I actually got a little more writing time over the weekend than I expected to get, which was good. I still have a bunch of stuff left to write, but I'm getting closer to finishing. I even wrote the first draft of my query. Let me know what you think...
Dear Agent,
After a childhood spent bouncing between 13 foster homes, 15-year-old Harley’s just spent nine months in juvie and is on his last chance when he’s placed with a brother he never knew existed. Wolfe, who has managed to build a successful life despite his own turbulent past in the foster system, offers Harley a chance at stability—something Harley never thought he’d get. But as Harley steps into Wolfe’s home, he’s a nervous, broken shell of a boy, too afraid to unpack his bags, convinced he won’t be there long enough to make it worthwhile.
As Harley struggles to find his place in this new world, he fights the overwhelming fear that if Wolfe learns the truth about his past—about who he really is—it will destroy any hope of a secure future. Then, in a new school, he meets Meg, a tough yet kind drummer in a punk band, who sees through his walls and offers him a rare sense of belonging. But when Meg warns him about the bad crowd that’s already starting to pull him in, Harley ignores her advice, hoping these friendships will finally give him the connection he’s always craved.
When his choices lead to violence, Harley’s relationship with Wolfe is pushed to the breaking point. Now, Harley must face the consequences of his actions and summon the courage to speak up for himself, even if it means revealing the long-held secrets he’s sure will ruin everything.
A Stranger to Kindness is an X-word contemporary YA novel that explores trauma, family, and identity through the eyes of a boy struggling to find his place in a world that has never given him a home. It will appeal to fans of Andrew Smith and Laurie Halse Anderson.
After moving to a new country every two or three years throughout my childhood, I now live (and write) in New Zealand. My short stories have appeared in Halfway Down the Stairs, Residential Aliens, The Barrier Review, A Fly in Amber, Everyday Fiction and numerous anthologies including recent Voyage YA anthology Just Above Water. I have published five YA novels with a small press and am a contributor to writing blog Operation Awesome, offering weekly advice to writers as agony aunt, O’Abby.
Per your guidelines, you will find the first X chapters and a synopsis below.
Thank you for considering my work. I look forward to the possibility of working together.
Warm regards,
Kate
Would you want to read this book?
My goal this week is to keep going, keep writing. I figure I have about three chapters to write in the middle to connect things up to where I skipped forward. Then I need to re-work the ending to make things a little tougher for my characters and write the epilogue. And I think that's all there is left to do.
I'm sure there will be more that will come up as I edit and as my crib group keep reading, but I'm getting there...
What are your goals this week?
This is a good query, but I think you need to hint at Harley's secrets because this will hook the reader and agent more. Also, shorten what you say about the brother in the first paragraph. In the bio, I think you should focus on your YA books rather than the short stories since this is a YA book. Good luck with this.
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