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PW #372: Young Adult Diverse YA Fantasy: SORROW’S HEIR

Thursday, 2 November 2017  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

Manuscript Status: Finished

Mentors’ Names: Tomi Adeyemi and Kester ‘Kit’ Grant

Mentee’s Names: Gillian Berry

Title: SORROW’S HEIR

Category: Young Adult

Genre: Diverse YA Fantasy

Word Count: 105,000

PITCH:

ANASTASIA meets SIX OF CROWS.

With only one foot and a bottle of stolen memories to her name, Ria Prevast has no chance of escaping Krasia’s frozen wasteland. Not until she meets Zev Rozik and his crew of criminals.

Rumors claim one princess survived the guns of the Krasik revolution. Zev has come to find her. And now Ria will become her.

But Zev is not the only one after the heir.

And Ria is not the only one who’s lying.

EXCERPT:

Ria was sure the mist was watching.

Gossamer fog brushed the back of her neck like a close whisper, but she refused to shudder. If she showed how uneasy she felt sneaking along the palace gate to search for a Ria-sized gap in the bars, Eliska would never follow her through. If Ria betrayed one ounce of fear, her best friend would sink inside herself and never come out.

Acting brave was a tall order when you were a short person standing in the shadow of the Imperial Palace, but Ria was nothing if not stubborn.

The colorless city lay at her back, muted by dawn and a mantle of silver mist that threaded Ria’s ankles. She kicked it aside, but it only clung tighter. Fear spiked through her.

As long as the fog stayed still, they were safe.

Filed: PW Entries

35 Comments
  • beth phelan says:

    Um, hell yes, what will I do without this. Can you please email your query, plus the full manuscript as a Word doc attachment, to phelanqueries@thebentagency.com, with “Pitch Wars request” in the subject line? I’m closed to queries except requested submissions, so don’t mind the automated response.

    Beth Phelan
    The Bent Agency

  • I would LOVE to read this. Please send 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!

    ~Lauren

  • Jim McCarthy says:

    I’d loved to have a look! Please send the full manuscript to jmccarthy@dystel.com. A Word attachment is most preferable if possible. Best,
    Jim

  • Uwe Stender says:

    This sounds incredible!!! Please, send the full as an MSWord attachment to uwe@triadaus.com Can’t wait to read.

  • Kira Watson says:

    Hi Gillian,

    More please!!!!

    Please send your query with a FULL manuscript (attached as a Word Doc) to queries@emmasweeneyagency.com with PitchWars Request for Kira Watson + TITLE.

    Thank you!

    -Kira Watson
    Emma Sweeney Agency

  • Kaitlyn Johnson says:

    This sounds absolutely amazing! I’ve been obsessing over your Twitter aesthetic post for a while! I’d love to see the full. Please send to https://querymanager.com/query/KaitlynJohnson/Contests with synopsis and PitchWars in the referral page.

  • This sounds amazing! I’d love to read more. Please send a query (in the body of the email) along with the full manuscript as a Word doc attachment, subject line “Pitch Wars: [Your Title]” to patricia@marsallyonliteraryagency.com.

    Thanks, and looking forward to reading!

  • Heather Flaherty says:

    Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup! So want more of this, Gillian!

    Please send:
    – Query + 10 pages pasted in the body of the email
    – Attach FULL ms as well!
    – with subject line: PW YA + Title

    to:  flahertyqueries@thebentagency.com

    Thank you so much!

    Heather Flaherty (The Bent Agency)

  • Hi Gillian,

    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

  • Rena Rossner says:

    I would absolutely love to read this! Please send the full manuscript attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com

    I will just bit my fingernails until then!

    – Rena

  • Ammi-Joan Paquette says:

    This sounds amazing! Please send your query + first 3 chapters to me at joan at emliterary.com – thanks 🙂

  • Caitie Flum says:

    This looks great! It 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.

  • 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!

  • Jenny Bent says:

    Please email query and full ms (as an attachment) to info@thebentagency.com, PITCHWARS in subject line. Thanks!

  • Peter Knapp says:

    This sounds so good! Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc to queries@parkliterary.com with the query pasted into the first page of the doc. If available, please also attach a one (or so) page synopsis. Put “PITCH WARS REQUEST – PETE KNAPP” in the subject. Thank you!

  • Gillian. That pitch. Those opening lines. How could I NOT request this??? I MUST. Please email the full manuscript, along with your query letter and a synopsis (if you have one) to bsherman@janklow.com, with the subject line “Pitch Wars: SORROW’S HEIR.” Can’t wait to read this!

    Best,
    Brooks Sherman
    Janklow & Nesbit Associates

  • Hillary Jacobson says:

    Gillian, everything about this is perfection. I am dying to read more. Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!!

  • Erica Bauman says:

    Hi Gillian,

    I’d LOVE to see this! Please email a query and the full manuscript to ebauman@aevitascreative.com and put “Pitch Wars” in the subject line.

    Thanks!

    -Erica

  • This sounds so amazing! What a great opening! — I would love to read the full ms! Please send the full manuscript to suzie@newleafliterary.com attached as a Word document with the query in the first page of the document. Put “PITCH WARS” in the subject. Please also include a dreaded synopsis if you have one. Thank you! Can’t wait to read!

  • I love what I’ve read so far, and can’t wait to read the entire manuscript! Please send it as an attachment, with the query, to andrea@transatlanticagency.com and put Pitch Wars Request in the subject line.

    Thank you,
    Andrea

  • Katelyn Detweiler says:

    Gillian – such a great pitch. I would love to have a look! Could you please send the full manuscript to me at katelyn@jillgrinbergliterary.com?

    All the best,
    Katelyn

  • Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Gillian,

    I would LOVE to see this. Can you send the full to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com, with your query in the body of the email and #PitchWars and title in the subject line? Thanks so much!

    Penelope

  • Danielle Burby says:

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this pitch and I am dying to read this manuscript! I cannot wait to read this manuscript. Please send me the full! I know I’m not the only agent here at Nelson Literary Agency who is excited to read this one so please send just one email to query@nelsonagency.com with PITCH WARS UPLOAD in the subject line. We will reply with our upload instructions, and then all the interested NLA agents will read and consider your manuscript. Thank you!

  • Quressa Robinson says:

    This sounds fantastic! I’d love to see more. I may not be the only agent here at Nelson Literary Agency who wants to read your amazing work! So, please send just one email to query@nelsonagency.com with PITCH WARS UPLOAD in the subject line. We will reply with our upload instructions, and then all the interested NLA agents will read and consider your manuscript. Thank you!”

  • Josh Adams says:

    This sounds terrific! Please send the full manuscript, along with your query, to josh@adamsliterary.com under the subject line: Pitch Wars / Sorrow’s Heir. Thanks—can’t wait to read more!

  • Natalie M. Lakosil says:

    Hi Gillian,

    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

  • Natascha Morris says:

    I love your comps and this sounds amazing! Please send me the full manuscript at QueryMe.online/1067/PitchWars2017.

    Thank you!
    Natascha Morris

  • Blair Wilson says:

    Wow, this is amazing–I’d love to read! 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!

  • Sarah Davies says:

    Hello! I’d like to read more of this. Please send me the query with full manuscript (Word doc) at submissions@greenhouseliterary.com, with PitchWars/Sarah Davies in the email title line. Thanks!
    Sarah

  • Christa Heschke says:

    I’d love to read on! Please send the full manuscript to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com and put the title and Pitch Wars request in the subject line.
    –Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis

  • This sounds AMAZING!! I’d love to read more! Please send the full manuscript as a Word attachment to kristy.hunter@knightagency.net with your query in the body of the email and “Pitch Wars: TITLE” in the subject line. Thanks!!

  • Roseanne Wells says:

    Holy shizz, great comps, great pitch, great openers. I’d love to read more! Please use the guidelines on jdlit.com to send 100pp (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

  • Hi Gillian,

    I’m already so intrigued by the sample you’ve shared above! Please could you send the first 50 attached in a word document? I would really appreciate it if you would label your query REQUESTED: Pitch Wars and label the document with your last name and the title.

    Thank you so much! I can’t wait to dive in!

    Warmly,
    Bri

    Brianne Johnson
    Writers House

  • Gillian, I would love to read more of this! 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

  • Hi Gillian,
    This sounds right up my alley. I’d love to see the first 50 pages by word attachment to my email or sent via querymanager.
    Looking forward!
    Kelly

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