NEW - Nominate Your Query for a Critique on the Blog

[sarahgoodner]

Dear [name],
All Rafa wants is for things to be the way they were.
His mother, the most powerful voodoo priestess since Marie Laveau, was killed by a curse, and with no one else to take him in, Rafa is forced to leave his younger brothers behind with their dads and move to Houston to live with an uncle he hardly knows.
But life in Houston is hard, and Rafa soon realizes he’ll do anything to get his old life—and his mom—back. In whatever form she takes.
The only problem is his mother is MIA. Rafa can’t summon her spirit.
Things seem to start going his way, though, when the resident family ghost, his five-time great-grandfather, Granpere, shows up to help him after years of being away. Not only that, but a woman appears to Rafa and guides him to a fortune teller named Alastair, who warns him that someone in his life isn’t trustworthy.
Alastair’s warning has Rafa nervous, but with Alastair and Granpere’s help, Rafa’s certain he’ll find a way to bring his mother back and catch her killer in the process.
When another person in his sphere ends up dead, though, Rafa is certain he’s living with the killer.
Now he has to wonder: is he next?
As he navigates staying alive and bringing his mom back, Rafa finds himself getting deeper and deeper into the world of voodoo—a world he thought he knew. Now, he’s finding there’s so much more than he bargained for.
THE VOODOO CHILD is a YA horror novel, complete at 68,000 words, and is intended to be a loosely bound series of books that can be read in order, out of order, or stand alone. It would appeal to fans of the creepiness of Maggie Stiefvater or Kami Garcia.

This is my second book. I have self-published another book of horror short stories in May of this year called SCREAMS IN HELL.

I would love for you to consider THE VOODOO CHILD for representation, and I will be submitting to other agents and publishers simultaneously. The full manuscript is available upon request. I look forward to talking with you soon.

[LRMB]

Legend has it Thames Island is haunted, but eleven-year-old Jack Tyler doesn’t know what to believe until he finds a gold dagger belonging to Demas, the island ghost murdered at the coveted island spring. Jack now has a chance to return the dagger to Demas, who has lost something precious—his honor. But Jack’s quest appears thwarted after he’s badly injured in a fall from the island bluffs. To restore Demas’s honor, Jack must find someone undaunted by ghosts, meddling parents, caves and mud holes big enough to swallow a boy—or girl—whole. With Jack on crutches and his best buddy too afraid to look for the dagger alone, Jack enlists the aid of the only girl brave enough to stand up to the school bully. But time is running out—the dagger is lying somewhere on the beach for anyone to find, and along with Demas’s honor, Jack’s integrity and his friends’ lives are at stake.

JACK TYLER AND THE LEGEND OF DEMAS is a middle grade novel complete at 63,420 words and the first in a series.

I’m a member of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association, the New London Maritime Society, and was formerly mentored at the Westport Writers’ Workshop in Westport, CT. Having grown up in New London Harbor, I also know the captivating beauty of this seaside setting as home to two haunted landmarks: Ledge Light lighthouse and the Lighthouse Inn.

[melissam0202]

Thanks for any feedback, Nathan!


Dear (agent),

I’m excited to send you WHISPERS FROM THE CURSED CASTLE, my 46,000-word middle-grade mystery manuscript because (insert specific reason here).

“What was that?” Ten-year-old Joe doesn’t know what’s in the window of the town’s haunted house, but once he tells his friends about it, there’s no going back. Joe is funny, level-headed, and well, a bit of weenie. But he’d like to be braver. Staying overnight in the town’s haunted house is the perfect way to find his courage. Right?

Everybody in Crestwood knows the rumors about the abandoned house on Main Street. All Joe and his friends know for sure, though, is the family who used to live there was murdered, their prized ruby stolen, the killer never caught. Once inside, the boys find the first clue in a scavenger hunt left by the McLean children before they died. If they can solve these clues, the house's secrets may finally come to light, but the house — and its many current “residents” — isn’t going to give them up without a fight. It becomes clear impending missed curfews are the least of the boys' problems. Can they solve the mystery before daylight?

I believe this work has series potential. The adventure in my manuscript will appeal to fans of Dust & Grim by Chuck Wendig, the humor will appeal to Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans, and the scares will appeal to fans of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps. The style and tone are reminiscent of the Jack McGurk mysteries by Edmund Hildick. I think of the vibe as a young kids'’ ‘Stranger Things’ meets slapstick. My audience is 3rd and 4th graders.

I’ve been a freelance writer for 11 years. Prior to writing, I was a classroom teacher. Recently, I was selected as a finalist in the 2023 Writer’s Workout Potluck.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Melissa Behrend

Melissam0202@gmail.com

[snoddyjt]

THE GHOST OF JOHN O’HARA is a literary/commercial/upscale novel that spans the last forty years of the 20th century. It is the story of a married couple who formed their bond as college students, who survived one near-fatal crisis early on, only to crash and burn when no one expected it. Least of all themselves.

Unless you were an American fan of French pop music in the 80s or 90s, there is little chance you have ever heard of me. For what it’s worth, in that little niche I was quite well known. Agence France-Presse interviewed me, I appeared on a French language TV program in the New England states, wrote and hosted an English language radio program featuring French music for public radio of New Hampshire, interviewed French headliners of the day, and placed a few magazine articles aimed at fans of all things French. Alas, this did not develop into a career.

THE GHOST OF JOHN O’HARA is my first effort at serious fiction. I am an energetic 73-year-old fully committed to working with you and any potential publisher. I am fully at ease in front of large and small audiences, behind a microphone, or in front of a camera. Over the years I have given countless presentations, negotiated contracts, and managed projects large and small. If you feel my book is worthy, I have a skill set to help spread the word.

Why am I submitting this to an agent in the UK? Several reasons. One, John O’Hara was hugely successful in the UK. Penguin still offers a selection of his books that’s the equal of any offered anywhere, including the US. Second, despite the title of my book, all my favorite authors are British. My first love was Graham Greene. Like the narrator of my novel, I drove the librarians crazy with my requests for his books. Other writers followed from Thomas Hardy to D.H. Lawrence to Lawrence Durrell to John Fowles. Even my favorite writers of popular fiction like Philip Kerr and David Downing are British. It would mean the world to me to be published in the UK and were that to happen, I would be on your doorstep in an instant to help promote my book.

[Apurcell67]

Dear [agent],

With your interest in contemporary middle grade stories about family and friendship [customized for agent], I believe WALK UP will appeal to you. Complete at 31,000 words, the story features the girl-dog bond and unlikely friendships of Wish by Barbara O’Conner, the emotional arc of Kate DiCamillo’s classic Because of Winn Dixie, and elements of neurodiversity found in Ann M. Martin’s Rain Reign.

After her mother is killed by lightning during a storm, 11-year-old Birdie Broadwater desperately wants to believe lightning won’t strike twice. But she’s afraid the fields at their farm in rural New Mexico are cursed. Struggling to cope with the loss, Birdie becomes obsessed with keeping herself, her father and their five Australian Shepherds safe. Within months of her mother’s death, her comfort zone shrinks to her house and the barn that holds her father’s flock of Navajo-Churro sheep, an endangered species.

To help restore Birdie’s confidence, her father buys another Australian Shepherd from Halona, a Navajo woman and friend. Birdie and her new canine companion, Dakota, quickly become inseparable, and her father insists Birdie teach Dakota how to herd—or else the dog will be sold. Trouble is, Dakota shares Birdie’s fearful personality, making the young dog too anxious to work in the fields.

With summer’s heat and drought at its peak, a wildfire sparks, putting the Benally’s home, flock of sheep, and their lives in danger. If Birdie and Dakota can both walk up to their fears in time, they just might save the day.

The title of the book is derived from a herding push command, “walk up,” which instructs a dog to walk a straight line directly toward the stock. This is one of the hardest commands for a dog to master—and one that takes the most confidence to execute. Likewise, Birdie must walk up to her fears to learn to trust and love again. The story also touches on obsessive compulsive disorder in children, Diné culture and traditions, and the impact of climate change in the Southwest.

As a child, spending time on my grandfather’s farm gave me a deep respect for raising livestock and also provided me with some of my most cherished experiences and memories. For over 25 years, I have written corporate communications by day and fiction by night. I received an MFA in Creative Writing from Kent State University and a BA in Journalism from Ohio University. My short stories have been published in Triquarterly, The Masters Review, and Third Coast, among others, and are forthcoming in Passages North. When I’m not writing or reading, you can find me in Albuquerque, New Mexico spoiling the best two Australian Shepherds ever and running half marathons.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

[LaKikine]

Thank you for the opportunity! (The first paragraph of my query is adaptable for personalization depending on the agent I’m pitching)

Dear x,

I am thrilled to share with you HUMAN NATURE, my multiple POV, 90,000 words upmarket sci-fi romance about soulmates that explores self-realization, identity and belonging. It will appeal to fans of Becky Chambers’ accessible science-fiction, with higher stakes and a sweeping, forbidden love story reminiscent of Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone’s This Is How You Lose The Time War.

Super-feeler Selene Thrace, Moon Scientist of hidden Earth-like planet Penumbra, is disenchanted with her predestined life in an emotionally repressed society. Her routine is disrupted one night when her unique bond to the Moon enables her to sense a star-gazing human close to discovering Penumbra, the Solar System’s best-kept secret.

Penumbra’s dysfunctional governing Council, fearing for the safety of the planet if humans were to find it, sends an undercover team to Earth to identify the observer, and Selene is assigned to investigate Endy Moin, drummer in rock band SkyDusters.

A chronic insomniac with a passion for astronomy, Endy spends endless nights gazing at his muse, the Moon, and is gripped by a visceral attraction to Selene the moment they meet.
Unsettled, Selene realizes that their innate connection and instant chemistry means Endy is her observer. But when she discovers that Endy unwittingly took a photo of Penumbra, Selene feels duty-bound to alert the Council. Despite her reassurances that Endy is unaware of Penumbra’s existence, councillors view him as a threat and plan to silence him.

Although aware of the impossibility of their relationship, Selene is overwhelmed by her feelings for Endy, and secretly returns to Earth to be by his side. Away from Penumbra’s societal constraints, and in the comfort of Endy’s love, she begins to understand the nature of her existential malaise and to question where she truly belongs. But, as councillors proceed with taking action against Endy and his life now hangs in the balance, Selene must choose between saving her soulmate and protecting her planet, or risk loosing both.

HUMAN NATURE is loosely inspired by the myth of Selene and Endymion, and would be my debut novel. I am a member of the Federation of British Columbia Writers and have an MA in English Literature and Linguistics. I live in North Vancouver with my husband and our dog Marlowe, named after Raymond Chandler’s laconic detective.

Thank you for your consideration,

CW: mental illness, mention of off-page suicide.

[annejohnstonwrites]

Dear [insert agent],

I am writing to you due to your MSWL desire for own voices stories and a history of representing mystery/thriller novels. At 55,000 words my novel, Invisible Illness, it is a stand-alone story with serial potential. Similar to Knecht’s Who Is Vera Kelly? the story follows an unusual protagonist in spycraft.

Invisible Illness is a James Bond style spy novel à la Stephanie Plum. In it, Carissa Wolfe’s chronic illness makes her an odd fit for CIA field agent. Her superiors, especially the perpetually grumpy Chief Farran, think it makes her a liability. But when their attempt to sideline her goes awry, her snarky attitude and personal familiarity with the medical-industrial complex may just be the best asset they have. With her perfectly predictable agency handler, Jordan Killian, as backup she’ll have to navigate mole hunts, poisonings, fashionistas, and dating in order to keep her job and save the world from an all-new bioweapon.

Colored by my experience as an MS and fibromyalgia patient, Invisible Illness avoids the ableist trap of suggesting the main character can “push through” or “rise above” their condition. I would be excited to have an agent like you who values this characteristic.

As Dr. Samantha Howe, I’ve authored a number of nonfiction works. As Anne Johnston, my short fiction has been selected as a finalist in the 2023 Hackathon contest and been published in several anthologies: Broken Promises (2020), Desiderium (2021), Dead of Winter (2022), and Untold Stories (2023).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Samantha Howe
Writing as Anne Johnston

[richfigel]

Aloha, Nathan - I’m a big fan of your blog. As a former journalist and ad copywriter, I really like your editing approach and insights on the publishing business. Great stuff! Here's my query...

Dear Agent,

WHISTLER’S MOTHER & HIS MISTRESSES is the mostly-true story behind the iconic American image of a stoic widow seated in profile, painted by her prodigal ex-pat son ... in England. In fact, James was kicked out of West Point Academy 17 years earlier by Superintendent Robert E. Lee (yes, the future Confederate General). With her family divided between the North and South, Anna fled the Civil War on a blockade runner to move in with James, who was living it up as a young Bohemian flitting between the Paris and London art scene. Sounds like a sit-com set in the 1860s, right? But there was much drama too. And romantic twists fit for a bodice ripper.

James McNeill Whistler was the Andy Warhol of the Victorian Era, a time of rapid social change and cultural upheaval. Artists were an integral part of that revolution. His peers included painters such as Manet, Degas, Courbet and Rossetti, as well as flagellant S&M poet Algernon Swinburne, writer/critic Oscar Wilde, and a later student of his who was suspected to be Jack the Ripper. Like Manet and the Impressionists that were influenced by him, Whistler's early work was ridiculed. But he persevered and directly challenged the critics in public court battles. After he persuaded his ailing mother to pose, it took James another 20 years before the painting sold and was proclaimed a masterpiece.

My novel gives equal weight to the role of strong-willed women in his life, beginning with his mother's Puritan work ethic. When he was full of doubt and convinced he was a failure, Anna gave him the financial and emotional support to keep going. Yet her "Butterfly" as she called him, wasted money to impress others (pasting fancy labels on cheap bottles of wine, for instance) and lived beyond his means, putting him in constant debt. He had an eye for beauty and bedded models who became accomplished artists themselves. They also managed his business affairs back when women were not taken seriously by the art world. One of them, Joanna Heffernan, wound up raising a son he had out of wedlock with another model/mistress. He alienated those closest to him and even published a book titled, THE GENTLE ART OF MAKING ENEMIES.

Much of the dialogue and incidents in my book are taken from actual letters and biographical sources about Whistler, his mother, and supporting characters. I’ve also created fictional scenarios that bring to life other famous works of art you may have seen before in museums. You'll never view those paintings the same way.

Although this is my first novel, I'm a former journalist, ad copywriter and award-winning screenwriter. I've optioned feature film scripts to well-respected Hollywood writers/producers, but none of those movies have been made to date. I believe WHISTLER'S MOTHER & HIS MISTRESSES could be adapted as a limited TV series for Masterpiece Theater or premium cable channels. The book version is roughly 90,000 words with two dozen images that are in the public domain.

Thanks for your time and consideration -- or as we say here in Hawaii, mahalo!

Aloha,
Rich Figel
Kailua, Hawaii
Cell phone: 808-228-6521

[vegeorge]

Dear [Agent],

I saw on your #MSWL that you’re interested in fairytale retellings and particularly enjoy dark spins. I'm thrilled to present my Cinderella retelling in which the night of the ball is cursed to repeat, and each midnight brings murder but the only clue is the shoe.

Seventeen-year-old Élisabeth grew up smothered in soot and shame, but she’s determined to become a noblewoman by trading the taste of ashes for blood. She doesn’t need pumpkins or mice to bring her to the royal ball when blackmail will do. But once at the ball, Élise struggles to hide her secret engagement to the son of a duke and their shared plot to assassinate the crown prince and claim his throne.

The ball holds its secrets as well. Élise’s schemes are cut short when she realizes the night is cursed to repeat over and over. A guest is murdered each midnight only to wake the next evening, alive and freshly powdered for the ball to begin anew. Only the aloof prince is awake to this nightmare with her, so she reluctantly joins the man she intends to kill to break the curse.

But Élise discovers she was the one murdered on that original, fateful night, triggering the curse. Worse still, she was killed with her own engagement gift: her glass shoes. And the prince, from whom she most closely guarded the secret of her engagement, may be the only guest she can trust.

Élise, who made enemies of the guests to gain her invitation to this ball, must discover who murdered her and break this curse. And she must do so before the prince realizes her true intentions in coming to this ball, or else be killed once again.

THE GLASS SLIPPER is a standalone 85k YA fantasy, Groundhog Day meets Cinderella at a rococo ball, with a side enemies-to-lovers romance and diverse cast.

I studied creative writing at[University], and am a resident physician specializing in Radiology. I live in [City], where I have short stories published in local anthologies.

Please see the first pages attached for your consideration.

Sincerely,
vegeorge

[Katarinakocs]

Dear Nathan!
I would be honored if you critiqued my query!
Thanks a LOT!!
Katarina

My adult fantasy novel CREATRIX complete at 95,000 words, merges 1980s vibes of government facilities exploring the supernatural of Stranger Things, with a searing, forbidden love story reminiscent of Fourth Wing. If placed on a bookshelf, it would harmonize with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab and All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue.

The day the letter arrives, Grandma ushers Nela, a 20-year-old Creatrix unaware of her powers, to the bathroom where the running shower conceals their conversation from the secret police. The research facility that once imprisoned her mother for unleashing energy vortexes and igniting a revolution in Czechoslovakia, now wants her.

Grandma reveals Mom is alive in the U.S., shattering the lie Nela believed her whole life. Nela must leave right that instant and bring her home to end an oppressive regime.

But scaling an electric fence and swimming across a heavily guarded river to the West may be easier than facing a mother who might be closer to the enemy than Nela wants to believe.

To complicate matters further, the boy she loves is now aligned with the secret police, relentlessly pursuing her to the West.

When Nela realizes that not only the East but also the West are controlled by the same dangerous global secret society, she must step into her own power before the society enslaves the entire humanity.

My novel CREATRIX is fueled by my passion for my native Czechoslovakia and my lifelong interest in mysticism and energy work. My earlier novel 'TINY APPLE' received critical acclaim when published in Slovak by Tatran in 2021. I am also a member of SFWA.

[DaisyD]

Dear Agent,

Can three headstrong brothers combine forces to save their city from killer dust storms? Only if they don’t kill each other first!

MCGUIRES TO THE MOON is a middle grade action/adventure novel with series potential. Fans of Gordon Korman’s UNPLUGGED will really enjoy this book. The manuscript is complete at 41,000 words.

Menacing dust storms are ravaging Ben, Caleb, and Sam McGuire’s hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. When relief doesn’t come on the ground, quirky research company Indus Industries recruits the boys into their Youth Space Fleet (YSF) to solve the crisis from up above. Too easy!

Except it’s not. Their shuttle almost collides with an asteroid, and the boys arrive to find the Indus moon base is cheaply built and low on supplies. Ben and Caleb spar over who’s worthy of being a space mechanic, and Sam almost gets kicked out of YSF for tampering with the botany experiments. Their nerdy roommate nearly kills them all in a freak ping pong accident, and the brothers brawl with a group of ultra-competitive kids obsessed with one-upmanship. Despite the setbacks, the McGuires extract the first-ever lunar ice samples and discover they contain a new element, which can purify the Earth’s air from the deadly dust. But just as they’re celebrating their victory, they learn that a traitorous insider is stealing millions from the company, and a profit-hungry competitor hacks the computer network to steal their work and destroy the moon base. It will take the McGuires’ craftiness, bravery, and determination to complete their mission and bring the samples safely back to Earth—or the whole Midwest could be destroyed.

I am a debut author with a B.F.A. from Texas Christian University and am a member of SCBWI. I participate in a critique group and specialize in writing entertaining stories that hook reluctant readers. I look forward to hearing if you would like to read my entire manuscript.

Thank you,

My Name

[atgoldin]

Nocturnal Run
Sacred works of art meet thoroughbred horse racing through past lives
Historical Fantasy set in Contemporary Times

Agency
Agent

Dear (Agent/Editor’s Name):

Thank you for the opportunity to send you this query.
Nocturnal Run is for anyone interested in the world of art and for anyone who loves horses. It is intended for adult readers though younger readers would enjoy the story as well.

Nocturnal Run is Historical Fantasy, rooted in present day. Comparable titles are Horse by Geraldine Brooks and The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli.

Target audience would be those who love to immerse themselves in another one’s world and enjoy picking up the clues of how the main characters are connected to the past lives represented as they unravel the mystery that covers six centuries of time.

In 1568, a Flemish artisan seer known only as “Flanders Man” is murdered for two sets of small, round wooden works of art he divined to impart spiritually healing messages and guidance to troubled souls.

These delicately carved spheres, called “Pockets,” have miraculously survived through the centuries because of a clandestine network of faithful Keepers who have risked their lives to protect them.

Today the Pockets are being protected by three cousins, all related to their forebearer Flanders Man.

Denny Garrison, a twenty-three-year-old racehorse trainer in Saratoga Springs, New York, is still haunted by the death of his older brother, Tommie, who died mysteriously near the backstretch.

Klemme Van Auken, a twenty-seven-year-old art conservator at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, has been having disturbing flashbacks of her past lives, all concerning the Pockets.

Drayden Van Auken (“Van”), a forty-five-year-old notorious Belgium art dealer whose dangerous dealings with the underground art world constantly puts him in jeopardy of protecting the Pockets.

It is Denny’s mission to preserve the Pockets by secretly relocating them to their next energy source. Greedy opportunists are already threatening him and plotting to steal them. Denny has a plan, but is not sure he can pull it off. He will need the help of his prize race horse, Nocturnal Run. Van is ready to support Denny in any way he can, but in a surprising twist of fate, Klemme is not able to be there for him.
Nocturnal Run word count: 159,000.

So you know, I have written another manuscript, Miry Brook Johnson. Miry originally was intended to be a character in Nocturnal Run but instead became her own standalone novel, Women’s Fiction, 84,000 word count.

Consequently, now that both books are written, there is a shared timeline between them where Nocturnal Run characters Klemme and Van (among others) occasionally cross over to Miry Brook Johnson and Miry Brook Johnson characters are referred to in Nocturnal Run.

Both Nocturnal Run and Miry Brook Johnson were named on the longlist of entries for the Seasiders Write Debut Novel Award (2022).

Other recognitions include:
-Page Turner Awards Finalist for Miry Brook Johnson 2020
-Writers Weekly Short Story Honorable Mentions for Three Sundays, Iowa Magic, and The Red Cottage.

Bio:
Andria graduated from Boston University, School of Fine Arts with a BFA in Lighting Design and had a career in the performing arts for over twenty years. She then moved on to corporate events, medical education and hotel contracting before she started writing her first novel.

“As a teenager, I traveled with a singing youth group staying in people’s homes all across the country. Learning of the regional home-style differences, economic ranges, family values and local town pride left an indelible mark on me which I still draw from in my writing.”

Thank you for your consideration of this proposal. I look forward to hearing from you.

Andria Goldin
Ridgefield, CT
Email: andria.goldin@gmail.com
Website: andriagoldin.com
Twitter: @AndriaGoldin
Facebook: facebook.com/atgoldin

[msouthworth]

Vassal wasn't expecting the kid who he saved from bandits to immediately turn around and kill him. Likewise, Malkawnt wasn't expecting Vassal to get up after he'd died and chase her down.

PRISON OF GOLD is a high fantasy adventure in which Vassal, the cursed chosen one of a trio of imprisoned goddesses, suddenly finds himself sharing his unwanted immortality with a self-proclaimed chaos demon trapped in a human body. Pulled along by the random whims of his new “friend,” Vassal finds himself back on track to break a centuries old curse and return magic to the world. Ghosts, monsters, gods, and demons abound in this character driven tale of second chances and hope.

Young adults who have finished binge-watching The Witcher and need more grumpy protagonists with a heart of gold and their chaotic friends will love PRISON OF GOLD. Also, readers of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series will be immediately drawn into Vassal's world of ancient curses and fallen kingdoms.

PRISON OF GOLD is the first of two books, the sequel to which, THE OBSIDIAN MASK, is already written. Though these two novels are their own cohesive adventure, I have outlines for additional potential stories set in the same world. I would also be willing to write shorter stories that can be posted as eBooks to help maintain and grow readership.

PRISON OF GOLD is 87,000 words long. I would be happy to send a more in-depth synopsis, sample chapters, or the complete manuscript to you for review. I am present on many social media platforms, and am ready to participate in co-promotion using Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking tools. You can check out my other work on my website, Mariahsouthworth.com

[Kate]

Dear (Agent’s name)

According to your website, you are interested in novels dealing with women’s fiction. As you represent (name of author and book) you might enjoy my novel BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

Jude Hutton finds herself in the unusual circumstance of remembering her previous life. She attempts to prevent assassinations using the pseudonym Sarah Connor. Her first triumph is her warning letter to John Lennon. Her success brings her to the attention of the FBI, who assume she must be involved due to the detailed information she provided in her cautionary appeal to John.

Jude’s unique situation affects her daily life and creates difficulties with her partners. Her first marriage fails due to her peculiar circumstances, leaving her with a young son to raise alone. She later meets and marries a man, unknown to her the first time around. She has no idea how his life played out previously and understands she’s changing circumstances inadvertently, without knowing how that will affect the greater picture. Her anomaly causes tension in this marriage, as well. She worries she may never be able to have a normal relationship and might pass her condition on to her offspring. No one in her life can understand what it means to have a remembered existence.

Two others experiencing the same phenomenon, an African man named Mosi and a Spanish woman named Bianca, eventually make contact with Jude. Their search for more of their kind needs to be discreet, as it appears one, such as they, has a very different agenda concerning how world events should play out. Together this small band of misfits attempt the daunting task of staying under the radar, while endeavouring to avert a looming nuclear war.

At approximately 108 000 words, my novel, BACK TO SQUARE ONE is woman’s fiction with a dash of magical realism and overtones of alternate history. BACK TO SQUARE ONE is similar to My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and would appeal to readers of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

I took a creative writing course at the University of Winnipeg and received an A- for my efforts. My professor, Margaret Sweatman, a published author most recently of The Gunsmith’s Daughter, encouraged me to join a writing group when I moved to Ottawa. I did and began writing this novel. I won an honourable mention in an Ottawa Citizen short story contest.

Thank you very much for your time.

Kate

[barb]

Dear [Agent]:

[Personalization for the agent.]
I’d like to present my historical novel, FACES OF WAR (98,000 words), inspired by the true story of the Tin Noses Shop, where British artists and doctors collaborated to help disfigured soldiers of the First World War. It is a coming-of-age story, written from three different perspectives, with a tone similar to Joanna Quinn’s The Whalebone Theatre. The book will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories of untold history, like Lauren Willig’s Band of Sisters and Jojo Moyes’s The Giver of Stars.

When Meg Bradshaw’s brother disappears in battle, she abandons her art school ambitions to volunteer in a London military hospital. It soon becomes clear she’s a failure as a nursing aide, but before she can be sent home in disgrace, a chance encounter leads her to the Tin Noses Shop. With her artistic skills, she convinces the sculptor in charge to take her on and discovers a passion for making lifelike masks for wounded soldiers. There she meets Sam Miller, a volunteer hospital orderly whose heart defect prevented him from enlisting. His secret desire is to become a medic, and though he and Meg clash at first, they form an unexpected bond when they befriend Jack Kelley, an American patient struggling with his scars—both physical and emotional. When a child screams in terror at his mask, Jack runs away, convinced he’ll never have a normal life. What follows threatens Meg’s future as an artist, and forces Sam to choose whether to risk his own ambition to save his friend.

FACES OF WAR was a finalist in WFWA’s Rising Star Competition, and Pacific Northwest Writers Association Contest for Historical Fiction. I belong to WFWA, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime. My work has appeared in The Westchester Review, Bards and Sages Quarterly, and several anthologies, among others.
The full manuscript is available upon request. Thank you for your consideration.

Regards,