Thursday, April 9, 2015

Name That Genre #33

TITLE: MG
GENRE: Secret

Two enormous pine trees formed the entry to my new summer home. Between the trees, high overhead, hung a birch bark plank. It was like driving your car through a huge doorway. On the plank, Welcome to Paradise was spelled out with twigs. Beneath that, even smaller twigs spelled: Paradise Fine Arts Camp, estb 1903.

So my loved ones have abandoned me for the summer at a Fine Arts Camp? Does that mean we can make those beaded Indian Belts? Finger painting? Clay pots? I like art in school, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am stuck in this place. Mom doesn’t even know where I am. I don’t know exactly where I am.

Did I say loved ones? Yes, I love my mother, but she abandoned me to my aunt, which is like giving me to a stranger. And they don’t come much stranger than my aunt.



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33 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 11:33 AM

    Contemporary
    I'm really not sure, but it seemed the strongest choice. The line about the mc not exactly knowing where she was gave the start a possible sci-fi aspect, but since nothing else seemed to hit that note, I went with contemporary.

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  2. 1000th.monkeyApril 9, 2015 at 11:43 AM

    Contemporary

    There didn't seem to be any markers of any specific genre.

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  3. AnonymousApril 9, 2015 at 12:20 PM

    Contemporary.

    There doesn't seem to be any hint of anything supernatural/fantastical/mysterious in what is written here.

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  4. H. R. SinclairApril 9, 2015 at 12:22 PM

    Contemporary.

    I concur with kcallard's reasoning.

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  5. SStokesApril 9, 2015 at 12:36 PM

    Contemporary.

    No signs that anything magical or strange is happening, which makes me think this is grounded in reality.

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  6. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 12:51 PM

    Contemporary
    Everything looks like a real world setting.

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  7. LanetteApril 9, 2015 at 12:54 PM

    Contemporary

    The voice sounds modern, and the only hint of it being anything other than contemporary is the strange aunt, but there are a lot of strange people in real life. Without a stronger hint, I'll have to go with contemporary. Caveat: If we're wrong, that doesn't mean you need to change anything. It's okay to ease us in slowly and for the fantastical and the weird to show up later in the first chapter.

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  8. Michele HelselApril 9, 2015 at 1:02 PM

    Realistic fiction, I guess Contemporary since she doesn't imply different, though I would be surprised she wouldn't have a reaction to the age of the place since it was established in 1903. That would seem ancient to a kid. Pretty old even to me.

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  9. AnonymousApril 9, 2015 at 2:47 PM

    Contemporary

    Reflective
    Interesting, why is the aunt so strange?

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  10. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM

    Realistic, contemporary, but with the potential for magic.

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  11. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. DanniApril 9, 2015 at 3:48 PM

    Contemporary, simply due to lack of any other clues. The aunt being strange could be a hint at something more, though.

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  13. BEApril 9, 2015 at 3:54 PM

    Contemporary or Fantasy. I was going to say Contemporary for sure until the very last line. The strange aunt, recent abandonment by the mother and the camp established in 1903 makes me feel like something magical might happen.

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  14. HepsebaALHHApril 9, 2015 at 4:41 PM

    Contemporary

    Setting appears to be some sort of a summer school? That's about all I've got genre-wise.

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  15. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 5:11 PM

    Contemporary -- a kid is away at a modern summer camp.

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  16. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 5:11 PM

    Contemporary -- a kid is away at a modern summer camp.

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  17. Eisenman SoftwareApril 9, 2015 at 5:39 PM

    Adventure?

    I hope there's an adventure in here somewhere. Good luck at camp, child! Learn to hitchhike.

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  18. CamApril 9, 2015 at 5:46 PM

    Contemporary.

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  19. cindy norrisApril 9, 2015 at 5:49 PM

    I'm not sure, but I like it. It could lead anywhere. Is it about art being a healing thing? Is there a mystical element? Is there a thriller or mystery about to happen? I don't know, but I'm curious.

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  20. cindy norrisApril 9, 2015 at 5:49 PM

    I'm not sure, but I like it. It could lead anywhere. Is it about art being a healing thing? Is there a mystical element? Is there a thriller or mystery about to happen? I don't know, but I'm curious.

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  21. C. R. BaileyApril 9, 2015 at 6:30 PM

    Contemporary. Fine arts camp!

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  22. shelleyApril 9, 2015 at 7:33 PM

    Contemporary realism.

    It's all in present-day here-and-now. Nothing indicates fantasy or other genre.

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  23. SussuApril 9, 2015 at 7:50 PM

    FANTASY.

    The aunt is very strange and this is MG, so the novel is about fitting in family life, so with the aunt. Something about the aunt, the Paradise... That sounds like Mary Poppins to me.

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  24. JAZApril 9, 2015 at 11:19 PM

    Contemporary
    By default. Sounds like a Roald Dahl-ish aunt.

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  25. MarilynApril 9, 2015 at 11:34 PM

    Contemporary. Sounds like there will be an adventure with a quirky aunt at an old art camp in the woods, but I still think it is primarily contemporary.

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  26. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 2:58 AM

    Adventure.

    Because of the rustic setting that's been around for (I assume) quite awhile (the deliberate est. 1903 sign), the "Fine Arts Camp," and the strange aunt, I got the feel of an adventure about to happen that changes the MC's perspective about a lot things. Maybe opens his/her eyes so to speak.

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  27. UnknownApril 10, 2015 at 7:20 AM

    Contemporary

    Maybe a coming-of-age story. No hints of spec fic. No hints of romance or mystery.

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  28. KathleeaApril 10, 2015 at 12:21 PM

    Fantasy

    The aunt being strange and the fact the boy's mother doesn't know where he is makes me think something magical is about to happen.

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  29. SusanApril 10, 2015 at 3:05 PM

    Contemporary. There's nothing to suggest this is fantasy or science fiction, although upon further reading, we could learn that is the case.

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  30. hlbrixeyApril 10, 2015 at 3:42 PM


    Contemporary realism

    I don't see any historical notes or fantasy elements, so it reads realism to me.

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  31. sbjamesApril 10, 2015 at 5:34 PM

    Strange aunt. Hints like "driving your car through a doorway" "Paradise" "don't even know where I am" make me think either magical realism or all out contemporary fantasy.

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  32. Robin OlsonApril 10, 2015 at 7:58 PM

    This voice sounds too old, and yet whiny, for MG. I think you need to show us the scene and your impressions before 'slamming' mom and making fun of aunt. This is a time when I don't want to be in the character's head, but in her (or his) eyes. I'd guess contemporary MG.

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  33. S.D.KingApril 11, 2015 at 8:03 AM

    Author's Reveal: This is contemporary MG. The main character is the daughter of a super-responsible nurse who is spending the summer on a humanitarian mission. Macie is entrusted to the very unreliable Aunt Dix, who ditches Macie at summer camp so that Dix can head out to audition for a no-future acting role.
    Dix lies to the fine arts camp (think Interlochen) about Macie's talent. Macie does not play an instrument at all and must survive the summer on her wits.

    Thanks to all who commented.This is a WIP, not a completed novel.

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