Official query letter draft 2
Dear Dan Conway,
I am submitting LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS, i'm impressed by Writershouse publishing’s because I am massive fan of Oscar Wilde, hes my favorite person /subject and you have a book on him called the Wildes, when I read it I knew it was something special, along with your other unconventional, challenging and interesting queer books, along with a Lesbians Guide to Catholic school. Like if your looking for a gay satire of 80s rock n roll, coming of age fake memoir inspired by jack black all things punk, hair metal and abusrd but sweet, if your looking for more uncocvnetail queer books, then Lying Flatt might be up your ally.
Because im sure you’ve heard…Being gay is the most rock n roll thing there is!
Lester Flatt is a 17-year-old Aspring Rock God, gay, pathgocal lair, whos very inscure anoying but passonite, absurd loud, young, overconifdent, and painfully relatble, and easy to root for. Lester Flatt just wants To be a rock god, rock n roll icon in the late 80s, and era that just doesnt want guys like him onstage. But hes still been trying for years, and has a new hope with his new band -just like his idol, Flea., but when Starting his new band: Bad Decions. But what does he do, when he realizes his popular hair metal rival who he hates is actully secretly gay as well, and he deveops a massive crush on, as he reminds him of his rock gods on his wall. Mack Lasher After growing jelous during his bands mild local sucess, that his brother and bandmates all have girlfirends and becuase hes gay he cant have a boyfriend or have tons of sex drugs and rock n roll, scoicties anti gay anti rock n roll crusuade, causing Lester to feel robbed and ripped off, unfiiled in his role as frontman espciall afetr his brother Kevin strst dating Riot Girl punk, Roxy, and genrally is alot happier and gets his shit togetehr as a person overcome with roamntic jelousy, and creative frustation that the band is a sellout to sell local shows and isnt being rock n roll to his vsion enough, his tide turns when as a birthday gift kevin gives him the lovelist a list of all closted gay boys at their Consertive small town high school, causing Lester to go on an undercover, very proud hookup spree in the boys bathroom, the frist of thease Hookups being with Rubin Smith, who is a much more popalr band then him evryone in his band espcially Trent hates, so its very conifciting for him, Falling in love, genuine love with Ruin afetr hooking up a feew more times, and having his band be more radical (some might even say queer) dispite the local rock trends being very straight, male dispite the big hair, he has to choose between his band and love and for a while he thinks he can have both, but as his deep seated ababndoment issues, lifetime of abuse and bullying comes to guide him to put evrthing into his band, but starting to feel like he'll never be loved by his band, by Rubin due to rumors he keeps hearing about Rubin being a bad person not just their rival, Lester goes very far to belive Rubin and him can be togeher clinging to this love at the expeense of his bands sucess and his band having any chance of winning the battle of the bands in Trenton.. Now, Mack Lasher Hes conifclted between Rubins love-keeping it a secret disput what Trent warns, and comming into his own as a punk rocker trying to set himself against the boring, junk hair metal of the day witch he hates, --in this process he also becomes obessed with having, a rock n roll alter ego espcially as his self hatred, and doubt of his future as evrthing seems to ride on his sucess as a rocker, even his ablity to not be kicked out of his house by his awful cirtsian parrents, so as things keep going wrong dispite all his hard work, Lester esstinally falls in love with the idea of becoming somone else, not just on stage like an alter ego, but beoming the alter ego all together, as he starts to spend more time with Roxy and her punk freinds valaidiating his punk impuses, he for the frist time goes to the east village and does everthing a good budding punk in the 80s should do, shop at trash and vaudvile for Leather jackets, attend a live show at CGBGS and hitchike with a nazi punk only to be dropped off on saint Marx ave, Lester gains a new level of conidfrence pretnding to be Mack Lasher, his rock n roll ater ego, and already famous, so random east village post punks and queers his frist time in his life among the treue gay comunity, or rather the true rock n roll comunity he’s always dreamed of being in, on his own terms, would esstinally lie his way to fame and infamay in the next two books, starting here…
As Mack Lasher now that lester has estbalihed his relatship with Rubin witch he now belives is a fullblown relalsthip, he has a secret van hookup after one of Rubins big shows with half the school there, now with Trents warnings of Rubin, crewing him over in a past battle of the bands ringing in his ears, he discovers a new side to himself, that he is not just hooking up with Rubin to feel like more of a rock star, but is actully in love with him, so he hangs erthing on tehri relatshiship, proving he can be loved. Mack Lasher’s peroana built on lies, is put to the test when Absuse from his parrents, school bullies, widespread rejection and mocking of his past and current bands from Camlot record store regaulrs starts to ceatch up to him, convincing him he needs to stop being himelf if he wants to get anywhere, and of course Rubin and his band., and when and he get Rubin to love him, can he win the battele of the bands and win enough money and a record deal to have their band suceed aftter dozens of faluires and actully live his rock n roll dream just like Flea, can Lester with kevins sopport, but no one elses, actully matain any conidfence or will his festering self hatred and inagquiecey isseus win and will he fully commit to being Mack Lasher and kill his old self embracing a life of lies once and for all., he/him has to Win Rubin over, and become the rock god he was alwyas born to be and change rock n roll forver dude. or He will let his self hatred consume him, and decicie to lie about being a rock god instead of conqtuing the trisidisonal road to become one himself, killing himself in the prcess.
Lying Flatt, Lesters parody rock n roll emmeoir comes in at , 221557, Words. LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS. is a YA (Lgbt, adult fiction)] set in Ewing Township new jearsy (1980s). It will appeal to readers of Ziggy Stardust and me. and Lords of Chaos. LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS. has potential for a sequel witch ive already had planned since 2022. The story will be following Mack Lasher's story as he/him continues to Yes its the first book in a trilogy.
I am submitting LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS, to you because I am submitting to you becuase I am an amture expert on Oscar Wilde, hes my favroite person /subject and you have a book on him called the Wildes, when I read it I knew it was somthing speical, along with your other unconvential, challging and intresting queer books, If your looking for a gay satire of 80s rock n roll, comming of age fake memoir inspired by jack black all things punk, hair metal and abusrd but sweet, if your looking for more uncocvnetail queer books, then Lying Flatt might be up your ally.
I have alot of experience writing books ive been doing it since eletenemary school. I have a Creative Writing BA. Published in the Writopia Ellips (Published twice in ccny city collge Prometahn lit magzine) . Im a longtime Vetran of Writopia Lab, NYC and writers rock workshops. Im a trans gay guy, no musical skill but huge fan of rock n roll jack black and his roles in school of rock, and tenatious D inspired me to wirte this book, in 2021 ive been writing it for four years straight, I thought jck balck as hismelf should playa gay charchter at some point in his career (not counting Saving Silverman) there needs to be more gay stories about flawed, fat, reldidicous unserious charters who belive in a dream and take up sapce in industries that dont want them, the pepole that paved the way and were forgotton, kids now, the ones who are imperfect, proud freaks being told they need to change in order to have a good life for their tallents and love and life to be welcomed and celbrated well this story is for kids like i was, all the outcats in consertive school, who have no queer comcunity and just need somthing to convince them themselevs is worth being, and evryone is better off with them arround becuase somtimes you need to hear it, you cant do all the self love so much harder then many give credit for in a world that spends all its time hating you, all the time yourself, and if not somone in theri life a story-to get them through when I had no one art got me through got me to belive life, MY life, all our lives, was worth fighting for..
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Elijah Brahmi (Writing as Buddy Devine)
Draft 3 query letter - export to a pdf on simple “letterhead” and paste the text into the body of the email, too
Dear Dan Conaway.
I am delighted to introduce myself and propose my queer satirical novel set in the 1980s underground rock scene of New Jersey, Lying Flatt: Book One, Glory Days. I would be honored to collaborate with you at Writer’s House because I particularly admire your work on Peter Ames Carlin’s biographies of R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen as well as Louis Bayard’s The Wildes. Like my main character, the tragic rocker Lester Flatt, I am enamored of Oscar Wilde. My book is (to borrow your phrase) voice-y, suspenseful, and it keeps its tongue firmly in cheek.
The subjects covered in my book are ever topical, its about fatphobia, coming of age as a queer person in a small town, painful iconclation, self hatred, fame, and how being yourself weather on stage or at home, was and is neccairy, and brave and this story is a testament to that. Lester Flatt as a young,sharp tounged,undigonsed auatsic screwed up, frontman, an unreliable, pathgical liar and overly earnest aspiring rock star in the rough, unforgiving 1980s. My book delves into some unique corners of those subcultures, like jersey cheesy one hit wonder hair metal, NYC punks, taking tours through iconic underground landmarks, like CBGBS, Trash and Vaudile, the limelight, the importanc of archiving queer music history. Lester’s voice is likeble, funny, shocking, morally conifcting and a uniquely brash, a silly teenage force of nature that your readers, from young queer or disabled to gen x, to die hard rock readers, are all bound to be along for the ride.
Because I’m sure you’ve heard…Being gay is the most rock ‘n’ roll thing there is!
Lying Flatt is about the Seventeen-year-old Lester Flatt is on a mission to become a rock god in the late '80s, but he faces a world that doesn't always welcome someone like him on stage. Struggling with his identity as a gay aspiring musician, Lester navigates the challenges of jealousy, love, and self-acceptance while fronting his new band, Bad Decisions. As he grapples with his feelings for his hair metal rival, Rubin Smith, who surprisingly shares his secret, Lester embarks on an emotional journey of romance, rivalry, and Rock n Roll. Caught between the allure of fame and the need for genuine connection, he experiences a tumultuous relationship with Rubin Smith, a popular musician whose band rivals his own. As Lester’s bandmates find happiness in their relationships, he feels increasingly isolated and pressured to conform to societal expectations. With the support of his brother Kevin and the punk scene of New York City, Lester begins to explore his identity further, crafting an alter ego, Mack Lasher, that embodies his wildest rock ‘n’ roll dreams. But as the Battle of the Bands approaches, Lester must confront his insecurities, past trauma, and the lies he’s been telling himself. With the weight of his aspirations and the fear of rejection looming large, he must decide whether to embrace his authentic self or continue living a façade. Will Lester rise to the challenge, prove his worth, and find love with Rubin, or will his self-doubt and external pressures extinguish his dreams of rock stardom forever? Lying Flatt is a poignant tale of self-discovery, love, a loveletter to rock n roll in all its shades, tying it clearly to modern readers taste for music, adventure and sensory in this quest for acceptance in a world that often feels unforgiving.
Lying Flatt, Lesters parody rock n roll memoir comes in at , 221557, Words. LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS. is a New adult fiction (Lgbt, adult fiction)] set in Ewing Township new jearsy (1980s). It will appeal to readers of Ziggy Stardust and me. and Lords of Chaos. LYING FLATT: BOOK ONE, GLORY DAYS. has potential for a sequel witch ive already had planned since 2022. The story will be following Mack Lasher's story as he/him continues to Yes its the first book in a trilogy.
Although my book is focused on the music world, I have no musical talent myself. I am trans male student at SUNY New Paltz, doing cartoons for the school newspaper, and working towards a BA in Creative Writing. I have had short pieces published in the CCNY Promethean literary magazine and in the Writopia Ellipsis. I’ve been writing Lying Flatt for four years straight. This story is for kids like I was in high school, all the outcasts in consertive school, who have no queer comcunity and just need somthing to convince them themselevs is worth being, and evryone is better off with them arround becuase somtimes you need to hear it, you cant do all the self love so much harder then many give credit for in a world that spends all its time hating you, all the time yourself, and if not somone in theri life a story-to get them through when I had no one art got me through got me to belive life, MY life, all our lives, was worth fighting for..
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Elijah Brahmi (aka Buddy Devine)
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