Title: These Wicked Waters
Word Count: 68,000
Genre: YA Thriller
Query
After her rock climbing trip is cancelled, seventeen-year-old Annie plans to spend a boring summer working at her mom’s island resort—until she stumbles upon a human skeleton. Though a closer look reveals the skeleton isn’t human at all. Humans don’t have fish tails.
Days later, a guest’s bloated body washes ashore. Law enforcement pronounces the death an accidental drowning, yet Annie wonders if something sinister is at play. The skeleton would give investigators a better lead, but Annie keeps quiet, aware her discovery occurred while scaling the Forbidden-By-Mom Cliffs. Instead, she channels Nancy Drew—minus the skirt and pearls.
While scavenging the island for clues, Annie finds a siren tangled in submerged netting and cuts her loose. The sea-woman’s thank you is a warning: others are coming and, fueled by vengeance for a past murder, they will not rest until every human on the island is dead. When Annie’s childhood crush is found next, mutilated and half-eaten, the sea-creatures' vendetta gets personal. No more waiting for another attack. Annie’s bringing the fight to the sirens.
Complete at 68,000 words, THESE WICKED WATERS is a YA thriller narrated through alternating views of Annie in present day and her eventual siren ally centuries in the past.
250 Words
When Mom bought the island investors called “cursed,” I figured she wanted a challenge. Even still, the last thing I expected was for her to build a multi-million dollar resort on its sandy shores. Or that I’d spend my first five minutes on Viaii Nisi throwing up in the women’s bathroom.
“This is disgusting,” I groaned, rubbing my watering eyes as I banished the remains of a once delicious grilled cheese sandwich to the island’s plumbing. Seasickness was a terrible weakness. A penchant for fainting and waking up in the arms of a hot guy would be much preferred.
I exited the bathroom stall with the tattered remains of my dignity and maneuvered through the crowd of women at the sinks. A water fountain at the entrance screamed my name.
Outside, the blast of fresh—if humid—air eased the tightness in my chest. I took a slow inhale and curled the bill of my baseball hat as I waited for a guy to finish slurping from the fountain. Hordes of people milled about the Welcome Center, a cluster of shops and information booths, as they waited for the resort bus to arrive. A group of elderly ladies toddled toward the bathroom, sporting panicked looks of weak bladders and a desperate need to go.
I took my exit cue and hurried toward the pier, grabbing a sip from the now-free water fountain on the way. Ten minutes prior, I’d torn down the ferry’s ramp, begging my stomach to show mercy until I found a toilet.
I'd love to see more! Please send the first 25 pages in an attached word document to queries at azantianlitagency dot com along with your query and a 1-2 page synopsis. For the subject line, please use Requested Material and the title of your manuscript. Thank you!
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ReplyDeleteIn the body of the email, include your query along with a brief biography noting other projects (wip), if applicable. As a word document attachment, forward the first 20 pages.
In the subject line note "New Agent Request".
Thank you!
Ninja agent Clelia Gore here! Would love to see the first 50. Please send in Word doc format to Clelia@martinliterarymanagement.com with the query. Please indicate "New Agent Contest" in the re: line. Thanks!
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