AGENT DAYS

Good morning! Time to “STOP” – I wish I could keep going, but it wouldn’t be fair to expect an agent to keep coming back to visit incase there are new pitches, nor do they have the time to keep checking for e-mail updates from me. So we’ll have to stick with what we have for numbers.

Okay – so! My new respect for agents has grown by leaps and bounds.

In this ever changing world of publishing, with competition at one of its stiffest points, with new trends, and conferences, and promo opps, etc… Why in the world would we, as aspiring authors, choose to ignore some of the most basic rules out there to make it more difficult for ourselves?

Imagine if you will:

You’ve gotten up extra early, put on your best clothes and driven to a job interview, which you know you are qualified for. You shake hands, give your spin on why you are the best for the job, list your qualifications, and sit back to wait…

Then your prospective employer says: “Did you bring your resume as requested?”

You respond, “Naw, didn’t bother. Figured what I just told you was enough.”

 

Get where I’m going here???

Finding an agent is similar to the job hunting process. If you find one you are interested in – FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES – to the letter.

If you want to do something to impress, follow the guidelines, write an outstanding query, write a damn good story! Not adhering to what the agents ask for is a sure way to wind up in the trash.

Casualties these session:

11 – Missing info

12 – Pitch too long (one by 346 words)

1 – No contact info (and the e-mail bounced back)

 

Kudo’s to those of you who took the time to really follow the guidelines here!

 

Now, onto business.

Welcome to Kimberley Cameron from the Reece Halsey Literary Agency.

Ms. Cameron, please contact me with the number(s) that correspond with the pitch(s) you would like to see, and what/how you would like the author to contact/submit to you.

We appreciate your time!

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#1 – Winner of the MuseTracks Blog ‘Blurb This’ contest!

Paranormal Women’s Fiction with Romantic Elements

After Thoughts and Before

90,000 words

 

All Mallory Donovan ever wanted was a settled life and a little antique shop to call her own. She got it all when her Grandmother passed away. Well, everything but the settled life, that is. Suddenly she’s thrust into the world of the unknown when she inherits a rundown castle that belongs to the estate. And the apparent ghosts, good and evil, that come with it. What she soon finds out, with the help of her Grams, who is supposed to be dead, is there is a blood spell cast upon the castle, and she’s the last of the line to break it or die—before her thirtieth birthday. 

Meeting Trevor Riley, International Realtor, seems like a godsend, until the lines between what is right and wrong become crossed and she uncovers his motivation for lavishing so much attention on her. Issues of trust are put to the test, as Mallory must decide to stay depending on her own wit to claim what’s hers, or leave the place to the evil inhabitant dooming the castle and its past to the blood spell forever.

 

#2 – Contemporary paranormal romance

The found girl
Word Count: 100,000

Jonas Kavanagh’s life has been predetermined. One day he will be king to a magical elf kingdom and he will also be the first in the royal line to take a human as queen. Only two complications stand in his way. First, the human woman fated to be this queen doesn’t believe in love, magic or even the prediction. Second, and far more difficult to overcome, the person assigned the task of finding this human wants nothing more than see Jonas joined with someone else and he possesses enough power to accomplish this.

Alvina McKellen’s life has been one loss after another. Orphaned and unwanted by relatives forced to care for her, then framed by a man who said he loved her, she seeks a new life far from where she began. She sure never expected that new life to involve a frightening man with strange abilities or an unexpected marriage to a supposed king.

Together, a reluctant elf king and a lost girl find passion, love and their destiny together, something not even the most powerful magic of one who would tear them apart can destroy.

 

#3 – Mainstream with Romantic Elements
In the Heart
Word Count: 120,000

After a tragic shooting claims the life of her fiancé, Celia Bailey returns to her small hometown vowing one day to find love again. A year later, she’s finding it difficult to keep that vow when the man occupying her thoughts and haunting her dreams is a man she knows shouldn’t get involved with.

Toby Colton is about to find his new life turned upside down. He has a steady job as a prison guard and is forming ties in the close-knit community he recently moved to. However, one chance meeting on the side of a road brings a string of complications he never counted on.

For the ex-rodeo rider, Celia is one sad cliché after another: the boss’s daughter…his best friend’s sister…and love at first sight. While the two fight a losing battle to resist their attraction, a scheming and dangerous inmate by the name of Vince Monroe sets his sights on escape—and Celia.

When Toby must risk his own life to save a kidnapped Celia, they learn love doesn’t always play by the rules.

 

#4 – Paranormal romance
Loving Emmalyne
Word Count: 65,000

Growing up in a gothic royal castle, young Emmalyne has been in love with the handsome wizard Donovan for as long as she can remember, never believing he is aware of her affections. She watches from afar as he trains to one day take his position beside her cousin, the prince.

Donovan is dedicated to becoming a wise and powerful wizard so when the time comes to serve his friend, Prince William, he will be the best there is. He has more important things to worry about than a small girl’s infatuation with him; namely, exacting his revenge on the vampire Keiron who killed Donovan’s family almost a century before.

When Emmalyne returns to the castle after two years away, now grown and captivatingly beautiful, Donovan can no longer ignore what she stirs inside him. However, before he can make Emmalyne his, Keiron again show up to steal the life of someone he loves.

Keiron is fascinated by the beautifu l Emmalyne and instead of killing her; he changes her, making her into a being Donovan hates the most. Years later, Donovan must decide whether his love for Emmalyne is stronger than his hatred of the creature she’s become.

 

#5 – Contemporary Romance/Chick-Lit
Wedgie Tales and Panty Lines
Word Count:  69,000

When unassuming mail room worker Kate Little agrees to become an underwear tester for a marketing company, things get uncomfortable real fast.  Not only has she never worn “fancy” underpants before, she has to work closely with handsome marketing manager Bryan Eddleman.  And that’s enough to keep her in a constant state of confusion.

Trouble is Bryan’s competing with another manager for a promotion that hinges on the results of the test group.  Kate can’t determine if his sudden interest is really in her or her surprisingly insightful weekly reports on foundation garments.

Add a jealous co-worker out to sabotage Kate’s budding love life, an overly helpful gay friend with nothing better to do than shove her into Bryan’s arms, and a rambunctious teacup dog to the chaos and you’ll have a typical day in Kate’s less than ordinary life.

The last thing she needs is panty lines.

 

#6 – Light Paranormal, Time Travel
Just Beyond the Garden Gate
Word Count:  100,000 words

The Scottish Highlands—a place where fairies and brounies and other fey creatures dance through time. As does Laurie Bernard when a challenge given by the Queen of the Fey forces a banished fairy princess to attempt to unite the burned out business consultant with the 16^th century Clan Chief Patrick MacLachlan while the Clan brounie vows to keep the unlikely couple apart. 

The arrogant clan chief doesn’t know what to make of the strange lass in his arms, especially when he recognizes the brooch pinned at her shoulder as the one his stepmother wore when she and his father disappeared. Laurie sets his blood afire and he’s determined to have her. She’s resolved to return to her own time and the quiet country life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina that she’s always dreamed of, yet she finds her desire for Patrick impossible to resist.

With the fey interfering at every turn, the couple must learn to trust one another while combating an enemy clan, exposing a traitor from within, and discovering the true fate of Patrick’s missing parents. Against all odds, they learn the most important truth…love transcends time.

 

#7 – Mainstream Fiction

The Scent of Humanity

Word Count: 90,000

For as long as they can remember, Silvie and Nick’s lives have been entwined, from the time his father was the investigator on the case of her near abduction to the death of her brother in an accident involving Nick. Now, as adults, their paths cross again when Nick is the detective assigned to the case of her niece’s near abduction and she becomes his worst nightmare when the case closes after two months for lack of new evidence. The Scent of Humanity is a psychological drama centered around the families’ reactions to these events.

 

#8 – Western Historical romance
The Devil’s Daughter

90,000 word ms

The Eve every man imagined entered the Whiskey Spades saloon and left Gade Ryder with a raging desire along with the bill to her drink. Only he’s not in paradise and he plans to make the little Devil’s Daughter pay him back in full.

Returning to Eden, Texas after a twelve-year absence Gade reluctantly agrees to help save the family ranch from rustlers. Had he agreed out of a misplaced family loyalty or had the compelling mystery of the Devil’s Daughter enticed him to stay in a place he didn’t want to be? When the little criminal is accused of murder, Gade realizes his growing attraction for her could not only cost him his freedom, it may well cost him his life.

On the run from her outlaw past, Blaze Marie Austin needs to find a gang of rustlers to repay a debt. She’s stunned to learn she’s suspected of aiding the rustlers and accused of murder. Now, she must choose to trust in a man who’s convinced a leopard can’t change its spots or keep running from a past she can no longer hide.

Will secrets from her past ruin any chance she has of becoming this angel’s wife?

 

#9 – Historical Romance/Georgian

Proof of Love 

80,000 word 

On the evening that Lady Susan Lanier was made the laughingstock of polite society, she gave up on love. The Duke of Danesleigh, an eminent scientist, never believed in love in the first place.

But a duke needs a wife, and Susan needs an escape from a father who can’t forgive her scandalous past.  

Both get more than they bargain for when the Duke’s theories on choosing a mother for his heirs bring them together. Can Susan move out of the shadows that darken her life to prove to the Duke that love may be the greatest experiment of all?

 

#10 – Contemporary Romance
From Baghdad with Love
60,000 words

Private Matthew Evans, the only grandson of political dynasty, is determined to prove himself by working his way up the chain of command. When he is held hostage in Iraq, the only person who can save him is a beautiful Iraqi doctor. But if she rescues him, the terrorists will kill her. Can Matt find a way to get them both to safety without destroying his engagement to the billionaire heiress who is funding his father’s presidential campaign?

 

#11 – Inspirational Historical Romance

Waiting For Spring

Word Count: 75000k 

The newspapers call him Striker. Fast, ruthless, and elusive as a shadow, the notorious government agent is rumored to be an assassin. Prudence Riley, free-spirited socialite, believes otherwise. She secretly writes for an underground paper and her sources tell her he’s honorable, a rescuer of women. So when her parents send her west for temporary shelter, she’s thrilled. At last, a chance to find Striker on his home turf to get an interview that will prove his honor to all. But she doesn’t count on the distraction of her growing closeness with embittered cowboy, Trevor Cruz. Or the danger that lurks in the mountains, testing the faith she lives by and threatening to destroy her hopes of love forever.

 

#12 - Historical Romance

Overlander

100,000 words

Determined to make a fresh start in Oregon, a beautiful orphan stows away on a wagon train. Without any food or equipment, her fate is in the hands of a stubborn wagon master who firmly believes women don’t belong on the trail. Nothing in her background has prepared her to survive on her own in the wilderness, but she soon discovers it is the only way to win the Overlander’s heart.

 

#13 – Contemporary/Rock & Roll/ m/m

Shattered Glass

62,897 words

Liam and Milo, two former members of a mega band, are about to confront each other six years after the end of their love affair broke up the band.  But Milo will have to accept and publicly admit his sexual preferences and Liam will have to grow out of his role as the “little boy”, if they are going to reconcile their love for one another, overcome the meddling of a stalker who knows too much, and try to save their friend and former band mate Rick from a downward spiral into drug addiction.

 

#14 – YA/mystery/paranormal

Do You Hear What I Hear?

56,000 words 

When Emily Parker’s hearing aid falls out during a kickboxing tournament, she discovers her ability to hear people’s thoughts.  She’s afraid of her power and worries her parents will think she’s insane, so she hides her newfound ability from everyone except her best friend Anya.  But when a rash of unusual burglaries rocks her small town and her perfect older sister is framed for the crime, Emily knows she has to use her power to discover the criminals, clear her sister and keep her secret – all while figuring out how to use her power and falling in love with her kickboxing nemesis.  Emily and Anya’s plan only causes further problems for the family, but with the help of other “listeners” in the family, the criminals are caught and both Emily and her sister are cleared of the crimes.

 

#15 – Paranormal Romance

WITCHY WOMAN

80,000  

Stella Cameron is haunted by that night thirteen years ago. The night her Aunt Lou sacrificed her virginity to a demon. Now thirteen years later she’s returned to Silverton , Georgia to bury her aunt along with her painful past.

However, the demon that received her sacrifice has ideas of his own. Alongside immortal protector, Zane Weathers, Stella begins the arduous task of putting things right. In doing so, she must face demonic henchmen, a reincarnated Aunt Lou and a demon with such power, that if loosed on the world, he may very well master the human race.

As they struggle side by side, Stella, afraid to love and trust finds compassion in Zane’s sinewy arms. But can they overcome all they must and still keep the love that has blossomed between them?

 

#16 - Humorous Paranormal Romance

KING ME!

84K words

He’s a mystic king who doesn’t trust women or magic. She’s a modern witch who bows to no man. Too bad they have to work together to find a missing wizard before an evil sorceress captures him. Which just might spell the end of the world. 

Morgan Fairfax and her coven take advantage of the extra power of an eclipse on the night of the Summer Solstice to perform a ritual to bring forth a hero to save the earth from war and global warming. Morgan was thinking of a brilliant scientist, or maybe another Gandhi. Instead, she got King Arthur. Oops. Then it turns out she misplaced Merlin along the way. Arthur is not impressed. The feeling is mutual. Add in political mayhem, Fay LeBeau and her weasel of a son, a bunch of wacky coven members, a famous actress and Morgan’s psychic Scottish grandmother and you have a 83K word Paranormal Romantic comedy that will have you saying, “KING ME!”

 

Thanks again! And have a great day.