Thank you for choosing to share your work with me. I'm looking forward to reading and making new connections. Even though I can't take on every author, please know that you've accomplished something great by finishing your book. For all your hard work, creativity and willingness to put yourself out there, you have my appreciation. I'd like to acknowledge that many agents are facing a backlog right now and are VERY slow to respond, myself included. I actually chose to reopen still with just under 1,000 queries I've yet to answer (which is a lot). But I am still answering  as I can (alongside my assistant Renee) as fast as we can. Thank you for your patience.

AUTO PASSES: Word count outside of genre expectations or age group. You don't tell me what's at stake for your main character in your pitch.

NOTE ABOUT AGENCY: A response from one agent is a response from all, so choose wisely. You can only query one of us. Also please note, 9 times out of 10, if it's a historical based in reality (not talking about a fantasy with a historical feel), another Spencerhill agent is a better fit.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS FORM IS THE BOX FOR "PITCH." This is what I look at first. This must be a concise elevator pitch that makes me want to read your sample, so HOOK ME HERE. It must include plot arc (what results because of the story problem) and stakes (what your main character will lose or gain if they don't/do solve the story problem). Here are examples of good pitches from my client's work:

PITCH EXAMPLE ONE:
THE CLACKITY is about a girl (MAIN CHARACTER) who must enter an abandoned abattoir that acts as a gateway to a world of ghosts, witches, and monsters to play a game (PLOT) with deadly consequences (STAKES) in the hopes she'll rescue her aunt, the local paranormal expert (STAKES).

PITCH EXAMPLE TWO:
THIN AIR is a locked-room thriller (GENRE) set on an eight-hour luxury flight bound for Paris, featuring 16 high school students competing for a prestigious scholarship (PLOT)—one someone is willing to kill to win (STAKES).

PITCH EXAMPLE THREE
BEWARE THE MERMAIDS is about a close-knit group of 50-something women who call themselves the Mermaids and buy a sailboat to challenge one of their own's cheating husband to a sailing race from Newport Beach to Mexico (PLOT) on a voyage of self-discovery with a twist—winner take all or lose everything (STAKES).