Genre:MG contemporary
Word count: 30,000
Query:
When eleven-year-old Mary-Jane “MJ” Lennox’s mother dies and her father is deployed to Korea, she never cries. Not once. Sent to live with her grandmother on the icy tundra of Alaska, she thinks her young life is over, until she discovers an abandoned and forbidden greenhouse. And inside is a neglected garden full of hope.
After MJ receives word that her father is missing in action, she throws herself into saving the garden. With the help of her friend Nanook Tuktoo, MJ restores the dead garden to life as the Alaskan summer brings twenty-four hour light. She hopes the rejuvenating power of the garden will also help cure her young neighbor, Colin, of his cancer.
But as the sun begins to set, the flowers slow their blooming, Colin worsens, and her father remains missing, MJ thinks all is lost. Now she must find the strength to overcome her pain and learn that crying isn’t a sign of weakness, and hope can carry anyone through darkness.
Excerpt:
When the minute hand on the clock above the whiteboard ticked to the fourteen mark, I shot my hand up so fast my shoulder popped in its socket.
Mrs. Nashoalook stopped her rambling on photosynthesis. “Yes, Mary-Jane?”
It’s MJ, I thought, but the last time I corrected her she’d said my record didn’t show a nickname and I’d have to go by Mary-Jane. Grams must’ve filled out the registration papers. Daddy would’ve put MJ.
“May I please use the commode?” I said, my hand still waving in the air with urgency.
She blinked. “The commode?”
Did they not call it that in Alaska? “The toilet, ma’am. I gotta go real bad.”
A wave of giggles washed over the classroom.
“I know what a commode is.” Mrs. Nashoalook focused her eyes back on her sixth grade science textbook, but I saw a secret smile spread on her brown lips. “Be quick.”
“Thank you!” I sprang out of my tush-numbing seat-desk combo and waited in the hall for the door to close. I didn’t want Mrs. Nashoalook to see me turning left instead of right.
At the front desk, the secretary’s back was turned, so it wasn’t hard to sneak past her to the exit. But the bronze glare of Eben Hopson, my new middle school’s namesake, caught me. He was just a statue, but his hollow eyes gave me the heebie jeebies.
I stepped outside and my nose hairs froze, a feeling I’d never get used to because it felt like I had a big booger wanting to be picked.
13 Comments
Marieke · May 20, 2013 at 6:04 am
I *love* the voice of your first page. And Alaskan Secret Garden? Oh I just want to read this badly 🙂 Good luck! 😀
Copernicus Nerdicus · May 20, 2013 at 9:43 am
GO GO MG!! Your voice is so powerful – love it. Can’t wait to see this get snatched!
Artemis Grey · May 20, 2013 at 5:05 pm
You had me at Alaska. Secret garden and frozen nose hairs were just topping on the cake!!! GOOD LUCK!!!
Wendy Parris · May 21, 2013 at 7:20 am
Such a great premise. Love the voice in the first 250!
mysticcooking · May 21, 2013 at 11:44 am
The voice in your 250 words is great, and I love the idea of The Secret Garden in Alaska. 🙂
Anoosha · May 21, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Oooooh! I’m so curious about this garden and I love your style of writing. Good luck! 🙂
L. T. Host · May 22, 2013 at 9:40 pm
<3 THE SECRET GARDEN. Good luck!
Mollie Glick · May 23, 2013 at 7:06 am
This looks great! I’m happy to request it.
-Mollie
Kate Testerman · May 23, 2013 at 8:29 am
I’d be happy to take a look! – Kate
Caryn Wiseman · May 23, 2013 at 12:31 pm
I’d love to see this!
Elena Mechlin · May 23, 2013 at 1:11 pm
This sounds like a special book. I’d love to see it.
Monika Verma · May 23, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Love the idea of a Secret Garden retelling. Would like to read more of this!
Monika
Anonymous · May 24, 2013 at 6:15 pm
You’ve been ninja’d! I would love to see a pitch, one-page synopsis, and the first fifty pages. Please send it as a word attachment to…(contact Brenda for further details!). Looking forward to reading your work 🙂
–RED NINJA
Comments are closed.