Son of a Pitch Entry: Counting Perfect

Title: COUNTING PERFECTCategory and Genre: MG Contemporary
Word Count: 47,000
Query:Convinced she's a mistake Mom made thirteen years ago, Zinnia Clark believes meeting Dad could erase that. When her middle school announces a father-daughter dance, the obsessive eighth grader decides Mystery Dad must be her date.There are only two problems. One, Zinnia’s never met him and has no idea how to find him. Two, her diverse band of friends have no plans to be part of a dance that excludes more than includes, and they plan to boycott it. Zinnia would join their efforts if she hadn't just discovered a Back to the Future lunchbox with a hidden treasure: Mom's high school diary. Distracted while looking for someone who might not be there to find, reading the diary raises her anxiety and leaves her unprepared for Isabella Watson, the wicked student council dance chair.When the girl learns about plans to ruin her dance, she targets Zinnia who must choose between helping her friends or chasing a ghost.All Zinnia wants is to complete her perfect family and live a life free of anxiety and mysteries. She has no idea why Isabella’s out to get her or what Mom’s hiding inside the diary. If only Zinnia understood not all secrets are meant to be shared. If she doesn’t return the diary and confront Isabella, she could be making the biggest mistake of all.
First 250 Words:A girl can never have too many erasers, which is why seven square ones line the top of my desk. It’s not like I make tons of mistakes. I simply want to be prepared. Mistakes happen.My little brother can rave all he wants about the magic of a blue ink pen, I’m all about the pencil and its temporariness. Besides, the mystique of permanent ink wanes in middle school where mistakes happen all the time. This isn’t anything I tell my brother. I don’t want to take away his optimism.Brushing back a layer of curls, I feign attention at morning announcements with the rest of my bleary eyed classmates. Over the intercom, the principal spouts a laundry list of events for the week...club meetings, club cancellations, volleyball try-outs, spirit days.The speaker crackles as he fumbles to turn off his mic, so I adjust my erasers in preparation for note-taking.“Settle down, take out your lists of research topics.” Our teacher likes to partner us based on interests not friendships, which means I actually get a partner.That is, if anyone else finds the town library as interesting as me. It’s my number one choice.“I believe Miss Watson has a special bulletin about an upcoming eighth grade-only event.” Our teacher claps his hands to re-capture our attention. “Straighten up for your student body activities chair, and count yourselves lucky to hear her announcement before the rest of the school.”Isabella Watson is never one I count myself lucky about. Ever.