Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews L. E. Eyring

Success Story Interview - L. E. Eyring

An Interview with L. E. Eyring (Horromance on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency.

01/31/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: L. E. Eyring:
BRANDED is an adult paranormal romance at 56k words, the first in a trilogy. Sam Wandern, a middle-aged asexual recluse, becomes entangled in a demonic bond with an incubus. This idea had a couple sources of inspiration, and the first was from Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King. There's a scene with the werewolf crawling into the bedroom window of his next victim, and the lonely virgin inside mistakes him for a potential lover. Sadly, he does devour her, but I thought, what if this horror had some romance? And lastly, I was inspired because I'm also asexual, and throwing a character like that into a situation with an incubus sounded like a fascinating experiment.
QT: How long have you been writing?: L. E. Eyring:
Since I was 11 or 12. I took a long break when I hit my teenage years, and didn't start again until my 30s. So overall, about 15 years. (And that's as much math as I'm willing to do on that.)
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: L. E. Eyring:
I started in 2019 and finished in 2021. After revising and rewriting, I had my final version ready in 2023.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: L. E. Eyring:
Several times. Having to deal with chronic pain, fatigue, medical issues and clinical anxiety, there are a lot of obstacles in my way. I technically wrote the full trilogy in one go, and writing three books over two years, along with several other projects, was a huge undertaking. But I kept going, because the compulsion to write was stronger than my exhaustion. And never underestimate a good story as an escape from the weariness of a hard life.
QT: Is this your first book?: L. E. Eyring:
I've written several novel-length fanfictions, but yes, this is my first original story!
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: L. E. Eyring:
None at all!
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: L. E. Eyring:
I try to write every day, at about 1-2k words a session, either in the morning or before bed. Listening to soft background music helps me get in the writing mindset.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: L. E. Eyring:
Considering this was originally a fanfiction, several times! I consider the fanfiction to be my "zero draft," and since then, BRANDED has been rewritten at least twice, and edited countless times.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: L. E. Eyring:
I did not. No reason why, I've used them in the past, and they're a great resource. (I relied heavily on author friends to beta read my query letter, though!)
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: L. E. Eyring:
I wrote it from the hip, and it was both terrifying and thrilling.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: L. E. Eyring:
I started at the end of October 2024 and got my final agent offer at the end of December. So about two months!
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: L. E. Eyring:
By the end, over 200. I cast my net far and wide, with roughly 80 rejections before I found my agent.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: L. E. Eyring:
I prioritized agents that wanted paranormal romance, along with agents that liked their romance with a darker, angsty, horror side. And of course, I made sure they were reputable and had industry experience.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: L. E. Eyring:
I did! If I could find them on Manuscript Wishlist, or something on their website stating what they were looking for, I tried to include that in the query letter. But I didn't always tailor my queries, and one of these letters actually landed me my agent.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: L. E. Eyring:
Rejections are trail markers on the path of progress! Believe in your unique and important perspective! Quitting is the book-killer!

But more seriously: Sometimes, your manuscript just isn't ready to query, and you need to go back and work on it. And that's okay. I'm essentially self-taught; I wrote for years before I sought a more targeted literary education, and I think that was critical to my learned experience. Hours of workshops, videos, and advice books were essential to refining my craft later on, but if I'd absorbed all of that advice at the beginning? I would have been too intimidated to start. Looking to authors and experts for knowledge is a part of the journey, but making mistakes, writing "badly," and just getting words on the damn page are the most important lessons you can learn.

And of course, read as much as you can! In your genre, but also outside of it. Inspiration can (and will) find you anywhere.

Success Story Interview - L. E. Eyring

Query Letter: