Song of the Moment

Song of the Moment: "Shake it Out" by Florence + The Machine

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

New Novel: A Work In Progress

I had a dream last night that gave me an idea for a new novel.  It would be in the young adult genre, but I still love reading young adult books even as an adult, so writing one may be even more fun.  I don't have an official title yet but I'm thinking Irving Prep.  It will be about the ruling circle of girls at Irving Preparatory School and the take down of their queen.  A "Mean Girls" type drama with elements of a thriller.  Here's the Prologue...


      Once upon a time, there lived two princesses in a far away land.  One with golden hair, the other with hair as dark as the night.  They were the greatest of friends.  The battles they fought throughout their land made their bond even stronger.  They felt like nothing could ever break them…
    “You see girls, this is going to be the two of you when you grow up.  Two strong girls who can depend on each other.  It’s getting late, time for bed.  We’ll finish the story another time.  Sleep tight, angels.”  She sat the book down on the night stand and headed for the door.  Switching off the overhead light, Avery’s mother closed the door behind her.
    Looking back, that was Avery’s earliest memory.  Back when everything seemed perfect and the world was still a magical and safe place.  Of course, when you’re four years old that’s how it should be.  Now that Avery was approaching adulthood, though she still had a year left, she had figured it all out.  The world was not safe nor perfect, but your life is how you make it.  Avery was an expert at making things out to be exactly how she wanted them to be.  What was her secret?  Power.
   Avery’s power wasn’t something she just happened upon.  She worked hard for her seat on the imaginary hierarchy of Irving Prep.  It took work and determination to knock down the lower beings and make them learn their place.  And, in order to rule the school, you need your royal court.  Which is exactly where her friends came in to play.  Corrine Matthews, her life long friend, was her second in command.  They had been best friends since before they were born.  They’re mothers were best friends growing up.  It was like they planned their pregnancies so that their children would be friends too.  They’re planning worked out pretty well.  Avery was born just a month and a half before Corrine and they had been inseparable ever since.
   Next in Avery’s chain of command came Ronnie Edwards.  Her real name was Veronica, but she hated it.  Though she hadn’t lived in Hampton her whole life like Avery and Corrine, she figured out at the early age of 12 that getting in with Avery’s group of friends was the way to survive.  She’s what Avery would call shy, but to others she was a chatter box.  Ronnie just knew when to keep things to herself.  The brainiac of the group was Maddie Hendricks.  She’s had a 4.0 all throughout school and won't let you forget it.  A little conceited, as they all were, she had a way of throwing her smarts right in your face.  The last girl in Avery’s circle, was Ashley Martin.  She was always in and out of the circle, though Avery never had a problem with finding a back up to complete her Circle of Five.  Ashley sometimes challenged the ways of Avery’s rule and often found herself on the outside.  It never took her long to make her way back into the circle.  She craved acceptance so her moral compass sometimes had to take a back seat.
         Avery Allenwood and her circle paraded down the halls of Irving Prep every morning, with Avery always in the middle and her cohorts flanked on her sides.  The morning of their senior year was the same as any other, but unbeknownst to Avery, this morning was the beginning of her downfall.