Agent Awesomesauce,
I am seeking representation for my paranormal upper-middle grade novel The Sandman’s Apprentice; complete at 40,000-words, it is reminiscent of The Labyrinth, minus David Bowie and a hundred pounds of glitter. [Personalization for individual agent.]
12-year-old Taryn Jacobson’s only getting revenge when she tells her little brother she wants the monsters to take him. After all, he did coat her TV – and her face – in spit wads, but then Luke gets sent to his room and vanishes without a trace.
Hours later, two men claiming to be Sandmen emerge from the shadows of her room and tell Taryn that monsters are not only real, they’ve kidnapped her brother. If she wants to fix her family, she’ll have to give up her humanity and become a Sandman to protect the borders between realms and keep their inhabitants safe from one another.
But there are some who wish to return the world to its rightful state by destroying the borders and unleashing every mythical creature known to man. They’ve even kidnapped the next generation of Sandmen to ensure their plan’s success, only they made a mistake: they took Luke when they should’ve grabbed Taryn. Who knew ‘Sandman’ wasn’t literal?
Now the whole world depends on her. Taryn’s choices aren’t that great: leave her brother to possible death and let the world tear itself to pieces or become the first female Sandman, fix her shattered family, and – oh yea – save the world.
As per your submission guidelines, I have pasted the first 250 words below. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Amanda Johnson
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Taryn Jacobson sat on her bed attempting to watch TV through the growing cluster of spit wads clinging to the screen. For a seven-year-old, her little brother Luke had good aim. The air hissed, and another wet ball of slobbery paper hit the TV. It slid down the screen leaving a trail of drool as it landed on the floor. She clenched her jaw and tightened her grip on the bedpost, glad that it provided a barrier between her and her brother.
“Luke, if you don’t cut that out, I’ll never let you in here again,” Taryn said. The television flickered behind the cloud of paper and saliva, forcing Taryn to lean forward to wipe the screen clean. “I told Dad I’d let you stay in here and watch—” Shloop! A large slobbery wad splattered against her cheek cutting her off mid-sentence. “Gah!”
A high pitched giggle let her know that it hadn’t been an accident. Taryn turned and stepped closer to Luke. The light from her bedside lamp cast a shadow over him as Taryn towered over her brother. Occasionally, being five and a half years Luke’s senior came in handy, particularly when it came to height.
“Get. Out.” One hand balled into a fist at her left side while the other pointed at the door. Luke rolled onto his back and laughed, kicking his legs in the air in glee. “Mom!” Taryn shrieked, not taking her eyes from her personal tormentor.
"Luke, be nice to your sister!"
