Monday, February 22, 2016

Team Snow 3: IF YOU'RE EVER IN TOWN, NA Contemporary Romance

Title:  IF YOU'RE EVER IN TOWN
Genre:  New Adult Contemporary Romance
Word Count:  82,000

Would my main character use sun or snow to battle their biggest obstacle:

I think Nate and Charlie would both use SNOW to battle their biggest obstacles.  For them, they're both guilty of not dealing with their troubles head on.  They'd rather cover them up and pretend that all is fine on the outside when it's really a disaster underneath.  Just like the first snow of the season where it's pretty, and fluffy and perfect. But under it is black ice, brown grass and ugliness. But eventually snow melts, and you're still left with the mess that you eventually need to address.



QUERY:

Charlotte “Charlie” Conti has at least one thing going for her: her successful YouTube channel Savannah Shabby is being considered for a possible DIY TV show.  After mourning her sister Gwen's death, she deals with the turmoil by jumping head first into creating new video content to impress the network executives.  That is until she learns Gwen is dropping the ultimate challenge:  travel to Scotland with him to spread her ashes.  The same him Charlie dumped three years ago.

Nate Walsh’s luck has just run out.  He was on the verge of completing his thesis when he learned his funding has been cut, putting the chance of a prestigious fellowship on hold.  And traveling to Scotland with his ex-girlfriend, Charlie--the same girl he can't seem to get over--isn't making this trip any easier.  In instructions Gwen's left behind for Nate, she predicts Charlie will find a way out of this trip.  But if he can get her to come along, Gwen will donate her $25,000 life insurance policy to his research grant.

Forced to reconnect and spend more time together, they fall into a familiar routine, eventually discovering the love they had for each other is stronger than ever.  But as they inch closer to their dream careers, Gwen's scheming ways churn up fears of repeating disastrous past mistakes that drove them apart the first time.  Nate and Charlie must decide if they want fear or love to win out, and are they ready to live with that choice forever.


First 250 Words:

If it’s possible for a tray of pastries to blackmail me, I might need to file a restraining order against The Steamy Bean’s cinnamon chip scones.

My stomach twists onto itself, reminding me that eating one of those buttery, rich bad-boys minutes before my Skype interview is a really bad idea.  Call me crazy but I need it to stay in my stomach, not make a reappearance.

Heading back to my small corner table, my stomach settles when I catch a glimpse of the funky marquee letters attached to the wall behind the barista’s coffee station.

Forget being blackmailed by pastry. I’m being seduced by art.

I’ve seen my fair share of up-cycled junk, but never old road signs turned into something so cool.  The colorful Christmas bulbs are a neat touch, much different than your usual white lights. Whatever the price tag, I can do it for less.  All I need is a vice.  A hammer.  Some tin snips.  Maybe a few old hinges to be able to hang it.  Easy.

This is how my mind works.  It's a gift really.  And what do I have to lose if one of my DIY projects doesn't turn out?  It's not like the 6.5 million subscribers on my YouTube channel are going to stop watching my videos.  That's why they watch.  They appreciate when I own up to my mistakes, like when I cut something too short or pick the wrong paint color.  Knowing I'm just like them keeps them coming back week after week.

3 comments:

  1. You had me at cinnamon chip scones. Please send 50 pages to carlie @ ckwebber .com with the subject Sun Vs. Snow Request: TITLE OF WORK. Thanks!

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  2. I could sure use the full in a PDF to mallory[at]triadaus.com to warm me up!

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  3. This warmed me up like hot chocolate on a really cold winter day, so I’d love to see the first five chapters (as a .doc), along with a query and short synopsis. Thanks. :)

    submissions(at)jaw-litagent(dot)com.

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