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Successful Queries: Samantha Fabien, Amara Hoshijo, and “The Serpent and the Wolf,” by Rebecca Robinson

Welcome back to the Successful Queries series. In this installment, find a query letter from literary agent Samantha Fabien (Root Literary) to Amara Hoshijo for Rebecca Robinson’s book, The Serpent and the Wolf (Saga Press/Simon & Schuster).

Rebecca Robinson

By day, Rebecca Robinson works as an administrator at her alumni high school. By night, she’s an avid reader, writer, and consumer of all things art. When she’s not writing, Rebecca loves to cook, spend time with her husband and son, and go hiking with her two huskies.

Here’s Fabien’s query to Hoshijo:

I’m delighted to be in your inbox with Rebecca Robinson’s debut adult fantasy romance, THE SERPENT AND THE WOLF. Deftly balancing swoons and political intrigue, this novel will appeal to the ravenous readers of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Danielle L. Jensen, and Sarah J. Maas.

Sharpened into a blade by her cunning father and ruthless brother, Vaasalisa Kozár trusts no one. Especially when her parents pass and her brother, Dominik, trades her for marriage in a foreign land. Vaasa knows what this really is… a death sentence. A swift and vicious one, if she doesn’t rid herself of the dark and consuming magic that’s taken root since her mother’s death.

If Vaasa dies, Dominik gets all he desires: his own kingdom and another one, weakened and ripe for the taking. But even with proverbial and literal knives to his throat, Vaasa’s new husband Reid does not back down. Instead, he offers her a deal: the illusion of a loving marriage to ensure his election as Headman. In exchange, he’ll grant answers to her questions about the Veragi magic consuming her, and provide the one thing she truly wants: freedom, when all is said and done.

As Reid and Vaasa scheme for the headmanship, they realize they are two halves of an incredibly formidable pair. Vaasa is the cunning political operator, and Reid—the honest, handsome, warrior—can soothe the chaotic magic growing inside her. Somewhere along the way, Vaasa stops acting. And perhaps, Reid was never acting at all. But Dominik’s political machinations are aggressively underway, and with the election looming, stakes couldn’t be higher. Her brother is prepared to take her new kingdom and finish what the fatal magic started, and Vaasa must choose: save Reid’s life, save her own, or do the unthinkable… live the life she’s been trying to escape since this all began.

THE SERPENT AND THE WOLF is a masterclass in writing high-stakes, steamy fantasy romance with captivating world-building and emotionally resonant character arcs. With as much edge-of-your-seat action as there is romantic tension, this story is a whirlwind, ignore-your-responsibilities read overflowing with one-liners Booktok is sure to obsess over.

Check out Rebecca Robinson’s The Serpent and the Wolf here:

Bookshop | Amazon

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Editor Amara Hoshijo’s commentary:

There’s no denying that romantasy has become a crowded space. For editors, who generally acquire 1-2 years before publication, our inboxes have been overflowing with it from long ago! So for me, a romantasy submission really has to stand apart, even in the pitch alone, for me to get excited about the read.

The comp author that called out to me most in Samantha’s pitch was Danielle L. Jensen. As someone who loves an equal balance of romance and political intrigue, along with rich magic world-building, I was pulled in right away by the promise of this in the second line. And the read certainly did not disappoint, because Vaasa and Reid’s relationship not only exist against the backdrop of a brewing war, but is inextricably intertwined with those political machinations.

The second thing that jumped out at me from this letter is the protagonist Vaasa herself: She knows she’s being used by her conniving, murderous brother as a pawn, and her main goal is freedom. She also wields—and sometimes hides—a dangerous dark magic. The undertones here sidestep the stereotypes of both the helpless maiden and gifted “chosen one,” with hints at a woman stepping into her power through her own prowess.

Finally, a fake political marriage? Sign me up! I don’t think I could’ve run away from this pitch if I tried, with the combined fake-relationship and enemies-to-lovers tropes stopping me in my tracks. Add in those vivid political, magical, and feminist elements, and I knew that The Serpent and the Wolf was a debut I couldn’t wait to read.

*****

Samantha Fabien (she/her) is a literary agent at Root Literary, representing award-winning and bestselling authors. She’s interested in high-concept, commercial, and upmarket fiction with all-or-nothing stakes for adult, young adult, and middle-grade readers. With a background in PR, Journalism, and International Rights, Samantha has a deep-held passion for stories that feature, highlight, and uplift marginalized and underrepresented voices across the globe. For more information, visit samanthafabien.com

Amara Hoshijo is a senior editor at Saga Press. Her authors include #1 New York Times bestseller Chloe Gong, USA TODAY bestseller Kemi Ashing-Giwa, Katrina Kwan, Chana Porter, and Sascha Stronach. She loves immersive science fiction and fantasy with a unique cultural lens. Originally from Honolulu, she lived in New York City for over a decade and now lives in Los Angeles. She is also a former Frankfurt Fellow.

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