Monday, February 9, 2015

SVS 6: THAT'S JUST FABULOUS, YA Contemporary

Title: THAT'S JUST FABULOUS
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word Count: 70,000

My main character would prefer to live in:

Nell Summers doesn’t have time to lie around in the sun when there are newspaper articles to write and college applications breathing down her neck. But if a snow storm forced her to hole up with Patrick Campbell for a few days, she would be okay with that.

Query

Dear Contest Queens and Awesome Agents:

Seventeen-year-old Nell Summers only needs one thing to get the hell out of Oak Run, Virginia: A story that will land her first place in the High School Journalism Competition and the scholarship that goes with it. A scholarship means a chance to start over in New York, where no one will care if she has two moms. To win the competition, Nell has her sights set on a hot story about Prince Albert, the local punk band, and its lead singer—a boy with incredible talent and a dark past.

But Patrick Campbell has no interest in helping a preppy brat achieve her dreams. He thinks she has no idea what it’s like being different. She thinks he’s just as closed-minded as the rest of the town, Mohawk or no Mohawk. With annoying groupies and an absentee grandmother trying to make amends, Nell’s dreams are farther away than ever. Who knew getting the inside scoop on a simple story could be so hard?

And then there’s Patrick. The more she uncovers, the harder it is to keep hating him. Nell knows they are all wrong for each other, and this story can only end with a broken heart. But sometimes the hardest walls to knock down are the ones we build ourselves.



First 250 Words:

There are three reasons why dating the lead singer of a band is a stupendously bad idea.

One: Groupies. It’s a universally acknowledged truth that a boy being followed by hordes of screaming girls must be a gigantic ass. It’s not like he’s saying no. Do you really want to go where ten thousand girls have gone before?

Two: He’s an idiot. Why bother with things like grades when you’re going to be a rock star? Because of course a high school band from Oak Run, Virginia, is going to be the next big thing. Sure, they’re getting a lot of local gigs right now, but if their following ever extends past the Mississippi, I’ll be shocked.

Three: He’s an asshole. If my ex-boyfriend Rob is any indication, the lead singer is the type of guy who won’t play a supporting—or supportive—role in anything. He doesn’t play back up in the band, and he’s certainly not going to play back up to his girlfriend.

All good things to remember if you happen to find yourself at Rock-N-Bowl on a Saturday night.

Patrick Campbell dominates the mic to the thumping sounds of Prince Albert behind him. Punk music isn’t usually my thing, but I’m not here just to listen. Although they aren’t that bad, actually. The beat is pretty solid. I can appreciate the Irish influence, which makes the lyrics more thoughtful than raging. I also appreciate Patrick’s butt in those gray pinstriped pants.

Groupies, I remind myself. Hordes of screaming groupies.

8 comments:

  1. Going to take off my sunglasses to read more of this. Please send the query plus the first 25 pages as a word doc attachment to rachel(at)lperkinsagency(dot)com with “SVS Request: Title” in the subject line. Thanks!

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  2. This sparkles like fresh snow. Please send the first 25 pages, synopsis and query to chquery (at) mcintoshandotis (dot) com. Please put Sun vs. Snow request in the subject line.

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  3. Let it snow! Please send the query and first 50 pages to querymichelle(at)fuseliterary(dot)com and put Sun vs. Snow Request in the subject line.

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  4. Sounds like a fun romp in the snow. Please send the first three chapters attached as a Word .doc along with the original query and a brief synopsis to query@corvisieroagency.com. Be sure to put "Cate: Sun VS Snow Request" in the subject line. Thanks!

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  5. Snow days were always a favorite of mine. Please send the first 50 pages attached as a Word .doc with the original query and short synopsis in the body of the email to michelle(at)inklingsliterary.com with SVS Request in the subject line. Thanks!

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  6. Snowy times are good times. I'd love to take a look at the first 50 pages attached as a Word doc. Please send to queries [at] parkliterary com with "Peter Knapp" and SUN VS SNOW in the subject. Thanks!

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  7. This looks like you're hot then you're cold--interesting premise! Please query with 30 pages to queryroseanne@gmail.com with SUN VS SNOW in the subject line. Thanks!

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  8. I love this premise - I gather ninjas have no weather-vane so I'll put my snowy sensibilities on the shelf and just say I'd love to see the complete manuscript at claire at regal dash literary dot com.

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