Successful Queries: Claire Friedman and “The Fast Track,” by Angelica Cheng
Find a query letter to agent Claire Friedman (Inkwell) for Angelica Cheng’s debut YA F1 novel, The Fast Track.
Welcome back to the Successful Queries series. In this installment, find a query letter to agent Claire Friedman (Inkwell) for Angelica Cheng's debut novel, The Fast Track.
Angelica Cheng is a Shanghai-born YA and romance author whose books feature messy, ambitious girls trying their hardest despite the cards being stacked against them. Her debut novel, The Fast Track, is a YA rom-com about an ambitious racer who dreams of becoming the first female F1 champion only to find her plans going off-track when she catches feelings for her biggest competition. It comes out August 4 from Simon & Schuster BFYR.
Here's Angelica's original query to agent Claire Friedman:
Dear Claire,
I am seeking representation for THE FAST TRACK (~80,000 words), a contemporary YA that combines the rivals-to-lovers arc of Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon with the feminist overtone of Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach. This manuscript was selected as a RevPit 2024 winner. I am querying you because you represent Ava Wilder and M.K. Lobb.
Seventeen-year-old Justine Kwong has one goal: to become a Formula 1 champion. The problem is, no female driver has come close. Ever.
After years of sacrificing a normal teen social life to pursue racing, Justine is offered a coveted chance to move to England and drive in Formula 3. She’s one step closer to her dream, even if half the paddock—her handsome but obnoxious teammate Cameron Evans foremost amongst them—thinks she’s just a “check-the-box” diversity hire.
Eager to prove she’s more than the token girl, Justine takes a risky gamble that results in an on-track collision with Cameron, earning her the reputation of a reckless rookie and ruining both their pre-seasons. Their mutual hostility only escalates when they both become contenders for the only open Formula 2 seat—the next rung on the ladder to F1. As punishment for their constant bickering, their team principal tasks Justine and Cameron with the tedious project of re-assembling a vintage race car. As they work side-by-side, she learns there is far more to her teammate than his arrogant, pretty boy façade.
With the racing season underway and time in her contract ticking, Justine must not only figure out how to reinvent herself to secure the F2 seat for next year, but also navigate her increasingly complicated feelings for the teammate who stands in the way of her F1 dreams.
Check out Angelica Cheng's The Fast Track here:
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Here's what Claire liked about the query:
THE FAST TRACK was an easy request for me. I loved Angelica’s comp titles (two books I loved!), and it was immediately clear from her query that she had a strong understanding of both the market and my list. The opening hook grabbed me right away: Seventeen-year-old Justine Kwong has one goal: to become a Formula 1 champion. A clear protagonist, a compelling goal, and a commercial premise -- what more could an agent ask for?
I’m also a sucker for F1, despite being a terrible driver! I love a high octane setting, and was intrigued by Angelica’s fresh take on the genre. Most F1 romances are between a driver and a layperson, so I was excited to see Angelica’s main character in the driver’s seat (literally and metaphorically!).
Angelica puts the chemistry between Justine and Cameron front and center -- which I love to see! -- but she also touches on meatier subjects that feel tailor made for book club discussion. I could tell THE FAST TRACK was going to be fun and romantic, but that it also had depth that would keep readers coming back for more. I loved this book from the jump, and can’t wait for it to hit the shelves this summer!
Here are Angelica's thoughts on the query and publication process:
What everyone tells you is true: Publication is a grind and not for the faint-hearted.
I’ve wanted to be an author all my life, but it was only in 2020 that I decided to sit myself down and finally write a full-length novel. Two years and many drafts later, I decided I was ready to query. A slew of rejections later, I realized I was not, in fact, ready to query.
So I took what was then already my fifth draft and re-worked it. Again. I was lucky that I got accepted into two programs during this round of revision: the Inclusive Romance Project, where I met my mentor Jamie D’Amato, and Revise & Resubmit, where I worked with the fabulous Joel Brigham on a full developmental edit.
With Joel and Jamie’s insights, I again re-worked my manuscript. (I think I was on draft 12 or 13 by the time I finally got to querying again!) But the upfront work paid off. As soon as I signed with Claire, she declared my manuscript good to go and off to sub we went! (Thank goodness, because I don’t think I had it in me to do another round of edits at that point.)
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Claire Friedman joined InkWell in 2016. Originally from Salt Lake City, Claire spent three years working for her local indie bookstore, The King’s English, before moving to New York to attend Columbia University. Claire graduated with dual degrees in English and History, and continues to have stress dreams about the core curriculum. Claire is actively seeking upmarket and commercial fiction in the adult and YA categories, with a special focus on book club fiction, thrillers and suspense, romance, and anything with a speculative edge. More on what Claire is looking for can be found at: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/claire-friedman/.
