by Jaymi Kussro (@jaymiwrites.bsky.social)
MG Paranormal Mystery
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Query
I am querying you today with THE SPARK OF AYLA GRAVES, a 45,000-word middle-grade paranormal mystery. It combines the scary, but not too scary, ghostly mysteries of Lindsay Currie’s It Found Us with the family graveyard antics of Ally Russell’s Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave.
Twelve-year-old Ayla Graves is sick and tired of being left behind. All the women in her family have the Spark - the ability to talk to ghosts. All the women except Ayla, that is. When her mom goes missing while trying to contact a spirit, getting the Spark becomes crucial, as it may be the key to helping Ayla find her. But Ayla’s dad sends her away to stay with her aunts in the family’s haunted graveyard, making her feel more useless than ever.
Soon after arriving, Ayla’s haunted by mysterious visions of a ghost hand and a flooding room. When she tries to sketch what she’s seen, her drawings take a turn for the creepy, showing frightening images she has no memory of creating. It’s clear that someone - or something - is trying to send her a message. With the help of another new girl in town and the groundskeeper’s science-obsessed son, Ayla begins investigating. After she sleepwalks into a car that fills with water and nearly drowns, she realizes her mom’s life isn’t the only one in danger. Ayla must figure out what these visions mean before the next one causes serious damage - and any chance of saving her mom disappears for good.
This manuscript offers many opportunities for Ayla’s drawings to be incorporated as illustrations, showing her unsettling visions and allowing readers to look for clues.
I live in Southern California with my husband and step-daughter, and work as a Line Producer in the entertainment industry. My previous MG novel and YA novel were both finalists in the Ready Chapter One publisher’s challenge.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
First Five Pages
Chapter 1 - The Ouija Board
I wave my right hand over the Ouija board. The girls around me hold their breath and stare with wide, unblinking eyes. Thunder grumbles outside, the perfect soundtrack for our midnight seance. Emmy trembles, the light from her flashlight flickering on and off like the batteries are about to die. I hide my left hand under my knee and cross my fingers.
Because I, Ayla Graves, am a fraud.
“We will now attempt to reach Callie’s cousin, Caden,” I say. “Everyone, concentrate.”
Callie, Sophia, and Emmy close their eyes and set their hands on the knees of their plaid pajama pants, waiting for a connection I’m not sure I can make. Lightning flashes, illuminating Callie’s perfect pink and white bedroom.
“Callie, touch the planchette with me.”
I place my fingers on top of the white, plastic pointer on the board, and Callie follows suit, but I don’t know what to do next. There are only so many times I can stall by telling everyone to concentrate.
I didn’t mean to become my middle school’s paranormal specialist. Things sorta spiraled out of control after Mom started her ghost-hunting business. Mom has what our family calls the Spark, the ability to commune with spirits. All my female ancestors have the Spark. Well, all the women except me.
“Now what?” Callie raises her eyebrows at me.
“You can ask him a question,” I improvise. “You can say it out loud or just think about it. And if Caden wants to answer, he’ll push the planchette.”
She sighs and twists a blonde curl around her finger, either annoyed to have to assist in the process or bored with how long it’s taking. I focus on the Ouija board. This better work.
The problem is, Mom’s never needed a Ouija board to talk to ghosts. Her eyes unfocus like she’s listening to music no one else can hear, and she just knows things. But I thought if I had something to help me, maybe the Spark would come and Mom would finally let me help with the business, and I wouldn’t be left behind all the time.
“Nothing’s happening.” Callie rolls her eyes.
“Give it a minute,” Sophia chimes in, sitting tall on her knees. “Last weekend, nothing happened at first, and then suddenly, Ayla made contact. It was amazing, she got all these messages from my grandmother.”
I didn’t.
I tried, but the Spark didn’t come, so I made some stuff up. I’m not proud of it. Then Sophia told everyone that I could talk to ghosts.
I glance at Emmy, who slowly shakes her head. The message is clear. Don’t do it. She warned me days ago to come clean. She’s been my best friend since second grade, so I should’ve known she was right. It’s not too late, though. I’ll fess up right now and tell them that I can’t Spark. It’s the right thing to do.
“My mom was so happy when I told her,” Sophia continues. “It was the first night since Grandma died I didn’t cry myself to sleep.”
Dang it.
Emmy cringes. I’m definitely in a pickle.
It looks like I have two choices. Lie again and make some stuff up about Callie’s cousin, or come clean and break Sophia’s heart. Or…
Yes, I like the idea of a third option. I could say I couldn’t make contact this time. That ghosts are unpredictable, and sometimes they talk, but other times they don’t.
“We ask that Caden send us a message.” My fingers tremble on the planchette, causing the plastic to rattle against the board. Maybe I’ll still get the Spark. Now would be a great time.
Come on…Spark!
The planchette doesn’t move, mocking me with its stillness, reminding me how useless I am. Emmy bites her lip. Her eyes behind her chunky black glasses are filled with worry. Rain drums against the windows, and my blood pulses in my ears. Other than that, there is nothing but silence. No voices or spooky whispers or whatever it is that ghosts sound like. I should have known this would happen.
“Well?” Callie asks with a huff.
My stomach somersaults. And cartwheels. Probably tries a backflip too. I have to tell them something, or everyone will know I’m a fraud. Why, oh why, did I tell Sophia that I heard her grandma?
“Yes,” I say. “I’m starting to sense something…something, familial.” Familial? Could I have said anything more pathetic?
“It’s working,” Callie blurts out, but the planchette hasn’t moved.
It is? I squint at her, but she’s not looking at the board or at me. She’s staring at something behind me. Her closet door creaks. Goosebumps flare across my skin as I slowly turn.
Caden’s ghost is standing right behind me, as real as anyone in the room.
“Boo!” he says, and I scream.
And scream.
And scream.
I scream a lot longer than I care to admit, which is pretty embarrassing considering I’ve worked my whole life to see a ghost. But at least I did it. I Sparked!
Except, no one else is screaming. Callie is in hysterics, tears streaming down her face. Sophia pinches her eyebrows like she’s trying to work out a complicated math problem, and Emmy bites her lip like she knew this was going to happen. I turn back around to Caden’s ghost, but of course, he’s just a kid, a little older than us, and he’s laughing hardest of all, clutching his stomach and shaking. I should’ve known a real ghost wouldn’t say “boo.”
“I knew you were a liar,” Callie says. “My cousin’s not even dead.”
“Don’t call her a liar. She made a mistake,” Emmy snaps back.
My cheeks heat, and I hang my head. Emmy offers a weak smile and rubs my arm. At least I know she’ll forgive me. What a mess I’ve made.
“Wait.” Sophia jumps to her feet, a tear rolling down her cheek. “That can’t be true. I saw her talk to a ghost. Ayla, I saw you do it. Didn’t I?”
I guess I should’ve gone with the coming clean option when I had the chance. I stare at my feet, then look at Emmy for help, who gives me an encouraging nod. I force myself to look Sophia in the eyes.
“I tried. I really tried. My mom can do it, and I thought maybe I could too–”
“But you couldn’t. And you let me believe you did? The things you said. I believed you!”
This is a nightmare. And I deserve every second.
“See, Ayla’s a liar,” Callie says again. “There’s no such thing as ghosts.”
“Shut it, Callie,” Sophia snaps. “You said you believed me, so you lied, too. You’re just as bad.”
Sophia storms out of the room, and her feet thump down the stairs. My heart clenches. I want to go after her, but what can I say?
“Okay, this isn’t fun anymore,” Caden says. “I’m going back to bed, drama queens.”
Caden walks out, knocking over a softball trophy on Callie’s white desk as he does.
I shuffle to my feet and grab my bag from the corner. “I’m really sorry. I’m just gonna go home.”
“Whatever,” Callie says and starts folding up the Ouija board.
Emmy runs into the hall after me, grabbing my elbow. “Wait, don’t go. It’s late.”
I wrap my arms across my stomach. “It’s for the best. Give them a chance to cool off.”
“I’ll go with–”
“No, it’s okay, your mom would kill you if you left in the middle of the night.” My throat tightens. “You were right, I shouldn’t have tried this. Sophia’s never going to forgive me.”
Emmy’s shoulders sag. “She will. Just give her some time.”
“Haven’t I learned yet to always listen to you?”
She grins. “I mean, I keep trying to tell you.”
I manage a weak laugh and turn away. “I’ll text you when I get home.”
Emmy lingers in the hall as I trudge downstairs and try to weigh my options. Call my parents for a ride, or bike home in the rain?
Really wish I could think of a third option.
“You’re leaving?”
Sophia’s voice makes me jump about ten feet in the air.
Maybe I never got the Spark because I startle so easily.
“Yeah,” I say. “No one wants me here.”
Part of me thinks - hopes - Sophia will argue with me, but she doesn’t. She just sits on the couch in the dark, staring out the window, covered in droplets from the storm.