Writer's Voice Contest Post

Welcome Writer's Voice hosts to my blog. I'm excited to be selected to participate.  My Twitter is @Laycrew 

Thanks for reading!
Kimberly Lay

GYPSY GIRL Query:

Sera’s high school experience complete with mean girls, cyber bullying, and her first love triangle amid fair rides, fried foods, and horses, nearly costs Sera and her family everything.

Sixteen-year-old, home schooled, Seraphina wants to hang out with someone that's not her little sister when she’s not performing in her family’s gypsy-storytelling show at the fair. Her wish is granted when she bumps into Noah, and he can’t take his eyes off her. But he’s there to show horses and Sera’s terrified of them. 

Sera's horse terror isn't her only problem. Her presence instantly creates friction with the five small town, horse-loving teens. Noah’s flirty best friend, Josh says he’s the short, pasty, and average sidekick, but he’s fun, protective, and just as endearing as adorably kind and patient, Noah. The Dark One, Kelly is the trouble-making ring leader of the three girls, preying on Sera’s horse fears, and posting it all over Instagram and Facebook. While the boys help Sera conquer her fear of horses, and help fix the messes their friends have made, Sera can’t help falling for both boys. Kissing Noah and Josh creates a rift in their friendship. Kelly takes tormenting Sera too far when jealousy over Noah costs her family Peppy the capuchin monkey, threatens to close the show, and may end their gypsy way of life. To polish off a week full of drama, Sera also must make a difficult choice before the fair comes to an end, and hearts will be broken.

GYPSY GIRL is a 68,000 word YA contemporary novel. 

First 250:

THURSDAY

The view from the castle and pirate ship themed roof was the best part of Sera’s traveling home. Once they parked and settled in, she could sit up top to enjoy some quiet time away from her family, and the zoo stink from their pets. Sera loved watching the carnival rides in motion on the other side of the fairgrounds as they finished their final light check.

The only people on the grounds were vendors, the kids with animals, and carnies. No pungent scents floating in the air of fried foods mixing with beer and the sour smells of overflowing garbage. No screaming from the rides or bumbling drunks, just the peaceful light show.

Before the fair opened was when Sera enjoyed it most. However, if she could make a few friends while they were there, the fair would be so much more fun.

Sera slightly closed her eyes. The Ferris wheel lights blurred, blending together.

“Seraphina?” She heard her mom’s muffled call coming from inside.

Sera squinted more. The blended lights turned into swirling rainbows. Oh, how she loved rainbows.

“Seraphina, did you feed Millie?” her mother yelled from the grass below.

“Yes, and she almost bit my finger off.” Sera rubbed where it still hurt from the macaw. There were some days she wished they had normal pets and a normal life.

“She’s always testy after a long day spent on the road. Why don’t you let her out?” Her mom was also testy after a long day on the road.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Story Behind the Story

The contest is wrapping up and there have been a few things I've wanted to share just for fun since I plan on leaving this post up. I hoped to get in the contest but there is stiff competition for a lighthearted story like mine.  But I wanted to share some things that inspired Gypsy Girl. 
I went to the fair last summer and saw this fancy camper thing. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen and I walked away thinking about how cool it would be to write a story about a modern day gypsy girl that lived in something like that. 

 A view of the roof. Sera's traveling home is a bit longer in the middle than this.

This is the stage view but in Sera's home it is more colorful inside, old gypsy style. Sera and her sister's room is one turret. Her mom's is the other.

Another thing from my past I used in this story was when I was 15, I was in 4-H learning all about horses, and that summer I camped at the fair to show my friend's horse. That was the most fun. The independence, roaming the fair when we weren't showing horses, and a few little crisis moments my friend and I had to deal with when we were on our own. Noah and Josh are more like my friend and I. Noah loves horses more than anything, until he met Sera. Josh is Noah's best friend and he's learned about horses hanging out with his friend, kind of like me all those years ago. 

Truthfully, the story was a blast to write. Fair fun, flirting, some typical mean kid stuff, horses, and in the end this bunch of kids are learning how to navigate the world they are in, making mistakes, and figuring out how to make things right.

For some reason I was really drawn to Hunter Hayes while writing. I'm not a country fan but his music totally fits this story. Besides, he is adorable. Kacey Musgraves 'Follow your Arrow' was perfect for Sera and Josh as they figure out how to identify themselves apart from their unconventional mothers. Sera's mom looks gypsy all the time with dreads and the whole gypsy outfit 24/7 and it comes out later that Josh's mom is a lesbian.  Sera is quirky in her own right though. She has chalked rainbow colors in her hair, loves cartoon t-shirts when she's not in gypsy costume, and she adores shoes. Combat books, cartoon and glittery converse, anything fun and she doesn't care how it looks with what she's wearing. 

One thing I've written into 3 of my novels are some really fantastic young men. I don't know if it is because I have no boys but the 4 boys in all these novels just tug at my heart. Probably because I tend to break their hearts with the girls that they fall for. Where were these guys when I was a teen? I did know some and I broke one boy's heart much like what happens in Gypsy Girl. He was the nicest boy and I realized when I finished this novel and thought back to some love triangles I was in(there was more than one, they do happen in real life), Noah and Josh have some of his great traits. Sadly, I never gave that boy a chance. 

I really enjoy creating characters and they do tend to stick with me long after I finish writing these stories. That has been the most fun for me when it comes to writing. 

Spring has Sprung

This is the time of year that nearly drowns me completely. December has nothing on April. Kid chasing galore.

Hannah was allowed to do track this year while Kylee and Autumn played high school varsity tennis. It was going well until they bumped Autumn to JV for the last few games. They will do that for the low varsity kids. But Autumn is not driving and they don't bus to away games. The last 3 matches were home for varsity. Where's the aggravated smiley? We found out she was bumped to the JV game the night before and it was on a day I was already obligated to car-pool Hannah and another boy to honor band. Grrr. So just this one day after a month of kid chasing- Went and picked up boy, drove to Elementary school to pick up Hannah from track, drove to jr high on north end of town. Drove to girls' high school. Kylee started warming up. Varsity tennis takes forever BTW. Drove to high school away game on west side of town. Thankfully friend carpooled the honor band kids back home. Watched Autumn play. Picked up Autumn and her friend, brought them back to their high school again. Kylee was still playing. An hour and half and four schools later, I did my supermom thing and still watched both girls play. All I can say is I'm so glad there are no boys playing baseball. That is entirely a commitment I would not embrace.

Our Alaska humanitarian project goes on. I sent Easter and clothes to six Yupik children. I'm still gathering things. It is costly to send stuff up there though.

Lee Joe is headed back up to Scammon Bay anytime now. Another small Yupik village right next to the Bering Sea. We are making plans to visit him this summer. What would be the coolest is to also meet with some of the Iditarod mushers, visit with family, drive down the Kenai peninsula with the kids, and maybe meet with my 6th grade best friend who I haven't seen in person in ohhhhh almost 30 years. Okay, that sounds gross. How did I get that old?