Success Story Interview - KT Misch

An Interview with KT Misch (ktrescone on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Rebecca Lawrence of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.

05/02/2025

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

KT Misch:
The Emerald Dagger is a NA fantasy novel about the dangers of true love and the tangled web of family secrets. Set in a kingdom on the brink of a revolution, it features an elemental magic system and fighting against tyranny and oppression.

QT: How long have you been writing?

KT Misch:
I've been writing in some fashion for most of my life. I started to get serious about writing about 5 years ago.

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

KT Misch:
This has been a work in progress since about 2021.

QT: Is this your first book?

KT Misch:
Yes.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

KT Misch:
No.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

KT Misch:
No. I stole moments where I could. There were periods of time where I wrote every day and others where I went weeks without writing a word.

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

KT Misch:
More times than I can count at this point. I've redone the beginning alone at least five times.

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

KT Misch:
It all started with one scene I really wanted to write. When I finished the seven or so pages of that scene, I thought, I wonder what would happen next? And that's how I wrote the entire first draft. After that I did small outlines that included world building information and other character quirks I wanted to incorporate as I edited.

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

KT Misch:
I've queried this book twice now. The first time was in 2022 and I didn't receive any interest. I did a lot of editing and rewriting and started requerying in January 2025.

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

KT Misch:
This last go around I sent out 127 query letters. From that, I received 7 requests for fulls and had 45 no responses.

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

KT Misch:
If they were open to my genre and appeared to be from a reputable agency, I sent them a query.

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

KT Misch:
No. If there was something that really stood out to me about an agent then I added a little something in the letter. But 9/10 times I sent the same letter.

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

KT Misch:
Patience is everything! Don't be so quick to mark someone off as a no response because agents are humans too and sometimes things happen. Don't sweat the small stuff or worry about personalizing every letter you send out. The worst thing an agent can tell if you send them a query is no. The best thing is an offer!

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

KT Misch:
Absolutely.

Query Letter:

Dear First and Last Name:

Princess Elianna Durand will do anything to marry the man of her dreams, even if that means running away from her home and the safety of Coral Palace. When he is killed on their wedding night, Ellie vows to find his killer and seek her revenge. But finding her husband’s assassin will bring her back to the palace, a place she never expected to see again.

Ellie's parents demand she fulfill the obligation she ran away from: she must marry a stranger to solidify an alliance. After all, she was meant to bear kings. As long-dead magic begins to rear its head and her kingdom heads toward revolution, Ellie soon finds the cost of vengeance might be too high to pay.

Unable to bear the thought of being chained to another man, Ellie turns to new friends for help: a brooding palace guard and a patriarchy burning lady of the court. Together they will hunt for a killer amid the palace walls and try to stand up against the archaic laws of the land. But will they survive?

THE EMERALD DAGGER (82,000 words) is NA fantasy about the dangers of true love and the tangled web of family secrets. With political intrigue and an elemental magic system similar to Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, it will appeal to readers of The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan and fans of the CW’s Reign.

I’m an attorney living in Flint, MI. I’ve worked with victims of trauma and their ability to rise above it all and persevere gave me the inspiration to tell Ellie’s story. When I am not writing, you can find me tangled in the leashes of my six rescues or up to my elbows in brownie batter.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Name and Contact Information