Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentor Name: Akemi Dawn Bowman
Mentee Name: June Tan
Title: A SWORD OF JADE AND FIRE
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Chinese-inspired fantasy
Word Count: 106,000 words
Pitch:
Ahn is a thief who wants to save her family. Altan is an exiled prince who wants to avenge the family he lost.
When Ahn’s powers manifest, Altan realizes she’s the weapon he’s been searching for: someone who can steal life. With an army of priests hunting down those with magic, the pair are forced to work together, traveling across desert and sea to rescue her grandmother and prevent a war.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER meets SHADOW AND BONE.
Excerpt:
The boy clung tightly to his sister’s hand when they fled the palace, afraid if he let go he might lose her forever. Their home was no longer safe—not with their father dead and the stench of betrayal in the air.
Into the night, they followed their mother through the streets of Beishou and toward the western border, hoping to find refuge in the last place anyone would think to look for them.
The desert.
It was no place for a royal family, but Empress Odgerel prayed to her gods the shifting labyrinth of sand might keep them hidden.
They followed the nomadic trails and slept in a different place each night. Sometimes in tents, sometimes under a blanket of stars. They changed their names, their appearances, the way they spoke.
But eventually, the soldiers came.
And with them, a man clad in a shroud of black smoke and red fury. The man who would not rest until the royal family was dead.
Against the odds, the boy survived.
A passing caravan of nomads found him a few days after a huge sandstorm. Motherless. Sisterless. Dehydrated and feverish, he teetered on the edge of death. Nails torn off completely, dried blood crusted over his fingers.
The nomads asked no questions of this strange boy.
29 Comments
beth phelan · November 2, 2017 at 9:33 pm
June. You already know. ? 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
Lauren Spieller · November 2, 2017 at 10:08 pm
This sounds wonderful, June! 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
Elana Roth Parker · November 2, 2017 at 10:43 pm
Hi June! Glad to see this here. Send it on over. Please email me at eparker [at] ldlainc [dot] com:
* Subject line: PitchWars Submission: YOUR BOOK TITLE
* Your query letter in the body of the email
* The full manuscript attached as a Word document
Thanks!
Elana
Laura Crockett · November 2, 2017 at 10:44 pm
I’m interested in reading more! Please send the query in the body of the email, attach the full manuscript in a Word doc, subject line “Pitch Wars: [MS title],” to laura(at)triadaus(dot)com. Thanks! –Laura
Penny Moore · November 2, 2017 at 11:22 pm
Hi June,
You know I’v so been waiting to read this one ever since I found out Akemi was mentoring you!!!
I’d love to read more! Please email me at penny[at]empireliterary[dot]com. Please put Pitch Wars and your book title in the subject line and attach your full manuscript! Thanks! Looking forward to reading!
Best,
Penny
Saba Sulaiman · November 2, 2017 at 11:50 pm
JUNE!!!! I cannot wait to read this! Please send a query, synopsis, and the full manuscript (Word documents will suffice) to ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net — and don’t forget to mention #PitchWars in your subject line. Thanks and GOOD LUCK!!
<3 Saba
Erica Bauman · November 3, 2017 at 8:17 am
Hi June,
This sounds amazing–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
Caitie Flum · November 3, 2017 at 9:28 am
This looks amazing. Your comps made my heart flutter!
Please send the query in the body of the email + full manuscript as a Word attachment to querycaitie@lizadawson.com with “Pitch Wars request” in the subject.
Rena Rossner · November 3, 2017 at 10:13 am
I would absolutely love to read this! I’m already blown away. Please send the full manuscript attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com
I will bite my nails until then!
– Rena
Aimee Ashcraft · November 3, 2017 at 10:19 am
Really enjoyed this pitch and would love to read more. Could you send the full manuscript in Word format to aimee@browerliterary.com, with #pitchwars in the subject line? Thanks so much!
Wendi Gu · November 3, 2017 at 10:30 am
Oh. THIS PITCH!
Dear June — please send your query and full manuscript to wgu@janklow.com and put “PITCH WARS” in the subject line.
Thank you!
Wendi Gu
Hillary Jacobson · November 3, 2017 at 10:41 am
Hi June!! I can’t wait to read!! Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!
Carrie Hannigan · November 3, 2017 at 10:48 am
Hi June,
I would love to see more! Please send your query to channigan@hsgagency.com and attach the first 100 pages as a word document. Also please include “Pitch Wars YA” in your subject line.
Thanks!
Carrie
Peter Knapp · November 3, 2017 at 11:12 am
June, I am excited to read! 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.
Suzie Townsend · November 3, 2017 at 11:46 am
Hi June! I am so excited to get the chance to read this — 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 12:07 pm
Hi June,
You already know I NEED 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
Jennifer Kim · November 3, 2017 at 12:23 pm
June!!
I still would love to read this. Please send me the full manuscript as a word document: jennifer@dijkstraagency.com.
Jennifer (SDLA)
Katelyn Detweiler · November 3, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Hi, June! This sounds seriously amazing and I would love to have a look! Could you please send the full manuscript to me at katelyn@jillgrinbergliterary.com?
All the best,
Katelyn
Danielle Burby · November 3, 2017 at 3:36 pm
I can’t wait to read the newest version!!!
Brooks Sherman · November 3, 2017 at 4:04 pm
June, this feels like a prologue. I *love* a good prologue! And that epic pitch? I can’t wait to read on! 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: A SWORD OF JADE AND FIRE.” Thank you!
Best,
Brooks Sherman
Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Jim McCarthy · November 3, 2017 at 4:31 pm
I would love to have a look at this! Kindly send the manuscript along for my prompt review at jmccarthy@dystel.com. A Word attachment is most preferable if possible.
Best,
Jim
Blair Wilson · November 3, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Hi June,
This is wonderful–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!
Josh Adams · November 3, 2017 at 5:21 pm
You had me at sword! This sounds great. Please send the full manuscript, along with your query, to josh@adamsliterary.com under the subject line: Pitch Wars / A Sword of Jade and Fire. Looking forward to it!
Roseanne Wells · November 3, 2017 at 8:34 pm
Hell yes! Great title, great sample, and I’d love to read more! Please use the guidelines on jdlit.com to send 100pp (instead of the normal 20), and include #Pitchwars in the subject line. I can’t wait to dive in!
Roseanne Wells
The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
Christa Heschke · November 4, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Yes, please! I am so intrigued! Please send the full manuscript to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com and put the title and Pitch Wars request in the subject line.
–Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis
Pam Victorio · November 4, 2017 at 4:16 pm
I. MUST. READ. THIS. I love it! Please send a ‘query’ through my Query Manager and I’ll request the full through the system. http://QueryMe.Online/QueryPam
Nicole Resciniti · November 6, 2017 at 9:31 am
This sounds fantastic! I would love to read. Please send the full manuscript to nicole@theseymouragency.com and cc: lynnette@theseymouragency.com.
Nicole Resciniti
The Seymour Agency
Kelly Sonnack · November 6, 2017 at 11:49 pm
June,
This sounds incredible. I’d love to read the entire. Will you send ia word attachment to me at kellyqueries at gmail? Or via querymanager.
Looking forward!
Kelly
Tanusri Prasanna · November 8, 2017 at 3:18 pm
I won’t sleep until I get a chance to read this, so please send the full manuscript to tprasanna@foundrymedia.com subject “PitchWars request”, thank you!
Tanusri
Comments are closed.