Title: Imani Earns Her Cape
Genre: MG Fantasy
Word Count: 32, 000.
Special Question: If your main character could be any Star Wars character, who would they choose and why? Imani would cosplay as Ahsoka Tano because she’s loyal and a spunky go-getter as she finds her way through a new-to-her world.
35 Word Pitch: Twelve-year-old Imani’s Summer Vacation Checklist: earn the right to use Fae magic, save her spell-casting mother from being killed by her half-brother’s archenemy, AND get back to D.C. — all before school starts.
First 250 Words (Your First Page):
Imani
First Day of Summer Vacation
Arlington, Virginia
There. That should do it. The colored pencil marks are as even as I can make them, and I center the drawing on my desk. I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose, tilting my head to study the costume. I’ve got natural hair in my self-portrait. Wild and untamed. It’s me.
At least, it’s the version of me that I want to be.
I don’t know if the maroon boots are too much or not, but I like them. And that makes me giddy. And then there’s the cape. The Cape is to die for. I bet Mom can find one like I want. I hope she’s already ordered it for the Con at Tysons Corner. I add another layer of Superman red.
I can’t wait to meet Nichelle Nichols. I’ve loved her forever. I saw her in that whale movie where she figured out the song would save the planet. Mom made me watch it the first time. Then I watched it about a million more times. I glance at last year’s birthday present. Maybe I’ll get the still-in-the-box toy action figure signed. We’ve already bought our tickets.
I cross the room and grab my pink plaid suitcase. I lay it and an armful of clothes over the silver tree embroidered into my purple velvet bed cover. The nameplate beneath the luggage handle is engraved with Imani Chausiku.
When I undo the latches, the sound startles Halloween, waking him from his catnap.
Disciplined, you are: Query and first 100 pages
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You have the reflexes of a Jedi!