Bouncer Post #116

Title: SURDSTUM

Genre: YA sci-fi

Word Count: 93,000

Query:

Everyone has wondered what it would be like to have telepathic powers and read the thoughts of everyone around you, but what if the opposite were true?  What if everyone else was telepathic except you, cut out of society and looked upon with suspicion or pity?  This is the struggle of Loustor Taikees.

In a world where people have telepathic nodes sticking up from their heads, Loustor was born with with a deformity that left him deaf and mute to the thoughts of others.  After a rough childhood, he determines to leave his telepathic family and find a colony of nontelepaths like him.  During his quest, he is attacked on the streets, framed for smuggling, drafted to the front lines of a never-ending war, and inspired by his fellow "entees" to learn that disability can never hold him back.

First 250:

Loustor Taikees sat alone. The shades were closed over the window, walling off the world. The only light in the room came from a dim bulb hanging low from the ceiling.

He liked the dark. It helped him to forget the world around him. The world had forgotten him, so it only seemed fitting to return the favor.

A call rang up from downstairs. “Lou?”

Loustor sighed and ignored it.

He sat in a low wooden chair under the dangling bulb with just enough light to read. There was a book in his lap, a thick biological encyclopedia meant for students years older than he was. Books were everywhere in the dusty room around him, some shelved neatly, more scattered on the floor, and others sticking out from every corner in tall piles. The titles ranged from archaic philosophy to children’s adventure stories to modern engineering texts. He owned hundreds of paper tomes, and he had read and reread each of them time and again. Other than the shelves for the books and the chair in which Loustor sat, the room held only a little bed and a dresser whose drawers stuck open. It was all he needed.

“Lou?” The voice rang out again. He looked up, frowned, and returned to his book.

Another few minutes of silence passed.

“Loustor Taikees! You hear me?” the voice from downstairs called out louder than before.

Loustor tossed the book onto his bed and climbed out of the low chair. It was time to rejoin the world.

Bouncer Post #115

Title: RETURNING IN TIME

Genre: YA Fantasy

Word Count: 70,000

Query:

Her cousin Zale is already dead.  Going back in time is the only way Mya can save him.

In the mountain kingdom of Montros, elite winged protectors guard the King from danger, especially from the tribal Abak who seek the kingdom’s rich resources. Mya, a slave, is serving in the King’s dining room when cloaked men burst in and attack. Her cousin Zale, a protector, removes the King from harm, but dies at the hands of the Abak. Although Mya doesn’t give a rat’s flip about a failed attack on the King of Montros, with her sparse family tree she can’t afford to be losing cousins.

After the attackers die, Mya and Bren, a fellow slave, are the only ones left standing with no one to corroborate their story. Mya flees with Bren after guards discover the attack originated in the servants’ quarters. Their attempt to hide fails and a strange pale boy discovers them. The boy, Alistair, confesses that he is a moon who can manipulate time and he offers them a way back to the past to save Zale.

Though Alistair is uncharacteristically silent about his motives for helping her, he admits that he has taken Mya through time before – only Mya doesn’t remember the experience. Still, Alistair’s cosmic plan to go back in time and save Zale is her only hope – at least that’s what Alistair wants her to believe.

As Mya uncovers more of Alistair’s history, she begins to doubt he is as selfless as he claims. The plot behind the attack on the King is larger than she anticipated, and Mya realizes she may have a lot to gain – or lose – from another foray in time.

First 250:

Write it all down, he said. From the beginning, he said. Stupid Alistair, he didn’t explain why I’m writing this journal, probably so if I die, he’ll have something interesting to read.

I live – well I guess I lived – in the Mountain Kingdom of Montros until the King Darius’ nephew was killed ten days ago. Was it really only ten days ago? I’m not very good at keeping time straight, so I’m sure this journal will be extremely useful.

As one of the Montros’ lowly servants I live to serve the royal family with joy and diligence in all that I do… though I hoped to do something different. I aspired to be one of the protectors, but I failed my tests. Which was rather stupid and really not my fault. The King’s nephew wasn’t in danger and even if he had been the son of a peck probably deserved to be killed.

All right, maybe that’s a little harsh considering one of the King’s nephews did die… but I’m getting ahead of myself. Should I even bother talking about the attack on the King? Cripes, if that boy weren’t so beautiful, I wouldn’t do anything he said. There, Alistair, I said you were attractive. I doubt you’re surprised.

Bouncer Post #114

Title: EMBROL

Genre: YA Sci-fi/romance

Word Count: 80,000

Query:

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Ryan knows her grief has finally broken her when two boys she’s only met in her dreams show up at her mom’s funeral.

Jack, the boy she’s been kissing in her dreams, is a welcome distraction. But when she finds out he’s not only real, but he was driving the truck that killed her mom, she just wants to forget he ever existed. His claim that, like him, she’s a member of a powerful alien race, the antecedents to humans, only seals her desire to push him away.

Kole, the boy from her nightmares, has no interest in kissing her. Not yet, anyway. In his demented alien mind, Olivia is the reincarnated daughter of the universe’s creator. He believes if he can control her in the dream world, he’ll have unlimited access to her power—a massive force hidden within the earth more than 75,000 years ago. He plans to use that power to hijack the universe. And of course, when he’s done with that, she can take her place by his side as queen. Clearly, he’s a total nut job, but even if he’s the sanest man in the galaxy, Olivia’s sure he has the wrong girl. Jack and Kole both do.

But when Kole almost succeeds in trapping Olivia in a dream, she’s forced to choose. She can continue to reject her true self and risk involuntarily destroying the universe with her own hands. Or she can find a way to trust Jack, the only one with the power to protect her and train her to use her abilities. The choice should be simple, but trusting the boy who killed her mom might be beyond the capabilities of even her advanced alien heart.

First 250:

My art teacher says the eyes are the window to the soul. Apparently, I have no soul.

I studied the self-portrait lying on my worktable. Dull, lifeless eyes stared back. Yup, definitely soulless. Next thing I knew, I’d be wandering the streets in search of brains. The stiff paper crumpled beneath my fingers. Why can I draw anyone, anything else, but I can’t draw myself?

Mr. Unrealistic-Expectations—aka my art teacher—was two tables away, making his daily rounds to check everyone’s progress. So what if this was the fourth time I’d started over? This assignment was impossible to complete, and on Friday, when I’d told him as much, he’d said, Olivia, you’ll never survive Pratt with that attitude.

Yeah, well, maybe I didn’t care. Maybe I was tired of living up to my potential.

He reached my table as the bell rang. “You destroyed another one?”

“I’ll work on a new one tonight,” I lied. I shoved all my papers into my portfolio and hopped off my stool. Working on this stupid project was the last thing I intended to do today. Birthdays are supposed to be fun.

Before he could offer his assistance, I shouldered the door open and headed out to the crowded outdoor locker area. I smiled at the heavy clouds overhead, breathing in the damp smell that always accompanied a rainy day in Mesa, Arizona. At least something good was happening today.

Bouncer Post #113

Title: OUT OF THE SHADOWS

Genre: YA contemporary

Word Count: 76,000

Query:

Career Match 101 has revealed two things to seventeen year old Olivia Clayton; she’s entirely average, and the career in writing that she longs for is nothing but a far-fetched dream. Yet instead of choosing a safer career path, she decides to prove that she’s got what it takes and sets out to write an unforgettable article for the school newspaper.

While investigating her topic, a doctor rumored to sit on his porch naked, she encounters the much too hot Kade Steele, a photographer out to make money for his freshman year at college. Joining forces seems like a brilliant plan, especially when she discovers Kade’s supernatural powers and his connection to the doctor who’s involved in a conspiracy of experimental genetic manipulations.

Only Olivia finds more than her story...she finds love. And submitting an article about Kade is out of the question. So she prints an alternative piece which totally backfires and shatters her dreams of a writing career. And to top it all off, she discovers that Kade has a shadowy past he’s been hiding from her. But when Kade risks exposure to save her life, she comes to realize that no matter what career path she chooses, all she truly needs is love, friendship, and the ability to forgive.   

First 250:

Career Match 101. It was the subject for Norwalk High juniors, the one class that was supposed to give Olivia a clear picture of what she wanted to do with her life. Instead all it told her was that she didn’t excel at anything career-worthy and that going into the writing field was nothing more than a far-fetched dream. But she wasn’t about to give up her dream, even if it took desperate measures to prove herself…like spying on the small town gossip magnet, Doc Tucker.               

Crouched and cramping a field away from historic house number 1986, Olivia Clayton patted the palm-sized notebook in her sweatshirt pocket. Mentally, she ticked off her list. 1. Prove that Doc Tucker comes out on his porch naked at four PM every day.  2. Submit article about said subject to Norwalk High’s newspaper. 3. Show I can be more than average, that the career-assessment test was wrong. 4. Convince myself that I can make it as a writer. She smiled. It was the perfect solution. 

Glimpsing movement on the porch, Olivia grabbed her camera and squinted through the lens. Her quick breaths through the cold air spawned a film of humidity over the camera’s housing.    

“I don’t believe it.” It did look like all the doctor was wearing was skin. Gross. She scrunched up her nose. “Give me something worth writing about, doctor.”  Hitting the zoom button with her thumb, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. Chicka.

Bouncer Post #112

Title:  ROGUE HEALER

Genre:  YA Light Sci-Fi

Word Count:  80,000

Query:

High school senior Lexi Gardner is a lonely alien hidden in the donated body of a formerly suicidal human teenager. Humans accept the aliens as miraculous healers of everything but mental illness, but not as welcome neighbors here on Earth. For safety's sake, Lexi's mother has forbidden friendship with humans. But the years of secrecy and isolation hurt. So when Lexi starts spending time with human Garrett Donovan, she hides the truth from both sides.

Between studying, swimming and biking, she falls in love. Overwhelmed by alien hormones, reason capitulates to desire. Under cover of a kiss, she caresses Garrett's brain with her alien body, flooding her mind with his emotions...and is overrun by unexpected desolation.

 

In exchange for their own survival, Lexi's alien race advertises "peace at last" to suicidal humans. Fearful Garrett's life might be at stake, Lexi must choose between the impossible attempt to heal him and the necessity of guaranteeing enough body donors for her people. Suddenly, keeping secrets is more important than ever, but now it's from her own endangered species--a species vigilant enough to notice her betrayal.  And desperate enough to ensure it will never happen again.

First 250:

I knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but I'd gotten used to it. I had to get my information from somewhere.

On the way through the main doors, Trow had boasted about a surprise in class today. If I'd learned one thing since I'd arrived here, it was that advance knowledge made it easier to prepare an appropriate reaction.

"Bet Ben's going to flip," Trow said.

Beth's initial response was too quiet to catch. Praying they wouldn't notice, I reduced the distance between us to just under what was socially acceptable, but all I heard was a mumble. I slunk after them into Modern History class.

Trow's elbow almost grazed my face as he snagged Beth's sleeve and leaned toward her. Feigning preoccupation with my textbook, I hugged their backs, my ears wide open.

"You know Ben has major issues with Relatives, right?" he asked. "Well, Mrs. Knapp's going to introduce us to one."

Just inside the door, my amygdala went hyper, neurons fired, and adrenaline flushed throughout my human body. I stopped cold, and if I hadn't known better, I would have been sure my heart had stopped too. Someone behind me didn't notice me standing stupidly in the way and smacked into my back.

I whirled around. It was the new guy who'd been sitting at the rear of the classroom since last week.

"Sorry," I stammered, as my brain scrambled for composure.

Introduction to a Relative? That was impossible. Trow didn't mean me. He couldn't mean me.