05/15/2011
Macy Beckett (taylormillgirl on QT) has signed with agent Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency.
HOT AND HEAVENLY follows the misadventures of June Augustine, an Austin bar owner who's forced to return to her tiny hometown of Heavenly, Texas, for a month of community service…performed under the supervision of her first love, the devilishly sexy Luke Gallagher.
What inspired me to pen this novel? I've always been drawn to romances in which the hero and heroine share a past—we're talkin' all the way back to childhood. One morning, the characters appeared to me while I was showering—they're cheeky like that—and then the ideas began to flow.
When I read Nicole's interview on the Mother.Write.Repeat blog, her agenting philosophy resonated with me so strongly that I dropped everything and queried her on the spot.
Dear Nicole,
If my name looks familiar, it's because you're currently reviewing another of my manuscripts. I would also like to present my short contemporary romance, TOUGH LOVE, for your consideration.
When June Augustine hightailed it out of Heavenly County with her heart in pieces, she swore she'd never return. But nine years later, one thing stands between June and her dream of opening an upscale martini bar: a bogus outstanding warrant from her tiny Texas hometown. Now June's stuck in the sticks for a month of community service under the supervision of the devilishly sexy Luke Gallagher, her first love and ex-best friend.
June's biding her time renovating homes with Luke, but the attraction between them is hotter than ever; and when they're busted buck naked and guilty as sin, June's long-buried dream of building a life with Luke begins to resurface. As lust turns to love, June must decide where she belongs: in the glorious anonymity of Austin, or back in Heavenly, a town she'd always considered her own personal hell.
TOUGH LOVE (63k words) is a finalist in the Cleveland Rocks contest, and Laura Barth at Harlequin will determine the winner in May. The playfulness, humor, and fully-described love scenes in my book will appeal to Rachel Gibson fans, and I believe it would make an excellent fit in several category lines.
I earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from [redacted], and I'm an active member of the [redacted] chapter of the RWA. Per your submission guidelines, I have pasted the first five pages of my manuscript below. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Macy Beckett
(Nicole requested the full within an hour and offered a contract three days later.)
I hope this is helpful. Good luck to all my fellow writers.
A special THANK YOU to the staff at querytracker for offering such a valuable resource to writers seeking representation. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.