The Writer's Voice

UNDECIDED
YA contemporary
60,000 words

Query:

High school graduation: Check. College Apps: Check. Actually deciding where to start the rest of your life: Uhhh.

For Ryan, deciding where to go to college is easy: he lets someone else choose. His girlfriend Marcy’s the planner, not him. And he’d rather not think about all the changes graduating and leaving home will bring. Then their chosen school, Texas Central, cuts their soccer program. One more thing he’ll have to give up now that high school’s done. But he doesn’t think there’s anything he can do about it. He’s already committed to both TC and Marcy.

His neighbor Summer learned the hard way that avoiding decisions doesn’t make them go away. Like last June, when she missed her chance to cross the friends’ line with Ryan. She’s spent the last year avoiding him, denying the mistake she made—but that has to stop. She has one more of year of high school, but Ryan’s leaving soon. It’s time she let go of the past and fixed their derailed friendship—especially since she might be the only one who can help him figure out what he wants from the future.

If Ryan and Summer can’t learn to start calling the shots in their own lives, they’ll never reach their goals—and they’ll all end up where they don’t belong. UNDECIDED should appeal to fans of Susane Colasanti and Jenny Han.

First 250:

Summer

His music is too loud—not exactly a problem, except that it’s louder than mine. I jack up my iPod. My tiny speakers can’t drown out the noise.

Especially since they aren’t just competing with music, but laughter, splashing, screams. Fun. That’s what’s on the other side of the fence.

My phone buzzes and skitters across the swing’s seat. Amber’s name flashes on the screen, followed almost immediately by Max’s. Their texts are identical. She’s headed to his house, his parents are headed out, I can come if I want.

Half an invitation from each that doesn’t add up to a whole.

Can’t make it, I text back. Family movie night.

Not a complete lie. The windows flicker with light from a DVD.

I give up the fight with the music and shut mine off. Despite the dark sky, the air is hot.

I could join my parents, but instead I stay outside, between my house and Ryan’s, pushing myself in the swing, digging my bare toes into the grass, listening to the party I’m definitely not invited to.

Until the soccer ball lands in my lap. I clutch it and blink into the darkness, trying to see if anyone’s there to claim it. A head pops over the back fence, followed by a body, which lands with a two-footed thump on my side.

“Nice one, man,” Ryan yells over the fence, then jogs toward me.

I could throw the ball back, but I wait for him to come to me.

Unraveling

By Elizabeth Norris

 

This book is amazing, and that blurb above is a perfect description. A mix of X-Files and Veronica Mars, but also ... and ... and I'm not going not to tell you--because I'm like that. You'll just have to read the book to discover the awesomeness for yourself. So go out right now. Find it. Oh wait, it doesn't come out till April 24. But you can it pre-order it here.

Bitterblue

Check out this post on The Enchanted Inkpot for a great interview with Kristin Cashore and a chance to win an ARC of Bitterblue.

I loved Graceling and Fire, and can't wait to read this next book.

Awesome Articles

I just read two great posts from Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. I'm posting them here not only to share with other writers, but also so I'll be able to find them again.

Crafting Memorable Scenes in Fiction 
Contains a great checklist of everything a scene should do and include. Extremely helpful for both first drafts and revisions.

Sometimes Revision Means Rewriting
Debut novelist Talia Vance (SILVER, Flux, 9/8/12) shares her revision-filled journey to publication.

Contests

For writers with completed manuscripts:

March 1 - Mystery Agent on Operation Awesome

March 5 - Secret Agent on Miss Snark's First Victim

March 1-15 - Liz Norris Pay It Forward Writing Contest on Janet Reid's blog


For anyone:
 
Through March 3 - Win a copy of Balthazar by Claudia Gray
 
Through March 6 - Win a copy of Black City by Elizabeth Richards (lots of giveaways and great reviews on Presenting Lenore, so be sure to check out all the recent posts)
 
And the contest to win a copy of Insurgent (the sequel to Divergent) has ended, but check out the entry by finalist #8. :)

Incarnate

By Jodi Meadows

Loved this book, though when I first started it, it wasn't what I expected. Since I kept hearing about it in the context of all the dystopian novels coming out this year, I expected another of those. But Incarnate is much more fantasy than futuristic.

A few elements reminded me of Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown, one of my favorites. Fans of Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Fire should also enjoy this book.

This interview on Miss Snark's First Victim gives a bit more info about both Jodi Meadows and her debut novel.

Eliminate the Frame

A simple thing, but so important. Check out this post from Agent Mary Kole for a tip to tighten your writing and make it as strong as possible.