Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentor Names: Kelli Newby and Mary Ann Marlowe
Mentee Name: A. S. Behsam
Title: COUP DE GRACE
Category: Adult
Genre: Speculative Fiction with LGBT romantic elements #ownvoices Iranian
Word Count: 83,000 words
Pitch:
Fleeing Iran with only his poetry book, reclusive Arash resolves to survive the world war—preferably alone. However, in the refugee camps of Nairosia, French-Russian Vitaliy charms Arash into joining his adopted multinational family. Now, on a desperate scramble toward safety, Arash carries a burden he never wanted: People he’d die for.
Excerpt:
The first time I truly appreciated my ability to shut up about my problems was the day I set foot out of the quarantine rooms in Camp Chapel, where almost everyone burst into tears the moment they were given IDs that did not include the name of their families and loved ones.
I understood. A lot of these guys had left their families, dead or living, behind to be able to save themselves—and well, their genes. I got it. But after listening to them whine and grovel day and night for two weeks, I couldn’t wait to separate ways. I mean, telling others about your problems doesn’t make them less real.
Camp Chapel reminded me a lot of a place back in Iran. The quarantine rooms were the old, abandoned houses of the rebuilt Chapel Village deeper in the valley. With their pale walls and green window frames, they looked like Uncle Reza’s house in Urmia, but they never felt the same.
Nothing ever did.
Before getting on the line on the frozen snow, I got some hot water for a cup of cocoa and saffron. I tried to focus on the burning sensation in my palms and the sweet scent—my way of trying to concentrate on today, rather than the past, or the nothing I might become when the war ended: Today I was Arash, twenty-three, standing in a line of young refugees who for all the world resembled my own miserable state.
Hi! I’d love to see more.
Please query me at queryquressa@nelsonagency.com. In the subject line, write REQUESTED QUERY (PitchWars) and the title of your project. This will help ensure that your query isn’t accidentally deleted or caught in our spam filter. In the body of your email, include a one-page query letter and the first twenty pages of your manuscript.
Sounds exciting! Can you please send me the first 50 pages and a full synopsis as Word .docs, with the pitch and any other relevant details you’d like me to know in the body of an email? naomi at inklingsliterary dot com. Thanks!
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!
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.
I want this! Please send full, query, and synopsis to: jessica@dijkstraagency.com w #pitchwars in subject!
I’d love to see the rest of this! 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!
I’d love to take a look! Please use the guidelines on jdlit.com to send 30 pp (instead of the usual 20) and put #pitchwars in the subject line. I can’t wait to take a look!
Roseanne Wells
The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
This sounds intriguing, and I’d love to see more. Please send the query, a brief synopsis of 1-2 pages, and the fist 50 pages of the manuscript to: margaret@fuseliterary.com, and include Pitch Wars in the subject line.
I look forward to reading it!
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