Sunday, October 12, 2014

Team Mutant Charm Entry 5: SILVERBLOOD, YA Sci-Fi

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Title: Silverblood

Word Count: 70,000 words

Hero: Izzy really digs Ironman because they both have robot-y parts and bad attitudes.

Pitch: When Izzy's mad scientist dad steals top secret tech to save her dying sister, the family goes into hiding. Alone, Izzy must defend them all against cyborgs bent on reclaiming their tech at any cost.

First 250:

My sister pushed a lock of hair behind one ear and leaned in, her face flushing as if someone had given her a compliment instead of a death sentence.

Dr. Brearly hunched his tiny frame over his ginormous desk. His horn-rimmed glasses slipped down his nose as he reached over a pile of official-looking papers, took Leah’s hand, and squeezed.


I needed to be present for this, no unexcused absences allowed. Ears open, Izzy, this is life stuff with a capital L. Eyes forward. Pay attention. I might have succeeded too, except for the part where I couldn't quite stop sizing up Brearly and his resemblance to a lab coat wearing, card carrying member of the Lollipop Guild.

“We knew this day might come,” he said, directing the words at my dad who was studying the soft beige and white pattern of the wallpaper.

Brearly cleared his throat.

Dad, pay attention!” I elbowed him in the side and he snapped awake. His thigh thudded against mine on the cramped office couch.

I shoved my hands into my pockets. The receipt for Leah's boobtacular red homecoming dress, crinkled against my sweaty fingers. Better ball that up before she insisted we return it. Her driver's test was next week, if I wasn't careful she'd sit that out too. Brearly's voice rose in a nasally whine as he blathered on about hospice care. His white tufts of hair swayed as he talked. Tilting my head back, I counted the ceiling tiles, five across, ten down, fifty tiles in all.

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