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 am seeking representation for my middle-grade historical fantasy THE LION’S MANE, centred around the time of the Roman invasion of Britain.
THE LION’S MANE features 12-year-old Austin and a magical cat named Kedi.
His parents rent a villa in Turkey for the entire summer and Austin gets set for the most boring vacation of his life, away from all his friends in England. But that’s before he rescues a talking cat, witnesses a bloody ritual that causes two people to disappear, and suddenly finds himself whisked back in time. In Ephesus, nearly 2000 years in the past, he makes a new friend, falls in love – and finds an enemy. Evil forces are at work, doing their best to prevent Claudius the Emperor’s invasion of Britain, and Austin has to act fast to figure out how to influence the Emperor and ensure that the invasion does take place. It’s either that, or time and civilization as he knows it will never be the same.
THE LION’S MANE focuses on the themes of friendship and loyalty, as well as exploring the ideas of time travel and the day-to-day decisions we make, for good or bad, that can have far-reaching consequences. This story will appeal most to those readers who enjoy delving into worlds where young heroes fight for the triumph of good over bad.
Please let me know if you would be interested in seeing THE LION’S MANE. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Author
STATS: 16% request rate
Jenn says
Form rejection letter.
lilianamama says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your interest in the “Be An Agent For a Day” contest. While I find your idea intriguing, your query’s language does not display a degree of writing finesse and/or polish that is necessary for publication. For instance, you’ve got pronoun confusion between your second and third paragraphs. Are Austin’s parents or the cat’s parents renting a villa in Turkey?
I suggest you remove your first paragraph and include an age reference that’s more succinct that what you’ve got. Otherwise, you’ve implied that you don’t know how to market your novel. Lastly, include your novel’s word count.
I wish you all the best.
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
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I’m sorry, but I’m going to pass.
NotJana says
Dear Author,
Thank you for querying me. Honestly. I am hooked and would love to read more. Please send the full manuscript as soon as possible.
Agent For A Day (Or Two)
rantonson17 says
Dear Author,
Thank your for your query. Unfortunately, I am unable to represent your work at this time.
Best of luck,
Rebekka
Flemmily says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I feel that THE LION’S MANE is not a fit for our agency.
Best of luck with your future endeavors,
Flemmily
Diana says
Dear Query #43:
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, this isn’t the right project for me.
Best wishes,
Diana
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 get no clear sense of the story.
H. Zilionis 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
TecZ aka Dalton C Teczon - Writer says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your query and for allowing me to consider your work.
While your novel, “The Lion’s Mane,” sounds exciting, I feel I’m not the right fit for your project. Therefore, I must decline on this project right now. But I do want to encourage you to continue submitting. Just because a project isn’t quite right for me, doesn’t mean the right agent isn’t just around the corner.
I wish you the best of luck with all your writing endeavors and in the querying and submission process. Persistence pays off, so don’t give up!
Best regards,
Dalton C. Teczon – Agent
Maria A says
Thank you for thinking of our agency, but not for us at this moment.
Best of luck,
Agent
Dana says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately I am not interested in representing your novel.
Regards,
Dana
Reasons: It wasn’t particularly interested in the plot, and there was no voice.
Davien says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I would be interested in reading your first three chapters. Please send them to me in a rich text format (.rtf).
Best regards,
donnas says
While you have an interesting concept and ideas I am afraid that we would not be the right place for your work.
Best of Luck.
Nora Coon says
Not right for us at this time. Best of luck.
***
I enjoy MG fantasy and this sounds fun, but there’s nothing that really grabs me about this particular query.
Lorin says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good fit for me at this time.
Thank you,
Lorin
RainSplats says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately it’s not a good fit for me. Best of luck.
-Rain
Janine says
Thank you for your query, but I am not the right agent for this. Best of luck.
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.
Getabo Publishing says
I love this!
I love the premise of this story, the setting, the names, and the history lesson without lecturing idea.
I think the subject is very sellable and I wouldn't be surprised if you have had this accepted already. If it is published (which we shall find out, I will look it up and buy it!)
However, all in all, this made my Top 10, not my top 5 – from this particular selection of 50 – when pretending to be an agent looking for publishing material from these 50 with a cap of 5.
Query suggestion: I'd like to know how long it is.
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, personally as a Mum & reader, I did really like it VERY much.
***
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
Cat Moleski says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but your project is not right for me at this time.
Cat
Bekkoni says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submisson. Unfortunately, this is not a good fit for me.
Best wishes,
Bekkoni
Joy says
I’m intrigued. Please send the first 50 pages. Thanks!
Joy
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 represent your work. I wish you the best of luck with your future writing!
Aisling
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I appreciate you sending in your work, but I don’t think its right for me.
Best of luck,
Keith Champaign
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I didn’t like it. Try again later.
Backdoor Trojan
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I’m sorry, but this story is not right for me. Thanks for sending me your request, I really appreciate it. Please continue writing.
Veronica Lovette
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
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 Pursuing Author,
After reviewing your query, I feel that what you have presented to us is just not going to fly in our market right now. Sorry but keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Pepe Habanera
Anonymous says
I appreciate you sending me this, but I’m going to pass.
S. Pancake
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,
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
Eva Ulian says
Thank you for your submission, much depends on how well versed the novel is on portraying Roman times, as it stands there is not much information to lead me to believe the manuscript over bounds with such details- If you can hone your research more, I may be tempted.
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
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: Very close. I felt the focus should be on the blurb and suggest putting that first. Also, I recommend breaking the blurb paras a little differently; over-long second para lost me a little. Story itself looks excellent, and if well-written would succeed. I felt the ‘theme and appeal’ para was unneeded.
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. Unfortunately, I am not the best representative for your work.
Good luck in your search for representation.
All the best,
Agent LateInTheGame
drat says
Dear Author
Your premise sounds interesting. Please send your first three chapters along for me to review. I look forward to taking a longer look at your work!
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
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
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.
Shannon says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Please send the first five chapters of THE LION’S MANE including cover letter. I look forward to reading it and will contact you within four weeks upon receiving the material.
Sincerely,
Shannon
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
publishingcareer says
Dear Author
Thank you for expressing your interest in our agency and submitting your query for The Lion’s Mane.
I read it with interest and would very much like to read the first three chapters with a view to consider representing you and your novel.
Please email me or post (with a SAE) these to me at your earliest convenience.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Robert Sullivan, AFAD
Nifaerie Noven says
Hi,
Love the concept. However, with bloody rituals and falling in love, I don’t think I can sell this as MG. Please re-query if you can make the boy at least 14, the book YA and the concept a series, rather than a stand alone.
‘Til then, best of luck.