Success Story Interview - Aleshka Grusy

An Interview with Aleshka Grusy (aleshkamichele on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Mara Hollander of Jennifer Azantian Literary Agency.

03/20/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Aleshka Grusy:
MADE YOU LOOK is a contemporary romance featuring a single mom FMC with a six-month old baby. I started writing it a few years ago when I was newly postpartum with my second child and going through some pretty intense depression. Writing this book started as a way for me to process my feelings, and along the way turned into a love letter to myself, other women going through the trenches of motherhood and PPD, and anyone struggling with mental health in general and longing to be seen and loved.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Aleshka Grusy:
I’ve been writing seriously for about 2-3 years.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Aleshka Grusy:
I’ve been tossing around this concept on and off for about 3 years. The version that I queried, I wrote and revised over the course of about 10 months.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Aleshka Grusy:
Yes. Often. The only thing that kept me going some days was the encouragement of my writing community, friends, and husband.

QT: Is this your first book?

Aleshka Grusy:
Technically yes! I’ve dabbled in a few others, but this is the first I’ve fully completed and polished.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Aleshka Grusy:
Nope.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Aleshka Grusy:
Nope. I’m a SAHM with three kids five and under, so my writing time is pretty much nap time, after bed time, or whenever I can focus enough to squeeze it in.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Aleshka Grusy:
Quite a few. I wrote one, maybe two (?) completed drafts of this manuscript before I scrapped it and started fresh with this version. And then of course I had probably two or three rounds of revisions before this final one. It’s hard to say exactly as I tend to edit a bit as I write.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Aleshka Grusy:
Yes! I have an incredible critique group that read and gave feedback.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Aleshka Grusy:
I outlined. I needed the structure to be able to hit the emotional beats I knew I wanted.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Aleshka Grusy:
I am incredibly lucky in this regard—this is the first book I’ve ever queried, and I landed an offer 3 weeks from the day I sent my first query letter.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Aleshka Grusy:
101.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Aleshka Grusy:
I personally want to write in multiple genres, so I tried to be mindful of picking agents that I thought would be able to represent me in those genres. But ultimately, I just looked for reputable agencies and agents that seemed like they might be interested in my MS and went from there.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Aleshka Grusy:
Nope!

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Aleshka Grusy:
Get a group chat! Doing this with friends made all the difference for me. And take your time. I wanted to jump in to querying so many times during my revision process, but I really believe that slowing down and focusing on making my book the best it could be helped me have a better overall querying experience.

QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?

Aleshka Grusy:
Of course!

Query Letter:

Dear [Agent],

MADE YOU LOOK is an 87,000-word adult contemporary romance that will appeal to readers who enjoy Abby Jimenez’s witty banter and tender mental health representation, the fake dating shenanigans of MY VAMPIRE PLUS-ONE, and the portrayal of single-motherhood in READY OR NOT.

Sophie St. Clare is tired of being a disappointment. Ever since she fell pregnant and broke up with her baby’s father, all her parents see when they look at her is a struggling, depressed single mother. Their “help” comes in the form of matchmaking, and their most recent attempt lands her on a date with a wealthy, belittling asshole. Enter Foster Williams–the hot, new-to-town pediatrician. Sophie bonds with him over their mutual need for a plus-one: he needs a date to his childhood best friend’s wedding (who’s getting married to his ex), and she needs someone to spare her from a disastrous evening at a fundraising gala with the condescending jerk. They strike a deal: they’ll trade a date for a date and call it even.

With Foster at her side, Sophie’s parents treat her with respect for the first time in months. To perfect their performance, their one-time trade turns into a long con, and they decide to go on “dates” to get to know each other better and keep up the façade of their relationship. She’ll act as a doting girlfriend at the wedding to help Foster save face in front of the two people who broke his heart, and in the meantime, he’ll make appearances as Sophie’s boyfriend to get her meddling parents off her back.

As they fall into their charade, Sophie is surprised how easy it is. But no one’s ever paid attention to her the way Foster does, and she’s afraid of what he might see—a shell of a woman, lost in the trenches of early motherhood. As Sophie starts to fall for him in earnest, toeing the blurry line between love and lies, she’s forced to grapple with the crippling fear that she’ll never be enough for the man she loves. She has to choose: expose her brokenness and fight for the life she wants, or shrink back into the comfortable solitude of depression.