New Adult Threesome Contest Entry #9

Title: LOVE AND THE BARD

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Word Count: 90,000

Query:

Anna is stuck in a rut. To be fair, though, it’s a very comfortable rut that her dad approves of, and that she dug for herself. But still, it’s time for a change.

Change comes in the form of Coy McLeod, visiting Anna’s small hometown from the far away land of Chicago. He’s as spontaneous, passionate, and independent as Anna is… not.

When Coy gets the idea to take a Shakespeare Festival road trip, Anna agrees to go along, hoping the spontaneity of the trip will help her to be more open to new things. But when she returns home, she is just as uncertain of what to do with her future as when she left. Coy has added a new choice to Anna’s list of possible future plans- he wants her to move to Chicago with him. As if things weren’t confusing enough already.

Should she finish college at her family’s alma mater, while staying at home with her widower father? Or take a chance on Coy, and step into the unknown? As time runs out on Anna’s last semester of school, it will take a proposal, a death, and The Sound of Music to bring the curtain down on her old life.

LOVE AND THE BARD is a New Adult contemporary romance, complete at 90,000 words. It would appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary Young Adult novels, such as those by Sarah Dessen, and are now looking for an older protagonist. 

First 250:

The thick manila envelope from the University of Oregon is staring at me. Or, at least, I am staring at it, trying to figure out what it is doing on my desk. I haven't applied to the University. So why are they sending me a big, thick package?

I carefully tear open the envelope and pull out a letter.

Dear Ms. Claysmith, Thank you for your interest in the University of Oregon. Enclosed you will find a copy of our course catalog for the upcoming school year.

I don't need to read any further. This has Dad's handiwork written all over it. The envelope, the letter, the course catalog- all are explained by the photograph of my parents that sits on my desk. The two of them are only a few years older than I am in the photo. They have their arms around each other, and are proudly wearing robes and mortarboards. In their hands are their diplomas from the University of Oregon.

Dad hasn't kept it a secret that he hopes I'll go to Oregon when I finish my Associate's degree in December. But pretending to be me and requesting a catalog from the school is taking things a little too far. I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to decide how to tell him this.