Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Writer's Voice Entry

The Writer's Voice
I'm trying something new for me. I've entered a writing contest. For details, click the link under the picture.

Here's my entry (#157) for BURNT AMBER:

With two weeks left in her Istanbul exchange program, Sybil discovers that the tiny verse her biological parents tattooed on her hip is a link to some cryptic, djinn-channeling gypsies. Then she bumps into Haydon, who triggers her fiery energy with his touch - the same djinn energy the gypsies warned to keep secret.

Sybil delves into djinn lore until a fanatical priest tosses her and Haydon into the chauvinistic clutches of the djinn world. She strives to find her place in the djinn scheme, while determining if Haydon’s real motivation is her crown. In the process, she’s pulled into a power struggle with her father’s rival, Konstantin, and faced with a choice: marry Konstantin’s son for a slim chance at regaining her humanity, or face a future cut off from both worlds forever.

BURNT AMBER is a 66,000 word novel inspired by the tale of 12th century Crusader castle, Kızkalesi, and the life of Zabel, the queen of Armenian Cilicia. The story should appeal to fans of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE.




The human shape is a ghost,
Made of distraction and pain.
-Rumi
A familiar, nasty feeling coiled up like a ball of hot barbed wire in my stomach. I took a deep breath, held it for three counts, and released. The sensation inched back down to almost bearable.
Anna glanced over at me, concerned. “Something wrong, Sybil? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine.” I lifted my chin and forced a smile to prove it. “Twisted my ankle on the uneven sidewalk.”
Uneven was a generous word for the narrow streets of old Istanbul. The pavement in front of each building was a different level than the neighbor’s, and in the dark it made a plausible excuse for me to steal a minute and rest. I balanced myself against a defunct streetlamp, bending down to adjust the strap on my glittery bronze sandal. “We’re not really dressed for this adventure.”
The light flickered on above us, setting Anna’s platinum hair aglow like a beacon for street urchins. She fussed with the hem of her shirtdress in a futile attempt to cover her long Scandinavian legs. “I agree. But it’s not everyday someone offers me a session with a genuine, Romani fortuneteller. We’re lucky Seyhan has the connections for it.”
“Hmm.”  I detected the “genuine”, but my secret intuition insisted that visiting a gypsy psychic was the very last thing I should do, especially when the best of those was located in the depressed, back alley underworld of the Sulukule area.

28 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Good luck with this!! Yay!! I like the set up here - two women in some godforsaken street in Istanbul about to meet a gypsy psychic! Great stuff, thank you for sharing! Take care
x

Marieke said...

Awesome setting! Best of luck with this! :)

Write Life said...

I love gypsies! Good luck!

Colene Murphy said...

Oh this sounds fabulous!! Good luck girl!!

Matthew MacNish said...

I remember this query! Gypsies and Djinn for the win. Best of luck, Carolyn.

Precy Larkins said...

Love the setting and the premise! Good luck!

Unknown said...

This sounds fantastic. Though I was already interested after reading the synopsis, your writing excerpt truly did suck me in. More, please!

Ambiguous_A said...

I really liked the voice! Good luck!

-Allie S #137

Carolyn Abiad said...

Thanks for the comments! I haven't had the chance to check the other entries yet. I'm hoping to visit everyone on the linky list on Monday.

Anonymous said...

Good luck. -April, #61

Carla Luna Cullen said...

Cool premise! I lived in Turkey for 5 months, so I'm a sucker for stories in that setting!
- Carla, #152

Carol Baldwin said...

I really like your blurb- or whatever you want to call it. GOod luck and let me know how it goes!!! Great working with you today. who would have thought that way off fantasy/Istanbul story maker can have something in common with down-home i 60-yaers-ago Charlotte story teller!
Go for it, Carolyn!

Dahlia Adler said...

You had me at Istanbul--I would read this in a second. Good luck!

Unknown said...

"like a beacon for street urchins" was my favorite part, lol. I like this a lot!

Good luck in the contest!

Summer - #40

C.G.Ayling said...

I really like your style, and the premise - nice and fresh. It's also interesting to me in particular as it mentions a mystic (cryptic) tattoo. A mark of family, perhaps?

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

The premise is very intriguing - I'm a fan of stories involving djinn - and the voice in the excerpt is strong. Good luck!

LTM said...

Carolyn! That's fantastic! And Krista's done some great things on her blog. Best of luck w/your entry--you know I love it! Keep us posted~ :o) <3

Nicole Zoltack said...

This sounds right up my alley. Good luck!

~Nicole, entry 68

Amalia Dillin said...

Great setting and premise! It sounds like a lot of fun! Good luck!!

Brenda McKenna said...

I love the setting! And the premise--gypsies and djinn and The Daughter of Smoke and Bone? Nice.

Jess said...

Nice comparison novel~ I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so your query excites me! And I love foreign settings~ nicely done :) Good luck in the contest!

Jess Capelle said...

Good luck! Istanbul and djinn intrigue me :-)

Brandi M. Lynch said...

Yay! Djinn! Love your story and your first page has great imagery.

Good luck!

Brandi #199

Lisa K. said...

Stopping by to wish you best of luck in the contest!

Issy said...

Istanbul, gypsies, djinn? You had me at all three!

<3 medieval castles, too :) ;)

Carrie Butler said...

I love your writing! :) Best of luck!

Kimberly Gabriel said...

Great opening paragraph! Good luck to you as the contest continues. Thanks for stopping by my blog as well! WVC #28

lexcade said...

This sounds like a great read! I'd love to see more of it.

Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

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