. Or across the world for all Mirae knew.

But at least she knew how to bring her mother back before anyone else found out she was gone.

30 responses to “YA #5: AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS (#OwnVoices Korean-Inspired Fantasy)”

  1. 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

  2. Jim McCarthy says:

    I’d love the chance to read this full manuscript. You can send to me at jmccarthy@dystel.com. Thanks so much.

    Happy Pitch Wars!
    Jim

  3. Lauren Spieller says:

    Congratulations on completing Pitch Wars! I really enjoyed this and 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

  4. Amy Elizabeth Bishop says:

    Dear Madeleine,

    This is right up my alley for several different reasons and I’d love to take a look at your full manuscript. Could you send it along as a Word doc to abishop@dystel.com, with #PitchWars in the subject line?

    Thanks so much!

    Best,

    Amy

  5. Kaitlyn Johnson says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    This sounds fantastic! I’d love to see the first 50 pages. Please submit your query, synopsis, and first 50 to http://QueryMe.Online/KaitlynJohnson/Contests. Looking forward to the read!

    Best,
    Kaitlyn Johnson
    Corvisiero Literary Agency

  6. Penny Moore says:

    Hi Madeleine! I’m SO incredibly excited to see your MS. I’m one of few Korean American agents in the business and I’ve been searching for a spectacular Korean inspired YA fantasy for a very LONG time! Your pitch sounds amazing and your sample is intriguing. I’d LOVE to read more! Will you please submit the full manuscript here: https://querymanager.com/query/LiteraryPenny/PitchWars ? Thanks!

  7. Madeleine,

    How intriguing!!! I must read more!!! Can you send me the pitch, 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. Attach the manuscript and synopsis as two separate Word documents (docx). Sent 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

  8. Karyn Fischer says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    I love this opening and definitely would like to see more! If you’re interested, would you mind sending me the first 25 pages? You can query me at http://www.QueryMe.online/1325/PitchWars. To find out more about me, feel free to visit http://www.bookstopliterary.com/info.html.

    Thanks and I hope to hear from you!

    Karyn Fischer
    BookStop Literary Agency

  9. Natascha Morris says:

    Hello Madeleine,

    I’m so intrigued! I’d love to read more. If you wouldn’t mind, please upload the rest of your manuscript to QueryMe.online/1067/PitchWars2019. I can’t wait to dig in.

    Thank you!

    Best,
    Natascha Morris
    BookEnds Literary

  10. Quressa Robinson says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    I’ve been eager to read this since Rosie and Swati announced you as there mentee. I’d love to take a look at the full MS. Please query me at this link (QueryMe.online/QueryQuressa/PitchWars2019) and follow the directions. If more than one NLA agent requests work from you it is okay to query more than one of us, just give us a heads-up. Good luck!

    Quressa

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Erica Bauman says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    This sounds fantastic, and I’d love to read more! Could you please send a query and the full manuscript to ebauman@aevitascreative.com and put “Pitch Wars” in the subject line?

    Thanks!

  14. Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    I need 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

  15. Alexandra Weiss says:

    Hi Madeleine! This sounds so interesting – I’d love to read more! Please send a query letter and attach the first 50 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!

  16. Heather Cashman says:

    I love your worldbuilding and the pitch is so intriguing!
    If you think we’d be a good fit, please send the full to heather.stormliteraryagency@gmail.com with Pitch Wars Query, your name, and the title in the subject line.
    Thank you and good luck!
    Heather Cashman
    Storm Literary Agency

  17. Jessica Errera says:

    Hello Madeleine! I would love to read the first three chapters of AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS and a synopsis if you’d be so kind as to email them to jerrera(at)janerotrosen(dot)com–pasted into the body is fine and please mention PitchWars in the subject!

  18. Serene Hakim says:

    Dear Madeleine Ji-Young Dresden,

    I’m most intrigued by the description of your novel, AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS. Could you please send me the full manuscript as an e-mail attachment? I can be reached at queries@pandeliterary.com.

    Thank you so much, and I look forward to reading your work.

    All the best,
    Serene Hakim

  19. Kristin Nelson says:

    How can I resist when Swati and Rosie are your mentors! I know Quressa has already requested this one so we’ll be getting the manuscript in. I’ll pop it on to my kindle as well and read alongside her. Can’t wait! Kristin

  20. Jennifer Mattson says:

    Dear Madeleine,
    I’m intrigued by this excerpt—shows a very controlled writing style. I’d be pleased to see the first three chapters, sent via email attachment to jmatt@andreabrownlit.com, with subject line Pitch Wars 2019 Requested Material. Thanks for your participation!

    Note, if you happen also to receive a request from my colleague Kelly, please send to just one of us (your choice!) but also let us know that the other expressed interest. Thanks!
    —Jennifer Mattson, Agent, Andrea Brown Literary

  21. Hi Madaleine,

    Loving your sample and premise! I’d really like to take a look at more of this manuscript. Here is the link for my Query Manager form:

    QueryMe.Online/CortneyRadocaj/Requested

    Please send the first 50 pages of your manuscript. I’m looking forward to reading it!

    Warm Regards,

    Cortney Radocaj
    Agent Apprentice
    Corvisiero Literary Agency
    http://www.corvisieroagency.com

  22. Kelly Sonnack says:

    Madeleine,
    This sounds great. I’d love to read the full. Can you send it to me via QueryManager (link below)?
    Thanks!
    Kelly (@ksonnack)
    https://querymanager.com/query/1060

  23. Tara Gonzalez says:

    Hello! I’d love to take a look at the full manuscript of AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS – please send it along as a word document to tara@emliterary.com at your convenience.

    Thanks so much!

    Tara Gonzalez
    Associate Agent
    Assistant to Erin Murphy
    Social Media Coordinator
    Erin Murphy Literary Agency, Inc.
    http://emliterary.com/

  24. Nicole Payne says:

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

  25. Taylor Martindale Kean says:

    Dear Madeleine,
    Thank you for participating in Pitch Wars! I loved this pitch for AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS, and definitely want to keep reading. Can you send me the full manuscript as a Word doc to fullcirclelit@gmail.com? In the subject line, please include: Attn: Taylor Martindale Kean – Pitch Wars, AND BREAK THE PRETTY KINGS. Can’t wait to see more of your work!
    All best,
    Taylor Martindale Kean
    Full Circle Literary

  26. Kerstin Wolf says:

    First of all, the title rocks! The pitch is catchy, and I love that the excerpt immediately sets the stage and gives us some insight into Mirae’s world. I’d love to read more! If you could send the full manuscript to QueryMe.online/kerstinwolf/Pitch_Wars, that would be great!

  27. Hillary Jacobson says:

    Hi Madeleine,

    I would love to read this! Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com.

    My best,
    Hillary

  28. Christa Heschke says:

    This sounds amazing and fresh and I really enjoyed your writing. I’d love to see more! Please send the query, synopsis and full manuscript to chquery [at] mcintoshandotis [dot] com with Pitch Wars request in the subject line. –Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis

  29. Stefanie Lieberman says:

    I’m eager to read more!
    Please send the pitch and the full manuscript in an email addressed to submissions(at)Janklow.com with the following subject line: For Stefanie Lieberman – requested Pitch Wars material.

  30. Annie Hwang says:

    Please send query letter in the body of the email and attach the full manuscript and a brief 1-2 page synopsis as word docs with the subject line: Pitch Wars: [Title]. You may send to me at: annie@foliolit.com. Thanks so much, I look forward to seeing more!