Friday, November 1, 2013

The November Mystery Agent Contest starts NOW!


CONTEST CLOSED!! Thanks for pitching! :)

Okay, guys - the time has come! Our Mystery Agent contests starts right now! Are you ready to pitch?

One more time, here's what our MA is looking for:

- YA, NA, and Adult
-science fiction
-fantasy
-steampunk
-contemporary
-action/adventure 
-romance (YA and NA only)

Our MA is particularly interested in projects that are high-concept and those that explore self-identity and character growth.

 And here are the rules:

1) Your pitches must be the length of a Tweet: 140 characters or less. If your pitch is over 140 characters, you will be asked to resubmit! Before you submit your pitch, try copying and pasting it into a new Tweet just to make sure you haven't gone over. (You'll still submit here, though, not on Twitter - it's just a handy way to double-check!)

2) Entries must be for completed manuscripts. No unfinished drafts, please!

3) Entries must be left in the comments section of today's post (please don't email us your entries!). We'll close the contest once we've reached our limit.

4) You can only enter once today (only one project). If you participated or won previous MA contests, you can enter this one as well!

5) Please include NAME, CONTACT INFO, GENRE, and TITLE, followed by your one-line pitch.

6) The contest will close when we receive 50 entries.


7) Our MA will award one grand prize of a full manuscript request (query and synopsis included) and she will provide feedback. She will also award five honorable mentions, who will get to send their first 50 (query+synopsis included) and she will provide feedback. 

8) If the rules aren't followed, your entry will be disqualified.

Please format your comment like this:

Name: 
Email or twitter: 
Genre: 
Title: 
Pitch: 

GOOD LUCK!!

56 comments:

Petre Pan said...

Name: Jen Finelli
Contact: jenfinelli (at) virginia (dot) edu
Genre: YA light scifi
Title: Becoming Hero

Tweet-length pitch:
Teen superhero Skye's lost his parents, his love, and his life. If he kills the man responsible—his author—will he lose himself?

Ashley Harris said...

Name: Ashley Harris

Email or twitter: ashleyoak87(AT) comcast (DOT) net

Genre: YA Fantasy

Title: TROLL

Pitch: 

A new generation of trolls inspired by the likes of Rumpelstilzchen get entangled in a high school setting. A tale of love and manipulation.  

Anonymous said...

Name: Leatrice McKinney (writing as L. L. McKinney)
Email: Tangynt(at)ymail(dot)com
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Title: Heritage Blade

City of Bones meets the Dresden Files when someone puts a price on Jay's head, & everything that goes bump in the night arrives to collect.

Tlotlo Tsamaase said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kim Van Sickler said...

Name: Kim Van Sickler
E-mail: kimvansickler@gmail.com
Genre: YA Contemporary
Title: The Mall in Gullybrook
Pitch:Three teenagers, kidnapped into the world of sex trafficking, survive through drugs, sex, and abuse by uniting as friends.

Unknown said...

Name: Tracy Townsend
Contact: tracytownsend00 (at) gmail (dot) com / @TheStorymatic
Genre: Adult Steampunk Fantasy
Title: THE NINE

When an orphan courier carries a notebook that writes itself, she is hunted by a conspiracy to discover, and derail, God’s master plan.

Unknown said...

Name: Nancy Stewart

Email or twitter: nancystewart33@gmail.com

Genre: YA

Title: A Life of Lies

Pitch: 14 year old Witness Protected Cathy’s life's a lie. Blackmailed by classmate Brianna, she must act or lose everything. Courage? Not so sure.

Melinda said...

Name: Melinda Gray
Email: melinda.a.gray (at) gmail.com
Title: PIECES OF ME
Genre: YA

Girl discovers she's jumping between multiple alt-versions of her life; choosing where to stop means losing more than one person she loves.

Ambiguous_A said...

Name: Ambiguous_A

Email: ambiguousawrites at gmail dot com

Genre: YA Magical Realism

Title: The Drumming Song

Pitch: When 17yo Drea becomes addicted to an intoxicating drumbeat, she must unearth the source of its powers before the music takes over her mind.

Bluestocking said...

Name: Bluestocking
Email or twitter: @bluemaven
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Title: Red Dirt White Noise

Pitch: When her friend vanishes, Nadira won't let partial deafness, pirates, or pretty boy Dax stop her from saving her friend and the rest of Mars

Anonymous said...

Name: Tiffanie Lynn
Contact: tiffanielynn (at) rocketmail (dot) com or @LynnTiffanie
Genre: NA Fantasy
Title: SHATTERED

To free her sisters, 18yo Dawn must steal a charm from its steamy guardian, Kalan. Otherwise, their captor will turn them into demon chow.

Unknown said...

Name: Michelle Barry
Email or Twitter: michelle_a_barry@yahoo.com / @MichelleABarry
Genre: YA Science Fantasy
Title: THE ALLIANCE
Pitch:
A teenage slave's powers tilts the scale in a galactic civil war, risking the life of the girl he loves & the wrath of his powerful father.

Jessica Harvey said...

NAME: Jessica Harvey
CONTACT INFO: jessicaharvey248(at) gmail (dot) com, @xomiragexo24
GENRE: NA Fantasy
TITLE: GYRE

PITCH: When an archaeology job aboard a Navy sub ends in uncovering Atlantis, 21yo Chelsea must protect artifacts from time-traveling hijackers.

Eric Steinberg said...

twitter: @ericgsteinberg
Genre: YA sci-fi
Title: ALIEN PREP SCHOOL CONSPIRACY

Arrogant 17-year-old Marc learns he’s killed his new gf – Bad. He’s been abducted by aliens – Worse. He’s future president who starts WWIII?

Anonymous said...

Melinda Friesen
melindafriesen@outlook.com
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Title: Solar
Pitch: Haley wanted the valedictorian title, not a positive pregnancy test and not to flee hunters who want her boyfriend and his alien spawn dead.

Unknown said...

Name: Raluca Balasa
Email: raluca.balasa@gmail.com
Genre: YA science fantasy
Title: NO PLACE IN HEAVEN

Pitch: Quin dreams for a supernatural ability like his peers have – until he realizes they're bondage curses, and his is the most crippling of all.

H.C.M. said...

Name: Harry Marks
Email: hcmarks (at) me (dot) com
Genre: NA Contemporary
Title: MISSED CONNECTIONS
Pitch: Recession forces college grad Will into dead-end job. Will he also succumb to a dead-end relationship, or risk it all for real love?

Michelle McLean said...

This one is 18 characters too long - it must fit in a Tweet :) Revise and resubmit for it to qualify.

Katharine said...

Name: Katharine
Contact: @love_katharine
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Title: The Dyslexic Spell Reader

Pitch: When Aubrey's dyslexia turns out to be a trait of spell readers, the 1 person who can help is her ex-best friend & current tormentor.

Tlotlo Tsamaase said...

NAME: Tlotlo Tsamaase
EMAIL: rosewentberg (at) ymail (dot) com
GENRE: YA Sci-Fi, thriller
TITLE: SATELLITE HEARTS

PITCH: Sixteen-year-old Zahra Mbali has 150 days before her preprogrammed body explodes to terminate the simulated world she lives in.

Petre Pan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

NAME: EM Castellan
TWITTER: @EMCastellan
GENRE: YA Historical Fantasy
TITLE: LILY IN THE SHADOWS
PITCH: 1862: When dark magic & children’s disappearances throw London into chaos, 16yo Lily must sleuth through Whitechapel to save her job & city.

Anonymous said...

Name: Pete Catalano
Email or twitter: billypayne@aol.com
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Title: BAD DREAMS AND FLYING MACHINES

Pitch: In 1910 London, 16yo creature catcher joins H.G. Wells to battle monster that is killing ordinary children who have extraordinary power.

Patchi said...

Name: Patricia Moussatche
Twitter: @patchi_writes
Genre: Adult Science Fiction (soft)
Title: The Legacy of the Eye

Pitch: Persuasion meets 1984 in space. On a planet where merit trumps birthright, David discovers the woman he loves will rule--because of legacy.

Mim said...

Name: Miriam Caldwell
Email miriam.caldwell (at) gmail.com
Genre: YA Speculative
Title: Nightfallen

Pitch: Lexy must choose between obeying her family or following Kaden, a werewolf, for a chance to save Jason, the boy-I mean zombie of her dreams.

Gabe (Ava Jae) said...

Name: Ava Jae
Twitter: @Ava_Jae
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi
Title: SLAVE & SIRA

Pitch: His home razed, Eros must choose: serve the alien queen who ordered his tribe's slaughter or be executed for his true identity.

August von Orth said...

Name: August von Orth

Email or twitter: raaugust@comcast.net

Genre: Adult Science Fiction

Title: BEYOND THE STARS

Pitch:

Alien relics tear a rift in spacetime, force Aidan to face the truth about his dead wife, and leave the fate of humanity in his hands.

Anonymous said...

Name: Barbara Gerry
Email or twitter: bgerry2@aol.com
Genre: YA contemporary romance with supernatural elements
Title: Macha and the River Blue

Pitch: An exchange student brings a jungle legend to life. Now a deranged goddess wants her dead and two polar opposite guys just… want her.

The Dieselpunkette said...

Name: Lindsay Kitson
Twitter: @Lindsay_Kitson
Genre: Adult Fantasy (Dieselpunk)
Title: REDWING

Pitch: Les Miserables meets Sky Captain, with a giant flying aircraft carrier. Political intrigue, civil war, and passion for flying.

Unknown said...

Name: Audrey Carroll
Contact: audreytheresa[at]gmail.com
Genre: NA Social Sci-Fi
Title: Pursuit

Pitch: 2095 NYC: Varsha Kaur. Intelligent. Daughter of rebels. Only wants to learn & be left alone. A government kid turns her life upside down.

El said...

Name: Dawn Allen
Twitter: @MiserWriter
Email: dawnallen20(at)att(dot)net
Genre: Adult Thriller
Title: The Drought of Sam Dakota

One man's search for his missing son leaves him broken, and in no condition to fight the corrupt system standing between him and his boy.

(Posted for a friend as she's experiencing technical difficulties)

Anonymous said...

Name:Jen Blackwood
Twitter: @jen_blackwood
Email: hallerj87 at gmail dot com
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Title: Coming Alive

Like a T-Swift song, it's a battle of the exes for Payton and Blake. He's so mean.She says he's gay.But can they turn it into a love story?

Unknown said...

Name: Christie Murillo
Twitter: @christiemurillo
email: christie(dot)murillo(at)gmail(dot)com
Genre: contemporary YA
Title: Defensive Gun

Pitch: Two years ago Amanda was kidnapped. She killed to escape. As she awaits the decision of a judge, she tells her story in a TV interview.

Anonymous said...

Name: Neil Harris
Email: nwharrisbooks (at) aol (dot) com
Genre: YA thriller/action adventure
Title: The Last Orphans
Pitch:

Shane's coach told him he had the makings of a great leader--too bad it took the death of every adult on the planet to prove it.

Shannon said...

Name: Shannon Wixom
Twitter: @ShannonWixom
Email: swixom(at)gmail(dot)com
Genre: YA Contemporary/Light Sci-fi
Title: THE MEMORYWALKER
Pitch:

On prom night, Alexis hears a voice claiming to be her future self & must save her father or he won’t be the only one to die.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Name: Kimberly Vanderhorst
Email: Kimberly.vanderhorst@gmail.com
Genre:YA Contemporary Fantasy
Title: Through a Glass Darkly

A 17yo Mirror Walker travels between worlds in desperate pursuit of the World Mirror which allows dark beasts to possess her mom.

Laurisa White Reyes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laurisa White Reyes said...

Name: Laurisa Reyes
Email: laurisawhitereyes at yahoo dot com
Genre: YA sci-fi/thriller
Title: Contact
Pitch:

Mira uploads psyches at a single touch. When her mom ends up in an accidental coma Mira knows the truth but proving it might get her killed.

Caitlin said...

Name: Cait Spivey
Email or twitter: @CaitSpivey; cspivey1954@gmail.com
Genre: NA Fantasy
Title: FROM UNDER THE MOUNTAIN
Pitch:

19yo Guerline spends the first three days of her reign haunted by her dead family. She must go to war if she wants to avoid their fate.

Anonymous said...

Name: Michelle McCall
Email: mjmccall27@gmail.com
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Title: The Dragon Princess

Pitch: Death by firing squad prompted Peregrine’s rebirth as a dragon. Now the shape-shifting princess must lead a rebellion.

Kate Larkindale said...

Name: Kate Larkindale
Contact: katelarkindale (at) gmail (dot) com
Genre: YA contemporary
Title: STUMPED

Tweet-length pitch:

American Pie meets The Sessions as 16 YO Ozzy struggles to dump the burden of his virginity and prove he can still be a man in a wheelchair.

Kelly Lyman said...

Name: Kelly Lyman
Email: kellyblyman@gmail.com
Genre: YA Fantasy/thriller
Title: Seven Tears

Pitch: 17yo Bree never believed in the Scottish myth of the Selkies--at least not until her tears fell into the ocean & a dead body appeared

Unknown said...

Name: Katharine Allen
Email: katrat@umich.edu
Genre: Adult SF
Title: MEM

Pitch: Need a memory deleted, altered, or added? Remake yourself at MEM. The past is yours to write.

Shanika L. Bynum said...

Name: Leiann Bynum
Email or twitter: slbynum3 (at) gmail (dot) com
Genre: YA urban fantasy
Title: Totally Super
Pitch: In a female version of The Avengers, five 16-year-old girls try to bond while dealing with the stress of becoming secret superheroes.

Anonymous said...

Name: Lucas Pederson
Email: lucaspederson@yahoo.com
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/ horror
Title: Flux

Pitch: Saved from suicide, Addy is thrust into the dead world of the future and meets the Jaunters-those who save people in the past to give life to the future.

Anonymous said...

Name: C. C. Hall
Email: cathyhall55 (at) hotmail (dot) com
Genre: Contemporary Coming-of-Age/Thriller
Title: CALLED

Pitch: 15 yo Tish can sense the dead, and God's called her to help a soul. But now she has to save her BF, too, and where's God when you need Him?

Michelle McLean said...

8 more spots!

Summer said...

Name: Summer Spence
Twitter: @summywins
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Title: ENCIRCLED

Pitch: Deep beneath a crumbling castle, 16yo Elisabeth finds the Lost Prince of England - but not everything that's lost wants to be found.

Laura Rueckert said...

Name: Laura Rueckert
Email: laura.rueckert@onlinehome.de
Genre: YA Light SF
Title: ROGUE HEALER

Pitch: Stay away from humans. Lexi obeys--until Garrett. She wants him safe. Her species desperately needs body donors...and they're watching.

Angelica R. Jackson said...

Pay no attention to the counter! Still 5 spots to go!

Unknown said...

Name: Dori Starnes
Twitter @DoriStarnes
Genre:Contemporary
Title: THIS IS HOPE

Planes fall from the sky, crazies emerge from the hills of Montana, and Jenna's stuck 1800 miles from home with a man who isn't her husband

Unknown said...

Name: Aimee Hyndman
Twitter: @AimeeHyndman
Genre: YA Steampunk Fantasy
Title: HOUR OF MISCHIEF
Pitch: Taking a job for the God of Mischief to get her friends out of prison is a bad idea, but the failed heist was Janet's fault

Anonymous said...

Name: Heather Van Fleet
Email or Twitter: @ HLVanFleet
Genre: Contemporary NA
Title: Finding Her Way Back
Pitch: A love/hate relationship with her tennis shoes leads chubby-sexy Callie into the arms of her ex-best friend, turned sex god, Ky.

Alex Brown said...

Name: Alex Brown
Email: alex.brown815 (at) gmail (dot) com
Genre: YA Horror
Title: ANONYMOUS

Pitch: When "Ghost Adventures"-esque TV stars go missing, 17 y/o Quinn Thomas must solve their disappearance with the footage they left behind.

TAH said...

Name: Tanager Haemmerle
Email or twitter: @DreamOfFire, TanagerH@gmail.com
Genre: Spec-Fic (Sci-Fi)
Title: LOGIN
Pitch:16yo Fayten has s/t cyborgs want.Teaming up with a shady young man,& a shy hacker,she must protect a country from falling 2 "Customization."

Michelle McLean said...

And that's it folks! Thanks for pitching! CONTEST CLOSED.