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natalielouise83.bsky.social
Natalie is ✨ writing a new thing✨
@natalielouise83.bsky.social
1.2K followers 690 following 530 posts
Freelance editor and writer of historical fiction. Longlisted @write-mentor.bsky.social Novel Award 2025. Top 100 @bathnovelaward.co.uk 2024. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ally.
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natalielouise83.bsky.social
TYSM for all the #questpit love on these two! I’m retiring them now to focus on my WIP, which I hope to pitch in the new year, but you gave them an amazing send-off. 🥹

If I promised you a boost and I missed your pitch, LMK. Work was crazy yesterday!

#WritingCommunity #amquerying
November 6, 2025 at 1:11 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
When a lonely stained-glass artist is invited to restore a set of windows depicting the haunting story of Tristram and Isolde, he must reassemble the fractured pieces of his memory before his own budding romance ends in tragedy.

#questpit #A #G #T #Q
Image of a woman’s face half displayed and cut away to reveal a skull. Floral vines frame the central image. The text reads ‘Woodbine’ with the d and b forming a heart.
November 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
When a freak storm wrecks his island’s passenger steamer, sparing only a strange girl believed to be one of the monstrous Finfolk, a grieving musician must uncover who she really is before more of his people die.

#questpit #A #His #M #H #Q
Image of a girl floating beneath the ocean, blowing bubbles towards the surface. A seaweed motif sits behind bright green text that reads, ‘The Ballad of Agnes Day’.
November 5, 2025 at 7:19 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
When a lonely stained-glass artist is invited to restore a set of windows depicting the haunting story of Tristram and Isolde, he must reassemble the fractured pieces of his memory before a malevolent creeper destroys his last chance at love. 👻

#GhostPit #A #G #T #Q
An image of a woman with her head cropped out and a grisly montage of a human heart run through with flowers and a ribcage over her chest, surrounded by twisting vines. Text reads: Mexican Gothic X Severance, Woodbine.
October 30, 2025 at 10:41 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
When a freak storm wrecks his island’s passenger steamer, sparing only a strange girl believed to be one of the monstrous Finfolk, a grieving musician must uncover who she really is before more of his people die. 👻

#GhostPit #A #His #M #H #Q
Image of a woman dressed in black looking out over a cliff. A rotting skull and seaweed motif bleeds from the left side. Text reads: The Ballad of Agnes Day, The Sirens X The Lost Apothecary.
October 30, 2025 at 7:54 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Editors: Female rage is really selling right now!

Me: May I present Exhibit A…

🌊 Good for her
🌊 Twisty plot
🌊 Atmospheric setting
🌊 Orcadian folklore
🌊 Multi POV
🌊 Chronic illness rep

#amquerying #writingcommunity #ownvoices
October 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Who else is doing #1stlinepit on 📸 tomorrow? (Sneak peek at part of my pitch below.)

Find me @ natalielouiseauthor to swap support! 🥰

#WritingCommunity #amquerying
Moodboard with Orkney landscape and seafaring vibes with the words, ‘The sea must have her own’ in the middle.
August 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
THE SIRENS X THE BOOK OF WITCHING

✨ Editor interest ✨

🌊 Feminine rage
🌊 Twisty plot
🌊 Atmospheric setting
🌊 Orcadian folklore
🌊 Multi POV
🌊 Chronic illness rep (own voices)

#PosterPit #A #HF #Q
Text: THE BALLAD OF AGNES DAY (Querying now): When a storm wrecks his island’s passenger steamer, sparing only a girl believed to be one of the monstrous finfolk, a grieving musician must find out the truth about who she is before more of his people die. Longlisted for WriteMentor Award 2025, Top 5% Bridport Prize 2025, Top 100 Bath Novel Award 2024. Image: A young woman with long dark hair and a 1900s dress stands in front of a lighthouse on a cliff path. There is a blood spatter in the corner of the poster.
August 16, 2025 at 7:20 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
#litagents, I’m currently querying two novels:

🫀 95k gothic horror (left pitch)
🌊 112k upmarket historical (right pitch)

If you love dark, twisty, genre-blending novels in the vein of Emilia Hart and Bridget Collins, let’s talk. 👀

#questpit #A #HF #Q
Pitch: When a lonely stained-glass artist is invited to a crumbling country estate to restore a set of windows depicting the haunting story of Tristram and Isolde, he must reassemble the fractured pieces of his memory before a malevolent creeper destroys his last chance at love. Pitch: When a storm wrecks his island's passenger steamer, sparing only a girl believed to be one of the monstrous Finfolk, a grieving musician must uncover who she really is before more of his people die.
August 6, 2025 at 6:42 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Twenty-five years ago, men made history. But HER story will change everything…

🌊 Multi-POV
🌊 Feminine rage / ‘Good For Her’
🌊 Horror elements
🌊 Orcadian folklore
🌊 Atmospheric setting
🌊 Twisty plot
🌊 Editor interest

#questpit #Q #A #HF #agentsguide
Text: An agent’s guide to The Ballad of Agnes Day, a 112k upmarket historical novel. Image: Two vintage-style mermaids with their tails entwined and a blood spatter across one corner. The pitch: When a storms wrecks his islands’s passenger steamer, sparing only a girl believed to be one of the monstrous Finfolk, a grieving musician must uncover who she really is before more of his people die. Moodboard: Evil-looking mermaids, a violin, poisonous mushrooms and passenger steamers on stormy seas, with a moody blue-green hue. Comps: The Sirens by Emilia Hart, Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier, The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson as book covers The snippet: ‘Are you seeing this?’ he cried. ‘Do you see them?’ ​ Dazed, Morton peered around him. All he could see was the black oil spill of the water, its steady surge and release. ‘What do you mean?’ he called back, blood thundering in his ears. ​ Edward’s eyes grew glossy with tears. Then he began to jerk around like a petrified beast, causing the boat to lurch beneath them. ‘They’re everywhere,’ he said in terror and wonderment. ‘They’re coming for me.’
May 7, 2025 at 5:59 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
THE BALLAD OF AGNES DAY: Querying now! Like or DM if interested. 👀

🕰️ Change vs tradition
🔥 Feminist rage
🌊 Atmospheric setting
🪢 Twisty plot
🧜‍♀️ Fading folklore
❤️‍🔥 Love and sacrifice
💫 Chronic illness rep (own voices)

#PosterPitQ #A #HF
A movie poster showing a wrecked passenger steamer on the rocks of an island using Pop Art colours. TEXT: A 112k historical novel channelling The Fisherman’s Gift, The Sirens and The Square of Sevens. The Ballad of Agnes Day: Twenty-five years ago, men made history. Now, one woman will change it. When a storm wrecks his island’s passenger steamer, sparing only a girl believed to be one of the monstrous Finfolk, a grieving musician must find out the truth about who she is before more of his people die.
April 19, 2025 at 6:17 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
All morning Morton Sinclair had watched the tempest rage outside his window, the rain hurling itself in sheets against the glass with such savagery he feared it might break.’

#1stLinePit #C #HF #A
April 5, 2025 at 12:02 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Another beta has informed me they’ve just passed the midpoint and I think it’s safe to say my hope for this book is approaching critically high levels. 🥹😭

#WritingCommunity
March 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Sneak peek at what my betas are saying so far about this book, which currently has SIX agent invitations to query plus editor interest… 👀
March 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
Orkney, 1909: Twenty-five years ago, men made history. Now, one woman will change it…

🔥 Feminine rage
🪢 Twisty plot
🌊 Atmospheric setting
🧜‍♀️ Fading folklore
❤️‍🔥 Vengeance and redemption
💫 Chronic illness rep (own voices)

#PopUpPit #LuckyPit #A #H
March 17, 2025 at 12:01 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
THE SIRENS X THE FISHERMAN’S GIFT

Orkney, 1909: Twenty-five years ago, men made history. Now, one woman will change it…

Coming to the querying trenches APRIL 2025.

#agentsguide #agentguide #WritingCommunity
March 9, 2025 at 7:05 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
The universe is seriously telling me that OrkneyWIP’s time is nigh because another amazing comp just dropped! 👀

If any #litagents are wondering where my pinned post would sit on the shelf, it’s with this lot (all published 2025)…

#WritingCommunity
March 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
THE BOOK OF WITCHING X THE SIRENS X A THOUSAND BLOWS

The islanders of Orphirsay have always lived by the adage that the sea must have her own. Now, they will die by it too…

New #agentsguide attached. Querying APRIL 2025.

#WritingCommunity, please help me spread the word!
March 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
I write historical fiction, mainly early 20th century, with a speculative/folkloric bent, which typically features fierce (and often slightly unhinged) women and darkly atmospheric settings.

What do you write?
#WritingCommunity
Woman in glasses standing in front of a pile of books.
February 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
✨ New moodboard alert! ✨

THE BALLAD OF AGNES DAY, a 115k historical novel in which THE BOOK OF WITCHING meets THE SIRENS, is on track to hit the trenches in April.

If any #litagents are feeling these vibes and would like to see it in their inbox, please 🖤 or DM.
February 21, 2025 at 7:38 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
BOOK OF WITCHING X SIRENS
#questpit #A #H #W

These vibes:

🧜‍♀️ Folkloric themes
🌊 Immersive settings
🫀 Chronic illness rep (own voice)
🔥 Feminine rage
🎻 Haunting music

These comps:
February 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
In honour of #questpit, I am excited to present the latest version of my #agentsguide for THE BALLAD OF AGNES DAY, a multi-POV historical novel that explores themes of sin, sacrifice and redemption against the rugged backdrop of 20th century Orkney.

#A #HF #W
February 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
BOOK OF WITCHING X SIRENS

It's 1909 and while the suffragette movement gains ground in the south, the women on the remote Orkney island of Orphirsay remain bound to their fate—until a stranger washes up with only the shift on her back and a score to settle.

#questpit #A #HF #W
February 12, 2025 at 7:07 AM
natalielouise83.bsky.social
THE GHOST WOODS meets THE SILENCE FACTORY in WOODBINE, a Gothic thriller in which a lonely stained-glass artist must reassemble the fractured pieces of his memory before a malevolent creeper destroys his last chance at love.

#2025pit #A #HF #T
Title screen of an agent's guide to Woodbine with a floral patterned background Pitch text: The Ghost Woods meets The Silence Factory in Woodbine, a Gothic thriller set in post-war Hampshire, UK, that explores love and nature as twin entities in their power both to heal and destroy. Stained-glass artist Tom Piper has lost his home to the bailiffs, his wife to another man and his daughter to an argument he can’t take back. But redemption comes in the form of Mary Goddard, the enigmatic owner of a crumbling country estate, who is willing to pay any price to restore a set of windows depicting the haunting love story of Tristram and Isolde. After a violent altercation with Mary’s delusional twin sister brings Tom and Mary together, their unlikely friendship quickly blossoms into something more. But when the lunatic sister starts talking sense at the same time as a mysterious creeper proceeds to wreak havoc throughout the house – and upon Tom himself – he is forced to question whether the feelings he has for Mary, and she for him, are the real thing or a madness all their own. Image shows a mood board featuring a fire, a moon on a misty night, a woman looking at herself in a handheld mirror and a grand doorway in a stately home. Comparison titles showing book covers of The Puzzle Wood by Rosie Andrews, The Ghost Woods by CJ Cooke, The Asylum by Karen Coles and The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins. Opening lines of Woodbine: The bride’s face was missing, that was the first thing I noticed. No one had escaped unscathed – the groom had lost everything from the waist down and the witnesses had been obliterated – but the neat hole at the neckline of her dress looked deliberate, as if a child had staved it in with a slingshot after the blast. I suppose that’s almost precisely what happened, though I didn’t know it at the time. I tutted and shook my head. Such a shame. Behind me, my new employer cleared her throat. ‘What do you think? Is there any hope?’
January 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM