This query is part of the Be an Agent for a Day contest. Rules and Regulations here
Please post your rejection or manuscript request in the comment section!
Dear Agent for a Day:
The symbol carved post-mortem into the third victim was the same as the other two. The same symbol that adorned the cover of a little-known true crime paperback. The same symbol left on the private vault walls of unscrupulous billionaires for almost twenty years.
A butterfly.
Jonathan and Lew, a retired pair of Robinhoods, learn of the murders and set out to protect their body of work, their identities and Jonathan’s little girl.
But the murders are just the bait.
Caught in a diseased madman’s diabolical trap, Jonathan is spirited halfway across the globe where he has to fight for his life, his daughter and both friend and foe alike, with Lew desperately trying to come to the rescue.
They soon learn they’re not the only ones with secrets. But everyone who’s ever known this secret is dead.
And a little girl is next.
STEALING GENIUS is a thriller complete at 129,000 words and is available for your review.
My short fiction has appeared in various international publications and has received two honorable mentions in the Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror anthology. You can find more information about me and my writing on my website at [redacted].
Thank you for your consideration.
Author
STATS: 10% request rate
Rebecca Knight says
Dear Stealing Genius,
Thank you for your query, and for thinking of my agency. Unfortunately, I feel that I’m not the best fit for your project. This industry is highly subjective, so I’m sure others will feel differently. Best of luck to you in all your endeavors.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Knight
Nora Coon says
Not right for us at this time. Best of luck.
***
Not enough information here to grab me.
Alisa says
No, thank you.
Alisa.
lilianamama says
Dear Author:
My first thought was that a butterfly is too innocuous of a symbol. I realize that’s also part of its brilliance in this situation, but try to describe it so it’s not a run-of-the-mill butterfly. Does it have some unusual feature, is it always iridescent purple and black, is it two-headed? Did you know some moths have no mouth parts?
Also, I’m not sure your query needs to tell us they’re retired robinhoods. That seemed like too much information as it has no apparent bearing on anything else in your query unless that’s how they see the symbol on the murder victims. In that case, tell us they’ve seen that symbol after bank heists they committed and murders they stumbled upon. I really didn’t feel like your query came together and flowed until the “caught in a diseased madman’s” paragraph. To me, that says you need to clarify your query. At that point, I’d be interested in reviewing your request.
Shannon says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query for STEALING GENIUS for review. Unfortunately, I am not the right person to represent this story. This is a subjective business so another agent may feel differently. Good luck.
Sincerely,
Shannon
Annie Reynolds says
Dear author
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to the A.F.A.D. agency.
Let me start by telling you I did enjoy your query, your novel concept caught my interest. I did however find your query letter could benefit from additional polishing, and would be happy for you to resubmit your query at a later date.
Yours truly,
Annie Reynolds.
Aisling says
Dear Author,
I am sorry to inform you that I am not interested in your book. It does not fit with what I am looking for right now so I regret to tell you that, although I appreciated you sending me your query, I would not like to publish your work. Feel free to send me a query for other books you complete. I wish you the best of luck with your writing!
Aisling
Asherose says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. I would like to request the first three chapters of your manuscript. Thank you.
Agent
Reasoning: Excellent blurb, short paras held my attention, excitingly written. Good no-nonsense query structure.
drat says
Dear Author,
Thank you for sending me your query. I gave it careful consideration, but ultimately I concluded I’m not the right agent for the book.
Your query is pretty sparse, and seems to jump around a bit. Try to incorporate more of your unique voice in the query.
Good luck with your manuscript, and query widely!
Thanks,
SDC
Anonymous says
Writer,
Your book sounds interesting, and I’d like to see the full manuscript.
-Suzuki Volkeswagon
Writer,
Anonymous says
Dear writer,
I appreciate the query but your book is not what I am looking for at the moment. However, I wish you luck in getting this book published.
best regards,
Nathaniel Orange
Anonymous says
Dear writer,
I enjoyed your query, but I’m afraid I’m not the right agent to represent this work. I’d love to see more of your writing.
Gloria Valentine
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I appreciate your time and efforts, but I am sorry to say that I do not wish to represent your story. If you have another story idea, please send it to me in the future, and I would be happy to look at it.
Best Wishes,
Quintus Blackburn
Katalina Marie says
Dear Author,
Your story sounds good, please send me a partial.
Regards,
Katalina Marie
Anonymous says
Dear Writer,
Thanks so much for the query, but this is just not right for us at this time. Feel free to send me any others you might come up with, and best of luck in other endeavors.
AM
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I am not interested in your novel. Keep writing, your story had potential but was not for me. Feel free to Query me later with another piece of your work.
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for the submission, but I regret to inform you that I will not be picking up your story.
Keep Writing,
Agent Jackie Moon
Anonymous says
Dear author,
I appreciate your query and found your concept interesting; however, it is just not what I am looking for. I look forward to future queries from you!
Thank you, Scarlett Cyrus
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I have decided not to take up your offer on publishing this book. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to view your material.
Thank You,
Happy Gilmore
Arkham says
Dear Author,
Your story sounds rather intriguing. I would like to see a full manuscript.
Thanks,
Arkham
LateInTheGame says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query!
I would like to see more of your story. Please submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript.
All the best,
Agent LateInTheGame
Mira says
Dear Author,
A little girl is next? A little girl?!?
What do you mean the murders are just the bait? What do you mean?!?
Wow, you built tension in the query – nice job!
I sat on this one. In the tradition of Dan Brown, I think this is highly marketable. If your writing is as good as in the query, you’ve got a winner here.
I’m turning this down for a partial because at this point for me, it’s a guessing game. I’m guessing this isn’t yet published. Could be wrong, though, I could see someone snapping this one up, if the writing is tight-paced and crisp.
Absolute best of luck to you! If it’s not up for publication, I hope it will be. Then I’ll read it. I might also go see the movie.
Mira
Reba says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, it is not the right fit for me.
Best,
Reba
(Note: I like the idea here. More detail about the society in which it’s set would have been helpful. If I wasn’t limited to 5 requests, I might request this. Good luck!)
Kate H says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I’m afraid I’m not the right agent to represent you, but I wish you the best of luck.
Kate H
Eva Ulian says
Thank you for your submission and although I was attracted to the opening section, I got somewhat lost towards the end. Nevertheless since this fits in ideally in your genre I would like to request the first 5 pages
s.koncilja says
Dear Author,
I received and read your query. Unfortunately it is not something that I’m looking for at the moment.
Keep me informed about your future work and good luck!
Agent S.K.
Dorothy says
Dear Author:
I am unable to represent your work of fiction but thank you for sending the query. I did take a second and third look at the premise. This is an entirely subjective call on my part. I expected some esoteric symbol and was disapppointed in the butterfly. Not mysterious or sinister enough in my estimation. It undermined the tension of its appearance in dead bodies and vault walls.
Perhaps other agents will feel differently. Keep working at this.
Sincerely,
Honesty Is the Best Policy
Anonymous says
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel I am the right agent for your project. I encourage you to query other agents and wish you the best of luck.
Thank you,
Agent C
superwench83 says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, your manuscript isn’t right for me. Best wishes in your search for an agent.
Sincerely,
Agent for a Day
publishingcareer says
Dear Author
Thank you for your interest in our agency and submitting your query for your novel Stealing Genius.
I read it with interest but unfortunately it is not what I am looking for.
Best of luck and kind regards.
Yours faithfully
Robert Sullivan AFAD
Melissa says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query. The premise is intriguing! Please send me the first 50 pages and a synopis.
Thank you,
Melissa (Ximera)
PCB says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query. We are not in a position to represent you at this time, but wish you all the very best in your writing endeavors.
Sincerely,
PCB
Dave says
Sorry, but I’m going to have to pass. Don’t give up though!
Nikki Hensley says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I don’t think I am the right agent for this novel. Best of luck in your search!
Agent Nikki
Just_Me says
Dear Author,
After serious consideration I am afraid I am going to pass on this project. While the idea is intriguing, I don’t feel I connect well enough with the characters or theme to be the kind of agent your work deserves.
Sincerly,
agent
vicariousrising says
Thank you for your submission. I regret that I don’t feel this project isn’t right for me.
I wish you the best in your writing endeavors.
Hildegarde512 says
Thank you for submitting however [If I were a real agent, a GENTLE FORM REJECTION would exist here].
Kendra says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your work. Unfortunately, this is not a project I feel I can sucessfully represent. Good luck in your writing.
Kendra
Hallie says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query to My Imaginary Yet Successful Literary Agency. I receive many queries each day, and I request only a small percentage of manuscripts that I’m interested in representing. I have decided not to request one for your book because I don’t feel that I’m intrigued enough to be its best representative.
Should you need resources for querying, finding writing resources and groups, or if you’d like to know more about how I choose manuscripts, please visit (this section of my agency’s website) for more information. I wish you the best of luck in finding a home for your writing. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to consider your work.
Warm regards,
Hallie
__________________________________
And if I were fortunate enough to be able to give some feedback to each and every author I declined, I’d note the following:
You were on my maybe list, and I’d have picked this if I’d had a few more requests. I’d also buy this book in the bookstore based on the blurb. Good luck in finding representation!
Vic K says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting Stealing Genius to my agency. I’m intrigued by the premise and I’d like to see the first fifty pages.
Regards,
Vic K.
Reason; I felt I could sell this and the concept appealed to me.
Heather says
Dear Author,
Thank you very much for taking the time to query our agency. I have given your project thoughtful consideration; unfortunately, it is not a good fit for us at this time because, although the project is built on an interesting premise, the story does not feel unique or compelling at this time; however, after a revision of your query letter and/or partial manuscript, please feel free to resubmit to my attention.
Sincerely,
Heather
abouttothunder says
Dear Author,
Thank you for the opportunity to represent your work. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good fit for me. Since you deserve an agent who will fully support you project, I will have to pass.
I wish you the best of luck in finding representation.
Sincerely,
Agent-for-a-day Sara
The concept and the plot intrigue me, but the writing unfortunately didn’t keep my interest.
Rik says
Thank you for submitting your book – Stealing Genius – for my consideration. May I say that I enjoyed reading your query. Regrettably, I do not feel that I am able to represent this particular book – a fact that has more to do with pressures on the time and resources at my disposal rather than on the book itself. Best wishes for your future endeavours, both with this book and with future projects. Agent Rik.
Martin Willoughby says
(form rejection)
genkischuldich says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query to us. Please send your manuscript to us as a reply to this e-mail.
Thank you very much,
“Genki”
SuzieQ Agent4U says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel your book is right for me. Good luck with your search.
Best,
S
AndrewDugas says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query, but I do not believe I would be the best advocate for your novel. I wish you luck in finding representation elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Andy
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering me. I can see this being picked up elsewhere, but unfortunately I have to pass.
Best of Luck!
Agent X-9
Kathy says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I appreciate your thinking of me, but I’m afraid this isn’t right for me.
Sincerely,
Kathy
ludwig snarf says
i’m sorry, but we cannot help you