Abbie Liddell takes two pills two times a day. She takes two in the morning to numb the fear. She takes two at night to sleep. She swallows them in secret.
The parapsychology institute where she lives forbids prescription medications. Prescriptions only repress psychic gifts, and the Institute doesn’t dabble in the ordinary.
Abbie should be trying to uncover her gift to communicate with the dead. But it’s just safer not to. Her ability is buried within a repressed memory of the two weeks she went missing when she was eight. And the mind buries these things for a reason. The institute’s other recruits should know.
One recruit’s gift surfaced because of an event that broke her so bad she tried to drown herself in the Mississippi river. When another recruit’s gift surfaced, he realized taking another person’s life, good or bad, changes someone. Takes something away from your soul or puts something else in. The other recruits haven’t been the same since.
But the Institute is desperate for Abbie to contact a spirit. So desperate they will perform a procedure on her in three days to crack open her gift. They don’t care if it leaves her dead.
Remembering the two weeks her mind banished from her psyche in order to protect itself sixteen years ago may leave her wanting to die. But not remembering may kill her.
SUPERNATURAL is a paranormal suspense. It is complete at 125,000 words.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jan 18, 2011
Jan 17, 2011
Query- Second Hand News
Dear Agent:
They both needed a way to start over again and get it right this time.
Twenty years have passed since Gail first saw Tony Cimino behind the counter of his father's pizza shop. The first time was a chance encounter she is certain he would not remember. She doesn't know yet that he is her second chance at happiness and tries to push him out of her life. But Tony, a man who knows what he wants and sees it in Gail, is not going to give up so easily.
Second Hand News is about family, the invisible older sister, the vain, status conscience mother and "pretty" younger sister; a story of fun, friendships and final vindication, woven with the antics of a feisty, hilarious Bubbie; the mortar between the bricks. Add Gail's supporting characters; the young Dominican girl who befriends her, the gun-toting ex-vet who helps her, her out of bounds girlfriends, hot dates and two people falling in love.
Chaos rules, as Bubbie escapes from assisted living, moves into her granddaughter's small apartment, and entertains the neighbors singing Ethel Merman tunes late at night in the elevator. Gail fends off dates arranged by her mother and sister, squashes a Yuppie co-op conversion, and uses her wit and talent to find a new career.
Second Hand News, complete at 80,000 words, romantic women's fiction, explores how two people find a better way to live.
I found your name (Insert pertinent agent information) I would be happy to send part or all of the completed manuscript. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
===================================
CHAPTER ONE
Three of us sat on a cold, wooden bench in the judge's chamber and waited. It was a long day and seven others had already finished and been escorted to the next room to sign papers and get a receipt, pending the official document.
When it was my turn, I stood to answer three questions: 1) Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, 2) Do you Gail Goldblum Silverstein wish to contest this action, and 3) Do you wish to return to your maiden name?
Nothing came out of my mouth and the girl next to me pulled the edge of my jacket and snapped, "Say something, and let's get the hell out of here."
I gulped, answered each question, and it was done.
We were alone in the room with the judge and his bailiff, who pointed, "This way, miss."
I was officially an ex-wife.
They both needed a way to start over again and get it right this time.
Twenty years have passed since Gail first saw Tony Cimino behind the counter of his father's pizza shop. The first time was a chance encounter she is certain he would not remember. She doesn't know yet that he is her second chance at happiness and tries to push him out of her life. But Tony, a man who knows what he wants and sees it in Gail, is not going to give up so easily.
Second Hand News is about family, the invisible older sister, the vain, status conscience mother and "pretty" younger sister; a story of fun, friendships and final vindication, woven with the antics of a feisty, hilarious Bubbie; the mortar between the bricks. Add Gail's supporting characters; the young Dominican girl who befriends her, the gun-toting ex-vet who helps her, her out of bounds girlfriends, hot dates and two people falling in love.
Chaos rules, as Bubbie escapes from assisted living, moves into her granddaughter's small apartment, and entertains the neighbors singing Ethel Merman tunes late at night in the elevator. Gail fends off dates arranged by her mother and sister, squashes a Yuppie co-op conversion, and uses her wit and talent to find a new career.
Second Hand News, complete at 80,000 words, romantic women's fiction, explores how two people find a better way to live.
I found your name (Insert pertinent agent information) I would be happy to send part or all of the completed manuscript. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
===================================
CHAPTER ONE
Three of us sat on a cold, wooden bench in the judge's chamber and waited. It was a long day and seven others had already finished and been escorted to the next room to sign papers and get a receipt, pending the official document.
When it was my turn, I stood to answer three questions: 1) Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, 2) Do you Gail Goldblum Silverstein wish to contest this action, and 3) Do you wish to return to your maiden name?
Nothing came out of my mouth and the girl next to me pulled the edge of my jacket and snapped, "Say something, and let's get the hell out of here."
I gulped, answered each question, and it was done.
We were alone in the room with the judge and his bailiff, who pointed, "This way, miss."
I was officially an ex-wife.
Jan 14, 2011
Query, Sacred Fire
Tuccia trembles at her trial as she waits to be executed for a crime she did not commit: losing her virginity. For other Roman women, this would not be an offense, but for a priestess of Vesta, such a sin could displease the gods and condemn Rome to ruin.
Tuccia’s accuser is an angry priest who failed to seduce her. With a priest’s testimony against her, no one will believe Tuccia is innocent. There’s only one person who can save her life: the goddess Vesta. If Vesta will allow Tuccia to perform a miracle, it will prove that she’s favored of the gods.
Tuccia has distrusted Vesta ever since a Vestal Virgin was wrongly accused and executed for the same crime. She must depend on Vesta now, because if she doesn’t save her, Tuccia has no hope of surviving.
Sacred Fire is a historical fiction of 88,000 words. It is based on a true story.
Tuccia’s accuser is an angry priest who failed to seduce her. With a priest’s testimony against her, no one will believe Tuccia is innocent. There’s only one person who can save her life: the goddess Vesta. If Vesta will allow Tuccia to perform a miracle, it will prove that she’s favored of the gods.
Tuccia has distrusted Vesta ever since a Vestal Virgin was wrongly accused and executed for the same crime. She must depend on Vesta now, because if she doesn’t save her, Tuccia has no hope of surviving.
Sacred Fire is a historical fiction of 88,000 words. It is based on a true story.
Query: Nepenthe (third revision)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Kate is twenty-three years old, has just started up her own café, and is addicted to adrenaline. Michael, a ghost, teaches her to convert the fear that people naturally feel in his presence, and turn it into an adrenaline rush. It’s a harmless thrill, until the ghost wants her dead.
Michael has been wandering the earth alone since he died in the 1800’s, looking for distractions to help him forget painful memories of his life. If Kate becomes a ghost and stays with him, he promises to teach her how to forget the traumatic event in her past that has been driving her need for adrenaline fixes. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die.
When Kate asks Michael to leave, his volatile emotions hurl objects and break glass. When Michael finds Kate and her boyfriend on a date at the fair, the entire hall of mirrors shatters.
Michael begins to haunt Kate exclusively by forming a ghost bind to her, hoping that his constant adrenaline giving presence with convince Kate that she needs him. She is unable to escape Michael, which puts her boyfriend in Michael's reach if her boyfriend gets too close. Kate’s boyfriend isn’t willing to give up on her.
Kate’s life isn’t the only one she has to fight for.
NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 101,000 words.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Kate is twenty-three years old, has just started up her own café, and is addicted to adrenaline. Michael, a ghost, teaches her to convert the fear that people naturally feel in his presence, and turn it into an adrenaline rush. It’s a harmless thrill, until the ghost wants her dead.
Michael has been wandering the earth alone since he died in the 1800’s, looking for distractions to help him forget painful memories of his life. If Kate becomes a ghost and stays with him, he promises to teach her how to forget the traumatic event in her past that has been driving her need for adrenaline fixes. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die.
When Kate asks Michael to leave, his volatile emotions hurl objects and break glass. When Michael finds Kate and her boyfriend on a date at the fair, the entire hall of mirrors shatters.
Michael begins to haunt Kate exclusively by forming a ghost bind to her, hoping that his constant adrenaline giving presence with convince Kate that she needs him. She is unable to escape Michael, which puts her boyfriend in Michael's reach if her boyfriend gets too close. Kate’s boyfriend isn’t willing to give up on her.
Kate’s life isn’t the only one she has to fight for.
NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 101,000 words.
Jan 13, 2011
QUERY- WALKING OFF PLUTO (First Revision)
Click here to read the original query.
WALKING OFF PLUTO examines the impact of grief on the lives of two sisters and the wayward young man who helps them to realize that everyone grieves, just in different ways. Some people cry and openly express their feelings, but for others, it feels like a journey across the universe just to begin the process. If you start to grieve, will you ever stop grieving?
Seventeen-year-old Lynn refuses to grieve for her dying father. She doesn't want to end up like her older sister, Chloe, sucked in an endless black hole of tears, broken dishes, pills, and unfinished sentences. Instead, Lynn becomes obsessed with outer space, especially Pluto, an outcast in the solar system. Feeling out of orbit with her dysfunctional family, she spends most of her time alone with her telescope, trying to find the impossible-to-find rejected planet.
Chloe attempts to crack through Lynn's self-created shell by destroying Lynn's telescope and freedom to leave the house after dark but ends up pushing Lynn into further isolation. Lynn becomes practically inhuman, not even reacting to a slap across the face, until she befriends Peter.
Peter is an actor pretending to be sick. Or a cancer patient. Or he has an eating disorder. Bottom line, he's not well physically, but mentally he's off the chart. He speaks his mind, yet lies constantly, and thinks Pluto will always be a planet at heart. Lynn initially uses him as a distraction away from her family and for sex, but Peter views their encounters as the beginnings of a relationship. When Peter opens up about his own experiences with loss, Lynn realizes that if she doesn't face her father's death and grieve for him, she'll never be able to love anyone.
My young adult novel is complete at 50,000 words. Thank you for your time and consideration.
WALKING OFF PLUTO examines the impact of grief on the lives of two sisters and the wayward young man who helps them to realize that everyone grieves, just in different ways. Some people cry and openly express their feelings, but for others, it feels like a journey across the universe just to begin the process. If you start to grieve, will you ever stop grieving?
Seventeen-year-old Lynn refuses to grieve for her dying father. She doesn't want to end up like her older sister, Chloe, sucked in an endless black hole of tears, broken dishes, pills, and unfinished sentences. Instead, Lynn becomes obsessed with outer space, especially Pluto, an outcast in the solar system. Feeling out of orbit with her dysfunctional family, she spends most of her time alone with her telescope, trying to find the impossible-to-find rejected planet.
Chloe attempts to crack through Lynn's self-created shell by destroying Lynn's telescope and freedom to leave the house after dark but ends up pushing Lynn into further isolation. Lynn becomes practically inhuman, not even reacting to a slap across the face, until she befriends Peter.
Peter is an actor pretending to be sick. Or a cancer patient. Or he has an eating disorder. Bottom line, he's not well physically, but mentally he's off the chart. He speaks his mind, yet lies constantly, and thinks Pluto will always be a planet at heart. Lynn initially uses him as a distraction away from her family and for sex, but Peter views their encounters as the beginnings of a relationship. When Peter opens up about his own experiences with loss, Lynn realizes that if she doesn't face her father's death and grieve for him, she'll never be able to love anyone.
My young adult novel is complete at 50,000 words. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jan 10, 2011
Query - The Discovery of Lumina (revised, formerly The Paw Shake Portal)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Dear (Agent):
In the month of March, eleven-year-old Alex Locklin makes three significant discoveries. First, he learns that his family is moving in June. Then he realizes he’s growing apart from his two best friends. But his greatest discovery is a secret: the stray cat in his back yard and the new girl in his neighborhood are the same being.
Lumina reveals her half-cat, half-human identity to Alex in hopes that he can help her. She is a member of the royal cat family, and they are being threatened by an enemy army of cats called Alley Scratch. In order to gain the strength and endurance she needs to fight them, Lumina has to form a “bond of trust” with a human. The more their friendship grows, the stronger she will become.
Alex eagerly volunteers to form this bond, and as a result, he’s swept into the affairs of the far away Animal World. He helps Lumina investigate her sister’s suspicious boyfriend and attempts to make peace with aggressive animals. But the clock is ticking. Moving day is imminent, and so are Alley Scratch’s attacks on Lumina’s family. Although Lumina is energized by the bond, Alex refuses to stand idle. He will stop at nothing to protect his new friends… even if their days together are numbered.
THE DISCOVERY OF LUMINA is a middle grade novel complete at 30,000 words. (Reason for querying specific agent here.)
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
(Author's note: I posted previous queries for the same book under its old title, The Paw Shake Portal. I realized that my last query didn't accurately reflect the most important points of my book, so this is a new angle on the same story. Any suggestions are appreciated!)
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Dear (Agent):
In the month of March, eleven-year-old Alex Locklin makes three significant discoveries. First, he learns that his family is moving in June. Then he realizes he’s growing apart from his two best friends. But his greatest discovery is a secret: the stray cat in his back yard and the new girl in his neighborhood are the same being.
Lumina reveals her half-cat, half-human identity to Alex in hopes that he can help her. She is a member of the royal cat family, and they are being threatened by an enemy army of cats called Alley Scratch. In order to gain the strength and endurance she needs to fight them, Lumina has to form a “bond of trust” with a human. The more their friendship grows, the stronger she will become.
Alex eagerly volunteers to form this bond, and as a result, he’s swept into the affairs of the far away Animal World. He helps Lumina investigate her sister’s suspicious boyfriend and attempts to make peace with aggressive animals. But the clock is ticking. Moving day is imminent, and so are Alley Scratch’s attacks on Lumina’s family. Although Lumina is energized by the bond, Alex refuses to stand idle. He will stop at nothing to protect his new friends… even if their days together are numbered.
THE DISCOVERY OF LUMINA is a middle grade novel complete at 30,000 words. (Reason for querying specific agent here.)
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
(Author's note: I posted previous queries for the same book under its old title, The Paw Shake Portal. I realized that my last query didn't accurately reflect the most important points of my book, so this is a new angle on the same story. Any suggestions are appreciated!)
Jan 8, 2011
QUERY - ORDO ABCHAO
Dear [Agent Name],
This is year zero, the year of the invasion. Blood-thirsty aliens roam the streets of every megacity during the day, while at night backstabbing thugs known as vultures hunt, kill and scavenge the houses of the remaining survivors. The armies of the world are powerless. The end of mankind is near.
Robert "Bobby" Mensah has two weeks of food supplies left. Most of his neighbors are either dead or dying, killed or about to be killed by either angels, vultures, the army, starvation or worse. Every night on GNN, Jude Delphi and the panel discuss the daily death tolls, but Bobby's no hero, Bobby only cares about his survival.
When Bobby decides to trade for food with a local vulture, the resulting gunfight leaves him with two dead bodies in his front yard and a bag full of food supplies. But when his neighbor Julie steals the bag, she leaves him with no food, with nowhere to go, and with a gang of trigger-happy vultures hellbent on killing him. Kill or be killed, Bobby will need to kill to survive, and Bobby will need to decide how far he is willing to go to stay alive.
ORDO ABCHAO is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel complete at 58,000 words, the first of a five book series of First Person Shooter Punk (FPS-Punk). I'm the father of FPS-Punk, a convergence between video gaming and literature, and I also maintain a blog on video gaming.
Best,
Gareth Mensah.
This is year zero, the year of the invasion. Blood-thirsty aliens roam the streets of every megacity during the day, while at night backstabbing thugs known as vultures hunt, kill and scavenge the houses of the remaining survivors. The armies of the world are powerless. The end of mankind is near.
Robert "Bobby" Mensah has two weeks of food supplies left. Most of his neighbors are either dead or dying, killed or about to be killed by either angels, vultures, the army, starvation or worse. Every night on GNN, Jude Delphi and the panel discuss the daily death tolls, but Bobby's no hero, Bobby only cares about his survival.
When Bobby decides to trade for food with a local vulture, the resulting gunfight leaves him with two dead bodies in his front yard and a bag full of food supplies. But when his neighbor Julie steals the bag, she leaves him with no food, with nowhere to go, and with a gang of trigger-happy vultures hellbent on killing him. Kill or be killed, Bobby will need to kill to survive, and Bobby will need to decide how far he is willing to go to stay alive.
ORDO ABCHAO is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel complete at 58,000 words, the first of a five book series of First Person Shooter Punk (FPS-Punk). I'm the father of FPS-Punk, a convergence between video gaming and literature, and I also maintain a blog on video gaming.
Best,
Gareth Mensah.
Jan 6, 2011
Query: Nepenthe (Second Revision)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
After her fiancé dies in a car accident she feels is her fault, Kate wants to forget it happened. Kate meets Michael, a ghost, who is drawn to her by similar feelings of regret. The fear based adrenaline high Kate gets from Michael is an addicting escape. Michael promises to teach Kate how to forget her past permanently if she will become a ghost with him. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die.
When Kate asks Michael to leave, his volatile emotions hurl objects and break glass. When Michael walks in on Kate during a date with her new boyfriend at the county fair, the entire fun house hall of mirrors shatters.
Determined not to lose Kate, Michael gives up wandering the earth freely to haunt Kate exclusively by forming a ghost bind to her. Kate must keep her now constant, ghost companion away from her boyfriend since Michael has vowed to kill him. Yeah, Kate is really won over by Michael now.
Kate discovers that if she can rid herself of the regret that drew Michael to her, she will be able to banish him. But Kate can’t let go of her guilt. And, despite Kate’s precautions, Michael just found a way to get at her boyfriend.
Nepenthe is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words
Click here to read the first revision.
After her fiancé dies in a car accident she feels is her fault, Kate wants to forget it happened. Kate meets Michael, a ghost, who is drawn to her by similar feelings of regret. The fear based adrenaline high Kate gets from Michael is an addicting escape. Michael promises to teach Kate how to forget her past permanently if she will become a ghost with him. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die.
When Kate asks Michael to leave, his volatile emotions hurl objects and break glass. When Michael walks in on Kate during a date with her new boyfriend at the county fair, the entire fun house hall of mirrors shatters.
Determined not to lose Kate, Michael gives up wandering the earth freely to haunt Kate exclusively by forming a ghost bind to her. Kate must keep her now constant, ghost companion away from her boyfriend since Michael has vowed to kill him. Yeah, Kate is really won over by Michael now.
Kate discovers that if she can rid herself of the regret that drew Michael to her, she will be able to banish him. But Kate can’t let go of her guilt. And, despite Kate’s precautions, Michael just found a way to get at her boyfriend.
Nepenthe is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words
Jan 4, 2011
Query: Nepenthe (First Revision)
Click here to read the original query.
To distract her from guilt, Kate turns her fear of a ghost into an adrenaline rush. That is, until the ghost wants her to become one too.
After her fiancé dies in a car accident she feels is her fault, Kate meets Michael, a ghost who is drawn to her by similar feelings of regret. She not only learns to get a high from his presence, but gets to experience what it’s like to be a ghost when Michael pulls her soul out of her body while she sleeps. Kate knows Michael is lonely, but has no idea what he’ll do to keep her with him.
When Kate becomes accustomed to the adrenaline and her high wanes, Michael asks her to die and choose to become a ghost with him. If she does, Michael promises to teach her how to forget her past permanently. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die. She asks Michael to leave. Determined not to lose her, Michael gives up being earthbound and binds to Kate so he haunts her specifically. She is unable to escape Michael’s volatile emotions, which can hurl objects and break glass. Yeah, Kate is really won over now.
Mostly she is worried about keeping those close to her safe from Michael’s presence. When Kate’s relationship with her mountain biking partner, Ethan, moves past platonic, Michael vows to remove him permanently. Kate’s life is no longer the only one she has to fight for.
NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words. The manuscript is complete, and can be sent to you right away.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
To distract her from guilt, Kate turns her fear of a ghost into an adrenaline rush. That is, until the ghost wants her to become one too.
After her fiancé dies in a car accident she feels is her fault, Kate meets Michael, a ghost who is drawn to her by similar feelings of regret. She not only learns to get a high from his presence, but gets to experience what it’s like to be a ghost when Michael pulls her soul out of her body while she sleeps. Kate knows Michael is lonely, but has no idea what he’ll do to keep her with him.
When Kate becomes accustomed to the adrenaline and her high wanes, Michael asks her to die and choose to become a ghost with him. If she does, Michael promises to teach her how to forget her past permanently. Memory loss and walking through walls aren’t enough to entice Kate to die. She asks Michael to leave. Determined not to lose her, Michael gives up being earthbound and binds to Kate so he haunts her specifically. She is unable to escape Michael’s volatile emotions, which can hurl objects and break glass. Yeah, Kate is really won over now.
Mostly she is worried about keeping those close to her safe from Michael’s presence. When Kate’s relationship with her mountain biking partner, Ethan, moves past platonic, Michael vows to remove him permanently. Kate’s life is no longer the only one she has to fight for.
NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words. The manuscript is complete, and can be sent to you right away.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Jan 3, 2011
Query: Nepenthe
Dear__________,
Kate finds that turning her fear of a ghost into an adrenaline rush is a great distraction from unresolved, past issues. That is, until the ghost almost kills her.
Michael, a particularly powerful ghost, wants Kate to die and choose to stay as a ghost with him. He pulls her soul out of her body while she sleeps so she can experience what it’s like. Kate seriously considers becoming one permanently, but there are reasons to live.
One of those reasons is Ethan, who is quickly becoming more than a friend. Michael will do anything to get rid of Ethan, and Kate is kicking herself for being too bent on an adrenaline high to consider the town psychic when she warned her about Michael’s true identity. Kate’s life is no longer the only one she has to fight for.
Set in the small mountain town of Waterton, Alberta, NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words. It is my first novel. The manuscript is complete, has undergone a manuscript evaluation and copy edit, and can be sent to you right away.
Thank you for your consideration,
Kate finds that turning her fear of a ghost into an adrenaline rush is a great distraction from unresolved, past issues. That is, until the ghost almost kills her.
Michael, a particularly powerful ghost, wants Kate to die and choose to stay as a ghost with him. He pulls her soul out of her body while she sleeps so she can experience what it’s like. Kate seriously considers becoming one permanently, but there are reasons to live.
One of those reasons is Ethan, who is quickly becoming more than a friend. Michael will do anything to get rid of Ethan, and Kate is kicking herself for being too bent on an adrenaline high to consider the town psychic when she warned her about Michael’s true identity. Kate’s life is no longer the only one she has to fight for.
Set in the small mountain town of Waterton, Alberta, NEPENTHE is a paranormal romance of 112,500 words. It is my first novel. The manuscript is complete, has undergone a manuscript evaluation and copy edit, and can be sent to you right away.
Thank you for your consideration,
Jan 2, 2011
QUERY- WALKING OFF PLUTO
Dear __________,
Pluto is no longer a planet. Lynn’s father is dying. She cannot grieve for him. She hates him too much. Pluto is an outcast in the solar system. Lynn is an outcast in her family. She feels out of orbit when she is around them. She cannot tolerate their tears, screams, broken dishes, pills, and unfinished sentences. She’d rather be alone. And then she meets Peter.
WALKING OFF PLUTO examines the impact of grief on the lives of two sisters and a wayward young man who helps them to realize that everyone grieves, just in different ways. Seventeen-year-old Lynn burrows herself in the comfort of the sky while her older sister, Chloe, seeks to crack through Lynn’s self-created shell. But the only thing that can break through Lynn is Lynn. And it will feel like a journey across the universe to figure that out.
My young adult novel is complete at 50,000 words. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Little excerpt:
Lynn gazes through her black and white telescope and sees what she wants to see. A gush of wind flings black hair over her forehead, blocking her view of the starry winter night. She brushes the strands back with her fingers, careful not to touch the scope. She has it positioned and zoomed exactly the way she wants it.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Someone is walking up the hill—the dying leaves crumble under knee-high boots. She should be startled, but it’s only her sister, Chloe.
Pluto is no longer a planet. Lynn’s father is dying. She cannot grieve for him. She hates him too much. Pluto is an outcast in the solar system. Lynn is an outcast in her family. She feels out of orbit when she is around them. She cannot tolerate their tears, screams, broken dishes, pills, and unfinished sentences. She’d rather be alone. And then she meets Peter.
WALKING OFF PLUTO examines the impact of grief on the lives of two sisters and a wayward young man who helps them to realize that everyone grieves, just in different ways. Seventeen-year-old Lynn burrows herself in the comfort of the sky while her older sister, Chloe, seeks to crack through Lynn’s self-created shell. But the only thing that can break through Lynn is Lynn. And it will feel like a journey across the universe to figure that out.
My young adult novel is complete at 50,000 words. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Little excerpt:
Lynn gazes through her black and white telescope and sees what she wants to see. A gush of wind flings black hair over her forehead, blocking her view of the starry winter night. She brushes the strands back with her fingers, careful not to touch the scope. She has it positioned and zoomed exactly the way she wants it.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Someone is walking up the hill—the dying leaves crumble under knee-high boots. She should be startled, but it’s only her sister, Chloe.
Dec 23, 2010
Query- All Because of You (Fourth Revision)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Dear [Agent Name],
Forced to commit murder in order to survive, Adelaide Banvard can’t rid herself of the demon in her mind. Faithful to the end, she’s stood at the side of Christian Wren, one of the most powerful men in Los Angeles and the only asset capable of keeping her violent tendencies at bay. For the past ten years, she’s been dedicated to his cause, the schizophrenic monster in her head enjoying every moment of pain delivered and every drop of blood on her hands as she grows eager to take control of her own life, one that doesn’t consist of orders and demands.
Her opportunity comes in the form of ATF Agent Marcus Grant, a man whose assignment is to apprehend Wren, the suspected leader behind one of the largest gunrunning operations California has ever seen. Adelaide’s loyalties are tested at every turn as she fights her way out of Wren’s organization, battles the illusions in her head, and tries to conceal the attraction she feels for the ATF agent who wants her for murder.
ALL BECAUSE OF YOU is suspenseful commercial fiction complete at 75,000 words. I have a degree from Utah Valley University in the field of Psychology, owning accurate knowledge on the subject of Schizophrenia. I have included [whatever they request] per your submission guidelines. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Dear [Agent Name],
Forced to commit murder in order to survive, Adelaide Banvard can’t rid herself of the demon in her mind. Faithful to the end, she’s stood at the side of Christian Wren, one of the most powerful men in Los Angeles and the only asset capable of keeping her violent tendencies at bay. For the past ten years, she’s been dedicated to his cause, the schizophrenic monster in her head enjoying every moment of pain delivered and every drop of blood on her hands as she grows eager to take control of her own life, one that doesn’t consist of orders and demands.
Her opportunity comes in the form of ATF Agent Marcus Grant, a man whose assignment is to apprehend Wren, the suspected leader behind one of the largest gunrunning operations California has ever seen. Adelaide’s loyalties are tested at every turn as she fights her way out of Wren’s organization, battles the illusions in her head, and tries to conceal the attraction she feels for the ATF agent who wants her for murder.
ALL BECAUSE OF YOU is suspenseful commercial fiction complete at 75,000 words. I have a degree from Utah Valley University in the field of Psychology, owning accurate knowledge on the subject of Schizophrenia. I have included [whatever they request] per your submission guidelines. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Dec 17, 2010
Query: Lizzie Brogan and The Broadway Ghost.
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Two months before Lizzie is to leave for Brooklyn to complete a project for her parents, her mother sends her Aunt Annie May's giant tramp steamer trunk and her theatrical trunk from The Belasco. Her instructions are to help Annie get to the stage door of the theatre by first call to meet her true love, Dan "Curley" O'Brien.
A simple task but for the fact Annie May, once a successful musical star on Broadway, has been dead for twenty-seven years.
Lizzie traveled the globe for years, trying to run away from herself. Once settled in Brooklyn, she begings to confront her past and her true feelings for James, her childhood sweetheart. While they begin to rebuild their burned bridges and Curley waits each night at the stage door of the Belasco Theatre, time is running out for Annie.
Lizzie must learn how to use her long dormant power of enchantment before her aunt is lost for eternity in the cold gray fog between two worlds and she is killed by three evil faires bent on capturing her soul and her gift.
Lizzie Brogan and The Broadway Ghost, a paranormal romance complete at 90,000 words attempts to pair two lovers in our world and reunite two lost lovers in the afterworld.
I have read your website and believe my work reflects the work of other authors you currently represent. A romance novel, what sets Lizzie apart is the theme of the New York City Broadway stage, the Bishop of Broadway himself and a glimpse of an afterworld where the show is always in rehersal and the lights never go out.
==================================
CHAPTER ONE
My mother carried me to the attic for years, at first holding me in her arms and then later, guiding me up the long circular staircase leading from the second floor hall.
She explained that what looked like a giant's suitcase was a trunk. She told me what it was called and as the late afternoon sun angled through the tiny dormer window above us, she opened its four compartments to show me its magical contents. "This was your Aunt Annie's trunk. She's an angel in heaven now, but she left this for you, Elizabeth."
She loved to tell me about my aunt's life as a Broadway star, read from newspapers and magazines and brought her to life for me. "This is the dress Aunt Annie wore the night she won a very big award, called the Toni."
My questions about her were endless. "If she left the trunk to me, why can't I have it in my bedroom?"
"You're still too young, Elizabeth."
"When I get older enough, can I wear her pretty dresses?"
"No dear, those dresses are for you to hold, not to wear."
I loved to play in the dark corners of the attic, peeking into the boxes of my sister's and brother's childhood keepsakes; an old prom dress that Moira had worn, my brother Michael's football uniform, trophies and photographs, dusty lamps and some old furniture. The attic was a child's playground, and being too young to play with my siblings, I dug through their treasures and imagined stories of them. None could compare to the treasures held in the giant trunk and no stories as fantastic as those of Annie May.
The first time I saw her, she was pale and gray, like smoke curling up from the corner of the room. I was six and went to the attic to play with my sister's pompoms. I walked slowly toward the corner of the room where the giant tramp steamer trunk sat, nestled under the cross beams of the roof.
I thought I saw her smile. "Hello?"
A clear image of a woman turned and waved, "Hello yourself, Elizabeth," and in an instant the smoke curled downward into the trunk and vanished.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Two months before Lizzie is to leave for Brooklyn to complete a project for her parents, her mother sends her Aunt Annie May's giant tramp steamer trunk and her theatrical trunk from The Belasco. Her instructions are to help Annie get to the stage door of the theatre by first call to meet her true love, Dan "Curley" O'Brien.
A simple task but for the fact Annie May, once a successful musical star on Broadway, has been dead for twenty-seven years.
Lizzie traveled the globe for years, trying to run away from herself. Once settled in Brooklyn, she begings to confront her past and her true feelings for James, her childhood sweetheart. While they begin to rebuild their burned bridges and Curley waits each night at the stage door of the Belasco Theatre, time is running out for Annie.
Lizzie must learn how to use her long dormant power of enchantment before her aunt is lost for eternity in the cold gray fog between two worlds and she is killed by three evil faires bent on capturing her soul and her gift.
Lizzie Brogan and The Broadway Ghost, a paranormal romance complete at 90,000 words attempts to pair two lovers in our world and reunite two lost lovers in the afterworld.
I have read your website and believe my work reflects the work of other authors you currently represent. A romance novel, what sets Lizzie apart is the theme of the New York City Broadway stage, the Bishop of Broadway himself and a glimpse of an afterworld where the show is always in rehersal and the lights never go out.
==================================
CHAPTER ONE
My mother carried me to the attic for years, at first holding me in her arms and then later, guiding me up the long circular staircase leading from the second floor hall.
She explained that what looked like a giant's suitcase was a trunk. She told me what it was called and as the late afternoon sun angled through the tiny dormer window above us, she opened its four compartments to show me its magical contents. "This was your Aunt Annie's trunk. She's an angel in heaven now, but she left this for you, Elizabeth."
She loved to tell me about my aunt's life as a Broadway star, read from newspapers and magazines and brought her to life for me. "This is the dress Aunt Annie wore the night she won a very big award, called the Toni."
My questions about her were endless. "If she left the trunk to me, why can't I have it in my bedroom?"
"You're still too young, Elizabeth."
"When I get older enough, can I wear her pretty dresses?"
"No dear, those dresses are for you to hold, not to wear."
I loved to play in the dark corners of the attic, peeking into the boxes of my sister's and brother's childhood keepsakes; an old prom dress that Moira had worn, my brother Michael's football uniform, trophies and photographs, dusty lamps and some old furniture. The attic was a child's playground, and being too young to play with my siblings, I dug through their treasures and imagined stories of them. None could compare to the treasures held in the giant trunk and no stories as fantastic as those of Annie May.
The first time I saw her, she was pale and gray, like smoke curling up from the corner of the room. I was six and went to the attic to play with my sister's pompoms. I walked slowly toward the corner of the room where the giant tramp steamer trunk sat, nestled under the cross beams of the roof.
I thought I saw her smile. "Hello?"
A clear image of a woman turned and waved, "Hello yourself, Elizabeth," and in an instant the smoke curled downward into the trunk and vanished.
Dec 15, 2010
QUERY- MAD AS A HATTER
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Dear [Agent's Name],
London, 1882.
Seven years ago, Emil Aleric and his sister were kidnapped by a man who called himself The Hatter. Emil survived. His sister didn't. So when he hears news of a serial killer ravaging London and leaving a note quoting Alice in Wonderland at each murder scene, Emil is convinced that his former abductor is on the prowl again. And when his young guardian, Officer Corwin James, is put in charge of the case, he thinks it must be fate.
Corwin's not too keen on Emil having anything to do with the case, but Emil's extensive knowledge of the murderer's methods is too invaluable to waste. Yet as the two get closer and closer to tracking the man down, Emil realizes exactly what confronting his past will mean. He can live with the nightmares. But if he fails to avenge his sister's death, he doesn't know how he'll live with himself-- if he lives at all.
Complete at 51,000 words, MAD AS A HATTER is a YA historical mystery written in both Emil and Corwin’s viewpoints. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, etc.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Dear [Agent's Name],
London, 1882.
Seven years ago, Emil Aleric and his sister were kidnapped by a man who called himself The Hatter. Emil survived. His sister didn't. So when he hears news of a serial killer ravaging London and leaving a note quoting Alice in Wonderland at each murder scene, Emil is convinced that his former abductor is on the prowl again. And when his young guardian, Officer Corwin James, is put in charge of the case, he thinks it must be fate.
Corwin's not too keen on Emil having anything to do with the case, but Emil's extensive knowledge of the murderer's methods is too invaluable to waste. Yet as the two get closer and closer to tracking the man down, Emil realizes exactly what confronting his past will mean. He can live with the nightmares. But if he fails to avenge his sister's death, he doesn't know how he'll live with himself-- if he lives at all.
Complete at 51,000 words, MAD AS A HATTER is a YA historical mystery written in both Emil and Corwin’s viewpoints. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, etc.
Dec 8, 2010
Children's Picture Book Query
Ms. ________, Editor
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway
New York, NY 10012-3999
Dear ______ (will send to specific editor):
You may have read the news story on CNN or the Today Show. Or you may have read about it in the email that circled the globe: An orphaned squirrel was adopted by a dog who nursed him along with her own puppies.
Finnegan the Squirrel and the Dog Who Loved Him is the true story of an unusual adoption. Supported by interviews, photographs, and squirrel research, this 1040 word picture book is for children ages 5-10 years old.
Like Scholastic Press’ "Owen and Mzee," by Craig Hatkoff, this touching tale illustrates the extraordinary capacity for compassion and bonding in the animal world. It will also resonate with adopted children and their parents everywhere.
My writing credits include a picture book, Tree House in a Storm (Stemmer House Publishers, 2009), as well as written numerous fiction and nonfiction stories for Highlights, Scholastic Scope, and other children’s magazines.
Thank you for considering this 3-month exclusive submission. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Burk
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway
New York, NY 10012-3999
Dear ______ (will send to specific editor):
You may have read the news story on CNN or the Today Show. Or you may have read about it in the email that circled the globe: An orphaned squirrel was adopted by a dog who nursed him along with her own puppies.
Finnegan the Squirrel and the Dog Who Loved Him is the true story of an unusual adoption. Supported by interviews, photographs, and squirrel research, this 1040 word picture book is for children ages 5-10 years old.
Like Scholastic Press’ "Owen and Mzee," by Craig Hatkoff, this touching tale illustrates the extraordinary capacity for compassion and bonding in the animal world. It will also resonate with adopted children and their parents everywhere.
My writing credits include a picture book, Tree House in a Storm (Stemmer House Publishers, 2009), as well as written numerous fiction and nonfiction stories for Highlights, Scholastic Scope, and other children’s magazines.
Thank you for considering this 3-month exclusive submission. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Burk
Nov 26, 2010
Book Review- CINDERS
CINDERS is a novella written by Michelle Davidson Argyle. It's available on Amazon.com in paperback and as an ebook.
We all know that money can't buy love, but in Cinders we learn magic isn't a sure bet either. Cinderella - now officially a princess - finds royal life is not what she once dreamed. Pretty clothes, fancy meals, and fabulous balls can't make up for a life restricted, and she is denied the simple pleasures she used to take for granted. When a figure from her past stirs up a long-suppressed passion, Cinderella begins to wonder if there really is love under the spell that earned her husband's heart. But undoing magic can be harder than casting the initial spell, and the results are less predictable.
Cinders is a quick read, and it's a nice adult romance wrapped around a childhood fairytale. The sub-plot kept me intrigued, and the conflict in Cinderella's heart made the characterization interesting. The book is self-published, but the copy editing is tight and the layout is not a strain to read. While some character elements and plot lines could have been drawn out in more detail, I enjoyed the story overall.
We all know that money can't buy love, but in Cinders we learn magic isn't a sure bet either. Cinderella - now officially a princess - finds royal life is not what she once dreamed. Pretty clothes, fancy meals, and fabulous balls can't make up for a life restricted, and she is denied the simple pleasures she used to take for granted. When a figure from her past stirs up a long-suppressed passion, Cinderella begins to wonder if there really is love under the spell that earned her husband's heart. But undoing magic can be harder than casting the initial spell, and the results are less predictable.
Cinders is a quick read, and it's a nice adult romance wrapped around a childhood fairytale. The sub-plot kept me intrigued, and the conflict in Cinderella's heart made the characterization interesting. The book is self-published, but the copy editing is tight and the layout is not a strain to read. While some character elements and plot lines could have been drawn out in more detail, I enjoyed the story overall.
Nov 24, 2010
Query - VICARIOUS
Investigative reporter Avery Bonelli became Chiquita non grata when CIA agent Logan Nash accused her of stealing national secrets. Two years later, Nash shows up in her apartment covered in blood, and promises a scoop that will get her back in the big leagues--all she has to do is trust him.
Logan Nash was the lead agent for Team Omega, CIA’s top-secret anti-terrorism division until one of Avery’s stories exposed Omega and ended his career. After months of digging, Nash finds the identity of Avery’s anonymous source, and he can finally get his revenge--all he has to do is not fall in love.
Following Nash’s scoop, Avery goes after Attorney General Capwell, the person who let a high-profile terrorist escape justice. When Capwell’s corpse shows up on the morning news, Avery works with Nash to hunt for clues of terrorist involvement. Instead she uncovers evidence that Capwell was the anonymous source who manipulated her to expose an Omega mission two years ago. Capwell’s scheme killed more than Avery’s career; it caused the deaths of six operatives. Now Avery feels the weight of the bulls-eye on her back as one after another, people close to Capwell get slaughtered. She needs to find the connection between Capwell, the terrorist, and Omega, and expose the assassin before her personal obituary makes headlines. Outgunned, she trusts her life to Logan Nash even though all the evidence tells her Nash is the killer she’s trying to find.
VICARIOUS is a 109,000-word thriller.
Enclosed is the first chapter; prologue omitted.
Thanks for your consideration.
Ocean Archer
Logan Nash was the lead agent for Team Omega, CIA’s top-secret anti-terrorism division until one of Avery’s stories exposed Omega and ended his career. After months of digging, Nash finds the identity of Avery’s anonymous source, and he can finally get his revenge--all he has to do is not fall in love.
Following Nash’s scoop, Avery goes after Attorney General Capwell, the person who let a high-profile terrorist escape justice. When Capwell’s corpse shows up on the morning news, Avery works with Nash to hunt for clues of terrorist involvement. Instead she uncovers evidence that Capwell was the anonymous source who manipulated her to expose an Omega mission two years ago. Capwell’s scheme killed more than Avery’s career; it caused the deaths of six operatives. Now Avery feels the weight of the bulls-eye on her back as one after another, people close to Capwell get slaughtered. She needs to find the connection between Capwell, the terrorist, and Omega, and expose the assassin before her personal obituary makes headlines. Outgunned, she trusts her life to Logan Nash even though all the evidence tells her Nash is the killer she’s trying to find.
VICARIOUS is a 109,000-word thriller.
Enclosed is the first chapter; prologue omitted.
Thanks for your consideration.
Ocean Archer
Nov 20, 2010
Query- The Crucible of Silver (sixth revision)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the fifth revision.
Click here to read the synopsis.
Squirrels plant the trees, live by them, and may ultimately destroy them, but even Silver Squirrel is amazed by what their leaders are up to when they burn down his home.
The Crucible of Silver is a Y/A anthropomorphic novel completed at 70,000 words.
Nobody cares if Silver Squirrel lives or dies, but he's got a heart, and a broken one at that.
He's lost everything. Now he has to join the squirrel community in their chaotic dance of behavior, if he wants to survive.
A hawk has her eye on him, and some hungry ermine are on the hunt as well. Things would be terribly bleak if it wasn't for his friends the crows who make their own special kind of chaos, and of course Sandy Brown, a female he's taken a liking to.
Sandy's mother is one of the squirrel leaders, the very ones who orchestrated this "controlled" burn, so things are pretty complicated.
Having a girlfriend can get a little hairy too. She's just like her mother, smart and in control, though she dreams at night of prowling weasel skeletons.
Silver won't give up. He's determined to forgive the ones who hurt him so badly, save them from the predators, and maybe just win Sandy as his own. His plan is doomed to disaster, but that's the way his life is. The hawk plans on teaching her mate a lesson, and Silver is the pawn in the game. Yet, Silver has faith that good can somehow come out of all this disaster.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the fifth revision.
Click here to read the synopsis.
Squirrels plant the trees, live by them, and may ultimately destroy them, but even Silver Squirrel is amazed by what their leaders are up to when they burn down his home.
The Crucible of Silver is a Y/A anthropomorphic novel completed at 70,000 words.
Nobody cares if Silver Squirrel lives or dies, but he's got a heart, and a broken one at that.
He's lost everything. Now he has to join the squirrel community in their chaotic dance of behavior, if he wants to survive.
A hawk has her eye on him, and some hungry ermine are on the hunt as well. Things would be terribly bleak if it wasn't for his friends the crows who make their own special kind of chaos, and of course Sandy Brown, a female he's taken a liking to.
Sandy's mother is one of the squirrel leaders, the very ones who orchestrated this "controlled" burn, so things are pretty complicated.
Having a girlfriend can get a little hairy too. She's just like her mother, smart and in control, though she dreams at night of prowling weasel skeletons.
Silver won't give up. He's determined to forgive the ones who hurt him so badly, save them from the predators, and maybe just win Sandy as his own. His plan is doomed to disaster, but that's the way his life is. The hawk plans on teaching her mate a lesson, and Silver is the pawn in the game. Yet, Silver has faith that good can somehow come out of all this disaster.
Nov 18, 2010
Query- The End Begins - 8th Revision
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Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the fifth revision.
Click here to read the sixth revision.
Click here to read the seventh revision.
For Raiana Okard the Magic Academy of the Nine was the promising stage for the next evolution of Man. It's all she's known and strives for since her birth. And despite being the constant underdog, she felt their promise coming true when she was handpicked to be a spokeswoman for her community. But her confidence in that world is shattered when she discovers their power-giving quartz is being harvested from their bodies. Before succumbing to the same fate she escapes to the United States.
Now a walking target of her oppressors Rai trades her skills to a military union for protection. Despite the cease fire between the two military powers, their shaky peace will become undeniable war on a dime. The Union wants to shake the enemies grasp on stolen resources before that happens.
Rai plunges headlong into treacherous territory to take over and protect a fort of vital resources to deal a vital blow to her enemy’s efforts. But the conflict is not without cost. Rai is constantly tested. She feels the eyes of her enemies everywhere. Though the weight of fatigue and stress gnaws at her feet, she remains vigilant in adapting to her enemy.
While The Union gains momentum, Rai waivers to complete her mission when she realizes her actions could bring about the academy’s destruction.
THE END BEGINS, at 90,000 words, is my first science fiction novel.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the fifth revision.
Click here to read the sixth revision.
Click here to read the seventh revision.
For Raiana Okard the Magic Academy of the Nine was the promising stage for the next evolution of Man. It's all she's known and strives for since her birth. And despite being the constant underdog, she felt their promise coming true when she was handpicked to be a spokeswoman for her community. But her confidence in that world is shattered when she discovers their power-giving quartz is being harvested from their bodies. Before succumbing to the same fate she escapes to the United States.
Now a walking target of her oppressors Rai trades her skills to a military union for protection. Despite the cease fire between the two military powers, their shaky peace will become undeniable war on a dime. The Union wants to shake the enemies grasp on stolen resources before that happens.
Rai plunges headlong into treacherous territory to take over and protect a fort of vital resources to deal a vital blow to her enemy’s efforts. But the conflict is not without cost. Rai is constantly tested. She feels the eyes of her enemies everywhere. Though the weight of fatigue and stress gnaws at her feet, she remains vigilant in adapting to her enemy.
While The Union gains momentum, Rai waivers to complete her mission when she realizes her actions could bring about the academy’s destruction.
THE END BEGINS, at 90,000 words, is my first science fiction novel.
Nov 16, 2010
Query- The Crucible of Silver (fifth revision)
Click here to read the original query.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the synopsis.
The Crucible of Silver is a middle grade (and up) talking animal story completed at 70,000 words.
Nobody cares if Silver Squirrel lives or dies, but he's got a heart, and a broken one at that.
He's lost his home and loved ones. Now he has to join the squirrel community, and their chaotic dance of behavior, if he wants to survive.
A hawk has her eye on him, and some hungry ermine are on the hunt as well. Things would be terribly bleak if it wasn't for his friends the crows who make their own special kind of chaos, and of course Sandy Brown, a squirrel female he's taken a liking to.
Sandy's mother is one of the squirrel leaders, the very ones who burned down his home in a planned "controlled" burn, so things are pretty complicated. Squirrel mating rituals can get a little hairy too. Silver finds that out when Sandy dumps him in a fit of spring fever.
But Silver won't give up. He's determined to win Sandy as his own, and to save the community from predation and forgive the ones who hurt him so badly. His plan is doomed to disaster, but that's the way Silver's life is. The hawk plans on teaching her mate a lesson, and Silver is the pawn in the game.
Click here to read the first revision.
Click here to read the second revision.
Click here to read the third revision.
Click here to read the fourth revision.
Click here to read the synopsis.
The Crucible of Silver is a middle grade (and up) talking animal story completed at 70,000 words.
Nobody cares if Silver Squirrel lives or dies, but he's got a heart, and a broken one at that.
He's lost his home and loved ones. Now he has to join the squirrel community, and their chaotic dance of behavior, if he wants to survive.
A hawk has her eye on him, and some hungry ermine are on the hunt as well. Things would be terribly bleak if it wasn't for his friends the crows who make their own special kind of chaos, and of course Sandy Brown, a squirrel female he's taken a liking to.
Sandy's mother is one of the squirrel leaders, the very ones who burned down his home in a planned "controlled" burn, so things are pretty complicated. Squirrel mating rituals can get a little hairy too. Silver finds that out when Sandy dumps him in a fit of spring fever.
But Silver won't give up. He's determined to win Sandy as his own, and to save the community from predation and forgive the ones who hurt him so badly. His plan is doomed to disaster, but that's the way Silver's life is. The hawk plans on teaching her mate a lesson, and Silver is the pawn in the game.
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