Success Story Interview - Erica Atwater

An Interview with Erica Atwater (ericaanne504 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Maria Vicente of P.S. Literary Agency.

02/19/2026

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

Erica Atwater:
This mystery tale was inspired by my supremely kind, Jane-Austen-loving, garage-sale-hunting Memaw, along with these two what if questions: what if Memaw were targeted by a serial killer famous for taunting their prey before killing them, and what if she refused to go down without a fight?

QT: How long have you been writing?

Erica Atwater:
Twelve years.

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

Erica Atwater:
I began conceptualizing/outlining this book about two and a half years ago.

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

Erica Atwater:
Yes, multiple times. After two separate querying processes, I took a break from writing altogether. My love for storytelling and my wife's faith in me kept discouragement from taking hold for too long.

QT: Is this your first book?

Erica Atwater:
This is my fourth completed manuscript.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Erica Atwater:
I didn't go to graduate school for writing, but I took creative writing courses in undergrad, attended multiple writing conferences, and TAed for the Writers' League of Texas for almost five years.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Erica Atwater:
Not in my earlier years, but for my most recent novel, I committed to writing every day until I was query-ready, even if it was just a few hundred words.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Erica Atwater:
Yes, I had six beta readers. I gave each of them a set of questions about the book to answer, and we went through them one by one once they were done.

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

Erica Atwater:
I always outline first, but I'm way more detailed when outlining genre fiction. I firmly believe this mystery wouldn't have received representation without the meticulous planning of the plot.

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

Erica Atwater:
I queried my first book in 2015. I began querying this book a few months ago.

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

Erica Atwater:
Don't give up, even when the odds of receiving representation seem impossible, and write with your heart on your sleeve.

Query Letter:

Dear Maria,

I’m seeking representation for my high-concept mystery novel, BLESS YOUR HEART AND HOPE TO DIE, complete at 83,000 words. I specifically queried you because of your desire for stylish mysteries with unreliable narrators, LGBTQ+ authors/characters, and the exploration of modern themes.

Lilith Hart, seventy-two and sweet as her famous pies, enjoys an uneventful retirement in her sleepy Texas beach town until a dead body ends up on her doorstep. Cryptic messages soon follow. As anonymous threats escalate, so does Lilith’s arthritis, making it damn near impossible to keep up with pastry orders, let alone defend herself against the masked menace determined to ruin her life. Help arrives in the form of teenager Sam Wright, Lilith’s sharp-tongued new neighbor. The unlikely pair bonds one batch of brownies at a time, but their growing friendship lands Sam squarely in the killer’s crosshairs. Desperate to keep Sam safe, Lilith stocks up on security gear, dons disguises, and recruits a ragtag group of retirees to sleuth across town, but their DIY detective work provokes the killer to strike again. Everyone wonders who would target such a sweet old lady… everyone except Lilith. Because the real mystery isn’t who’s after her. It’s what she did to make them come knocking.

With five manuscript requests to date, BLESS YOUR HEART AND HOPE TO DIE blends humor, heart, and suspense while exploring grief, aging, found family, queer love, and how vulnerability can be both weapon and shield. This #ownvoices manuscript is a standalone with series potential that blends the intergenerational charm of Only Murders in the Building with the character-driven plotting of Lisa Jewell.

Thanks for your consideration.