Excerpt + Giveaway: The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Welcome to my stop on the tour! I've got an excerpt I picked out myself, so I hope you enjoy! Also, there's a giveaway at the end!

Synopsis:

With her weak eyes and useless lungs that often leave her gasping for air, Nere feels more at home swimming with the dolphins her mother studies than she does hanging out with her classmates. Nere has never understood why she is so much more comfortable and confident in the water than on land until the day she learns the shocking truth—she is one of a group of kids who have been genetically altered to survive in the ocean. These products of the "Neptune Project" are supposed to build a better future under the waves, safe from the terrible famines and wars and that rock the surface world.
But there are some big challenges ahead of her: no one ever asked Nere if she wanted to be part of a science experiment; the other Neptune kids aren't exactly the friendliest bunch, and in order to reach the safe haven of the new Neptune colony, Nere and her fellow mutates must swim across hundreds of miles of dangerous ocean, relying on their wits, their loyal dolphins and one another to evade terrifying undersea creatures and a government that will stop at nothing to capture the Neptune kids ... dead or alive.
Fierce battle and daring escapes abound as Nere and her friend race to safety in this action-packed marine adventure.

Expected Release: May 21st 2013
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Purchase: Amazon

I glance back. Some of the divers are following us, and the tows they're using are faster than any I've seen before! My shoulders and arms begin to burn from the strain of being towed through the water by Helia and Densil, and my fingers cramp from holding onto their dorsals. The rumble of the cutter's engines grows louder and louder until it seems to fill the water all around us. The boat catches up and then keeps pace over our heads. Someone aboard must be tracking us with sonar. I keep seeing odd flashes of light along its black hull.

:They're firing solar rifles into the water, hoping to hit us,: Robry informs me grimly, :but I don't think their solar fire can reach us at this depth. If we split up in the kelp, there's a chance we can lose them.:

:But the Dolphins have to breathe soon,: I remind him.

:I know. I think we're almost there.:

I glance back. I can tell by the brighter glow from their torches that the divers are getting closer.

:We made it!: Robry shouts.

Within moments, we're surrounded by tall, swaying stems. I've never been so happy to see a kelp forest in my life.

:Leave us here, and go breathe,: I tell Densil and Mariah, :but be careful to surface far from that boat.:

Seconds later the dolphins are gone.

:Come on we've got to work our way deeper into this kelp,: Robry tells Lena and me.

We follow him down into the forest, swimming as fast as we can. I'm amazed at how well I can see my way through the dense plants. In the daytime, kelp forests shut out much of the light, and at night they are incredibly dark.

:Stay clear of the fronds,: I warn Lena. :You can't let your seapack get tangled.:

:We need to find a cave or an overhang along the bottom where we can hide from their sonar,: Robry says as he swims swiftly along.

I look back and see a faint flow through the dense kelp fronds. The divers have reached the edge of the forest now.

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About the Author: Polly Holyoke has been imagining stories since she was in fifth grade. When she isn’t writing, Polly loves reading, camping, skiing, scuba diving and hiking in the desert (where she quite stupidly got herself bitten by a rattlesnake). She lives with three rescue dogs, two spoiled cats and a nice husband who is tolerant about the piles of books all over their house. Her debut middlegrade novel, THE NEPTUNE PROJECT, is the story of a young girl leading a group of genetically altered teens fighting to survive in the sea. She is thrilled that this novel will be published by Disney/Hyperion and Puffin Books UK summer, 2013. She thinks the best part about being an author is going to work in her sweatpants and getting paid for daydreaming!

www.pollyholyoke.com | twitter.com/PollyHolyoke