Success Story Interview - S.C. Field

An Interview with S.C. Field (SaraCatherine23 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Rachel Estep of D4EO Literary Agency.

08/27/2025

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

S.C. Field:
My novel is about a woman named Manon who is ahead of her time in 1915 Paris, France. She is obsessed with death and believes it follows her wherever she goes. She is drawn to the tourist attraction: the Paris morgue, where she sees her ex lover’s body on display. She is faced with a task: to find the killer—or to question her part in his murder.

I got the inspiration from researching the Paris morgue and going down a deep rabbit hole! I found it fascinating and the story came to life once I started writing in my notebook.

QT: How long have you been writing?

S.C. Field:
I was a freshman in high school when I really started to believe I had a talent for writing. My English teacher gave us the assignment to write a poem based on the cover of a classmate’s CD. My teacher told me that I had something special, and that I should pursue writing. That’s when I truly discovered my love for poetry and writing. Thank you Mr. Hacker!

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

S.C. Field:
I started working on this book in 2023. I wrote it in 6 months.

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

S.C. Field:
I never felt like giving up, but I did give myself mental health breaks from the querying trenches. I would take a month off or two when a gust of rejections landed in my inbox.

QT: Is this your first book?

S.C. Field:
This is my first adult novel. Before querying this novel, I wrote a couple of picture books and queried those but realized a lot of agents at the time were acquiring author illustrators (and I cannot draw!)
A few of my poems have also been featured in the First Line Poets Anthology.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

S.C. Field:
I recently graduated from The Book Incubator. It was insightful and had so many resources to help me revise my novel. They have many free courses to help you write and revise your novel as well!

Before that, I took poetry workshops off and on throughout my life.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

S.C. Field:
I write by hand in notebooks whenever I am inspired! Once my children go back to school this Fall, I will have more of a routine and will try to write for a couple hours each day.

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

S.C. Field:
I went through rounds and rounds of revisions and edits( about 6 months) before I felt it was query ready.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

S.C. Field:
I had 3 beta readers in total and they were priceless in the editing and revision process.

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

S.C. Field:
I am a pantser. I wrote this novel completely straight through with no outline. My WIP though has a storyboard I refer to.

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

S.C. Field:
I have been querying this book since November 2024.

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

S.C. Field:
I sent out about 130 query letters.

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

S.C. Field:
I would make sure they were interested in historical fiction, gothic, mystery, and romance since my novel has a bit of all four.

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

S.C. Field:
Yes I did! I would see what the agent’s specific interest was that was in common with my novel and tailored that in the first sentence of the query.

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

S.C. Field:
Don’t give up! Just when you think you have queried everyone who may love your story and think about quitting—there is someone out there for you.
If you can, get a query critique package from a qualified agent or editor to help you with this process! Reach out to your peers to help—having a good friend or two to talk to going through the same emotions as you is so helpful. X and Bluesky are great communities for this.

Query Letter:

Dear { Agent }

Since you are interested in { personalize here } I think you would enjoy my debut novel, The Morbid Curiosities of Manon Beaufort. Told from multiple points of view (Manon, Jules, and the killer) and focusing on the protagonist’s fascination with death, my story explores the enigmatic theme of trying to find light within life’s darkness.

Complete at 83,455 words, my book is set in Europe with witchy mystery and authentic historical facts intricately entwined. It is similar to Sarah Penner's The London Seance Society. It follows the journey of my protagonist, Manon Beaufort, who is intensely passionate and boasts occult-like beliefs. Moreover, The Morbid Curiosities of Manon Beaufort is reminiscent of The Paris Affair, mirroring a central love story, historical Paris, and characters with complex pasts.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Manon Beaufort spent her formative years with her father on a farm near Paris, France. Death has become a familiar companion to Manon, but when her childhood friend Jules drowns, she never imagines she will see him again. However, to her surprise, Manon is reunited with Jules twenty years later, and they become sweethearts, but he is hiding something from her. When Manon discovers his deceit, she leaves him only to find his body at the Paris morgue a year later. Convinced she is to blame for Jules’s death, Manon sets out on a mission to uncover the truth about his demise. During her journey, Manon crosses paths with a blood relative to Jules, posing a threat to her mission. As she grapples with guilt, more secrets unravel about her past at an insane asylum that her sorceress friend tried to bury. Manon’s story invites readers to consider the power of love and forgiveness, not only towards others but also towards oneself, even in the face of overwhelming darkness.

My poetry has been published in the First Lines Poets Anthology and on Instagram under the handle @saracatherinepoetry. The idea for Morbid Curiosities sparked when I researched peculiar historical facts and uncovered the intriguing background of the Paris morgue. I am a recent graduate of The Book Incubator program. I am a mother of two, and when not writing, you can find me enjoying Cape Cod life, daydreaming of traveling to Europe again, and reading thrillers and mysteries.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.



Sincerely,



Sara Field