Evolution of a Query

I thought it would be interesting to see how my letters have evolved. Here is the Query, submitted in the month of April, 2009

God always protects his seed. He must, for both Heaven and Hell battle for control of Lela Chevalier and her children, the descendants of Christ. Richard knows that if he fails to destroy her Holy Progeny, her seed will rise up at the end and destroy him. He desires to capture her, for ‘he who holds La Rose, holds the gold.’ Jerémèy, the caretaker of the House of Chevalier, understands this as well, watching over and protecting the bloodline from afar.

In La Fleur, a paranormal historical romance of approximately 325,000 words set in New Orleans, Louisiana and Paris, France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lela rises from her tormented existence as a servant in her brother’s home to an opulent life in Paris with her one true love James. Tragedy reclaims Lela when her family is murdered by their trustee Trouvier, desiring to possess their immense fortune. Lela teeters on brink of insanity and suicide; however, love brings her back.

Blackmailed into a life of prostitution by Trouvier, Lela overcomes and prospers, becoming the wealthiest and most powerful Madame in New Orleans. She adopts a young girl named Josephine, saving the child from certain death. Josephine becomes her little David, freeing Lela from Trouvier’s clutches. Joy returns to her life once again when Josephine is revealed as her granddaughter. However, a lie destroys the family which sends Josephine plummeting to her apparent demise.

Now at 111 years old, Lela finds herself staring into the cold heart of her great-grandson Julian, whom she sent away after his mother’s death. Lela prays that the truth about their family and about Josephine’s fall will save him from becoming Richard’s pawn. For if he falls to him, so will the House of Chevalier and its prophesied fruit, Le Baton.

I am a new author and La Fleur is my first novel in a series of three. I graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign with a Bachelors of Arts in English. If you wish to learn more, please email me at claudiahross@gmail.com. This is a simultaneous submission.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Claudia Helena Ross