Sunday, May 6, 2012

The Elevator Pitch

My agent surprised one of her followers today by offering him the opportunity to present his “elevator pitch”. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it means to sum up your novel in a mere sentence or two. In other words, you're on an elevator with agent/editor and have a captive audience until the doors open. Must talk fast.
In this day and age, summing up your work in a sentence or two has never been so crucial. Not only for spontaneous requests from an agent to pitch in 140 characters or less, but also due to the fact that many folks read their emails on smart phones. Think about it, how far will someone be willing to “scroll”? You’ve got to grab their attention, and fast!

And what better way to try them out than on fellow writers. To get our little pitchfest started, I’ll lead off with mine as the first comment. Also, if you like what someone else has written, please let them know by clicking on the “reply” button under their pitch. After all, we writer’s need to stick together and need all the encouragement we can get!


***All comments are being approved but blogger seems to be having issues and they are not appearing below. Have contacted tech support. Sorry for the delay.


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237 comments:

  1. When her young daughter asks to camp out to meet the latest teen sensation, a suburban mom is forced to recall her own secret past – a broken heart, an impulsive letter to Hollywood’s hottest 80s movie star, his surprising response, and the unlikely romance that followed. Inspired by a true story.

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    1. Ann Marie, I can't wait for you to share this story with the world! I absolutely love it! :)

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    2. Definitely intriguing and sounds like a great read!

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    3. What a great story and then that it's inspired by true events...icing on the cake :)

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    4. Inspired by a true story always gets me intrigued. Good luck with this one.

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    5. Hey, this sounds really cool, Ann Marie!! Look forward to reading it when it comes out! =)

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    6. Hey Ann Marie, I've awarded you the Sunshine Award! I couldn't find anywhere else on your blog to post this, so please excuse me just posting it here :) More info about it can be found here - http://aewelch.com/2012/05/10/and-the-sunshine-fell-upon-me/

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    7. This isn't usually the genre I like, but it sounds really good and I would check it out!

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  2. How fun, Ann Marie! Here's my pitch--just for the fun of it! ;)

    When sixteen-year-old former ballerina, Alice, learned she was terminally ill she made a list of things to do and people to ruin––all her scores were settled, until she went into remission.

    www.andimjulie.com

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    1. Your pitch is awesome, Julie, no wonder you had agents fighting over you :)

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    2. Agreed! I'm sold.

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    3. I think I saw this in a contest somewhere and fell in love with it immediately :)

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    4. Where's the button to purchase this book?

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    5. OOHH!!!!! Want to read it!!!

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  3. When fifteen-year-old Anna loses her father to war, she grows fiercely attached to her dad's dog-eared airplane, which is wired with a spark of magic—the power to soothe her fears and warn her of danger. But if she's to face her grief and pursue her big-world flying dreams, she may have to let go of the little plane forever.

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    1. This sounds wonderful! I haven't seen anything like it on the shelves!

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    2. Thank you so much! I'm having a hard time figuring out what to compare it to in my query letters. I'm sure there's something, but I'm unaware...

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    3. Have you read Charles Stross? He writes a series that crosses over between worlds, which may be similar.

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    4. I haven't! Thanks for mentioning this.

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  4. Oh what a fun idea! Well, here's my 35 word pitch. :^)

    When seventeen-year-old Gwen Masterson opens an enchanted book that whisks her back in time to Camelot, she must fight against Merlin's scheme to marry her to King Arthur while an evil sorceress plots Gwen's death.

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    1. Very cool concept! Totally makes me want to read more!

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    2. Awww, thanks hun! <3 Here's hoping an agent agrees with you. ;^) And the masses too for that matter!!

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  5. Great idea! Thanks Anne Marie!

    Here's my pitch...

    It is a season for killing blondes and a brunette lottery winner never has an alibi when dead bodies turn up in dumpsters near her favorite haunts.

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    1. This would catch my attention .... even in an elevator!

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  6. Sounds like fun so I'll give it a go!

    When his unofficial investigation into his father's recent death uncovers deep-rooted corruption and disturbing links to his mother's decade-old murder, Agent Kit Malcolm of the Mars Investigative Unit is forced to fight not only for the truth, but also for his life.

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  7. This sounds like fun, thanks Anne Marie!

    When sixteen-year-old Hailey Scott is diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, she thinks her heart will never be the same, but—after a chance encounter with drummer Declan—she decides to take a risk and fall in love one last time.

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    1. Valerie, I love that we're all over these pitch contests and other contests! BTW, I would definitely pick up your book if I heard this pitch!

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  8. Sara Bolinger a beaten down housewife, a lout for a husband. Childhood trauma of an alcoholic father. A scar for proof and now...her imaginary friend that protected her in her youth has returned. Why now? Why the basement?

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    1. My mistake...I pitched this in an empty elevator...lol

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    2. I'm intrigued!

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  9. Awesome idea, as always!

    Tev Chrisini is a soldier who can't die, caught in the middle of a war that won't end. When a scheming young woman sends a seemingly simple mission awry, Tev finds himself on a race against dark forces to recover a legendary book: one that holds the secrets of his past - and the keys to his future.

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    1. Interesting! I'll read it!

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    2. Sounds like a big chunk of a book. One that I would read.

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  10. Freya's depressing life in foster care turns upside down when strange visions & rage set her true destiny in motion. #ya #fantasy #adventure

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  11. I want to play. :) Thanks for doing this!

    Erwin is in hell. Locked in his high school with a small group of students, including his ex and her obnoxious new boyfriend, as the undead try to claw their way in.

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    1. Totally creeptastic! Love the environment set just with that quick pitch :)

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    3. Thanks April!
      And I forgot to include the title. (Whoops.)
      FLESH-EATING ZOMBIES AND EVIL EX-GIRLFRIENDS

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  12. Thanks for doing this!

    Set in the romantic Virgin Islands, Lighthouse on Tortola follows the adventures of a photojournalist who seeks to help a tour guide clear an innocent person’s name and find evidence against a wealthy adversary.

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  13. Ok, I can't re-write this anymore tonight! Oh, and for anyone that comments.. I picked the name 'Christian' because it seemed to fit his personality best. Since then I've noticed -a lot- of Christian's in YA, so it will likely be changed just as soon as I find another name that speaks to his personality. <3




    With the life of his sister hanging in a balance that he knows nothing about, young pianist Christian Bishop must face not only his deepest fears, but the darkness of an unknown and ancient power. In saving his sister though, he may have to sacrifice the soul of one he’s come to love.

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    1. Okay Ray, did you really think you could come to this blog, mention the name "Christian" and slip away easily? :) Just kidding. But hey, the name seems to resonate with folks...ride the wave!

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    2. Christian is just a sexxxy name. Think Nip Tuck. Mmmhmm

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    3. I know it may sound weird, but I have only found one or two names that may work, one of them being 'Brendon'. Blah. You fangirls and your names!

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    4. Ray think about just saying- In saving his sister, he may have to sacrifice the soul of one he's come to love. Also if having the name Christian bothers you so much why not just shorten his name to Chris.

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    5. That's a good idea! It's not that I dislike the name, I just had no idea of its popularity when I gave it to my MC. Knowing me I'll just let it stick, and if an agent/editor ever reads my story he/she can tell me to change it. I'd be like, "You'll represent me or buy my book if I name him Beauregard?" Beau it is!

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  14. Awesome concept. I love all these entries and wish I could read everyone's book!

    I like to think of the pitch as your hook ie; the first line of your query. Just for kicks and giggles here's mine.

    At Willems Department Store, no one survives long on the night shift, and sixteen-year-old Daniel Gale is about to find out why.

    Cheers!

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    1. Love that pitch, Bethany! Gets the story across quickly with just enough information to keep us wanting more...no wonder an agent snatched you up!

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    2. Bethany, I've been excited to read this book since I read your QT success story. Wish you much luck!

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    3. Wow, I really like this pitch! It's one of the shortest ones I've seen, yet it does a fantastic job conveying what the book is about and what's at stake. Awesome job!

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    4. This is great. It got my attention!

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    5. Perfect pitch, Bethany! Unique concept, presented simply, but with just enough "creep" to intrigue. Bravo!

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    6. WHY DON'T THEY? I want more. :).

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  15. Here is my elevator pitch I guess:

    Sixteen-year-old Aisling Boville must use her unwanted necromancy powers to solve a string of murders and clear her name–it’s too bad dead bodies make her nauseous.

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  16. Thanks Ann Marie! What a wonderful opportunity! It's my life's ambition to be agency sisters with you and Julie--and that's not an exaggeration.



    When seventeen-year-old Lana Kavanaugh’s dad vanishes, he leaves behind one cryptic message: the name Blaine O’Sullivan scrawled on a business card for Gallagher’s Pub in Kilkenny, Ireland. Lana soon blows off senior year and hops a plane for the Emerald Isle, but, as she finds herself swept into her dad’s Irish folklore research, she realizes there are some who will kill to keep their heritage hidden.

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    1. Ooh, I like this! Love the setting in Ireland and the mysterious danger!

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    2. Mystery, globe-trotting, and maybe a little romance? I'm in!

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    3. You had me at Kilkenny, Ireland. We had a great trip there, so I love the setting already. :) Of course, the story sounds interesting too!

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    4. This seems like a really fun read

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  17. Here is my pitch:

    Zeus' secret daughter is in danger from his enemy, she is sent to earth with Zeus' elite guard and Alexandra's new lover. With the help of the Angels they are able to hide out in human host bodies that have major problems themselves...all is well until the danger eventually finds them.

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  18. Hah! That's a riot! I was that elevator pitch!

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  19. Oh everyone's are so good, but here's mine for DEPENDENTS:

    Their moms were friends, their dads were not. Despite, and sometimes in spite, of their parents; Matt and Jackie will spend forty years determining whether love can withstand not only the test of time, but the trials of growing up.

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    1. Cute. Sort of a When Harry Met Sally story. Sort of. I'm intrigued to see if you can carry this out. Would definitely read the first pages if I were an agent!

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  20. Here's my pitch for Between Land and Sea...

    After a mermaid is aged, weathered and abandoned, she embraces her middle-aged body, heals her bruised heart and learns to live and love again.

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  21. Great job on yours, Ann Marie! Here's mine:

    When 16-year-old Emma’s best friend drowns, she must master her unwanted ability to manipulate emotions to find out what really happened before she becomes the next victim of the ruthless creature responsible.

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    1. Sounds cool, do you have a title?

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  22. With a week left before ending her summer in France and returning to her home town of Chicago, Lynn takes a road trip with friends to a remote mountain village that inadvertently changes her forever. There, she is sent deep into the world of rural France as it existed centuries ago, and apparently, still does.

    There are some amazing elevator pitches out there!

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    1. I love stories that sound like you may slip through some type of wormhole to go back into time :)

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    2. But that's it - there is no wormhole. That is what life is really like where I am living now.

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  23. You always have fun things going on over here!

    Here's mine.

    When eleven-year-old Chloe is assigned locker 43 on her first day of middle school, she begins finding some unusual surprises inside. As she searches for the culprit, she tries to resist the truth . . . that her magical secret could be hiding right behind her locker door.

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    1. Thanks Dee...Just trying to bring writer's together :)

      LOVE the mystery...want to know what's going on in that locker!

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    2. Your pitch is really good! It makes me want to know what's going to happen in the book :-)

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    3. As a MG writer, I love this pitch! Got to love mixing middle grades and magical mysteries, good job :)

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    4. This sounds great! I love a fun mystery. :)

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    5. This sounds like a fun story and mystery.

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  24. When a science experiment goes wrong, Stephanie Martin's presented the chance to fix all her mistakes in the past. But just how much can she change before she destroys her future?

    Love the elevator pitches here! :D

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  25. Hi Ann - this is a great exercise. Similar to writing a one-page synopsis, it gets me out of my comfort zone. I see a lot of these books are YA; mine is not YA, but I hope it works as an elevator pitch nonetheless, and I hope Erin sees this!

    When Roman David, a celebrated musician in the twilight of his career, receives the first of a string of ominous letters that connect him to a crime of the past, he embarks on a quest to find the source of the letters, a secret that threatens to undermine and jeopardize everything he knows and has worked for. At the same time, his two sons are forced to contend with the damage they have done in the lives of former lovers - women whose lives have been left in devastation or forced into harm's way.

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  26. Friendless Ava finds a home among the Greek gods in the Garden of Eden. When the god of war demands worship from every creature alive, Ava must defeat him before he destroys every nation on Earth- and her new family.

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    1. THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE. Fantasy.

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  27. Hourglass Vintage is a place where past and present mingle, where unlikely friendships flourish, and where anyone might show up--a drunk ex-husband, a drag queen, or the neighborhood witch. But if Violet, the boutique’s owner, cannot come up with a plan to get the store’s finances back in the black, it’s a place that stands to fade to memory along with the secondhand fashions on its sales floor.

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    1. Forgot to mention the title and genre:

      GENTLY USED
      women's fiction

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    2. This sounds like a fascinating store and just from the pitch, I felt like "oh, please make sure it gets in the black!". Good job.

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    3. Susan, this sounds really interesting and I love the line, "a drunk ex-husband, a drag queen, or the neighborhood witch." lol That's a lot of variety. :)

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    4. Interesting mix of characters and an intriguing storyline.

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  28. Thanks so much for allowing us to work on these here! Here's my pitch for UNDER THE TREES, a YA historical fantasy romance:

    After Prince Thor rescues Princess Araya from her father's men, he hides her away in a secluded forest, but both her father and her betrothed want her back, and they will stop at nothing to secure the return of their princess. When the confrontation comes, Araya must face her inner demons and the man who has abused her, while Thor is forced to make a difficult choice: risk his kingdom or turn Araya in.

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    1. Whoa. You totally threw me (in a good way) when I got to the end and saw "the man who has abused her." Definitely changes the story. Nice work!

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  29. Elevator pitch for THE FAMILY VYGIL, MG magical realism

    Jonathan Vygil’s convinced he has the strangest parents ever, and he’d be right, but for all the wrong reasons. They aren’t obsessed with rescuing exotic animals – they’re busy saving monsters.

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    1. Ooh, I like the sound of that. :) I love magic realism. This totally sounds like something I'd read!

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    3. Nice unexpected twist at the end.

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  30. Thanks for this, Ann Marie! Here's my pitch for EVER, a YA paranormal romance:

    Ever Van Ruysdael has a choice: continue pining for the ghost of her dead best friend, Frankie, whom she’s secretly loved as long as she can remember, or move on to her sexy new neighbor, Toby – who unbeknownst to Ever, is a soul collector. Make the wrong choice, and she’ll learn that more than just her heart is on the line.

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    1. Already got me wondering what choice she'll make.

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  31. What a great way to start the day. Thanks! Here goes -my pitch for THE WANTING PLACE:

    A decade after spending their senior year of college together in a study-abroad program, three female friends – a chef, a journalist, and a mother – find themselves yearning to change their lives. When the women reunite in London, the city, and their friendship, helps each of them discover a new chapter. Think "Eat, Pray, Love" meets J. Courtney Sullivan’s "Commencement."

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    1. Sounds like a cozy read, I'd certainly pick it up if this was the blurb on the back.

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    2. I love reading reunion and reinvention stories. This one sounds like a winner.

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  32. What a fun (and useful!) little project! I love reading these! Here's mine, for RUNNING DOWN THE DRAGON, urban fantasy:

    When Thalia Drake is pulled into the investigation of a series of murders, she's the only one who realizes the ominous significance of the clues burned into the victims' bodies. The lives of every shapeshifter hang in the balance, but if Thalia reveals what the symbols mean and her own secrets are laid bare, she risks becoming a target herself.

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    1. Just realized I failed to log in properly before I posted. Ugh.

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  33. Twenty-five-year-old space pirate Trig spent his whole life running. He thought by stealing the fastest ship in existence he could outrun his past; too bad the ship has other ideas.

    Stealing the Sun is 78,000 words of science fiction.

    Thanks Ann Marie, for providing this place to practice our pitch (and alliteration)!

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    1. Wow, you are very alliterate.

      I'm curious about this ship that seems to be able to think. Good pitch.

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  34. Maggie Cooper has a husband, two kids, and a curse that will wreck them all. Breaking the spell means teaming up with dangerous,magic, first love Will. Can Maggie end the curse without losing her family?
    THE WEDDING THIEF - Women's lit fic

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  35. This is fabulous. Ann Marie, you are my writing hero! I need to give you a huge hug immediately (and not in a creepy, stalkery way). =) Here's my pitch for the tentatively titled "Experience Project":

    Experiences define who people become. Lia Meyers's chance meeting with a charming stranger in Scotland thrusts her into an experience that is life altering. She only has to be courageous for one second, to decide if she's ready for her life to change forever.

    *inspired by and loosely based on actual events*

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    1. Thanks Lynn, so glad you're chasing your dream!

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  36. Adella Dowling is a 200 year old Lygos and just met the love of her life, Ian, a member of her rival line, Misolygos. Unlike Romeo and Juliet their love could bring about certain death for both of their kind as well as humanity. Will they fight the attraction or find a way to be together despite the danger? LYGOS is paranormal romance.

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  37. Maggie Cooper has a husband, two kids, and a curse that will wreck them all. Breaking the spell means teaming up with dangerous, magic, first love Will. Can Maggie end the curse without losing her family?
    THE WEDDING THIEF - is women's book club fiction - "The Time Traveler's Wife" meets "Peter Pan"

    Thanks Ann Marie - totally appropriate Seattle Mom girl crush!

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    1. Right back atcha, lady, and LOVE this pitch! You totally have me hooked and it only took three sentences!

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    2. Oh thanks, sister! You must be so busy today!

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    3. Wow, cool comparisons! Sounds exciting...

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  38. Ok, this is too fun so I'm going to be greedy and add another one. Here's my pitch for LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED, my YA novel I'm thinking about revisiting:

    What happens when you mix sophomore girls, senior boys and a secret contest? Innocence lost at the expense of ignorance.

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    1. ooh, older guys and secret contests...now I want to know more!

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    2. Sounds interesting. I want to know what the secret contest is.

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    3. You loose some of the mystery when you answer your own question. Why read the book when you know what happens.

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  39. This is such a fun idea. Thank you for the chance to practice.

    A hidden conversation with his dying grandfather has shattered Ryan's understanding of reality. Can Ryan trust the ethereal Mina and her strange friends to help him prevent their worlds from colliding? Are Ryan's enemies as evil as he perceives?

    Keeper of the Secret is an epic contemporary fantasy.

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  40. What an awesome idea AGAIN! Ann Marie-you are a legend!
    Thank-you so much for doing this, it's great to get writers together. Quickly turning into my favorite blog, I couldn't wait to get here tonight!
    LOVE IT!!!
    @JaneWriting1

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  41. As Jennifer is sent spiraling into a great awakening of her suppressed past she realizes that it is not only her daughter's life that hangs in the balance. The lives of many daughters are deeply interlaced with her own life somewhere in a forgotten time and not one can find rest until she discovers and mends what has been broken.



    The last two sentences of the second chapter follows:

    "As I looked into the forgotten faces of each of the young girls who surrounded me I suddenly realized that it was not the wind that was whispering at all. It was the voices of many girls that I had lost somewhere in time, each one pleading for my remembrance."

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    1. I would suggest shortening it and adding more tension. Your last two sentences seem more interesting then your pitch.

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    2. Thank you very much for the suggestion. I have a hard time pitching and although I feel that I have a wonderfully written book, I feel that I do not convey that well when summing it up. Thanks for the advice!

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  42. I love how much information these short pitches can convey--when they're done well. Thus far, all the versions of loglines for my first book have failed miserably in pitch contests. So I'll jump at this chance to get some feedback on the logline for my WIP, Crow's Rest:

    Avery wants to evict the creature who has taken residence in her boyfriend's body--until she starts to fall for the corbin, and learns sending him back before he has fulfilled his mission will plunge our world into another Dark Age.

    Thanks,
    Angelica (taking a break from the Pens for Paws Auction to do some actual writing)

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    1. You should try shortening it a little more, your loosing some of the tension. Rearranging some of the words might also help get the tension in the book to your pitch. I'm not sure but should it be Corbin?

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    2. Thanks, Stephanie--my Twitter pitch is even shorter

      Avery wants to evict the creature who’s taken over her boyfriend’s body, but if she succeeds the world will be plunged into another Dark Age

      And corbin isn't a name in this case (it's a noun like vampire or werewolf) so it doesn't need to be capitalized.

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    3. Much more tension. I like it.

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  43. After seven attempts on his life, Jerome wants some answers, and the Girl with Brown Eyes, a time-traveler, has them. But when she’s kidnapped, he’ll give up his life and his answers to save her.

    <3 Tracy

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    1. Definitely drawn to the time-travel element, sounds great!

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  44. After Sydney falls for her foster sister’s boyfriend, she learns Brooke is gay. But Brooke won’t give up Corbin and even if she does, Sydney’s mistrust of others may keep her from ever embracing love.

    Frosty is a contemporary YA.

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  45. This is fun! Here's mine:

    Sick of moving from one lame foster home to another, sixteen-year-old Olivia thinks she’s finally found love in handsome, smooth-talking Z, only to find out that he's trying to recruit her into his world of cybercrime.

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  46. Two sentences is so hard, but here's mine!

    When newly orphaned seventeen-year-old Sean Castaic moves into the haunted town of Winter Lakes, he uncovers a secret that the residents had thought was long buried. Many years ago, seven teenage friends mysteriously died with no real explanation and Sean's presence in the town has just set off the chain of events to cause it to happen all over again.

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    1. Great pitch, way to pack a lot into 2 sentences!

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    2. Newly orphaned Sean Castaic just moved to Winter Lakes, he uncovers a secret that the residents had thought long buried about the seven friends mysterious deaths. Now Sean's presence in the town has just set off the chain of events to cause it to happen all over again.

      Just a thought. For a pitch you don't need to get age specific. When you say years your already letting the person know that there are several. Beware of getting to wordy in your pitch. Save the words for your query. Creating tension in your listener is vital.

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    3. Thanks, Ally!

      Stephanie that's an interesting point. I just feel that if you say orphaned by itself, you automatically think of a younger child. Maybe using the less specific "teenager" term by itself? Let's try:

      When newly orphaned teenager Sean Castaic moves to Winter Lakes, he uncovers a long buried secret about the mysterious deaths of seven friends. Now Sean's presence in town has just set off the chain of events to cause it to happen all over again.

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    4. With an elevator pitch specifics become secondary. The whole idea is to get your elevator buddy to begin asking questions. You have began to spark questions. In the end go with your gut. You know the book best.

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    5. With a week left before ending her summer in France Lynn takes a road trip with friends to a remote mountain village that inadvertently changes her forever.

      Leaving it like this starts your questions. Why is her life changed? This is your most powerful sentence. The rest are more like fillers for a synopsis.

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    6. Sorry my computer went funky on me. The above was meant for Lynn Deasy pitch.

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    7. Lina, your rewrite of this pitch had me interested, so I would say the story is intriguing. But the shorter, less specific one had me going "aaand then?"

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    8. Thanks, Olivia! Getting people interested is half the battle! I've always struggled with pitching this particular story because it's so involved and every detail is important. It's a supernatural mystery so I have to balance giving enough detail without giving the whole story away.

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  47. Elise finds a 13th-Century illuminated French manuscript that tells the story of identical twin vampires turned during the Cathar Crusade in 1224, one a priest, the other a knight. When she seeks a translator for the manuscript, she meets Michel, one of the twins, and is drawn into his world.

    Bishop / Knight - Erotic Paranormal Romance.

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    1. Love the title. Ovetones of chess.

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    2. Thanks! I was going to title it "Grimshaw" after the Chess problem, and a very rare Grimshaw, the Knight and Bishop interfering with each other, which is exactly what happens in the novel due to a love triangle. :)

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    3. Oh! That's cool. That's *very* cool. I think I actually like that title better :)

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  48. Thanks for this. Letme know what you think xx

    Can a heart so damaged by betrayal ever learn to trust again? Especially when the one asking has the power to destroy her.

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  49. Wow - so many elevator pitches. I randomly went down and read a handful (very little time to myself lately!) Here are my thoughts on those few:

    @andimjulie: awesome. Love it. Who wouldn't? That Molly is a lucky broad.

    @Joanne Guidoco: as a brunette I am seriously digging this!

    @Parker Meador: Basement? Intriguing. Tell us more.

    @Rachel Schieffelbein: Scary. Sounds great. Is it finished? If so, how long?

    @Bethany Myers: OOOO - sounds creepy. Love creepy!

    @Lynn Deasy: Sounds intriguing. Is this time travel or no?

    @Trent England: Sound very complicated. Is it contemporary? Finished? Who's audience?

    @Vivi B: Cool - like the twist here.

    Some were too short to really form an opinion. I'll try to come back and do a few more later this week. All - great efforts!

    Thanks for playing!

    Erin

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    1. Erin, no time travel here. This is a narrative nonfiction placed present day, rural France. Who knew a donkey used to kept in the basement of my(600 year old) house?

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    2. @Erin and other brave souls...There is something in the basement thats comforting and reassuring, something from Sara's past, an imaginary friend name Isabelle who was there for her all those years ago when she had to deal with events children shouldnt have to deal with...and now as her life is crumbling around her once again, Isabelle comes to her but the situations different. She now knows that Isabelle was just a way for her young mind to bend but not break.(My advice would be to go into the basement with Sara and find out just exactly what is waiting there..Just ask and I will tell you where the door is....)

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  50. The Partners...Chameleon Lies (in 140 for a tweet) The Partners recover stolen property & hire Robert Edwards. His deception follows him through smuggling, Cuban transvestites, drugs & death.

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  51. I swear I was planning on posting all along--not just because we now know Erin is watching. ;-)

    Hunter Friskin just discovered he's an angel; too bad he's on the run for murder.

    Now he has to learn the secret of his heritage before an ancient war reignites on Earth, bringing an end to Hunter and everything he holds dear.

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  52. Just another day for this world famous literary agent when a mysterious man, pitches the most fantastical book idea she has ever heard on her daily elevator ride. She is transfixed and when the doors open onto her floor, she steps out into a world that is just like the one that has been described to her by the man who has now disappeared...???

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    1. Awesome. Seriously, I would read that this second.

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    2. My head just exploded...but in a good way. Nicely done, Parker.

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  53. Social worker Adrian Montgomery's search for a missing child leads him through a doorway into a faerie world where dreams are alive and nightmares are deadly; in order to find the child and escape, he must evade hostile faeries, navigate a treacherous landscape and face his worst nightmares -- literally.

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  54. University student Mia Romano might have unique magical powers, but she wants nothing to do with them or the supernatural -- until her friend is murdered by a demon. Determined to stop further murders, Mia teams up with Liam Donnelly, a handsome young professor with unique abilities of his own, to find and destroy what the demons seek -- the ancient and powerful Bloodstone. (Urban fantasy).

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    1. Sounds interesting. I'm curious what Mia's "unique" powers are, as well as Liam's.

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  55. Ricky Jensen, a 1930's blues musician, sells his soul at the crossroads for fame and fortune. When his time is up, he gets out of the deal by handing over a powerful song. 80 years later the song is released upon the world and spreads like a virus, infecting people.
    Michael Decker, a modern-day musician, may be the only one who knows how to stop it. But how do you stop a song?

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    1. I hope there's a heavy blues and 30s feel in this because if so it's right up my alley. :D

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  56. In a time when people choose their genders, sixteen-year-old Nine wants to be Remade into a boy, hoping it will make her brave. But when her shuttle crashes on the way to the Remake facility, Nine learns bravery isn't just for boys as she fights to survive and return to a life she isn't sure she wants anymore.

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  57. As a genetically engineered gladiator, Axia is programmed with one motto: kick ass and don’t ask questions. But when she discovers her genes were manipulated beyond The System's rules, she sets out to find the real reason behind her creation.

    Beyond The Dreams - Adult sci-fi - 85,000 words.

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    1. I love this! Reminds me of A.T. but with a teen heroine, which is why it sounds awesome.

      Good luck!

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  58. Elevator pitch for my latest crime novel "Finagle's Cconstant - its so difficult to get it to only 2 sentences but here goes ... When a Bristol accountant’s wife is murdered and after the disappearance of his entrancing PA, Maeve, he takes revenge strangling the murderer, one of a drug smuggling gang, hiding the body. His search for Maeve, who he is falling in love with, takes him to Tipperary under cover of a camping holiday with his children, during which he has sightings of the dead man. Is it a twin or a ghost? A friend’s betrayal leads him to a final shoot-out in Bristol with unexpected revelations.

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  59. Finagle's Constant - Crime fiction

    A Bristol accountant takes revenge on his wife's murderer, who is one of a gang of drug smugglers, and under cover of a family camping holiday sets out with his two children to Ireland to find Maeve, his entrancing PA who had disappeared. On the journey, he glimpses sightings of the dead man. Is it a ghost or a twin? A friend’s betrayal leads him to a final shoot-out in Bristol with unexpected revelations.

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    1. Okay just saw this. Makes a lot more sense but you still give more detail then you need to.

      The only part of the last sentence that you should use in your elevator pitch is unexpected revelations.

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  60. What a great share, Ann! Thanks for hosting this. There are some truly intriguing pitches listed so far—I'm definitely ready to buy a few! :)

    I've never tried two sentences for my romantic fantasy novel, KYRESA—honestly, I was thrilled to get it down to four—but here goes:

    Kyresa, the last immortal Anjelle, has raised her kingdom with the life-giving power of her voice for almost a century, while her tyrannical half-brother Rahzine has nearly destroyed his own. In a deceptive plan to replenish his people, he sends Kyresa a handsome soldier with whom she finds a passionate, blinding love...but will this love come at too high a cost?

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  61. When a commitment phobic man receives a marriage ultimatum, not from his long term girlfriend, but from his best friend instead, it begins a comedy of errors that will either solidify his relationship or leave it in shambles.

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    1. Sounds like a great book... and a great film!

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  62. I got so excited, I forgot to say thank you... what a wonderful idea!!!

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  63. What a great idea Ann Marie! Thanks for doing this - what a great way to focus the mind! Love the postings so far, so many great ideas. Here's my pitch, for my novel Severe Weather Warning, set in northern England:

    Julianne Pearson's convinced she's left her troubled childhood behind and made it to normalville with a husband, baby and house on a quiet cul de sac in the best part of town.
    But when a new job opens doors to a world and opportunities she never dared imagine, her life falls apart, as she is torn between the husband who has only ever let her down, a new man she has met too late, and the demons of her past which are determined to force the choices she will make forever.

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    1. Nice characterization and I like the voice in the first line. Sounds like a good read. :)

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  64. Awesome idea. :) So many great stories on here, especially some of the YA ideas (love YA!). I hope some will find homes soon so I get to read them in a few years. :D

    I'll play!

    "As their lives collide over a series of deadly animal attacks, three high school girls combat their inner madness--courtesy of the beasts lurking beneath their skin--and search for the frenzied killer who may be one of their own."

    -YA Urban Fantasy-

    Thoughts? ^_^

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    1. Okay, tried the 140 character Twitter challenge and cut back to:

      "As they combat an inner madness courtesy of the beasts beneath their skin, three girls hunt a frenzied killer--who could be any one of them."

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    2. Sounds fascinating. I think it was wise to get rid of 'as their lives collide' as it sounded a little vague. I'm definitely intrigued. :)

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    3. Okay, when is the cover reveal?

      I love this. Well done, Olivia.

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  65. Fascinating! I'd buy every one of these! Thank goodness I haven't had to compete with you writers--yet.

    Jane

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  66. Wow, what a fun idea! Here's mine:

    Hauled into a hidden, magical civilization in the sixteenth century, a shy, teenage bookworm must embrace the destructive powers she never knew she had, to protect her ancestors from a war she doesn't know she started.

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    1. I'm glad to see this! Nice to know where you're going. :)

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  67. Twelve-year old Justin is on the run for arson because nobody believes a dragon set the fire. To clear his name, Justin accepts a quest to save the dragons from extinction, but if he fails he will never see home again, not even juvenile hall.

    Amazing how difficult this is...

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  68. I love your blog, Ann! What a great idea, thanks!

    Sixteen-year-old Lila Kelley is the key to unlocking the gate to hell. Now, she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save the ones she loves…from herself.

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  69. OK....still a work in progress, but here's pitch attempt number two. =)

    Lia Meyers and Alastair Holden weren't supposed to cross paths, but a chance meeting in Scotland changed that. She's cautious and timid about love. He's running from his past. She wants to experience, he wants to escape. Neither of them are looking for love, and neither can seem to avoid it.

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  70. Let's see how well my two sentence pitch works.

    When God goes AWOL, righteous demon Liam and angelic lover Mikael become pawns in the battle for Heaven. Victory means losing everything they've built together, and each other.

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    1. I pitched this on Twitter and Ms.Niumata asked to hear a bit more. Unsure if the follow-up tweet was seen or if an emailed synopsis was wanted, but just in case I'll post my follow-up tweet here :)

      Liam & Mikael have been secretly together for centuries, but now they must decide to whom their loyalties lie.

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  71. Two sentences is a thoughy!

    Eighteen year old Lana is sent to The End World - a devastated parallel planet - to set up with truth with the survivor's leader. But when she finds out the leader is the man who killed her father, she needs to make a choice: follow her orders and develop peace, or avenge her father and risk war.

    The End World - 60,000 words - YA sci-fi

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  72. Alright Ann Marie - here goes:

    When fourteen year old Brenna Morgan learns she has the ability to stop time, she becomes the target of the Society of Six, a thousand year old secret society seeking to use her abilities to awaken an evil as old as time itself.

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    1. I love this! The idea of manipulating time...great concept!

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  73. Hey Ann Marie - this was posted by me R Scott Whitley - @societyofsix on Twitter

    Computer Issues - UGH! ;)

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  74. Exiled, Colette must forge an alliance with her brother's killer to save her empire from slavery or face her own ruin.

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  75. Thanks for the second chance to pitch!

    Thrust into a scenario fifty years in the making, Dee Robinson stives to bring together two historic relics and save a struggling business. How could she know the forces she battled dominated the entire island of Saint John?

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  76. Thanks for the opportunity to pitch!

    When 17-year-old Sophie befriends a boy who possesses infinite knowledge, she must help him hide from an enemy seeking answers or become a target.

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  77. When murder is commonplace in dystopia, his gift allows the dead to reveal their killers. But another with a gift means a deadly game begins

    marc nash

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  78. Thanks, Ann Marie and Erin for this opportunity:

    Symbiosis is a 94,000 word speculative fiction, mainly fantasy with threads of horror, erotica and scifi. It’s about Ki, who doesn’t know she’s the daughter of the goddess Ishtar and the last corporeal Leumen. Raised as a Minoan princess, her homeland sank 4000 years ago but she still thinks she’s just a human with a few odd traits.

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