Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentor Names: Erica M. Chapman, Stephanie Scott
Mentee Name: Akure Phénix
Title: GREEN LIGHTS
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, #ownvoices
Word Count: 70,000
Pitch:
Welcome to Sayer Academy’s exclusive end-of-the-year cruise trip.
A chance for new-girl Natalie Cheng to escape the wounds of her father’s tragic death, and for the dazzling Jazz Gatling to party with the boy she loves.
But when the cruise’s accident leaves half the students dead, only they know the truth. Refusing to talk, the girls band together—their survival is everything now.
Gender-bent, diverse GREAT GATSBY meets GOSSIP GIRL.
Excerpt:
NATALIE
I shouldn’t tell you what happened.
I shouldn’t tell anyone because I swore.
But, if I tell no one, I’ll feel like it never happened, like all proof will vanish. I want to tell you how Jazz swallowed a ragged breath, then plunged into the icy waters that day. How quickly the violent, thrashing waves grabbed her like frozen, mobile fingers.
I want to tell you how Dean Hawthorne leapt after her, diving into waters too cold for human lungs to combat, but because that was Jazz in that frigid sea, and Jazz was his breath in any space without air, his starlight through darkness, he had to. He couldn’t let her die. But that came with consequences.
I want to tell you how he tried swimming them towards land himself, braving the brutal winds that mercilessly whipped his skin, mocking him for his ambition. Punishing him for thinking he was greater than the nature itself that was swallowing them alive. Freezing his body relentlessly. But he wouldn’t stop, not with Jazz in his arms.
I wish I could tell you, above all, they survived the insurmountable things that happened to them. More than wishing, I want to tell you why so many students died. I want to tell you who they were and that they were good people—but I don’t know if that’s true anymore.
Not even for me.
??????
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
You had me at “GOSSIP GIRL.” Please send as a Microsoft Word document to brent(@)triadaus(.)com. Looking forward!
Hi Akure,
Ooh I like this and I’d love to read more! Please send a query, synopsis, and the first 25 pages (Word documents will suffice) to ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net — and don’t forget to mention #PitchWars in your subject line. Thanks—looking forward to my read!
Good luck,
–Saba
This sounds so fun! 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!
~ Lauren
AKURE!
I FOUND YOU AND I LOVE YOUR VOICE! OH GOODNESS! Can you please send me your query, synopsis, and full manuscript? If you go to http://queryme.online/kellypeterson/pitchwars it should take you to a form you can fill out and paste in your information, and the bottom should allow you to attach your full.
I can’t wait to read it! =)
Warm Regards,
Kelly Peterson
Jr. Literary Agent
Corvisiero Literary Agency
Wow. I would absolutely love to read this full manuscript. I have chills already! Please send it attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com
I can’t wait!
– Rena
This sounds AMAZING. I’d love to read it!
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.
Hi Akure,
You had me at GOSSIP GIRL. I’d love to read more! Please send the full manuscript attached in a word doc with your query letter in the body of the email to Jess@Browerliterary.com with #PitchWars and your title in the subject. Looking forward to reading!
Jess
Please email query and full ms (as an attachment) to info@thebentagency.com, PITCHWARS in subject line. Thanks!
Akure, 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: Green Lights” and include the manuscript (+ a synopsis) as an attachment.
Hi Akure,
I would love to see more! Please send your query to channigan@hsgagency.com and attach the first 100 pages as a word document. Also please include “Pitch Wars YA” in your subject line.
Thanks!
Carrie
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!
Always in the mood for something GOSSIP GIRL related! I’d love to read. Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!!
Hi Akure,
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
This sounds so amazing! I have to read this — 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!
Great Gatsby + Gossip Girl, yes please! I would love to have a look! Could you please send the full manuscript to me at katelyn@jillgrinbergliterary.com?
All the best,
Katelyn
Wow! I’m hooked and can’t wait to read the entire manuscript. Please send it to andrea@transatlanticagency.com with the query and put Pitch Wars Request in the subject line.
Thank you,
Andrea
Love this. Please send the first 50 pages in word doc and subject line “PITCH WARS YA” to ksboutillier@maassagency.com. Thanks so much! Katie <3
Lots of intrigue here! Please send a query letter, bio, and first 15 pages to thao@dijkstraagency.com using subject line: Pitch Wars Req – GREEN LIGHTS.
I would love to have a look at this! Kindly send the manuscript along for my prompt review at jmccarthy@dystel.com. A Word attachment is most preferable if possible.
Best,
Jim
I’d love to read the full! Please email to tracey@adamsliterary.com with your query letter and “Pitch Wars – YA” in the subject line. Thank you, Akure!
This sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read it! Please send me the full manuscript at QueryMe.online/1067/PitchWars2017.
Thank you!
Natascha Morris
I’ve been looking forward to reading this again! 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
This sounds so amazing–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!
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
Akure, 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
You had me at Great Gatsby meets Gossip Girl. I’d be interested to see more! Please send a query, first 50 pages and synopsis to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com. Look forward to reading!
-Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis
Ninja Request
This sounds amazing!!! I’d love to see more.
Please send query, synopsis and full manuscript at nicole@goldenwheatliterary.com
I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks,
Nicole Payne
What an intriguing pitch! I’d love to read on. Please send the full manuscript to tprasanna@foundrymedia.com, subject “PitchWars Request”. thank you!