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:
I have been seriously writing for nearly two years and am a finalist in fourteen RWA contests with twelve different books, including second place in the Daphne du Maurier Single Title category. THE COPYCAT KILLER ranked second in the Golden Opportunity contest. I’m a member of the Sacramento Valley, Kiss of Death and FF&P Chapters of RWA, and earned my PRO pin.
Why do some children grow up evil? That is the timeless question addressed in THE COPYCAT KILLER.
Ex-FBI agent turned fiction crime writer Rowan Smith wakes up one morning to discover someone is using her books as blueprints for murder.
Her former FBI boss fears one of her past arrests is out to terrorize her and insists she hire a bodyguard, or he’ll assign two FBI agents to watch her. Rowan, who relishes her privacy and solitary life, doesn’t want a bodyguard, but reluctantly hires ex-cop Michael Flynn.
The killer systematically goes through each book and chooses a victim, sending mementoes of the crime to Rowan. Michael’s brother, freelance DEA agent John Flynn, accuses Rowan of hiding something and calls in favors to learn enough to confront her. She confesses that her father and brother killed her family. Her father is in a mental institution and her brother was killed trying to escape. They fall into bed needing a physical connection. The murderer kills Michael that night.
John and Rowan deal with their guilt over Michael’s murder as they work with the FBI to find the murderer. They discover that Rowan’s boss lied to her about her brother’s death–he’s in a Texas penitentiary. But when they go there to confront him, they discover that someone took his place.
THE COPYCAT KILLER is a 100,000 word suspense novel with romantic elements, in the vein of Iris Johansen, Lisa Gardner and Tami Hoag.
In addition to THE COPYCAT KILLER, I have two additional single-title romantic suspense novels, a futuristic suspense currently under consideration at Dorchester, and a women’s fiction novel with a ghost as a main character.
A full is available upon request. Thank you for taking the time to consider my story.
Sincerely,
Author
STATS: 15% request rate
Anonymous says
I greatly enjoyed reading your query, and I would be very interested in reading more.
S. Pancake
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: ‘About me’ para should go last, not first; focus on story. I felt the blurb was too long and involved. Comparison with other writers seems to me a bad idea.
ccallicotte4 says
Sounds intriguing. Please email the first 50 pages as an attached word document. I look forward to reading 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 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,
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
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
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
Megan says
Dear Author,
I am intrigued. Please send a manuscript.
Thanks,
Meg Spencer
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
Gryph says
Dear Author,
Thank you very much for your query. While I appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into your work, I don’t believe this is a good fit for me.
Please remember that what doesn’t fit one agent may well fit another! I encourage you to not give up. In the future, if you have other manuscripts to query, I hope that you’ll think of me again.
Sincerely,
Agent Gryph
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
Reba says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, it is not the right fit for me.
Best,
Reba
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.
Anonymous 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
Nifaerie Noven says
Hi,
Congrats on your success with your many projects. However I can not accept this work for representation. I feel that your heroine is a bit too suspect.
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 The Copycat Killer.
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
SuzieQ Agent4U says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I don’t feel this is right for me. Good luck with your search.
Best,
S
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
Mira says
Dear Author,
I sat with this for a couple of days. You represent yourself very well – which I consider a real plus. I also like your writing style in the query – it’s easy to read, and smooth. That speaks to a well-written novel. Your heroine sounds likeable; one that female readers will identify with. The sex doesn’t hurt either.
The reason I’m not requesting a partial is I’m having a bit of trouble on the genre. It’s alittle hardcore for romance, and your title wouldn’t sell it as a romance.
In terms of a suspense novel, it doesn’t quite fit for me either. I sense that you’re writing for a female audience, and I’m not sure if the suspense elements would draw them in as well as a romance. I’m talking pure marketability here – which, by the way, I know nothing about, I’m just speculating. So, pay attention to me only if you agree.
The above doesn’t relate at all to the quality of the work or the story.
If you’re not one of the published authors, though, I wouldn’t worry about it. You are prolific – four books in two years. One already under consideration. Finalist and awards. In two years.
Wow.
It’s probably just a matter of time!
Very best of luck to you,
Mira
Dave says
Sorry, but I’m going to have to pass. Don’t give up though!
Rebecca Knight says
Dear Author,
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
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.
* This story has interesting elements, but it sounds too much like the books already out there by the authors mentioned in the query letter. The writer doesn’t distinguish what makes this novel stand out from the others.
Kendra says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your work. Concidering my current workload, I can only take on projects I feel truly passionate about. While the idea shows promise, I don’t feel it’s right for me. I have to pass. Good luck in your writing.
Kendra
Hildegarde512 says
Thank you for submitting however [If I were a real agent, a GENTLE FORM REJECTION would exist here].
Jada says
Form rejection.
Reason: This query didn’t really do it for me. I felt some of the phrasing was a bit awkward. Also, the listing of other projects was off-putting, particularly as they were all in different genres.
The Spidermonkey says
Thank you for your query, which I have considered carefully. I’m sorry to say I can’t represent you at this time.
The premise of your story is not sufficiently original.
This is a subjective opinion of course, and others may see it differently. Good luck!
Vic K says
Thank you for submitting to my agency, however I’m going to take a pass at this time.
Vic K
Reason; I feel this is too similiar to something I’ve read. Which of course, is the rub – this may well be one of the published ones and I’ve actually read it!
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering me. I can see this being picked up elsewhere, but unfortunately I have to pass. Reason for rejection – personal taste. Also, would prefer first paragraph to be about the actual book.
Best of Luck!
Agent X-9
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 manuscript, please feel free to resubmit to my attention.
Sincerely,
Heather
abouttothunder says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Congratulations, I’m hooked. Please send me the full manuscript at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Agent-for-a-day Sara
P.S. I would prefer to see credentials at the end of a query letter.
Rik says
Thank you for submitting your book – The Copycat Killer – for my consideration. Regrettably, I do not feel that I am able to represent this work for you. Best wishes for your future endeavours. Agent Rik.
Anahita says
Dear Author:
Please send me your manuscript. Thanks for sharing your query.
AgentforDay says
Dear Author,
Thanks for letting me see your query for THE COPYCAT KILLER.
Please send the first half of the manuscript for further consideration.
Sincerely,
AgentforDay
Thank goodness (probably for me) that my tired eyes landed on the third paragraph first. Don’t lead in with boring, yet, impressive credentials, and take out the rhetorical question.
Put your credentials at the bottom of the letter – to seal the deal. Otherwise, great query letter.
Leis says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. While I think your story has potential, it is not something I feel confident taking on at this time.
Sincerely,
Agent for a Day
cwsherwoodedits says
Thank you for your query. I’m going to have to pass.
L.C. Gant says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but I’m afraid I will have to pass on your story.
I can only select a handful of queries for sample pages, and unfortunately yours wasn’t quite at the top of the list.
Take heart, however–another agent may feel differently! Good luck with your continued search for literary representation.
Best wishes,
L.C. Gant (Agent for a Day)
Sarah says
Dear Author # 39,
I regret that I cannot offer representation- and that my other obligations necessitate using this form letter.
Tastes and opinions vary, so I encourage you to query widely. I wish you the best of luck as you continue to pursue publication.
Warmly,
Sarah, Literary Agent for a Day
Reasons:
The story sounds as though it might be interesting, but the query itself isn’t. I’d read enclose pages, but I’m not sure I’d request them.
donnas says
Thank you for your submission, but I do not feel that this is the right project for me.
Best of luck.
Hilabeans says
Dear Author,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to consider your work. I regret to say that I don’t feel that I’m the most appropriate agent for this project.
Best wishes,
HHS
Dawn says
Dear Author,
Thank you for contacting Dawn Ink. Unfortunately, THE COPYCAT KILLER is not what we’re looking for right now.
Best of luck in finding representation.
Sincerely,
Dawn
——–
I’d open the query with the question, “Why do some children grow up evil?” and place the personal info at the end.
Owl Sprite says
Dear Author,
Thank you for sending me your query for “The Copycat Killer.” It was one of my finalists for the contest. Unfortunately, I have used up all my choices.
Best wishes in your search for actual representation, and congratulations on such a great entry in this contest!
Owl Sprite
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to me.
At this moment in time, however, I choose to pass on your project. This does not automatically mean your query is not good enough. It simply means that I am not the right agent for this project. This can be for a number of reasons.
If you would like to know why, you can send a reply to this mail. Please change the subject line to: FEEDBACK / THE COPYCAT KILLER / YOUR NAME. I will respond to your request within two weeks.
Good luck with finding representation and keep on writing!
Kind regards,
Nicole34
2readornot says
This plot sounds a little too familiar to me. Good luck!
Kathy says
Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m going to have to pass on this project.
Best of luck to you.
Sincerely,
Kathy
Sara J. Henry says
Form rejection[Reasons: The opening sentence: “I have been seriously writing for nearly two years” – don’t tell me this! And specifially, don’t open with it!
The plot sounds familiar (maybe this is one of those queries from published authors!) and the writing is a bit sloppy: “They fall into bed needing a physical connection.” And, yikes, don’t tell me about your other unpublished books! If these are published books, list the titles and make it clear they are published – in fact, move this stuff up higher in the letter! But, hey, you’ve only been writing seriously two years and have FIVE novels completed?!? Warning bells are going off in this agent’s head!]
GuyStewart/DISCOVERCHURCH says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your query! Your synopsis intrigues me. Please send the first fifty pages to the following email address attached as a Word document (1983-2003). I look forward to reading the pages!
Sincerely, Guy Stewart
Saint_Fool says
Dear Author,
After reading your query, I would like to request that you e-mail me the first 30 pages of your manuscript.
My usual response time is three to four weeks. If you have not heard from me in that time, feel free to e-mail me.
Sincerely
Saint Fool