YA Contemporary: SAVING GRACE

Author's Name: Karis Rogerson
Category: YA

Genre: Contemporary

Stage of Completion: Mostly Polished

Preferred Critique Style: A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down

Cat Person or Dog Person: BOTH but primarily cats

Coffee or Tea: Coffee!

Short Pitch

Nobody believes Grace is worth anything, not even her beloved brother Jackson. Except his best friend Mason, that is, whom Grace decides to secretly date while her brother is at war. Things are fine until Jackson is killed and Grace begins to spiral into despair, wondering if anyone can save her or if she’s even worth saving after all. 

Writing Sample

Is there a better feeling than standing on a rooftop in Brooklyn in your favorite sundress on a breezy mid-May evening, surrounded by a crew of handsome young men?

Perhaps when one of the young men winks and pulls a flask out of his pocket. 

“Shall we take this punch’s virginity?” he asks with a wicked grin, the same one he’s been flashing me since he introduced me to alcohol a few years ago.

It’s a terrible joke, of course, but I’m not going to tell him that when he’s the one holding the flask. I turn my smile up a few watts and proffer my cup at him. “We shall,” I answer, my voice low and smooth.

The boy—Michael—pours a generous amount of clear liquid into my punch. The rest of the guys exchange grins, and I know what they’re thinking; they want to get me drunk.

Normally, I’d be down for that, for drinking too much and losing what few inhibitions I have. Normally, I might even enjoy it.

But tonight isn’t a normal night. 

Tonight is Jackson’s deployment celebration, and Mason is here.

While the boys are distracted, I glance between them, looking for him. When I caught a glimpse of him earlier, it took my breath away.