This query is part of the Be an Agent for a Day contest. Rules and Regulations here
Please post your rejection or manuscript request in the comment section!
Dear Agent for a Day,
People asked me, “What’s trucking like? What’s it really like out there on the road?” My short answer never varied: “You have to like being alone.” In The Driver’s Seat — Interstate Trucking, a Journey is the long answer and the only literary memoir to emerge from the world of American long-haul trucking.
I drove 18-wheelers cross-country for ten years, logging more than a million highway miles; saw America through a windshield; embraced the addictive solitude of long hauls; violated federal safety regulations in order to deliver freight on time; stumbled down memory lane while a lifetime of failure and regret used me for a punching bag; struggled to make peace with myself and my past and, in my late forties, grew up.
I stayed away from home, trucking for weeks on end, my need for isolation so deep-seated that when my wife first asked to ride along I refused. We fought bitterly at times and she finally told me to decide: the truck or our marriage. Up until my last hour out there I didn’t know which I’d choose.
In The Driver’s Seat. Intended for print, audio and e-media markets in the U.S. and Canada. Written for educated general readers, truckers and would-be truckers. Polished and complete at 71,000 words. Anecdotes, cogent epigraphs and fresh, honest humor drive the narrative, illuminating a life and a mobile subculture in a workplace the size of a continent. Think Bill Bryson on 18 wheels. Or Michael Herr.
I appreciate your consideration and hope to hear from you.
Respectfully,
Author
STATS: 31% request rate
Jada says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering me for your query. Please email me the first three chapters of IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.
Regards,
Agent for a Day.
Vic K says
Thank you for submitting to my agency, however I’m going to take a pass at this time.
Vic K
Reason; At the end of the day, I wasn’t caught up in the concept – mainly because I suspect the market might be limited.
Heather says
Dear Author,
Thank you very much for taking the time to query our agency. I have given your project thoughtful consideration; unfortunately, it is not a good fit for us at this time because although the project is well conceived and well written and another agent might be able to sell it, I do not believe that I would be the best agent to make this sale.
Sincerely,
Heather
Rik says
Thank you for submitting your book – In The Driver’s Seat — Interstate Trucking, a Journey – for my consideration. Regrettably, I do not feel that I am able to represent this work for you. Best wishes for your future endeavours. Agent Rik.
EJN says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I will not be requesting additional materials at this time. Although your writing showed some spark, I felt that the more I read, the less I felt that I wanted to get to know about the main character. Please keep in mind that there are many other agents out there that may feel differently.
Best of luck,
Agent EJN
GuyStewart/DISCOVERCHURCH says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your query, but I’m going to have to pass. I do not feel strongly enough about your story to represent it well.
Sincerely, Guy Stewart
Meggrs says
Request for pages.
I’m biting on this one because the query demonstrates a strong voice, and the popularity of reality shows such as Ax Men, Ice Road Truckers, and Deadliest Catch shows that there’s an interest in this type of behind-the-scenes look at a gritty job.
I have no idea if this translates to book sales, but I would like to see if the writing is strong and gripping.
Leis says
Dear Author,
I would be interested to see a synopsis and the first 50 pages.
Looking forward to reading your work,
Best regards,
Agent for a Day
Sasha says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I would like to see the full manuscript, sent as an email attachment.
Looking forward to reading more of your work.
Best wishes,
Sasha
AndrewDugas says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query, but I do not believe I would be the best advocate for your novel. I wish you luck in finding representation elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Andy
====================
Could be big on NPR. A slamdunk interview on Terry Gross, but not in my top five.
Jackie Harris-Stone says
Dear Author,
Thnk you for your query. I would be interested in exploring this further. Please send me the first three chapters of your novel.
Jackie Harris-Stone
Jackie H.S. says
Correction: Should have read: Please send me the first three chapters of your book.
jackie H
Madhat says
Dear Author:
I’m fascinated by this. Please send the manuscript as an attachment.
-Agent
Reasons: Usually, I’m more drawn to fiction. But based on your query, I wanted to read more.
L.C. Gant says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but I’m afraid your book isn’t quite right for me.
As much as I liked the idea behind your query, I don’t think it has a broad enough appeal to be marketable at this time.
Take heart, however—the literary market is always changing, and another agent may very well feel differently! Good luck with your continued search for representation.
Best wishes,
L.C. Gant (Agent for a Day)
PCB says
Dear Author,
Your query piqued my interest. Please send me the first fifty pages of your manuscript.
Many thanks,
PCB
Dawn says
Dear Author,
Thank you for contacting Dawn Ink. Unfortunately, In the Driver’s Seat is not what we’re looking for right now.
Best of luck in finding representation.
Sincerely,
Dawn
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to me.
Your work sounds promising.
Therefore, would like to request a PARTIAL. Please reply to this e-mail and attach the first three chapters of your manuscript as a Word document. Please change the subject line to: PARTIAL / IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT — INTERSTATE TRUCKING, A JOURNEY / YOUR NAME. I will respond within one week.
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
Nicole34
Christine H says
Dear Author,
Please stop by my blog and leave a comment on how I can get on your mailing list. I would like to read this when it’s published.
Sincerely,
Christine H
2readornot says
I think it’s great that you’re sharing a part of life that many know little about — unfortunately, I don’t represent memoirs. Good luck!
Anahita says
Dear Author:
Thanks for sharing your query. Sorry I can’t represent your work. Good luck!
Anahita
kathy says
Dear Author,
Interesting premise. Please send the first 50 pages. I’d love to read more.
Thanks,
Kathy
SuzieQ Agent4U says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel your book is right for me. Good luck with your search.
Best,
S
If I could’ve made a sixth request, I think this would’ve been it.
Laura Martone says
Dear Author:
Thank you for submitting your query for consideration. I appreciate the time, energy, and passion that it required to complete “In the Driver’s Seat”.
I am intrigued by the story outlined in your letter and would like to request the complete manuscript – in order to determine the possibility of representing you and your work. Please adhere to the submission guidelines indicated on my agency website, and please allow me four weeks to consider your manuscript before sending it to other agents.
I look forward to reading your memoir soon.
Sincerely,
Laura Martone
Diana says
loved it. unfortunately unable to request. I hate driving
That Girl says
Dear Author,
After reading your query for IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT, I would like to read the complete manuscript. Please send it as an email attachment at your earliest convenience.
Regards,
That Agent Girl
Saint_Fool says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel that your story is the right fit for me.
Best of luck.
Saint_Fool
Bill Bryson and Michael Herr. Intersting combo. Unfortunately, the humor didn’t come through in the query and I have to pass.
Enusan says
Thank you for your query. While it was very tempting to offer representation, I will have to pass this time around. There did not seem to be enough in the query to suggest a full, engrossing book. A few examples of particular incidents in your book (besides violating federal laws, which is still vague) may help agents get a better idea of how your manuscript will read.
Kathy says
Thank you for your query. I’m going to have to pass on this project.
Best of luck to you.
Sincerely,
Kathy
R. Markiam says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query letter and for thinking of me for representation of In the Driver’s Seat. While your novel sounds intriguing, I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to pursue it further with you. I wish you all the best in securing other representation.
Regards,
R. Markiam
MonkBoy says
Thank you for your query submission, but I’m afraid we’re not interested in your material at this time.
Best of luck,
Placebo Publications
ludwig snarf says
Snarf City! Please send the first 50 pages,
Livia says
Thank you for your query, but it is not a good fit for me. Best wishes.
Livia
Sara J. Henry says
Request pages[Reasons: Although there are other books out there on long-haul trucking, a couple of things sold me on this, among them the phrase “Up until my last hour out there I didn’t know which I’d choose” – and the fact that he knows who Michael Herr is]
NOTE TO COMPILER: I’d swear I posted this earlier this evening, but cannot find it, so I’m hoping it’s not under the wrong entry!
Linta says
Dear Author
Thank you for your submission. I’d be interested in seeing a little more. Please send me a snyopsis and the first 30 pages of your work. I look forward to reading it.
Regards
Agent for a day