BODY MAGICK: Cover Letter

Hi everybody!

I have been working on my cover letter to agents for my fantasy novel Body Magick. I will be sending it out to agents with sample chapters starting in a few weeks. It still sounds "dry" to me. Thoughts? You can comment here or on the document itself using this LINK. 

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Hello: 

I am writing to inquire about potential interest in a unique Young Adult (YA) fantasy series I am working on, titled Body Magick. This series stands out with its innovative blend of YA fantasy and Science Fiction, offering a fresh and intriguing reading experience. Each book in the series operates as a standalone work, ensuring full reader engagement without requiring prior knowledge of the series.

Synopsis: When the dark stranger came to the village Word, he opened the door to worlds beyond anything they could have dreamed of. Three children were born in the Village of Word, on the same eve, at the same time, with their fates intertwined. The old man they called The Hand wrote on their bodies a story and a prophecy. One to become a hero. One to become a queen. One to become a god. And, the fate of kingdoms came crawling to their door. 

The series' premise is derived from The Anthropic Cosmological Principle (1988) as described by John D. Barrow and Frank J. Tipple. Essentially, the protagonists of the series exist in a virtual world created by a cosmic computer that is “storytelling” as part of its evolved programming. Though not explained in the first several books, evidence builds through flashbacks and events that seem to repeat as more than memory: seemingly “magical do-overs,” if you will. 

Not unlike The Chronicles of Narnia, the events of the Body Magick series will all happen in the same universe. However, after the first novel, the subsequent works will focus on different characters’ points of view, with overlapping narratives and time frames that are reminiscent of Holly Black’s works, such as the Modern Fairy Tales series. Other structural influences on this work include Julio Cortázar’s Hopscotch (Rayuela, 1963), Jorge Luis Borges's story “The Garden of Forking Paths” (“El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan”, 1941), and Isabelle Allende’s The House of the Spirits (La casa de los espíritus, 1982).

The series draws thematic inspiration from strong YA influences, including Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games series, Sarah J. Maas's Court of Thorns and Roses series, and Veronica Roth's The Divergent Trilogy, among others. As a YA literature professor, my extensive reading in the genre has shaped the series, making it a familiar yet unique addition to the YA fantasy landscape. The series as a whole could be categorized as “romantasy”. Though sexual themes are light in the first novel, they will intensify in subsequent installments. 1 A brief sample and concept art are available below. Thank you for your time. 

Christopher Jason Smith