Author | Lightnews

Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

Had a good time at #Questpit. Thanks for all the support and fun that it was.

a man wearing a life jacket and a striped shirt is smiling .

ALT: a man wearing a life jacket and a striped shirt is smiling .

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Stephanie Winter @wintersleep85.bsky.social · 3d

NAUSICAÄ X FF7

Nature is decaying, nobles are hoarding magic, and demons prey on everyone. A possible chosen one, a man who failed his destiny, and a woman rejected by fate must work together for one last chance to save the dying world.

#questpit #Q #F #A #agentguide

Dark forest. An agent's guide to The Blessing Returned. Adult fantasy. 98,000 words.

Dark forest. Pitch. Idealistic Hana Hahl lives in a world that is slowly dying after a failed quest to bring back magic. The only ones left with power are self-serving royals and dark mages, while desperation has given rise to an anti-magic order. Caught up in a mystical event, Hana is blessed with an immense power that could restore nature to the world. As Hana struggles to control the overwhelming force, Lady Kalyn Nossi, the only known survivor of the disastrous quest, directs her to the one person who can help her. Matthias Azel, the failed chosen one, reluctantly agrees to teach Hana while concealing his past from her. Accompanied by Kalyn and a charismatic prince with a dangerous secret, they journey to seek answers about Hana’s destiny. They fend off demonic threats and the anti-magic forces as Hana struggles with magic that seems to resist her and a growing fear that the world isn’t meant to be saved.

A dark forest. Comps. Nausicaä. One Dark Window. The Starless Crown. Godkiller. Final Fantasy VII Remake. Tropes. Chosen One (s)? Ecofantasy. Dieselpunk. Grumpy/Sunshine. LGBTQIA+. Multi POV.

A dark forest. Snippet. She took a cautious step forward, unaware she was in a spectral form. Little drops of shimmering light followed her path, dissolving into the ground. “But this has to be a sign?” Grass grew where the light fell, delicate bits of nature that should be impossible. “Maybe it’s returning!”
The young woman spoke with such bright reverence as if life was a fairy tale and magic was all they needed for a happy ending. It was as if she couldn’t see the shadows approaching her. The inevitable death.
“Magic should never return.”
After speaking those words, he sprang forward and shoved her away from the shadows. Pain rocked him as soon as he touched her. The scorching mystical agony tore a scream out of him, but it kept her away from the unearthly menace, and the shock did what he intended.
Sent him back to his body.

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Kelton Davis is writing! 🦇⚰️🤠 @keltondavis.bsky.social · 3d

SINNERS x THE DEVILS x CASTLEVANIA

There's three rules to surviving as a nightrunner: don't get comfortable, don't be a hero, and don't be unlucky.

Corado's about to break all three.

🤠 Vampire Cowboys
🦇 Monstrous Night Hordes
🏜️ Pueblo Pit Cities

Querying soon!
#A #F #W #QuestPit

Image: A man in a black cloak and a wide brim western style black hat, holding a revolver; only his eyes as yellow pinpricks are visible.
Text:
A Novel By Kelton Davis
Blood Red Sand
109000 Words
Adult Gothic Western Fantasy
Querying Soon

Art: Apocalypse by Oliver Odmark

Title: Comparable Titles
Images of the covers of The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, Godkiller by Hannah Kaner, and Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian.
Text drawn with an arrow from each image:
Found family (from the Devils)
Reluctant parent figure (from Godkiller)
Western-inspire Gothic setting (from Red Rabbit)
Unlikely travel companions (from all).
Background image: same as first slide.

Title: Pitch
Text: Corado is just trying to survive the night—every night. Being a nightrunner, one of the few brave or foolish enough to defy humanity's vampire masters to traffic himself and others across barony lines, doesn't make it any easier though. With vampire posses stalking the desert during the day and their ravenous Horde filling the sky each night, it's a miracle he's survived as long as he has. Some of it he chalks up to skill, some to instinct, but he knows that when the dawn comes, the main thing seeing him through the night is good old-fashioned luck.

Nothing lasts forever though, and Corado's lucky streak soon comes to a quick and bloody end. After nighttime attack from the Horde leaves him stranded in the desert with a newly-orphaned boy named Hectar, he finds keeping the rest of the world at bay may not be as easy as he thought. Newfound companion in tow, he sets out to find what remains of the boy's family and finally put the whole thing behind him.

But as he knows by now, no job is ever so simple. As he tries to escort Hectar to safety, whispers of rebellion start drifting on the wind. With a world free of the Horde beginning to look like a real possibility, Corado must face vampires, twisted monstrosities, and the darkness lurking in men's hearts before he decides whether the world he's cut himself out of is one worth fighting for after all.

Background image: same as other slides

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Izzy Grace (is agented) @izzygraceauthor.bsky.social · 2d

Betrayed on the eve of her wedding, Annora enlists charming criminal Madoc to enact her revenge, but when her quest unravels the truth of a trade in wyvern scale and a long awaited prophecy, Annora must choose between vengeance and justice.

#QuestPit #W #RF soon to be #AG + hopefully #OS in 2026!

Comp titles: House of the Dragon, A Fate Forged in Fire, The Knight and the Moth, Throne of Glass, Six of Crows, A Tempest of Tea

Most brides would think a storm on the eve of their wedding an omen, but for Annora Rainecourt it was the greatest blessing she could receive. Because a storm meant chance of a sighting. And what could be more thrilling than that?
She scoured the skies as lightning flashed, illuminating the distant castle and the manor dwellings around it in a shock of monochrome clarity, and there — beyond the turrets — she saw her first of the night. Thin membrane, spindly tendon and bone, that unfathomable combination of sharp claws and curved edges, swiftly flying through slick rain and thick cloud until the darkness crowded in again and she lost it.
Annora smiled to herself. They always liked storms. The wyverns.
“They’re quiet tonight,” she said, staring out of the lancet window as rain lashed against the panes.
Lucan rolled on the bed to face her, the sheets draped between his legs as if she hadn’t been privy to what was beneath them moments ago. “Or perhaps they’re beyond sight,” he said, and ran a hand through long, light hair, pushing it back from his slim face.
“The view from here is perfect,” she murmured, frowning.
Lucan’s manor was on the outskirts of Gaet, the small city of Vlintlann that was home to the nobility and merchant class. The east window of his bedchamber had one of the best views of the Kingdom. To the north, Annora could see the long carriageway curving round from the front entrance of the manor to the cobbled road that led to the royal castle — its sharp turrets spearing through mist like the teeth of beasts. To the south, past the gardens and small stretch of woodland were the mountains. The looming black rock surrounded the entirety of Vlintlann, bar the stretch of land where the castle sat. Beyond that was the border with Coperlann and The Disputed. And to the east, in the distance, the shimmering lights from the cramped streets of The Bowl, where those without riches in Vlintlann lived. Her old home, once upon a time.

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Gus Ryer @gusryer.bsky.social · 2d

SPACE SWEEPERS ❌ LOGAN LUCKY

When an AI-piloted freighter threatens her home station, aging & indebted traffic controller Dez decides to rob the hell out of it

Shes got a plan, mobsters on her tail & a crew w/ baggage. But when things aboard aren’t as expected, all bets are off
#QuestPit #W #A #SF

A collage of images around a central glowing circle, within which is a sci-fi rendition of the Vitruvian Man and the words: ALWAYS ACCORD

Around it is an image of a space station; a mobster with a poorly-edited VR visor; an elderly woman standing against a sci-fi cityscape squinting while she shoots a laser pistol at the space station; and an elderly man astronaut with an uncertain expression.

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J. Morgyn White @jmorgynwhite.bsky.social · 2d

🏆 Cheshire Novel Prize HC

💍 1950s NY High Society
💀Murdered Husband
👗Couture Gowns
🫦Noir Romance
🍸Sexy Bartender
💰Handsome Rich Widower
📖Family Secrets
🔫Mob Boss w/a Promise

#questpit #A #S #T #HF #Q

a group of women in evening dresses are standing around a woman in a black dress .

ALT: a group of women in evening dresses are standing around a woman in a black dress .

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

What a cool-sounding #ownvoices book.

Kanani O’Kelly @kananiokelly.bsky.social · 3d

MOANA x SHADOW AND BONE

An #agentsguide to WHISPERS OF THE SEA, my #amquerying young adult fantasy.

Feat:
🌊 Hawaiian-inspired mythology
🌋 setting as a character
🌊 angry female mc

#QuestPit #YA #F #Q #OwnVoices #AgentGuide

The introduction to my young adult novel, Whispers of the Sea.

The pitch:

A teen girl embarks on a journey to a mysterious island where she’ll team up with a boy to uncover the whereabouts of her missing uncle. But to save him, Keahi must interfere with the King’s plans to restore power to his kingdom—except the throne was never his to claim, and the island only answers to one: the girl with a heart of fire.

For fans of: Disney’s Moana, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle

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Kanani O’Kelly @kananiokelly.bsky.social · 3d

MOANA x SHADOW AND BONE

An #agentsguide to WHISPERS OF THE SEA, my #amquerying young adult fantasy.

Feat:
🌊 Hawaiian-inspired mythology
🌋 setting as a character
🌊 angry female mc

#QuestPit #YA #F #Q #OwnVoices #AgentGuide

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Reposted by Christopher Michael

James Keller-Am Querying @thekellerverse.bsky.social · 3d

#Questpit

Mass effect x Treasure Planet/ Master and Commander in Space

6 years after the Death of Earth and Humanity's Uplift into the Jada Empire. Elise Clarke is enlisted into the Royal Fleet. Can she overcome her trauma and prove Humanity can find a place in the Galaxy?

#Q #SF #SFF

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Iris Andersi @goodwords.bsky.social · 3d

POTIONS UNINCORPORATED

Think HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE x THE SPELLSHOP

💜 Chronic Illness Rep
🌱 Plant Magic
💚 Bisexual Witches
🐈‍⬛ A Snarky Familiar
😈 Evil Pharmaceutical Potion Company
☀️ Grumpy X Sunshine Romance
☕ Cozy Vibes

#QuestPit #Q #A #R #F #chronicillnessrep #ownvoices #LGBTQ #cozyfantasy

Potions Unincorporated is written on a black journal with ivy stems and a mushroom on the cover. The tropes are listed with arrows on the right side: Grumpy x Sunshine, Found Family, Evil Pharma Potion Company, Plant Magic, Chronic Illness Rep, Cozy Vibes

The Pitch is written on a lavender field background: A curmudgeonly witch with a chronic illness must work with a cheerful thief to stand up to a greedy pharmaceutical company

A garden of comps is written on a leaf. The background is brown soil with plants next to comp titles: Legends and Lattes, The Spellshop, Howl's Moving Castle, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and Under The Whispering Door.

A snippet highlights the main character's relationship with her familiar, Toad. In the snippet they discuss Linatta's ex girlfriend and Toad's hatred of hats. A book is open below the image and has wildflowers growing out of the inside spine.

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN

A crew of mountaineers attempts to summit the last 8,000 m peak. Sherpa Takato, needing money, goes against his better judgment. It's not the sheer cliffs and unstable icefalls that leave this mountain unconquered; it's something else.
#QuestPit #W #A #H

Image of concept art for my adventure thriller/horror called Kokushinsan: Shadow of the Mountain.

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char 𖤓 @charyoung.bsky.social · 3d

🎸 daisy jones x knives out 🗡️

the songstress, the high-flyer, the gambler, the sweetheart, the watcher, the matriarch and the rogue. seven suspects. one the killer of renowned rockstar sam corvi. but who? only they can tell you

#questpit #Q #A #LF #MY

a moodboard detailing nine images related to my book ALL THE DEVILS aka devilswip. in order from right to left they are: london notably the landmark big ben, a band performing on stage, a sheet of music, a record store, the silhouette of a rockstar, some musical instruments scattered on a bed, two men running, a pile of evidence and finally a hand holding a cigarette

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

The comps got me right out the door.

B. van Bodegom 📃is querying & writing @bvbodegom.bsky.social · 3d

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

Made from non-AI free stock images.

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: A novel by B. van Bodegom

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

Under the Whispering Door X Ghosts

👻Haunter, the best Ghost-for-Hire around, can't scare Alice Espinoza from her crummy apartment. Alice, stubborn, heartbroken, and broke, instead hires him to haunt her cheating ex. What ensues is madness... and dangerous.

#questpit #A #Q #PR

Moodboard for my 88K adult paranormal fantasy, Haunter: Ghost-for-Hire. A wild rom-com and horror-lite romp between the veil of life and death.

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · 2d

OOOH, the intrigue!

J. Morgyn White @jmorgynwhite.bsky.social · 2d

In the glitzy high society of 1950s NY, a model turned wealthy socialite plots the perfect murder to escape her abusive husband. But when she discovers his mob ties, she must stop a killer far more dangerous than the one she hired. #questpit #A #HF #S #T #Q Cheshire Novel Prize Highly Commended

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Gus Ryer @gusryer.bsky.social · 3d

ASHES OF THE SUN ➕ HORIZON ZERO DAWN

When a machine god severs the world from ancient nanotech, two engineer priests, a blademaster & her warrior-poet twin must hunt it for a cure—and revenge.

Failure will doom the world to divine wrath. Success will be deadly.

#QuestPit #Q #A #SF #F

A giant spaceship hovers over a dusty, walled fantasy cityscape. In the foreground, two figures stand in shadow looking out over the scene. The words "An Agent's Guide to CASCADE, by Gus Ryer" is along the top. His website, gusryer.com, is below.

A slide with metadata and story elements for CASCADE:

Genre: Science Fiction with Fantasy Elements
Wordcount: +-130,000

It shows the book covers for the following:
ASHES OF THE SUN, Django Wexler
THE ARCHIVE UNDYING, Emma Mieko Candon
ELDER RACE, Adrian Tchaikovsky
NOTES FROM THE BURNING AGE, Claire North
Ps5's Horizon Zero Dawn

Below that are the following phrases:
Found family
Failed terraforming
A vast, hidden history
Nanotech magic system
Epic fantasy quest in a sci-fi world
Ancient mechanical gods
Arachnid mammals & guard drones
Sword (1) vs. Railguns (lots)

$A warrior woman with a winged helmet, armor, cape, and spear is along the right side of the image, fractured into triangles. Part of the following pitch is along the left: 2,000 years in the future, a galactic human empire fell, severing TRAPPIST-1e from other inhabited worlds before its terraforming could be completed. Wild nanotechnology ravaged the land, and civilization fell into a dark age. Eventually, the God Keepers—engineer priests who restored ancient nanotech—rose to power. While Lendi dreams of life outside the God Keepers, Falder is desperate to keep his best friend from abandoning their order—and him. But, when an ancient machine god crash-lands in a ball of fire and gray death, it severs Keepers from nanotech, plunging the world back into chaos. Meanwhile, Sedna and Renfrik have little patience for Keeper rules or mysticism. But, when a flood of nanites in the god’s wake consumes their home, they’re left with nothing to protect but each other...$

Chapter 1

THE RUSH IS ON! This Tuesday, Planetfall, Inc. announced it would join the rash of megacorps racing to deploy terraforming infrastructure through the newly stabilized Taurine Strait. Previously dominated by New World Corporation, the franchised development of pseudoterra worlds is slated to be the hot market sector of the twenty-fifth century.
-Excerpt from InvestSyder: Stellar Ed., June 15, 2398

The streets of Mahyan never fully slept. Night’s darkness, not yet broken by either the sun’s rise or the blinding, baleful Eye of Toros, wrapped Lendi more completely than her robes. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on her. She wanted nothing more than to run.
An eager vendor barred her way with his stringy arm. “A fine morning calls for a fine meal, miss.” He smiled and fanned out a selection of skewered mutton and whalemeat wrapped in sea grass. Pungent, spiced oil dripped onto the dusty street.
Lendi glared at him, her legs practically vibrating with the..

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Christopher Michael @chrismichael797.bsky.social · Jan 13

Finished reading Sanderson’s 4 secret projects. Tress and the Emerald Sea resonated with me most, but each one is still a great adventure. Recommended. #cosmere #sanderson #reading #fantasy #genrebending

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