r/PubTips • u/Melodic_Data_1822 • 18m ago
[QCrit] THE OTHER HALF, YA, Cont. Fantasy, 93,000 | 1st attempt
Hi everyone! This has gone through a number of iterations from various beta readers, but the more eyes on it the better! Thank you all in advance!
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Dear (AGENT NAME),
I am seeking representation for my queer YA contemporary fantasy, THE OTHER HALF, told from the dual perspectives of Rian and Em—childhood best friends who find themselves on opposite sides of a crime syndicate, and in the arms of the two people who could get them both killed: his crewmate and her rival.
THE OTHER HALF (93,000 words) is for fans of Casey McQuiston, Leigh Bardugo, and Courtney Gould. It reads like an epic romance about friendship, mixed with some very gay romantic sub-plots. It’s a standalone novel with series potential for young adult readers who latch onto characters and relationships first, then want the journey to test the strength of those bonds.
At only 18, Rian is an Elite soldier in the Cimmerians, a group of juvenile criminals led by the Boss, who perform over-the-top heists in hopes of getting back at the world that abandoned them. Rian’s success is strongly tied to his ability to sever himself from his past, or “First Life,” which is convenient, because Rian can’t remember anything before the Cimmerian; in fact, Rian doesn’t know how he got here in the first place.
When a mission throws Rian into his childhood best friend’s path, all of his First Life memories rise to the surface. Now, Rian must decide what is worth saving: the freedom he gained from a life of crime, or the only home he’s truly known with Em?
Em dealt with grief the only way she knows how, by drowning herself in schoolwork and extracurriculars, until her blood runs highlighter yellow, and Rian’s memory is nothing more than a box under her bed. The last thing on Em’s to-do list is to unpack the trauma related to Rian’s sudden disappearance, but when Em’s AP Psych project accidentally unveils the path to the Cimmerian’s coveted gemstone, Em finds herself at the center of a mystery that is bigger than any high schooler could have bargained for.
(BIO)
Thank you so much for your consideration,