03 May 2012

Writer's Voice

The Writers Voice competition, run by the AMAZING Brenda Drake, Monica B.W., Krista Van Dolzer & Cupid, is inspired by the TV show "The Voice." I'm contestant #88. If I'm lucky, one of these brilliant ladies will choose me for her team, and with her help, I'll be able to polish my submission until it gleams and have a chance to be seen by 8 awesome agents! Wish me luck!!

Title: KISSING FROGS
Entry #88
Genre: YA Contemporary
Word Count: 52,071

Query:
Seventeen-year-old Alaina Andersen is waiting for her white knight to ride up and sweep her off her feet with the perfect, magical kiss. She desperately wants to be the princess, even though she feels like a frog, compared to the perfect, popular girls who used to be her friends. When Shane Crawford, the most gorgeous boy in school, shows interest in her, Alaina thinks she’s finally found her fairy tale, but the kiss is a disaster and happily ever after is nowhere in sight.

In true fairy godmother style, Alaina’s friend, Kendra, offers to help her become the perfect “princess.” But Alaina’s best guy friend doesn’t want her to change, and her sister doesn’t trust Kendra.  When Shane comes back, begging for another chance to win her heart, and the “mean girls” turn out to be true friends, Alaina wonders if Kendra might be more wicked witch than fairy godmother after all.

KISSING FROGS is Young Adult contemporary novel, complete at 52,000 words.

First 250:
I’m not exactly the fairy-tale princess type. Flowers don’t bloom at my feet, and birds don’t follow me around, singing happy little songs. I’m seventeen years old, and I’ve never even been out on a real date. So when my best guy friend, Jarod, pretends to be in love with me, it’s kind of fun to play along.

“Hi gorgeous, how was your day?” Jarod, met me at my classroom door and took my books.

“Typical Tuesday. Pretty boring. You?”

I sat on the wobbly old desk Mr. Finn kept outside his classroom, careful to avoid the pile of graded homework assignments stacked in the corner.

Jarod twirled the combination and yanked my locker open. “Well, I’m talking to you. I’d say it’s been a great day.” He wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

He dropped his backpack on the bottom shelf and handed my flute to me. Turning back to my locker, he tore down the list Kendra had taped to the inside of the door.

“How many times do I have to get rid of this?” he demanded.

I shrugged. “Kendra says…”

“Kendra’s evil.” He tore the paper in half. “Why do you believe her lies? You do not have a big nose!”

I pulled the ponytail holder out of my hair and bent my head, letting my curls fall down to hide my nose. “Kendra’s trying to help me become a better person,” I mumbled. “I can’t improve myself if I don’t know where I need work.”

19 comments:

  1. Cute title -- I bet everyone's kissed a few frogs! Good luck in the competition!
    Anne (#102)

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  2. The entry looks great! Good luck in the contest!

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  3. Hi Veronica, I'm stopping by from the Writer's Voice Contest to wish you the best of luck! I'm following your blog now too, so: nice to meet you.

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  4. Dear Veronica - this really resonated - I was that ugly duckling. Unfortunately nobody told my body about the whole swan bit. Ah well ...
    Cute voice, YA's will love it.
    Good Luck
    Jacky (#130)
    xxx

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  5. Love the voice in here. The premise is great, too. Like Jacky said, this resonates. Even the pretty, popular girls don't always feel pretty. (Or so I've been told). Good luck!

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  6. I loved the voice and with the 250 we get an idea of Jerod and his relationship with Alaina! Great job.

    Good luck!!

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  7. I remember seeing this somewhere before. I liked it then and I like it now! So cute and I loved the voice!
    Good luck!

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  8. This sounds like a great teen story! Love the title and the first page! Good luck! Brandi #199

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  9. Thank you all so much for your kind words! Good luck to us all :)

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  10. Veronica! I'm glad to see you in another contest. I liked this one when I saw it in An Agents Inbox. Good luck with The Writers Voice!

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  11. Hi! I remember this from another contest. Still loving the title and the premise :-) Best of luck!

    Ashley #78

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  12. Good start! Who doesn't want to be a princess? =)

    Krystalyn #87

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  13. This sounds like a really cute story - and I mean cute as in the type of tale one thoroughly enjoys reading. You have a natural voice and aren't afraid to tackle emotion head on. Good luck!

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  14. Whoa!! Our stories have such similar feels!

    Twinsies!

    Best of lunch in the contest!

    Kelsey -#186

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  15. Love this! Great query. Good luck!

    ~Nicole, entry 68

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  16. Just stopping by to wish you good luck! :-)

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