In January of this coming year I’ll be entering the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest with my YA novel, Gray Zone. I’ve held off getting it published just so I could enter it. I’m nothing if not brave!
There are several things I need to do to enter, one of which is write a 300 word pitch. I just finished rewriting the pitch for the fourth time, so I thought I’d end 2011 on positive note by taking a deep breath and sharing it. (Sharing is always good, right?) I hope you like it!
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It has been said that the Internet changed the world. Autumn didn’t know about the rest of the world, but it certainly changed her part of it.
A cyber-prank had gone viral and now Autumn must transfer schools. Not exactly what she wanted to do as a sophomore. But then, what choice did she have when all her personal information was posted all over the Web? The police said her only chance to avoid stalkers was to move schools and start over.
Luckily, Autumn realized that she had been given an opportunity to reinvent herself, to become the outgoing, popular, not-at-all-shy girl she’d always wanted to be. Something that was impossible while surrounded by lifelong friends who thought they knew her better than she knew herself.
But even the best plans go awry. As soon as Autumn arrived at her new school she ran into Maurice—a bully of monumental proportions—who stepped on toes, beat up kids, and generally made life miserable for everyone. And then Sophie Rose, Autumn’s best friend, transferred to the school but kept her distance. It made Autumn wonder if Sophie Rose felt Autumn was no longer good enough to be her friend.
To be honest, Autumn was her own biggest obstacle. She failed miserably at changing the old habits that had given her that shy-girl reputation in the first place. Not only could she not move from reserved to rambunctious, she couldn’t even get to normal.
Such were Autumn’s problems, until the day Sophie Rose committed suicide. From that point on all Autumn wanted was to know was why. Then, after reading Sophie Rose’s diary, the question changed from why, to who.
Gray Zone is a 50,000 word young adult novel about bullying—both physical and cyber—friendship, and coming of age.
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Wish me luck! But more importantly–
HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!