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18. RENASCENCE – Young Adult Contemporary

Monday, 3 November 2014  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

Assorted_Uzi_Water_Guns_lgMentor Name: Dannie Morin

Mentee Name: Heather Truett

Title: RENASCENCE

Category: Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary

Word Count: 67,000

Pitch:

Eighteen-year-old Chrissy reapplied her lipstick and shot her teacher in the heart. Priscilla can’t imagine a future where her pacifist best friend is remembered as a school shooter. She must uncover the motive behind the crime or Chrissy will face the death penalty.

Excerpt:

I’m shackled now. Wrists and ankles connected, a chain running between my arms and legs, hooked around my middle. I have to shuffle my feet to walk. The Investigator holds a door for me. I pass into sunlight and squint.

He leads me to a cruiser and opens the door. My left foot catches when I lift it. Too high. I’m not used to these chains. There were cuffs before, silver and sharp on my skin.

Once in the car, I glance back at the jail. There’s no window. The whole building is more than dim. It’s a grave.

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely,” Millay wrote.

I don’t have a bed yet. The holding cell is always lit, night and day. I was arrested Wednesday, and I’ve had eggs for two meals, so it must be Friday.

Three days I’ve been inside that cement coffin, but I am neither wise nor lovely.

Mom would say it’s a sign, that I’m like Jesus, lying in a tomb for three days and then emerging into the light.

But I am nothing like Jesus.

“This is your bond hearing. It shouldn’t take long, and we’ll be back in the car.” The investigator says this like it’s comforting.

The leather seat is warm through my thin scrubs. Their red stripes are my mark. They mean I’m violent. I look down at my hands in my lap. I feel like Lady Macbeth. My hands are red. My stripes are red.

I am violent.

Filed: Pitch Wars

9 Comments
  • gina says:

    That was so great! I must read more!!! This really drew me in 😀 I like the descriptions. Very well written and engaging!

  • This sounds intriguing! I’d love to see 3 chapters attached in a word doc, a query and a synopsis sent to query@psliterary.com with the subject heading PITCH WARS.

    Thanks!

    Carly
    P.S. Literary Agency

  • Laura Zats says:

    I’m intrigued! I’d love to see the first three chapters! Send in an attachment with a query in the body of an email to laura@redsofaliterary.com.

  • Thao Le says:

    Hi Heather,
    What a great excerpt! I’d love to read more. Could you please send me the first 50 pages as a word doc attachment to: thao(at)dijkstraagency(dot)com? Please also include a query letter, complete synopsis and a short bio in the email and have “PitchWars Request: RENASCENCE ” in your subject line. Looking forward to hearing from you!
    Best,
    Thao

  • Amanda Panitch says:

    Hi Heather! Your excerpt gave me chills and I’d love to read more. Please send your first 100 pages to me as a Word document at amanda[at]LMQlit[dot]com.

  • Peter Knapp says:

    Hi Heather,
    This drew me right in — I’d love to keep reading. Please send a query letter and the first 100 pages attached to: queries(at)parkliterary(dot)com. Please include “Pitch Wars Request” somewhere in the subject. Thanks — looking forward to reading.

  • Rena Rossner says:

    I’d love to read this full manuscript. Can you send it attached as word document to: rena(at)thedeborahharrisagency(dot)com – and please reference PITCHWARS in the subject line.

    Thanks!

    – Rena

  • Lana Popovic says:

    Hi Heather,

    This is captivating. Could you send me your full manuscript, please, as a PDF, along with your query? To lana@chalbergsussman.com, with PitchWars: RENASCENCE in the subject line. I can’t wait to read more!

    All my best,
    Lana

  • Louise Fury says:

    I love how you’ve tied in Shakespeare. Please send the first three chapters as a .doc attachment, with your query as page one, to furyqueries @ thebentagency.com. For the subject line, put PITCH WARS: YOUR TITLE. Thanks!

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