First Impressions: DREAMKATCHER

Our second submission for July’s First Impressions comes from Stacie Dempsey. This is YA speculative fiction entitled DREAMKATCHER. *** I woke with a jolt of familiarity. There was a memory digging footholds into my brain trying to resurface. The imagined stench of a...

First Impressions: TEMPLE BEYOND THE SEA

Happy July, everyone! We have a First Impressions post from Mark Murata today.  This is the first page of his New Adult historical fantasy, TEMPLE BEYOND THE SEA. *** To be a priestess, the walk had to be flawless—the smooth heel-to-toe motion beneath the woolen robe...

First Impressions: SILHOUETTE

Our second submission for First Impressions comes from Shannon Cortazar. It’s a YA Fantasy titled SILHOUETTE. *** We were invaded the day we buried my brother. It was autumn, crisp and bright. “A good day for a burial” I heard someone say behind me. A tragic death,...

First Impressions: WILD GINGER

Welcome to First Impressions for the month of June! Our first selection is a MG Contemporary manuscript by Valerie Hobbs titled WILD GINGER: *** There were times living with her parents when Elizabeth “Lizzie” Lessing has had to be the grownup, or at least feels as if...

New Member for the First Impressions Team!

I’m excited to share the news that Marcy Hatch and I have added a new team-member for our First Impressions posts! You’ve all met Marcy by now, hopefully.  She’s the author of West of Paradise (WiDo Publishing, 2014), a time-traveling adventure/romance where Tombstone...

First Impressions: HYBRID

Our first submission for First Impressions in May comes from Gwen Dandridge. This is the first page of HYBRID, a contemporary YA novel. *** Prologue 2004 Mosul, Iraq   An electric fan whapped around and around, barely stirring the hot, dry air. I kept my eyes on...