Friday, August 20, 2010

Mary Kole's Agent Pitch Contest!

UPDATED:Contest Deets

Mary Kole, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary
At this time, Mary is only considering young adult and middle grade novels and truly exceptional, funny, quirky and character-driven picture books (she especially loves working with author illustrators). She's seeking fresh, unique voices and idiosyncratic characters who, by book's end, are more friend than fiction. Her favorite stories are upmarket, high-concept, character-driven and well-plotted...featuring a mix of fast pacing, emotional resonance, and beautiful writing. In essence: literary spark with commercial appeal.

While she's not interested in high fantasy (think Tolkien), she would love to consider realistic/contemporary, character-driven fantasy (think GRACELING), urban fantasy, action/adventure, light science fiction, absolutely unique paranormal (no vampires or werewolves or Greek mythology), and humor manuscripts. She is especially looking for horror, ghost, mystery, thriller and dystopian tales. One of her favorite genres is magical realism: a story set firmly in our world, only with a twist—something that turns "reality" on its ear—to make things more interesting. Favorite themes include: family, home, unlikely heroes, discovering one's voice, and finding one's equilibrium after a big life event. Mary adores manuscripts that make her laugh, make her tear up or punch her in the gut. She also loves stories of friendship, romance, betrayal, full of those "first time" moments that make teenage life electric and unforgettable.


Winner:
Gets a query critique from Mary!

When: Today, Friday August 20th. Begins at Noon EST, ends Sunday 22nd at noon EST (I will close comments when it ends and go by the time stamp on blogger.)

What: Leave your 140 character book pitch (for MG, YA, and select PBs - see above list) in the comments.

Eligiblility:
  • If your manuscript is still in WIP - you can enter since this is a query critique.
  • Your pitch must only be 140 characters (not words!) so be creative. If it is longer when I test it in twitter, it will be disqualified. so be sure! You can check this either on Word, on Twitter if you have an account, or here.
  • This is for unagented/unpublished book writers only. (if you've published articles or essays - you can enter!)
  • You can only enter once so choose wisely!
  • You must be a follower of my blog. If I were you I would follow Mary's's blog and Twitter too just b/c they are awesome and she does a lot of contests there.
In the comments you must leave the following information to be considered: title, genre, your 140 character pitch, and your email.

Example: YA Survival Suspense - Grace Under Fire When her forest-ranger father disappears,Grace uses her survival skills to search the NC mtns & finds a secret group plotting against nature
Here are a few reference articles on writing one sentence pitches:

Nathan Bransford (agent)
Rachel Gardner (agent)
Query Tracker
Scribe Chat
140 character pitch

Good luck!

76 comments:

  1. Good luck to everyone who enters! (I don't write YA so I'm out.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry - I hit send before I realized that it hasn't opened yet!

    Title: BLUE LOTUS
    Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
    Email: shelleykuklish@gmail.com

    When Anna travels to Egypt to work with her father on an archeological dig, she must discover her past in order to have a future with Alex.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Title: A Truth I Don't Know
    Genre: YA Paranormal/UF
    Email: annemlanderson AT gmail DOT com

    When 16-year-old Mali sees a vision of her brother’s murder, she will sacrifice everything to save him, including her new found romance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the opportunity! :-)

    Title: The Sleepers
    Genre: YA fantasy (more like Graceling, nothing like Tolkein)
    Email: michelle (at) michellesussman (dot) com
    Pitch:

    Will Lianne, adoptee, elite fighter and queen’s maid who’s filled with rage and uncontrollable magic, protect or destroy the kingdom?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry for my first comment, clearly reading instructions immediately after waking up is not a good idea.

    Title: The Sandman's Apprentice
    Genre: MG paranormal
    Email: a-j(at)cox(dot)net

    To save her kidnapped brother, Taryn must become the first female Sandman; venture into new realms; and, oh yea, save the world from monsters.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Title: Miranda's Fire
    Genre: YA Urban Fantasy (60K)
    Email: sarah.n.fisk(at)gmail(dot)com

    When supposedly-extinct demons kidnap her mother, 16yo Fire Mage Miranda sets off on a cross-country rescue mission with a young Paladin

    ReplyDelete
  8. YA magical realism/time travel

    The first time, Madelyn drowns accidentally. The second time, her twin sister Camilla lets it happen, a choice that could pull her under.

    Jessica @ jessicatudor . com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Title: Blackbird
    Genre: YA Spy/Urban Fantasy
    Email: kyle@skyledavis.com

    Magical Spy Taylor faces hit squads, impenetrable security, and a hot but vengeful elf boy to stop sorcerers unbalancing the magical world.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Title: Colors Like Memories
    Genre: YA UF
    email: mrs.which (@) gmail.com

    Julia’s secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sorta. Now she must save her best friend, but her ghosts won’t make it easy

    ReplyDelete
  11. Title: Unlives of the Undead
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email: dustin.warren at nc.rr.com

    High school is never easy, but George, a dim-witted zombie, must deal with more than homework and bullies – he’s been accused of murder.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Name: Charlie Eve
    Title: HERO AND VILLAIN
    Genre: MG Adventure/Humor/Fantasy
    Email: kidsbookjunky@gmail.com


    Mason's cast of misfit characters came to life and Princess was kidnapped. Hero and Villain must rescue her, but this is no fairytale.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Name: Larissa Hardesty
    Title: LURE
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email: lchardesty at yahoo dot com

    People in 15-year-old Mitch's town are reading themselves to death. He must figure out how to stop the obsession, or lose everyone he loves.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Title: I'm Here to Save Your Day: The Adventures of Bo Wolf
    Genre: MG Adventure/Fantasy
    Email: iwillwhisperno(at)gmail(dot)com

    A brazen boy faces a playground bully to reclaim the jungle gym, only to discover the bully's mom– the lunch lady— is a far worse enemy.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Name: Nazarea Andrews
    Title: FireFall
    Genre: YA paranormal.
    Email: nazareanandrews@gmail.com

    Falling in love isn't easy, but when 17-year-old Alianna Clayton falls for a shapeshifting phoenix, everything in her life heats up.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Name: Tiffany Bennett
    Title: SUBLIME
    Genre: Dystopian YA

    After the great war everything changed. No hope. No freedom. No purpose. Naturals and chosen ones. And a girl caught between two worlds.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Name: Melissa Gill
    Title: ZOMBIE RABBIT
    Genre: MG/Adventure

    Watership Down meets Zombieland when a zombie rabbit leads a quest, inspired by The Odyssey, to liberate an animal testing lab.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Title: Amarok and the Gone Missing Girl
    Genre: YA Fiction
    Email: Greyvaledesigns@gmail.com

    Pitch:

    When shy albino Ansel finds a lost girl in his shed he wants to help her, but falling in love with a girl you don’t know can get tricky.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Title: The Wind Walker
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email: kidlit (at) writeedge dot com
    Pitch:

    When a rebellious teen inherits an ancient battle and an archangel's sword, she must sacrifice the love of her soulmate to save humanity.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Title: WANTS
    Genre: Contemporary YA

    When two girls discover that their boyfriends are lovers, high school cliques are reevaluated as this “love square” begins to unravel.

    pamharris1981@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Title: Burying Elsie
    Genre: Contemporary YA

    As Elsie dives into drugs, sex & even hardcore shows, goody-goody Shawna must decide if helping her BFF is worth risking all she believes.

    wd-at-wendydelfosse-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Title: Scare Tactics
    Genre: YA Contemp.
    Pitch: When Leah agreed to meet Ari at the prom, she never expected to fall for the mastermind writer behind death's list.
    E-mail: nicole@nicolethomas.net

    ReplyDelete
  23. Title: Pieces of Moon
    Genre: YA magical realism/time travel
    Pitch: When Tess travels back to fifteenth-century Maya, she must betray the soldier she loves to stop her time from becoming the End-of-Time.

    jessicaloliveros@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thanks for this opportunity Shelli and Mary!

    Title: Three Cheers for Cookies
    Genre: MG
    E-mail:Kerri192804(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Pitch:
    Oatmeal cookies are so
    sweet. Sabotage could be a delicous treat. But revenge makes the recipe complete.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Title: The Practice of Wearing Skin
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email: camarshallwrites@gmail.com

    Pitch: Sofia meets hot grim reaper Theo and must choose: die normally and be remembered, or become a reaper too and let everyone forget she existed

    140 exactly :) Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  26. title: Mystery of the Tweed Coat
    genre: paranormal MG
    Email: colleen@myartsite.com

    Maggie buys a used tweed coat and is haunted by a ghost who draws her into a mystery that has her solving more than she ever bargained for.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Title: Lock 19
    Genre: Dystopian YA
    Email: redridinghoodie(at)gmail(dot)com

    After uncovering her dead brother's rebel ties, Eva joins a group of underground terrorists to stop her father's plans for a Utopian future.

    ReplyDelete
  29. TITLE: WHERE THE DOVES FLY
    GENRE: YA Literary Historical
    EMAIL: weronika[dot]janczuk[at]gmail[dot]com

    PITCH: Leukemic, 17-y.o. artistic genius Anna has a year left to live + she expects to spend it painting, n/ revolting against communism undergrd.

    ReplyDelete
  30. TITLE: Nikko's Bond
    GENRE: YA sci-fi (light)
    EMAIL: cherylangst(at)gmail(dot)com

    PITCH:

    When his best friend is sentenced to death, Nikko must choose between saving her and betraying the soul he's been bonded to since birth.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for this!

    Title: Alternate
    Genre: YA Sci-Fi

    A nerdy teen is thrust into a war between alternate universes when she meets her double, the chosen one prophecized to end it.

    ReplyDelete
  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Title: SHARRA'S WAR
    GENRE: YA Verse, light fantasy
    EMAIL: rjgomez08(at)aol(dot)com

    PITCH: When 14-year-old Sharra’s connection to animals makes her the target of an invading army, she must learn to wield the link as a weapon and fight to save her home.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Title: Tug the Horse Girl
    Genre: MG General Fiction

    Pitch: Horse crazy Elliot finally gets her 1st horse, but he’s old & cranky & teaches her some goals can only be reached if you work hard for them.

    Email: ashleydmaker@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Title: The Lion Within
    Genre: Realistic Fantasy

    Pitch: Renna’s mauled by a lion in Africa. His venom gives her body cat-abilities. Renna must lie, kill and die in order to find value in her life.

    Email: art(at)racheldillon(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thanks again for this contest!! :D

    Title: Out of My Body
    Genre: YA Paranormal (55,000 words)
    Email: moni.bw at gmail dot com

    Tanya’s To Do List

    Ace her out-of-body experiences
    Learn not to faint in class—God, especially not near her crush
    Save Mom’s kidnapped soul

    ReplyDelete
  38. Title: Being Bompsy Carleffa
    Genre: YA - fiction

    A teen, kidnapped into a freaking mob world run by his manipulative "dead" father, escapes then quests to save himself and someone he loves.

    jlansky(at)comcast(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thanks for this opportunity, it was a fun challenge!

    Title: Those Lost at Sea and Drowned
    Genre: YA historical/ghost story
    Email: strikingnotes(at)yahoo(dot)com

    After surviving a horrific attack, Isabelle seeks justice for her murdered friends—only to face a hanging as the killers accuse her in turn.

    140 exactly, whew!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Title: Burnt Amber
    Genre: YA fantasy

    Pitch: Three words best describe Sybil: Introvert, Exchange Student. Her entire life is like an OCD cocoon in a foreign land but she’s too independent for her own djinn world.

    email: csabiad00@gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. Awesome contest! Mary is going to have a tough time making a decision with all of these great pitches!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Thank you for hosting another great contest!

    Title: Princess Rex
    Genre: picture book

    P. Rex is not a locked-in-a-tower kind of princess. She crashes around the castle! She busts through battlement! But can she tame the terrible dragon before bedtime?

    conlombardo@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Title: SOLSTICE
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email:melissaddean(at)yahoo(dot)com

    When Grace saves a guardian angel, she becomes entangled in a battle of heavenly porportions and learns the true meaning of soulmates.

    ReplyDelete
  44. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Thank you for the opportunity!

    Title: THE GHOST WRITER
    Genre: YA ghost story
    Email: marcykate (at) gmail.com

    Tessa denies the 1st letter. She rationalizes the 2nd. When the accidents begin, there's no ignoring the ghosts in the theatre next door.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Another awesome contest! Thanks Shelli!

    Title: Time Warden

    Genre: YA adventure

    e-mail ChristyEvers(at)att(dot)net

    A rebellious teen is kidnapped and brainwashed into believing that he fell into a time-warp loophole that transported him to the year 1691.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thank you for the opportunity.

    Title: Tattle Tell
    Genre: YA Science Fiction
    Email: DawnEmbers@ymail.com

    Pitch: Ephram is a reluctant snitch to the men in suits until a friend's secret means deciding between friendship and life as a tattle tale.

    ReplyDelete
  48. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  49. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Title: From The Other Side
    Genre: YA Paranormal
    Email: rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com

    Misfit Verity is murdered by the boy she loves and awakens with strange powers, uncontrollable rages, and an unquenchable desire for revenge

    ReplyDelete
  51. Title: Byrne Risk
    Genre: MG dystopian SF
    Email: susankayequinn@comcast.net

    In a future where clones are slaves, Kate finds her clone caretaker has stolen wormhole engines and races to save her from the Peace Police.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Title: Four Stones
    Genre: YA historical fantasy
    Email: merediththewriter(at)gmail(dot)com

    Four Stones = (The Highlander - swords + sparkly gems) x (one spunky heroine + one reluctant hero) ^ 700 years of English history

    ReplyDelete
  53. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Title: The Last Life Of Avrilis
    Genre: YA Steampunk Dystopian
    Email: Bethany.Morrow@ymail.com

    Live, repeat, live, repeat. Lonely Avrilis can do it again - or she can save a boy meant to die and run from the hunters til time runs out.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Anonymous12:34 PM

    Thanks for this contest! It was great fun reading all the entries. Good luck, everyone.

    Here's mine:

    Title: Rupert and the Great Space Mix-Up
    Genre: Middle-grade science-fiction
    Email: sam[at]sirnewtonbooks[dot]com
    Pitch:

    Garden gnome look-alike aliens declare war on Earth and a geeky 11-year-old and his thumb-sucking sister are the only hope to save the world

    ReplyDelete
  56. Title: Autokarmatic Rainbow
    Genre: YA Magical Realism/Humor
    email: Jbhollister(at)gmail(dot)com

    !
    Ander gets a bad batch of BC
    Her bff is a chromopheliac
    & after sknydping w friends, nak pics of her surface@school
    Hello frshman year

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thanks for this great contest! Here goes:

    Title: FOODOO
    Genre: PB Humorous
    Pitch:
    Ginny McMaudy dreams of riding a roller coaster called DARE, but she’s too short. Can a special brand of magic called Foodoo help her grow?

    ReplyDelete
  58. Title: Nocte Yin
    Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
    Email: jin.tina[a t]hotmail[d o t] com

    Pitch: Nocte: average teen girl. Family: average villain clan. Problem: Girl going to Evil Academy. Big Problem: She doesn’t want to be evil.

    ReplyDelete
  59. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Title: Alice and Olivia
    Genre: MG Contemporary
    Email: tracey_joseph@msn.com

    Pitch: Everyone thinks Alison's gone for good but twelve-year-old Olivia knows better, Alison would never leave--they pinkie promised she wouldn't.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Anonymous5:56 PM

    Title: Order of Chaos
    Genre: YA fantasy
    Email: danimpa[at]aim[dot]com

    Dana never dreamed she’d spring a kidnapped prince out of her father’s dungeons. But, in the end, is he the only one who needs to be freed?

    ReplyDelete
  62. Awesome contest, thanks for hosting!

    Title: The Tick-Tock Hearts
    Genre: YA Steampunk/Mystery
    Email: sesinkhorn [at] gmail [dot] com

    Pitch: In Edwardian Chicago, Clara must avenge her dead father & stop a group of cyborg immortals fueled by synthetic hearts before they cage her.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Title: Ivy and Blue
    Genre: Contemporary YA
    Email: jamielynnf(at)yahoo(dot)com

    While living homeless in a city park, Ivy falls for a boy in a vegetative state and learns what it is to be a friend.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Thanks so much for doing this contest, Mary and Shelli.

    Title: SEA DAUGHTERS
    Genre: YA urban fantasy
    email: sleuthwood (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

    A teenager learns she's half-mermaid and must accept being an inter-species freak if she's to reveal mermaids exist & what's killing them.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Title: SHAPERS
    Genre: YA light science fiction
    email: artzicarol[at]gmail[dot]com

    With her brain waves replacing a patient's, Morgan must lose 100 lbs despite a live-in chef, a trio of enemies, and violent protesters.

    Wow, you respond to all comments? Superwoman! To make it easier, my blog: http://carolriggs.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  66. Thanks for the contest

    Title: Beansville's Neighborhood Carnival
    Genre: Older Picture Book
    E-mail: bradley_susan(at)yahoo(dot).com

    When Beansville’s favorite citizen, Amelia, falls ill again she can’t continue collecting donations for her organization so the town helps by putting on a carnival.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Title: PENELOPE'S HAIRY PREDICAMENT
    Genre: quirky humorous PB
    E-mail: ishtamerc@gmail.com

    Huge-haired Penelope tries to shrink her 'do, but learns that if you want to get noticed for the right things, it's not about the hair.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Fun to see all the great pitches! Thanks for the opportunity.

    Title: Stanley and the Letter (of utmost importance)
    Genre: MG Fantasy
    Email: leona.broberg [at] gmail [dot] com

    Only 12-year-old Stanley can bridge two worlds by answering one riddle: when is a letter not a letter? Too bad he stinks at riddles.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Title: 18
    Genre: YA (Contemporary/Realistic)
    Email: whirligigdaisy [at] yahoo [dot] com

    Aging out of foster care, Brie finds luck and love in unlikely places as she hopes her knack for refurbishing antiques will pay the bills.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Title: The Fairest of the Mall
    Genre: humorous picture book
    Email: thedillard5 at yahoo dot com

    Goldie escapes to the city for a fun, bear-free afternoon with Rapunzel. But the day of dress-up at Fairytale Mall becomes too much to bear.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Name: M.D. Grace
    Title: Soulmates
    Genre: YA paranormal.
    Email: pageafterpage0@gmail.com

    Luke’s role, Grim Reaper trainee has been the same for a century, but now something is different. He’s drawn to a young girl whom he follows her throughout her life.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Title: Incognito Burrito and Other Things I did on my Trip to Mexico.
    Genre: YA contemporary
    Email: carolynVwrites(at)gmail(dot)com

    Note to self-today I will not:
    Hit hot guy with car,
    Trip over dead body
    Find out hot guy's a spy.
    Provoke killer.
    Days like this suck.


    Woo hoo! Thanks Shelli & Mary.
    Good luck everyone! =D

    ReplyDelete
  73. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Title: Waking the Binding Tree
    Genre: YA Fiction
    email: jlhendricks924 at yahoo dot com

    When Elliana frees the spirit of a malevolent ancestor, she must hone her own powers to defend the memories and histories of her loved ones.

    ReplyDelete
  75. TITLE The Secret of Elijah
    GENRE YA Historical Fiction
    EMAIL: shavriluk@bellsouth.net
    PITCH:
    Leah searches for her brother Elijah, kidnapped by a hoodoo conjurer, and falls for both a man-ghost and a Civil War soldier who aid her.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Again it's a fab contest!

    Title: Sammie McCloudy, M.R.I.T. (Mind Reader in Training)
    Genre: MG Magical Realism/Humor
    E-mail: MSSnow2000@aol.com

    Surly Sammie must save her baby brother. Even if it means embracing her unwanted superpower and hanging up her leopard-print leotard.

    ReplyDelete