Include a letter with a full MS?

Always include a cover letter with snail mail requested material. And I also included a copy of the initial query and request. If by email, do it by replying to the email. But the cover letter or cover email should not include pitch or summary. Simply a here is the requested material letter and your contact info.

As for the concerns over aspects of your book, do not explain anything in the cover letter. If the agent or editor likes the writing but wonders about the facts, they'll ask. But to pre-emptively say, "Hey, I know this sounds farfetched but it's all true..." just plants the seed that the story is illogical.

Trust the strength of the manuscript to sell the story and it's internal logic.

rosepetal720 said:

When sending a full MS, do you include a letter, such as "it was good to hear from you, here's my contact information, etc." Or maybe a copy of your query, to remind them who you are? Here's why I ask: My book is about Roman religion, and when people read it, they ask how much of it is real (rightly so: some fiction authors make stuff up like crazy). When I tell them all the ceremonies, events, and people were real, they say "Wow! I wish you had told me that before I read it!" I would like to find a tactful way of expressing this to agents who read the full. Could I explain this in a cover letter?

I hope this hasn't been asked before.

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My advice is...whatever you do, don't take my advice...

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I would agree with suki. And consider this... how many people actually knew what Dan Brown's novels created, was true, or was exaggerated, before reading it? I would go in assuming it is essentially real, and come out agreeing or dissenting. So that is my reasoning for agreeing with suki.

suki said:

Always include a cover letter with snail mail requested material. And I also included a copy of the initial query and request. If by email, do it by replying to the email. But the cover letter or cover email should not include pitch or summary. Simply a here is the requested material letter and your contact info.

As for the concerns over aspects of your book, do not explain anything in the cover letter. If the agent or editor likes the writing but wonders about the facts, they'll ask. But to pre-emptively say, "Hey, I know this sounds farfetched but it's all true..." just plants the seed that the story is illogical.

Trust the strength of the manuscript to sell the story and it's internal logic.

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This is great advice. Congrats on the full request and good luck!

Let your work stand on its own, but if you have any credentials that can back up your work, and in particular, and credentials that can back up your knowledge of Roman religion, definitely include these in a cover letter.

I would think nothing wrong with a quick cover letter, stating basically,

"In response to your request for my full manuscript, dated xx/xx/xxx, please find enclosed a hard copy of my xx,xxx word murder mystery, THE BULLET STOPS HERE.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

You." And reiterate all contact information, which should have been in the original query.

Just a quick business letter, reminding them when they requested, and what project it is.

Of course, I'm enough of an obsessive-compulsive lawyer type to include a copy of the request just beneath my letter, with the manuscript beneath that. Hey, that way, if they've had a paperwork ka-boom, you can show them what they said, especially if there was something specific that you addressed. That means that their concerns are right there with your manuscript, so that they can see what they talked about and see if you've addressed them (of course, this would work better on a revise and resubmit request for a full, but still...)