Mentor Name: Ashley Hearn
Mentee Name: Alexis Henderson
Title: YEAR OF BONE
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Romantic Horror #ownvoices
Word Count: 85,000 words
Pitch:
In Bethel, where blood buys forgiveness, witches burn, and the prophet’s word is law, Immanuel knows the key to salvation is total conformity.
But when an undead witch reveals grim truths about the church, Immanuel’s faith is shaken. Torn between the witch’s plight and the prophet’s holy creed, Immanuel must team up with a devious apostle to save Bethel from the darkness within itself.
Feminist. Black girl horror. THE HANDMAID’S TALE meets BLOOD AND SALT.
Excerpt:
She was born breech, in the deep of the night. The midwife, Martha, had to seize her by the ankles and drag her from the womb. She slipped out easily, dropped limp into Martha’s arms, and lay still as stone.
The child’s mother gave a low groan, a cry that bubbled up from her belly. She grasped at the folds of her nightdress, its hem soaked black with blood, but she made no move to reach for her child. Instead, she turned her head, cheek pressed to the tabletop, and stared across the kitchen to the window above the sink, gazing into the woods.
“Her name,” she demanded, eyes sharp with moonlight. “Give me her name.”
The midwife took the babe, cut her cord, and swaddled her in a scrap of burlap. The child was cold against her breast, and she would have thought her dead if it weren’t for the name that rattled at the back of her throat, its flavor bitter as bile, and yet sweet as wine. The taste of the name the Lord had chosen for her. But she didn’t want to say it—not out loud.
With the last of her strength, the mother twisted to face her. “The name, Martha. I want her name.”
“Immanuel,” she finally bit out like a curse. “She will be called Immanuel.”
38 Comments
beth phelan · November 2, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Oh! Ohhh! Omg. Can you please email your query, plus the full manuscript as a Word doc attachment, to phelanqueries@thebentagency.com, with “Pitch Wars request” in the subject line? I’m closed to queries except requested submissions, so don’t mind the automated response.
Beth Phelan
The Bent Agency
Jim McCarthy · November 2, 2017 at 9:56 pm
I’d loved to have a look! Please send the full manuscript to jmccarthy@dystel.com. A Word attachment is most preferable if possible. Best,
Jim
Kira Watson · November 2, 2017 at 10:15 pm
Hi Alexis,
This looks fantastic!
Please send your query with a FULL manuscript (attached as a Word Doc) to queries@emmasweeneyagency.com with PitchWars Request for Kira Watson + TITLE.
Thank you!
-Kira Watson
Emma Sweeney Agency
Lauren Spieller · November 2, 2017 at 10:34 pm
I *must* read this. Please send your query in the body of an email, along with the full manuscript and a synopsis (both attached). Please also include a link to this entry. You can send your materials to lauren@triadaus.com. I look forward to reading!
~Lauren
Katelyn Detweiler · November 2, 2017 at 10:36 pm
Ah! Such a great premise. I would love to have a look! Could you please send the full manuscript to me at katelyn@jillgrinbergliterary.com?
All the best,
Katelyn
Kathleen Rushall · November 2, 2017 at 10:43 pm
This sounds fantastic! Please send me the pitch and the full manuscript! Kathleen@AndreaBrownLit.com. I can’t wait!
Alex Slater · November 2, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Hi Alexis!
I’ve cleared my calendar.
May you please send the full to ASlater@tridentmediagroup.com?
Thank you!
All best,
Alex
Blair Wilson · November 2, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Hi Alexis,
This sounds amazing–what an incredible opening! I’d love to read more. Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc with the query pasted into the first page of the document to queries@parkliterary.com with “BLAIR WILSON – PITCH WARS REQUEST” in the subject. Thanks so much–looking forward to reading!
Heather Flaherty · November 2, 2017 at 11:50 pm
Hi Alexis, I would looooooove to see more of this! So good!
Please send:
– Query + 10 pages pasted in the body of the email
– Attach FULL ms as well!
– with subject line: PW YA + Title
to: flahertyqueries@thebentagency.com
Thank you so much!
Heather Flaherty (The Bent Agency)
Patricia Nelson · November 3, 2017 at 12:02 am
This sounds amazing! I’d love to read more. Please send a query (in the body of the email) along with the full manuscript as a Word doc attachment, subject line “Pitch Wars: [Your Title]” to patricia@marsallyonliteraryagency.com.
Thanks, and looking forward to reading!
Jessie Devine · November 3, 2017 at 1:48 am
I love this! Please query me and upload the full manuscript here: QueryMe.online/devinequeries/PitchWars
Justin Wells · November 3, 2017 at 2:12 am
Hi Alexis – This sounds incredible! I would love to take a look at your full manuscript. Please submit the full using my Pitch Wars QM page here: https://querymanager.com/query/Justin_Wells/Pitch_Wars
Erica Bauman · November 3, 2017 at 7:05 am
Hi Alexis,
This sounds fantastic–I’d love to see more! Please send a query and the full manuscript to ebauman@aevitascreative.com and put “Pitch Wars” in the subject line.
Thanks!
-Erica
Ammi-Joan Paquette · November 3, 2017 at 7:14 am
Wow, this is phenomenal! Please do send along your query + first 3 chapters to me at joan at emliterary.com – so look forward to reading 🙂
Jennifer Azantian · November 3, 2017 at 8:41 am
Hi Alexis,
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
Hillary Jacobson · November 3, 2017 at 10:06 am
Alexis, this looks INCREDIBLE! I would love to read more. Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!!
Peter Knapp · November 3, 2017 at 11:16 am
This sounds so great! I’d love to keep reading! Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc to queries@parkliterary.com with the query pasted into the first page of the doc. If available, please also attach a one (or so) page synopsis. Put “PITCH WARS REQUEST – PETE KNAPP” in the subject. Thank you!
Katie Grimm · November 3, 2017 at 11:29 am
Hi Alexis – Holy crap I am so, so hooked by everything in this opening! Please email your query with full ms attached as a Word doc to dca@doncongdon.com with PitchWars Request + YEAR OF BONE in the subject line. Thanks and I look forward to reading more! – Katie Grimm, Don Congdon Associates
Rena Rossner · November 3, 2017 at 11:34 am
I’d love to read this! Please send the full manuscript attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com
– Rena
Suzie Townsend · November 3, 2017 at 11:37 am
This sounds so amazing! What a great opening! — I would love to read the full ms! Please send the full manuscript to suzie@newleafliterary.com attached as a Word document with the query in the first page of the document. Put “PITCH WARS” in the subject. Please also include a dreaded synopsis if you have one. Thank you! Can’t wait to read!
Penelope Burns · November 3, 2017 at 11:51 am
I would love to see this! Can you send the full to penelope@gelfmanschneider.com, with your query in the body of the email and #PitchWars and title in the subject line? Thanks so much!
Penelope
Jenny Bent · November 3, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Please send query and full (as an attachment) to info@thebentagency.com. PitchWars in subject line. Thanks!
Kathleen Rushall · November 3, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Ahhh so I commented on this last night from my phone and am SO GLAD I checked again today because it didn’t show up. Please send me the full manuscript to Kathleen@AndreaBrownLit.com. I absolutely can’t wait. This is so up my alley!
Adriann Ranta Zurhellen · November 3, 2017 at 1:38 pm
So excited to read more!! Please send the full to aranta@foundrymedia.com. Thanks!!
Adriann
Thao Le · November 3, 2017 at 2:21 pm
Great opening! I got chills. Please send a query letter, bio, and first 15 pages to thao@dijkstraagency.com using subject line: Pitch Wars Req – YEAR OF BONE.
Catherine Drayton · November 3, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Hi Alexis,
Wow – consider me intrigued! I’d love to read more. Please send your query to catherine@inkwellmanagement.com with the full manuscript attached.
Thanks!
Danielle Burby · November 3, 2017 at 3:27 pm
Oh my gosh I am dying to read this book. Please send me the full manuscript!!! I know I’m not the only agent here at Nelson Literary Agency who is excited to read this one! Please send just one email to query@nelsonagency.com with PITCH WARS UPLOAD in the subject line. We will reply with our upload instructions, and then all the interested NLA agents will read and consider your manuscript. Thank you!
Brianne Johnson · November 3, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Hi Alexis,
I’ve heard fantastic things about your writing from some of the mentors and would LOVE to take a further look! YEAR OF BONE looks like it will be right up my alley! Please could you send the full manuscript attached in a word document? I would really appreciate it if you would label your query REQUESTED: Pitch Wars and label the document with your last name and the title.
Thank you so much! I truly can’t wait to dive in!
Warmly,
Bri
Brianne Johnson
Writers House
Brooks Sherman · November 3, 2017 at 3:44 pm
Oh, wow. Alexis, these opening lines are phenomenal! I’m in a mood for witches, and I’d love to keep reading. Please email the full manuscript, along with your query letter and a synopsis (if you have one) to bsherman@janklow.com, with the subject line “Pitch Wars: YEAR OF BONE.” Can’t wait to see more!
Best,
Brooks Sherman
Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Natascha Morris · November 3, 2017 at 3:49 pm
Hi Alexis, I need this more than I can say. Please send me the manuscript at QueryMe.online/1067/PitchWars2017. Thank you!
Best,
Natascha
Josh Adams · November 3, 2017 at 5:19 pm
It sounds great and I’d love to see more. Please send the full manuscript, along with your query, to josh@adamsliterary.com under the subject line: Pitch Wars / Year of Bone. Thanks!
Roseanne Wells · November 3, 2017 at 7:23 pm
This is chilling! I’d love to read more! Please send the full manuscript to queryroseanne@gmail.com, and include #Pitchwars in the subject line. I can’t wait to dive in!
Roseanne Wells
The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Kiana Nguyen · November 3, 2017 at 7:41 pm
ALEXIS!!! You know I’ve been super excited about YEAR OF BONE, so I am TOTALLY JUMPING at writing this right now! Please send your full manuscript to knguyen@maassagency.com attached as a Word document with the query on the first page of the doc. PitchWars Req + YEAR OF BONE in subj. line, please. Did I mention that I’m excited to read your book?! – Kiana
Christa Heschke · November 4, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Yes, yes yes! This sounds AMAZING! I’d love to see the full manuscript. Please send it to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com and put the title and Pitch Wars request in the subject line.
Sarah Davies · November 4, 2017 at 2:44 pm
This sounds great and I’d love to read it. Please send me the query with full manuscript (Word doc) at submissions@greenhouseliterary.com, with PitchWars/Sarah Davies in the email title line. Thanks!
Sarah
Hilary Harwell · November 5, 2017 at 9:58 am
This opening is amazing – so vivid and precise – as is the premise. And I know you’ve been in good hands with Ashley. I’d love to read more – please kindly send the full and a synopsis to hilary@ktliterary.com with “Pitchwars – Title” in the subject field. Can’t wait to keep reading!
Cheers,
Hilary
Laura Zats · November 5, 2017 at 5:45 pm
YES YES YES! I’m so excited to read this! Please send the whole MS in a Word doc to laura@redsofaliterary.com. Please include a query in the body of the email and mention Pitch Wars in the subject line!
Melissa Nasson · November 6, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Alexis, I would love to read this! Please send the full manuscript as a Word doc or PDF attachment to melissa@rpcontent.com. Please also include your query letter in the body of the email, and Pitch Wars in the subject line.
I can’t wait to read!
Thanks,
Melissa Nasson
Rubin Pfeffer Content
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