Bad Caitlin

I apologize, blogsphere. I've been a bit of a failure when it comes to blogging lately.

I meant to write a review of I Am the Messenger and/or Thirteenth Child. I didn't.

I meant to actually sit down and power through my spot of "oh bother, what in the world comes next in this dratted story?!?!" and write something so I could tease. I didn't.

I believe that all of this is due to the case of back-to-school mopes that hit me pretty hard. Actually, I meant to write about that as well (sorry, Tahereh, that's what I meant about the you-esque post). About dealing with writerly and otherwise moping with lots of tea and mom-hugs (Mom, you're the best ever) and some really good Nerdfighter music.

But guess what? I didn't do that either.

What I DID do was watch an awful lot of YouTube videos, talk a lot to this girl here, receive several more form rejections in my querying inbox, and rewrite my query.

So, since said query is the only thing productive I've done in days, and because I quite like this version and would like to make sure it is brilliant and shiny and ready to send out, I shall post it here!

Get out your red pens, readers. :)

Dear Agent o' Awesome:

When Emily Bell is taken from school into London society, she is miserable. Leaving behind her life of books and magic to please her disapproving Mamma also means leaving charming Oliver Wycliffe, a boy she has known for some time and has come to love. She tries to hide her misery along with her magic, writing only portions of the truth to her best friend and her sister. It is only in her unsent letters to Oliver that she feels she can truly be herself, a self she is rapidly losing amidst the London fog.

Emily is jolted out of that fog when Oliver is turned into a white rabbit and disappears, and an untrustworthy magician by the name of Mr. Stanton asks for her assistance with a spell. She discovers that her spell is to be used for dark purposes, and she is the only one who can stop him. Desperate to find Oliver before she loses her love to a cat, and feeling guilty for her rash decision to help Mr. Stanton, Emily must disobey her mother and use her magic. But it also means leaving the safety of her books and risking everything – and Emily’s newfound strength might not be up to the task.

LETTERS TO OLIVER is a YA historical fantasy in epistolary form, complete at 60,000 words, which I hope will appeal to fans of A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY and SORCERY & CECELIA.

I am also working on another YA novel which involves the French Revolution and werewolves.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Me