Dear Writer’s Voice

Thanks for considering my upper MG Fantasy, Amadine, complete at 45,000 words.

All her life, twelve-year-old Amadine has wondered who she is. When bloodthirsty assassins invade her forest home she learns that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Vandalia. Determined to regain her father’s kingdom, Amadine hides her newfound identity and undertakes a dangerous journey back to what should be her realm. Once there she discovers that regaining a throne is a complicated task. The man who sits in her place is a kind and generous ruler and the people seem to love him. She has no armies to command and no idea how to lead them.

Her only hope lies in getting a powerful, magical creature named Edric to honor his oath to her family, but Edric lives far away and he cannot be trusted. A vicious horde invades from the north throwing the kingdom into turmoil. In the midst of the chaos Amadine journeys to Edric’s cave. Edric only owes her one favor. If she asks him to help her regain her throne, the kingdom will be at he mercy of the horde. If she asks him to stop the horde then she has no way to become queen. Before she can make this decision though, she must survive her encounter with Edric.

Amadine is written for young readers who enjoy books like the Ranger’s Apprentice series. It tells the story of a girl carving out her place, sometimes literally, in a hostile world. Thanks for your time. I look forward to your response.

Silas Champion

silaschampion@gmail.com

Amadine sat at the mouth of her cave, watching sunlight sift down through the leafy branches of her prison. It was a forest, actually, but today it felt like a prison. Sighing, she smashed the small berries in her bowl with a blunt stick.

“Have you finished yet?” Magan shouted from the fire, where she stirred a foul-smelling liquid in a pot. The fire illuminated Magan’s wrinkled face and crazy bird’s-nest hair.

“Almost.” Amadine smashed the berries again.

“Stop daydreaming and hurry up, or you’ll spoil it.” Magan stirred the pot again. “I hope you pay more attention when you are about in the forest. The trolls will eat you for sure if you’re just walking around daydreaming.”

“I’m done, I’m done.” Amadine stood and carried the wooden bowl across the cave. “They haven’t got me yet.”

“That is true, child, but you roam further now. You must keep your wits about you.” Magan inspected the berries. “What is causing you to be so distracted?”

Amadine watched Magan pour the almost black juice into the liquid. “Nothing.” She couldn’t tell Magan she wanted to leave the forest. She had done that before and the old woman had raged and clucked for two days.

“There.” Magan stood back with a satisfied smile. The liquid turned purple and bubbled. Amadine wrinkled her nose at the smell. It wasn’t the worse thing that Magan had cooked today, though. Magan’s philosophy was that the worse it smells the better it is for you.