Apr 27, 2009

Query: Seven-Inch Vinyl

A revision of this query has been posted. Click here to read it.

In 1953, the whole world was waiting for an explosion.

Both The United States and the Soviet Union possessed a weapon that could blow the world to bits. But when the explosion finally did take place, it didn’t come from an Atom bomb - but in the form of Rock and Roll music!

My first novel, SEVEN-INCH VINYL, follows the evolution of rock and roll music as seen through the eyes of Joseph Rabinowitz and a wealth of other fictional characters. Their personal and professional stories will parallel real-life people and events as the music changes through the turbulent decade of the 1960’s. Racism, political unrest, war and assassination will unfold in this family saga of success and failure - triumph and tragedy, all culminating in a groundbreaking reunion concert proving that rock and roll will never die.

My past writing experiences are all about the 50’s & 60’s music genre. They include two articles published in a regional magazine, as well as two articles published in local Las Vegas newspapers and one published in a national specialized music periodical.

The completed 140,000 – word manuscript for SEVEN-INCH VINYL is available upon request. A SASE is included for your convenience. I thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Posted by at
Labels:

4 comments:

Rick Daley said...

I like the hook at the beginning, but your description of the story is all telling, no showing. Is Joseph a producer? An artist? Someone who started a record label, like Ahmet Ertegun or Barry Gordie (and if he is patterned off of one of them, which one)?

When is the reunion concert, is it in the 60's, your take on Woodstock, or in modern times?

For your bio, name the publications in which your work appeared.

Is the genre historical fiction, or literary fiction? If it's historical fiction, your word count may fit, but otherwise 140K is very long.

April 27, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Stephanie said...

The only real feedback I have for this is that a lot of agents will see that WC and reject it based on that instead of the query. I agree w/ Rick.

April 27, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Kat said...

My sense was that the MS might be read as a collection of interrelated short stories--in which case, the word count might not be so disconcerting (as it wouldn't be for historical fiction).

It sounds interesting until it says a reunion concert is the culmination of the plot and the resolution is merely that rock 'n roll is forever (what about the characters?). How is it groundbreaking? (For example, is it a concert where all the black artists who were robbed of royalties stick it to the man, where anarchist pinkos and imperialist swine come together in harmony around a burning pit of draft cards and bras, while Joseph watches on and waxes poetically, tying all the stories together with philosophical precision? Yeah, I doubt it...)

Still, it sounds ambitious and I'd be curious to read sample chapters because, if you could pull something like this off successfully and with an original voice, it'd be an impressive read.

April 27, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi folks: Thanx for the comments on my query which I've revised and attached. One Question: I indicated in my original query that the work is a "samily saga" would that not qualify for the high word count?

Seven-Inch Vinyl Revision 1:

In 1953, the whole world was waiting for an explosion.

Both The United States and the Soviet Union possessed a weapon that could blow the world to bits. But when the explosion finally did take place, it didn’t come from an Atom bomb - but in the form of Rock and Roll music!

My first novel SEVEN-INCH VINYL, follows the evolution of rock and roll music as seen through the eyes of Joseph Rabinowitz, a young man who is introduced to R&B music while in the army in Kentucky training for the Korean Conflict and a wealth of other fictional characters. Joseph’s rise through the music business first as an employee at a record store, then as the owner of an independent record company and on as he becomes a legendary songwriter and record producer will parallel real-life people and events as the music changes through the turbulent decade of the 1960’s. Racism, political unrest, war and assassination will unfold in this family saga of success and failure - triumph and tragedy, all culminating in a groundbreaking reunion concert in 1969 proving that rock and roll will never die.

My past writing experiences are all about the 50’s & 60’s music genre. They include two articles published in Peace Magazine, as well as two articles published in The Las Vegas Tribune and LaVoce monthly newspaper and one published in Golden Oldies Forever, a national specialized music periodical.

The completed 140,000 – word manuscript for SEVEN-INCH VINYL is available upon request. A SASE is included for your convenience. I thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

April 27, 2009 at 6:37 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)