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,
V.I. Warshawski meets Lucy and Ethel.
Loving You Deadly is a completed novel of 75,000 words. Through the use of suspense, this novel introduces the reader to the dynamics of a battering relationship, the depth and understanding of women’s friendships, the workings of culture traditions and mores, yet entertains.
Amelia Garcia and Jennifer Reynolds – the salt and salsa team – have been best friends since they were six years old. They bring two cultures and demonstrate how they work together. As best friends, they help Rebecca Kelley to extricate herself from an abusive relationship.
Amelia comes from a big family and is confronted with the expectations of tradition set out for Latinas and the difficulties to break out of the role imposed on her by family and society.
In this book, Jennifer plays society’s role by stating all the usual platitudes on why a woman enters and stays in an abusive relationship. Jennifer also explores grief in the loss of her husband and in her attempts to win her father’s approval.
This is a multi-faceted story as it also illuminates a traditional Mexican wedding.
In 1989, I researched battering for a year before writing this book. With a Bachelors in Psychology, I was able to bring motives alive with accuracy yet instilled with hope. I earned a Master’s in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco.
This is a multiple submission. The intensity of the issues and the solutions in Loving You Deadly are more about women’s wisdom and friendships in a world of violence. I hope you find this book worthwhile and worthy of your representation.
Sincerely,
Author
STATS:
xx_SynfanA7X_xx says
Dear Author,
I believe that your book will not be publishable material. But thank you for trying!
Thanks,
Syfan
Kristin says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query; however, I am sorry to say that I will not be pursuing it any further. It does not fit my list at this time, but there are many agents out there and I would encourage you to continue submitting to those who rep your genre.
Regards,
KM
Professor I.M. Diphthong says
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately this is not what I am looking for. I wish you the best of luck.
Kathy says
Thank you for your query but I’m afraid this idea doesn’t work for me.
Best Wishes,
Kathy
Rubenesque Writer says
Dear Author,
Thank you for thinking of me, but I don’t think I am the right agent to represent this manuscript. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
RW Lit
jnantz says
Dear Author:
I appreciate the opportunity to consider your work. After a lot of thought, I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass. I just don’t feel I can represent this project with the kind of enthusiasm it would require. However, this business is very subjective, and I encourage you to query widely as many agents may feel differently.
Thank you again,
Jnantz
Kaiscomet says
Thank you for your submission. I regret to inform you that I am passing on your project at this time. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely
Demelza1 says
No. Preaching, not a story.
Demelza1
gypsyscarlett says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query.
Unfortunately, your story is not right for me.
I wish you much luck finding a suitable agent.
Leis says
Dear Author,
Thank you for querying me. I’m afraid I have to pass on this one.
Good luck with your work.
Kind regards,
Leis
rantonson17 says
Dear Author,
Thank your for your story. Unfortunately, I am unable to represent your work at this time.
Best of luck,
Rebekka
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
Perle_Rare says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission but this isn’t right for me at this time.
Best wishes,
Perle_Rare
Reason:
– I am not interested in reading about a character who spouts platitudes.
NotJana says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. However, I’m afraid that at this time I am unable to offer representation for your project.
All the best,
Agent For A Day (Or Two)
Diana says
Dear Query #3:
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, this isn’t the right project for me.
Best wishes,
Diana
hzilionis says
Dear Author,
Thank you so much for sending me your query and offering me the chance to consider your work. Unfortunately, I am not the right agent for your project.
Good luck and keep writing!
Holly Z – Agent for a Day
Annie Reynolds says
Dear author
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to the A.F. D. agency. Unfortunately I do not believe your novel is a good fit at this time, but please remember that this is a very subjective industry, so keep trying.
Good luck with your career.
Yours truly,
Annie Reynolds.
Sharon aka Sapphire says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I do not feel it is right for me. Remember that my opinion is just one. I urge you to continue to seek out representation with your manuscript.
Best wishes,
Sharon
Side note: Your ms sounds interesting. I’d pursue agents that specialize in women’s fiction. Good luck!
Aimless Writer says
Sorry but I didn’t see Lucy or Ethel. Good start but then it fizzled.
Sorry, I need to pass.
Just_Me says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Your novel sounds intriguing but at this time does not suit our list. We wish you the best of luck placing it with another agency.
Sincerely,
Agent
Note: I think this query is a decade too late. I did not catch the opening reference at all. Who? What on Earth do you mean Salt and Salsa?
If you’d published in 1989 this might make sense. Right now… so many of the readers on the market are from a younger generation and I don’t know if I could pitch this to them.
Maria A says
Thank you for thinking of our agency, but not for us at this moment.
Best of luck,
Agent
Davien says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but this is not for me. I wish you luck in finding a home for your manuscript.
All the best,
Janine says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query, but I am not the right agent for this. Best of luck.
Reason: show, don’t tell.
Rebecca Knight says
Dear Deadly,
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 big on abuse stories; also found the bit about Jennifer playing society’s role to be a turn-off.
Annie Reynolds says
Dear author
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to the A.F. A.D. agency. Unfortunately I do not believe your novel is a good fit at this time, but please remember that this is a very subjective industry, so keep trying.
Good luck with your career.
Yours truly,
Annie Reynolds.
Alisa says
No, thank you.
Alisa.
Vic K says
Thanks for your submission, but it isn’t right for me at this time.
Regards,
Vic K
Reason; There was a lot I liked about the premise but the plot didn’t hang together well enough for me.
Shannon says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query for Loving you Deadly 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
(reason: would like more information on plot/stakes, also maybe try more showing what the book is about instead of telling, but others may disagree – good luck!)
Getabo Publishing says
I love the premise of this story very much. I think the subject is very sellable and that there is huge potential market for ‘latinas/violent relationships and friendship’ stories that is not saturated. I like the aspect that your own research and studies inform the fiction (even though it is almost 20 years ago).
So, all in all, this made my Top 10. Just didn’t make my top 5.
Query suggestions: I’d to be shown more exactly what happens and why more than be told. Some of the sentence structure is a little bit awkward – “They bring two cultures and demonstrate how they work together.” And the word more, doesn’t fit totally smoothly here perhaps? “The intensity of the issues and the solutions in Loving You Deadly are more about women’s wisdom and friendships in a world of violence.”
But if this is already published I won’t be surprised, and if it isn’t, then good luck!
I was really torn and struggled ruling this out, I did really like it.
***
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately we do not think that your book would be a likely prospect for our list.
We regret that the large number of submissions we receive makes it impossible to offer individual comment. We believe it is more important to read and evaluate every query / submission we receive with due consideration.
We appreciate you thinking of Getabo Creative Publishing, and wish you the best of luck with your manuscript and future writing endeavors.
Sincerely.
The Editors
Getabo Creative Publishing
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. Good luck with your manuscript, and query widely!
Thanks,
SDC
Asherose says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but it isn’t for me at this time. Best of luck with it elsewhere!
Agent
Reasoning: Comparison to other work; would have preferred to see blurb first; blurb far too long; too much telling me about the story, not showing me the story.
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
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Not my cup of tea.
Agent Edgar Leroy 3rd
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
Katalina Marie says
Dear Author,
I’m sorry but I don’t think that this book is the one for me.
Regards,
Katalina Marie
Anonymous says
Thank you for your query, though I don’t think I’m interested in taking your story idea. Keep on writing.
-Thanks,
Suzuki Volkeswagon
Arkham says
Dear Author,
I regret to inform you that I am not interested in representing your story. I hope you have better luck in the future.
Best of luck,
Arkham
LateInTheGame says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I am not the best representative for your work.
Good luck in your search for representation.
All the best,
Agent LateInTheGame
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 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
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I would very much like to thank you for submitting your query, unfortunately it’s not right for me.
Sincerely,
Agent Sunshine
Dorothy says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your submission of Loving You Deadly. I am unable to offer you representation for your novel.
Be encouraged. The manuscript is about the right length and the multicultural approach has the potential to expose many assumptions about love and marriage if the narrative is focused and honed sufficiently. The importance of frienship among women is a sound basis for the book.
Yet the book is about Rebecca Kelly’s struggle. I know little about her from the query. How did she meet Jennifer and Amelia? Who is her violent lover? Why is she with him or her? I believe that is the core of your story. Tell prospective agents that, and you may find this book succeeds. I certainly hope it does.
Sincerely,
Honesty Is the Best Policy
Reba says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, it is not the right fit for me.
Best,
Reba
(reason: too much detritus, not enough sense of story)
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
Meggrs says
Kindly worded form rejection.
As a personal sensibility, the opening line reference is outdated. I know who those characters are, but there’s a whole generation of adults younger than myself who aren’t going to get that reference.
If it was truly researched/written more almost 20 years ago, as stated in the query, that doesn’t mean the story itself is irrelevant, but it FEELS outdated. I would be looking for stories with a fresher perspective.
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.
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
Michelle says
Dear Author,
Thank you submitting your query, but I’m afraid it’s not what I’m looking for at this time.
Best of Luck,
Michelle