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Thursday, April 9, 2015

Name That Genre #5

TITLE: Adult
GENRE: Secret

The silver cutter advanced on the dock in the half-light of early morning that bleached all color from the landscape. Dirty-white seabirds wheeled overhead, their squawks lost in the screaming wind. As the cutter filled the narrow passage between docks and breakwater, it churned water into steep waves that spilled over the decking and sloshed onto my sneakers. It hardly mattered. I was already soaked, and my hair had come loose from the ponytail and was whipping around my face. I jammed a handful of loose hair behind an ear and waited. A grinding noise. The cutter's captain had gone into reverse; its powerful twin thrusters churned, but still the cutter waltzed forward. Closer to the granite blocks that marked the end of the channel.

Coming into view behind the cutter was the abandoned yacht they'd found in the ocean off Spanish Cay and taken in tow. The yacht—fifteen tons and no working engine—surged ahead.

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32 comments:

  1. MarilynApril 9, 2015 at 10:17 AM

    I thought this was contemporary until the last line. That last line made me think it was Sci-fi.

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  2. Brent SalishApril 9, 2015 at 11:03 AM

    Mystery.

    Are we sure the seabirds are dirty-white if the half-light of early morning has bleached all color? Also, I doubt the captain has gone into reverse, backing up in the cockpit; he's thrown the cutter into reverse. And who is the "they" in "yacht they'd found"?

    Other than those minor editing fixes, this is a very interesting beginning. Enough action and tension to keep me interested, make me want to learn more.

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  3. S.D.KingApril 9, 2015 at 12:07 PM

    Historical epic - No, comtemporary mystery

    MC is wearing sneakers! I thought of cutter as an old cutter at first, but now I am thinking "coast guard cutter".

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  4. 1000th.monkeyApril 9, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    Mystery.

    Nothing specific make me think this, just the flavour of the description I guess.

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  5. HeatherApril 9, 2015 at 12:42 PM

    Mystery.
    The abandoned yacht with no working engine was the best clue.
    Small note: I'd simplify your first sentence. There's a LOT going on!

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  6. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 12:51 PM

    Contemporary romance
    I was unsure about this one. The sneakers gave the piece a contemporary tone though the language in the opening paragraph felt more historical. There's no indication yet that the mc is worried about what happened to the people on the yacht, but I suspect that's why she's standing in the water. I wonder if this is where she learns for sure she's lost someone and her story becomes one of going forward, finding someone new?

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  7. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 2:05 PM

    Mystery -- given the contemporary setting and the mysteriously empty boat. With all the ponytail-flapping methinks there will be a romantic aspect, too.

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  8. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 2:05 PM

    Mystery -- given the contemporary setting and the mysteriously empty boat. With all the ponytail-flapping methinks there will be a romantic aspect, too.

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  9. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    Hmm, can't tell.

    I thought maybe historical because of all the ship talk, though there are ships today, and it could be contemporary. I got a sense of romance, too. In any event, I enjoyed it! Good luck!

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  10. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    Contemporary... but don't know mystery/thriller/romance. Bit lost.

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    Replies
    1. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 5:56 PM

      seems to be modern boats with a mystery building

      Delete
  11. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 2:22 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Michele HelselApril 9, 2015 at 2:50 PM

    Realistic Fiction or what others call Contemporary.
    Just seems like a tale of someone's life.

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  13. Michele HelselApril 9, 2015 at 2:50 PM

    Realistic Fiction or what others call Contemporary.
    Just seems like a tale of someone's life.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousApril 9, 2015 at 3:30 PM

    I can't tell.

    I think this could be a Contemporary Fiction (the sneakers & the yacht tell me it takes place at least relatively recently), but this could also be the set-up for a Mystery or Thriller, depending on why the yacht broke down and what happened to its crew.

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  15. KathleeaApril 9, 2015 at 3:42 PM

    Mystery.

    Why is the MC standing and watching for the yacht? I get the feeling she's waiting to find out what happened to the people on board.

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  16. Eisenman SoftwareApril 9, 2015 at 3:59 PM

    Sci-Fi?

    I think that the word 'thrusters' usually describe engines when they have a sci fi connection.

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  17. JAZApril 9, 2015 at 4:22 PM

    Mystery
    She's (presumably a female, though not positive) up early and soaking wet, so not a casual observer. She's wondering if this abandoned yacht is the one she's waiting for. And what happened to those on board? Could be contemporary or historical.

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  18. Bonnie StaringApril 9, 2015 at 4:50 PM

    Mystery
    The abandoned yacht sounds like the clue she's been searching for.

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  19. SussuApril 9, 2015 at 6:43 PM

    MYSTERY,

    They found an abandoned yacht. She is anxious about it. Why? Says it all.

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  20. sbjamesApril 9, 2015 at 7:20 PM

    Abandoned yacht makes me think contemporary mystery.

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  21. LanetteApril 9, 2015 at 7:37 PM

    I don't know

    I keep vacillating between adventure, mystery, and thriller. All we have at this point is an abandoned yacht.

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  22. Heidi StallmanApril 9, 2015 at 10:10 PM

    Contemporary. Mystery? (not sure)

    The mention of sneakers and the way you describe the cutter and the MC make me think this is contemporary. The towed yacht makes me think mystery, although it could also be a thriller/action or mainstream.

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  23. GinaApril 10, 2015 at 1:23 PM

    Mystery. Seems to be contemporary setting due to pony tail and sneakers.

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  24. RickApril 10, 2015 at 2:25 PM

    contemporary.

    Sneakers and on the sea.

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  25. shelleyApril 10, 2015 at 3:25 PM

    Contemporary Adventure/Women's Fiction

    Sneakers and ponytail made me think YA or NA, not Adult for reading level. Definitely some interesting seaside adventure happening here.

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  26. absentmemoryApril 10, 2015 at 6:22 PM

    Contemporary/Mystery

    Abandoned yachts are always mysterious. The sneakers, ponytail, and thrusters clued me into contemporary setting.

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  27. GeeWizApril 10, 2015 at 6:28 PM

    Mystery - I'm going with coast guard cutter...and if true, I'd just say it in the text. Of course, if I'm off-base, and the "cutter" is something else...ooooooo. The empty yacht leads me to believe there is a mystery to solve.

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  28. C. R. BaileyApril 10, 2015 at 10:04 PM

    Mystery. Salvaged yacht.

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  29. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 10:43 PM

    Adventure.

    The MC pays a lot of attention to the ship, almost longingly (out there watching so early in the morning (half-light), and the abandoned yacht being dragged in. Maybe she'll go on a sunken treasure hunt.

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  30. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 11:40 PM

    Mystery

    Not sure why, but I sense something behind the scenes waiting to be revealed

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  31. greta garboApril 11, 2015 at 12:45 PM

    Thanks to Authoress and everyone who participated.
    This is a contemporary mystery. And yes, there will be romance (sub-plot). Since it's a first draft, I appreciate all your comments, especially about things I can fix! One thing I can't easily fix: The story doesn't take place in the US, so I can't refer to the larger ship as a Coast Guard cutter. That would definitely have made things easier!

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