The Saturday Slash

Don't be afraid to ask for help with the most critical first step of your writing journey - the query.

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Seventeen-year-old Catinca Dobromir is determined not to disappoint her father; she knows better. Decent hook here, but maybe some indication about what "knowing better" looks like. For example - the rows of hides on spike outside her window, etc. But life in eighteenth-century rural Transylvania is not easy, and life as the daughter of an ambitious uprising clan leader is brutal. As her father slaughters his way to become the leader of all Shadows, What does that mean? What is a Shadow? Catinca struggles to stay alive, knowing that in his pursuit of power, her father will sacrifice everyone and anyone standing in his way. How is she in his way, though? What threat does she pose? When her father returns from battle with a new ally, a man even her father fears, the gods finally bestow on Catinca a way out. How? What is the way out and how is it related to this man? Or so she hopes, because she is both terrified and drawn to the man like nothing else. If this is a romantic entanglement, you don't want to refer to him as a man. He needs to her age, and not an adult, for sure.

As a young child, Darmiann witnessed his family’s massacre, the slaughter of his entire clan. And every war he fought since, every man he killed, prepared him for this moment—the moment he would pay his family’s butcher in his own coin. But he does not intend to bless the son of a whore with swift death. No, he will start with his loved ones, with the apple of his eye—his daughter. But if she is the apple of her father's eye, why is she worried that she'll fall victim to her father? That is the plan, at least, until he meets her, Catinca, a witty tangle of curls and scratched knees, This description makes her seem flat out child-like, which could again become an issue for readers if there's a big age disparity. with a heart both brave and soft, and no self-preservation instinct whatsoever. How could she survive so long in this world with no instaincts? And before he knows it, she is under his skin, and everything he worked toward, the vengeance he so much desires, threatens to crumble.

The solution presents itself when a rival clan moves for power. All Darmiann must do is step aside, and he would rid himself of the weakness she has plagued him with. What does this mean? Let someone else kill her? And yet, that one step might prove harder to take than the sum of all steps that brought him thus far. Because in his case, Darmiann discovers, when the gods decide to piss on him, they give him precisely what he needs, not what he is desires. I don't understand how giving him what he needs (or desires) equals pissing on him.

BRIGHTER THE LIGHT is a 90.000 words historical paranormal So if it's not YA you can probably get a little wiggle room with the age difference, but I'm not getting any whiff of paranormal from this. You'll need to clarify where that comes in. romance set in eighteenth-century Transylvania, written in both Catinca’s and Darmiann’s point of view.

I am a desperate housewife, Well, true or not, don't know that claiming to be desperate ever endeared someone to anyone else. mom to one fantastic kid, twelve dogs, fourteen chickens, and I’ve lost count of the fish. When I’m not cleaning the coop, feeding the dogs, the kid, and occasionally the husband, I love to read and especially write fantasy novels.

Not having any publishing credits is fine, but don't go for an overly cutesy bio, either. DEFINITELY mention that you live in Romania, as this is important information that speaks to your ability to write this story.

Balancing Darkness with Light in Literature

By Anuradha D. Rajurkar and the Class of 2k21books  

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”  --Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Literature has always served as a safe space for readers to explore darker themes, ones that can provide a window into other worlds, or act as mirrors of their own. Young adult and middle grade books today--perhaps now more than ever-- delve deep into challenging issues that kids and adults alike already manage daily in some form. And while we as authors strive for truth and raw honesty in our stories, we also aim to imbue them with hope and joy, striking that perfect balance between the darkness and the light. 

In my own debut titled AMERICAN BETIYA, South Asian American teen, Rani Kelkar, finds herself falling into an intoxicating, forbidden relationship with the charismatic but damaged Oliver. The highs of new love along with a hilariously jaded but approving best friend are the elements I hoped will balance the racism, stereotyping, and patriarchy that Rani begins to encounter in places she least expects it. 

Curious to learn how others used elements of lightness to balance darker themes within their stories, I interviewed fellow class of 2k21 authors Louisa Onome, J. Elle, Joan F. Smith, and Jessica Vitalis. Here are their insightful thoughts.  

Jessica Vitalis: I love this question because THE WOLF’S CURSE is a middle grade novel in which a twelve-year-old boy loses everything—his beloved grandpapá, his home, and his livelihood. I tried to balance a realistic portrayal of his grief with an action-packed plot so that readers don’t feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of his loss. In addition, my snarky, omniscient narrator brings levity to a topic that otherwise might feel too heavy. I think we sometimes don’t give young readers enough credit for the topics they can (and often want to) read about; we can’t protect them from the real world, but we can give them a safe space to explore difficult subject matters. 

Louisa Onome: It’s difficult to ensure I’m being truthful while offering space for hope when tackling tough issues. I faced this issue a lot while writing LIKE HOME. I think the most important thing to remember is that young people understand a lot more of their circumstances than we, as adults, might give them credit for. In my story, my main character Chinelo often comes face-to-face with those older than her who think she doesn’t have the full story or that she’s being naive, which bothers her. Remembering that young people who deal with tough issues on a daily basis aren’t naive about their situations is important. They’re living a different reality, one that’s completely valid.

Joan F. Smith: I think about the juxtaposition of lightness and darkness for “issues” a lot. The death of a parent, for example, is a traumatic event for anyone, and the younger you are, the more that can be true. That said: Grief is not a linear process. We need moments of levity to remind us what joy feels like. We need moments of sadness and sorrow to remind us of the importance of life and human relationships. When I was a kid suffering from the near-loss of my father to a suicide attempt (that became a real loss six years later), I was so startled by the depths of grief, and I was desperate for a way to climb out of it. It felt like I needed permission to laugh or be happy. In my book THE HALF-ORPHAN’S HANDBOOK, I gave my protagonist this permission. She uses humor as a way to wade through her grief the same way I wound up doing. I hope readers take away the reassurance that it’s okay to feel feelings on a huge spectrum. Right now, the entire world is suffering through a pandemic--a universal trauma. We need to fight its impact so that we can cling to the hope for brighter times ahead.   

J.Elle: I don’t think young people get nearly enough credit for what they can handle. When I consider the things I and my teenage sisters saw/lived through, and compare that to all that’s on the shoulders of high school students growing up in this moment in American history,  I’m inspired by them. 

When writing WINGS OF EBONY or any YA pieces in particular, I also consider the state of the world when deciding how dark is too dark for a story to go. Today’s high schoolers are rehearsing active shooter drills, living amid a pandemic, witnessing (some even participating in) a worldwide uprising of protests after the murder of George Floyd. They are living these thematic realties and many are parched for a way to connect and process those events. 

Literature can be a fantastic tool for that. I don’t want the message of my stories to be so buried in allegory that kids can’t relate to it. That said, I aim for balance. And hope is my method of choice. Part of the reason I enjoy writing in the fantasy space in particular is because as I explore these tougher themes in my stories, I want to equip characters in the most dire of circumstances with magic, as a metaphor for the reader’s own power. I love the balance of powerful magic in the face of a raw, gritty, reality. That juxtaposition can be so inspiring for students, particularly those who aren’t accustomed to seeing themselves on the page as a hero /heroine. I aim to write stories that validate my community’s challenges while showing them their resilient power in the face of it. 

We at the Class of 2k21 books love honest stories that treat with care the tough topics we are all managing in some form as a society. At the same time, we also crave that sense of escapism and joy, and access them in our writing by utilizing the tools of action, humor, and above all, hope. Take a look at our debuts below if you, like us, revel in stories that explore darkness while also revealing the light that shines within us all. Thanks for reading! <3 

With love and light,

Anuradha Rajurkar & The Class of 2k21 

Pre-order Joan F. Smith’s THE HALF-ORPHAN’S HANDBOOK  here Add THE HALF-ORPHAN’S HANDBOOK here 

Pre-order Louisa Onome’s LIKE HOME (February 23, 2021 | Delacorte Press) here Add LIKE HOME on Goodreads here

Pre-order J. Elle’s WINGS OF EBONY (January 26, 2021 | Simon and Schuster)  here Add WINGS OF EBONY on Goodreads here

Pre-order Anuradha Rajurkar’s AMERICAN BETIYA (March 9, 2021 | Knopf ) here Add AMERICAN BETIYA on Goodreads here  

Add Jessica Vitalis’s THE WOLF’S CURSE on Goodreads here

The Man with Half a Heart and the Kid from Brazil

by J.D. Netto

It’s a story every writer or reader will be fortunate to experience. Love, loss, hope, and the challenges of living with half a functioning heart. As an author, these things alone were enough to inspire me to pen this journey down.

I was no stranger to Paul Cardall’s music and journey. “Redeemer” graced my ears for the first time when I was on a trip to Seattle, Washington. I searched the internet for more information about the genius behind the song. Not only did I find an extensive library of music, but I found an even more enthralling tale.

After being approached by his team, a meeting was arranged for Paul and myself in New York City. Under a torrential storm, we met at a bar in Manhattan. I had heard it said that you should never meet your heroes because of how disappointing such encounters can be. Well, the tale suited this one. He was cheerful despite the struggles and achievements, humble even though billions had listened to his melodies. 

We talked about the ordinary and the miraculous. I was the Brazilian kid brought to America at a young age and he was the man born with half a functioning heart. That alone provided us hours of conversation—two forked roads that merged into a single path.

I joined him on a book research trip a few weeks later. As a first timer in Salt Lake City, the towering mountain peaks and breathtaking scenery sparked so many ideas for the story. Spending time with Paul brought clarity to what was to be truth and how fiction would enhance that truth. My phone was heavy with videos, photos, and notes of what eventually became the story that now belongs to the world.

But that was just the beginning of my own adventure. While locked up in my apartment in Massachusetts, I dissected not only the content I had gathered, but Paul’s diaries, articles, and videos. To my author-self, I was running through a luscious forest; every word a new fruit or creature I had never seen before. The best part, you ask? I got to turn them into characters and prose. The downfall? This was someone’s life entrusted to me.

Paul and I grew from acquaintances to friends. How could we not? The adventure led us down a path where we got to know one another fast. He’d read the drafts of my chapters and would find truth in them. Even the fictional moments sparked clarity in situations where doubt had dwarfed reason. 

And so, the journey continued. Writing, rewriting, editing, repeating. Draft turned to story and story turned to book. Copies were slowly distributed to industry friends and beta readers. All embraced the journey. The tears I shed as a writer were now shed by the reader. My heart, once heavy as words found paper, was now beating with anticipation as more joined the journey of the man with half a heart.

Inspiration continued to spread, quietly, swiftly. An album with songs inspired by the novels was suddenly in the works. Then music videos. And the scenes I had worked on had become the fuel behind melody and lyric. Seeing names like Paul Cardall, David Archuleta, and Tyler Glenn on a project connected with my own work was (and still is) surreal.

And now here you are, the reader, invested in my words and tale. This is but a brief summary of the journey. Perhaps I’ll share the full tale someday. But as of right now, The Broken Miracle awaits your eyes and your heart.

Laugh like Paul. Think like Jonahs. Believe like Olivia.

J.D. Netto is a fiction author known mostly for his fantasy titles that have captivated readers across the globe. His works include The Whispers of the Fallen series and Henderbell: The Shadow of Saint Nicholas. His new book The Broken Miracle: Part One of the Broken Miracle Duology, will be released February 2. Learn more about Netto and The Broken Miracle by visiting thebrokenmiracle.com