Success Story Interview - Lauren D. Fulter

An Interview with Lauren D. Fulter (versoalto on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent A.J. Van Belle of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.

04/24/2025

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
TROLL SCIENCE is a middle-grade fantasy, set in a world much like our own, except countries are divided into territories marked by the monsters that inhabit them, and STEM is far more mystical than magic. It follows an aspiring Chemist cursed to die and a troll as they carry out an undercover heist at a monster-hunting program--but neither knows the other’s identity.
I was inspired by my struggle as a neurodivergent kid in the education system. I wanted to see who the kids were who weren’t child prodigies in their magical schools and struggled against a system that wasn’t built for them.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Lauren D. Fulter:
I’ve been writing “books” since I was 4, but I started taking writing seriously around 14(or as seriously as you can at 14) and published my first book at 16. I’m now 20---so about 6 years?

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
A little over two years: from the first draft to getting an agent!

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
Plenty of times. Author RJ Valldeperas gave me the advice of “staying delusional,” and that truly helped me. I’m also blessed to have so many supportive friends who picked me up and dragged me along even when I was sure it was pointless.

QT: Is this your first book?

Lauren D. Fulter:
Nope! This is my seventh completed novel.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Lauren D. Fulter:
Technically, when I started this book, I had no formal training (unless you count an absurd amount of YouTube videos)…but halfway through writing, I began attending university for a degree in Creative Writing.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Lauren D. Fulter:
Since I work two jobs and attend school, there’s never any consistent writing time, but I always try to write in any spare time I have (whether that's gaps between classes or a long work break). I also don’t get much sleep, ha!

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
This book went through two major revisions. When I was 18 and didn’t know much about querying, I queried a few random agents in Fall 2023 (even got a request!), but I ultimately realized the book wasn’t ready. I took a year to totally rewrite it and then started querying again in October 2024. I eventually got feedback from another agent while in the trenches in January 2025, so I completely rewrote it AGAIN.
And I also did a bajillion little edits here and there.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Lauren D. Fulter:
I had two rounds of beta readers (about 20 total)!

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
I *tried* to outline this book three separate times throughout the process, but the characters usually take charge and don’t listen to me.

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
It’s hard to answer this question because I was so off and on with querying, but I think solidly 4-5 months. Somehow, this is the only book I’ve ever queried.

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
I sent 120 queries!

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
If they represented middle-grade and didn’t explicitly state they didn’t want fantasy, they were on my list. Most of my requests were from agents I wouldn’t have expected!

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
If there was something unique they requested in their MSWL or social media (like favorite books that happened to be a comp title ect.), I mentioned it. I steered away from saying things like “seeing you’re interest in fantasy novels” since that felt like a given. If I felt I didn’t have anything to add, I just left the query as it was.

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
When stressed, do something not writing related. Sometimes I needed a reminder that my worth didn’t solely rely on whether or not I was a good writer and just played a good game of The Sims 4.

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

Lauren D. Fulter:
Sure!

Query Letter:

Dear _____,
[Personalization.] I hope you enjoy my middle-grade fantasy, TROLL SCIENCE.
Rule One: Don’t eat people.
Not that twelve-year-old troll and burgeoning thief, Mija has never had any interest in using her hypnotic voice for anything of the sort—honestly, that’s just gross.
When she’s assigned a pivotal mission to steal a magical Troll Stone knife, Mija is sabotaged and forced to bend Rule Two: Work alone.
She teams up with the infuriatingly optimistic, explosion-prone magical Chemist Leonore Haugstad, who, unbeknownst to Mija, is harboring her own secret identity. She has been Marked as the village sacrifice to the trolls. On the run and racing against her doomed destiny, Leonore also needs the Troll Stone, the only element that can break her Mark.
The two girls go undercover into a prestigious monster-hunting program, where the Troll Stone they both desperately need is awarded to the most exceptional students. Mija must best her unpredictable human peers trained to kill her kind, all without stepping into the sunlight and breaking the most important rule of all: Don’t turn to stone.
Set on an earth where our world’s folklore monsters run free and STEM dominates the magic system, TROLL SCIENCE will appeal to readers hungry for the accessible, monster-filled worldbuilding of WILDERLORE: THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE and the enchanting friendships worth rooting for in WITCHLINGS. It is a middle-grade fantasy complete at 68,000 and is a standalone with series potential.

Thank you so much again for this opportunity!
Lauren D. Fulter