Alyssa Jennette
Literary Agent
Stonesong
I ask a lot of questions. Painfully earnest. Art school grad (MICA '10). Literary agent at @StonesongNYC . Silence is not peace.
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q7. Romance/Women's fiction. Not a genre I rep, and no sample. Pass. #10QAJQ8. Why must we subject so many female characters to rape as a shortcut to feel horror/anger/sympathy? No pages to boot. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q6. PB. Eh. Just not grabbing me. Pass. #10QAJQ7. Romance/Women's fiction. Not a genre I rep, and no sample. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. Historical mystery set in a place/culture I know nothing about. I'm intrigued! Definitely going to consider this one further. #10QAJQ5. Literary. This is a case of a book that is probably great for someone else, and there isn't anything WRONG. Just a no for me. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q2. Another query where I reread it multiple times but still can't figure out how the pieces fit together. Pass. #10QAJQ3. I just don't care about male characters in midlife crises who have a lot of female suitors. It was boring then, it's boring now. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q1. Speculative. A common premise can be livened up with SURPASSING writing. Otherwise, it's just...common. Pass. #10QAJQ2. Another query where I reread it multiple times but still can't figure out how the pieces fit together. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Goooooood morning! #10QAJQ1. Speculative. A common premise can be livened up with SURPASSING writing. Otherwise, it's just...common. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q9. Very much a "guy" novel. Not for me. #10QAJQ10. No query and the writing isn't there. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q6. PB. Very cute with great, varied read-aloud elements. Needs some tweaking, but very worth further consideration. #10QAJQ7. Literary. The writing just isn't there. (Tip: please don't use food to describe skin tones.) Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. PB. Rhyming couplets are an automatic strike against any PB. This one is STEM-focused though; I may ask for a rhyme-free revise. #10QAJQ5. Literary. High word count and not terribly interested in the concept. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q2. YA SF. I reread this query three times and I still can't make heads or tails of this plot. Pass. #10QAJQ3. Historical. WAY too short and I don't really rep this genre. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q1. Literary fiction. Opens with a woman getting fridged for manpain reasons. Pass. #10QAJQ2. YA SF. I reread this query three times and I still can't make heads or tails of this plot. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
It's that time again! Let's get this knocked out before the PW Star Watch party! #10QAJQ1. Literary fiction. Opens with a woman getting fridged for manpain reasons. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q9. LitFic. Seems overstuffed and confused. (Oh, the importance of a concise query!) I have no idea where to place it. Pass. #10QAJQ10. YA. There are a lot of elements here I enjoy, but the sample doesn't start in the right place & I'm not DYING to read on. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q8. A referral from an editor friend--I asked for some pages. We'll see! #10QAJQ9. LitFic. Seems overstuffed and confused. (Oh, the importance of a concise query!) I have no idea where to place it. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q6. Another retelling of an oft-retold story. I appreciate that retellings are evergreen (I love 'em), but find new subjects! Pass. #10QAJQ7. YA. Tropey. Tell a story; don't rely on a death/a "sad book" concept to make your emotional impact for you. Make it REAL. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q5. MG. A retelling of a story that gets retold/rebooted ALL the time. I'm afraid there's no need for another in the market. Pass. #10QAJQ6. Another retelling of an oft-retold story. I appreciate that retellings are evergreen (I love 'em), but find new subjects! Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q4. I'm not your girl for most historical/most high fantasy. It's nothing personal! Just a taste thing. Pass. #10QAJQ5. MG. A retelling of a story that gets retold/rebooted ALL the time. I'm afraid there's no need for another in the market. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q3. UrbFan. Humor/quirk can be great in a query, but not if it makes the plot hard to discern. Focus on facts, THEN style. Pass. #10QAJQ4. I'm not your girl for most historical/most high fantasy. It's nothing personal! Just a taste thing. Pass. #10QAJ
Literary Agent
Alyssa Jennette @AlyssaJennette
Q2. An illustrator. Good work, but not sure I want to take on illo-only clients right now. I'll keep it for further consideration. #10QAJQ3. UrbFan. Humor/quirk can be great in a query, but not if it makes the plot hard to discern. Focus on facts, THEN style. Pass. #10QAJ