Success Story Interview - Jennifer Luce

An Interview with Jennifer Luce (jenniferluce_author on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Hannah Andrade of Bradford Literary Agency.

07/23/2026

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

Jennifer Luce:
GUMIHO is an adult folklore fantasy blended with strong elements of horror and romance. Having grown up in both the United States and South Korea, I wanted to create a story that combined both of my heritages while also bringing together all the things I personally enjoy, which are Korean folklore, horror, and romance.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Jennifer Luce:
Pretty much since I was a little kid. It was mostly short stories and poems until 2023 when I decided to pursue my dream of writing a full-length novel.

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

Jennifer Luce:
It's been a while! I first started outlining the book back in January 2025, started writing it in February, and then finished my first draft in June 2025. I finished my revisions at the very end of August and dipped my toes into the query trenches for a very short period until I found out that I was selected for the 2025 SmoochPit Mentorship program in October.

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

Jennifer Luce:
Not give up per se. I always had the mindset that I’d keep on writing books and querying them until agents either signed me on or started fearing my name when it popped up in their inboxes. There were definitely times where I’d spiral or worry that this book wasn’t the ‘one’, but surrounding myself with loved ones, amazing writing friends, and the best mentor ever (I may be biased) really helped.

QT: Is this your first book?

Jennifer Luce:
This is my second book.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Jennifer Luce:
Nope. I have a degree in Nursing and spent many hours reading craft books and attending writing workshops through my local library, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and whatever other classes I could find.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Jennifer Luce:
Kind of? For my first book I stayed up way too late writing and forcing words onto paper, so for this book I decided that I would be much kinder to myself. I’d try to write 1,000 words a day, but if I was tired, then I’d stop and go to bed. If I missed a day, that was okay, too. Some days I’d write 100 words, other days I’d write 1,200.

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

Jennifer Luce:
A lot! After finishing my first draft, I did a round of filling in the blanks and any scenes that I’d skipped for later, then I did a large developmental edit, then a smaller developmental edit, then line edits. Through my SmoochPit mentorship program, I did two more rounds of edits.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Jennifer Luce:
Yes! I had 4 beta readers and 5 critique partners read my book.

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

Jennifer Luce:
I’m a plantser, so I outlined my book but left enough room for me to deviate from the plan if I wanted to.

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

Jennifer Luce:
For my first book, I queried it for about five months and queried around 60 agents before I decided to shelve it and focus my attention on my second book.

My querying journey for my second book was very different. I queried for about 3 weeks starting in late August 2025 before I decided to hold off because I had started to get requests from the SmoochPit Mentorship program. After I found out that I got in, I continued to hold off on querying and sending out fulls until after the SmoochPit Showcase on March 24. I received my first email requesting a call to discuss an offer on March 25th.

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

Jennifer Luce:
I queried 58 agents, with about 15 of those being pre-SmoochPit.

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

Jennifer Luce:
I often looked at their websites and MSWLs to see if they were interested in genre-blends that contained fantasy, horror, and romance, and/or if they were interested in folklore and mythology.

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

Jennifer Luce:
Not really. If the agent requested my query package or full manuscript through a pitch event or the SmoochPit Showcase, then I’d specify it at the very top of my query.

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

Jennifer Luce:
Take your time! Make sure your manuscript and query package are ready before you dive in. Also, I strongly recommend looking into mentorships! I applied for RevPit for my first book, and while I didn’t get in, I got shortlisted and ended up connecting with writing friends that I pretty much talk to daily. And, of course, there’s SmoochPit, which I only have the best of things to say about: I met my mentor who still cheers me on even after the mentorship ended, met so many amazing writers, and found my wonderful agent through SmoochPit’s Showcase!