[Query Letter] Swallow the Sun

Read the winning entry for our week of February 2, 2025 prompt, Query Letter.

Query Letter for Swallow the Sun
by Amy Sayle

Dear [Agent-who-seems-like-a-great-fit],

I’m delighted to see that you are an astronomy buff with an interest in young-adult novels with STEM and nature themes. I am seeking representation for my YA contemporary novel SWALLOW THE SUN, about a girl’s quest to witness the most awe-inspiring spectacle nature has to offer.

Seven years ago, the heavens aligned, and Bee missed it. And it was all James’s fault.

After missing the holy grail of astronomical events—a total solar eclipse—aspiring astronomer Bee resolved to never again let a friend get in the way of her goals. With the next eclipse 72 hours away, Bee and her older brother will road-trip from Arizona to the path of totality in Texas. But when her sister-in-law develops pregnancy complications, Bee is forced to find another driver. And the only person available? Her ex-friend James.

Bee is certain that James will only drive her mad. As the moon inexorably inches closer to the sun right on schedule, Bee must put up with James’s passionate adherence to speed limits, an unauthorized two-night stop at the Grand Canyon (not on the way), a hitchhiking astrology-loving internet vixen, and road-related mishaps. Along the way, Bee will have to confront her changing feelings for James and consider whether the journey might matter more than the destination.

SWALLOW THE SUN will appeal to fans of smart STEM-loving heroines like in Ali Hazelwood’s young-adult novel CHECK & MATE and Talia Tucker’s roadtrip romance RULES FOR RULE BREAKING.

I am a former research scientist who communicates astronomy to the public in a planetarium, on a blog, and as a longtime volunteer at Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual astronomy festival. I’m a member of SCBWI and the North Carolina Writers’ Network. This manuscript won SCBWI’s 2024 Work-in-Progress Award.

The first ten pages of SWALLOW THE SUN (complete at 70,000 words) are pasted into your query form, as requested. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Amy Sayle

A Note From Our Guest Judge, James Spackman

This is really tight and well judged. I love how you've kept all the important elements in play: the eclipse concept, the 'ticking clock' pace and the relationship/emotional dynamic. The phrasing is really neat and concise, so I'm getting all the information while also being delighted and intrigued by phrases like 'the heavens aligned, and Bea missed it' - I can see the posters! You work the comparisons superbly (while showing admirable restraint not shoe-horning Lessons in Chemistry in) and your bio is wonderfully coherent with the book itself. The last sentence of the opening para needs to work harder but otherwise it's fab.

About Amy Sayle

Amy Sayle communicates astronomy to the public in a planetarium, on a blog, and as a volunteer at Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual astronomy festival. She’s a member of SCBWI and the North Carolina Writers’ Network. In a previous life as a research scientist, she published in scholarly journals incredibly boring articles about sexual intercourse and orgasm during pregnancy. Her manuscript SWALLOW THE SUN won the 2024 SCBWI Work-in-Progress Award in the YA category.

This piece was written in response to the prompt Query Letter.