Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 30
November 8, 2016
Touching Fate Sale and Giveaway Blitz
I'm so excited to take part in Brenda Drake's Sale & Excerpt Blitz for TOUCHING FATE! Check out the excerpt below and grab it for just $0.99 , peek at CURSING FATE (book 2), and be sure to enter the amazing giveaway!
Aster Layne believes in physics, not psychics. A tarot card reading on the Ocean City Boardwalk should have been a ridiculous, just-for-fun thing. It wasn’t. Aster discovers she has a very unscientific gift—with a simple touch of the cards, she can change a person’s fate.Reese Van Buren is cursed. Like the kind of old-school, centuries-old curse that runs in royal families. Every firstborn son is doomed to die on his eighteenth birthday—and Reese’s is coming up fast. Bummer. He tries to distract himself from his inevitable death…only to find the one person who can save him.
Aster doesn’t know that the hot Dutch guy she’s just met needs her help–or that he’s about to die.
But worst of all…she doesn’t know that her new gift comes with dark, dark consequences that can harm everyone she loves.
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Excerpt from TOUCHING FATE
They spread a blanket on the sand and sat on top of it. Aster pulled her legs into a pretzel. “So what’s in the box?”Grab your copy of TOUCHING FATE for $0.99 for a limited time only!
“You aren’t the patient type, are you?” He undid the ribbon holding the package closed and flipped open the top, then handed her a napkin.
The wind whipped Aster’s hair across her face and she tucked it behind her ears. “Nice thermos,” she said.
“My mother sent it to us. She has an addiction to online purchasing.” He lifted out a cream puff.
It was her favorite pastry at the shop. “I’m impressed. You did your research. I’ll have to thank Leah later.”
He chuckled, handing her the pastry. “You will. She was very specific.”
She took a bite, the creamy, sugary goodness tasting like heaven on her tongue.
“Good, huh?”
She nodded, not wanting to speak and spray powdered sugar at him or something.
He unscrewed the thermos and poured a brown liquid into the cap. “Hot cocoa?” he asked, and passed the cap to her.
“Obviously,” she said, taking a sip. Because cream puffs tasted best with hot chocolate. It was sweet that he’d taken the time to find out what she liked.
They ate in silence, but it wasn’t boring. It was more like…comfortable. When they finished, Reese screwed the cap back onto the thermos and placed the used napkins in the box. He scooted as close as he could get to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he slid his arm behind her back. They watched the sun set on the ocean and listened to the waves clap against the beach.
“It’s beautiful here,” Reese said, finally.
She raised her head to look into his eyes. “This is the best date ever.”
He smiled, brushing crumbs away from the corner of her mouth. Her heart shivered as his fingers moved to her chin and lifted her mouth to his. The kiss was soft and gentle, and way too short for Aster. He pulled away, a serious expression on his face.
“Do you believe in fate?” he said softly.
Aster swallowed back her surprise.
“I think I do,” she said, recovering. It was a lame response. Before meeting Miri, she probably would have said she did right off. It used to be just a word without meaning. But now, it held a power beyond that of a simple definition in a dictionary. She had looked the word up. Fate was unavoidable. Something that couldn’t be measured. Yet she had the ability to shift it. She worried she didn’t have the maturity to know when to let sleeping fates lie.
“I believe in it,” Reese said with a nod. “We were to go straight to Florida, but I had an urge to stop in Ocean City. I felt you. Fate brought us together.”
“I thought it was an ice cream cone.” She giggled.
Oh God, Aster, stop giggling, already.
He touched her cheek. “I’m being serious here. I don’t want to hesitate anymore. There isn’t much time. I’ll only be here a few months.”
CURSING FATE (The Fated #2)
Release Date: November 21, 2016
Add to Goodreads | Pre-order on AmazonIris Layne has always been the sweet sister. She’s kind to everyone, including her best friend Wade… Until she makes a horrible mistake and breaks his heart. All she wants is to go back to before ‘the dumping’.
Of course, Wade would rather see her in hell first. But then Iris touches her sister’s tarot cards and unleashes an evil curse intent on playing a deadly game where no one Iris loves is safe, especially Wade.
Join the celebration for CURSING FATE's release! Sign up to take part in the Release Day Launch on November 21st (open to everyone)!
About Brenda DrakeWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | InstagramBrenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up are of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling.
So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).
GiveawayOne winner will receive a Touching Fate Prize Pack including: Mini Tarot Cards; Infinity Bracelet; Blackheart Choker Necklace; Pumpkin Spice Badgerface Lip Balm; signed Bookmarks; and signed stickers for bookplates!
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November 4, 2016
Query Questions with Amanda Jain
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a series called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers from the real expert--agents!
Query Questions is back with a fresh set of questions and more agents. The people have spoken and let me know which questions should stay and which could go. We've got a few brand new situations that writers would like clarified.
Hey Chicago, what do you say the Cubs--whoops. I guess I've been a little distracted lately with the Cubs winning the World Series and all. But I've got a new agent interview to share from Amanda Jain from Inklings Literary Group and she just happens to be a giant Cubs fan like me!
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
I am *generally* pretty good at keeping up with my query inbox, so, for me, I wouldn't say there's a particularly better or worse time. It generally has more to do with how much client work I have pending rather than what time of year it is. For example, I just had six client projects come in at the same time, so queries and requested manuscripts had to go to the back burner for a bit. Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
Queries are hard to write, so I tend to give authors a bit of leeway in that regard. I will always look at the sample pages if the premise in your query is something I find intriguing, even if the query itself is not as strong as it could be. However, if the premise of the novel isn't something that particularly appeals to me, or the query is just an absolute mess, then I probably won't go on to read the pages. How open are you to writers who have never been published?
Very open! It doesn't matter to me whether this is your 1st book or 31st book. If you can draw me into your story and keep me there, that's all that matters. The dreaded rhetorical question in a query. Are they as taboo as the rumors say?
I am not a fan of rhetorical questions because they often tend to be non-specific and don't really tell me what is unique about your story. "What would you do if . . . ?" doesn't tell me anything about YOUR characters and their motivations. It doesn't matter what I would do. I'm interested to know what your protagonists would do. How important are comp titles? Is it something you want to see in a query? Are movie/tv reference okay as comp titles?
I like comp titles because they add another layer to my understanding of your book, and they also often show me that you are knowledgeable about the market you're writing for. And, yes, I think almost anything can be a good comp: movies, tv shows, music videos, songs, etc. But, do your research and choose comps that really tell me something. Don't just comp your book to a bestseller to try to grab an agent's attention. In the end, it isn't going to work, and it shows me that you haven't actually done your research. Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
Honestly, I'd rather just hear about your work. If we've met at a conference, or you're responding to a #mswl tweet or something, then point that out. It's always good to know if there are specific reasons you're querying me. But don't waste valuable query space on chit-chat that doesn't ultimately draw me into your story. First and foremost, get me to read your pages. We can talk about the other stuff later. How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
I probably receive about 50 queries a week, with spikes after #mswl tweets or after contests when authors see me fave-ing pitches that might be similar to their manuscripts. On average, I would say I might request 1-2 manuscripts a week. How do you feel about writers nudging on full/partial requests? At what point is it appropriate?
Most agencies will have guidelines on their websites for queries and nudges, so always follow a specific agency's requests. In general, and for me specifically, I would say wait at least three months before you nudge. I know the waiting is hard, but the less time agents spend answering emails about when they're going to read something, the more time they can actually spend reading that something. Of course, if you get another offer of representation, we'd like to know that right away so we can prioritize. When a writer nudges with an offer, what length of time is helpful to give you enough time to consider? A week? Two weeks?
We'll always take as much time as you can give us! If you can give us two weeks that's great, but try to give at least one full week to get back to you if possible. Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one?
I wouldn't go so far as to say we REQUIRE writers to have an online presence, but we strongly encourage it. In today's publishing world, much of the marketing and publicity work falls on the author. The more ways you have to engage with readers and get them interested in your work, the better. If I'm interested in offering representation to someone, I definitely hop on Twitter and Facebook to do a little digging. It not only tells me how engaged they are with the publishing community and how they might work to promote their book, but it can also tell me whether this is someone that I think I could have a good working relationship with. If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if material was requested? Does it make a difference if the changes are from an R&R with another agent?
For me, I think only if I've previously requested material, unless the revisions are so astoundingly, profoundly book-changing that it would really show in your query and sample pages. It wouldn't matter to me if the changes were due to an R&R from another agent. Presumably, the author also saw the value in making those changes and the manuscript is, theoretically, now better than it was before. What themes are you sick of seeing?
I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm sick of it, but, because I focus a lot on historical fiction, I get a ton of queries set during the Civil War that aren't really offering anything new to the reader. If you're writing on a topic or time period that's received a lot of focus, you have to bring something new to the table. What can you say that's different, that the reader hasn't encountered a hundred times before? If your soldier is going off to war and his wife is awaiting his return, how is their story different from all the ones that have come before? Make me see the Civil War or the Tudor monarchy or the French Revolution from a different angle, a different perspective. Do you look at trends or editor wishlists when deciding to sign a manuscript?
I don't pay much attention to trends, really, because usually by the time something is trending in the marketplace, it's already difficult to place new manuscripts that fit the type. The market tends to get over saturated pretty quickly, and then there's this glut of manuscripts that can't find homes. I definitely keep track of editors' wishlists, especially when they align with my own. I wouldn't say that it affects whether or not I sign a particular client, because the preeminent factor in my deciding to offer rep to someone is whether or not I'm IN LOVE with their manuscript. But, it makes the submission process a lot easier if I can target my pitch to editors that I believe will love the manuscript as much as I do. Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent? Does a manuscript have to be sub-ready or will you sign stories that need work?
We are definitely a hands-on agency, and we work with our clients to make their work the best it can possibly be. This is another vague answer, I know, but signing a story that needs work really depends on what state the manuscript is in, how unique and original the premise is, and if I think the author and I can work to get the manuscript where it needs to be. All three factor in, to varying degrees in each case. If you have a fantastic premise but I can tell that what you're sending me is really a first draft, I'm probably going to pass. If you have a fantastic premise, I can tell you've done lots of polishing, but maybe the pacing is dragging a bit in the middle, well, that's something we can probably work on together. A manuscript doesn't necessarily have to be sub-ready, but you must show that you've put in the time and effort to get it pretty close before you start querying. What is your biggest query pet peeve? Is there anything that automatically sinks a query for you?
I think my biggest query pet peeve are the ones I receive that are one or two sentences about the book and then four paragraphs about the author. I think it's great that you have four children, 11 grandchildren, 3 dogs, you've loved books since you were 5, you've had two careers, etc, etc, etc. But your query is not the time or the place to tell me these things. I want to hear about your book. What's the conflict? What's at stake for your characters if their goal is not achieved? What makes your premise unique and original? How do you think your book fits in to the current marketplace? These are the things I need to know, not that you have a pet snake named Buddy and, unless you're pitching me a guide to yoga, I don't need to know that you do it every day. Sell me your book!
There are really only two things that would automatically sink a query for me. The first is a query that is riddled with typos and grammatical errors. If you haven't put in the time and effort on your query letter, I'm going to assume--fairly or unfairly--that you haven't done the work on your manuscript either. The other thing that will sink queries immediately are any that include anything that's racist, sexist, homophobic, or pretty much anti-anything. We have a zero tolerance policy at Inklings for anything along those lines, and you can expect an automatic rejection.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
1) I am on pins and needles waiting for a submission that blends the tropes of historical fiction with the psychological suspense so popular today. If you have Jane Austen meets Gillian Flynn, I want to see it!2) More nonfiction, especially that dealing with social history, material culture, or travel / literary subjects. Think Wendy McClure's The Wilder Life, Rinker Buck's The Oregon Trail, Deborah Lutz's The Bronte Cabinet, Caroline Weber's Queen of Fashion, Kate Colquhoun's Murder in the First-Class Carriage, or Marilyn Johnson's Lives in Ruins.3) I would also really love to see adult or YA fiction with very grounded / realistic magic. I had a random thought the other day about a Revolutionary War or Civil War nurse that uses magic in her healing and haven't been able to stop thinking of that idea since. So if you have that, or something else where the magic is very grounded, I'd love to see it. What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Some of my favorite books are the Outlander series, The Eight by Katherine Neville, Stephen King's The Stand, and anything by Susanna Kearsley, Jennifer Crusie, Tony Horwitz, or Bill Bryson. Some recent books I've loved are Brittany Cavallaro's A Study in Charlotte, Adriana Mather's How to Hang a Witch, and Sarah Hall's The Wolf Border, which was staggeringly, amazingly, tune-everything-else-out good. I just started Alison Goodman's The Dark Days Club, and it promises to join that list.
After earning a BA in English, she worked in the trade department at W. W. Norton for seven years before leaving to pursue graduate studies. She graduated in 2011 with a MA in the history of decorative arts. Amanda then joined Inklings in 2014, first as an intern and then as Michelle’s assistant.Amanda is primarily interested in adult fiction in the following categories: historical fiction (in all genres), women’s / book club / upmarket fiction, romance (particularly historical, suspenseful, or with a comedic bent), mysteries (particularly historical or cozy, or historical cozies), and narrative nonfiction in the areas of social history, archaeology, art history, material culture, etc. She is also interested in select YA and MG projects with unique hooks and a strong voice.
In all cases, what Amanda is most looking for is a story that completely immerses the reader in the world of the book. She wants to feel the sun on her shoulders, smell the smoke of the battlefield, and hear the horses galloping in the distance.
Amanda is NOT the agent to query with picture books, memoirs, self-help, poetry, erotica, science fiction and fantasy, horror, or inspirational fiction.
November 2, 2016
Nightmare on Query Street Wrap Up
HUGE thanks to the agents, mentors, entrants who helped make Nightmare on Query Street such an awesome and successful contest. We had a fantastic number of requests this year. With 36 requests for the Monsters, 32 for the Legions, and 36 for the Minions.
For those who want stats, here's a blog breakdown:
Monsters
Screams: 8Shrieks: 21Shivers 7Total: 36 requests
Minions
Screams: 7Shrieks: 23Shivers: 6Total: 36
Legions
Screams: 9Shrieks: 17Shivers: 6Total: 32
Once again, thanks for such an awesome year. If you're working on a new project, don't forget about Query Kombat in June 2017 and Nightmare on Query Street next year! Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!
October 27, 2016
Nightmare on Query Street 2016 Agent Round
Time for the shivers, shrieks and screams to begin!
Following this post, are the fifteen Minions. Just click on the posts you'd like to read more about.
Agents, you can head over to Mike's blog and Laura's blog as well to make more requests. (But don't worry, Minions will take no prisoners!)
No commenting, cheerleading, etc. Only agents will be able to comment. IMPORTANT NOTE: Opera and Safari Browsers may NOT allow you to comment. Using another browser is HIGHLY recommended. Agents can email NightmareonQueryStreet@yahoo.com if they have trouble or let me know on twitter.
But cheer over on twitter. We're going to be under the hashtag #NoQS, shouting out agent appearances. So vent, be nervous, cheer each other on, and hold hands over Twitter. One of the best parts of contests is seeing how the writer's community gathers and supports each other.
For the next three days, agents will have fun ways to request in the contest.
They can SCREAM for a full request.
They can SHRIEK for a 50 page request.
They can SHIVER for a 10 page request.
And agents can make as many requests as they want! So go wild! We have some awesome talent for you to read.
I want to say a quick thanks to the mentors who all did such a wonderful job helping with revisions.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! Hope you all get a ton of frighteningly amazing requests!
And remember: Minions Rule!
NoQS Minion 5: MILES TO GO, YA Contemporary
Title: MILES TO GO
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word Count: 67,000
My main character’s most stressful relationship is:
Leila’s most stressful relationship is with her father. Her mother’s behavior is justifiable—it’s the ups and downs of having Bipolar II (and being convinced that you don’t). But Dad, what’s his excuse? Taking care of Mom isn’t a shared responsibility, it’s Leila’s. They’re on opposite schedules, so their discussions are few and far between—and never about anything real. Serious conversations lead to heart palpitations and tears. And when she takes off on her cross-country road trip, she gets all the way from California to Arizona before he even calls.
Query:
Seventeen-year-old Leila Holloway is withering away in the shadow of her sister. Worse, Rose has been dead for seventeen years. Nothing like competing with a ghost.
Conceived in a test tube to provide the stem cells necessary to treat Rose’s leukemia, Leila was born three months too late to save her. Ignored by parents who can’t deal, Leila pours her heart into musical theater, and the stage becomes her second home. She counts down the days until she can pack up, leave San Francisco behind, and move to New York City. Destination: Broadway.
When Leila finds Rose’s plans for a sister road trip she hoped they’d one day take—with New York as the final stop—it feels like fate. Although Leila hates asking for help, she need wheels, and the only person who can deliver is Parker, her ex-best friend with a van and a strong desire to make amends. Leila’s more than willing to take advantage of his offer; it’s an opportunity to get what she wants and, in the process, hurt him the way he hurt her. Leila believes Rose’s dream is the access point she needs, both to connect with her sister and understand her parents’ grief. This journey could bring her miles closer to helping her mom and dad, and maybe they’ll even become a real family. And if she can make Parker’s life miserable along the way? It’s a win-win.
But a lot can happen in 2,906 miles. When tension between Leila and Parker threatens to cut the trip short, Leila must decide which is more important: getting revenge or piecing her family back together.
FIRST 250:
Another family is going to die tonight.
As I’m singing the closing lyrics to “Finale B” of Jonathan Larson’s RENT, I know it’s over. Final harmonies go flat in some places and sharp in others because how can we sing if we’re choking back tears? The notes falter, the hugs linger, and the pain is sharper. With a musical as emotional as RENT, the final night is more than a performance. It’s holding onto this family for dear life. We’ve held each other’s hearts in our hands for the last twelve weeks and we’re not ready to give them back yet.
God, I hate goodbyes.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to Maureen, the badass bisexual girl whose skin I’ve lived in for the last three months. She's an enigma, a figure of mystique until she steals the stage near the end of Act I. She's fearless, bold, beautifully free, and basically everything that's not me. It never mattered that I didn’t touch the stage during the first hour of the show. I’d wait in the wings, counting down the moments until my solo, counting down the seconds until it was my turn to shine.
It’s the only place I shine, right here on this stage. Where a piece of the roaring applause is mine, all mine. My hand covers my heart, begging it to stay inside my chest. Otherwise it'll explode, I'm sure of it.
Silence. Except for my too-loud heart.
Then the curtain closes and I’m only Leila Holloway again.
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word Count: 67,000
My main character’s most stressful relationship is:
Leila’s most stressful relationship is with her father. Her mother’s behavior is justifiable—it’s the ups and downs of having Bipolar II (and being convinced that you don’t). But Dad, what’s his excuse? Taking care of Mom isn’t a shared responsibility, it’s Leila’s. They’re on opposite schedules, so their discussions are few and far between—and never about anything real. Serious conversations lead to heart palpitations and tears. And when she takes off on her cross-country road trip, she gets all the way from California to Arizona before he even calls.
Query:
Seventeen-year-old Leila Holloway is withering away in the shadow of her sister. Worse, Rose has been dead for seventeen years. Nothing like competing with a ghost.
Conceived in a test tube to provide the stem cells necessary to treat Rose’s leukemia, Leila was born three months too late to save her. Ignored by parents who can’t deal, Leila pours her heart into musical theater, and the stage becomes her second home. She counts down the days until she can pack up, leave San Francisco behind, and move to New York City. Destination: Broadway.
When Leila finds Rose’s plans for a sister road trip she hoped they’d one day take—with New York as the final stop—it feels like fate. Although Leila hates asking for help, she need wheels, and the only person who can deliver is Parker, her ex-best friend with a van and a strong desire to make amends. Leila’s more than willing to take advantage of his offer; it’s an opportunity to get what she wants and, in the process, hurt him the way he hurt her. Leila believes Rose’s dream is the access point she needs, both to connect with her sister and understand her parents’ grief. This journey could bring her miles closer to helping her mom and dad, and maybe they’ll even become a real family. And if she can make Parker’s life miserable along the way? It’s a win-win.
But a lot can happen in 2,906 miles. When tension between Leila and Parker threatens to cut the trip short, Leila must decide which is more important: getting revenge or piecing her family back together.
FIRST 250:
Another family is going to die tonight.
As I’m singing the closing lyrics to “Finale B” of Jonathan Larson’s RENT, I know it’s over. Final harmonies go flat in some places and sharp in others because how can we sing if we’re choking back tears? The notes falter, the hugs linger, and the pain is sharper. With a musical as emotional as RENT, the final night is more than a performance. It’s holding onto this family for dear life. We’ve held each other’s hearts in our hands for the last twelve weeks and we’re not ready to give them back yet.
God, I hate goodbyes.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to Maureen, the badass bisexual girl whose skin I’ve lived in for the last three months. She's an enigma, a figure of mystique until she steals the stage near the end of Act I. She's fearless, bold, beautifully free, and basically everything that's not me. It never mattered that I didn’t touch the stage during the first hour of the show. I’d wait in the wings, counting down the moments until my solo, counting down the seconds until it was my turn to shine.
It’s the only place I shine, right here on this stage. Where a piece of the roaring applause is mine, all mine. My hand covers my heart, begging it to stay inside my chest. Otherwise it'll explode, I'm sure of it.
Silence. Except for my too-loud heart.
Then the curtain closes and I’m only Leila Holloway again.
NoQS Minion 4: AIMEI AND THE POEM OF CHEN SUWEN, MG Historical Mystery
Title: AIMEI AND THE POEM OF CHEN SUWENGenre: Middle Grade Historical MysteryWord Count: 65,000 words
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is…
Aimei’s most stressful relationship is with her father. The way he acts toward her has changed. It’s not just that because now she’s older, they’re both supposed to be more formal. It’s that, from when she was tiny, Father taught her lines from famous poets and the sages, and would laugh when she repeated them perfectly. Now that Aimei’s actually studying the Classics, loves her studies and is good at them, he seems displeased. Sometimes he’s furious, even frightening, but he won’t say why. The times he’s the baba she remembers are few and far between, and she misses him so much.
Query:
AIMEI AND THE POEM OF CHEN SUWEN, a middle-grade historical mystery set in Nanjing, China, in 1789—the year George Washington was elected President and the French Revolution began.
Twelve-year-old Chen Aimei is devoted to her studies, despite being “only” a girl. Since her parents have no son, Aimei is determined to give them the gift of her scholarship, despite their stated wishes that she stick to traditional feminine pursuits. It’s hard to concentrate on her work, though, when most of the family is terrified. Aimei’s youngest uncle, in the capital for the Imperial Exams, has offended the Emperor so deeply that an impossibly huge fine has been levied against them—to be paid in just ten days. Failure to pay will mean the imprisonment of Fourth Uncle and the loss of all the family owns, including the estate they have lived on for hundreds of years.
Aimei is sure only she—the only child of the eldest son of the Chen patriarch—can single out the poem of their ancestor, the poet Chen Suwen, that holds the clues to the location of his long-hidden treasure. Grandfather secretly gives Aimei his permission, but only her friend, the maid Holly, brought to the Chens’ as an orphan when the girls were small, helps her in her search. Together, Aimei and Holly must decipher the tricky clues, brave the world outside the gates of the estate, and outsmart Aimei’s jealous cousins to save the family and regain for Aimei the love and esteem of her father.
First 250 words:
Half a month had passed since Fourth Uncle’s disappearance in Beijing. Every member of the Chen household had something to say about it.
Chen Aimei’s mother said, “He’s failed the Imperial Exams!” and the aunts whispered, “He’s offended a powerful family!”
Fourth Uncle’s young wife, terrified, said, “He’s been murdered!”
But Grandfather said, “He has always been somewhat thoughtless. Let us have patience.”
And Father was just angry.
Nobody really knew anything, so Aimei tried to ignore the gossip. She was working on Master Confucius’s Doctrine of the Mean in her lessons, and that was really important. Fourth Uncle would come back home to Nanjing when he stopped having a good time.
Aimei’s day had begun as usual, another autumn day in October 1789, the ninth month of the forty-sixth year of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (may he live ten thousand years!).
The moon was still up and the sun still asleep when Aimei woke. She didn’t want to waste a single minute of her lesson by being late, so she put on the same faded gold-brown silk skirt and overdress she’d worn the day before and tied her hair up in a topknot. Teacher Zhang wouldn’t care, and he was the only person she ever saw this early in the morning.
Aimei left her rooms, calligraphy box in hand, and eagerly headed down the corridor to the door that led directly outside. She stepped out into the cool darkness, onto the open walkway that ran through the garden courtyard.
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is…
Aimei’s most stressful relationship is with her father. The way he acts toward her has changed. It’s not just that because now she’s older, they’re both supposed to be more formal. It’s that, from when she was tiny, Father taught her lines from famous poets and the sages, and would laugh when she repeated them perfectly. Now that Aimei’s actually studying the Classics, loves her studies and is good at them, he seems displeased. Sometimes he’s furious, even frightening, but he won’t say why. The times he’s the baba she remembers are few and far between, and she misses him so much.
Query:
AIMEI AND THE POEM OF CHEN SUWEN, a middle-grade historical mystery set in Nanjing, China, in 1789—the year George Washington was elected President and the French Revolution began.
Twelve-year-old Chen Aimei is devoted to her studies, despite being “only” a girl. Since her parents have no son, Aimei is determined to give them the gift of her scholarship, despite their stated wishes that she stick to traditional feminine pursuits. It’s hard to concentrate on her work, though, when most of the family is terrified. Aimei’s youngest uncle, in the capital for the Imperial Exams, has offended the Emperor so deeply that an impossibly huge fine has been levied against them—to be paid in just ten days. Failure to pay will mean the imprisonment of Fourth Uncle and the loss of all the family owns, including the estate they have lived on for hundreds of years.
Aimei is sure only she—the only child of the eldest son of the Chen patriarch—can single out the poem of their ancestor, the poet Chen Suwen, that holds the clues to the location of his long-hidden treasure. Grandfather secretly gives Aimei his permission, but only her friend, the maid Holly, brought to the Chens’ as an orphan when the girls were small, helps her in her search. Together, Aimei and Holly must decipher the tricky clues, brave the world outside the gates of the estate, and outsmart Aimei’s jealous cousins to save the family and regain for Aimei the love and esteem of her father.
First 250 words:
Half a month had passed since Fourth Uncle’s disappearance in Beijing. Every member of the Chen household had something to say about it.
Chen Aimei’s mother said, “He’s failed the Imperial Exams!” and the aunts whispered, “He’s offended a powerful family!”
Fourth Uncle’s young wife, terrified, said, “He’s been murdered!”
But Grandfather said, “He has always been somewhat thoughtless. Let us have patience.”
And Father was just angry.
Nobody really knew anything, so Aimei tried to ignore the gossip. She was working on Master Confucius’s Doctrine of the Mean in her lessons, and that was really important. Fourth Uncle would come back home to Nanjing when he stopped having a good time.
Aimei’s day had begun as usual, another autumn day in October 1789, the ninth month of the forty-sixth year of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (may he live ten thousand years!).
The moon was still up and the sun still asleep when Aimei woke. She didn’t want to waste a single minute of her lesson by being late, so she put on the same faded gold-brown silk skirt and overdress she’d worn the day before and tied her hair up in a topknot. Teacher Zhang wouldn’t care, and he was the only person she ever saw this early in the morning.
Aimei left her rooms, calligraphy box in hand, and eagerly headed down the corridor to the door that led directly outside. She stepped out into the cool darkness, onto the open walkway that ran through the garden courtyard.
NoQS Minion 3: DETOURS AND OTHER DANGERS, MG Mystery
Title: DETOURS AND OTHER DANGERSGenre: Middle Grade MysteryWord Count: 35,000
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is:
Olivia’s most stressful relationship is definitely Mr. Smith. Not only is he ruining her new look by showing up early all the time, the new bus driver gives her a death glare with those creepy black eyes every time he sees her. He lies all the time, and he has to be dangerous. Why else would he have it in for a bunch of harmless kids? No matter what it takes, Olivia will figure out the truth. The most important year of her school career might soon be destroyed if she doesn’t.
Query:
Olivia’s big plan for the first day of eighth grade is to show off her sophisticated image, but everything changes when the new bus driver arrives fifteen minutes early and proceeds to run the bus like a prison. As if the yelling and assigned seats aren’t enough, “Mr. Smith” makes an unscheduled stop. The location—a creepy abandoned gas station where he disappears inside for several minutes with a bulging shopping bag. He returns and threatens to have the kids banned from the bus if they tell.
Getting kicked off the bus would mean big trouble, so the group agrees to wait and see what happens. Mr. Smith continues his routine, but when a student notices him drop a hypodermic needle in the parking lot, it’s time for action. The kids explain the situation to their parents. Unbelievably, Mr. Smith is one step ahead. He’s already called parents, claiming the kids are misbehaving on the bus. He even found a way to alter the security camera footage to back up his story to the principal. All of the detours to the gas station are erased.
Olivia’s determined to figure out what’s going on, but she needs help. She forms an unlikely alliance with the kids around her. Together they follow the driver into the gas station. Inside a tiny room they discover a shocking secret. Before they can act, Mr. Smith appears with a gun. The group bolts into the darkness. If they can’t find a way out before Mr. Smith finds them, their detour to the gas station may be the last bus ride they’ve ever taken.
First 250 Words:
Olivia Ryan slammed the front door and glared at the school bus. Fifteen minutes early. Was summer so long her bus driver had forgotten how to tell time? The doors groaned open as if they too were protesting the early start. She hesitated, tightened her fingers on the strap of her backpack, and climbed the steps. Swiping her bangs to the side, she raised her eyes to Linda, ready to remind her what time the bus was supposed to pick her up. The words died on her lips.
Instead of the familiar middle-aged woman with dimples and glasses, a lumberjack gripped the steering wheel. His head rotated slowly until black eyes glowered at her. “Back seat, driver’s side.” His deep voice practically echoed through the silent bus.
Olivia shivered. What genius had decided this guy should work around kids? She glanced over the mostly empty seats and sighed. A new bus driver, a longer ride, and assigned seats; not exactly the perfect start to eighth grade. Her new, sophisticated image required more time to get ready, not less.
She squinted at the shadow in the back seat. Seriously? Jenna McKinley; Ashwood Middle School’s cheerleading princess. This day was getting better by the minute. Lumberjack must have assumed all eighth grade girls were friends. Wrong.
"Hi, Olivia." Jenna swiveled, forcing Olivia to squeeze by and sit next to the window. Of course Jenna wouldn't scoot over, and Olivia would rather do the chicken dance in front of the entire student body than ask her to.
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is:
Olivia’s most stressful relationship is definitely Mr. Smith. Not only is he ruining her new look by showing up early all the time, the new bus driver gives her a death glare with those creepy black eyes every time he sees her. He lies all the time, and he has to be dangerous. Why else would he have it in for a bunch of harmless kids? No matter what it takes, Olivia will figure out the truth. The most important year of her school career might soon be destroyed if she doesn’t.
Query:
Olivia’s big plan for the first day of eighth grade is to show off her sophisticated image, but everything changes when the new bus driver arrives fifteen minutes early and proceeds to run the bus like a prison. As if the yelling and assigned seats aren’t enough, “Mr. Smith” makes an unscheduled stop. The location—a creepy abandoned gas station where he disappears inside for several minutes with a bulging shopping bag. He returns and threatens to have the kids banned from the bus if they tell.
Getting kicked off the bus would mean big trouble, so the group agrees to wait and see what happens. Mr. Smith continues his routine, but when a student notices him drop a hypodermic needle in the parking lot, it’s time for action. The kids explain the situation to their parents. Unbelievably, Mr. Smith is one step ahead. He’s already called parents, claiming the kids are misbehaving on the bus. He even found a way to alter the security camera footage to back up his story to the principal. All of the detours to the gas station are erased.
Olivia’s determined to figure out what’s going on, but she needs help. She forms an unlikely alliance with the kids around her. Together they follow the driver into the gas station. Inside a tiny room they discover a shocking secret. Before they can act, Mr. Smith appears with a gun. The group bolts into the darkness. If they can’t find a way out before Mr. Smith finds them, their detour to the gas station may be the last bus ride they’ve ever taken.
First 250 Words:
Olivia Ryan slammed the front door and glared at the school bus. Fifteen minutes early. Was summer so long her bus driver had forgotten how to tell time? The doors groaned open as if they too were protesting the early start. She hesitated, tightened her fingers on the strap of her backpack, and climbed the steps. Swiping her bangs to the side, she raised her eyes to Linda, ready to remind her what time the bus was supposed to pick her up. The words died on her lips.
Instead of the familiar middle-aged woman with dimples and glasses, a lumberjack gripped the steering wheel. His head rotated slowly until black eyes glowered at her. “Back seat, driver’s side.” His deep voice practically echoed through the silent bus.
Olivia shivered. What genius had decided this guy should work around kids? She glanced over the mostly empty seats and sighed. A new bus driver, a longer ride, and assigned seats; not exactly the perfect start to eighth grade. Her new, sophisticated image required more time to get ready, not less.
She squinted at the shadow in the back seat. Seriously? Jenna McKinley; Ashwood Middle School’s cheerleading princess. This day was getting better by the minute. Lumberjack must have assumed all eighth grade girls were friends. Wrong.
"Hi, Olivia." Jenna swiveled, forcing Olivia to squeeze by and sit next to the window. Of course Jenna wouldn't scoot over, and Olivia would rather do the chicken dance in front of the entire student body than ask her to.
NoQS Minion 2: HIDING IN PLAIN VIEW, MG Contemporary Realistic
Title: HIDING IN PLAIN VIEWGenre: MG Contemporary Realistic FictionWord Count: 48,000
My Main Character's Most Stressful Relationship is:
My MC’s most stressful relationship is with his science teacher. Who does Mr. Pullman think he is? Looking up Henry’s old grades and test scores like some sort of private eye? Snooping at the secret pages of his journal, full of graphite orchids, charcoal sea urchins, and smudged periwinkles?
Henry’s grades are average. He’s quiet. So why can’t Mr. P just leave him alone? Instead, he’s nagging him about untapped potential, STEM contests and parent meetings. What do you say to the person who unmasks you? If you’re Henry Gibson, you say nothing, because the air has left your lungs.
Query:
HIDING IN PLAIN VIEW follows twelve-year-old science geek Henry Gibson, whose Darwin-inspired plan for protecting his fathers and surviving middle school clashes with his dreams of saving the environment.
Henry used to think life was all unicorns and rainbows, but with the bullying at school and Dad and Pop’s safety on the line, it’s feeling more like survival of the fittest. Darwin showed that creatures either adapt to their hostile environments or they become prey. Henry vows to adapt, but sadly, his favorite tactics in nature—shedding body parts to distract predators, growing to enormous size and bludgeoning the competition, and inflating into a spiky, poisonous balloon—aren’t options. He decides that blending in is more doable. So at his new school, Henry’s a nobody: quiet, ordinary—and completely phony. The only place he’s himself is in the mountain forest near his home. When his science teacher accuses him of holding back academically and a goofball classmate worms his way into his life, his lies grow heavy. With the discovery that his favorite woodland is being deforested by Pop’s construction company, he can’t expose the destruction without calling attention to his family. And as another bully gets wind of his dads, Henry has to choose between staying hidden and saving the mountain he loves.
First 250 Words:
My weekend is not off to a good start.
Not because I’m standing in front of my babysitter in my tighty-whities and my way-too-small Periodic Table of Elements T-shirt. Or because I’m wearing orthodontic headgear that makes me look like I have a huge, robotic insect crawling into my mouth. And not even because at nineteen, Jessica’s only seven years older than me.
My weekend is not off to a good start because it’s Saturday morning and she’s still here. Which means my fathers never came home.
“Where are my dads?” I say as I duck back into my bedroom for some clothes.
“Hey!” she calls out from the couch. “So your father—Pop—called after you went to bed and asked if I could stay the night.”
“Why?” I ask, but get no answer.
With clothes on and headgear off, I come back out. Jessica’s standing in the living room, wringing her hands. I notice bags under her eyes.
“Where are they?”
“They’re at the hospital.”
Relax, I tell myself. Dad’s an ER doctor. He normally works the night shift. But he wasn’t working last night. They went to a party. And why would Pop be there too? The way Jessica’s voice is wobbling tells me there’s more to the story.
“They were in an accident,” she says. “They’re fine. Well, not fine, but they’re going to be fine.”
“What does that mean? What happened?”
“Okay, don’t freak out, but some guys jumped them late last night…
My Main Character's Most Stressful Relationship is:
My MC’s most stressful relationship is with his science teacher. Who does Mr. Pullman think he is? Looking up Henry’s old grades and test scores like some sort of private eye? Snooping at the secret pages of his journal, full of graphite orchids, charcoal sea urchins, and smudged periwinkles?
Henry’s grades are average. He’s quiet. So why can’t Mr. P just leave him alone? Instead, he’s nagging him about untapped potential, STEM contests and parent meetings. What do you say to the person who unmasks you? If you’re Henry Gibson, you say nothing, because the air has left your lungs.
Query:
HIDING IN PLAIN VIEW follows twelve-year-old science geek Henry Gibson, whose Darwin-inspired plan for protecting his fathers and surviving middle school clashes with his dreams of saving the environment.
Henry used to think life was all unicorns and rainbows, but with the bullying at school and Dad and Pop’s safety on the line, it’s feeling more like survival of the fittest. Darwin showed that creatures either adapt to their hostile environments or they become prey. Henry vows to adapt, but sadly, his favorite tactics in nature—shedding body parts to distract predators, growing to enormous size and bludgeoning the competition, and inflating into a spiky, poisonous balloon—aren’t options. He decides that blending in is more doable. So at his new school, Henry’s a nobody: quiet, ordinary—and completely phony. The only place he’s himself is in the mountain forest near his home. When his science teacher accuses him of holding back academically and a goofball classmate worms his way into his life, his lies grow heavy. With the discovery that his favorite woodland is being deforested by Pop’s construction company, he can’t expose the destruction without calling attention to his family. And as another bully gets wind of his dads, Henry has to choose between staying hidden and saving the mountain he loves.
First 250 Words:
My weekend is not off to a good start.
Not because I’m standing in front of my babysitter in my tighty-whities and my way-too-small Periodic Table of Elements T-shirt. Or because I’m wearing orthodontic headgear that makes me look like I have a huge, robotic insect crawling into my mouth. And not even because at nineteen, Jessica’s only seven years older than me.
My weekend is not off to a good start because it’s Saturday morning and she’s still here. Which means my fathers never came home.
“Where are my dads?” I say as I duck back into my bedroom for some clothes.
“Hey!” she calls out from the couch. “So your father—Pop—called after you went to bed and asked if I could stay the night.”
“Why?” I ask, but get no answer.
With clothes on and headgear off, I come back out. Jessica’s standing in the living room, wringing her hands. I notice bags under her eyes.
“Where are they?”
“They’re at the hospital.”
Relax, I tell myself. Dad’s an ER doctor. He normally works the night shift. But he wasn’t working last night. They went to a party. And why would Pop be there too? The way Jessica’s voice is wobbling tells me there’s more to the story.
“They were in an accident,” she says. “They’re fine. Well, not fine, but they’re going to be fine.”
“What does that mean? What happened?”
“Okay, don’t freak out, but some guys jumped them late last night…
NoQS Minion 1: BOY OF THE BAYOU, MG Historical Fiction
Title: BOY OF THE BAYOUGenre: Middle Grade Historical FictionMy Main Character's Most Stressful Relationship is:
Jean Paul’s worst relationship is with his father, a gambler who keeps his feelings hidden. Jean Paul has trouble reading facial expressions and voice cues due to Asperger’s Syndrome. He doesn’t understand why Papa doesn’t love him, but Papa knows Jean Paul isn’t his. The boy talks too much, hides from shadows, and fears change. These behaviors repel risk-loving Papa. Jean Paul makes money for the family’s chandlery business, which is why Papa tolerates him. Jean Paul’s new friendship with an escaped slave who knows too much causes Papa to hunt down both the friend and Jean Paul.
Query:
Children in the corrupt and decadent New Orleans of 1751 do not choose their futures, their parents do.
When ten-year-old Jean Paul eavesdrops, he learns his father paid his gambling debts by selling Jean Paul into indentured servitude with his aunt. Jean Paul is autistic, and loves his routine at the chandlery, where he feels secure. Unable to believe his own father sold him, he flees to hide in his skiff before his aunt takes him back to Biloxi to spend his life working on her fishing fleet.
Before he can reach his little boat, he encounters Black Hawk, a runaway slave with a hoodoo pouch of magick. Fighting his usual stranger anxiety, Jean Paul befriends the man. When authorities find the corpse of a member of Louis XV’s secret police bobbing in the Mississippi River, Jean Paul’s Papa convinces the Captain of the Gates to accuse Black Hawk. The slave is a danger to Papa, because he saw Papa commit the murder. Black Hawk takes Jean Paul hostage to make his escape.
Jean Paul and Black Hawk must work together to stay ahead of Papa’s pursuit on a flight up the Mississippi River. If Papa catches them, Jean Paul will be shipped off to Biloxi for a lifetime of indentured servitude and Black Hawk will be hung for a murder he didn’t commit.
First 250 words:
New Orleans, New France, May 1751
Even before the hoodoo began, Jean Paul knew that day in May was different.
Aunt Elise’s fishing boat arrived at the port early in the morning. The household cook prepared breakfast for everyone, but Maman, Papa, and Aunt Elise huddled at the end of the table and whispered. Jean Paul watched closely from the corner of his eye.
Fear stopped him from asking what they were saying. Maybe he had done something wrong again, like the time he lined up the chandlery ropes by color not length. Papa whipped him for that. Jean Paul winced.
Papa told Aunt Elise and Maman to “take it to the parlor”, and Jean Paul decided to eavesdrop. The way they whispered and looked at him, he knew the "it" might be about him. He snuck down the hall after them. If Papa caught him, it meant another whipping. But, he had to know what they were saying.
Squatting by the parlor door, he pressed close to it. Tall and thin, he had to curl himself like a cooked shrimp to position his right ear as close as possible to the keyhole.
“We have a signed contract!“ Elise shouted. Heavy footsteps muted part of Aunt Elise’s words. “…you agreed that if we helped your son Luc start as a merchant seaman, then Jean Paul would come with me to Biloxi as my indentured servant.”
Aunt Elise’s screech removed any question about the topic of the conversation. It was about his future.
Jean Paul’s worst relationship is with his father, a gambler who keeps his feelings hidden. Jean Paul has trouble reading facial expressions and voice cues due to Asperger’s Syndrome. He doesn’t understand why Papa doesn’t love him, but Papa knows Jean Paul isn’t his. The boy talks too much, hides from shadows, and fears change. These behaviors repel risk-loving Papa. Jean Paul makes money for the family’s chandlery business, which is why Papa tolerates him. Jean Paul’s new friendship with an escaped slave who knows too much causes Papa to hunt down both the friend and Jean Paul.
Query:
Children in the corrupt and decadent New Orleans of 1751 do not choose their futures, their parents do.
When ten-year-old Jean Paul eavesdrops, he learns his father paid his gambling debts by selling Jean Paul into indentured servitude with his aunt. Jean Paul is autistic, and loves his routine at the chandlery, where he feels secure. Unable to believe his own father sold him, he flees to hide in his skiff before his aunt takes him back to Biloxi to spend his life working on her fishing fleet.
Before he can reach his little boat, he encounters Black Hawk, a runaway slave with a hoodoo pouch of magick. Fighting his usual stranger anxiety, Jean Paul befriends the man. When authorities find the corpse of a member of Louis XV’s secret police bobbing in the Mississippi River, Jean Paul’s Papa convinces the Captain of the Gates to accuse Black Hawk. The slave is a danger to Papa, because he saw Papa commit the murder. Black Hawk takes Jean Paul hostage to make his escape.
Jean Paul and Black Hawk must work together to stay ahead of Papa’s pursuit on a flight up the Mississippi River. If Papa catches them, Jean Paul will be shipped off to Biloxi for a lifetime of indentured servitude and Black Hawk will be hung for a murder he didn’t commit.
First 250 words:
New Orleans, New France, May 1751
Even before the hoodoo began, Jean Paul knew that day in May was different.
Aunt Elise’s fishing boat arrived at the port early in the morning. The household cook prepared breakfast for everyone, but Maman, Papa, and Aunt Elise huddled at the end of the table and whispered. Jean Paul watched closely from the corner of his eye.
Fear stopped him from asking what they were saying. Maybe he had done something wrong again, like the time he lined up the chandlery ropes by color not length. Papa whipped him for that. Jean Paul winced.
Papa told Aunt Elise and Maman to “take it to the parlor”, and Jean Paul decided to eavesdrop. The way they whispered and looked at him, he knew the "it" might be about him. He snuck down the hall after them. If Papa caught him, it meant another whipping. But, he had to know what they were saying.
Squatting by the parlor door, he pressed close to it. Tall and thin, he had to curl himself like a cooked shrimp to position his right ear as close as possible to the keyhole.
“We have a signed contract!“ Elise shouted. Heavy footsteps muted part of Aunt Elise’s words. “…you agreed that if we helped your son Luc start as a merchant seaman, then Jean Paul would come with me to Biloxi as my indentured servant.”
Aunt Elise’s screech removed any question about the topic of the conversation. It was about his future.
NoQS Minion 9: ADRIFT, YA Contemporary Fantasy
Title: ADRIFTGenre: YA Contemporary FantasyWord Count: 76,000
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is:
My main character’s most stressful relationship is with her manager, Jack. When Jack saves Dani from an attacker at the docks, she suffers from a mild case of hero worship. Jack’s sexy Latino looks don’t help. But Jack runs hot and cold, one minute making her think he likes her, the next ignoring her. When he sets Dani up as the scapegoat for a theft aboard the cruise ship where they work, causing Dani’s new boyfriend to turn his back on her, she is furious—that is, until she learns the reason for Jack’s treachery.
Query:
Seventeen-year-old Dani Rodriguez knows she’s a freak. What else do you call a girl who can heal herself instantly? Haunted by memories of the night her parents died—the same night she discovered her powers—Dani runs away from her foster home and uses a fake identity to obtain work on a cruise ship.
Under the warm Caribbean sun, Dani meets a handsome young cowboy from Wyoming and thinks she’s finally put the past behind her. But when a black-clad stranger chases her at night and an island adventure turns deadly, it’s clear someone is after her. She learns too late that she’s not the only freak, and that a man named Arthur Francis Winston collects people like her, using their abilities for financial gain. His interest in Dani, however, is more personal. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants—for Dani to heal him of his fatal cancer.
When Winston kidnaps Dani and demands she cure him, she falters. She doesn’t believe she’s capable of healing anyone but herself. After all, she failed her parents. To make matters worse, Dani’s young cowboy tries to save her but is captured by Winston. She is given a choice: find the strength to meet Winston’s demand, or risk both her life and the life of the boy she loves.
First 250 words:
“She’s a freak. I want her gone—now!” The heavy, masculine voice vibrated with a combination of disgust and barely controlled rage. Outside, a siren blared in the distance, providing background music for his declaration.
“Jim, we can’t just send her back. You know we need the money,” his wife reasoned.
“The state should be paying us triple to look after her. None of the other kids were freaks.”
Outside the kitchen, Dani leaned against the wall and prayed they’d send her back to Child Protective Services. She’d been placed with a couple of beastly families over the years, but none were as frightening as Jim and Irene Sanford. She had only been with them a week, and it had been almost too much to bear. Another week would surely kill her.
“Let’s hold on to her until the end of the month, when the state makes the deposit. If we can’t control her by then, we’ll send her back and get someone else.” Irene was a scrappy, nervous little woman. Anyone else would have been scared to be married to a brutal man like Jim, but Irene didn’t seem to mind.
“The end of the month, then,” Jim agreed. “But if she tries another sideshow act like she did yesterday, I won’t be held accountable for my actions.”
On the other side of the wall, Dani began to shake involuntarily. Until the end of the month? She didn’t know if she could make it that long. She couldn’t help the “sideshow acts.”
My Main Character’s Most Stressful Relationship is:
My main character’s most stressful relationship is with her manager, Jack. When Jack saves Dani from an attacker at the docks, she suffers from a mild case of hero worship. Jack’s sexy Latino looks don’t help. But Jack runs hot and cold, one minute making her think he likes her, the next ignoring her. When he sets Dani up as the scapegoat for a theft aboard the cruise ship where they work, causing Dani’s new boyfriend to turn his back on her, she is furious—that is, until she learns the reason for Jack’s treachery.
Query:
Seventeen-year-old Dani Rodriguez knows she’s a freak. What else do you call a girl who can heal herself instantly? Haunted by memories of the night her parents died—the same night she discovered her powers—Dani runs away from her foster home and uses a fake identity to obtain work on a cruise ship.
Under the warm Caribbean sun, Dani meets a handsome young cowboy from Wyoming and thinks she’s finally put the past behind her. But when a black-clad stranger chases her at night and an island adventure turns deadly, it’s clear someone is after her. She learns too late that she’s not the only freak, and that a man named Arthur Francis Winston collects people like her, using their abilities for financial gain. His interest in Dani, however, is more personal. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants—for Dani to heal him of his fatal cancer.
When Winston kidnaps Dani and demands she cure him, she falters. She doesn’t believe she’s capable of healing anyone but herself. After all, she failed her parents. To make matters worse, Dani’s young cowboy tries to save her but is captured by Winston. She is given a choice: find the strength to meet Winston’s demand, or risk both her life and the life of the boy she loves.
First 250 words:
“She’s a freak. I want her gone—now!” The heavy, masculine voice vibrated with a combination of disgust and barely controlled rage. Outside, a siren blared in the distance, providing background music for his declaration.
“Jim, we can’t just send her back. You know we need the money,” his wife reasoned.
“The state should be paying us triple to look after her. None of the other kids were freaks.”
Outside the kitchen, Dani leaned against the wall and prayed they’d send her back to Child Protective Services. She’d been placed with a couple of beastly families over the years, but none were as frightening as Jim and Irene Sanford. She had only been with them a week, and it had been almost too much to bear. Another week would surely kill her.
“Let’s hold on to her until the end of the month, when the state makes the deposit. If we can’t control her by then, we’ll send her back and get someone else.” Irene was a scrappy, nervous little woman. Anyone else would have been scared to be married to a brutal man like Jim, but Irene didn’t seem to mind.
“The end of the month, then,” Jim agreed. “But if she tries another sideshow act like she did yesterday, I won’t be held accountable for my actions.”
On the other side of the wall, Dani began to shake involuntarily. Until the end of the month? She didn’t know if she could make it that long. She couldn’t help the “sideshow acts.”
