West of the Sea
BY stephanie willingviking2023Query Letter
I am excited to introduce you to WEST OF THE SEA, my contemporary fantasy for MG readers. The main character has a dry Texan wit to her that I’m hoping hits your humor buttons. Also, WITCH BABY is one of my favorite books of all time, and as fellow Block fans, I think we might be a good match.
The local gossips say Mama ran away from their drought-ravaged Texas town. But 12-year-old Haven West knows what she saw—Mama looked distinctly reptilian the night she left. When Haven falls into the Brazos River and transforms as well, she discovers the family secret: they’re kitskas, an evolution of selkies. With her new gills and visions of prehistoric creatures to guide her, Haven may be the only who can find Mama alive.
Merging evolutionary history with Celtic mythology, WEST OF THE SEAis MG literary fantasy, complete at 58,000 words. Fans of Lindsey Eager’s HOUR OF THE BEESandAnne Ursu’s BREADCRUMBS will enjoy this new blend of old world myth, unforgiving landscape, and vocal misfits.
This manuscript was revised during PitchWars 2017 with mentor Hannah Karena Jones, managing editor at Running Press. I also have three complete picture book manuscripts. In July I graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing for Young People from Lesley University. I’m an active member of SCBWI, and I’ve taken courses through the Writer’s Voice program in NYC. I am originally from Texas and now live in Brooklyn, New York, working as a stage actress, Pilates instructor, and audiobook narrator. Thank you again for your time.
About
Age Range
Middle Grade
Genre
Fantasy (Contemporary)
Word Count
58,000
Book Link
https://watchungbooksellers.com/item/ymASTSSKIbaTosydfs_csA
Agent
Alexandra Levick
Query Stats
Number of Queries Sent
20
Number of Full Requests Received
8
Number of Offers of Representation
3
Number of Months Spent Querying This Novel
5 months
Years Spent Writing Before Getting an Offer
4
Number of Manuscripts Queried Before This One
0
Publication Status of The Book Queried
Published (Big 5)
Years Spent Writing Before This Book was Published
9
Note to Querying Writers:
I was originally signed by Brianne Johnson, but I transitioned with Alexandra Levick during the pandemic when she moved from being Brianne's assistant into her own agenting.