Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentor Name: Laura Heffernan
Mentee Name: Elizabeth Leis Newman
Title: CALLBACK
Category: Adult
Genre: Women’s fiction
Word Count: 83,000
Pitch:
Claire dreamed a dream of Broadway stardom, but instead boomerangs home to teach high school drama. She promptly casts a real orphan as the lead of Annie, adopts a pit bull to co-star, and embarks on an ill-advised romance with another teacher. Unless she can make the show a smash, her life’s headed for another flop.
Excerpt:
The difference between a high school thespian and a long-term substitute teacher was, instead of sitting with drama queens at lunch, I was about to sit with faculty queens who love drama.
The teacher’s lounge was where you find your allies, or so I was told. Someone was always declaring war on teachers: administrators, parents, students, their own children. Whether you were the aggressor or the victim, Russia or Poland, other soldiers were on your side.
“Remember,” I told myself, staring at the door. “You’re Stalin, but with jazz hands.”
Hands reminded me of my ring finger, and I wondered if anyone would notice the white outline where a gold band once sat. As I mused, I was tackled by Taylor Lopez, Spanish teacher extraordinaire.
“Claire! I’m so excited to see you!” Taylor squealed as she hugged me. “Simona and I were just saying it’s going to be the best. year. ever.”
She pulled out a compact to reapply her lipstick, a bold red complimenting the black curls framing her round face. In my mind, Maple High School was the setting for a new musical, one in which Taylor played an enthusiastic sidekick to resident diva and choral teacher Simona Martin. Unfortunately, when I examined my own role in my new life as a musical, the character I most related to was a vengeful Sweeney Todd upon his return home after years in prison.
Maybe I wouldn’t mention that to parents on Back-to-School night.
Please send the synopsis and first 100 pages to querymichelle@fuseliterary.com and be sure to include Pitch Wars in the subject line. Thanks!
I’d love to see where this goes! Please send your official query (subject line containing “Pitch Wars”) and first 50 pages in an attached Word doc to laura (@) triadaus (dot) com. Thanks.
Hi Elizabeth
I’m keen to read this – could you send me the full MS as a Word doc and if possible, an expanded synopsis (ideally 500-700 words)? claire at rhaliterary dot com.
Looking forward to reading more!
Claire