What Grows in the Dark
BY JAq evansmira2024Query Letter
There are no monsters in the Dell. That’s what Brigit told herself sixteen years ago when her sister went into those woods and never came out. That’s what she tells herself now as she uses Emma’s memory to sell herself as a medium and paranormal investigator. Believers are marks, and Brigit is no mark.
Then Emma’s ex-girlfriend calls with an offer for Brigit and her cameraman and co-conspirator Ian: come home to Virginia, discuss a potential job, and get paid for your trouble. Two teenagers have gone missing in the same place Emma died—a birch grove spearing the dark like elephant ribs. But while Brigit’s powers are fake, what lurks behind the trees is very real.
THE SPINNEY is a 79,000-word adult horror for fans of Paul Tremblay with hints of Guillermo del Toro. It’s also an #ownvoices novel with a queer, nonbinary main character, and went through the 2020-21 Pitch Wars mentorship program.
[Bio section.]
Based on your interest in [examples from their MSWL], I hope you'll enjoy THE SPINNEY.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
About
Age Range
Adult
Genre
Horror
Word Count
79,000
Book Link
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/what-grows-in-the-dark-jaq-evans
Agent
Erica Bauman
Query Stats
Year Queried
2021
Number of Queries Sent
~70
Number of Full Requests Received
~30
Number of Offers of Representation
2
Number of Months Spent Querying This Novel
13 months
Years Spent Writing Before Getting an Offer
6
Number of Manuscripts Queried Before This One
1
Publication Status of The Book Queried
Published (Big 5)
Years Spent Writing Before This Book was Published
10+