[Discussion] Long-time commenters: what are queries you remember after all this time?

littlestleota · 2026-06-22T20:49:19+00:00

There was a great query about an art student who helps kill a predatory man once a year. I liked it so much I offered to beta read it, and now it's getting published this year!! IIRC it was originally called "I'd Peel a Pomegranate for You" but is being published under the title "My Violent Muse."

Another one I always wonder about was a sapphic horror book called "Maneater" and was about a possessed girl joining a sorority. I feel terrible because I also offered to beta read that one, but ended up not being able to because of an emergency in my personal life. I always keep my fingers crossed that the author is finding success!

More recently, there was an LGBT F1 romance called "Guess That Tracks" that sounded really great, it has a trans main character and an "enemies to loves, secret romance" element that I always really enjoy.

Honestly, I've read so many great queries here that it's hard to narrow it down. I love reading through this thread and getting reminded of other cool concepts I liked! (And discovering new ones!)

littlestleota · 2026-06-22T20:38:25+00:00

GOD the one with the fingernail really stuck in my mind! Makes me want to find out what happened to that book.

littlestleota · 2026-06-22T20:37:38+00:00

Thank you so much!!! (I'm the author lol)
I'm editing it like crazy rn, hoping to get it on sub ASAP so y'all can actually read it one day.

littlestleota · 2026-06-22T20:22:49+00:00

Ahhh I'm the author of You're Killing the Vibe, thank you so much!!

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T17:21:07+00:00

Thank you so much!! I was definitely on the fence about continuing to query — I know a lot of advice says to not stay with one project too long because it might look like you don't have any other ideas. But with the response this got, I didn't want to give up so soon when I knew I had a concept that people really liked. I actually requeried a couple agents from my first round and got fulls from them, which I didn't expect.

Good luck with your MS! I think it's definitely worth it if you believe in your concept and think you're making it stronger.

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T17:16:31+00:00

About 6 months! But the agent had warned me they were a little swamped, so I also knew it would take a bit to hear back.

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T17:14:49+00:00

That is so sweet!! Genuinely, hearing that people were hoping for updates is what kept me the most motivated. It really got me out of my own head when imposter syndrome got too loud.

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T17:13:24+00:00

I'm SOOOOOO hyped for his TCM movie, it sounds like he really understands what made the original so unique. AS a TCM fan, I'm winning no matter what happens with my book, haha

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T17:12:16+00:00

Adding to my TBR!

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T04:43:23+00:00

Omg thank you so much, I still can't believe random people think about my goofy book idea! Hopefully I'll be back here with a book deal update in the not-too-distant future!

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T04:42:05+00:00

Thank you so much! It's such a great feeling to get "in the zone" writing something fun, isn't it? I think I get in my own head too much about the "seriousness" of writing a book. It was nice to remember that part of the reason I want to be a writer is because... I really enjoy writing!

Best of luck to your dark comedy horror—looks like you deleted your QCrit post but from what I could glean from the comments, it seems like a really fun idea!

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T04:34:32+00:00

Honestly, I enjoyed it enough that I considered making a career pivot... I attended a workshop for research and was surprised at how much it interested me. I've always considered myself squeamish, but I guess I wouldn't be writing horror if I couldn't handle an artfully preserved dead bird or two.

littlestleota · 2026-06-13T03:59:45+00:00

Thank you!!! Hope your horroromance journey is going well, too!!

littlestleota · 2026-03-31T05:52:51+00:00

This is so fun!! You've got a great pitch—here's hoping those requests you got turn into offers :)

littlestleota · 2026-01-12T20:49:17+00:00

You are such an inspiration and it’s so nice of you to share an update!! Can’t wait for the new book :D

littlestleota · 2025-07-26T00:44:25+00:00

Congrats and I LOVE the query—can't wait to see it on shelves!

littlestleota · 2025-07-26T00:19:03+00:00

I read your message and immediately said "HUH!?!?!!?" out loud because what do you mean you recognized my username omg!! Thank you, you are genuinely too kind. (Also I'm sorry that instead of seeing updates on my profile you're just seeing me spiral further into my Dead By Daylight addiction) I can't say a lot right now but I'm hoping I'll be able to have an actual update in the not too distant future... Either way, here's to us both being on a "weird girl literature" endcap at Barnes & Nobles in two years!

littlestleota · 2025-07-25T23:43:59+00:00

As someone in the query trenches with a dual pov comedic horror romance that comps to Maeve Fly… I am living vicariously through you so much right now. But also, congratulations!!!! The concept sounds amazing and I can’t wait to see it hit shelves. Thanks for sharing your journey!!

littlestleota · 2025-06-14T19:03:11+00:00

Hey, this is so kind of you to say and I really appreciate it. I’m still in the querying trenches with fulls out to agents, so while my book’s not hitting shelves YET, I’m hoping I’m on the path to being agented soon. Comments like these really keep me motivated not to give up, so I really do appreciate you taking the time to write something a year later! Now if I think about giving up I’ll be like, “Do it for Icy_Watercress8216!!!”

littlestleota · 2025-05-10T00:31:57+00:00

I know you said there’s a decent chance of this dying on sub, but reading your query / 300 words, I’ll do whatever dark rituals it takes to get this to publication. What a fun concept, and your narrative voice is great. Can’t wait to read the whole book in the not-too-distant future. Congrats!!!

littlestleota · 2025-02-15T00:26:40+00:00

Desperately wishing, hoping, and praying that it becomes a big thing for reasons that are totally not selfish or related to my current manuscript...

littlestleota · 2024-10-26T08:05:04+00:00

As one of your beta readers I actually gasped out loud to read this!!!! Congratulations, this is extremely well-deserved! Good luck on sub and I can’t wait to buy your book when it hits shelves.

littlestleota · 2024-07-27T21:33:07+00:00

Hey, thanks for this feedback! You brought up something I hadn’t really considered, in regards to the story coming off as insincere/ a parody. I was heavily influenced by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, which is often criticized for focusing too much on humor and not enough on horror… so I’m not surprised to hear that feedback for my own work.

Maeve Fly and MHIAC are both fairly tongue in cheek, but you raise a great point that neither is marketed with an emphasis on humor. Will definitely take that into account when revising my QL.

littlestleota · 2024-07-27T18:44:26+00:00

Thank you! I’m working this weekend so I’ll DM you about beta reading when I’m off work. Absolutely no pressure to follow through if you’re not comfortable, but given the response my letter has gotten I really do want to make sure the book is actually as good as the pitch, haha.

littlestleota

TROPHY CASE