Esme Symes-Smith (MG Fantasy)

Author: Esme Symes-Smith (@EsmeSymesSmith)

Age Range: Middle Grade

Genre: Fantasy

Agent: Megan Manzano, D4EO

The Query Letter:

Dear Megan,

I was very excited when you liked my #PitDark pitch--PETER PAN+THE GIVER On his 13thbday, the Empire will steal Laurie’s imagination and destroy his only friend, the imaginary Joanna. To escape, Laurie must abandon his brother +learn to put himself first. But the past tempts him back against Joanna’s jealous will #PITDARK #MG #F -- as I was planning on querying you today anyway!

In half-magical Laurie’s world, the Empire begins stripping away children's imaginations at thirteen in preparation for a focused life, but after witnessing the damage to his older brother, Dakin, Laurie wants no part in it. Besides, no imagination means being severed permanently from his only and imaginary friend, Joanna.

Terrified of a lonely, magicless life, Laurie and Joanna grasp at his mother’s old fairy-tale, The Moon Path, and try to make it real. The Moon Path is the only way to escape across the sea without help or permission. But going means leaving Dakin behind once and for all, and Laurie’s loyalties are split.

To make matters worse, Joanna is becoming possessive and corporeal the closer they come to leaving and the memories of his lost relationship with Dakin pull Laurie away from her. Laurie must accept that he longer needs Joanna as a crutch, and face the full force of her wrath to save his brother—even if that means sacrificing the last hope of the Moon Path and his own freedom.

Told in a dual timeline similar to Laura E. Weymouth’s The Light Between Worlds THE MOON PATH is an upper middle-grade fantasy complete at 57,000 words, and will appeal to fans of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

Thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you,

Esme Symes-Smith