Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Blind Speed Dating #30 (YA)


Title: SIGHTLESS
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Word Count: 83K

Query:

When sixteen-year-old Carly goes temporarily blind in a bar only to witness a gruesome murder in her head, she starts asking questions. Answers arrive in the form of an Irishman named Liam, who tells Carly that she’s a Potent -- or a human with an extra chromosome in their DNA -- with the gift of amaurotic telesthesia. Not only does her gift allow her to telepathically overhear and communicate with Potents around the world, it qualifies her to join the ancient Potent council, known as the Dominatori. Convinced that she is better off without the Dominatori in her life, Carly turns down Liam’s offer. That is, until the voices of a rival Potent group known as the Dissenters -- the same Potents who killed Carly’s mother three years prior -- threaten her little sister. Refusing to lose another member of her family, Carly vows that with the help of the Dominatori, she will protect her sister and avenger her mother’s death with a single blow.

With the help of Liam, two powerful teenage Potents, and Tyler, her hot best friend, Carly is soon on her way to becoming a lethal member of the council. It seems only a matter of time before her mother’s killer will be brought to justice. That is, until a late-night reconnaissance mission to the Dissenter headquarters reveals that Liam might have more to do with her mother’s murder than he lets on.  Carly must decide if she will risk the safety of her friends and family to find the truth about her mother, or if she will turn a blind eye to Liam’s lies and continue to fight alongside the Dominatori agents she has come to trust.

Complete at 83,000 words, SIGHTLESS combines the struggle between family and individuality found in DIVERGENT with the paranormal, kick-butt heroine’s journey of Cassandra Clare’s CITY OF BONES.  It is my hope that the bizarre powers, plot twists, and character-driven narrative will appeal to you, as will the complicated relationship between Carly and her missing mother. 

When I’m not working at UCLA, I’m interning for a literary agent in NYC, contributing to Kristen Weber and Stacy Michelle’s website ShelfPleasure.com, and blogging about Young Adult books, dogs, and life in Los Angeles on my own site.

First 250:

A warm flush crept up Carly’s neck and onto her face as the crowd in the Flying Owl pressed in on her, their sweat and perfume becoming her own. She edged her way through the throng, pressing against damp backs and oversized purses until she came to a clearing near the bar. Leaning against the wall, she wiped her forehead. Her fingers came away shiny with sweat and make-up.

The voices around her morphed into a single yell as the band walked on stage. Carly tried to catch Tyler’s eye, but he bent over his amp, a crease between his eyes. She knew that nervous look, and it twisted her insides to see it now.

Despite the heat, a cool tingle crept up Carly’s spine. The people around her were looking everywhere but at her, but couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. She wrapped her arms around herself and searched the crowd. A moment later, the sea of people parted, and Carly locked eyes with a woman leaning against the bar.

Carly searched her face for some sign of familiarity. Was she about to be thrown out of The Flying Owl for being underage? The woman stood up straight, and Carly saw that she was wearing skintight leather pants, a low-cut red shirt, and black, high-heeled boots. Hardly the wardrobe of a security guard.  

The corners of the woman’s mouth slowly curled into a knowing smile just as the crowd closed in around Carly once more.

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