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mctaylor-author.bsky.social
M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
@mctaylor-author.bsky.social
200 followers 230 following 48 posts
By night: Writer | YA, MG | Fantasy, horror, PB
By day: Healthcare reporter

#amquerying
The Apprentice Speaker
Tinsel the Sock Thief
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mctaylor-author.bsky.social
M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~ @mctaylor-author.bsky.social · Aug 6
The Apprentice Speaker #YA #f
⚔️Accepting her feminine rage
⚔️Slow-burn strangers -> lovers
⚔️Found family
⚔️Elemental magic, ancient gods

12 partial, 2 full requests and counting. 👀

#agentsguide #questpit #Q #litagents
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
mctaylor-author.bsky.social
✅An apprentice who fears her anger
✅A prince who can't save his party from danger
✅An elf who trusts no one
✅An enemy that exploits their flaws and fears

The Apprentice Speaker #YA, high #f, 96K words, 12 partial, 2 full requests &counting
#questpit #agentguide #litagents #Q
August 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
kpbooksnstuff.bsky.social
#agentguide to CARELESS WHISPERS my romantic suspense set in Greece.
It's du Maurier's REBECCA x Sky's RIVIERA x Netflix's THE PERFECT COUPLE

The woman knew secrets; now she's dead. Everyone has a motive...

💥Secrets
💥Loss
💥Slowburn ❤️‍🔥
💥Obsession
💥Unrequited💘
💥Betrayal
💥Murder
#Questpit #Q #A #R #MY
PAGE 1 is a blue background with a hand reaching out of water. Words along the top say SOME SECRETS ARE JUST TOO DANGEROUS TO KNOW... An Agent's Guide to Careless Whispers, Romantic Suspense, a 98k word romantic suspense. PAGE 2 has a picture of a woman looking over her shoulder at the camera. On the other side says Pitch & Plot and has the following text: With their multiple homes and a business portfolio of luxury hotels, the Constantines' lives might be a world away from 29-year-old Listy Powers’ but Troy and his sister Olympia are like family, an unlikely yet close bond forged years ago at university. So when she learns Olympia, badly injured in a car accident, is back home on the Greek island of Paxos, Listy sets off immediately to see her. Being at their villa, however, means unavoidable proximity with Olympia's very disapproving eldest brother whom Listy has always loved. When they first met 8 years ago, Kris was a married man with a pregnant wife; now he's a widower. But as the attraction they'd fought back then re-kindles, suspicions resurface about Kris' wife's death. Beautiful, manipulative Rianna had not been well-liked. Her speciality was ferreting out people's secrets. And everyone, Listy discovers, has something to hide. As she unravels what happened to Rianna, the truth threatens Listy’s future happiness and the lives of those dear to her, and she must decide if crossing that line to protect someone she loves is a price she's willing to pay. PAGE 3 has a photo on one side of a villa at night. On the other side it says Opening Lines and has the following text: As the song fades, she hears the footsteps behind her. She doesn't rise from the lounger or turn her head. Just rolls her eyes and takes another gulp of wine, fixing her gaze ahead. Beyond the villa's perimeter wall where the wooded slopes fall away, the sea glimmers under the silver coin of a moon. 'I told you to leave,' she says, her voice slurred. 'It's over. There's nothing more to say.' 'I have plenty to say.' Her head whips round then. She smiles, and the villa's floodlit swimming pool pulses as if it, too, is energised, its rippling glow tipping the brooding hedges with gold. She'd been wondering if one of them would turn up. She'd refused to go to the stupid party. They're all stuck-up and boring, and they hate her so she knows she won't be missed. But sitting here alone by the pool, drinking, waiting for her phone to ping a reply – any kind of response! – she'd grown bored and been thinking maybe she ought to go after all. Just to spoil their fun. PAGE 4 has a collage of pictures and the title Tropes & Themes & The Vibes. Tropes and Themes are: du Maurier's Rebecca vibes; Found family; Loss; Slow burn romance; Yearning; Obsession; Unrequited love; Secrets; Betrayal; Murder Lower half of page has The Comps – Nanny Wanted by Lizzy Barber, End of Story by AJ Finn, The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and the Sky Atlantic series Riviera.
August 6, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
lilithwrites.bsky.social
BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN x SHARP OBJECTS x THE HUNGER GAMES

🔪 Unhinged women
🩸 Family who will do ANYTHING for each other
😱 Unreliable narrator
👻 Neurodivergent & LGBTQ protagonist
🫣 Secrets, lies, and skeletons in the closet!

#questpit #W #A #T #H
An agent's guide to "Dissonance," an adult psychological thriller by Lilith Murphy Comps The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Amazing sister dynamic Unreliable narrator Paranoid protagonist Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn Domestic thriller Complicated family dynamics Family secrets dragged into the open Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll FMC (Female Main Character) who isn’t believed by men Imperfect victims The Pitch Three years after the death of their parents, college dropout Alex Doyle must learn to take care of herself and her teenage sister Charlie. When Charlie disappears without a trace, Alex realizes she doesn’t know as much about her sister as she thought. Now, she must completely throw away everything she thought she knew-about her sister and their hometown-if she wants to find Charlie alive. Tropes Unreliable narrator Paranoid protagonist Stalker Kidnapping Betrayal & Revenge
August 6, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
sallybromley.bsky.social
Beauty is a Brittle Glass
💎 Adult contemporary, 83k
💎 Sisters, dual POV
💎 Slow burn romance
💎 Speculative elements
💎 LGBTQ MC
💎 Disability rep
Querying soon 👀
#questpit #A #Q
Images of a woman looking in a mirror, a woman's hand, a spooky group of trees, a devil's hand. The title Beauty is a Brittle Glass. Images of a woman looking in a mirror, a devil's hand, a spooky group of trees, a woman on a Catwalk, a pier. Three book covers, The Push with twin faces, The Picture of Dorian Gray a diseased man's face, Blue Sisters, a painting of a sad young woman's face.
August 6, 2025 at 7:26 AM
mctaylor-author.bsky.social
17-year-old RocsAnne must learn to trust herself and unyielding rage—the only weapon capable of saving all she loves—as she is caught between becoming a target of the god-titan of earth and an unexpected love triangle. #questpit #agentsguide #q #f #litagents
August 6, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
bookbabewriting.bsky.social
Jennifer's Body x Together We Rot
Boys start to disappear in Lyric’s backwards backwoods town and her best friend/crush Eleanor was the last person they were seen with, leaving Lyric to investigate if something is monstrously wrong with her friend.
#Questpit #YA #H #R #AG #Ownvoice
If you enjoyed these movies: Jennifer's Body, My Best Friend's Exorcism, Lisa Frankenstein, Ready or Not, Fear Street 1994, I Know What You Did Last Summer Books you would find on a TBR with Killer Summer: Together We Rot, The Unfinished, This Delicious Death, Devil in Ohio, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me
August 6, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
dmcieran.bsky.social
ENCANTO VIBES IN A POST-MODERN SETTING

UNDER THE BRIGHT SUN is about a girl with the ability to see the future in an isolated village who must uncover the secret of a stranger's arrival to recover lost magic before everyone falls to an endless sleep from magic withdrawal.

#QuestPit #Q #MG #F #S
mages of a desert with mountains in the background and saguaro cacti in the mid ground pictures of book covers for "The Alchemy of Letting Go," "The Stars of Whistling Ridge," and the movie poster for Disney's "Encanto." A picture of a saguaro cactus and a pink backpack.
August 6, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
sampeil.bsky.social
DON'T NAME THE DEAD in which three bi disasters navigate the zombie apocalypse.

#horror, headshots & hookups 🏳️‍🌈🧟‍♂️🥼

#H #na #a #q #agentsguide #sf #questpit #lgbt
yellowed background with red blood splatter and top of zombie head in lower corner. George Washington head faintly visible (Mount Rushmore) along left. Text says: AN AGENT'S GUIDE TO DON'T NAME THE DEAD By Sami Peil 90 words Adult/NA HORROR yellow background with light red blood splatter. Torn out page from a journal, along bottom of screen you can see rocks from mount rushmore text says: Reader Comments “Obsessed” “I'm hooked. so hooked on this book. I need it on my shelf.“ “Love this description. Impeccable delivery, so cinematic” “OMINOUS” “VICERAL” “I literally cackled” “I was not prepared” “Sharp, shocking, love it” “Seriously this is so fucking cinematic wth” “I love him” “IF YOU EVER CHANGE THIS FIRST LINE I WILL FIGHT YOU” Sami Peil @sampeil FROM THE JOURNAL OF STETSON JOHN MATTHEWS April 27, 2025 Donner party @ Black Hills bunkers, current population 280ish. don’t name the dead yellow background with red blood splatter, along top right is a zombie with open mouth teeth growling 3 images of book covers: sister maiden monster has tentacles, orange, knife; the z word has an image of a brain, two femmes kissing, teal hands reaching up, a piece of pizza, an axe; the last of us has a man and a girl turned toward the camera as they walk toward ruins; along the right, text reads: If three queer 20-somethings manage to not get eaten by the pandemic zombies, they’ll still have to dodge a preacher bent on building his post-apocalyptic flock. Love triangle Survival shenanigans Headshots Hookups Busted bunker close up of mount rushmore presidents with light red splatter across the image. text reads: Sami Peil @sampeil don’t name the dead Vivvi was getting wasted for her 21st until she woke up in a drunk tank, which was the only protection from the cop zombies trying to eat her brains. Stetson was painting his nails and avoiding his family's far right extremist bunker party, unaware that the virus they all ignored would mutate, and he’d have to fight his way out. Dove was home alone in a post-wisdom tooth coma, still dreaming about her hot dentist, while infected people turned and began to eat immune survivors. The Dentist was doing an after-hours call, where a patient bite transformed him into a flesh craving monster. They all want each other—but not in the same way. And they really need to stay the hell away from the Preacher.
August 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
mollyhaniszewski.bsky.social
The WHISPERWICKS X THE CARTOGRPAHER’S DAUGHTER The government hid the forces of nature in enchanted books and now biodiversity is collapsing. Luckily, Elliot and his friend Sky find a map that might lead them to the books. They just hope they can get there first.

#questpit #MG #SFF #LGBTQ+ #DIS #Q
The Book of the Ocean by Molly Haniszewski: An Agent's Guide Comps for the Book of the Ocean: Features the covers of The Cartographer's Daughter, The Whisperwicks, The Girl of Ink and Stars, The Time of Green Magic, The Midnight Guardians, and Greenwild A moodboard featuring books, the ocean, flowers and a bumblebee, a Black person wearing a flower crown of daisies, green hills, hands touching leaves, a lake, and rows of striped trees. The board is surrounded by tropes including: Deaf rep, nonbinary love interest, magical books, bookworm mmc, secret map, kids on a quest, and science nerds! Pitch: Bookworm Elliot and his deaf, nonbinary crush Sky seek the books where the government hid the ocean, mountains, forests, and snow so they could control the world’s agriculture. The kids plan to open the books to restore the world's biodiversity. But in this world, if you rebel, you disappear, and the kids have to work quickly to stay ahead of the others searching for the books.
August 6, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
bvbodegom.bsky.social
BLACK MIRROR × SEVERANCE × THE GOOD PLACE

Having a happy death is a luxury service for the rich and Wren is the rising top salesman—until a cynical coworker and a depressed billionaire force him to rethink it all in a world where even your last smile has a price tag.

#QuestPit #A #S #SF #W
This image is a book cover design for a novel titled "Happy Death Inc." by B. Van Bodegom. The cover is divided into three distinct horizontal sections: 1. Top Section: Features a cartoonish blue sky with white clouds and a bright sun. At the top, a tagline reads: "How much would you pay to die with a smile?" The word "HAPPY" appears in large, playful, hand-drawn-style font, partially overlapping the sky background. 2. Middle Section: A photograph of a deceased man in a suit, lying in a casket. He has an exaggerated smile on his face, almost unnaturally wide and clean, suggesting artificial enhancement or post-mortem alteration. Overlaid on this image is the word "DEATH" in the same large font as the previous word. 3. Bottom Section: A cartoon city skyline in pastel tones, similar in style to the top sky background. The word "INC." is overlaid prominently in the same large font. At the very bottom, in smaller capital letters, it says: "A Novel by B VAN BODEGOM"
August 6, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
diamondf.bsky.social
ATLA x WICKED

Calypso must steal 12 divine amulets in order to regain her powers and seek revenge against her enemies.

Villain FMC
Hero MMC
Hate at first sight
Destroy the world, dont save it

#questpit #Q #YA #F
Collage of images, zodiac wheel, solar system planets in a straight line, scorpio constellation, virgo constellation, text saying the villain and text saying the hero
August 6, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
soph-pl.bsky.social
A sensible summer student begins a passionate, no-strings fling with her single-dad host in laid-back, leafy post-Cold War Berlin. But when love intrudes and summer ends, they face an impossible choice: give up career and duty… or each other.
#Questpit #Q #A #R #RF
Moodboard. Center photo: A man and woman embracing (design by Freepik, freepik.com), overlaid with the word "romance". Surrounding it are 8 squares, arranged clockwise: 1. The word "heartfelt" on a grey background; 2. A street sign reading "Pariser Platz“ in front of the Brandenburg Gate (photo by Dietmar Rabich, 2013-11-23, licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed); 3. The word "spicy" on a black background; 4. Wannsee beach (photo by Asif Masimov, 2018-04-22, licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en); 5. The word "destination" on a white background; 6. A DJ playing at the Tresor nightclub (photo by Angie Linder, 2015-08-20, licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en); 7. The word "retro" on a black background; 8. A young boy sitting cross-legged and looking up (photo by Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash) Moodboard. Background image: Berlin Victory Column (photo by Robert | Visual Diary | Berlin on Unsplash). Includes: Before Sunrise movie poster; Every Summer After (Carley Fortune) book cover; Heartless (Elsie Silver) book cover; Kilt Trip (Alexandra Kiley) book cover. Keywords: slow burn; friends to lovers; heartfelt; multicultural; '90s retro; spicy chemistry; single dad; forced proximity; destination romance Moodboard. Background image: Berlin Victory Column (photo by Robert | Visual Diary | Berlin on Unsplash). Includes: Before Sunrise movie poster; Every Summer After (Carley Fortune) book cover; Heartless (Elsie Silver) book cover; Kilt Trip (Alexandra Kiley) book cover. Keywords: slow burn; friends to lovers; heartfelt; multicultural; '90s retro; spicy chemistry; single dad; forced proximity; destination romance
August 6, 2025 at 5:10 AM
mctaylor-author.bsky.social
✅An apprentice who fears her anger
✅A prince who can't save his party from danger
✅An elf who trusts no one
✅An enemy that exploits their flaws and fears

The Apprentice Speaker #YA, high #f, 96K words, 12 partial, 2 full requests &counting
#questpit #agentguide #litagents #Q
August 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
kimcayley.bsky.social
Introducing ✨ FATED FAKES ✨
🤦‍♀️ Remi is a terrible psychic.

🙅‍♂️ Asher is a grieving skeptic.

🔮 She might be able to help him, if only she could unriddle her own predictions.

#QuestPit #W #A #R #PR #QueryingSoon #AgentsGuide
An Agents' Guide to FATED FAKES, a paranormal romance by Kim Cayley, featuring an image of a crystal ball on a blue background A pitch for FATED FAKES by Kim Cayley, image features a notebook open to a blank page with a pen, on a blue background The comp titles and features of FATED FAKES by Kim Cayley, images of the books Happy Medium and Yours Truly on a blue background The first lines of FATED FAKES by Kim Cayley, image is of a palm reading on a blue background
August 6, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
sarahdorko.bsky.social
When Gio’s BFF Sky falls down a sinkhole into another world, Gio follows to save her, but after becoming stuck herself, Gio must adapt to survive this underground world to save herself and Sky, even if it means using harmful magic to do it. #QuestPit #YA #Q portal #F #agentsguide
August 6, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
naaanwrites.bsky.social
SIX OF CROWS x THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
In exchange for her guardian's release from prison, Praanvi must go on a bandit mission. With the help of her mates, she must steal the crown without exposing herself as a goddess; if she fails, everyone involved dies.
#questpit #YA #Q #F
moodboard for a YA fantasy
August 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
belindamgrant.bsky.social
DIVINE RIVALS x SERPENT&DOVE

Magically sabotage a classmate’s exam…he had it coming

Pretend to be his friend to cover your tracks…if I have to

Discover you accidentally split reality in two…oops

Fall in love with the boy your lying to…wait, what?
#Q #RF #questpit #YA #F
A portrait shaped moodboard with silver boarders and ten pictures with "The Mirror's Glare" written in the middle. Pictures: A man looking at the edge of his reflection in a hand mirror. A quill writing on paper. A boy holding a book with his other hand resting on a globe. A couple's silhouette preparing to kiss. Some old books. A sandstone school building with grass in front. A fantasy-esque door surrounded by bookshelves. The torso of a girl in an old fashioned blue dress holding a rose. A broken Mirror. A loose collection of bright coloured gems.
August 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
kjsilver.bsky.social
❤️‍🔥THE HEALER WITCH❤️‍🔥
While trying to prove himself and fulfill the bargain he’s made to be rid of his father’s corrupting influence, Onwyn finds himself entangled in the dark spiderweb that Lunaryn's life turns out to be. Maybe curiosity will kill the lion this time.

#questpit #Q #A #F #moodboard
The Healer Witch - moodboard Text: Living a double life is not as fun as it looks. Morally grey FMC. Elemental Magic. Meddling Gods. Witches, shifters, elves, we have everything & more. Inside the colour palette squares: 97K Adult Cozy Fantasy Pictures are (top-bottom, left-right): an array of books and papers and a coffee/tea, the picture of Deva Cassel in her role in The Leopard that I have edited on Canva and put a mask over her eyes. orange and purple flames over a dark background. A white lion's face. A table full of potions and herbs. A picture of Deva Cassel in her role in The Leopard, she is giving the audience her back.
August 6, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
nessamoulay.bsky.social
Amina al-Sirafi x Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea

When a flesh-eating curse starts killing her family one by one, an exiled huntress must bring her ‘Chosen One’ sister back to life to stop it—before the curse claims her next.

#YA #F #Q #questpit
August 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
sagetgreene.bsky.social
Enjoy long-term narratives—filler episodes and all? ETHERI is character-driven, snarky, and sometimes just vibes. If you love a good fight scene, feeling the feels, and stories that linger, this is for you.

More info & where to buy: linktr.ee/sagetgreene
#QuestPit #P #NA #Action #F #LF 🌈✒️
The book cover for ETHERI by Sage T. Greene. A hand reaching up over a blue galaxy background. Synopsis As an Etheri, Mari lacks physical strength and mana control. She feels destined to play the supporting role for her partner Rhu (a natural talent and future Lord of Newhaven) and her cousin Junie (the confident and beautiful one). But when Mari learns that Junie is a member of the Blaze—a mysterious criminal organization—she isn’t sure what to think. Mari finds herself learning about the Blaze and gets embroiled in their misadventures. By the time Junie’s identity is leaked to the Etheri villages and the Blaze comes under attack, Mari is no longer convinced that she can pick a side, but failing to do so begins to endanger not just herself, but the people she loves. Mari must choose where her loyalties lie: with her village, with her friends, or with herself. A Note From the Author (What to Expect) This series is for readers who are all about the journey. Think of the trilogy like a long-running anime: there are high-stakes arcs, but also the occasional "filler episode"—moments that are meant to breathe and add levity. Book 1 is the first of several arcs; the MC’s problems are far from over. Expect a reading experience that is more literary than commercial. It’s character-driven, emotionally complex, and a little quirky—just like real people. If that sounds like your kind of story, I hope you’ll come along for the ride. – Sage 🌿 Mood boards for each book in the ETHERI Trilogy and some notes of what you'll find in the trilogy. You will find: New Adult Action Fantasy, FMC, Reluctant Protagonist, Mana, Combat, Banter, Test of Loyalty, Anxiety Rep, Loss, Grief, Revenge, Mind Reading, Animal Companions, Gathering the Team, Trilogy. Mood board for Etheri. Book cover (hand reaching up, stars/magic). A desert. Desert plants. Combat fighting (kicking, fists raised). Mana/magic fighting (glowing orb). A forest trail. A black dog with white eyes. A mysterious hooded figure. Mood board for Alive (Etheri Book 2) by Sage T Greene. A hand with a galaxy background. Ripped fabric. Peonies. Someone standing in a dark cavern and holding a torch. A knife. A misty forest. A hand with glowing strings. A bombed building. Mysterious circles. Mood board for Sapphire (Etheri Book 3). Hands holding a sapphire with a galaxy background. A valley. Tomatoes. A paintbrush with paint splattering out. A sunset. Strings on a map. Chocolate muffins. Spotted fur. Files in a box.
August 6, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
angie-r03.bsky.social
#QuestPit
#A #H #W

I present my #agentguide / #agentsguide for Baker's Club

- Female rage
- Rituals for each season
- A sweet tooth with a sour secret

✨️Welcome to Fair Hollow✨️
Baker's Club- Adult horror Pitch: Deliah moved to Fair Hollow for a fresh start with family roots. What she didn't expect was a town so tied to tradition that they sell themselves as offerings at the first chance they get. Some on the other hand, are burned by the flame for disrespecting the Hearth and the women. Comps: The Stepford wives by Ira Levin Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Midsommar Tropes: Feminist horor/ Folk horror Generational cult Cannibalism Ritual offerings each season Recipes Women taking back power Self writing journal Feminine rage Buried history Passing on the torch Collage from top left to bottom right (9 pictures): A pie made of human hearts, a girl n front of the fire, a cellphone ringing, girls dancing around a fire, a quote "forgive me father for i have sinned, and as I kneel here with hands red with blood, deep down I know l' dl it again", a blood stained flower, book with blood sacrifice recipes, burning book, fingertips coated in blood EXCERPT A sound crackled in the silence. The spoon scraped against something solid. I froze, sifting through the mixture with slow, unsure motions. I reached into the bowl, fingertips grazing against something solid. A cold and hard piece of something. I pulled it free. A tooth. A molar, white and slick with batter. A child's, maybe. I dropped the spoon. It clattered across the table. None of the women flinched as I shrieked. Wide eyes looked around the room until Vivienne gave a weak smile.
August 6, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by M.C. Taylor ~ querying ~
wottenmoss.bsky.social
#agentguide for WHEN THE MAGPIE FLIES (81k queer fantasy)

When troublemaker and hobbyist scholar Magpie is chosen by the spirits, she breaks an ancient tradition rather than leave her best friend behind—and brings the wrath of spirits and humans alike down upon the realm.

#questpit #Q #F
Text: An agent’s guide to When the Magpie Flies by M H Wottenmoss. Background of mountains, trees, and a giant mushroom. A magpie flies in the sky. Pitch: Magpie of Lornwhen, hobbyist scholar and incurable troublemaker, dreams of becoming a Conduit. As the realm’s only defense against monstrous spirits, Conduits are beloved and privileged—and it’s Magpie’s best chance to escape the undertow of poverty. When a spirit chooses her for the honor, marking her with a cold, entrancing touch, her dream is suddenly within reach. To fully ascend as a Conduit, Magpie, alongside the other newly-chosen, must embark on a journey into the heart of the spiritwoods. The only thing holding her back is her best friend, Calladonna. There are rumors about how Conduits are changed by the mysterious journey, and Calla can’t shake the feeling that if Magpie leaves, she won’t come back. Determined to reassure her, Magpie convinces Calla to come along in secret, hidden from the other Conduits. For the first time, Magpie’s future is bright and shining—until one of the other Conduits turns up dead, and it seems like Calla may be to blame. Comps: A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft: clueless lesbians, murder and betrayal, journey of ascension. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher: found family, humor and darkness, perilous quest. Also featuring undiscovered magic, monstrous spirits, chaotic academia, ill-advised rituals, haunted forest, queer & autistic ensemble cast, giant mushrooms, original music Opening lines: The world went dark just after she jumped off the roof. In one moment she could see the clocktower before her, the ledge beneath its defunct face familiar and inviting, and in the next there was nothing. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, necessarily, but damn if that wasn't inconvenient timing.
August 6, 2025 at 4:19 AM