Mystery Agent Reveal and Winners!

Thank you so much to our brave entrants, and to our wonderful readers for their feedback! Our July Mystery Agent is...

Louise Fury of the Bent Agency!

Louise has chosen a winner and a runner-up from our fifteen entrants. Drumroll please!

Winner: #2, RACE CAR LULLABY
Prize: A phone call to discuss the work and the market as well as a full request of up to 2 more picture books as well as a request for 1 pitch letter (including log line) for any other manuscript the author has written. It can be PB, MG or YA. 

Runner up: #11, SHATTERED
Prize: A request for the next 5 pages of the manuscript.

We will be contacting the winners shortly with submission information. Congratulations!! 

Want to get to know our Mystery Agent better? We've asked her a couple questions!


1. Any tips for writers struggling with their pitches?
Share it with someone who has never read your manuscript and does not know what the book is about. This way you will get a response to the pitch itself. Remember, agents and editors don’t know what your book is about until they read your pitch, and the pitch needs to entice them to read the manuscript.

What are some common mistakes you see in them?
Too much info about the author, their family and their non-writing life. Not enough about the story, the characters, and the premise.

2. What books have you read lately that you've fallen in love with (manuscripts you’re currently working with or others')?Published books I have read and am loving right now are The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly and I AM PILGRIM by Terry Hayes. I just started reading Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home by Nina Stibbe and next on my list is The Husband List by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly. I always love to reread The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and currently listening to FIRESTARTER by Steven King on audio book. Just discovered the picture book Calvin Can't Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne and Keith Bendis and I love it. It reminds me of the first book I sold, The Dandelion’s Tale by Kevin Sheehan. I want more picture books like this.

3. What would you like to see more of in your slush pile? 
Picture Books (See question 2) and I would love to find some literary middle grade that makes me feel deep emotion. Happy or sad. Sexy women’s fiction and romance, YA horror and thrillers that have a literary feel, and cookbooks by home cooks who have an interesting and successful Internet platform.
(Writers - please note that Ms. Fury is currently closed to unsolicited queries!)

4. You are actively seeking YA horror and thrillers.
YES!

To you, what makes a book scary?
That unseen threat. The silent terror. I want horror that is psychological and terrifying because it could be real.

5. When considering a romance manuscript, what are some tropes you're drawn to? What are some tropes that turn you off? I like all tropes. The more the merrier.

6. Any exciting news you can share?
Publishing is alive and well. In fact, I would say that this is the best time to be a writer. There are so many ways and places to be published!

7. And a few just for fun:

Coffee or Tea? Iced coffee all day long

Sea or mountains? Sea—I am from Cape Town!

Chocolate or bacon? Both. I once had a chocolate covered bacon and it was delish.

Ebook or print book? BOTH.

Favorite tv show? Shark Tank


To learn more about Ms. Fury and her list, check out her page at the Bent Agency Website. And stay tuned for more Mystery Agent news very soon!