Stephanie Burns holds an MFA in Creative Writing and a BA in Theater Studies, both from Emerson College. When she’s not dreaming up stories of her own, she is championing women authors as the COO of the award-winning Tall Poppy Writers. She lives on the south shore of Massachusetts where she plots by the ocean with her almost-famous beagle, Ollie Twist. Far from the A-List is her debut novel.

Here’s Stephanie’s original query:

Dear Ms. Fleissig,

I’ve heard such wonderful things about you from Ann Garvin and Amy Impellizzeri, and based on your strong roster of women’s fiction authors, I hope that my novel, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, might be a good fit for your list. It’s Fleabag meets I’m Glad My Mom Died set against the tabloid culture of the mid-aughts, ideal for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid. I would be thrilled to submit my manuscript for your consideration.

Michaela Turner wants you to know one thing: she is not Daisy Breyer, the character she played as a child on the hit TV series Breyer’s Town. Who she is apart from that, she hasn’t quite figured out.

A decade and a half after her show’s cancellation, Michaela is doing her best to prove that she has escaped the trappings of former child stardom. She’s paid to party at New York’s trendiest clubs and she’s dating the hottest guy in baseball—even if she only sees him when his team passes through town. No one needs to know that behind the role of Queen of the Social Scene, she’s a girl who looks for life’s answers in reruns of her old TV show, a girl who can tell you every detail of Daisy’s history, but can’t tell you her own favorite color or her father’s name. After a fall from grace in the tabloids leads to an embarrassing public breakup, Michaela must face the fact that she may not be fooling anyone, least of all herself. When her newly engaged rock star of an ex seeks her guidance with an identity crisis of his own, Michaela finds her chance to rediscover the girl she once was—even if that means opening herself up to the one person she ever revealed her true self to, the one person who smashed her heart in return. It’s really not the ideal time for her estranged stage mother to resurface, looking to cash in on her genetic lottery ticket, but nothing about her mother has ever been ideal. Torn between everyone’s concepts of who she is meant to be, Michaela faces a crossroads. Will she continue to let her past define her, or find the strength to step out of Daisy’s shadow and create her own path, unscripted?

I have an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, and I am the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Social Media for the Tall Poppy Writers, the only cross-genre, cross-publisher women’s author collective. Along with Ann Garvin, I launched the inaugural Tall Poppy Writers Perfect Pitch Contest and taught at the Tall Poppy Writers Retreat in Italy. For eight years, I blogged about all things books at bookperfume.com, which allowed me to develop wonderful relationships with readers and authors alike.

I would love the opportunity to send my 100,000-word manuscript to you. While Where Everybody Knows Your Name is a stand-alone novel, it leaves the door open for a follow-up. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Burns

Check out Stephanie Burns’ Far From the A-List here:

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What Liza liked about the query:

To borrow from The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing podcast, it all boils down to the hook, book, and cook. Stephanie nailed them all.

First, the hook. She grabbed me with an excellent pitch that immediately gave me a sense of the genre and story, with comps that told me where it would sit on shelves. Next, the book. She provided a solid back jacket summary that piqued my interest, set the scene for what sounded like a compelling novel, and instantly made me want to read more. Finally, she sold herself as the “cook,” with a strong bio conveying her experience, dedication to her craft, and all the ways she’d been engaging in the industry. Having a referral didn’t hurt, either. It showed me that she had been building meaningful connections and had established a great reputation for herself among colleagues, but none of that would have mattered without her talent.

Her query was super polished and inviting, and I knew if her writing was half as good as her letter, it would be a home run—and it was. As soon as I started reading her manuscript, I couldn’t put it down. Her book was timely and original with a captivating voice, and I was thrilled about the prospect of working with her.

Stephanie’s thoughts on querying:

When I was querying, I repeatedly heard, “It only takes one yes” and “The best agent you can find is the one who is passionate about your book.” I thought these were just platitudes to make the passes more digestible, until I got the call from Liza.

I’d heard amazing things about Liza from some of her other clients, and I’d been following the agency for years. I queried her just before Thanksgiving and she requested my full manuscript right away. I didn’t expect to get a response until the new year because the other thing I always heard when querying was, “Nothing happens in December.” Two days before Christmas Eve, I was in the supermarket shopping for the holidays and I got a message from her asking if we could chat. I nearly left my cart in the middle of the dairy aisle!

When I spoke to her that evening, her enthusiasm was palpable. She fully understood the heart of the novel and loved all of the things I loved about it, too. She already had a plan in place for going on submission with it in January, and while her reputation and strategy spoke volumes, it was her excitement over the book and my writing that made me certain there was no one I’d rather have in my corner.

I received plenty of “no”s in the query trenches, along with some close calls with agents who loved my writing but didn’t share my vision for the book. I’m so glad I didn’t give up. Liza’s “yes” was the one I’d been waiting for.

________________________________

Liza Fleissig is a founder of the Liza Royce Agency, a cross-platform company providing development, representation, and strategic career management in media. LRA’s goal is to represent clients in all stages of their careers, from the most established to those still developing their craft. A former trial partner in a NYC based litigation firm, Liza brings decades of negotiating experience to the field, and along with strong connections rooted in publishing, film and television, she provides bespoke services on a multi-dimensional level.

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BRIAN SCHAEFER contributes regularly to The New York Times and has written for The New Yorker, New York magazine, and Bloomberg among other publications. He received his master’s in creative writing from Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, where he also worked as a writer and editor for Haaretz. He and his husband live in New York City and the Hudson Valley.

Here’s Brian’s original query:

Dear Andrianna,

It’s a pleasure to meet you. I understand you received my query last week from Doris Cooper at Simon & Schuster and are interested in taking a look at the manuscript for my debut novel, THE DUFFLES. I’m thrilled to share it with you (attached), and have included the brief synopsis and bio below.

I look forward to hearing from you, and many thanks again for your interest!

Sincerely,

Brian Schaefer

THE DUFFLES:

The fictional town of Griffin has become a popular weekend getaway for the city’s trendsetters and second homeowners, known among locals as “the Duffles” because of the small satchels they carry as they disembark from trains and cars — the only bag necessary since they won’t be in town past Monday. Will Riley left Griffin for college but has been called home this summer to monitor his volatile younger brother Joe, who is grieving the loss of his best friend from a drug overdose, and to assist their father’s congressional campaign against Paul Banks, an ambitious young carpetbagger. When Will falls in with Paul’s social circle — a clique of affluent gay Duffles — he must hide his identity from them while demonstrating his loyalty to his family.

Spanning the six months to Election Day, THE DUFFLES (literary/upmarket fiction, 86k words) follows a handful of characters as they cross personal and social barriers, both intentionally and unwittingly. This includes Will’s religiously devout mother Diane, who becomes the unlikely real estate agent of choice for many of the gays, and Paul’s much older husband Stan, who lost his brother to AIDS and regards this race as a way to give meaning to his pain. In the age of marriage equality, and against the backdrop of a town undergoing a dramatic economic transition, THE DUFFLES empathetically examines the clash of urban and rural America and considers the responsibilities of part-time neighbors as it explores regional gentrification, the evolution of gay political power, the lingering trauma of AIDS alongside the modern scourge of opioids, and the freedom and fallout that results when people choose, or are forced, to confront familial and communal allegiances.

THE DUFFLES combines the rural setting and political dynamics of Gary Shteyngart’s OUR COUNTRY FRIENDS with the historical weight and communal themes of Rebecca Makkai’s THE GREAT BELIEVERS.

For the past decade my husband and I have split our time between New York City and the Hudson Valley, the model for my fictional rural region, and the home of a 2014 congressional race that loosely inspired the one in this story. I received Bachelors degrees in Dance and Communication from UC San Diego and a Masters degree in fiction from Bar Ilan University in Israel while working for Haaretz newspaper. I have contributed regularly to the New York Times since 2012 and have written about arts and culture for The New Yorker, Bloomberg/Businessweek, Out Magazine and more (www.Brian-Schaefer.com). I am also the co-facilitator of a fiction writing group organized through Paragraph, the New York-based writing space, and a reader for The Line, Columbia University’s veteran literary magazine, and for The Center for Fiction’s First Novel prize.

Check out Brian Schaefer’s Town & Country here:

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Thoughts from Andrianna deLone on the query:

What struck me right away about Brian’s query was the fabulous title. It’s a bit ironic, given we’ve changed the title for the actual publication, but still, it stood out in my query pile and made me lean in. Once I read on and realized how the title connected to one of two rival groups of characters, I was even more intrigued.

Brian’s summary does a great job of centering the story’s two main driving forces: a strong setting and sense of place, and the sprawling cast of characters. I’m always looking for a query that makes it clear the writer has a good understanding of their own book (much harder to do than it sounds!), and in reading Brian’s query, it felt like even he understood what were the most compelling elements.

Overall, his query is polished, confident, and sure of itself. It’s a huge plus in my book when an author’s own bio has relevance to the story at hand, and he made sure to include those connections in his note.

Thoughts from Tia Ikemoto on the query:

There are so many details in Brian’s query that made me excited to dive into this unforgettable book, things that sit high up on my personal wishlist when I’m looking for new authors and stories to champion. First, I was immediately enticed by the novel’s strong sense of place. The more I read, especially from the slush pile, the more I’ve come to realize that a well-developed setting, one that plays a key role in shaping a book’s narrative and tone, has become one of the elements of a query that excites me the most.

I love to travel, live, and learn vicariously through books, and the rural location of Brian’s novel was one I hadn’t spent much time in before. I also appreciated the personal connection Brian had to the story as a writer who splits his time between New York City and Hudson Valley. From his query, I could tell he had spent time deeply considering his own role as a part-time resident, and had something (quite a lot of things, really) to say in this book.

I’m also drawn towards novels that have a healthy balance of plot, character, and theme—the book club triple threat, if you will. Stories that have something to say without sacrificing entertainment to make their point. Between the diverse spread of characters, the timely political and social themes, and the ticking countdown of an electoral campaign, I could already see how this book might plug into a larger conversation about community, intersectionality, and politics, and I was eager to see if Brian could pull off telling a story as compelling as its pitch (spoiler alert: He could!).

Finally, Brian did all of this with a level of stylistic execution and market acuity that showed me he understood the book he had written and where it would fit in on shelves. His pitch was so selling that much of it made it onto the final jacket copy of the book; I hope it grabs you just as it grabbed me.

And Brian’s take on the query/submission process:

My background is in journalism, and as a freelance journalist, I spend half my time formulating pitches to editors, making the case for why a particular story is compelling, illuminating, and timely, and why I’m the best person to tell it. I also always try to keep these pitches tight and efficient, getting straight to the thesis, padding it with only the necessary supporting information, enough to give an editor a sense of scope while making them want to learn more. I think that practice really served me in formulating the query for my novel.

I did a lot of research before querying, reading samples and online interviews with agents, listening to literary podcasts to learn the dos and don’ts of query writing. And I approached it as a piece of prose: every word justified, every sentence in the right place—it’s the calling card to my writing.

I knew early in the querying process that mine was working. I had a healthy response rate and a good number of requests for manuscripts, which gave me the reassurance to stick with it when that interest didn’t lead to offers. My confidence in my query’s effectiveness was an important ingredient in my persistence, which I needed because I queried nearly 50 agents over two years before Andrianna and Tia saw my book the way I saw it, and had a vision for how to position it in the marketplace. Even though my query didn’t get me quick representation, it got me the right representation (and, I believe, the best representation!), so I’d say it did its job well.

*****

Based in the Creative Artist Agency’s New York office, Andrianna deLone represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction authors, including cookbook authors. She began her career at ICM in 2017 and joined CAA in 2022 following the agency’s acquisition of ICM. Originally from San Diego, she graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in English and Political Science. She is also a graduate of Columbia University’s Publishing Course.

Based in CAA’s New York office, Tia Ikemoto represents a diverse range of nonfiction and fiction across the commercial to literary spectrum. A Bay Area native, Ikemoto graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication and a Minor in Business before moving to New York to pursue a career in publishing. Following internships at Writers House’s San Diego and New York City offices, she joined ICM Partners in 2019 where she assisted the co-head of the Publishing department before starting to build her own list. She joined CAA in 2022 following the agency’s acquisition of ICM and was promoted to Agent in 2024.

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Jaime Parker Stickle is a writer, podcaster, and professor of film and television at Montclair State University. She is the author of the gripping thriller, “Vicious Cycle: A Corey in Los Angeles Mystery,” and is the creator and host of the true crime investigative podcast, The Girl with the Same Name as well as the hilarious podcast about side-hustles, Make That Paper. Jaime lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and fur babies.

Here’s Jaime’s original query:

Hi Dara,

Thank you, again, for reading my manuscript. I definitely have appreciated the time I’ve gotten to know you through the UCR low residency program and the authors (and books) you represent. I appreciated the notes you gave me during our one on one last June and honestly, your approach to working with your writers – giving feedback, enthusiasm, and being a partner – is, well, it’s awesome. 

Corey Tracey-Lieberman is a former television news journalist, new mom, and part-time spin instructor living in North East Los Angeles. But when two teenage girls are found hanged at her local hiking trail, Corey must delve back into the world of investigation and wrestle with her internal demon—Postpartum Panic Disorder—to solve a murder.

#NELA is an 81,800-word work of crime fiction. This is my first novel.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

All my best,

Jaime Parker Stickle

(PS – I hope you are flattered by my diligent note-taking of your query letter lecture. The above is the Mad Lib version, because why mess with the best.)

Check out Jaime Parker Stickle’s Vicious Cycle here:

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Thoughts From Dara on Jaime’s Query and the Process:

It was short but to the point and other than no bio, it was a great succinct pitch. And she followed some of the tips from a query workshop of mine she attended!

My path to working with Jaime started months before her official query. There are many paths to connecting with an agent, from cold queries, to referrals, to meeting an agent at a workshop or conference. With Jaime it was the latter.

I first met with Jaime at the UCR Palm Desert MFA residency as part of their 15-minute sit down with an industry professional program. She was a new student and full of energy and a bit nervous! But she had this idea she was working on turning into a novel at the program and ran it past me. It was about a new mom who was investigating a murder in Los Angeles, but due to her postpartum anxiety disorder she couldn’t leave her baby with anyone, so she was out there with a baby strapped to her chest, looking at crime scenes. I got chills.

And that image stayed with me. Not just the high concept, which was great, but Jaime’s voice telling it. I knew there was something there. Since I usually come out to the UCRPD program once a year, I got to see Jaime and even read about 50 pages of her novel in progress when she was graduating. I gave her feedback and let her know I definitely wanted to see it when she was ready to query agents. I really did think about it a bunch before she sent it, hoping it would be as good as I thought it might be.

The thrill when she sent it to me and I loved it! The voice of her protagonist, Corey Tracey-Liberman jumped off the page for me. This was a novel with a sense of urgency, and one only Jaime could write. We then talked about what her vision was for the book and her career, and my thoughts on how to get there, and offered her representation. It’s been such a fantastic journey so far and I can’t wait for the world to read Jaime’s debut VICIOUS CYCLE and get the same chills I got when I first heard about this story.

*****

Dara Hyde is Senior Agent at the Hill Nadell Literary Agency in Los Angeles and represents a wide range of award winning and bestselling fiction and nonfiction, including literary and genre fiction, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction, memoir, young adult, and children’s literature. Her clients include writers such as Angie Cruz, Jamie Harrison, David McGlynn, Samuel Sattin, Jaime Parker Stickle, and Lilah Sturges, and writer/artists such as Paige Braddock, Marco Finnegan, Soo Lee.

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(60 Examples of Hooks for Books.)

The best way to learn what to do is to study examples of real query letters that have been effective for recently published books. So here are 11 successful query letters from our Successful Queries series on the site. Find query letters for a variety of genres, including mystery, romance, YA, self-help, and more.

Just click on the images and/or links to read the original queries and full commentaries.

A Rather Peculiar Poisoning, by Chrystal Schleyer (Mystery). From agent Sophie Cudd: “I loved this query for a lot of reasons—Chrystal did an excellent job of capturing the main elements of her story, keeping the synopsis succinct while not giving too much away.”

Woven From Clay, by Jenny Birch (YA Fantasy). From agent Amanda Orozco: “It began with that touch of personalization that really helps set a writer apart in the inbox, that called to such a wonderful moment of connection, and then hit the ground running with two great comp titles that immediately gives the reader an idea of what this project might feel like.”

A Resistance of Witches, by Morgan Ryan (Historical Fantasy). From editor Nidhi Pugalia: “Historical fiction set in WWII is a crowded market, but bring in some fantasy—some witches—and the entire category was revitalized for me. I did some searching, and to my utter shock, it hadn’t been done before.”

When the Music Hits, by Amber Oliver (Women’s Fiction). From agent Angeline Rodriguez: “Right off the bat she names two excellent novels I loved reading, which always helps grab attention but is additionally helpful here for their recency and direct relevance to the subject matter, demonstrating Amber’s keen knowledge of the marketplace and situating her work within a wider literary conversation. She then wastes no time establishing the concrete stakes of this story and how it’s relevant to both my list and the comp titles she’s cited.”

The Fire Concerto, by Sarah Landenwich (Literary Fiction). From agent Henry Dunow: “The query letter is the first evidence of your writing that an agent or editor will see, so it’s crucial that it be as smart and concise and alluring as you can possibly make it. Sarah Landenwich’s query letter for The Fire Concerto is all those things, a finely-honed selling tool.”

We Don’t Talk About Carol, by Kristen L. Berry (Suspense/Thriller). From agent Sharon Pelletier: “Kristen’s terrific story pitch promises two things that I’m always looking for in fiction. First, she clearly and compellingly shows an immediate hook to a riveting mystery (external stakes) woven with a personal challenge for our main character (internal stakes). … The other thing that Kristen’s query promises is a thought-provoking connection to a topic of substance.”

Bad Nature, by Ariel Courage (Dark Humor). From agent Samantha Shea: “I knew after reading only the first sentence that I wanted to read her book.”

Passion Project, by London Sperry (Romantic Comedy). From agent Lily Dolin: “From the first few lines of London’s query, I knew exactly what the book was, who would read it, and what made it different from other novels in the genre. I was really impressed by London’s ability to not only convey the plot and hook of the novel in a tight and direct pitch, but to do so with voice and humor.”

Let Us March On, by Shara Moon (Historical Fiction). From agent Kevan Lyon: “Her pitch immediately captured my attention because she was describing a type of story that I was on the hunt for—stories of under-represented voices in historical fiction, about women specifically.”

Shame on You, by Melissa Petro (Self-Help Nonfiction). From agent Laura Mazer: “I knew Melissa was an exquisite writer and that her story would be meaningful to readers.”

Press 1 for 1nvasion, by J. A. Dauber (MG Science Fiction). From editor Kara Sargent: “This submission ticked a lot of boxes at the time I received it, as we’re often challenged as middle grade editors to find the book that answers the question, ‘What book would you recommend for my 10-year-old son?'”

*****

I’ll update this list from time to time with more genres and sub-genres. In the meantime, find more query examples in our Successful Queries series here.

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When he’s not writing about aliens, J. A. Dauber can be found talking to students about books, movies, and other fun stuff at Columbia University in New York City, where he is a professor of Jewish literature and American studies. He lives right near there, with his family, so that he can walk to work and see if anyone has dropped anything. Like a phone. After all, you never know. He also wrote a YA novel about a teenage supervillain named Mayhem which won an award from the Children’s Book Council.

From J. A. Dauber:

Sometimes, the story of selling a book is full of twists and turns, suspenseful moments, and complex negotiations. If that was the case with PRESS 1 FOR 1NVASION, my MG novel debut, you wouldn’t know it from me, though. I had just been lucky enough to sign with an extraordinary agent, Stacey Glick at Dystel—but not because of PRESS 1, but another project that I’m still working on with a co-author.

That project, for various reasons, is taking more time; but I had this novel that I’d finished, and liked, and in the interest of not letting the grass grow under our feet, we decided to send it out. Stacey read the manuscript, liked it, and decided to feature it in her agency newsletter. We worked together on crafting the blurb that would go out there:

PRESS 1 FOR 1NVASION is about a ten-year-old who really wants a phone. And ends up saving Planet Earth. Since Matt’s parents won’t give him that phone, when he finds one just lying there on the sidewalk, he naturally picks it up and when he sees it’s on, he starts taking pictures. And that’s when he discovers that the crossing guard in front of his school is actually a monster. At least, so says the picture on the phone. Matt soon learns that: a) his lunch lady is also a monster; b) an invasion of Earth is due to take place within the next few days; and c) the lunch lady is having cold feet (well, tentacles) about the whole thing and needs his help. What happens next is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that takes Matt and his friend Marcela through battles in their school cafeteria and high above the earth’s atmosphere; that places them in very close encounters with alien pets, best friends, and the business end of a gigantic oven; and that makes the characters ask themselves – and us – what you’d be willing to risk to save your friends, your family, and your whole planet. It’s a page-turner from ILA-CBC Young Adults’ Choice-winning author J.A. Dauber that’s funny and thrilling (but not too scary) that’s perfect for fans of books like Sal & Gabi Break the Universe mixed in with a dose of E.T., and a pinch of Star Wars. (Please note, Stacey Glick is the agent on this project.) 

*****

Fast forward to a few months later, when I’m at a party, and, like most humans at a party, I occasionally check my phone. I see that there’s an email from Stacey with the subject line “Cautiously Optimistic,” containing a forwarded email from my (then-future) extraordinary editor, Kara Sargent, that read, in its entirety: 

Hi Stacey,

What a fun read this is! 

I am planning to bring it to acquisitions next week; please let me know if there’s anything further I should keep in mind for our discussion there.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Best wishes,

Kara

*****

I had mentioned that I was at a party. Now, you are imagining, I suspect, what most people imagine when they think of a party: loud music, people shouting over it at one another, general merriment and mayhem. This was not that kind of party. This was a reading party, where people sat in silence as other people read short stories or poems to the assembled group. It is actually delightful, with the right crowd (which this was)—but not when your brain is going a thousand miles a second and you are over the moon with possibility and excitement but also don’t necessarily want to tell anyone because what if it doesn’t happen? 

But it would be impolite to leave early. Especially since I’d already read my piece, and now it was other people’s turn. 

So I listened to a poem by T.S. Eliot, and a short story by William Carlos Williams, but my mind was full of kids trying to foil alien invasions, and the thought that my kids—and their friends—and hopefully lots of others—would get to meet these characters I had dreamed up, and share their wild, incredible adventure. 

And, thanks to Stacey and Kara, they will!

Check out J. A. Dauber’s Press 1 for 1nvasion here:

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From Agent Stacey Glick:

I was introduced to Jeremy through a friend from college who is also a children’s book publisher, and happens to be Jeremy’s cousin (such a small world true story)! She thought I might be interested in a high-profile project he was working on, and when I met Jeremy over Zoom I was immediately impressed with his talent (he is incredibly multi-talented!) and energy, and was very eager to work with him.

He mentioned a few other projects he had in the works, including PRESS 1 and when he sent it to me, I really appreciated the fun story that felt original and accessible for kids, with characters who were funny and real and pitch perfect. I was so thrilled when I sent it to Kara at Aladdin/S&S that she and her team saw what I saw in the book.

It’s such a happy moment when the stars align, and everyone agrees we have something special to get out into the world with the hope that kids of all ages (but mostly middle grade readers) will enjoy it for many years to come!

From Editor Kara Sargent:

I had not worked with Stacey before, but the query she sent me for Press 1 for Invasion immediately caught my eye. I remember it said something about how the story was about a boy who really just wanted a cell phone and ended up having to save the world, and I thought, “Check and check—both of those things sound relevant for middle grade, and I am fascinated to see what they have to do with each other!”

It turned out, the story was exactly as it was pitched: a kid who just wants a cell phone, and is not allowed to have one (thanks, parents!), finds one and thinks he’s the luckiest kid ever… until he finds out the phone was a plant left for him by an alien who’s having second thoughts about decimating the planet and needs some help. A great story premise for sure, but then the writing absolutely delivered. The story moves quickly and Jeremy has such a spot-on voice for middle grade. 

Jeremy, I would come to learn, is an innately funny person, and his sense of humor came through immediately on the pages. Matt, the main character, is funny and quick-witted. He’s not perfect (He lies to his parents about the phone! He makes a lot of questionable choices!) but he read like a real kid. I knew readers would love meeting him and going on this wild ride to save the earth with him. 

This submission ticked a lot of boxes at the time I received it, as we’re often challenged as middle grade editors to find the book that answers the question, “What book would you recommend for my 10-year-old son?” This book is definitely that—but it’s a fun read for all different types of readers, and one I am really proud to have on Aladdin’s list. 

*****

Kara Sargent joined Aladdin in 2020. She is an S&S Children’s alumni, having worked in Simon Spotlight as Editorial Director until 2015, after which she worked at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers as Editor in Chief of Brand, Licensed, and IP Publishing. Over the course of her career, Kara has written, developed, and edited hundreds of books for children of all ages, across formats as young as leveled readers and chapter books, and as advanced as young adult novels. Kara believes books are the perfect vehicle for introducing new stories, worlds, and perspectives to kids. She loves working closely with her authors to help develop their vision. 

Stacey Glick, Vice President and Literary Agent, joined Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC in 1999 after working in film and television development for five years. Following a number of internships in the entertainment business, her first job after college was at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, where she looked for book projects to be adapted into feature films. Next, she worked as a story editor at Hearst Entertainment, where she scouted material for television movies. Stacey grew up just outside of Manhattan and is a former child actress who appeared on television, on stage, and in feature films. She now lives in New Jersey with her husband, four daughters (the youngest are identical twins), and two dogs, and enjoys cooking, food and wine, yoga, taking pictures, theater, going to Mets games, and eating cheese, chocolate, and spicy tuna hand rolls (not necessarily in that order) when she can find the time. She has a wide-ranging and eclectic client list, a consistent theme of which is to help people live better and happier lives. She is interested in many subjects, on the adult side: practical and narrative nonfiction across categories including (but not limited to) cooking and food, psychology, self-help, mental health and wellness, lifestyle, women’s issues, parenting, current events, pop culture, science, biography, and memoir. And on the children’s side: select YA, middle grade, nonfiction, and picture books. Stacey is a member of the AAR, Women’s Media Group, and is a former council member of the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature (RUCCL.org).

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Chrystal Schleyer lives in South Carolina with her husband and children. Tucked away in a little black house on an old hay field, she happily lives in the middle of nowhere. When not writing or reading, she can be found outside with her ever growing number of animals or scouring the shelves of the nearest thrift store. 

Here’s Chrystal’s query:

Dear Sophie,

Knives Out meets Bridgerton in A RATHER PECULIAR POISONING, a multi-POV 78,000-word nonlinear adult mystery set in 1910, that follows the tumultuous relationship between twins Easton and Wes, and the headstrong girl in love with one but promised to the other. With a suspenseful gothic atmosphere, this locked room whodunit will appeal to fans of The Guest List and The Golden Spoon.

The people of Asquith manor collect secrets like cobwebs, tucking them beside old wounds that linger in every corner of the house.

There have always been whispers that Easton and Wes are both in love with their childhood best friend Eloise, yet when the younger brother, Wes, suddenly proposes to an heiress, a heartbroken Eloise finds herself engaged to his brother. But during a week of feasting and hunting to kick off celebrations for the two engagements, Wes is poisoned. Murmurs of nightshade slip through the manor, and everyone seems to have a motive—everyone except for a kitchen maid who finds herself tangled in the web of secrets, at risk of being framed.

Was it Della Drewitt—the shrewd heiress reluctant to marry Wes?

Or did Easton decide killing his brother was the only way to secure Eloise’s affections forever?

And then there’s the housemaid Violet, Wes’ previous sweetheart, who feels spurned by him marrying another.

As guests turn into suspects, attempts to kill Wes become more relentless than the storms churning the Asquith estate—and the brothers aren’t the only ones tucking secrets within the manor’s walls. 

As a twin myself, I tried to weave together the complex relationship that can sometimes grow between twins. A RATHER PECULIAR POISONING is a standalone with sequel potential. Per your request, I have included the first ten pages. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Chrystal Schleyer

Check out Chrystal Schleyer’s A Rather Peculiar Poisoning here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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What Sophie Cudd liked about Chrystal’s query:

I loved this query for a lot of reasons—Chrystal did an excellent job of capturing the main elements of her story, keeping the synopsis succinct while not giving too much away. The query itself reflected the multi-POV mystery nature of the book without feeling too overwhelming (i.e. “Was it Della Drewitt?… Or was it Easton?” etc.), and her comparative titles, in particular, were stellar—they’re of-the-moment, successful stories, one of which was a book-to-TV adaptation.

Knives Out meets Bridgerton is the perfect opening hook! It gave me a well-rounded, clear sense of atmosphere, and showed that this book has elements of both mystery and romance. Comps don’t have to be a perfect fit; it can be a little of this, and a little of that, which Chrystal picked perfectly.

Chrystal clearly understood her audience, which is another crucial element to mystery writing as well. For all these reasons, Chrystal’s query really caught my eye, and I’m excited for this wonderful book to be officially on the shelves in September.

*****

Sophie Cudd joined The Book Group in 2023, formerly with William Morris Endeavor. Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Sophie has a degree in English Literature from Southern Methodist University and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Sophie works with a wide range of authors, including New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelists and children’s book writers.

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Jenny Birch is a middle school teacher of English, French, and history, and serves as a youth theater director for students in grades 7-12. She lives in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, with her husband and three children. Jenny holds a BA in French and an MEd in Instruction & Learning and as an adoptee herself, she is a passionate advocate for children, particularly those in the foster care and adoption communities. When she’s not in her classroom or on stage with her students, you can find her either dancing in the kitchen with her family or flexing her overactive imagination.

Here’s Jenny’s original query:

Dear Ms. Orozco,

It was a pleasure to meet you this past weekend at the Pennwriters Conference! We were all appreciative of your time and the wisdom you shared during your time with us. I was especially excited to meet another Impressionism fan. As a veteran teacher of both English and French, it made me so happy to see a literary professional with a penchant for French art!

As you requested during our Saturday pitch session, I am sending along my YA fantasy manuscript for your consideration.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ALEX MACK meets SERPENT & DOVE in my novel MUD AND BONES, complete at approximately 90,000 words.

Eighteen-year-old TERRA SLATER might not know anything about her birth family or her origins, but that hasn’t stopped her life from unfolding just as she always imagined. Her adoptive parents are respected college professors, and Terra is class president, star volleyball player, and beloved by the nicest guy in town. Now, she’s ready for her senior year, ready to go to college, ready to take on the world and make it a better place. 

Then THORNE WILDER, a magical bounty hunter, moves to town, bringing revelations that upend all of Terra’s plans. As a member of a coven of witches seeking to kill rogue warlock CYRUS QUILL, Thorne reveals that Terra is a golem, one of the mudchildren created by Cyrus to attempt atonement for the horrific crimes of his youth. The only problem is, once Cyrus dies, so do his golems. Desperate to save herself – and the other golems that populate their town – Terra strikes a deal with Thorne and the witches to preserve the life and magic of the warlock. If she can uphold her end of the bargain, the golems will survive. If she can’t, the mudchildren will perish along with Cyrus. MUD AND BONES depicts a high-stakes race against time as Terra probes the constraints of human nature and the true meaning of family.

In addition to my work as a teacher, I am a middle and high school theater director. I have also worked as a freelance writer and editor, and had several stories earn accolades in the NYC Midnight short story and flash fiction competitions. My true passion, though, is young adult fiction. MUD AND BONES in particular was inspired by my experiences as both a foster mother and adoptee. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Jenny Birch

Check out Jenny Birch’s Woven From Clay here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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What Amanda Orozco liked about the query:

One of the most challenging things as a writer can be pitching your project to someone in person or virtually in real time. There’s no screen or written word to act as barrier or protective shield from the other person’s reaction and it can be so easy for nerves to take over, especially when you’re pitching to a stranger, and one that you may see as a “Powerful Publishing Person.”

But another way to think of these one-on-one pitch sessions are simply as conversations—you, a fellow book lover and writing craft aficionado, are telling me, a stranger asking for a book rec, about a project you’re passionate about, as if it’s a book you’ve read that you can’t get out of your mind and have to tell everyone you meet that they should read.

I try to bring this vibe to pitch events to help writers who are nervous doing their pitches for the first time, and it’s so helpful to be able to see writers, within the short amount of time these sessions tend to be, grow in confidence when speaking about their project, as well as in their comfortability in speaking with me as just another human being who loves and appreciates art of all types.

In speaking with Jenny for the first time on Zoom and hearing her pitch for WOVEN FROM CLAY (which was then titled MUD AND BONES), her passion for the story came from such a genuine and warm place, so clearly informed and shaped by her life experiences that gave it such a unique slant that I had not encountered before in other projects. Having this face-to-face conversation with a writer is so invaluable as an agent, as we can learn so much more about you and your personality and your project than from an email only, and in the short conversation I had with Jenny, I was able to glean how hardworking and dedicated she was, not just to her craft and to her novel, but to so many other aspects of her life she truly cares about. So while you may not always have the opportunity or ability to have these conversations or pitch sessions with agents, it may be worthwhile to think about how you might infuse some of that feeling into your query letters!

As for the query letter from Jenny: It began with that touch of personalization that really helps set a writer apart in the inbox, that called to such a wonderful moment of connection, and then hit the ground running with two great comp titles that immediately gives the reader an idea of what this project might feel like. Her summary of the story was succinct but gave each of the characters color and depth that made it easy to envision who they were as people already, and the stakes were clear from the outset, setting the bar for intrigue and excitement in just two paragraphs. And her bio at the end showed such range as to her professional background, writing experience and accolades, and her passions and inspirations that round her out not just as a writer but a fellow traveler in life.

Jenny Birch’s thoughts on the submission process:

I first met Amanda in 2021 at the annual Pennwriters Conference. It was completely virtual that year, due to the pandemic. (It was also my birthday!) Because it was warm that weekend, two of my dearest Pittsburgh-area writing friends came over and we social-distanced on my back deck, logging into conference seminars from our laptops and sharing what we’d learned between sessions.

I had registered for a pitch session with Amanda Orozco from Transatlantic Agency; I remember feeling so nervous when I stepped inside for our scheduled Zoom time. I was shaking! But Amanda was incredible: professional, generous, and encouraging. We bonded over the artwork Amanda had in her office, and by the end of our conversation, I felt much more relaxed and confident. That evening, after my friends went home, I sent her my query letter and materials.

Even though I had initially been disappointed the 2021 Pennwriters Conference couldn’t be the usual weekend-long immersion in the writing world I look forward to each year, I’m now so glad and endlessly grateful everything worked out exactly the way it did!

*******

Before joining the Transatlantic Agency in the fall of 2020, Amanda Orozco gained a breadth of experience in academic publishing, publicity, subsidiary rights, and agenting. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Physiological Science and an English minor and worked as a fine art instructor and freelance editor for several years before moving to New York to complete the NYU Masters of Science in Publishing: Digital and Print Media. While at NYU, she worked at the National Book Foundation, Shreve Williams Public Relations, and The Gernert Company; she was also selected to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair and the Beijing International Book Fair. Upon graduating from NYU in 2019, she worked in Subsidiary Rights at Little, Brown, where she helped sell rights for authors such as Michael Connelly, Elin Hilderbrand, and Sarah Knight, until discovering agenting was her true calling. She worked at Park & Fine Literary and Media before moving back to Los Angeles, where she is working with authors such as Vanessa Angélica Villarreal, Vickie Vertiz, Dr. Anthony Christian Ocampo, Nick Medina, Tania De Rozario, Kay Chronister, Roya Marsh, and Vanessa Friedman.

Amanda is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA); her aim is to elevate and amplify marginalized voices always.

You can find a list of Amanda’s recent deals as announced in Publishers Marketplace here.

The post Successful Queries: Amanda Orozco and “Woven From Clay,” by Jenny Birch appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Morgan Ryan is the author of stories born from a lifelong love of magic, a fixation on historical minutiae that borders on the obsessive, and a tendency to fall down rabbit-holes. She was raised in a family of writers in upstate New York, and received her degree in theatre performance from Northeastern University. She now lives in Chicago with her husband.

Here’s Morgan’s query to agent Jenny Bent:

Dear Ms. Bent,

I’m excited to share with you the first ten pages of Arcane Objects, a grounded, YA/adult crossover fantasy novel set during World War II, with a length of approximately 117,500 words. Arcane Objects follows Lydia Polk, apprentice to the Grand Mistress of the Royal Academy of Witches, who must venture into occupied France after the assassination of her mentor by a Nazi coven. I believe this book would best be described as The Once and Future Witches meets Indiana Jones.

Lydia Polk never expected to be chosen as apprentice to Isadora Goode, Grand Mistress of the Royal Academy of Witches. Stubborn, plain-spoken, and from an unimpressive family, Lydia was as surprised as anyone to have been selected. Now, three years into her apprenticeship, and with Hitler’s army rampaging across Europe, The Witches of Britain have joined the war effort—although not without some resistance from within. As Lydia’s power grows she too joins the cause, tracking magical relics in order to keep them out of Nazi hands. Lydia’s newest and most urgent target is the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book with the power to wipe out entire civilizations.

When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy, Lydia must leave London, embarking on a desperate mission to find the Grimorium Bellum and avenge her murdered friend and mentor. Dropped into the heart of occupied France, Lydia finds allies in Rebecca Gagne, a French Resistance fighter with a secret, and Henry Boudreaux, a Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. But soon Lydia discovers that finding the book is only half the battle, as the Grimorium Bellum seems to have its own dark agenda.

I am a Chicago-based writer who quit her day job as a corporate recruiter in the middle of a global pandemic to chase my dream. I appreciate you taking the time to read my work, and I would be very happy to send you the completed manuscript upon request. I look forward to hearing your reply. 

Sincerely,

Morgan Ryan
(She/Her)

Check out Morgan Ryan’s A Resistance of Witches here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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What editor Nidhi Pugalia thought of Morgan’s pitch:

I did receive a slightly different pitch letter, as Morgan and her agent Jenny Bent worked together on what would be the most impactful submission letter before sending it my way. This echoes every step of the publishing process: a melding of vision, with vision, with vision—tweaking the pitch, reimagining it, remaining responsive to the market—all the way down to the copy that a consumer sees. For example, the title of the book now—A RESISTANCE OF WITCHES—is different not only from the title I received in Jenny’s letter, but also from what Morgan queried with!

Still, what stood out for me in the pitch I received remains the same here: Historical fiction set in WWII is a crowded market, but bring in some fantasy—some witches—and the entire category was revitalized for me. I did some searching, and to my utter shock, it hadn’t been done before—and to have a feeling of a question being answered, of finding exactly what you were looking for, even when you didn’t know that you were asking the question or hadn’t named that search: That is a brilliant editorial connection. It also, like so much of WWII fiction, felt timeless, in that battle between the good of humanity and the bad is always relevant. I’m also a huge fan of a stubborn heroine going rogue, so Lydia embarking on her own with confidence but little knowledge was a character I knew I wanted to follow.

The comps here speak to me as well: I’m a huge fan of Alix E. Harrow, and I loved the Indiana Jones tie-in. That combined with the pitch gave me a sense of powerful stakes and propulsive adventure, while offering a new spin that made it stand-out in an otherwise well-explored space in fiction. I could immediately see the readership, and how we might speak to them—and that clarity of vision, especially from a query alone, is what makes me utterly confident about a book’s fit on my list. I already knew the pitch was there before I dived into the read—and then the writing was so assured and pacey and depthful, it cinched it: I was in love.

Morgan’s thoughts on the submission process:

A Resistance of Witches was originally queried under the title Arcane Objects. The title would eventually be changed before submission to editors, and then again for publication. At the time I was also pitching the book as a YA/Adult crossover—since the story deals with darker, more adult themes, but also features a 19-year-old protagonist, I wanted to stay open minded about how the book might eventually be shelved. In the end, my agent and I determined that this story made more sense as an adult fantasy, which feels like the correct placement for this particular book.

This version of my query letter was the result of many iterations over my 15 months of querying. While my request rate was fairly consistent throughout the process, I never wanted to get too comfortable, and so I experimented, shortening the letter itself, sometimes starting by jumping right into the summary, other times leading with the stats and comp titles. What’s been especially interesting about watching this book go from the querying stage all the way to publication is seeing how much of the original summary actually made it into the back cover copy. My advice to any querying author struggling to write a punchy summary—imagine how it would read on the back of a finished book…because it might just end up there!

*****

Nidhi Pugalia is an editor at Viking Penguin focused primarily on genre fiction, ranging from grounded SFF to horror, romance, thrillers, and everything in between. She has edited such books as the Book of the Month club pick A Thousand Times Before by Asha Thanki, New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan, and the Sunday Times bestselling series Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson. 

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Born in the South with a healthy streak of wanderlust, Maggie Rapier is an incurable romantic who loves nothing more than wordplay and witchcraft—except, perhaps, her sourdough starter. When she’s not marketing French antiques or writing about moody girls and sexy pirates, you can find her wandering in the woods with a basket in hand.

Here’s Maggie’s query:

Dear Sheyla,

Saoirse yearns to be powerless. Cursed from childhood to sense others’ emotions, glimpse their futures, and occasionally summon death, she manages to imprison the magic within herself, living under constant terror that one day, it will break free. 

And it does. Stealing her brother’s life. 

Horrified at her loss of control, Saoirse’s parents offer her to the Stone King, who agrees to have her so long as she bears his child and asks for nothing more. But Saoirse wants more. Trapped in a cruel marriage or by her own, catastrophic magic, there is only one clear path forward: Saoirse must break the curse. 

On the eve of her betrothal to the Stone King, Saoirse seeks out Faolan—a feral, silver-tongued pirate—who swears he can rid her of the deadly magic if she’ll use it to locate a mythical isle first. Crafted by the gods, it is the only land that could absorb her power, and make Faolan a legend in the process. But to protect herself from the wrath of her scorned betrothed, Saoirse adds one more condition. 

Faolan must agree to marry her first.

Using her volatile magic, Saoirse navigates underwater graveyards and attacks on the high seas—all while sharing a too-small cabin with the handsome pirate who now calls her his own. But with the Stone King advancing and secrets piling up around them, Saoirse uncovers a truth so devastating it destroys what fragile hope for freedom she had left. 

Saoirse is not the only one hiding a curse. And this one will change the fate of their world forever. 

SOULGAZER is a Celtic-inspired, Adult Romantasy complete at 90,000 words, with the aesthetic of Pirates of the Carribean, and the tone and crossover appeal found in Shelby Mahurin’s Serpent & Dove.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Maggie Rapier

Check out Maggie Rapier’s Soulgazer here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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What Sheyla Knigge liked about the query:

I felt Maggie’s book before I read it. I had been following Maggie on social media after a dear friend of mine tagged her. She had no idea who I was, but still I followed; reading every poetically penned post until I saw one that snagged my heart—she was going to be querying soon.

I had been waiting patiently for an opportunity to read a book penned by someone who was obviously such a talented writer, but as a baby agent unopen to queries, I had to get her attention. Luckily for me the same friend who had tagged Maggie oh so many months ago sent along my information, and Maggie in turn, sent along her query and a playlist.

I was hooked from the offset of our main characters meeting. With music and words, Maggie swept me up into Saoirse’s story and I knew in those first two chapters that this was one I desperately needed in my life. From its Celtic inspiration to its silver-tongued pirate who had me swooning from the first time I saw his wolfish tail, I was completely swept away by the magical world Maggie crafted with her words.

Maggie’s thoughts on the query process:

My Adult Romantasy debut, Soulgazer, was once a YA Fantasy titled To the Waters and the Wild that was ultimately rejected over a hundred times. It was my second project I’d ever queried, and the loss was so raw I toyed with the idea of never trying to publish again. But given a few years and a half-dozen rewrites, I found the core of this story: Saoirse’s wild desperation to give up her power, and the roguish pirate who refuses to let it happen.

I’ve read so many Romantasies about tough girls leading rebellions, trained by broody heroes—and I love them. But this story is not that. Saoirse is a soft, sad girl and Faolan is ridiculous, quick-witted, and wild. So in writing this fresh version of my query, I knew I needed to lean in to that: to start with Saoirse’s deepest desire and most fervent fear, and hope the agent reading it understood exactly the tone I was striking before they ever touched the page.

Thankfully, Sheyla saw that! But our story isn’t quite traditional. I’d just sent out my first few queries of this adult version of the book, and posted a whole dedicated story, reel, and social media campaign to a final goodbye, and it just so happens Sheyla had already followed me through our mutual friend, and was promoted just before she saw.

I will forever be grateful for my friend’s DM, and the rapid-fire email-to-call exchange Sheyla and I went through. We had a blissful, 3-hour phone call with bathroom breaks and lots of squeals over the potential of what this story could become, and I knew even before we’d finished that she was the agent for me! My story with Sareer was much the same.

Fun fact to end on: The first line of this query is the first line of our jacket copy, which thrills me to no end!

*****

After several years spent sleuthing through the submissions in Victoria Marini’s query inbox, Sheyla Knigge (SHAY-luh KUH-nig-gee) is now actively using the skills she sharpened in that capacity to build her own dynamic bookshelf filled with the talented authors she currently represents. Sheyla is an expert at discovering fresh voices and relentlessly advocating for the successful publication of the stories she loves. Her unwavering enthusiasm for her authors is contagious, and she possesses an unrivaled ability to match authors with ideal homes for their books.

Sheyla is an active member of the AALA and a mentee for the Literary Agents of Change 2024-2025 Cohort. She can be found at various writers conferences across the country from the Writers’ League of Texas Conference in Austin to the Atlanta Writers Conference, fulfilling her love of getting to work with authors one-on-one. Sheyla is also known for spotting universal book concepts with robust foreign potential, with major titles earning out their advances from global sales even before their domestic debuts. 

When she’s not working, you can find Sheyla tucked away writing, getting more tattoos, or spending time with her family in the Appalachian Mountains.

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Amber Oliver is a writer and book editor. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, she currently resides in Harlem. When the Music Hits is her first novel.

Here’s Amber’s query:

MAAME meets BLACK BUCK in this debut novel about a young, Black recent college graduate who, inspired by the music that saved her when money issues and her mother’s arguments with her boyfriend proved deafening, lands her dream job in the A&R department at a major music label – only to find the dream is far more complicated than she could have imagined.

Growing up, Billie Willis sought solace in music, finding herself in pulsing beats, striking lyrics, and mesmerizing voices. Billie decided she would work in the music industry and eventually become a music mogul who would find and build the careers of artists who could impact listeners around the world. 

When Billie lands a coveted A&R assistant role at Lit Music Productions, one of the largest music labels in the country, she is initially excited by all things music and A&R—the beautiful offices, access to exclusive industry parties, learning the particulars of closing deals—and she can’t wait until it’s her turn to start finding new talent and create space for meaningful diversity instead of the commodification of Black talent.

But, as she continues to work at Lit, she learns that the music industry of reality is far different than the one of her dreams. The hours are long, the workload is heavy and never-ending, the pay is abysmally low, and there aren’t many people of color around, except for Nina, who takes her under her wing and shows her the ropes but is also battling with her own issues in the department as the only Latinx A&R executive. Creative corporate is full of biases, microagressions, sexism, and flat-out racism – and Billie learns that the label that preys on and undervalues marginalized voices.  

Just as Billie learns what it takes to survive in the industry, while also trying to financially support her struggling mother and her own idealistic artist boyfriend, rumors of a merger with another music label are confirmed. Hype Records will merge with Lit in a matter of months. To secure her place at the changing company, Billie is determined to sign an artist they can’t say no to before Hype Records moves in.

As Billie trades her passion and energy for a shot at a career that doesn’t always love her back, she is forced to decide if the career of her dreams is really worth all of the trouble and heartbreak.

Weaving in timely themes like family, race, class, cultural appropriation, and art, WHEN THE MUSIC HITS is a satirical workplace coming-of-age novel that offers sharp, incisive commentary on contemporary issues in creative corporate America.

Amber Oliver is a writer and an editor of award-winning and bestselling books. She has held roles at HarperCollins and Penguin Random House, and currently works at Bloomsbury Publishing. She has been published in GUMBO magazine and studied under NAACP-nominated author, Morowa Yejide at the Hurston/Wright Weekend Writers Workshop in 2018. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, she currently resides in Harlem.

Check out Amber Oliver’s When the Music Hits here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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What Angeline Rodriguez liked about the query:

I knew Amber from her stellar work as an editor, which for anyone else might be bona fides enough. But Amber is not one to rest on her laurels, and delivered a phenomenally dialed-in pitch that immediately set her query apart. 

Right off the bat she names two excellent novels I loved reading, which always helps grab attention but is additionally helpful here for their recency and direct relevance to the subject matter, demonstrating Amber’s keen knowledge of the marketplace and situating her work within a wider literary conversation. She then wastes no time establishing the concrete stakes of this story and how it’s relevant to both my list and the comp titles she’s cited.

As a woman of color in a creative industry, I’m naturally drawn to stories of people carving out a place for themselves where there wasn’t before. Amber writes the sort of künstlerroman we are not often afforded, and I was also impressed by her query noting the kind of true-to-life complications inherent to chasing a lifelong dream as someone not born to it—breaking into her dream job isn’t the end of Billie’s story, it’s just the beginning.

From there, she fleshes out the story in a number of ways that highlight both the specific and universal appeal of her novel; taking the time to introduce the character of Nina and referencing the Black talent Billie seeks to platform demonstrated this wouldn’t be a story of a single protagonist of color in a vacuum but that the novel was prepared to take on the nuances of multiple characters across the diaspora and how they interact.

The themes Amber outlines here—personal ambition vs. familial responsibility, the fraught intersection of art and commerce—underscore the authenticity and urgency of this novel, and promised a level of narrative depth that her pages then delivered on tenfold. That follow-through is key, but knowing what the unique strengths of your book are and emphasizing them accordingly is what will ultimately get readers—and agents—to take the plunge and discover their next favorite novel. It’s a gift to work with someone who knows stories inside and out the way Amber does, and I can’t wait for readers to fall in love with When The Music Hits the way I did!

*****

Angeline Rodriguez joined WME after an editorial career at Penguin Random House and Hachette Book Group, where she published multiple bestsellers and award-winners. She represents writers across genres, with an emphasis on high-concept stories that push the boundaries between categories, and is particularly passionate about highlighting underrepresented voices in new ways. A native of Houston, TX, she now lives in Brooklyn.

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