Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

My Year of Living Fearlessly

Based on the popular blog "The Year of Living Fearlessly," My Year of Living Fearlessly, which was published by Gollehon books in 2011, chronicles the author's attempt to regain her sense of adventure and remove the limitations fear had placed on her life by tackling one thing that scares or intimidates her each week for a year.  Whether she's learning to eat fire or getting trapped in bug tornado, the result is a hilarious series of misadventures, heart palpitations, and triumphs that not only remind her of who she is but also what we can accomplish when we stop allowing fear and insecurities to define who we are and dictate what we can and cannot do.

"Casual, irreverent prose-with-attitude is Karlins' strong suit.  She has mastered cadence and knows how to wield a hook--'I'm wearing stolen breast cups' begins her fencing tutorial, and who doesn't want to hear more about that?"
~Kirkus Reviews

Aurora (A Novel)

Inspired by true events, Aurora chronicles the experiences of Arshaluys (Aurora) Mardiganian.  Upon surviving the Armenian genocide, she comes to America in 1917 in search of her only surviving relative.  The story of this sixteen-year-old survivor grabs the attention of a local writer, Harvey Gates, and soon, Aurora finds herself living with him, his wife Eleanor, and his three young children.  Harvey sees the potential for her story to become a bestselling book, so, after taking her in, he forces her to recount every horror she suffered during the genocide.  Harvey’s instincts about Aurora’s story were correct; the book not only becomes a best seller, but it also sparks the interest of a Hollywood producer who wants to turn it into a film on one condition—that Aurora play herself in the movie.  Despite Aurora’s resistance and the fact that she is clearly traumatized, she is forced to relive every excruciating experience for the sake of the movie—being required to film scenes that, among other things, show her being kidnapped, raped, and witnessing the murder of her family.  She survives the filming and ultimately goes on to create a life for herself, but not before suffering virtually every exploitation imaginable.  

Aurora, which began as an award-winning screenplay before being adapted into a novel, is currently available for representation.

IN OTHER WORDS

For centuries, potentially fascinating, dynamic female characters have been underwritten and forced to play supporting roles in classic literature, often existing simply as plot devices to serve their male protagonists. But what if these narratives were re-centered and these women were given their own voices? In Other Words endeavors to answer this question with a short story collection that re-imagines 12 works of classic literature from the perspective of their supporting female characters. It is currently available for representation and/or publication.

Anna James and the Alexander School

For Anna James, the last day of 6th grade starts out like all of the others. She tries, and fails, to blend in, has an unfortunate run-in with a bully, and eats lunch alone in the bathroom. Everything is routine until that afternoon, when her gift for science and robotics catches the attention of a recruiter at the Alexander School for Extraordinary Children.  Three months and several admissions tests later, Anna finds herself studying cutting edge science and technology in a brand new world, one where her school is housed in a secret, underground salt mine, dolphins are standard-issue classroom material, and glow in the dark kittens are prizes for a job well done. The biggest difference for Anna, though, is that here, for the first time in her life, she has friends.   Together, they spend their days tackling all sorts of questions like “How do you build a robo-roach?” and “Can a 4-D printer help us sneak into a party?” and Anna is happier than she ever thought possible. However, when she and her friends find out that their continued enrollment at the Alexander School depends on their ability to complete a dangerous, secret mission, the questions suddenly change. “How exactly does one go about making a glow in the dark kitten?” is replaced by “Am I really good enough to stay here?  And if I am, what will I have to do to prove it?” Anna has always been good with questions and puzzles, but for the first time in her life, she doesn’t know the answer.   Luckily for Anna, no matter what the answers turn out to be, this time, for the first time, she won’t be facing the questions alone.

This book, which is the first in a series and adds a much-needed female protagonist to the middle grades spy-school genre, is currently available for representation,