Happy Thursday, everyone! Today I
have the great pleasure of posting the pitches of our top ten Red Light/Green
Light entries. We read some fantastic opening lines last week, and I strongly
encourage all those who did not progress to this round to keep on putting their
words out there! And now for our top ten…
have the great pleasure of posting the pitches of our top ten Red Light/Green
Light entries. We read some fantastic opening lines last week, and I strongly
encourage all those who did not progress to this round to keep on putting their
words out there! And now for our top ten…
THE
CROW QUEEN
Kalyn Josephson
CROW QUEEN
Kalyn Josephson
Once, no one would have dared
threaten the kingdom of Rhodaire. Not when skilled warriors protected the land on
the backs of massive Crows with elemental magic.Eighteen-year-old Princess Ana
Cerralté trained her entire life to become one of those riders, until the
Illucian Empire’s elite soldiers invaded on the night of Rhodaire’s yearly
festival. With the help of traitors meant to be on guard duty, the Illucian
soldiers set fire to the rookeries and hunted down any Crows that escaped the
flames, leaving Ana’s kingdom vulnerable and destroying the future she worked
so hard for.
threaten the kingdom of Rhodaire. Not when skilled warriors protected the land on
the backs of massive Crows with elemental magic.Eighteen-year-old Princess Ana
Cerralté trained her entire life to become one of those riders, until the
Illucian Empire’s elite soldiers invaded on the night of Rhodaire’s yearly
festival. With the help of traitors meant to be on guard duty, the Illucian
soldiers set fire to the rookeries and hunted down any Crows that escaped the
flames, leaving Ana’s kingdom vulnerable and destroying the future she worked
so hard for.
Left aimless for the first time in
her life, Ana falls into depression and withdraws from her kingdom, leaving her
sister, the queen, to piece it together. When Illucia gathers their strength
for a final assault, her sister agrees to engage Ana to the cruel Illucian
prince in exchange for peace. Believing Illucia plans to forcibly place Ana and
the prince on Rhodaire’s throne once the marriage is official, Ana searches
desperately for an alternative. When she finds a Crow egg in the ruins of the
royal rookery, she scrambles to hatch it, knowing even one Crow could level the
playing field between the kingdoms – but the secret of hatching may have died
with the Crows.
her life, Ana falls into depression and withdraws from her kingdom, leaving her
sister, the queen, to piece it together. When Illucia gathers their strength
for a final assault, her sister agrees to engage Ana to the cruel Illucian
prince in exchange for peace. Believing Illucia plans to forcibly place Ana and
the prince on Rhodaire’s throne once the marriage is official, Ana searches
desperately for an alternative. When she finds a Crow egg in the ruins of the
royal rookery, she scrambles to hatch it, knowing even one Crow could level the
playing field between the kingdoms – but the secret of hatching may have died
with the Crows.
As Ana hunts down the last known
Crow rider in hopes of learning the egg’s secrets, she discovers the Illucian
prince is having her followed, and may already know about the egg. With time
running out, Ana must let go of her past and depression, and find the secret to
hatching the egg before her marriage becomes official, and Rhodaire crumbles
under Illucia’s total control.
Crow rider in hopes of learning the egg’s secrets, she discovers the Illucian
prince is having her followed, and may already know about the egg. With time
running out, Ana must let go of her past and depression, and find the secret to
hatching the egg before her marriage becomes official, and Rhodaire crumbles
under Illucia’s total control.
ASHMORE
UNBROKEN
Christian Smith
UNBROKEN
Christian Smith
Sixteen-year-old Gavin Ashmore had
always suspected his family was different, hearing voices and seeing “ghosts.”
But after a mysterious, otherworldly girl saves him from an untimely death in a
plane crash, Gavin begins to see and hear things, too, just like his family.
Gavin learns that an ancient spirit named Cain has been searching for him, and
now that he turned sixteen, Gavin is no longer safe. Gavin learns he bears a
family curse, and it is this curse keeping Cain imprisoned between the living
and dead worlds. To break free, Cain only needs to obtain Gavin’s heart.
always suspected his family was different, hearing voices and seeing “ghosts.”
But after a mysterious, otherworldly girl saves him from an untimely death in a
plane crash, Gavin begins to see and hear things, too, just like his family.
Gavin learns that an ancient spirit named Cain has been searching for him, and
now that he turned sixteen, Gavin is no longer safe. Gavin learns he bears a
family curse, and it is this curse keeping Cain imprisoned between the living
and dead worlds. To break free, Cain only needs to obtain Gavin’s heart.
But Gavin isn’t alone. To survive, Gavin must learn to fight Cain with the help
of otherworldly beings named Seraphs. One of those Seraphs, Alina, is assigned
to protect Gavin as his guardian, but even with that help, Gavin may not be
strong enough to fight Cain. Gavin must decide if he will risk giving up his
heart to save his loved ones, or lose everything by fighting against Cain and
his relentless armies of undead soldiers.
WISHES
OF FIRE
Sarah Aspen
OF FIRE
Sarah Aspen
The summer after high
school, small-town girl Ashlynn Weaver should hold high hopes for the future.
Instead, she’s held back by suffocating fears. Sightings of impossible
creatures blur the line between dreams and reality and leave Ash questioning
her sanity. Just when things couldn’t get weirder, she finds a mysterious lamp
and releases Rizian, a strangely familiar fire-jinn.
school, small-town girl Ashlynn Weaver should hold high hopes for the future.
Instead, she’s held back by suffocating fears. Sightings of impossible
creatures blur the line between dreams and reality and leave Ash questioning
her sanity. Just when things couldn’t get weirder, she finds a mysterious lamp
and releases Rizian, a strangely familiar fire-jinn.
As a small reward, Ash
receives three wishes, her chance for a nice and normal life. Normal.
Ash likes the sound of that. But her first two wishes go awry. Soon she’s
caught up in a feud between scheming witches and a vengeful fairy queen. Amid
magic and mayhem, Ash grows closer to Rizian, who proves to be literally too
hot to handle.
receives three wishes, her chance for a nice and normal life. Normal.
Ash likes the sound of that. But her first two wishes go awry. Soon she’s
caught up in a feud between scheming witches and a vengeful fairy queen. Amid
magic and mayhem, Ash grows closer to Rizian, who proves to be literally too
hot to handle.
Instead of the safety
and sanity she thought she wanted, Ash falls for danger personified, and the
amazing part is, he falls for her right back. Their romance seems doomed, but
Ash has one wish left. When her sister becomes the next target in the witches’
sinister plans, Ash will sacrifice anything to save her. Even her shot at love.
and sanity she thought she wanted, Ash falls for danger personified, and the
amazing part is, he falls for her right back. Their romance seems doomed, but
Ash has one wish left. When her sister becomes the next target in the witches’
sinister plans, Ash will sacrifice anything to save her. Even her shot at love.
Her only hope of finding
her enemy’s hidden weakness lies within the secret worlds of her dreams, but
braving the perils of the dreamverse pushes danger to the extreme, and Ash
needs more than wishes to make it out alive.
her enemy’s hidden weakness lies within the secret worlds of her dreams, but
braving the perils of the dreamverse pushes danger to the extreme, and Ash
needs more than wishes to make it out alive.
MOMENTS OF IMPACT
Robin Hall
Robin Hall
Seventeen-year-old Sera
prefers to control every relationship, but a freak car accident changes everything.
Now, whenever she locks lips with a guy, she literally hears his mom’s voice in
her head. Talk about a mood killer. Unfortunately, finding the reason behind
the voices is harder than she’d imagined as her theories fail kiss by kiss….
prefers to control every relationship, but a freak car accident changes everything.
Now, whenever she locks lips with a guy, she literally hears his mom’s voice in
her head. Talk about a mood killer. Unfortunately, finding the reason behind
the voices is harder than she’d imagined as her theories fail kiss by kiss….
Before swearing off boys
forever, she immerses herself in the biggest kissing-meets-science experiment
she can think of: the Winterfest kissing booth. The only silent kiss she
manages is from nerdy, trombone-playing Jeremy. But getting him to agree to be
her test subject is complicated—he was the other driver in the accident that
started the whole kissing mess. He’s also the one guy on campus who doesn’t
seem to want to date her.
forever, she immerses herself in the biggest kissing-meets-science experiment
she can think of: the Winterfest kissing booth. The only silent kiss she
manages is from nerdy, trombone-playing Jeremy. But getting him to agree to be
her test subject is complicated—he was the other driver in the accident that
started the whole kissing mess. He’s also the one guy on campus who doesn’t
seem to want to date her.
When Sera discovers
Jeremy’s mom is in a coma because of the accident and that’s the real reason
for their mute kiss, she realizes he’s keeping secrets too and there’s more at
stake than make-out bliss. As she wins Jeremy over, she eventually hears his
mom’s voice in her head and knows his mom will wake up soon. Sera must convince
Jeremy his mother is still cognizant before his family pulls the plug.
Jeremy’s mom is in a coma because of the accident and that’s the real reason
for their mute kiss, she realizes he’s keeping secrets too and there’s more at
stake than make-out bliss. As she wins Jeremy over, she eventually hears his
mom’s voice in her head and knows his mom will wake up soon. Sera must convince
Jeremy his mother is still cognizant before his family pulls the plug.
ENCOURAGER
Taylor Rew
Taylor Rew
16-year-old Sloan Pepper only goes
to the lake to make peace with her ex-boyfriend, Bear, and their mutual best
friend, Rice. So when she and her ten-year-old brother, Thatcher, get sucked
into a waterspout alongside them, she’s more than a little annoyed. The
waterspout transports them to the planet Tectus, a place they know from their
movie collection as the Land of Oz, though 800 years have passed since Dorothy
clicked her heels and melted a witch, and the stories we hold dear have become
the things of myths and legends.
to the lake to make peace with her ex-boyfriend, Bear, and their mutual best
friend, Rice. So when she and her ten-year-old brother, Thatcher, get sucked
into a waterspout alongside them, she’s more than a little annoyed. The
waterspout transports them to the planet Tectus, a place they know from their
movie collection as the Land of Oz, though 800 years have passed since Dorothy
clicked her heels and melted a witch, and the stories we hold dear have become
the things of myths and legends.
A prophecy makes the Peppers targets
of Tyv Rakus, a self-proclaimed wizard who siphons magic by killing anyone with
suspected powers. The Peppers become fugitives and flee through Tectus to the
Last Witch, who helps Sloan discover that she has the ability to heal and
manipulate the elements. But she’s not looking to control air and fair; she
wants to find a way home—and that means traveling to the Emerald City. Sparks
fly between Sloan and Rice as they journey, but when Bear, jealous and secretly
working for the Rakus regime, disappears with Thatcher, Sloan abandons the path
home in pursuit of her brother.
of Tyv Rakus, a self-proclaimed wizard who siphons magic by killing anyone with
suspected powers. The Peppers become fugitives and flee through Tectus to the
Last Witch, who helps Sloan discover that she has the ability to heal and
manipulate the elements. But she’s not looking to control air and fair; she
wants to find a way home—and that means traveling to the Emerald City. Sparks
fly between Sloan and Rice as they journey, but when Bear, jealous and secretly
working for the Rakus regime, disappears with Thatcher, Sloan abandons the path
home in pursuit of her brother.
Sloan sharpens her magic as she is
confronted by flying Frankenstein-esque monkeys, weaponized travel bubbles and
an army of disgruntled tin soldiers. As buzz around her power grows and the
locals begin to see her as a warrior, Sloan is faced with an impossible choice:
save her brother or save this new world.
confronted by flying Frankenstein-esque monkeys, weaponized travel bubbles and
an army of disgruntled tin soldiers. As buzz around her power grows and the
locals begin to see her as a warrior, Sloan is faced with an impossible choice:
save her brother or save this new world.
TRAVELERS
Carla Reighard
Carla Reighard
Throw in a dash of
history, a little bit of science fiction, fill it with fantasy and you have the
story of Triana, a twenty-year-old mermaid. She just wants to be normal,
but instead, her parents die, a queen adopts her, and now she’s living in
a palace. Triana knows she will have to take over as queen of New Kyra someday,
but she doesn’t feel adequate for the role. Since she has the love and support
of Queen Alethea, she is determined to do whatever it takes to succeed.
history, a little bit of science fiction, fill it with fantasy and you have the
story of Triana, a twenty-year-old mermaid. She just wants to be normal,
but instead, her parents die, a queen adopts her, and now she’s living in
a palace. Triana knows she will have to take over as queen of New Kyra someday,
but she doesn’t feel adequate for the role. Since she has the love and support
of Queen Alethea, she is determined to do whatever it takes to succeed.
What starts out to be a
typical day of queen prep and history lessons, ends up taking Triana far beyond
her comfort zone. She meets a handsome merman, Alexio, who at first seems to be
an egotistical blow fish, and should be avoided. Unfortunately her heart
disagrees with her head, which leads to more peril than Triana could have
imagined. Alexio, her new found “friend”, leads Triana straight to an enemy she
didn’t know existed. Not only did this new nemesis kidnap the queen and
threaten New Kyra, but the witch also happens to be Alexio’s mom and Queen
Alethea’s sister. To add to Triana’s problems, she discovers those aren’t the
only secrets the queen has kept from her.
typical day of queen prep and history lessons, ends up taking Triana far beyond
her comfort zone. She meets a handsome merman, Alexio, who at first seems to be
an egotistical blow fish, and should be avoided. Unfortunately her heart
disagrees with her head, which leads to more peril than Triana could have
imagined. Alexio, her new found “friend”, leads Triana straight to an enemy she
didn’t know existed. Not only did this new nemesis kidnap the queen and
threaten New Kyra, but the witch also happens to be Alexio’s mom and Queen
Alethea’s sister. To add to Triana’s problems, she discovers those aren’t the
only secrets the queen has kept from her.
Instead of fleeing from
the unforeseen danger, Triana heads straight towards it with the unexpected
consequence of being thrust into time travel throughout human history. As
Triana tries to make sense of all the secrets her adopted mother has kept from
her, she is forced to share the body of a human.
the unforeseen danger, Triana heads straight towards it with the unexpected
consequence of being thrust into time travel throughout human history. As
Triana tries to make sense of all the secrets her adopted mother has kept from
her, she is forced to share the body of a human.
Unable to return to her own
body, and unsure if she can trust Alexio, who manages to show up at every turn
of her journey, Triana feels more alone than ever before. She must prove
she can face insurmountable challenges, even though Triana is uncertain
that she will be able to save her world in time, and doubts that she
will ever be able to return to her own body again.
body, and unsure if she can trust Alexio, who manages to show up at every turn
of her journey, Triana feels more alone than ever before. She must prove
she can face insurmountable challenges, even though Triana is uncertain
that she will be able to save her world in time, and doubts that she
will ever be able to return to her own body again.
WHEN I WAKE
Beth Wertz
Beth Wertz
Raya has moved to a new
town, and is hopeful that despite her tendency to make unintentionally rude
commentary and her long-standing diagnosis of narcolepsy, she’ll actually make
some friends for the first time in her life. She’s angrily kicking trees in her
narcoleptic forest hallucinations when she meets a strange girl and a man,
Julian, who claims to be her dead father’s best friend, and it isn’t long
before she figures out the truth: she was born with the power of astral
projection. She learns that her father died trying to protect Pirondea from the
malevolent ruling Amarcks, and now that she’s back, they’re after her, too.
With the help of her new friends, she works to get control of her powers and
fulfill her father’s legacy, until her stubbornness gets Julian kidnapped by
the Amarcks. It’s up to Raya to figure out how to get the only father figure
she has back before the Amarcks can use him to get to her, or she may lose
everything she’s ever wanted, including lives.
town, and is hopeful that despite her tendency to make unintentionally rude
commentary and her long-standing diagnosis of narcolepsy, she’ll actually make
some friends for the first time in her life. She’s angrily kicking trees in her
narcoleptic forest hallucinations when she meets a strange girl and a man,
Julian, who claims to be her dead father’s best friend, and it isn’t long
before she figures out the truth: she was born with the power of astral
projection. She learns that her father died trying to protect Pirondea from the
malevolent ruling Amarcks, and now that she’s back, they’re after her, too.
With the help of her new friends, she works to get control of her powers and
fulfill her father’s legacy, until her stubbornness gets Julian kidnapped by
the Amarcks. It’s up to Raya to figure out how to get the only father figure
she has back before the Amarcks can use him to get to her, or she may lose
everything she’s ever wanted, including lives.
MIRROR’S EDGE
Tara Lehmann
Tara Lehmann
The Mirror has always had a
“special” place in Lumi Winters’ life, even before it shattered and
it’s shards of glass scattered across the earth. It’s the reason why her
mother’s three friends, her “aunts”, barely speak to her anymore. It’s the
reason why her mother is dead, why Thyra, her girlfriend, was killed, and it’s
why Lumi Winters is a murderer.
“special” place in Lumi Winters’ life, even before it shattered and
it’s shards of glass scattered across the earth. It’s the reason why her
mother’s three friends, her “aunts”, barely speak to her anymore. It’s the
reason why her mother is dead, why Thyra, her girlfriend, was killed, and it’s
why Lumi Winters is a murderer.
Victims of the Mirror’s magic are hard to find, but for years Lumi has hunted
for those with the glass buried deep within. It’s the only way the Mirror
can be rebuilt, more lives can be spared, and her own can return to some
semblance of normal. But after her last victim dies, Lumi leaves her
northern manor to hunt for the next piece in the puzzle; while out in the
world, she finds Gemma and Kyle and discovers that they seem to be drawn
together. However, Lumi’s attempts to stay away crumble when Kyle cons
Lumi into taking him with her, leaving Gemma and her broken heart behind.
Back in her wasteland home, Lumi slowly begins to see the startling truth about
Kyle and the Mirror, while Gemma fights across the world and seasons to find
Kyle and bring him home. But Kyle is a piece to the puzzle; in fact, he could
be the key to finally completing the puzzle.
But what if fixing the Mirror won’t save the world? What if piecing the shards
back together was what the Mirror had wanted all along? Driven between
good and evil, Lumi is faced with decisions she’s made in the past as she
struggles to accomplish her mother’s dying wish and save the world.
However, to save the world from one evil, she may very well be damning it
to another, far worse one.
THE
STORYTELLER
Amanda Malamut
STORYTELLER
Amanda Malamut
Joan Whitman wakes up to find
herself in a military interrogation room, unable to remember how she ended up
there. She realizes she’s not alone when Sergeant Simon Rodriguez begins to question
Joan about zombies, the Everett siblings, and what the three of them came
across while trying to survive. Joan tries to get more information from Simon
about the purpose of the interview but gets nowhere. She relents and tells
Simon what he wants to know.
herself in a military interrogation room, unable to remember how she ended up
there. She realizes she’s not alone when Sergeant Simon Rodriguez begins to question
Joan about zombies, the Everett siblings, and what the three of them came
across while trying to survive. Joan tries to get more information from Simon
about the purpose of the interview but gets nowhere. She relents and tells
Simon what he wants to know.
They are challenged by zombies and
humans alike, struggling to find a balance between self-defense and murder. The
trio is constantly debating whether they should become a larger group or stay
by themselves; whether they are better off fending for themselves or relying on
strangers. These challenges often come to a head when Joan flashes back
reliving past memories she’s recalling. She’s anxious, depressed, and is
constantly questioning her decisions and grappling with her feelings for Sam.
humans alike, struggling to find a balance between self-defense and murder. The
trio is constantly debating whether they should become a larger group or stay
by themselves; whether they are better off fending for themselves or relying on
strangers. These challenges often come to a head when Joan flashes back
reliving past memories she’s recalling. She’s anxious, depressed, and is
constantly questioning her decisions and grappling with her feelings for Sam.
Joan starts to tell Simon about the
final run that she remembers when it finally dawns on her- she was infected.
She becomes scared, angry, and confused- learning that she was bit a week ago
but has been since cured. The side effect of the cure is that parts of her
ability to recall and create new memories is compromised. With the help of a
computer chip implant in her brain, Simon and his team had been working with
her to regain her memory. Sam is kept out of the room, despite pleading with
Simon and sleeping on the couch outside of the door.
final run that she remembers when it finally dawns on her- she was infected.
She becomes scared, angry, and confused- learning that she was bit a week ago
but has been since cured. The side effect of the cure is that parts of her
ability to recall and create new memories is compromised. With the help of a
computer chip implant in her brain, Simon and his team had been working with
her to regain her memory. Sam is kept out of the room, despite pleading with
Simon and sleeping on the couch outside of the door.
THE
PENDRAGON’S SON
Kelly Barina
PENDRAGON’S SON
Kelly Barina
Seventeen-year-old Vael meets his
long-lost brother, Mordred, for the first time, only to discover that they’re
destined to become enemies.
long-lost brother, Mordred, for the first time, only to discover that they’re
destined to become enemies.
After
years with only swords and tomes as companions, Prince Vael finds his first
true friendship with the arrival of his surly half-brother, Mordred—a boy even
more familiar with rejection and loneliness than Vael. However, an ancient
prophecy haunts Mordred’s footsteps―he is destined to kill their father, King
Arthur, in a battle that will destroy Britain. Vael may not believe in fate’s
power, but that means little to the superstitious kingdom that wants his older
brother dead.
years with only swords and tomes as companions, Prince Vael finds his first
true friendship with the arrival of his surly half-brother, Mordred—a boy even
more familiar with rejection and loneliness than Vael. However, an ancient
prophecy haunts Mordred’s footsteps―he is destined to kill their father, King
Arthur, in a battle that will destroy Britain. Vael may not believe in fate’s
power, but that means little to the superstitious kingdom that wants his older
brother dead.
When Mordred’s sorceress mother
builds an army against Camelot and plots to use him as her pawn, Vael vows to
show Mordred that destinies can be chosen, even if it means challenging the
fearsome sorceress himself. If Vael cannot free Mordred from the sorceress’
twisted grasp, he will have to watch his father and Camelot fall or kill the
only friend he’s ever had—his brother.
builds an army against Camelot and plots to use him as her pawn, Vael vows to
show Mordred that destinies can be chosen, even if it means challenging the
fearsome sorceress himself. If Vael cannot free Mordred from the sorceress’
twisted grasp, he will have to watch his father and Camelot fall or kill the
only friend he’s ever had—his brother.
