Mystery Agent Reveal and Winners!

Thanks to all who entered and gave feedback! Our September Mystery Agent is . . .

Rachel Brooks of L. Perkins Agency!

She has chosen two winners:

YA thriller SURVIVING SARIN

and

NA Contemporary THE IMPERFECT TRY

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 few questions!

Any exciting news to share?

I recently participated in #PitMad and have a bunch of amazing stories in my inbox as a result. Plus, it’s always exciting to see writers supporting one another online.

Any tips for writers struggling with their pitches? Common mistakes you see in them?

I’m receiving a lot of pitches that are extremely above or below their genre’s typical word count. It’s important to know or research the ballpark word count range for your genre. While there are always exceptions, generally you should aim for that range.

I also repeatedly see a simple mistake—not including sample pages with the query! Querying is a thrilling (and stressful) process, but don’t get in such a rush that you hurt your chances by forgetting something so crucial.

What books have you read lately that you’ve fallen in love with (manuscripts you’re currently working with or others’)?

I recently started reading a contemporary romance manuscript from my inbox that I think I’m falling head over heels for. As far as already published books, I’m reading Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead. She’s amazing, as usual!

What are you seeing a lot of in your slush pile lately? What would you like to see?

I’m seeing a lot of variety in my slush pile— new adult, picture books, and everything in between. Some queries I’m seeing aren’t for genres I’m currently seeking, like political thrillers or memoirs, but then other pitches are right up my alley, like fresh YA stories. I’m on the hunt for adult romances at the moment, including erotic romance.

And a few just for fun:

Coffee or tea? Neither. I’m a soda gal all the way!

Sea or mountains? Definitely sea. I used to be surrounded by water and dearly miss it now that I’m landlocked.

Chocolate or bacon? Dark chocolate.

Ebook or print book? Both! I’m happy it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation in today’s industry.

Favorite TV show? Ouch, only one? Well BBC’s Sherlock definitely makes my list of top five favorite current shows.

Thanks to our awesome Mystery Agent for her time! To learn more about Ms. Brooks and her list, check her out on Twitter and on the agents page on the L. Perkins Agency website. 

Stay tuned for more Mystery Agent news very soon!