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Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews Samia Hayes

Success Story Interview - Samia Hayes

An Interview with Samia Hayes (samiahayes on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Sharon Pelletier of Dystel Goderich & Bourret LLC.

05/23/2024

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?
Samia Hayes:
This is the story of a thief who has trust issues because she can tell when people lie, which is pretty much all the time. Also, someone murdered her grandmother, and she’s out for vengeance. For me, this story was what I was in the mood to read, and I couldn’t find anything that hit just the right spot. So I wrote it.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?
Samia Hayes:
I started in May 2020, though the idea had been percolating for a few years.
QT: Is this your first book?
Samia Hayes:
Yes, but now I’m working on two more.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?
Samia Hayes:
None at all.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?
Samia Hayes:
I revised as I went: two chapters forward, one chapter back, sometimes three. The first 2/3 was fairly well polished by the time I typed “The End”. After that, I did 2 major revisions, fixing (mostly deleting) scenes and characters. I did a final pass of edits based on my agent’s comments before we took the book on submission.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?
Samia Hayes:
Yes, lots. I used an online writing workshop to vet chapters as I went and keep me on track. I posted chapter by chapter up to the halfway point. I sent the completed draft to 3 people for comments. Don’t skip this step! Some of the recommendations were so glaringly obvious but I just missed them entirely. A little external perspective is crucial for getting the story to something that someone else will enjoy.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?
Samia Hayes:
I outlined, but I revised the outline as I went. I had possible villains right up until I hit Act III and had to decide who did it and how to end the story.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?
Samia Hayes:
First query in August, first offer in December.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?
Samia Hayes:
I researched each agent, both the QT data, agency website, and, if I hadn’t read one of their authors before but they seemed like a good fit, then I got a recent book from the library and checked the acknowledgments page for mention of the agent. Mostly I queried agents who represented books I’ve enjoyed. Sharon’s list is awesome, so even though she had a few comments on her MSWL which made me fear my book might not land with her, I decided to go for it. So, so, so glad I did! From no agent to dream agent in one small email was pure joy.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?
Samia Hayes:
Definitely, but only slightly. I tailored my opening for each agent based on what s/he posted to be looking for, and sometimes I adjusted the comp titles.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?
Samia Hayes:
Don’t be too eager. Don’t query until your book is as good as you can possibly make it. Query in small batches so you can adjust the pitch and those crucial opening pages. Waiting is so hard, rejection is worse, but remember that it only takes one YES!

Query Letter:

It’s hard to trust anyone when everyone lies.

Given your taste for suspenseful mysteries with unexpected protagonists written by and featuring women of color, I hope you’ll enjoy my 85,000 word speculative neo-noir [TITLE CHANGED]. Set in Venice, California in 1990, before gentrification shifted it from ghetto to gilded, this story about learning to trust in a world rife with deception will appeal to readers who enjoy the morally gray heroes of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and the twisty plot of Book of Night by Holly Black.

Allie Foxhart is a professional thief with a magical gift for sensing truth and a natural talent for cracking safes. Living in the shadows among criminals and liars, she knows not to trust anyone. When her reclusive grandmother is brutally murdered, Allie unlocks the secrets of her grandmother's past as a rogue assassin who stole a cursed dagger from the ruthless, magic-governing Council. With the dagger locked in a safe no one can find, Allie must elude Council agents and a merciless gang of mercenaries, both of whom her grandmother double-crossed. With her life in jeopardy, Allie turns to seductive stranger Darius Cabrero for help, only to discover he’s hiding a vendetta of his own. As she slips among her enemies hunting for the killer, Allie realizes they aren’t the only ones her grandmother betrayed. Soon, dark family secrets come to light, and Allie must confront the father she’d thought dead and siblings she never knew existed. But her newfound family is lying about the past, her lover is lying about his motives, and the Council is lying about the danger posed by the dagger. As her enemies close in and the power of the concealed dagger threatens to destroy her, Allie must see beyond the lies to decide whom she can trust— and whom she’ll betray— to evade the killer, extract the dagger, and exact her vengeance.