#ammconnect

I have many story ideas, and they don’t always start out leaning towards the fantastical, but the second I dive into them there’s always something in my brain that goes ‘oooooo, but what if... magic!’ It’s a problem. Or not. As a certified Big Ol’ Nerd I generally like it better that way. Like many who end up writing, I was a voracious reader when I was a child (same now, though not as much, because Netflix). I love the idea of Author Mentor Match because, even with all the advice you find on the internet these days, trying to claw your way through the trenches of starting a writing career can be very daunting when you don’t have a real person to talk things through with. I’m hoping AMM, even if I’m not chosen, will be an opportunity to build lasting relationships, and widen my writing community to help pull me through to the next step of my professional journey.

Why would I make a good mentee? Oof. That’s a difficult one to answer. I am serious about moving forward, and am willing to put in the time, open to suggestions, etc, but I’m sure that can be said of every other hopeful. 

The manuscript I will be submitting is an adult historical fantasy set on the Burma front in World War 2. Orie Acorn is a nurse with the T.A.N.S. who went to a magical world when she was ten, lived a life, and came back to the real world at the exact moment she left. She has existed for years moving from place to place, making no connections. Barely living. When she is assigned to a field hospital on the border of Assam, she meets a man whose childhood closely resembles her own. Relationships are formed, trauma is brought up, trauma is not dealt with well, and, of course, there’s also a war going on in the backyard.

I'm Applying to be a Mentee in Round 6 of #AuthorMentorMatch! Find out all about the program and my project here! #AMM #AMMConnect #AMMFam #AMMParty

What is Author Mentor Match?

Author Mentor Match is an incredible mentorship program that pairs aspiring writers with published, pre-published, or agented authors. This program is designed for writers (like me) who have completed their manuscripts, gone through at least one round of revisions, and are preparing for the querying process. Author mentors give feedback and advice to mentees on how…

Greetings everybody!

My name is Elizabeth and I am so excited to share my novel for Author Mentor Match. Here she is!!

The Novel: Ferox

Radiant has two choices: either let her keth-sickness kill her quietly or use it as a weapon. The erratic, dangerous disease that ravages the refugees in the Underneath is caused by keth, toxic magic callously wielded by the Magisters, and has sent countless numbers to their deaths. Remembering nothing of who she was before the Underneath because of the disease, Radiant plots for a chance to avoid the long slow death in store for her by going down in a glorious suicide run against the Magisters, an opportunity to make them fear the keth-sick they’ve cast aside.

But when she finally has her moment, surrounded by Magisters and ready to die, a Magistra-in-training, wielding a power unlike anything Radiant’s ever seen, pushes through the haze of keth threatening to tear her apart and destroys her shot at vengeance. Radiant wants to be furious until the Magistra’s presence and her alien power trigger something inside of her, and in a tumult of memory, Radiant recognizes the woman as her sister, Serra.

           Shaken by her near-death and the revelation of Serra’s identity, Radiant confronts the Magistra only to have Serra lay a wild claim at Radiant’s feet: they aren’t truly keth-sick. They’re Ferox, a mutation which gives them the ability to render keth harmless. More than that, they can use this altered keth to heal, as Radiant has done by recovering her faded memories, and to keep the disease’s progress at bay almost indefinitely. A threat to the Magister’s iron rule, the Ferox have been hunted endlessly, resulting in their family being torn apart.

For the first time in the life she can remember, Radiant’s fate isn’t sealed. After so long surviving only until she can die for the other keth-sick and robbed of the magnificent death she’d dreamed of, Radiant struggles to find a new place for herself as she learns how to live with a future on the horizon. Despite her initial mistrust of Serra, Radiant can’t help but be drawn to the sister who came looking for her as Serra shows her how to Ferox keth to help her comrades and offers Radiant a view of their disease unlike anything she’s ever known. Adrift in the infinite possibilities of a life she never thought she’d have, Radiant’s loyalties are divided when an elite pack of Magisters arrives hunting Ferox and she must choose between her sister and the survival of the revolution.  

Featuring:

Sisters fighting for each other

Deadly toxic magic

Tragic boys who need a hug

Best friends who don’t take each other's shit and would die for each other

Charming revolutionary leaders

Rebellion

A dark, gritty world Above and Underneath

More than meets the eye villains

Inspiration:

https://www.pinterest.com/fireradiant/ferox/

Why would I be a good Mentee?

I am eager to make my MS better, no matter how much change is required. At a recent convention a draft and a half ago, an agent told me that some of my ideas were “tropey”. Instead of devastating me (ok it did... for about 24 hours) it prompted a rewrite that I’m extremely proud of. Despite having to let go of some of my themes, I recognized that it improved the story by leaps and bounds, and actually gave me avenues to explore that I hadn't gotten a chance to. I’m a dedicated worker when it comes to my writing, especially when I’ve got a CP. I feed off of the positive energy writers share when they work together on a project like its candy (Or tacos. Depends on the day.) I’m open to all kinds of suggestions and critiques from a person that is heart-set on creating something awesome. 

About me:

I’m an Air Force wife stationed in the southeast US, dreaming of someplace with more than one bookstore to choose from :) I was JROTC in high school, a Theatre kid in college, and I worked two years at D*sneyworld driving monorails and being “friends” with some of your favs. (You want autographs? I can get you autographs. :D ) I’m enamored with SFF in all shapes and sizes, especially stories with friends to lovers or enemies to lovers tropes. Give me all of them. I watch far too much Star Trek to be healthy and I spend far too much time in the “kids” section of Netflix (Voltron is not just for kids, fight me.) My TBReviewed pile is currently larger than my TBRead pile, which I think is a win? But makes me really sad. I’ve recently discovered a phobia of traversing across frozen lakes in cars (thanks, Vermont) and have a serious boot addiction that cannot be cured by mortal magic.

Currently reading:

Gunslinger Girl, by Lyndsay Ely

Favorite books: