Glitter Lips, Tassels, and Tits

Dear Agent Cho,

After graduating with a degree in dance, 22-year-old Kiki dreams of becoming a professional dancer. But jobs as a dancer are hard to come by, so she finds herself trading in her pointe shoes for pasties and performing with The Detectives Divine, a burlesque troupe at Seattle’s The Oolaa Laa Lounge.

The next few years are a riot of body glitter, tiny costumes, and craft cocktails as Kiki becomes an inseparable member of the diverse group of women. Occasional hunky love interests play minor roles—Kiki’s primary love is dance, followed closely by her love for Carmen, Sequin, D, and the rest of The Divines.

Kiki must find side jobs to supplement her income, keep her Evangelical parents ignorant about what she is really doing for work, and learn all the intimate tricks and details of fishnets, nude thongs, and lap dances. She’s guaranteed to learn a little bit about herself, as well.

GLITTER LIPS, TASSELS, AND TITS is a 54,000-word adult novel that celebrates female friendship, the art of dance, and having fun, no matter the consequences. It is comparable to Swing Time by Zadie Smith and City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.

I started writing as a way to stay creative after retiring from a career in dance. My essays have been published in multiple literary journals across multiple continents.

Thank you for your consideration.

 Sincerely,

 Kimberly Nicole

This query letter was first published in the January/February 2024 print edition of Mslexia.