Crisis in the Deep, YA Fantasy Coauthor Project

I was immediately intrigued when author Marc Beckstrand reached out to me about his vision for a fantasy series that placed male and female leads on equal terms and centered around a new mermaid heroine who would be a more positive role model than her famous predecessors. He had created a vivid, complex world (the planet Aralon) and already had a wide cast of characters, a basic plot hook, and backing from real-life mermaid performers whose likenesses appear in the book. However, he wanted to do the story in his head perfect justice and was seeking a professional to bring it to life. 

Because the project aligns with my personal brand as a YA high fantasy author, we entered a “hired coauthor” agreement. Taking his detailed, preexisting ideas and world-building material, I fleshed out all character profiles, created an outline, and wrote the 137,000-word novel. Marc and I remained in close contact and brainstormed together throughout the process, and Marc provided detailed notes on each chapter. I used those notes to make edits and create several drafts. The novel is in the final proofreading stage and will be submitted to agents and publishers in the coming months. 

The Novel “Hook”:

A fish is spotted swimming through the air above a desert town, and the moment sixteen-year-old Scerinda Cahira spears it, the warnings of an ancient prophecy are realized. To save all the races of the planet Aralon from the encroachment of the sea, Scerinda and her adoptive family set out to consult with the merfolk to discover the origin of the flying fish before their world becomes a watery wasteland.

An immortal evil, the beast Sekolah, stirs in her underwater cave when whisperings of the prophecy’s fruition and the discovery of The Key reach her prison. When she and her vassals separate Scerinda and her brother Alecks from their parents, the siblings continue the quest with newly formed allies. Trailed by Sekolah’s murderous priest, Co’chat, the Cahiras and their friends race for the fabled city of Hahle Ka’iki, built half in the sea and half on land, to seek the aid of its legendary founder and his merfolk partners. Hunted and grieving the possible loss of their parents, the Cahira siblings must uncover the secrets of Scerinda’s beginnings, for those answers can heal the broken ocean.

Project Details:

• Approximately 137,000 words
• Genre: YA High Fantasy
• Hired Coauthor
• Turned client’s plot summary, world building documents, and basic character profiles into a full-length novel based on client’s vision
• Currently Seeking Representation