Contest Post
Sharon Bayliss has a book coming out (with a beautiful cover) and is hosting a
query/first 500 bloghop with opportunity to win a critique from her
editor. And there's still time to enter if you have a finished YA or NA (New Adult)
Query:
God answers nearly all of
fifteen-year-old Crystal's prayers. At least that's the way it seems since time
slows down so she doesn't miss the bus and speeds up so she doesn't have to
answer questions in class.
When she discovers her mother sought the help of witches to conceive her, Crystal’s faith becomes
one giant question mark. She tracks down the witches and demands answers. They tell
her she's the incarnation of magic--the only person whose magical potential is
limitless. Basically, Crystal's
been answering her own prayers.
Skeptical yet curious, Crystal
attempts to master her power, but flying and playing with fireballs attract dangerous
attention. A witch hunter captures her boyfriend, and shamans snatch her aunt.
For someone with limitless magic, Crystal
should easily be able to rescue them but every time her emotions run amuck, her
magic goes haywire. If she can't learn to control herself, she'll never be able
to save them.
CRYSTAL'S MAGIC is a 80,000-word YA paranormal novel with
series potential.
First 500 words:
“Crystal? Are you dressed yet?”
Crystal Miller
groaned and rolled over. Covering her head with her pillow, she peeked with one
eye at her alarm clock. If she didn’t leave the house immediately, she’d miss
the bus.
She scrambled
around the room, hopping into jeans, trying to throw on a shirt and brush her
hair at the same time. Somehow she wrestled her way into some clothes (whether
or not they looked good together she hadn’t the time to worry about) and ran
downstairs. Her kiss missed her mom’s cheek. “Bye, Mom!”
“Wait, Crystal, you forgot your
school bag.” Her mom held it out for her.
Crystal grabbed it and groaned again when she
spied the kitchen clock. There was no way she’d make the bus. It probably drove
past her house five minutes ago.
Still, she had to
try. She’d been oversleeping a lot lately, and her mom couldn’t drive her in
anymore.
Crystal threw her bag over her shoulder and
hurried out the door. She raced toward the bus stop.
Please, dear Lord, let the bus be there.
Please let the bus be there.
She ran with her
eyes closed. She never prayed with her eyes open.
When she reached
the end of the stone driveway, she opened her eyes.
The bus was just
pulling to a stop.
Crystal grinned. Thank you, Lord.
She climbed up the
steps and slid into her customary seat beside Kelly Mae.
Kelly Mae took one
look at her and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow until it disappeared behind
her blond sideswept bangs. “Again, Crystal?”
Crystal shrugged. “I must’ve slept through
the alarm. Why… is it that obvious?” She glanced down at her clothes. Dark blue
jeans, a black T-shirt, and a navy vest. Definitely not the most stylish of
choices.
Kelly Mae reached
over and tugged something out of Crystal’s
hair. Her hairbrush.
Crystal just stared at it and laughed.
***
Crystal's mind wandered during geometry
class. It’s not that she didn’t want to learn, it’s just that she always felt
as if she was wasting her time, as if she was meant for something more than
learning the area of a rhombus. I mean,
seriously, a rhombus? Who came up with that word?
"Crystal, care to join
us?"
She snapped her
head up and looked at the stern face of Mrs. Gingrinch. "Sorry," she
mumbled.
"Pay
attention." Mrs. Gingrinch turned to face the chalkboard and continued
writing.
Crystal hung her head. What’s wrong with me lately? She had a hard time falling asleep but
when she did, she was out. And she was always daydreaming—
"Crystal! Come up here and
solve this problem."
Crystal gulped. She stood and walked to the
chalkboard. Mrs. Gingrinch held out the chalk, and Crystal hated the smug look on her teacher's
face.
Shouldn't teachers want their students to
succeed?
She took the chalk
and inhaled deeply. She could do this.
Until she looked
at the math problem and realized she had no idea what to do or how to figure
out the answer.
query/first 500 bloghop with opportunity to win a critique from her
editor. And there's still time to enter if you have a finished YA or NA (New Adult)
Query:
God answers nearly all of
fifteen-year-old Crystal's prayers. At least that's the way it seems since time
slows down so she doesn't miss the bus and speeds up so she doesn't have to
answer questions in class.
When she discovers her mother sought the help of witches to conceive her, Crystal’s faith becomes
one giant question mark. She tracks down the witches and demands answers. They tell
her she's the incarnation of magic--the only person whose magical potential is
limitless. Basically, Crystal's
been answering her own prayers.
Skeptical yet curious, Crystal
attempts to master her power, but flying and playing with fireballs attract dangerous
attention. A witch hunter captures her boyfriend, and shamans snatch her aunt.
For someone with limitless magic, Crystal
should easily be able to rescue them but every time her emotions run amuck, her
magic goes haywire. If she can't learn to control herself, she'll never be able
to save them.
CRYSTAL'S MAGIC is a 80,000-word YA paranormal novel with
series potential.
First 500 words:
“Crystal? Are you dressed yet?”
Crystal Miller
groaned and rolled over. Covering her head with her pillow, she peeked with one
eye at her alarm clock. If she didn’t leave the house immediately, she’d miss
the bus.
She scrambled
around the room, hopping into jeans, trying to throw on a shirt and brush her
hair at the same time. Somehow she wrestled her way into some clothes (whether
or not they looked good together she hadn’t the time to worry about) and ran
downstairs. Her kiss missed her mom’s cheek. “Bye, Mom!”
“Wait, Crystal, you forgot your
school bag.” Her mom held it out for her.
Crystal grabbed it and groaned again when she
spied the kitchen clock. There was no way she’d make the bus. It probably drove
past her house five minutes ago.
Still, she had to
try. She’d been oversleeping a lot lately, and her mom couldn’t drive her in
anymore.
Crystal threw her bag over her shoulder and
hurried out the door. She raced toward the bus stop.
Please, dear Lord, let the bus be there.
Please let the bus be there.
She ran with her
eyes closed. She never prayed with her eyes open.
When she reached
the end of the stone driveway, she opened her eyes.
The bus was just
pulling to a stop.
Crystal grinned. Thank you, Lord.
She climbed up the
steps and slid into her customary seat beside Kelly Mae.
Kelly Mae took one
look at her and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow until it disappeared behind
her blond sideswept bangs. “Again, Crystal?”
Crystal shrugged. “I must’ve slept through
the alarm. Why… is it that obvious?” She glanced down at her clothes. Dark blue
jeans, a black T-shirt, and a navy vest. Definitely not the most stylish of
choices.
Kelly Mae reached
over and tugged something out of Crystal’s
hair. Her hairbrush.
Crystal just stared at it and laughed.
***
Crystal's mind wandered during geometry
class. It’s not that she didn’t want to learn, it’s just that she always felt
as if she was wasting her time, as if she was meant for something more than
learning the area of a rhombus. I mean,
seriously, a rhombus? Who came up with that word?
"Crystal, care to join
us?"
She snapped her
head up and looked at the stern face of Mrs. Gingrinch. "Sorry," she
mumbled.
"Pay
attention." Mrs. Gingrinch turned to face the chalkboard and continued
writing.
Crystal hung her head. What’s wrong with me lately? She had a hard time falling asleep but
when she did, she was out. And she was always daydreaming—
"Crystal! Come up here and
solve this problem."
Crystal gulped. She stood and walked to the
chalkboard. Mrs. Gingrinch held out the chalk, and Crystal hated the smug look on her teacher's
face.
Shouldn't teachers want their students to
succeed?
She took the chalk
and inhaled deeply. She could do this.
Until she looked
at the math problem and realized she had no idea what to do or how to figure
out the answer.
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