Team Snow 6: THE WISH STONE, YA Contemporary Fantasy

Title: THE WISH STONE

Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy

Word Count: 60,000

 

 

My Main Character would use sun or snow to battle their biggest obstacle:

 

Frannie shrinks away from the stares the other school kids give her because of the symptoms of her disease. She hates having to explain what is wrong with her. Because of this, she prefers snow, especially when the drizzling flakes turn into a blizzard, and school is canceled. During snow days, she can cuddle up with her best friend and her mom in front of the TV without need of an excuse and temporarily forget how Huntington's is ravaging her body.

 

 

Query: 

 

Fairytales and mythology come alive in the 21st century as sixteen-year-old Frannie Villapiana looks for a cure for her increasingly debilitating Huntington's Disease.

 

Frannie is a teenager suddenly faced with a progressive neurodegenerative disease that's robbing her of her mind, her body, her friends, and the normal life she so desperately wants.

 

Francesca is a daredevil and an explorer. She's also a custodian of ancient magical artifacts.

 

But Frannie and Francesca are the same girl.

 

Each night, when Frannie falls asleep in Weehawken, NJ, she wakes up on the other side of the Earth as Francesca, darting through the ancient monuments in Morocco, dodging booby traps in Nepal, and out-smarting the many villains who wish to use magical relics for their own nefarious gain.

 

As Frannie gradually loses her battle with Huntington's, she spends more and more time as Francesca. She wouldn't mind leaving her incapacitated body behind to be the adventurous Francesca full time. However, her grieving mother and her best friend make it hard for her to let go.

 

When Francesca hears rumors of an ancient, all-powerful stone hidden somewhere in South East Asia, Frannie sees a chance at life. To save Frannie, Francesca must embark on her most dangerous adventure yet. Unless... she is just a figment of imagination in Frannie's down-spiraling mind. 

 

THE WISH STONE is THE FAULT IN OUR STARS meets BIG FISH. Frannie's story brings important attention to Huntington's Disease - a genetic, cureless neurological disease with symptoms of ALS and Alzheimer's combined. HD affects 1 in every 10,000 people and has a 50% chance of being inherited.

 

 

First 250 words:

 

She was tired, muddied, out of breath, and she was bleeding. Francesca glanced down at the rusted bear trap biting into her left ankle. At least her hardened leather boot had stopped the trap’s teeth from snapping off her foot. Her arms and legs were trembling. Sweat trickled down the side of her face.

 

When she tried to pry herself free every cell in her body screamed in pain. She let go and leaned back, gasping. What a mistake.She could hear them coming. She would be mauled to death, and all for what? The whistle? She chuckled.

 

Pikne’s whistle was an ancient artifact: an instrument which possessed the power to banish even the most fearful demons. It also granted rain, apparently.

 

In any case, Francesca regretted her choice to come to this god-forsaken forest. She already had three similar relics in her collection. Francesca was a hunter, but not in the old sense of sending sharp arrows through the soulful, little eyes of woodland creatures. She was a pursuant of ancient magical artifacts, and her role in life was simple - find the treasure, hide the treasure, and prevent the treasure from landing in the wrong hands.

 

The pain from her leg exhausted her. Her eyes grew drowsy. But she couldn’t give up now though. Not over something so stupid.

 

Give up and you die.

 

Francesca grabbed at the trap again. She grit her teeth and bit back her screams.