Bio
I'm a writer who focuses on fantasy, horror and science fiction stories for YA and Adult audiences.
I grew up in Texas and am now living in the NYC metro area with my husband and two children. I am currently pursuing a MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults at The New School.
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When I'm not writing I enjoy exploring new places near and far, reading, going to the theatre, and ghost hunting.
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Novels
The Resurrectionist
If there’s one thing sixteen-year-old Anora knows about, it’s death. After years of assisting the local Death Carrier with burial preparations, she is eager to leave the business of the dead behind her. Tired of sideways glances and whispers from her neighbors, she wants to do something else—anything else—that would bring her acceptance.But when demonic creatures known as the Inhara begin attacking girls in her village, Anora is determined to do whatever she can to stop them. Even if that means condemning herself to work with death magic in the capital.
There, Anora uses her position as an apprentice Death Carrier to search for the man who has been summoning the Inhara into the mortal planes. As she delves into her new role, she must grapple with an onslaught of monsters that prey on departed souls, a rising religious order bent on stamping out the Death Carriers, and disturbing revelations about her own history. To protect herself and those she cares about, Anora will have to master something thought to be long dormant in Pyria: the art of resurrection. If she fails, then no Pyrian—living or dead—will be safe.
THE RESURRECTIONIST is a standalone young adult fantasy novel with series potential that’s
complete at 99,000 words. I believe it would appeal to fans of Melissa Caruso, Margaret Owen
and Garth Nix.
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The Dragon Hunter
When the ship arrives to take bounty hunters to the annual Dragon Hunt, Erina is ready. At sixteen, she’s not a particularly great fighter, nor is she gifted with magic like some of the other huntsmen. What she does have is a knack for strategy, a robust knowledge of botany, and the drive to seek her imprisoned best friend’s release, whatever the personal cost.
The shape-shifting Dragon mage has not proven easy to catch despite the king’s promise to grant any request from the successful hunter. For years, seasoned assassins have traveled to the Dragon’s island home, and few have returned. Those that have say the evil magic of the island itself surpasses that of its master. They speak of demonic creatures, shifting landscapes, and nightmares brought to life.
Erina’s friends warn her that she’s more likely to meet her death than slay the Dragon and win her best friend’s freedom. To find the Dragon and achieve her endgame, Erina will have to use her wits to survive the island and the other hunters while keeping her own secrets close. But in a place where nothing’s what it seems, Erina’s not the only one keeping secrets. As she joins up with the other hunters, she’ll have to learn who to trust and who might be the Dragon in their midst.
The Dragon Hunter is complete at 98,000 words. It was selected and workshopped as part of the 2018 class of Pitch Wars and will appeal to fans of Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina and Stephanie Garber's Caravel.
Carrying the Dead
Seventeen-year-old Jackson “Jax” Davis knows about dead people. Not only does she work part-time in her family’s funeral home, but she also gets the occasional cryptic vision from the great beyond. It’s not easy being a walking Snapchat for the spirits. It’s even harder when there’s a serial killer in town racking up bodies, including Jax’s best friend.
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Jax wants to process the death of her friend and ignore the dead girls who’ve decided to haunt her into questioning her sanity. But when her visions indicate the killings are related to a new girl’s disappearance, Jax feels compelled to get involved. Not just to help the missing girl before it’s too late, but also to atone for her part in the events that led to her friend’s death.
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Now Jax must use her special connection with the dead to discover clues about the murderer’s identity. As she lets down her defenses, she develops a supernatural bond with the victims—and attracts the attention of their killer. If she can’t learn to control her abilities and decipher her visions soon, more people will die...and Jax herself may be one of them.
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Carrying the Dead is a 70,000 word YA paranormal mystery novel that’s a cross between The Sixth Sense and True Detective and would appeal to fans of The Bone Gap and Anna Dressed in Blood.
The Glimmering
Seventeen-year-old Hannah Cahill has spent the last few years counting the days until she can escape her sleepy suburban town. A loner who’s been more focused on getting her black belt than participating in Cranton High’s social scene, Hannah has always felt out of step with her classmates. But normal is safe and normal is good when you have a mother who disappeared shortly after you were born claiming that supernatural beings were going to hunt her—and you—down.
When an encounter at a mysterious party leads Hannah to discover that she is linked to a line of powerful beings known as the Beast-Blooded, her exceptionally mundane life is suddenly a bit too extraordinary for her liking. Now she must work with an assortment of sorcerers, psychics, and shapeshifters that live in the nooks and crannies of our world to try to unravel a conspiracy to harness the power of the Beast and emerge from the shadows. To save her friends and family and survive, Hannah must learn to master her own power and work with others to beat the Beast at his own game.
The Glimmering is a 97,000 word YA contemporary fantasy novel that would appeal to fans of Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater.
Contact
For any inquiries, please contact me at mcchaiwriting [@] gmail.com.
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