Kickass Queries Series! # 12 - Emily R. King

It's baaaaaaaaack!!!

I know it's been a very long time since I've been active on this blog, and for an almost equally long time, I've wanted to change that. As a result, I've decided to bring back the Kickass Queries Series installments, wherein authors share the query that nabbed them their agents. It's fun, it's useful, and y'all seemed to really appreciate the last go-round, so it felt like the perfect way to ease back into the blogosphere.

Here today to kick off the brand new series is Emily R. King, who not only scored representation with Marlene Stringer at Stringer Literary Agency, but also recently sold her book to Skyscape for Publication in 2017:

 CONGRATULATIONS, EMILY!!!

Curious to know how Emily went about pitching her book? Well, you're in luck. Because not only has she shared the query, but she's also answered a few questions to help those who want to follow in her footsteps. Let's start with the query:

Pitch for YA fantasy, THE HUNDREDTH QUEEN:

Rajah Tarek claimed ninety-nine wives and countless courtesans before he came to Kali’s temple looking for his final queen. When she sees his gold carriage, she knows a benefactor has arrived. She knows he will pick the prettiest, strongest girl. And she knows with her plain looks and history of fevers it won’t be her.

She is mistaken.   

                                  

The rajah claims Kali, ripping her away from her simple life high in the mountains to his desert palace. But before she’s to wed him, Kali must defend her position as his final wife in an age-old rank tournament, battling to the death against young courtesans vying for her throne. In this competitive female hierarchy, sabotage rules. Kali’s only peace is found while in the company of her kind imperial guard. A man she’s forbidden to love.

When Kali’s fevers prove to be more than an illness, but a feared power, she agrees to aid a warlord and end the rajah’s tyranny. Her one chance of being alone with Rajah Tarek—and killing him—is on their wedding night. A wedding that will only take place if she sacrifices the love of an honorable man to end the reign of a monster and is crowned the hundredth queen.

Pitch for YA fantasy, THE HUNDREDTH QUEEN:

Rajah Tarek claimed ninety-nine wives and countless courtesans before he came to Kali’s temple

looking for his final queen. When she sees his gold carriage, she knows a benefactor has arrived.

She knows he will pick the prettiest, strongest girl. And she knows with her plain looks and

history of fevers it won’t be her.

She is mistaken.

The rajah claims Kali, ripping her away from her simple life high in the mountains to his desert

palace. But before she’s to wed him, Kali must defend her position as his final wife in an age-old

rank tournament, battling to the death against young courtesans vying for her throne. In this

competitive female hierarchy, sabotage rules. Kali’s only peace is found while in the company of

her kind imperial guard. A man she’s forbidden to love.

When Kali’s fevers prove to be more than an illness, but a feared power, she agrees to aid a

warlord and end the rajah’s tyranny. Her one chance of being alone with Rajah Tarek—and

killing him—is on their wedding night. A wedding that will only take place if she sacrifices the

love of an honorable man to end the reign of a monster and is crowned the hundredth queen

WOW, am I right? And here's what Emily had to say about her querying process:

G: How many manuscripts did you query prior to signing with your agent/publisher?

ERK: I queried four manuscripts before signing with my first agent; I signed with my second agent after querying one manuscript; and I was on submission with two manuscripts before signing with my publisher.

G: How long did it take to write your query/pitch, and what things/steps do you think were most important to make it agent/editor/contest-ready?

ERK: I suggest that writers compose their pitch before they draft. A pitch is a snapshot of the premise. The more specific yet concise a pitch is the stronger the manuscript will be. This is why I write the pitch before or while drafting. Catching a weak spot in my pitch has prevented larger revisions in my manuscript later. Also, writing a pitch while drafting helps fine-tune your story before your brain is bogged down by unnecessary details. After your manuscript is written, it can be a monumental task to condense thousands of words into an enticing 250-word pitch. In the drafting stage, the story isn’t as ingrained in your mind. You can more easily filter through what’s necessary and what’s clutter. 

G: Tell us about your query style – do you approach your entire list of prospectives at once, or query in small batches and revise in between?

ERK: First: Research, research, research! Utilize websites, social media, and your writer/author friends. Follow agents and editors on social media and introduce yourself to them at writer conferences. Visit literary agency/agent websites. Know who is currently open to submissions, what their guidelines are, and their feedback style. Write down everything you learn and form lists of ten or so agents. When your manuscript is ready, send the first ten queries. After a few requests/passes, send another ten queries. Query in small batches so that if you receive feedback for revisions you haven’t botched your opportunity with every agent in the land. Most agents are amenable to revisions, but only if they request them.

A query is your one shot to make a good first impression. So have a finished manuscript, study the agents you query, and be ready with another story to work on. Don’t wait for good fortune to come your way. Write. This will be hard, especially when you’re tempted to check your email constantly, but writing is the only true cure for querying anxiety. 

G: Now the fun part – what was “the call” like? How did you know your agent/editor was the right person to represent/publish your project?

ERK: Querying is like dating. Don’t look for a girlfriend/boyfriend, look for a spouse. For many reasons these agent/client partnerships, although well-intended, don’t always work out. Suffice to say, a year after signing with my first agent, we amicably parted ways. I reentered the query trenches with a manuscript no editor or agent had seen. Within a week, I got an offer from an agent who shared the same vision for my career. I had found my match.

This story has a happy ending, but some writers are still looking for theirs. I’ve been approached by writers who are unhappy with their agent, but terrified to “start over.” No writer should stay in a stagnant business partnership, risking their career because they’re afraid of querying again. To those of you in this situation—have every confidence in your writing. An agent offered you representation before and it can happen again!

G: If you could give one piece of advice to authors seeking publication, what would it be?

ERK: No matter where you are in your career, you are not alone. Every writer experiences rejection, disappointment, frustration, and makes missteps. If you love to write— and I mean LOVE—you will find a way to achieve your publishing goals.

Thank you, Emily, for your fantastic advice. I know I can't wait to see THE HUNDREDTH QUEEN on shelves (and anyone who feels the same can click the book's title and add it to their Goodreads shelf). Best of luck and thanks again for sharing your query! 

Rajah Tarek claimed ninety-nine wives and countless courtesans before he came to Kali’s temple

looking for his final queen. When she sees his gold carriage, she knows a benefactor has arrived.

She knows he will pick the prettiest, strongest girl. And she knows with her plain looks and

history of fevers it won’t be her.

She is mistaken.

The rajah claims Kali, ripping her away from her simple life high in the mountains to his desert

palace. But before she’s to wed him, Kali must defend her position as his final wife in an age-old

rank tournament, battling to the death against young courtesans vying for her throne. In this

competitive female hierarchy, sabotage rules. Kali’s only peace is found while in the company of

her kind imperial guard. A man she’s forbidden to love.

When Kali’s fevers prove to be more than an illness, but a feared power, she agrees to aid a

warlord and end the rajah’s tyranny. Her one chance of being alone with Rajah Tarek—and

killing him—is on their wedding night. A wedding that will only take place if she sacrifices the

love of an honorable man to end the reign of a monster and is crowned the hundredth queen.

Rajah Tarek claimed ninety-nine wives and countless courtesans before he came to Kali’s temple

looking for his final queen. When she sees his gold carriage, she knows a benefactor has arrived.

She knows he will pick the prettiest, strongest girl. And she knows with her plain looks and

history of fevers it won’t be her.

She is mistaken.

The rajah claims Kali, ripping her away from her simple life high in the mountains to his desert

palace. But before she’s to wed him, Kali must defend her position as his final wife in an age-old

rank tournament, battling to the death against young courtesans vying for her throne. In this

competitive female hierarchy, sabotage rules. Kali’s only peace is found while in the company of

her kind imperial guard. A man she’s forbidden to love.

When Kali’s fevers prove to be more than an illness, but a feared power, she agrees to aid a

warlord and end the rajah’s tyranny. Her one chance of being alone with Rajah Tarek—and

killing him—is on their wedding night. A wedding that will only take place if she sacrifices the

love of an honorable man to end the reign of a monster and is crowned the hundredth queen.