Alt M-7

NAME:  T.L. Sumner

MENTOR:  Heather Webb

TITLE:  FORBIDDEN SECRETS

GENRE:  YA Paranormal

PITCH: 

Track phenom Kyra falls for Aidan, the über chivalrous boy in Calc.  But Aidan can’t tell her he’s a Scottish immortal, or that she’s the target of rogue immortals hunting Templar treasure his clan protects.

FIRST 250:

I always failed at ordinary.

Ordinary wouldn’t have weird dreams that come true or a scar that ached when something god-awful was about to happen.  And ordinary would’ve snuggled under the warmth of her down comforter, especially on a rain-soaked Sunday.  Instead, I dashed down the hardwood stairs with iPod in hand, prepared to hammer through six miles in under forty-two minutes.

Mom sat at the kitchen table, reddish-blonde curls boinging in all directions.  She scowled at the newspaper and squeezed her forehead.  Without looking away from the Asheville Times, she handed me my cell phone.  “Sweetheart, do us both a favor.  Humor your father with a response.”

Dad’s text read:  Love the hills and they’ll love you back.  Before I’d finished reading, the phone chirped again with more pre-workout advice:  Be one with the mud.  

I chuckled.  “If the airport’s so boring, maybe he should buy a paper.” 

Mom pointed to the headline of the Sports section:  WMSU Football:  Coach Siefert Under Fire after 23-3 Loss. 

I skimmed the article implying Dad’s contract wouldn’t be renewed next season.  Tiptoeing around his potentially foul mood, I replied:  Got it Dad.  Have a safe flight.  Love your mud-loving, puddle-jumping machine. 

As I tightened my ponytail, pins and needles prickled the two-inch scar between my thumb and wrist.  Dr. Gruen said the scar tissue after my surgery caused arthritis, but I’d connected the dots.  My scar only hurt when a freak accident lurked close by, ready to trip me up.