Please vote on which summary you like best!

Once an author has written a book, the easy part is over. That's right--the writing of the novel is the easy part. The hard part is getting it published.

In order to get a book published, authors often send what are called "query letters" to literary agents and/or editors to see if they are interested in reading their manuscripts. These query letters must include a short summary of the book, one that doesn't give away the ending. Ideally, it gives away just enough of the story to whet the reader's appetite and make 'em beg for more!

Literary agent (and fellow blogger) Nathan Bransford suggests writing three different summaries: a one-sentence pitch, a one-paragraph summary, and a two-paragraph summary. Have you ever tried to boil a whole book down to one sentence?

Here's my one-sentence pitch for Alex Jones: When a thirteen-year-old girl seeks refuge from an evil emperor by fleeing to a moon colony, she hopes to make some new friends; instead, she makes trouble.

Now here's where I could use your help. I've written two two-paragraph summaries for the book. Let me know which one you think is better.

Summary A:
When the Alex Jones is chased off planet Earth for having a superpower, she and her grandfather must head to the moon to escape the clutches of the evil Emperor Devlesh. For the first time in her life, Alex hopes to finally make some friends her own age. However, the moon colonists haven’t had a new resident in eleven years, and they’re not so sure they want a girl who lies, cheats, and sneaks around the colony at night.

But Alex doesn’t have much choice. Her grandmother is still back on Earth, and her grandfather’s ship is busted. An old feud keeps Grandpa from asking for help from the colonists, so it’s up to Alex and her superpowers to save the day. Too bad it’s her superpowers that might just get her a return ticket back to the Emperor’s clutches.


Summary B:
In the year 2216, thirteen-year-old Alex Jones just wants to make friends; instead, she makes trouble. The evil Emperor Devlesh wants Alex for her power. All her life she’s had the ability to snatch up any object she wants with just a flick of her wrist. To escape the Emperor’s clutches, she and her grandfather head to the International Moon Colony, where Alex hopes she can finally make some friends. However, nobody new has entered the colony for eleven years, and the colonists are immediately suspicious of their latest resident.

Alex knows she must keep her power a secret, but that's not easy. Grandma's still back on Earth, and Grandpa's ship is broken. Alex could steal the supplies Grandpa needs, but that means using her power--a risk that could expose her to the Emperor's spies and scare away the only friends she's ever known.

You can tell me which one you like better in the comments section, by emailing me, or (if you're one of my students) by telling me at school. :)