Successful Queries: Laura Schreiber and “How the Story Goes,” by Andrew Forrester

Welcome back to the Successful Queries series. In this installment, find a query letter from agent Elizabeth Harding (Curtis Brown, Ltd.) to editor Laura Schreiber (Avon/William Morrow) for Andrew Forrester's debut novel, How the Story Goes.

Andrew Forrester is a writer and former English teacher whose work has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and Parents magazine. He holds a PhD in 19th-century British literature and lives in Austin, Texas, with his family. How The Story Goes is his first novel.

Hi Laura:

It is so nice to hear from you! I think our paths have never crossed officially, and I’m glad to know that we both are members of the Jennifer Lynn Barnes-fan club! I’m sorry for the slow reply – your email arrived just as I ducked out for an extra-long weekend.

Your email actually landed in my inbox at the perfect time – I have a talented writer who I’ve been working with on a different middle-grade project, who actually wrote an adult debut novel. We were both very surprised!

The project is A TRUE WONDER by Andrew Forrester, and it will be Andrew’s debut novel. Because adult fiction isn’t my forte, we had the manuscript professionally edited and the revision is now finished and ready to go. I was just getting my act together to send it out.

Here is a quick summary of the project:

Whit Longacre is a mystery novelist who’s trying (and failing) to fulfill his late wife’s dying wish: that he complete the final installment of her mega-hit children’s fantasy series. Merritt Pryor is an MFA dropout, doing all she can to keep from being identified as the inspiration for her ex-boyfriend’s scathing new novel, The Grad Student. When the two of them begin working together to crank out the final book, they each find their way back to writing and their working relationship grows into something else. But Whit’s confusing feelings of grief and Merritt’s desire for independence complicate things, putting the completion of the book in jeopardy and causing both writers to question who they are and what they want. 

Andrew teaches high school English and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and four kids. He’s terrific and a really good writer.

Would you be interested in getting a first look at the project? If so, I’d be happy to send it to you.

Warmly,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Harding, VP | CURTIS BROWN, LTD.

(she/her)

Bookshop | Amazon

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I absolutely loved how the story felt nostalgic and timely all at once. As a former children's book editor, I appreciated the focus on a classic children's book series as a creative endeavor and emotional heart, and I also liked the imperfection inherent in both main characters' backstories that made me very curious to get to know them. 

I was so pleased for the book to land in the hands of an editor who really got it: the world of the story, its characters, its humor, and the heart behind it. From our first conversation, I knew Laura was going to be a great partner in bringing this story to life. My response to each of her suggested edits was basically, "Well, duh, yes, of course," and I can't think of a nicer experience when it comes to revising something you really care about. The whole process was a joy!

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LAURA SCHREIBER edits a diverse range of fiction at Avon and William Morrow, including romance, mystery, book club, and genre titles. She works with a number of bestselling authors including Stacia Stark, Alta Hensley, and Brooke Fast. Before joining William Morrow in 2024, she edited numerous New York Times bestselling and award-winning novels for adults and young adults. She grew up in Port Angeles, Washington, and attended Barnard College in New York City, where she began her publishing career after graduating.