YA Sci-fi: Seen

35 Word Pitch: Third-generation Watched, seventeen-year-old Orley Aragón’s entire life is filmed for the Nation. After her ratings drop and her best friend disappears, she risks newfound love and the only world she knows to escape the Network.
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Title: SEEN
Word Count: 102,000
Special Question: If your main character could be any Star War character, who would they choose and why?
Orley would choose to be Princess Leia Oragna, because she identifies with her life. Like Princess Leia, whose adopted father tries to prepare her for her eventual duties as Queen, Orley’s father constantly reminds her of her responsibilities to the Network. Orley is also frustrated with her mother grooming her to be the next big star on the Watched, just as Princess Leia is annoyed with her aunts who lecture her on her etiquette, appearance, and company. Ultimately, both Orley and Princess Leia refuse to accept the superficial expectations of their roles, instead focusing on finding the truth in their worlds and fighting for what’s right.

First 250 Words:

My knuckles sting with each urgent knock, the glass door vibrating against my skin.

No one answers.

The glass is dark, almost opaque, but I still press my face against it, trying to see inside. There’s a shadow of light coming from one of the rooms, but I can’t see anything else.

I walk back to the cobblestone street in front of Darby’s house. The angled metal makes her home look like a fortress, the artificial sun creating a blinding glare as it hits the siding. I’m forced to shield my eyes so I can continue to watch the doorway.

Where is she?

The sun inches higher up the side of the dome. Its golden rays pierce into the electric blue sky before extending around the city. The lighting brightens ever so slightly around us, casting everyone in a warm glow. The change goes unnoticed by the many Cast Members exiting their homes or walking along the cobblestone streets, lost in their conversations. A few bodies dressed in black move through the streets, careful to keep their distance.

I shouldn’t be here.

A few people nod as they walk by. Radiant smiles blanket their faces. Their clothing is perfectly coordinated to enhance their eyes or hair or whatever someone told them was their best feature. I muster a smile and continue my pacing. With each step, countless microphones awaken.  A woman raises an eyebrow in question as she passes, but I offer a simple “hello” and whatever concern she had dissolves into an agreeable grin.

5 comments:

  1. The force is strong with this one! Can't wait to see more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are the pages I'm looking for.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are the pages I'm looking for: Query and first 15 pages.

    Please put "PitchSlam Request: (Book title/genre)" in subject line. Thanks!

    Tricia Skinner
    Fuse Literary
    querytricia@fuseliterary.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Disciplined, you are.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have the reflexes of a Jedi. Please send requested pages, along with a query and synopsis, to submissions@goldenwheatliterary.com Please link your entry onto your query. Looking forward to reading more!

    ReplyDelete

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