The Power of Nico Catherine
Sixteen-year-old Nico Catherine has always known he has a gift. He can create and destroy things with only his mind, which he’s now using to run away from his foster home.
The only problem is that the person he’s running to—his trusted therapist, Dr. Lee—has just been murdered. Worse, her murderers are tracking Nico too. At least, that’s what NYPD Detective Isaac discovers while looking into the case. Yet while the detective digs deeper, Nico is lured into joining a mysterious, government-affiliated organization. One for people with gifts like his.
To survive, Nico and Detective Isaac will have to rely on their instincts. As their journeys intertwine, both search to uncover their purpose. Yet if Nico can’t harness his abilities, he risks far more than never finding his place. He’ll never learn the dark truth behind the government agency, and what sinister plans they have for him.
Moving back and forth through time, this is a standalone with series potential that will appeal to readers drawn to mystery books with a speculative twist as found in Upgrade by Blake Crouch and Dissolution by Nicholas Binge as well as readers who love a teen protagonist—and friends—using supernatural powers against sinister and oppressive government agents as seen in Stranger Things. I am an entertainment attorney working in Los Angeles with a background in stand up and improv comedy. With years of personal and professional storytelling experience, I bring a passion for and knowledge of the entertainment landscape.
This manuscript was shortlisted for the 2024 Unleash Creatives Work-in-Progress Prize. For more information on the novel, you can reach Clint at clinthannahlopez@gmail.com.
Folding a Fitted Sheet
When Tim Hammer is fired from his bland corporate job in New York, he feels it’s finally time to break out of his familiar routine and do something totally new. Fortunately for him, he quickly learns about a potential new species of lizard in Alabama. The best part of all is the person who confirms this gets to name the whole species. While Tim might never be mistaken for Jacque Cousteau or Neil Armstrong, he sees this as his chance to help the world. With the help of his best friend Terry, Tim makes the trek to Alabama to try to bathe in scientific glory.
Tim and Terry put up with a lot on their quest including some poorly baked pot brownies, talkative plane passengers, a hurtful teenager or two, a one-night stand ending in an unexpected way, an absurd but small car crash, and an accidental stabbing. Everything will be worth it if they can only find that lizard. At a minimum, they’ll learn that life is sort of like folding a fitted sheet—something that no one knows how to do correctly.
This book is perfect for fans of the humorous observations on modern adulthood from either Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe or I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue.