Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 17
September 19, 2016
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: The Doll Train
Title: THE DOLL TRAINCategory and Genre: Contemporary YAWord Count: 60,000Revised Query:High school junior Marc Amazi would do anything to blend in. But his dark skin isn’t exactly an invisibility clock. And though it’s been years since an accident he caused killed his younger cousin, the hushed voices and judgmental stares have yet to go away. He just needs to make it to graduation and then he’ll be on the next train out of town. That is, until he befriends Anna Mason. Arguably the most stunning creature in the universe. Captain of the varsity basketball team. And the only one who doesn’t fault him for his past.
Marc’s almost out of the dreaded friend zone. Almost. But then Oct. 17 happens. Anna shows up at Marc’s house disoriented and confused, only to die in his arms. Immediately Marc is targeted as a suspect. And when her death is ruled an overdose and pills are planted at the scene, he’s the one who goes down for delivering the narcotics that killed Anna.
As the justice system brands Marc by the color of his skin, the town doesn’t label him a friend in morning. They label him a murderer. A social media group is created to attack Marc. He’s all but ready to give up and join Anna on a journey to the stars. But in the midst of Marc’s trial, Anna’s younger sister goes missing. Marc might have a real shot at finding her, but to do so he will have to battle the demons of Anna’s death and a childhood trauma he thought he buried long ago.
First 250 words:Oct. 17The night Anna diedTime doesn’t stop when the world is ending. It sticks together, every moment exaggerated, ticking by so dreadfully slow.Knees slicing the pavement. Crimson drops staining the gravel. Anna limp. A pretty little doll someone forgot to put back on the shelf. Come back to me, I silently plead. Come back.Her body is stretched out on the pavement. I attempt to pull her up from the ground. Shake her until she wakes up or until I find a way to give her my heart. But all 5 feet and 9 inches of her is dead weight. She slips back to the ground, her arms and legs nothing but gelatin.Only seconds ago she was seizing. Her body possessed, dancing in shapes I never knew existed. My head collapses onto her chest, searching desperately for a heartbeat.And then I hear it. Erratic and panicked throbs ricochet between us. But she is still. So very still. This horrendous symphony is only compromised of my pulse. Hers is…Gone? It shouldn’t be a surprise. This is what happens to everyone I love. And yet I would give her my heart, every drop of my blood, every second of every hour of every day. If only I knew how. Anna, please.I drown. Even on dry land. Air rushes in and out at warp speed, but none of it reaches my lungs. Salty drops of water slide down my face. I don’t hold them back anymore.Wake up. Dammit wake up.
Marc’s almost out of the dreaded friend zone. Almost. But then Oct. 17 happens. Anna shows up at Marc’s house disoriented and confused, only to die in his arms. Immediately Marc is targeted as a suspect. And when her death is ruled an overdose and pills are planted at the scene, he’s the one who goes down for delivering the narcotics that killed Anna.
As the justice system brands Marc by the color of his skin, the town doesn’t label him a friend in morning. They label him a murderer. A social media group is created to attack Marc. He’s all but ready to give up and join Anna on a journey to the stars. But in the midst of Marc’s trial, Anna’s younger sister goes missing. Marc might have a real shot at finding her, but to do so he will have to battle the demons of Anna’s death and a childhood trauma he thought he buried long ago.
First 250 words:Oct. 17The night Anna diedTime doesn’t stop when the world is ending. It sticks together, every moment exaggerated, ticking by so dreadfully slow.Knees slicing the pavement. Crimson drops staining the gravel. Anna limp. A pretty little doll someone forgot to put back on the shelf. Come back to me, I silently plead. Come back.Her body is stretched out on the pavement. I attempt to pull her up from the ground. Shake her until she wakes up or until I find a way to give her my heart. But all 5 feet and 9 inches of her is dead weight. She slips back to the ground, her arms and legs nothing but gelatin.Only seconds ago she was seizing. Her body possessed, dancing in shapes I never knew existed. My head collapses onto her chest, searching desperately for a heartbeat.And then I hear it. Erratic and panicked throbs ricochet between us. But she is still. So very still. This horrendous symphony is only compromised of my pulse. Hers is…Gone? It shouldn’t be a surprise. This is what happens to everyone I love. And yet I would give her my heart, every drop of my blood, every second of every hour of every day. If only I knew how. Anna, please.I drown. Even on dry land. Air rushes in and out at warp speed, but none of it reaches my lungs. Salty drops of water slide down my face. I don’t hold them back anymore.Wake up. Dammit wake up.
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: The Crow Queen
Title: The Crow Queen
Category and Genre: YA Fantasy
Word Count: 84,000
Query:
Once, no one would have dared threaten the kingdom of Rhodaire. Not when skilled warriors protected the land on the backs of massive Crows with elemental magic.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Ana Cerralté trained her entire life to become one of those riders, until the Illucian Empire’s elite soldiers invaded on the night of Rhodaire’s yearly festival. The Illucian soldiers set fire to the rookeries and hunted down any Crows that escaped the flames, leaving Ana’s kingdom vulnerable and destroying the future she worked so hard for.
Ana falls into depression and withdraws from her kingdom, leaving her sister, the queen, to piece it together. When Illucia threatens to attack again, Ana learns her sister has engaged her to the cruel Illucian prince in exchange for peace. Thinking Illucia plans to forcibly place Ana and the prince on Rhodaire’s throne once the marriage is official, Ana searches desperately for an alternative. When she finds a Crow egg in the ruins of the royal rookery, she rushes to hatch it, knowing even one Crow could level the playing field between the kingdoms – but the secret of hatching may have died with the Crows.
As Ana hunts down the last known Crow rider in hopes of learning the egg’s secrets, she discovers the Illucian prince is having her followed, and may already know about the egg. With time running out, Ana must let go of her past and depression, and find the secret to hatching the egg before her marriage becomes official, and Rhodaire is enslaved to Illucia.
First 250 Words:
Sometimes all I could think about was fire.
I’d see it in the reflection of the sun on the gray castle walls, or in a flash of red hair flickering in the wind. Or I’d see it in the swirls of burn scars creeping up my left forearm, etched there the night the Crows were killed. I absently traced the edges where the red splotches met my brown skin, ignoring every word my sister said.
We sat on the patio in the castle garden, the remains of the papaya and yogurt we’d had for breakfast spread out on the table. It was early, and the only sounds outside Caliza’s talking came from the warble of goldfinches and the song of a nearby thrush.
“You hardly talk to anyone… I know you’re still not back to normal… If you’d just try a little…”
Then, sharply, “Ana? Anadithia! Are you listening to me?”
I looked up from my hand, blinking several times until I felt alert enough to feign interest. “Define listening.” A tiny vein in Caliza’s temple twitched, and I added, “Last I heard, you were instructing me in the ways of fluff and grandeur. At the next ball, I promise to pretend to like at least five people. Maybe even six, if you never bring it up again.”
My biting tone was meant for her, but it ate at my insides too. I used to love parties – well, mainly the food and dressing up. I’d never enjoyed playing politics; it took too much tact.
Category and Genre: YA Fantasy
Word Count: 84,000
Query:
Once, no one would have dared threaten the kingdom of Rhodaire. Not when skilled warriors protected the land on the backs of massive Crows with elemental magic.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Ana Cerralté trained her entire life to become one of those riders, until the Illucian Empire’s elite soldiers invaded on the night of Rhodaire’s yearly festival. The Illucian soldiers set fire to the rookeries and hunted down any Crows that escaped the flames, leaving Ana’s kingdom vulnerable and destroying the future she worked so hard for.
Ana falls into depression and withdraws from her kingdom, leaving her sister, the queen, to piece it together. When Illucia threatens to attack again, Ana learns her sister has engaged her to the cruel Illucian prince in exchange for peace. Thinking Illucia plans to forcibly place Ana and the prince on Rhodaire’s throne once the marriage is official, Ana searches desperately for an alternative. When she finds a Crow egg in the ruins of the royal rookery, she rushes to hatch it, knowing even one Crow could level the playing field between the kingdoms – but the secret of hatching may have died with the Crows.
As Ana hunts down the last known Crow rider in hopes of learning the egg’s secrets, she discovers the Illucian prince is having her followed, and may already know about the egg. With time running out, Ana must let go of her past and depression, and find the secret to hatching the egg before her marriage becomes official, and Rhodaire is enslaved to Illucia.
First 250 Words:
Sometimes all I could think about was fire.
I’d see it in the reflection of the sun on the gray castle walls, or in a flash of red hair flickering in the wind. Or I’d see it in the swirls of burn scars creeping up my left forearm, etched there the night the Crows were killed. I absently traced the edges where the red splotches met my brown skin, ignoring every word my sister said.
We sat on the patio in the castle garden, the remains of the papaya and yogurt we’d had for breakfast spread out on the table. It was early, and the only sounds outside Caliza’s talking came from the warble of goldfinches and the song of a nearby thrush.
“You hardly talk to anyone… I know you’re still not back to normal… If you’d just try a little…”
Then, sharply, “Ana? Anadithia! Are you listening to me?”
I looked up from my hand, blinking several times until I felt alert enough to feign interest. “Define listening.” A tiny vein in Caliza’s temple twitched, and I added, “Last I heard, you were instructing me in the ways of fluff and grandeur. At the next ball, I promise to pretend to like at least five people. Maybe even six, if you never bring it up again.”
My biting tone was meant for her, but it ate at my insides too. I used to love parties – well, mainly the food and dressing up. I’d never enjoyed playing politics; it took too much tact.
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: The Mortal Coil - Revelation
Title: The Mortal Coil - RevelationAge and Genre: YA ParanormalWord Count: 73,000
Query:Aiden Milligan knew his life wasn’t normal, but it took breaking into the school gym to hunt for spell sigils to realize how far from normal his life really is.His grades were the only thing Aiden Milligan didn’t screw up while drifting through the foster system. When his exceptional scores open the door to the distinguished Covington Academy, seventeen-year-old Aiden sees a way out of his hellhole and doesn’t look back – until his past catches up. Members of the basketball team end up comatose a day after an altercation with Aiden, and he finds himself a detective’s prime suspect.Aiden is determined to clear his name, even if it means teaming up with fellow student Jessie Rivas, a wannabe journalist whose theories are as outlandish as her wardrobe. When people start collapsing into comas all over the city, and bizarre symbols are found at the scene of the incidents, Jessie’s occult conspiracies start sounding more plausible than the police reports.As Aiden begins to receive visions that tie him and the incidents to something larger, he realizes he may be more involved with the case than he thought. With police ready to lock him up, a coven out for blood, and the incidents showing no signs of stopping, Aiden may not be able to save his reputation or the victims – or even his life.
First 250 Words:Aiden Milligan spent so much time in Covington Academy’s hot seat, he kept expecting them to engrave his name on it. Even his shadow dragged its feet as he trudged to the principal’s office, repeating that all-too-familiar question.What had he done now?Aiden made a point to stay detached from most people at Covington Academy. He’d become well-acquainted with Principal Hadley, however, during the two years he’d attended – in all the worst ways. Most of the students and faculty avoided him at all costs, but Hadley either didn’t get the memo or took it as a challenge. In his seventeen years, Aiden had never met anyone who could match him in bull-headed determination. The man was going to churn out the future world changers for which Covington Academy was renowned, like it or not.Aiden begrudgingly admired that on some level. He’d appreciate it more if it wasn’t directed at him.“Well, Aiden, thank you for coming,” Hadley said as he entered the office.Aiden looked up at the dirty-blonde, balding man behind the impenetrable oak desk and raised an eyebrow. They both knew he wouldn’t be there if given the choice. But Hadley was the poster boy for pointless formalities.Aiden looked at the uncomfortable wooden chair in front of him. No plaque yet. Shame. He plopped down and took interest in a spot over Hadley’s shoulder.“Yes, well,” Hadley continued, moistening his thin lips. “To business.”He folded his hands on his desk, eyes narrowed.
“This morning, there was an incident.”
Query:Aiden Milligan knew his life wasn’t normal, but it took breaking into the school gym to hunt for spell sigils to realize how far from normal his life really is.His grades were the only thing Aiden Milligan didn’t screw up while drifting through the foster system. When his exceptional scores open the door to the distinguished Covington Academy, seventeen-year-old Aiden sees a way out of his hellhole and doesn’t look back – until his past catches up. Members of the basketball team end up comatose a day after an altercation with Aiden, and he finds himself a detective’s prime suspect.Aiden is determined to clear his name, even if it means teaming up with fellow student Jessie Rivas, a wannabe journalist whose theories are as outlandish as her wardrobe. When people start collapsing into comas all over the city, and bizarre symbols are found at the scene of the incidents, Jessie’s occult conspiracies start sounding more plausible than the police reports.As Aiden begins to receive visions that tie him and the incidents to something larger, he realizes he may be more involved with the case than he thought. With police ready to lock him up, a coven out for blood, and the incidents showing no signs of stopping, Aiden may not be able to save his reputation or the victims – or even his life.
First 250 Words:Aiden Milligan spent so much time in Covington Academy’s hot seat, he kept expecting them to engrave his name on it. Even his shadow dragged its feet as he trudged to the principal’s office, repeating that all-too-familiar question.What had he done now?Aiden made a point to stay detached from most people at Covington Academy. He’d become well-acquainted with Principal Hadley, however, during the two years he’d attended – in all the worst ways. Most of the students and faculty avoided him at all costs, but Hadley either didn’t get the memo or took it as a challenge. In his seventeen years, Aiden had never met anyone who could match him in bull-headed determination. The man was going to churn out the future world changers for which Covington Academy was renowned, like it or not.Aiden begrudgingly admired that on some level. He’d appreciate it more if it wasn’t directed at him.“Well, Aiden, thank you for coming,” Hadley said as he entered the office.Aiden looked up at the dirty-blonde, balding man behind the impenetrable oak desk and raised an eyebrow. They both knew he wouldn’t be there if given the choice. But Hadley was the poster boy for pointless formalities.Aiden looked at the uncomfortable wooden chair in front of him. No plaque yet. Shame. He plopped down and took interest in a spot over Hadley’s shoulder.“Yes, well,” Hadley continued, moistening his thin lips. “To business.”He folded his hands on his desk, eyes narrowed.
“This morning, there was an incident.”
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: Molfar
Title: MOLFARCategory and Genre: YA Contemporary FantasyWord Count: 98K
QUERY:Seventeen-year-old Ian Hill, the first male in a long line of witches, is a dud. His sixteenth birthday came and went, along with his hopes for a power. Any power. He would’ve settled for levitating pencils.
Used to being a disappointment, Ian resigns himself to a boring suburban existence, running errands and taking out the garbage at his mom’s pagan supply store. Until he meets Violet. The talented witch not only saves Ian’s life, but mysteriously awakens his weird powers, and some normal teenage hormones, too. Welcome to the world of telepathic trees, killer shadows, and ghost pet cats.
Ian’s new tree whispering Gift isn’t just unique; it’s practically extinct. But having loyal leafy allies with unmatched wisdom, protection, and healing abilities isn’t enough for Ian. To impress Violet, Ian “borrows” her treasured book of spells and tries a shortcut to master more magic. His attempt ends in a wildfire, and Violet, betrayed and hurt, disappears from his life.
While nursing a broken heart and gnawing guilt, Ian learns he is a target of the Dark Soul Stealers. Feared by the whole witch community, these powerful occultists seek to unleash denizens of demonic realms onto the world. Ian’s powers may be the missing ingredient they need to succeed. Without Violet’s training, Ian fails to prevent the destruction of his hometown and his mom falling gravely ill. As he races to save his mom and to find Violet, his adversaries present him with an impossible deal: his mother’s life in exchange for his soul.
250 WORDS:When your mom is a walking lie detector, you master the art of withholding the truth.Sitting under a shady oak, I grab the closest sack full of flowers and tie it tightly with a twine. A little too tightly. Applying unnecessary force feels cathartic. I’m not as mad as I was yesterday when Mom announced my four day emergency plant harvesting trip to Gram’s cabin in the Poconos. But I haven’t forgiven her either. Surely she didn’t know I’d be missing Rick Gogol’s graduation party. Midsummer—Litha, as witches call it—is in a few days, but Mom can’t void my plans every time a high holiday rolls around. There are eight of them! I’d never have a social life. And since the family witch gene skipped me altogether, I can’t be expected to make that kind of sacrifice.So I’ve decided tonight I’ll drive back to Chornohora and attend Rick’s party against Mom’s wishes.It’s a two hour drive one way, which means no evening plant harvesting, but I’ll have two more nights to catch up. Sleep can wait and Mom won’t know a thing. In the unlikely event she does find out, the worst she can do is make me work overtime at her pagan supply store. I practically live there already, so what’s a few more hours?Besides, Samantha Lawrence is worth the risk.Day one of senior year’s French class, when Sam waltzed over and sat in the chair next to mine, I knew I was a goner.
QUERY:Seventeen-year-old Ian Hill, the first male in a long line of witches, is a dud. His sixteenth birthday came and went, along with his hopes for a power. Any power. He would’ve settled for levitating pencils.
Used to being a disappointment, Ian resigns himself to a boring suburban existence, running errands and taking out the garbage at his mom’s pagan supply store. Until he meets Violet. The talented witch not only saves Ian’s life, but mysteriously awakens his weird powers, and some normal teenage hormones, too. Welcome to the world of telepathic trees, killer shadows, and ghost pet cats.
Ian’s new tree whispering Gift isn’t just unique; it’s practically extinct. But having loyal leafy allies with unmatched wisdom, protection, and healing abilities isn’t enough for Ian. To impress Violet, Ian “borrows” her treasured book of spells and tries a shortcut to master more magic. His attempt ends in a wildfire, and Violet, betrayed and hurt, disappears from his life.
While nursing a broken heart and gnawing guilt, Ian learns he is a target of the Dark Soul Stealers. Feared by the whole witch community, these powerful occultists seek to unleash denizens of demonic realms onto the world. Ian’s powers may be the missing ingredient they need to succeed. Without Violet’s training, Ian fails to prevent the destruction of his hometown and his mom falling gravely ill. As he races to save his mom and to find Violet, his adversaries present him with an impossible deal: his mother’s life in exchange for his soul.
250 WORDS:When your mom is a walking lie detector, you master the art of withholding the truth.Sitting under a shady oak, I grab the closest sack full of flowers and tie it tightly with a twine. A little too tightly. Applying unnecessary force feels cathartic. I’m not as mad as I was yesterday when Mom announced my four day emergency plant harvesting trip to Gram’s cabin in the Poconos. But I haven’t forgiven her either. Surely she didn’t know I’d be missing Rick Gogol’s graduation party. Midsummer—Litha, as witches call it—is in a few days, but Mom can’t void my plans every time a high holiday rolls around. There are eight of them! I’d never have a social life. And since the family witch gene skipped me altogether, I can’t be expected to make that kind of sacrifice.So I’ve decided tonight I’ll drive back to Chornohora and attend Rick’s party against Mom’s wishes.It’s a two hour drive one way, which means no evening plant harvesting, but I’ll have two more nights to catch up. Sleep can wait and Mom won’t know a thing. In the unlikely event she does find out, the worst she can do is make me work overtime at her pagan supply store. I practically live there already, so what’s a few more hours?Besides, Samantha Lawrence is worth the risk.Day one of senior year’s French class, when Sam waltzed over and sat in the chair next to mine, I knew I was a goner.
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: Soul Bound
Title: SOUL BOUND Category and Genre: YA Urban Fantasy Word Count: 83,000
Query:18-year-old Falon is soul bound. She shares her mind and body with her other soul, Wolf, and they don’t always get along. Falon has to constantly resist Wolf’s animal urges and attempts to take control of her body, but at least she’ll always have a loyal, ill-mannered, pain in the ass best friend.
Their quiet life protecting the forest is shattered when two supernatural strangers show up. And they’re after Falon’s blood.
Soul binders are caught in the middle of a centuries-long struggle for power over the supernatural underworld, and they’re being murdered as threats or exploited as weapons. Falon’s blood is the tide-changer both sides are after. One that could end it all for good and stop a war before it starts.
But this is no battle of good versus evil. There are only evils. Joining a side might mean Falon can save her kind. Joining the wrong side could mean she dooms them all to extinction.
First 250 Words:Even from here we can feel their heartbeats, thumping inside their chests. We can hear their labored breaths and see their faces moist and glistening with humidity. They have no idea they’re being watched, my body blending in with the thick, deep darkness of the inner forest of the Refuge.Poachers, Wolf says, watching them through my eyes.They were easy to track, the stench of alcohol and sweat, their heavy boot prints and tire tracks, all glaring evidence of trespassers.Stupid poachers, she amends.I shuffle closer, carefully choosing each place to set my feet. A canine hooks over my lip as I grin. Stupid is right. This is almost too easy.My toes sink noiselessly into the damp dirt, the calloused soles of my feet numb to the muddy grit. Energy from the Earth passes from the ground into my feet, teeming with life that I can’t see, but can feel around me. I am one with everything, one with the souls of the animals and trees that I share this forest with.And these poachers do not belong.I part the waxy leaves of a giant fern and can see them, swatting at mosquitoes and toeing the prints from a boar in the dirt.Attack, Wolf growls, pushing me forward.Beads of sweat bubble up on my forehead as I keep my feet firmly planted, resisting her control. It’s always a fight over control.Not yet, I tell her. Haven’t you heard that patience is a virtue?No.Well apparently it is.
Query:18-year-old Falon is soul bound. She shares her mind and body with her other soul, Wolf, and they don’t always get along. Falon has to constantly resist Wolf’s animal urges and attempts to take control of her body, but at least she’ll always have a loyal, ill-mannered, pain in the ass best friend.
Their quiet life protecting the forest is shattered when two supernatural strangers show up. And they’re after Falon’s blood.
Soul binders are caught in the middle of a centuries-long struggle for power over the supernatural underworld, and they’re being murdered as threats or exploited as weapons. Falon’s blood is the tide-changer both sides are after. One that could end it all for good and stop a war before it starts.
But this is no battle of good versus evil. There are only evils. Joining a side might mean Falon can save her kind. Joining the wrong side could mean she dooms them all to extinction.
First 250 Words:Even from here we can feel their heartbeats, thumping inside their chests. We can hear their labored breaths and see their faces moist and glistening with humidity. They have no idea they’re being watched, my body blending in with the thick, deep darkness of the inner forest of the Refuge.Poachers, Wolf says, watching them through my eyes.They were easy to track, the stench of alcohol and sweat, their heavy boot prints and tire tracks, all glaring evidence of trespassers.Stupid poachers, she amends.I shuffle closer, carefully choosing each place to set my feet. A canine hooks over my lip as I grin. Stupid is right. This is almost too easy.My toes sink noiselessly into the damp dirt, the calloused soles of my feet numb to the muddy grit. Energy from the Earth passes from the ground into my feet, teeming with life that I can’t see, but can feel around me. I am one with everything, one with the souls of the animals and trees that I share this forest with.And these poachers do not belong.I part the waxy leaves of a giant fern and can see them, swatting at mosquitoes and toeing the prints from a boar in the dirt.Attack, Wolf growls, pushing me forward.Beads of sweat bubble up on my forehead as I keep my feet firmly planted, resisting her control. It’s always a fight over control.Not yet, I tell her. Haven’t you heard that patience is a virtue?No.Well apparently it is.
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: Eden
Title: Eden
Age and Genre: YA Light Science FictionWord Count: 109,000
Query:When eighteen year old Savannah Black wakes up in an underground research facility called Eden, her memories are fuzzy. Assigned a new name, Jaye, for her "new life", Eden informs her of what she's missed: a worldwide airborne virus, half the population infected or dead, and her mother locked up in quarantine. Eden's offering sanctuary and a chance at a cure, but not for free. In exchange, Jaye will have to consent to scientific testing, including Eden's colored serums, the ones aimed at making her forget her past. But when the serums fail and Jaye's memories come flooding back, she's faced with two game-changing truths: her mother died a long time ago and Eden's lying about why she's here.
The more the truth unravels, the more Jaye has to lay on the line. And the more dangerous to Eden she becomes. When Jaye and her newfound friends uncover proof of Eden's hidden agenda, they're left with one last choice: attempt escape. But escaping won't be easy, since those who don't abide by Eden's rules tend to wind up dead.
First 250 Words: I pry my eyes open, dark spots dancing in my vision. A revolving metal fan stares back at me, it’s blades spinning lazily, the cool breeze welcome on my sweaty skin. The white lights are blinding compared to the fog I’m coming out of. The dream. Me, floating in a thick gelatinous substance, one that clung to my body, hugged me close. Everything within in me jumbled and stuck, sinking beneath me like quick sand. I wipe the sleep from my eyes, catch the small red light flashing above the metal door. An automated voice cuts through the silence. “7346 is now awake.” I back against the headboard, my heart seizing within my chest, oxygen draining from my lungs. Where am I? Four bare white walls surround me, the sterility of it like bleach, singeing my nose. An armchair sits in the left corner and to my right, a small desk, three books resting on its metal surface. The only other item in the room is the bed beneath me, covered in white linen. Images surge through my brain: a small girl coughing, people wearing masks, a white corridor. None of them make sense. The blinking light turns solid red, watching me. “Hello?” I call out. The door slides open and a young girl with short blonde hair steps inside. Her skin is so fair it nearly matches the pale walls. She smiles at me, checking her clipboard. “7346, I’m glad you’re awake.”
Age and Genre: YA Light Science FictionWord Count: 109,000
Query:When eighteen year old Savannah Black wakes up in an underground research facility called Eden, her memories are fuzzy. Assigned a new name, Jaye, for her "new life", Eden informs her of what she's missed: a worldwide airborne virus, half the population infected or dead, and her mother locked up in quarantine. Eden's offering sanctuary and a chance at a cure, but not for free. In exchange, Jaye will have to consent to scientific testing, including Eden's colored serums, the ones aimed at making her forget her past. But when the serums fail and Jaye's memories come flooding back, she's faced with two game-changing truths: her mother died a long time ago and Eden's lying about why she's here.
The more the truth unravels, the more Jaye has to lay on the line. And the more dangerous to Eden she becomes. When Jaye and her newfound friends uncover proof of Eden's hidden agenda, they're left with one last choice: attempt escape. But escaping won't be easy, since those who don't abide by Eden's rules tend to wind up dead.
First 250 Words: I pry my eyes open, dark spots dancing in my vision. A revolving metal fan stares back at me, it’s blades spinning lazily, the cool breeze welcome on my sweaty skin. The white lights are blinding compared to the fog I’m coming out of. The dream. Me, floating in a thick gelatinous substance, one that clung to my body, hugged me close. Everything within in me jumbled and stuck, sinking beneath me like quick sand. I wipe the sleep from my eyes, catch the small red light flashing above the metal door. An automated voice cuts through the silence. “7346 is now awake.” I back against the headboard, my heart seizing within my chest, oxygen draining from my lungs. Where am I? Four bare white walls surround me, the sterility of it like bleach, singeing my nose. An armchair sits in the left corner and to my right, a small desk, three books resting on its metal surface. The only other item in the room is the bed beneath me, covered in white linen. Images surge through my brain: a small girl coughing, people wearing masks, a white corridor. None of them make sense. The blinking light turns solid red, watching me. “Hello?” I call out. The door slides open and a young girl with short blonde hair steps inside. Her skin is so fair it nearly matches the pale walls. She smiles at me, checking her clipboard. “7346, I’m glad you’re awake.”
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: The Fall of Troy
Title: THE FALL OF TROY
Age and Genre: YA FantasyWord Count: 76,000
Query: Helen of Troy has died twice. Once in the white city as it burned around her, and the second time in the Asphodel Meadows, the river Lethe washing her past away. All she knows of who she used to be is from whispered myths.
When Helen enters Elysium, the eternal paradise where heroes live out their afterlives, she learns that the myths got it wrong. Paris did not steal her away for love—he has always loved men—and what the stories call a kidnapping was a rescue, the Prince of Troy saving her from a husband who left bruises on her skin. But Menelaus is still hunting her, and now that he knows she is in Elysium he will do anything to get her back. When he threatens war, Helen knows the choice she has before her: return to her husband with a prayer that time has softened his edge, or watch history play itself over, heroes fighting and dying once more for the glory of her name.
But Helen is tired of men seeing her as a cause, or a flag, or a prize—she is a girl, and in Elysium she could be a hero. So she trains for battle, determined to face Menelaus with a blade in her hand. For the first time, Helen of Troy will make her future her own.
First 250 Words:
The flowers were as insubstantial as we were. They were gray, too, as gray as the rest of the landscape, and they whispered among themselves, the petals fluttering without wind, as if sharing secrets. But there were no secrets in the Asphodel Meadows, just as there was no color.Only, sometimes—there was.Time had little meaning here, but I marked it by his arrival. I saw the distant glow of him, the light of the living as he moved through the throngs of the dead. Other shades clamored around him, drawn like I was to the way he shone, the gold of his hair and the sword by his side. It was better and worse when he came, for my mind was clearer at the sight of him but the sharpness of it cut me in a way the numbness could not. Still, I felt myself move toward him, close enough that I could hear his voice. It sounded like music.“I’m sorry,” he was saying, over and over, until the words began to blur together.I pushed closer, through the other shades that blocked my path, until I was by his side, looking at him for the first time. He was more beautiful up close, all sharp planes and light and so much life it hurt to look at
Age and Genre: YA FantasyWord Count: 76,000
Query: Helen of Troy has died twice. Once in the white city as it burned around her, and the second time in the Asphodel Meadows, the river Lethe washing her past away. All she knows of who she used to be is from whispered myths.
When Helen enters Elysium, the eternal paradise where heroes live out their afterlives, she learns that the myths got it wrong. Paris did not steal her away for love—he has always loved men—and what the stories call a kidnapping was a rescue, the Prince of Troy saving her from a husband who left bruises on her skin. But Menelaus is still hunting her, and now that he knows she is in Elysium he will do anything to get her back. When he threatens war, Helen knows the choice she has before her: return to her husband with a prayer that time has softened his edge, or watch history play itself over, heroes fighting and dying once more for the glory of her name.
But Helen is tired of men seeing her as a cause, or a flag, or a prize—she is a girl, and in Elysium she could be a hero. So she trains for battle, determined to face Menelaus with a blade in her hand. For the first time, Helen of Troy will make her future her own.
First 250 Words:
The flowers were as insubstantial as we were. They were gray, too, as gray as the rest of the landscape, and they whispered among themselves, the petals fluttering without wind, as if sharing secrets. But there were no secrets in the Asphodel Meadows, just as there was no color.Only, sometimes—there was.Time had little meaning here, but I marked it by his arrival. I saw the distant glow of him, the light of the living as he moved through the throngs of the dead. Other shades clamored around him, drawn like I was to the way he shone, the gold of his hair and the sword by his side. It was better and worse when he came, for my mind was clearer at the sight of him but the sharpness of it cut me in a way the numbness could not. Still, I felt myself move toward him, close enough that I could hear his voice. It sounded like music.“I’m sorry,” he was saying, over and over, until the words began to blur together.I pushed closer, through the other shades that blocked my path, until I was by his side, looking at him for the first time. He was more beautiful up close, all sharp planes and light and so much life it hurt to look at
Son of a Pitch YA Entry: Broken
Title: Broken
Age and Genre: YA Fantasy – MagicalWord Count: 74K
Query:Kylie Minor can recite the history of her people. She knows how wizards once placed witches on pedestals and fought for their attention. How overzealous human morality hunts complete with stake burnings and drownings changed their existence. How witches turned to the wizards for protection and were forced into subservient roles. How they went from being deities to doormats. It’s no wonder the witches are hiding. Waiting around for your power to be drained does not sound like a good time. But Kylie’s pretty low on the social scale, so she’s not that worried about becoming someone’s slave/wife. All she wants is to celebrate her seventeenth birthday, figure out why there is a wizard following her, and stop living in the shadows.Ty Jessup has been dreaming of a position on the Wizard council for years. He only took the job as witch hunter to pad his resume, not because he agreed with their ways. Watching his mother wither as her magic was drained led him to understand why the witches took off in the first place. But now the council will not take him seriously unless he’s betrothed to a witch. The more powerful the witch, the higher his stock will be since her power will become his. But Ty’s power is strong enough and he’s not willing to betroth a witch just to become a candidate. Yet.As both the mass wedding ceremony and council meeting approach, the final chance to revoke the tenets and by laws is coming up. There are those willing to destroy the future in order to maintain the present. Change is hard. But Kylie and Ty must choose between fighting for what they want and fighting for what’s right. When those two do not align, sacrifice is required.
FIRST 250 The high moon hid behind a blanket of clouds as blue light crawled through the yard like slow rolling fog, slithering over the steps and slipping under the door. Magic glided across Marta’s skin. She sat up, scanning her room and sensing the source of the intrusion. Whatever enchantment entered her house, it did so by permeating her wards.She slipped her feet from beneath the covers to the hard wood floor and waited. Her body complained about the sudden move. Old bones wanted rest, not to investigate sinister shadows creeping in the night. But power pulsed from the strange presence in her house. And strange presences were not welcome, especially ones that violated protection wards. Light flickering from beneath Kylie’s bedroom door drew Marta down the hall. Her pained steps quickened. Was that blasted child testing her magic at this late hour? Surely not. She knew the rules. Marta opened the door, ready to punish the child, in excess if needed. Across the room, Kylie lay asleep in the bed. Darkness shrouded everything, except for the light streaming from the siombol on the back of her neck. Her witch’s mark glowed like a brilliant star. Marta drew closer, wanting to touch the girl. Who was she? This stranger with brown eyes and a complex siombol. She’d attempted to mask Kylie’s magic to hide her, but doing so was like denying sunlight to a sprig destined to become a mighty tree. Long fingers of panic gripped Marta. What if she had made too many mistakes?
Age and Genre: YA Fantasy – MagicalWord Count: 74K
Query:Kylie Minor can recite the history of her people. She knows how wizards once placed witches on pedestals and fought for their attention. How overzealous human morality hunts complete with stake burnings and drownings changed their existence. How witches turned to the wizards for protection and were forced into subservient roles. How they went from being deities to doormats. It’s no wonder the witches are hiding. Waiting around for your power to be drained does not sound like a good time. But Kylie’s pretty low on the social scale, so she’s not that worried about becoming someone’s slave/wife. All she wants is to celebrate her seventeenth birthday, figure out why there is a wizard following her, and stop living in the shadows.Ty Jessup has been dreaming of a position on the Wizard council for years. He only took the job as witch hunter to pad his resume, not because he agreed with their ways. Watching his mother wither as her magic was drained led him to understand why the witches took off in the first place. But now the council will not take him seriously unless he’s betrothed to a witch. The more powerful the witch, the higher his stock will be since her power will become his. But Ty’s power is strong enough and he’s not willing to betroth a witch just to become a candidate. Yet.As both the mass wedding ceremony and council meeting approach, the final chance to revoke the tenets and by laws is coming up. There are those willing to destroy the future in order to maintain the present. Change is hard. But Kylie and Ty must choose between fighting for what they want and fighting for what’s right. When those two do not align, sacrifice is required.
FIRST 250 The high moon hid behind a blanket of clouds as blue light crawled through the yard like slow rolling fog, slithering over the steps and slipping under the door. Magic glided across Marta’s skin. She sat up, scanning her room and sensing the source of the intrusion. Whatever enchantment entered her house, it did so by permeating her wards.She slipped her feet from beneath the covers to the hard wood floor and waited. Her body complained about the sudden move. Old bones wanted rest, not to investigate sinister shadows creeping in the night. But power pulsed from the strange presence in her house. And strange presences were not welcome, especially ones that violated protection wards. Light flickering from beneath Kylie’s bedroom door drew Marta down the hall. Her pained steps quickened. Was that blasted child testing her magic at this late hour? Surely not. She knew the rules. Marta opened the door, ready to punish the child, in excess if needed. Across the room, Kylie lay asleep in the bed. Darkness shrouded everything, except for the light streaming from the siombol on the back of her neck. Her witch’s mark glowed like a brilliant star. Marta drew closer, wanting to touch the girl. Who was she? This stranger with brown eyes and a complex siombol. She’d attempted to mask Kylie’s magic to hide her, but doing so was like denying sunlight to a sprig destined to become a mighty tree. Long fingers of panic gripped Marta. What if she had made too many mistakes?
September 12, 2016
Son of a Pitch Round 2 Has Begun
Here we are, Round 2 of Son of a Pitch. This week, five hosts have the entries divided between them and our team of published authors will critique the entries. At the end of the week, the authors will vote for their top five entries for the final round in front of the editors.
Good luck to everyone. I hope you all learn something and sharpen your querying skills!
Find your entry at one of the below blogs:
Elsie Elmore -YA
Kathleen Palm - YA (sci-fi/fantasy only)
Tegan Wren - YA/NA/Adult
Elizabeth Roderick - YA/NA/Adult
Samantha Bryant - Adult
So of a Pitch Round 2 Has Begun
Here we are, Round 2 of Son of a Pitch. This week, five hosts have the entries divided between them and our team of published authors will critique the entries. At the end of the week, the authors will vote for their top five entries for the final round in front of the editors.
Good luck to everyone. I hope you all learn something and sharpen your querying skills!
Find your entry at one of the below blogs:
Elsie Elmore -YA
Kathleen Palm - YA (sci-fi/fantasy only)
Tegan Wren - YA/NA/Adult
Elizabeth Roderick - YA/NA/Adult
Samantha Bryant - Adult
