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PW #150: Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy: THE FORK REPORT

Tuesday, 31 October 2017  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

Manuscript Status: Finished

Mentor Name: David Mealing

Mentee Name: Vernon Hedrick

Title: THE FORK REPORT

Category: Adult

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Word Count: 109,000 words

Pitch:

Heartbroken, Nate accepts work as a “forker”. While transporting packages across several alternate Americas, he learns an inter-dimensional war is coming. He must choose between a utopia built on slave labor or an older, stranger civilization. Sliders meets Iran-Contra.

Excerpt:

I have a tube sticking out of my chest. That’s new. But, Dr. Jansen tells me, that’s just one of the fun things that one can expect when one gets shot in the lungs with an AK-47. In fact, Dr. Jansen tells me, when one gets shot in the lungs with an AK-47, the tube in the chest is actually the best possible outcome. So I should just stop complaining about it already, alright?

And I would stop. But it hurts like hell and it’s been draining blood and pus for a week now. I’d hoped that medical science would be more advanced in this world.

But here I lie. My arm in a cast. My chest is covered in bandages. My head has been shaved because of the lice. I live in a world of itch now. I sleep too much and I dream too much but I’m on the mend. That’s what Dr. Jansen says. And the tube is coming out soon. That’s something to look forward to anyway.

I’m better off than the guy in the bed next to me. I don’t know what fork he’s come back from, but he left a leg there and he will not shut up about it. “This isn’t what I signed up for,” he keeps saying.

This hospital bed isn’t what I signed up for either. I signed up to see the world. I signed up to see several worlds. I signed up to be all that I could be and to watch all nine seasons of Firefly.

Filed: PW Entries

13 Comments
  • Sam Morgan says:

    Sounds like a thumbs up emoji. I’d love to read more. Could you please send me the first three chapters in a .doc to smorgan at foundrymedia dot com with the subject line “Pitch Wars VI: Return of the Pitch”

  • Hey Vernon! I’ve been dying to read this! Can you please send your first 50 pages to querylindsay@emeraldcityliterary.com. Please include your query in your email and Pitch Wars in the subject line.

    Thanks,
    Lindsay

  • 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!

  • Aimee Ashcraft says:

    Really enjoyed this pitch and would love to read more. Could you send the full manuscript in Word format to aimee@browerliterary.com, with #PitchWars as the subject? Thanks a lot!

  • Leon Husock says:

    I’d love to read more of this! Please send a query and the full manuscript along with a single-sentence description of your premise to leon@lperkinsagency.com

  • 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.

  • Jim McCarthy says:

    I’d love to have a look. Please send the manuscript along for my prompt review. I’m at jmccarthy@dystel.com. A Word attachment is most preferable if possible. Thanks! Jim

  • Laura Zats says:

    This is fun! Please send the query in the body of an email with the MS attached to laura@redsofaliterary.com. Please mention Pitch Wars in the subject line!

  • Hillary Jacobson says:

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

  • Great voice! Please send me the full manuscript. Include query letter or brief synopsis as first page of the manuscript and email it as a .doc or .docx attachment to querykristin@nelsonagency.com. In the subject line, please write REQUESTED PITCH WARS + the title of the manuscript. Looking forward to reading more!

  • Peter Knapp says:

    This sounds excellent — I would love to read! Please send the full manuscript to queries@parkliterary.com attached as a Word document with the query in the first page of the document. Put “PITCH WARS REQUEST – PETE KNAPP” in the subject. Please also include a one page synopsis if available.

    Thank you!
    Pete

  • LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your voice!!! Great concept! Did I mention I love your voice? 😉 I’m hooked!

    Please send the full manuscript to Lynnette@theseymouragency.com, attached as a Word document with the query as the first page. Put “Pitch Wars” and your title in the subject line. Please also include a brief synopsis as a separate document. Thanks! Can’t wait to read!

    Lynnette Novak
    The Seymour Agency

  • Penelope Burns says:

    Hi Vernon,

    I am a sucker for parallel worlds and 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

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