In the crosshairs of both a killer and the police, Nla must stay out of jail so she can find her uncle’s murderer and save her own life.
#2 Antagonist depiction
Tom Harris is an embittered, intelligent psychopath and master manipulator who knows how to get people to gladly give him what he wants. Witha history of date and other types of fraud he relishes the power of his duplicitousness. He came to NYC with the intention ofinserting himself into Louie Montgomery’s life to determine if he is his unacknowledged son, as his mother claimed and, if so, to get revenge and take what he can from him. After all, he tells himself, “he never paid child support and owes me.” Montgomery is a famous science fiction writer and a newly sober alcoholic. Tom pretends to have long term sobriety and gets Louie to anoint him as his sponsor. He puts his plan in place to kill Louie and inherit his million dollar apartment as the next of kin. Nila Gay, Louie’s niece back in NYC from travel abroad is a complication. When a will is discovered listing her as the beneficiary, he must kill her too or all will be for naught. But first he must ingratiate himself into her life.
#3 Breakout Title
Murder Goes Retrograde
#4 Genre and Comparables
Murder Goes Retrograde is a traditional mystery with cosy elements.
People who like “Only Murders in the Building” and “Manhattan Murder Mystery” will like my book.
Three amateur sleuths meet regularly to plot their next moves to solve a murder. Lots of action takes place in the victim’s building, filled with eccentric characters, on the Upper Westside of Manhattan near the Hayden Planetarium. The primary suspect is a neighbor. Murder Goes Retrograde is an exciting and fun romp around Manhattan.
#5 Hook/Log Line
A young aspiring writer loses her last relative when he is murdered in Central Park. She embarks on a quest for justice and in the process learns the true meaning of family.
#6 A) Conditions for Inner Conflict
Nila is estranged from her Uncle when he is murdered. She has unresolved anger towards him. She has for years sought information about her mother, his twin sister, who died during her birth. Since she first met him, at the age of 13, he has been a serious alcoholic and always blew her off when she asked about materials he had or stories he could tell her. She has now returned to NYC because he is sober and wants to reconcile. But he is murdered before they can talk. The most important source of info about her mother is now gone forever. Her anger complicates her grief for the loss of her uncle—her last living relative.
#6B
Nila has lived every summer since age 13 with Janet and her daughter Zoe. Janet is her uncle’s literary agent. She has bonded with them and they feel like family to her. However, now that Louie is dead, her primary link to Janet, and Janet is focused on Zoe’s unavailability, Nila worries Janet and Zoe will slip away from her.A New York Times obituary for her Uncle, wherein Janet is not mentioned highlights the fact they are not real family. Nila is now without any living relative which stimulates her vulnerability in this area.
#7 Setting
This is an easy one. My novel takes place in exciting New York City. It is centered in a building on the Upper West Side across the street from the Hayden Planetarium. The building houses a mix of assorted eccentrics, some used to work in the planetarium.Some still have a stellar connection--an astrologer, a therapist who works with people who think they have been abducted by aliens, etc. And more recently monied corporate types etc.
There are many scenes in a gated cul de sac in Greenwich Village, and various scenes about town—The Strand Bookstore, The Frying Plan restaurant on a pier on the Hudson, the 79th Street Boat Basin, Central Park, etc.Two chase scenes—one down the Hudson River and one within the planetarium and Museum of Natural History. Think I have it locked as far as setting!
New York Pitch Assignments - December 2021
in New York Write to Pitch 2023 and 2024
Posted
December 2021 Assignments
Murder Goes Retrograde
Trish O’Sullivan
#1 Story Statement
In the crosshairs of both a killer and the police, Nla must stay out of jail so she can find her uncle’s murderer and save her own life.
#2 Antagonist depiction
Tom Harris is an embittered, intelligent psychopath and master manipulator who knows how to get people to gladly give him what he wants. With a history of date and other types of fraud he relishes the power of his duplicitousness. He came to NYC with the intention of inserting himself into Louie Montgomery’s life to determine if he is his unacknowledged son, as his mother claimed and, if so, to get revenge and take what he can from him. After all, he tells himself, “he never paid child support and owes me.” Montgomery is a famous science fiction writer and a newly sober alcoholic. Tom pretends to have long term sobriety and gets Louie to anoint him as his sponsor. He puts his plan in place to kill Louie and inherit his million dollar apartment as the next of kin. Nila Gay, Louie’s niece back in NYC from travel abroad is a complication. When a will is discovered listing her as the beneficiary, he must kill her too or all will be for naught. But first he must ingratiate himself into her life.
#3 Breakout Title
Murder Goes Retrograde
#4 Genre and Comparables
Murder Goes Retrograde is a traditional mystery with cosy elements.
People who like “Only Murders in the Building” and “Manhattan Murder Mystery” will like my book.
Three amateur sleuths meet regularly to plot their next moves to solve a murder. Lots of action takes place in the victim’s building, filled with eccentric characters, on the Upper Westside of Manhattan near the Hayden Planetarium. The primary suspect is a neighbor. Murder Goes Retrograde is an exciting and fun romp around Manhattan.
#5 Hook/Log Line
A young aspiring writer loses her last relative when he is murdered in Central Park. She embarks on a quest for justice and in the process learns the true meaning of family.
#6 A) Conditions for Inner Conflict
Nila is estranged from her Uncle when he is murdered. She has unresolved anger towards him. She has for years sought information about her mother, his twin sister, who died during her birth. Since she first met him, at the age of 13, he has been a serious alcoholic and always blew her off when she asked about materials he had or stories he could tell her. She has now returned to NYC because he is sober and wants to reconcile. But he is murdered before they can talk. The most important source of info about her mother is now gone forever. Her anger complicates her grief for the loss of her uncle—her last living relative.
#6B
Nila has lived every summer since age 13 with Janet and her daughter Zoe. Janet is her uncle’s literary agent. She has bonded with them and they feel like family to her. However, now that Louie is dead, her primary link to Janet, and Janet is focused on Zoe’s unavailability, Nila worries Janet and Zoe will slip away from her. A New York Times obituary for her Uncle, wherein Janet is not mentioned highlights the fact they are not real family. Nila is now without any living relative which stimulates her vulnerability in this area.
#7 Setting
This is an easy one. My novel takes place in exciting New York City. It is centered in a building on the Upper West Side across the street from the Hayden Planetarium. The building houses a mix of assorted eccentrics, some used to work in the planetarium. Some still have a stellar connection--an astrologer, a therapist who works with people who think they have been abducted by aliens, etc. And more recently monied corporate types etc.
There are many scenes in a gated cul de sac in Greenwich Village, and various scenes about town—The Strand Bookstore, The Frying Plan restaurant on a pier on the Hudson, the 79th Street Boat Basin, Central Park, etc. Two chase scenes—one down the Hudson River and one within the planetarium and Museum of Natural History. Think I have it locked as far as setting!