Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentors Names: M.K. England and Jamie Pacton
Mentee Name: Rena Barron
Title: THE LAST WITCHDOCTOR
Category: Young Adult
Genre: West African Dark Fantasy
Word Count: 90,000 words
Pitch:
THREE DARK CROWNS meets STRANGE THE DREAMER.
Arrah fails at rituals.
She fails at reading bones.
She fails so much her witchdoctor mother conjures a better daughter, one whose power threatens to destroy everything in its path. Arrah trades years of her life to buy the magic she needs to defeat her demon-born sister.
She’ll do anything to stop her.
Even if it kills her.
Excerpt:
I settle into the cool embrace of sand as black and iridescent as obsidian glass. The witching hour approaches: when sparks dance across the bruised sky and even a charlatan like me possesses a whiff of magic. I wait for two gods to cross paths, wait for the world to wake and the magic to burrow into my veins.
This won’t be easy. I’m not a fool, but I am a foolish girl doing a foolish thing.
Magic has costs, even for those who make it look as effortless as kneading fufu.
Bone-chilling cold stretches through my limbs, and ash coats my tongue as the magic leeches years from my life. Years gone with a few words, bone charms, and perfect timing.
Sand shifts beneath me as I slip into the space before unconsciousness. Neither here nor there. The place before dreams and nightmares, where darkness clings to my skin like beads of sweat. Anticipation and longing choke me as my mind splits in two. I have to know if my life will always be this miserable, if my mother will always despise me for being weak.
As I slip into the future, unfamiliar eyes bore into me like a tobachi blade. Eyes that glow like the green fog that descends upon the city after a thunderstorm.
“You don’t belong here,” a child whispers.
45 Comments
beth phelan · November 2, 2017 at 9:35 pm
Me. Me me me me me. 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 9:52 pm
I MUST READ THIS. I’d love to see 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
Kelly Peterson · November 2, 2017 at 10:03 pm
Hi Rena!
I LOVE THIS! Can you please send me your query, synopsis, and full manuscript? If you go to http://queryme.online/kellypeterson/pitchwars it should take you to a form you can fill out and paste in your information, and the bottom should allow you to attach your full.
I can’t wait to read it =)
Warm Regards,
Kelly Peterson
Jr. Literary Agent
Corvisiero Literary Agency
Jim McCarthy · November 2, 2017 at 10:13 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
Jessica Watterson · November 2, 2017 at 11:02 pm
I would love to see this! Please send your full ms, synopsis, and query to jessica@dijkstraagency.com with #pitchwars in the sub line!
Elana Roth Parker · November 2, 2017 at 11:22 pm
Hi Rena 🙂 Definitely want to see this one! You already know where to email me…but: 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
Penny Moore · November 2, 2017 at 11:24 pm
Hi Rena,
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
Patricia Nelson · November 2, 2017 at 11:51 pm
Gorgeous writing! I’d love to read more. Please send a query (in the body of the email) along with the first 50 pages as a Word doc attachment, subject line “Pitch Wars: [Your Title]” to patricia@marsallyonliteraryagency.com.
Thanks, and looking forward to reading!
Heather Flaherty · November 3, 2017 at 12:03 am
Reeeeeeena! Such a cool story from the very start – I so want to see more!
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)
Stacey Donaghy · November 3, 2017 at 12:36 am
Wow! I really want to read this story. Please send the full ms as a word.docx attachment with your query in the body of the email. Subject #PitchWars and the title. To stacey@donaghyliterary.com
Cannot wait to review!
Stacey
Jessie Devine · November 3, 2017 at 1:40 am
I love this! Please query me and upload the full manuscript here: QueryMe.online/devinequeries/PitchWars
Jennifer Azantian · November 3, 2017 at 1:48 am
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
Ammi-Joan Paquette · November 3, 2017 at 7:09 am
What a dynamite premise and opener! Please send along your query + first 3 chapters to me at joan at emliterary.com – thanks 🙂
Erica Bauman · November 3, 2017 at 8:27 am
Hi Rena,
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 9:20 am
This looks great! It I’d love to take a look.
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.
Sarah Landis · November 3, 2017 at 10:09 am
I would love to read this one! Please send the full ms as a word doc to slandis@sll.com
Jenny Bent · November 3, 2017 at 10:11 am
Please email query and full ms (as an attachment) to info@thebentagency.com, PITCHWARS in subject line. Thanks!
Rena Rossner · November 3, 2017 at 10:16 am
Hello Rena! I’ve been waiting for this one! I would absolutely love to read. Please send the full manuscript attached as a word document to: rena@thedeborahharrisagency.com
I can’t wait!
– Rena
Aimee Ashcraft · November 3, 2017 at 10:22 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!
Leon Husock · November 3, 2017 at 10:24 am
I would love to read more of this! Please send me a query, the full manuscript, and a one-sentence description of the basic premise at leon@lperkinsagency.com. Thanks!
Carrie Pestritto · November 3, 2017 at 10:36 am
I was super intrigued by your pitch and sample and definitely want to read more of this!! Please send me your query and first 100 pages, with the subject “PITCHWARS REQUEST,” to carrie(at)prospectagency(dot)com. Thank you and excited to see more!
Carrie Hannigan · November 3, 2017 at 10:55 am
Hi Rena,
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
Hillary Jacobson · November 3, 2017 at 10:56 am
Your pitch gave me chills!! I’d LOVE to read more. Please send the full manuscript as a word document to hjacobson@icmpartners.com. Thank you!!
Alex Slater · November 3, 2017 at 11:13 am
Hi Rena,
I hope you’re going to screen grab and frame this comments section. I have a feeling it will look good on a wall someday. That being said, I’d be thrilled to read THE LAST WITCHDOCTOR. May you please send the full manuscript to ASlater@tridentmediagroup.com?
Many thanks,
Alex
Maria Vicente · November 3, 2017 at 11:15 am
Rena, I would love to take a look at the full manuscript! Please email a query letter to maria@psliterary.com with the subject line “Pitch Wars Request: The Last Witchdoctor” and include the manuscript (+ a synopsis) as an attachment.
Peter Knapp · November 3, 2017 at 11:28 am
I’d love to read this — it sounds so excellent! 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!
Brooks Sherman · November 3, 2017 at 11:34 am
Oh wow. WOW. Rena, I would absolutely love to read this! I’m fascinated by West African Vodun, and by the animist practitioners of wok. I’d LOVE to read a fantasy inspired by those traditions! 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: THE LAST WITCHDOCTOR.” I’m so excited to dive into this!
Best,
Brooks Sherman
Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Suzie Townsend · November 3, 2017 at 11:50 am
WOW! There’s just nothing else to say, this sounds incredible — 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 12:10 pm
Hi Rena,
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
Adriann Ranta Zurhellen · November 3, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Oh my gosh, totally desperate to read this!! Please send the full to aranta@foundrymedia.com. Thanks!!
Adriann
Goldblatt Barry · November 3, 2017 at 2:12 pm
If Anne Ursu says this is a must read, I’d be stupid not to listen! Please send your query and the full manuscript attached as a word doc to Barry at bgliterary dot com. Really looking forward to it!
Quressa Robinson · November 3, 2017 at 3:09 pm
Rena! I have been feenin for something like this. *Grabby hands* Gimme, please! I may not be the only agent here at Nelson Literary Agency who wants to read your amazing work! So, 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 3:37 pm
Hi Rena,
I saw this pitch and immediately knew THE LAST WITCHDOCTOR was going to be right up my alley! Please could you send the first 50 pages 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 can’t wait to dive in!
Warmly,
Bri
Brianne Johnson
Writers House
Danielle Burby · November 3, 2017 at 3:39 pm
This project sounds absolutely amazing. I LOVE the pitch and I need to read it! I know I’m not the only agent here at Nelson Literary Agency who is excited to read this one so 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!
Natascha Morris · November 3, 2017 at 4:23 pm
I want this so much! Please query and include your manuscript at QueryMe.online/1067/PitchWars2017! Thank you!
Best,
Natascha
Blair Wilson · November 3, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Hi Rena,
This sounds so incredible! 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 5:23 pm
This sounds great and I’d love to read more. Please send the full manuscript, along with your query, to josh@adamsliterary.com under the subject line: Pitch Wars / The Last Witchdoctor. Looking forward to it!
Natalie M. Lakosil · November 3, 2017 at 5:43 pm
Hi Rena,
I’d love to see this! Please send the full manuscript to me at natalie@bradfordlit.com, along with a synopsis and your query. Please include “Requested material: Pitch Wars” in the email subject.
Thanks!!
Natalie
Natalie Lakosil
Bradford Literary Agency
Roseanne Wells · November 3, 2017 at 8:41 pm
I saw this on Twitter and knew I had to request. It sounds AWESOME. And it lives up to the hype! I’d love to read more! Please send the manuscript and synopsis as Word doc or docx attachments 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
Christa Heschke · November 4, 2017 at 2:43 pm
Wow! I’d love to read on. Your writing hooked me! Please send the full manuscript to chquery@mcintoshandotis.com and put the title and Pitch Wars request in the subject line. Can’t wait to read!
–Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis
Pam Victorio · November 4, 2017 at 4:18 pm
I love this! Please send a ‘query’ through my Query Manager and I’ll request the full through the system. http://QueryMe.Online/QueryPam
Laura Zats · November 5, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Holy cow! I need to read the rest of this ASAP! 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 4:10 pm
Rena, this sounds amazing! 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 look forward to reading!
Thanks,
Melissa Nasson
Rubin Pfeffer Content
Skye Dixon · November 11, 2019 at 4:05 am
This sound’s so wonderful! Excellent writing style. Would you mind sending me the full manuscript or the pdf please?I would love to read the rest of it.
You can send it to my email skyedixon2@gmail.com
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