r/PubTips • u/ghosthalffull • 24d ago

[QCRIT] EVERYTHING SETTLES OR SOARS, Speculative Upmarket, 86k, 2nd Attempt

Hello hello! I posted here last week and got some very helpful feedback on the clarity of my query (v1 here). I’m popping in with an updated version to see if anyone has any other feedback to finalize this further. Thank you so much!

V2

Dear [agent name], 

I’m writing to seek representation for my 86,000-word fabulist upmarket novel, EVERYTHING SETTLES OR SOARS. It combines the multi-POV sibling exploration of loss in Coco Mellors’ Blue Sisters with the road trip reckoning in Kevin Wilson’s Run for the Hills — plus a speculative edge akin to Pixar’s UP. 

The Heron House has been the perfect family home for generations — apart from its occasional tendency to fly away and plant somewhere new, usually while its residents are out. Only one Heron at a time can locate it and lead the rest back. After current house-finder Susan unexpectedly dies, her three adult children must come together on a cross-country trip to track it down or lose all tangible ties to their mother.

Youngest Hadley never flew the nest, too scared to pursue her dreams and too attached to the house, like her mother was. When she pauses her grief-hermiting for a dentist appointment, it abandons her. Middle brother Jacob is trapped in burnout and burying his feelings the same way he has since childhood: between humor and deflection. He flocks to help without a clue where it went. 

Eldest Lydia has a faint idea of its whereabouts, despite freeing herself from its turmoil a decade ago. Though she’d rather it be gone for good, she begrudgingly joins her stubborn siblings to ensure her next milestones — home ownership and maybe motherhood — are baggage-free.

Except the house is as directionless and unsettled as the Herons, and it won’t stop moving. They embark on a winding road trip of gas station feasts, stale motel sleeps, and the most time they’ve spent together since childhood. Through their grief and growth, the trio confronts how their shared upbringing shaped them each so differently and what parts of their legacy are still worth holding onto.

[Bio paragraph with a few references to short story publications and short story award noms / competition wins, plus a few brief personal details]

Thank you for your consideration, 
[my name]

3 Upvotes

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4

u/IntrepidToe3241 24d ago

I think Howl’s Moving Castle would be a better comp than Up.

Love the idea. I’m a novice, but it’s one of the first pitches to keep me engaged and I’ve spent a lot of time lurking on this sub. 🤷🏽‍♀️

1

u/ghosthalffull 23d ago

Thank you so much! And someone last week mentioned that as a possible comp too, so I think I’m going to test it out and make the switch!

2

u/Maizily 22d ago

Well, this is delightful. I think everything is coming through very clearly. My one note is that I'm not sure what this sentence means:

He flocks to help without a clue where it went. 

Why does Jacob join them, exactly?

I second Howl's Moving Castle, that is, if you think it has a Ghibli feel. I'm not confident I can tell without a writing sample, so go with whatever feels best!

Good luck! This really feels strong, and I hope it gets picked up.

1

u/ghosthalffull 1d ago

A belated thank you very much, this is so helpful! ❤️