Mark & Sheri Dursin
Mythology High
by Mark Dursin
Mac is an epic punk. No wonder: after his dad went off to fight in the Trojan War and never came back, Mac spent his childhood evading his mom’s scumbag suitors—all one hundred-and-eight of them. Of course, he turned out this way—a moody, friendless sixteen-year-old who pulls pranks, blows off work, and alienates everyone at school.
But when he trains a flock of birds to defecate on the headmaster, Mac (short for Telemachus) takes his misanthropy to new lows. The administrators give him an ultimatum: prove that he’s truly the son of Odysseus by doing something heroic—or get out.
And so begins Mythology High, a high school drama that just so happens to take place 3,000 years ago. Gloriously anachronistic, the story recounts Mac’s three-month odyssey as he encounters fantastic beasts, seeks legendary artifacts, and does the two things he never thought possible: meet a girl and make friends.
More than simply a companion piece to Homer’s epic, Mythology High is a novel about friendship and transformation, regret and redemption, with all the adventure, romance, suspense, and heart that both high school teachers and their students can enjoy.
Arielle: What a fun, interesting, original, exciting idea for a book! And this pitch is filled with wonderful writing. I can hear the voice of the book. You start with a bang with possibly my favorite piece of writing from the pitch: Mac is an epic punk (obviously, my emphasis on “epic”, but what a great pun that you only realize when you get to the end). I think only a little bit of tweaking is in order here. And it all revolves around specificity. For example, instead of “fantastic beasts” and “legendary artifacts”, give us a fun and interesting example of each.
David: I really enjoyed this pitch so much. It’s great how you took something that every kid who gets educated in America reads about, the Trojan War, and look at it from a whole new perspective. Reminds me a little bit of what Jeffrey McGuire did, with crazy skill and success, with the Wizard of Oz in Wicked. And I really like the way you wrote this pitch. It makes me think that you can absolutely write a book. I agree, Epic Punk is grand, it smacks of genius to me. And I also think that where the pitch gets generic, it loses my interest. I also noticed and was bothered by “fantastic beasts”. You have set the bar high, and you have an obligation to keep it there. I also think that it’s not just about meeting girls and making friends. Yes, that’s absolutely crucially vitally important to a teenager. But you should also have something about Mac escaping the shadow of his famous dad, and coming to grips with being a man in a world where manhood and heroism count for so much.
E Lehane
March 6, 2012 @ 6:44 am
I’ve always enjoyed historical and mythological stories. This sounds like fun to read. Even though I’m an adult and senior citizen I have enjoyed young adult books for enjoyment. This will be on my list when published.
Nick Aieta
March 6, 2012 @ 9:13 am
Agreed with the comments above – I’m biased in favor of this type of creative anachronism, so the appeal is obvious to me. If only Mark throws in a few more 21st century references too! Good luck!
Elissa McMeniman
March 6, 2012 @ 11:13 am
Great idea that has real potential. Could be similar in theory to the Harry Potter series: use the magical/mystical/mythical world for interest, but enable the reader to relate more directly with the characters by showing that even heroes have to survive adolescence. Good luck!
Rob
March 6, 2012 @ 11:29 am
Go Birdman!
Kirsten
March 6, 2012 @ 5:09 pm
Will most certainly buy when it is published. I really enjoyed the pitch and think my son will love to read it. Wishing you the best in your writing endeavors.
Mark Dursin
March 6, 2012 @ 6:34 pm
Dear Arielle and David:
Thanks to the Book Doctors! Constructive feedback is always the best medicine. We agree with all your comments and will absolutely revise our pitch accordingly.
Just wanted to clarify that, like yourselves, I am part of a duo. My wife Sheri and I wrote this novel together. Someone once said, “I don’t know how you write a novel with another person.” Well, we don’t know any other way. How do you write *without* someone?
admin
March 6, 2012 @ 6:36 pm
Ahh! We’ll go into the post and add Sheri’s name. While we’ve written books by ourselves, we have LOVED the experience of writing together. So glad you guys had a similar experience!
Jamie
March 6, 2012 @ 9:04 pm
I read through all of the pitches carefully (as I would have wanted others to do for me) and I have to say that this was by far the most appealing to me. This sounds like a book I would thoroughly enjoy and I’m hoping it gets published.
To the Book Doctors: Consider this an actual young person COMPLETELY vouching for this pitch (and I also think I speak for the majority of my friends.)
Best of luck!
susan p curnan
March 7, 2012 @ 12:33 pm
mark and sheri dursin have written an epic winner–my kids and our entire extended family love the pitch. my brandeis collegues are also great fans!! good luck, can’t wait till it’s available for all our friends. spc
Mary
March 7, 2012 @ 6:50 pm
Congratulations Mark and Sheri,
You understand high school students. Combining mythology with them is an exciting idea! I can’t wait to read the entire novel!
Steven Joyce
March 8, 2012 @ 8:41 pm
Well my favorite high school teacher can also come up with great ideas! I have been hearing novel pitches every day the past two years and none have come close to such a great and original idea. In just the pitch alone you provide such an understanding of Mac that makes me want to get to know him and look forward to see how he develops throughout the novel. I do agree with David and Arielle’s comments about the second to last paragraph; the beginning and end of this pitch you have a great voice and show originality and you stray away from this here. After trying so hard to keep his mother from remarrying and alienating himself in high school you could tweak that paragraph to indicate how he grew and matured to the point where not only he had the ability to make friends but wanted to.
I look forward to reading this novel and wish you the best of luck!
P.S. I’m taking a class called The Literary Marketplace which is about the publishing world and has taught me a lot about what I have to look forward to. The professor knows a lot about it and has gotten published himself and is very helpful. I was wondering if you would mind me sending him this link.
Sabrina
March 9, 2012 @ 5:17 am
this sounds really good and sounds like I will enjoy it
Justin hodge
March 9, 2012 @ 7:16 am
U got my vote mr d u da man
Shirley Chapman
March 9, 2012 @ 1:26 pm
I cannot wait to have this book published so I can read it with my 12-year-old granddaughter. It sounds like so much fun I am sure we will both love it. What a novel concept (no pun intended).
jane megson
March 10, 2012 @ 6:21 am
Sounds really great!
Michelle DiMeo
March 11, 2012 @ 10:32 am
Can’t wait to see this thing in print!!
Lucy
March 11, 2012 @ 11:03 am
mark and sheri
you guys are doing great
you’re book sounds amazing and I just can’t wait till I can read it.
I really hope you win. But whatever happens, We love you and are proud of you
Congrats
-Lucy
Emma
March 11, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
Great job auntie Sheri and uncle mark. I hope you win because the book sounds awesome. Can’t wait to read the finished product. Love you
~Emma
Eva Lesko Natiello
March 11, 2012 @ 7:25 pm
This is very interesting – great idea.
Mike DiMeo
March 12, 2012 @ 3:19 pm
Good luck!
Danyelle C. Overbo
March 13, 2012 @ 7:36 pm
I love this idea. If I were in a bookstore and saw this on the shelf, I would absolutely buy it. The puns are beautifully integrated into the pitch and I learn enough about the main character to like him already. My favorite part is the description “Gloriously anachronistic.” It says so much with so little, I know it will be a fascinating setting with a quirky modern day twist.
I agree with David about the blend into generic towards the ending. It can be so hard not to try to sum up the story with those general words, you have so much to tell with so few words!, but I can’t wait to read a tighter version with more of the details you use at the front of the pitch. Can’t wait to read your book for that matter!
John McElhenny
March 15, 2012 @ 3:30 am
You had me at “trains a flock of birds.” Interesting, creative, well-written. Yes, please!
Bill Antonitis
March 23, 2012 @ 9:49 am
This looks great! You’ve got my vote, Mr. Dursin!
Shirley Chapman
April 19, 2012 @ 9:48 am
I really want to read this book and share it with my grandchildren. It sounds like great fun.