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PW #237: Middle Grade Science Fiction: FRENCH BRAIDS AND OTHER ENTANGLEMENTS

Wednesday, 1 November 2017  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

Manuscript Status: Two Weeks

Mentor Name: Rebecca Petruck

Mentee Name: Robin Lemke

Title: FRENCH BRAIDS AND OTHER ENTANGLEMENTS

Category: Middle Grade

Genre: Science Fiction

Word Count: 50,000 words

Pitch:

An anxiety-ridden math prodigy wants to help her dad find a healthy alt-Earth before their generations-old “temporary” colony on the moon runs out of water. She’d also like a best friend, another resource in short supply. When she discovers the vlog of a girl her age on an obviously alternative Earth, she knows she should tell her dad right away, but can’t resist starting a conversation that turns into real friendship. But when their worlds become entangled at a quantum level, the girls must untangle the cosmic knots and hope friendship can be stronger than Newton’s laws.

Excerpt:

A set is like a collection, like the way my little brother and his friends collect TopBot cards and battle them incessantly at recess. I’m sure he could tell you about every single robot and exactly what it does. Or you could just write it like this: Stone’s Cards = {whatever it is he collects}. But I like to think a set is a collection that means something, so I collect more important things, like grave injustices done against me. The most recent addition to Things Silver Should Never Have to Endure is struggling through an entire choir concert with orange Jell-O dripping down the inside of my space helmet and congealing in my ears thanks to my little brother and things he thinks are hilarious.

I think it’s worth saying that the sets Things Stone Thinks are Hilarious and Grave Injustices Done Against Silver are almost identical.

It’s true, I don’t technically have to wear my space helmet indoors, but that’s not the point. The fact that we’ve learned to live on the moon but not how to make choir concerts endurable isn’t even the point. The point is, I’ve added a new member to a set that really should be empty.

Filed: PW Entries

21 Comments
  • This made me laugh out loud! I’d love to see your query in the body of an email, along with the full manuscript and a synopsis (both attached). Please also include a link to this entry. You can send your materials to lauren@triadaus.com. I look forward to reading!

  • Robin, I would love to take a look at the full manuscript! Please email a query letter to maria@psliterary.com with the subject line “Pitch Wars Request: French Braids and Other Entanglements” and include the manuscript (+ a synopsis) as an attachment.

  • I was super intrigued by your pitch and sample and definitely want to read more of this!! Please send me your query and first 50 pages, with the subject “PITCHWARS REQUEST,” to carrie(at)prospectagency(dot)com. Thank you and excited to see more!

  • 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

  • Caitie Flum says:

    This looks great! I’d love to take a look.

    Please send the query in the body of the email + full manuscript as a Word attachment to querycaitie@lizadawson.com with “Pitch Wars request” in the subject.

  • Hillary Jacobson says:

    I am in love with the idea of this. Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!!

  • Sarah Landis says:

    I’d love to read more! Please send the full manuscript to slandis@sll.com. Thanks!

  • Peter Knapp says:

    Oh, I am definitely intrigued and the title is great. I’d love to keep reading! Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc with the query pasted into the first page of the document to queries@parkliterary.com with “PETER KNAPP – PITCH WARS REQUEST” in the subject. Thank you, and I look forward to reading!

  • I’d love to see more! Please submit your query, synopsis, and first 50 pages to https://querymanager.com/query/inklings_whitley/PitchWars. I can’t wait to dive in!

  • Ah! I love this so much! Please query me and upload the full manuscript at QueryMe.online/devinequeries/PitchWars. Thank you.

  • Beth Buck says:

    This is a really strong start! I love the mathy nerdiness. I’m an Acquisitions Editor for Immortal Works Press. Please send your full manuscript to beth.buck@immortal-works.com.

  • Blair Wilson says:

    This is so great–I’d love to read more! Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc with the query pasted into the first page of the document to queries@parkliterary.com with “BLAIR WILSON – PITCH WARS REQUEST” in the subject. Thanks so much–looking forward to reading!

  • I would love to read more!

    Please send your query, 1-2 page synopsis, and first 100 pages (in an attached word doc.) to queries at azantianlitagency dot com with “PitchWars: TITLE by Name” in the subject line. Thanks!

    I look forward to reading on!

    Jennifer Azantian
    Azantian Literary Agency

  • I would love to read more!

    Please send your query, 1-2 page synopsis, and first 100 pages (in an attached word doc.) to queries at azantianlitagency dot com with “PitchWars: TITLE by Name” in the subject line. Thanks!

    I look forward to reading!

    Jennifer Azantian
    Azantian Literary Agency

  • Hi Robin,

    I would love to read more!

    Please send your query, 1-2 page synopsis, and first 100 pages (in an attached word doc.) to queries at azantianlitagency dot com with “PitchWars: TITLE by Name” in the subject line. Thanks!

    I look forward to reading on!

    Jennifer Azantian
    Azantian Literary Agency

  • Natalie M. Lakosil says:

    Hi Robin,

    I’d love to see this! Please send the full manuscript to me at natalie@bradfordlit.com, along with a synopsis and your query. Please include “Requested material: Pitch Wars” in the email subject.

    Thanks!!
    Natalie
    Natalie Lakosil
    Bradford Literary Agency

  • Roseanne Wells says:

    I’d love to read more! Please use the guidelines on jdlit.com to send 30pp (instead of the normal 20), and include #Pitchwars in the subject line. I can’t wait to dive in!

    Roseanne Wells
    The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

  • Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Robin,

    I would absolutely love to see this! Can you send the full to penelope@gelfmaschneider.com with your query in the body of the email and PitchWars and title in the subject line? Thank you!

    Penelope

  • Robin, this sounds amazing! Please send the first 50 pages as a Word doc or PDF attachment to melissa@rpcontent.com. Please also include your query letter in the body of the email, and Pitch Wars in the subject line.

    I look forward to reading!

    Thanks,

    Melissa Nasson
    Rubin Pfeffer Content

  • Rena Rossner says:

    This sounds amazing and right up my alley! I’d love to take a closer look! Please send the full manuscript attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com

    Thanks!

    – Rena

  • Brenda Bowen says:

    Hi Robin —

    I’m intrigued! Please send the full manuscript to me at querybb@sjga.com, along with a synopsis and your query. Also — pls include “You loved this in #PitchWars” in the email subject. Thank you for participating and best of luck to you — Brenda

    Brenda Bowen
    Sanford J. Greenburger Associates
    @bbowen949

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