Writer's Voice Entry: Catalyst

I was lucky enough to win a spot in The Writer's Voice! *squeal* For those of you who don't know, The Writer's Voice is a contest in which I post my query and first 250 words of my manuscript in the hopes that I'm chosen for a team that will take me to the agent round. So, here goes...

Query:

In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose genetic modification for their children, eighteen-year-old Sienna Preston clings to the one thing she’s good at—the art of lying. 

After the mysterious death of her father, Sienna uses her liar-for-hire skills to help support her family. As a “normal” girl among the genetically modified—or GM’s—the world around her is a little too pretty, a little too smart, and a little too cruel. Especially since her love interest is the GM's finest.

But not all liar-for-hire assignments go according to plan. And when her covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, Sienna becomes entangled with a corrupt Government official hell-bent on taking her down. Using her lying, thieving past as leverage—and her mother as collateral—Commander Radcliffe forces Sienna to make a difficult choice. Kill the father of the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for or be sent to Solitary Confinement. For the rest of her life.

Or perhaps there is another option…Like joining forces with an extremist group and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad.

Problem is, even an underground Compound can't escape the fiery missiles of the Government's drones. 

Complete at 100,000 words, Catalyst is a YA near future thriller with strong romantic elements.

First 250:

The bio fridge hums with its latest addition—a package of dehydrated bologna.

“The shelf life for product Meat Delite will expire in one month and two days,” the automated voice chimes in.

I sigh in disgust. If I have to eat one more package of that crap, I might just vomit in my mouth. Seriously.

I eye the sparse contents inside the gelled portion of the fridge. The tube of yogurt looks decidedly better than the bottled pickles. And definitely better than Meat Crap Delite. I grab the purple yogurt tube and tear into it.

As the door closes with a click, I stare at my reflection in the tinted glass. The circles under my eyes are a dead giveaway that I haven’t had any sleep. I’m not used to pulling all-nighters, which might also explain why I feel like a ravenous beast.

I suck down the pomegranate-blueberry flavored creamy goodness and listen for sounds of movement inside our double-wide. But all I hear is the steady whir of the solar panels absorbing the heat from the rising sun. Mama and Emily must still be asleep.

Squeezing the tube to get every last drop of yogurt, I slump down in a recycled kitchen chair and mumble to Iris to show me the news.

“Good morning, Sienna. Here are the news highlights for today.” The small Com Screen begins buffering the latest headlines. If I did my job right, the news should lead off with a disgraced Honorable Tanner Caldwell being led away in handcuffs.

****

A BIG thank you to our lovely hosts Brenda Drake, Krista Van Dolzer, Elizabeth Briggs, and
Mónica Bustamante Wagner for this wonderful opportunity. And to my fellow entrants, best of luck!