Success Story Interview - Sophie Fitzpatrick

An Interview with Sophie Fitzpatrick (sophiejfitzpatrick on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Catherine Jones of Union Literary.

03/19/2026

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
She Who Drowned is a feminine coming-of-rage horror romance set in 1950s Wales. It follows a young woman trapped in an increasingly controlling marriage as her body, her desires, and the land around her begin changing in terrifying ways. I was inspired by stories like Jennifer’s Body, Nosferatu, and Black Swan, and by my own interest in female rage, bodily transformation, and the ways women are taught to fear their own hunger. I wanted to write something gothic, unsettling, and emotional that let a woman’s repression curdle into something monstrous.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Unofficially, since I could hold a pen. More seriously, I’ve been writing with the goal of publication for about three years.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I started working on She Who Drowned in May 2025, and it has been the book that changed everything for me.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Yes, many times. The trenches are rough, but I wanted this more than anything, and I knew I would regret quitting. I had nothing to lose by staying the course.

QT: Is this your first book?

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
No. I wrote and queried two previous books before this one, and I learned a lot from both of them.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I do, though not through a traditional MFA path. I’ve worked as a professional editor for nine years, which has shaped the way I approach craft, revision, and storytelling. I’m also currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in English.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I do. My process usually breaks into phases. I’ll spend about a month planning and outlining, a month drafting, and a month editing. When I’m drafting, I aim for around 4,000 words a day. I love using the Post-it method at the start of a project, and my outlines tend to get very detailed. They usually end up around 30,000 words on their own.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Countless times. I revised a lot, and She Who Drowned changed in both big and small ways over many drafts.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I didn’t use beta readers for this book, but I did receive a few revise and resubmit requests from agents, which gave me really valuable feedback during the process.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Definitely an outliner. My outlines are usually very detailed because I like knowing the shape of the story before I draft.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I started querying She Who Drowned in October 2025, but I first entered the query trenches in March 2025 with earlier projects.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I queried about 100 agents with this book and ended up with roughly a 25% request rate, which was really encouraging.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
I focused on agents who were actively looking for horror, romance, gothic fiction, or genre-blending work that sat between commercial and upmarket. I also paid close attention to taste. If an agent seemed excited by dark, atmospheric stories with strong emotional stakes, they went on my list.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Yes, when I could. I usually tailored my queries based on an agent’s Manuscript Wish List and highlighted the elements of She Who Drowned that seemed most likely to resonate with their tastes.

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

Sophie Fitzpatrick:
Write the book only you could write, then query with patience and persistence. Rejection is part of the process, and it does not always mean the work is failing. Sometimes it just means you have not found the right match yet. Keep improving your craft, keep revising, and try not to lose sight of why you started in the first place.

Query Letter:

Eline Llewellyn thought she died.
Pulled half-drowned from the lake, she wakes in her childhood bedroom with no memory of how she got there. The village is on edge after a string of violent attacks. Her parents are gone, and in their place is a quiet, unsettling man—a young, reclusive healer who claims he saved her, though he won’t say how. His presence soothes her, even as something in it makes her skin prickle.
As Eline tries to reclaim her life, something inside her begins to hunger. A flicker of heat on her tongue. A pulse behind her ribs. She aches to be touched. She aches to feed. The cravings grow harder to ignore, even as the man watching over her becomes something more than a stranger. Her body feels foreign beneath her skin, reshaped by something she can’t name. So does her sense of who she is. And in the dark, something waits in the water, wanting her.
SHE WHO DROWNED is an adult horror-romance complete at 75,000 words, set in 1950s Wales. It will appeal to fans of House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson, The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling, and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, blending body horror, feminine rage, and dark desire with an eerie, atmospheric setting. Think Jennifer’s Body meets Nosferatu meets Black Swan, where the horror isn’t just what haunts her—but what she’s becoming.
I’ve spent the last eight years working as an editor and proofreader, primarily in academic writing, but in the past three years, I’ve transitioned into providing services for indie authors. I am also an avid reader, ARC reviewer, and run a bookstagram account, which has allowed me to stay connected with the latest book trends. I have previously received offers of representation on a different project, but after a great deal of deliberation I have decided to return to the querying trenches, so to say. I’ve since turned my full attention to this novel, which has already sparked interest from early readers and fellow influencers. As a queer author I am passionate about finding the correct representation to get my stories out into the world.
I am so grateful for your consideration and the time you are taking to look over my work. I look forward to hearing from you, and I hope this is the beginning of working together and a long lasting relationship.
Sincerely,
Sophie Fitzpatrick