The Pacific Northwest Writers Association has a holiday catalog in which they will list the books of members. In addition to info such as genre, author, publisher, ISBN, etc. etc. plus a cover graphic, they accept up to 100 words of description.
100 words.
To capture an 80,000-word novel. Egads.
Well, below are the entries for my four novels. I have no idea whether these are good or not, but I can tell you that it was a challenge to distill them down to this level—you feel like you’re leaving so much out. As you will see, I chose to include reviews in some of them, which made the process even more difficult.
THE VAMPIRE KITTY-CAT CHRONICLES
Vampire mythology is upended when Patch, a calico tomcat, is turned into breakfast--and a vampire kitty-cat--by a starving vampire. Narrated by Patch in a deliciously snarky cat take on the world, he struggles to find a new life, as it were, in which he's tried for murder, almost shotgunned into undead pieces, kidnapped twice, and turned into a (shudder) politician. As it turns out, life doesn’t get any easier after you’re dead. 5-star Midwest Book Review: “Superbly crafted by an inventive and skilled storyteller. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone who would enjoy a terrifically original and thoroughly entertaining yarn!”
WE THE ENEMY
In this action-packed political thriller, reforms in Oregon compel criminals to tell the truth in court and guns are limited to nonlethal weapons. Opposition is fierce, and the president aims to restore the status quo by stopping the man behind reform, Noah Stone. He sends Jake Black, former Secret Service agent. But Jake is drawn to Stone’s work. When attacks threaten to destroy it, only Jake can save it. He faces the question of his life—who is the enemy, Noah Stone or Jake Black? 5-star Midwest Book Review “A unique thriller with plenty of twists and turns, highly recommended.”
FINDING MAGIC
Annie is a gifted healer with mental abilities that enable her to slow aging, cure disease, heal a heart from the inside . . . or crush an enemy’s as it beats. She hides to escape persecution that has haunted her people through the ages, but a Homeland Security agent penetrates Annie’s disguise. On the run as a suspected terrorist, an even greater threat arises when a kinsman bent on avenging the murder of his son creates an unstoppable killer plague. Annie is the only hope for billions of people . . . if she can evade capture.
THE SUMMER BOY
It’s 1958, a time of innocence. In this “novel of Texas,” a ranch hand is murdered and bad things start happening to Jesse, an average kid working a summer job on a ranch. And then there‘s Lola . . . the boss’s daughter is a firecracker of a girl, and her bold ways send death their way. It will take all of their heart and courage to survive. What readers say: “The Summer Boy brought back memories of first kisses and fogged car windows.” “The story is alive. I kept reading even when my eyes were closing at night.”
What about your 100 words?
Email to me a 100-word description of your book, published or unpublished, and on a coming Monday I’ll post them and get feedback from FtQ readers. You game?
Feel free to also include a link to a web page about it, Amazon, or whatever, and also attach a cover graphic if you have one—100 pixels wide, or I can resize one.
For what it’s worth,
Ray
Submitting to the Flogometer:
Email the following in an attachment (.doc, .docx, or .rtf preferred):
- your title
- your 1st chapter or prologue plus 1st chapter
- Please format with double spacing, 12-point font Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins.
- Please include in your email permission to post it on FtQ.
- And, optionally, permission to use it as an example in a book if that's okay.
- If you’re in a hurry, I’ve done “private floggings,” $50 for a first chapter.
- If you rewrite while you wait you turn, it’s okay with me to update the submission.
© 2011 Ray Rhamey
