Manuscript Status: Finished
Mentor Name: Kelly Ann Hopkins
Mentee Name: Jennifer Price
Title: SHADOWS OF SIN CITY
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Word Count: 58,000
Pitch:
After waking naked in the middle of Las Vegas, a shadow-shifter nearly loses control of his murderous other half: a bloodthirsty silhouette. Estranged from his deceitful family and thrust into a supernatural underground crime ring, Rocco must conquer his shadow before it consumes him—and butchers all he holds dear.
Except:
Based on the stink, I could be anywhere in Vegas.
A revolting coalescence of sweating bodies, fast food, and pungent alcohol permeates the air; a scent that’s virtually useless in determining my location.
Harsh, flashing lights press through my closed eyelids, threatening to intensify my headache. The surface of the ground, cold to the touch, would be soothing if it didn’t send a stinging shiver up my spine.
My muscles tense, ready to pick myself up. Pain sears the crown of my head, and nausea pools in my stomach. If I move an inch from where I lie, wherever I lie, I think I’ll vomit.
Shit, even my blackout-drunk hangover headaches aren’t as bad as this.
God, last I remember, I was in the storm tunnel…they ambushed us….
I can’t think about it. Not now.
Hundreds of voices surround me. English, Spanish, French, Italian, zipping through phrases I can’t discern amidst loud whoops and giggles of excitement. A cacophony of voices digs into my eardrums and slams against my skull.
A high-pitched whizzing sound, like scissors curling a piece of ribbon. A zip line?
Fremont Street.
My eyes crack open. A school of yellow fish swim by on an ultramarine LED background, broken up by the silhouettes of two cackling teenage girls hanging from the zipline. Cameras flash rapidly, and purple neon lights glare. The sight pounds into my brain. My vision blurs. I can’t take it.
Rolling onto my side, I push myself onto my palms, and heave.