H.J. Reynolds – author

For any unpublished author with a Twitter account, #PitchCB is the stuff of legend. On the fourth Friday of every month, the UK literary agents of Curtis Brown invite Twitter pitches. Here are the guidelines.

On 22 April 2016, I joined the hoards – probably about 300 of us – with this:

1653. Oliver Cromwell’s England. New recruit Lady Audette vows to spy for her exiled King. Lie. Dissemble. Steal. But will she kill? #PitchCB

— H.J. Reynolds (@reynoldsauthor) April 22, 2016

It was my first go and I wasn’t successful. However I was curious as to what did catch the agents’ attention. For your delectation and education, I present the successful eight from April 2016:

Jonny Geller’s likes

#Pitchcb March train station. A man with a secret waits. A woman with a secret watches. 1 life lost. 1 life saved. 4 lives changed forever — Darren O’Sullivan (@darrensully) April 22, 2016

Having changed trains a few time at March station out there on the Fens, I could well believe it. And:

#PitchCB New Zealand. One boat accident. One gang. One Gun. Two brothers. One Guitar. One Love Story. One childhood. Three Islands #Aotearoa — rebecca wixon (@Bexmana) April 22, 2016

I really enjoyed Rebecca’s blog No sleep, thanks Mr Geller about her reaction.

Rebecca Ritchie’s likes

A dead girl’s diary can only reveal so much.Her friends create an online vigilante group attacking the bullies behind her death #PitchCB#YA — Janelle McCurdy (@SeekerJBeliever) April 22, 2016

And:

Secrets of forbidden love rip a family apart. Her life a sham, Clara’s search for identity ends in Sicily and old wounds are healed.#PitchCB

— Jan Baynham (@JanBayLit) April 22, 2016

I loved Jan’s heart-warming blog about what happened next, especially as it includes the line “I did what I’ve done for the last few months: prepared a tweet pitching my novel.”

Richard Pike’s likes

The Channel between them, sisters have never met, will they go to their Grandmother’s funeral? Time secrets old + new came out #PitchCB — Asha North (Hick) (@TheBabyBishBosh) April 22, 2016

And:

#PitchCB 1981 Jules wrote a bucket list, things to do before 50. 35 yrs on she starts to cross them off, but should she try & find Will Cox?

— Kate Calcutt (@WordUp86) April 22, 2016

Emma Bailey’s likes

TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE meets OUTLANDER when 17yr old Australian girl is haunted by the echo of a love more powerful than time#pitchcb #YA — Léonie Kelsall (@leehotline) April 22, 2016

Abbie Greaves’ likes

In a market glutted with bot-as-best-friend books, this pb asks “Can a robot replace human friendship?” without ever preaching #PitchCB #PB

— Katelyn Aronson (@MademoiselleK8) April 22, 2016

Goodnight and good luck with your Twitter pitches

I hope you were inspired to tweak your tweet. I might try some numbers in the next one – ’10 commandments, 7 deadly sins, 2 traitors, 1 King’ perhaps?

All the very best of luck to the authors featured. For the rest of us, may the fourth (Friday) be with you!

About the author

H.J. Reynolds has an action adventure about Royalist spies in Oliver Cromwell’s England. The manuscript is complete and she is now seeking an agent. You can contact her at helen[at]hjreynolds.co.uk