Kingdom of Stars and Dust
BY kellie parker Query Letter
I’m seeking representation for a 99,000-word YA fantasy, KINGDOM OF STARS AND DUST, which I submitted to you last fall, but since that time I’ve followed your suggestions to make major revisions and shorten the word count.
In a world where magic is a death sentence, seventeen-year-old Aria makes a crushing discovery. Since being abandoned by her parents as a child, all she’s ever wanted is to help the innkeeper and his wife who raised her. But her gnawing suspicion she doesn’t belong is confirmed when her birth mother’s amulet is stolen, unleashing her hidden ability to see into others’ memories.
When her uncontrolled magic flares up in front of the king’s soldiers, Aria flees for her life. If Captain Thios Ederla can catch her, he’s all but guaranteed the promotion that will save his dependent mother and sister. But soldiers aren’t the only ones pursuing Aria, and Thios reluctantly promises to help her recover the necklace when he discovers a mysterious connection to his dead father.
On the run, with Aria’s magic slowly consuming her mind, she and Thios fight their growing attraction and race to track the necklace before they’re found by an ancient enemy. Aria’s ability to time-shift may provide the answer, but using her magic will cost her the one thing she never expected to gain—her relationship with Thios.
I’m a stay-at-home mom with degrees in biology and nautical archaeology. I also write inspirational romance as Kellie VanHorn, and my first romantic suspense will debut with Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense in December of 2019. In addition, my short contemporary romance is a finalist for this year’s RWA® Golden Heart® Award. Ideally, I’d love to partner with a literary agent who would consider representing both my mainstream YA fantasy and inspirational romance work.
KINGDOM OF STARS AND DUST is available in full upon request. I’ve pasted the first three chapters into this email for your convenience. Thanks so much for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.
About
Age Range
Young Adult
Genre
Fantasy (Traditional)
Word Count
99,000
Book Link
The book that landed me my agent still hasn't sold. We sold a different book instead: https://www.amazon.com/Thin-Air-Kellie-M-Parker/dp/0593526007/
Agent
Ali Herring
Query Stats
Year Queried
2019
Number of Queries Sent
28
Number of Full Requests Received
4
Number of Offers of Representation
1
Number of Months Spent Querying This Novel
9 months
Years Spent Writing Before Getting an Offer
10
Number of Manuscripts Queried Before This One
1
Publication Status of The Book Queried
Went on Submission but was Shelved
Years Spent Writing Before This Book was Published
13
Note to Querying Writers:
This query letter to my agent was a resubmission after revising. I first queried her eight months earlier in September 2018. She wrote me back a personalized rejection with helpful feedback, which I implemented prior to querying her again in May 2019.
The book we sold (Thin Air, a YA thriller), was the third book we took out on submission.