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I've got a gritty sci-fi novel you might be interested in.The Saurath Connection
Sci-fi adventure/mystery
80,000 words
When Matt, a mysterious mercenary is hired to help Tracker (detective) Anika Veyr find a group of missing children stolen from the slums of Vyrnathys, the capitol city of the planet Saurath, they find more than either of them expected. They are aided by Matt's 2000-year-old, non-terrestrial, AI first officer on his ship. As they delve deeper into the investigation, they uncover a conspiracy at the very highest levels of power within the city. And powerful people never like others digging into their secrets.
Mostly, I'm looking for help to make sure I have all of the important plot points down. I've been working on this story for a while so it can be hard for me to keep straight what is written down versus what is still in my head.
BTW, you're DMs are not open to everyone.
My name is Mary and I have a manuscript for a novel called "Mullo". I am looking for beta readers to read and critique it, and I saw your advertisement in a Goodreads "Beta Reader Group". I would describe "Mullo" as historical fiction, horror, romance (LGBT). It goes back and forth between a story that takes place in the past and one that takes place in the present. Here is a blurb I wrote for it:"THEN
In 19th century Romania, death is always just around the corner. Zorya, a Roma healer woman, knows this well. But when a stranger unexpectedly calls on her expertise, she, her husband, and her children, find themselves in a place they were once forbidden from entering. But even as their life becomes more stable and prosperous, it may only take one tragedy for things to fall apart."
"NOW
Nick Alicea isn’t having a bad day. He’s having a bad life. Stuck in a dead-end job, drowning in debt, and haunted by a tragedy from his past, he's struggling. So, when a chance encounter leads to a friendship with Mirza Durvari, a quiet doctor with a mysterious illness, Nick’s life starts to seem a little less bleak. But even as their relationship becomes more intimate, Nick is forced to ask himself: Who is Mirza Durvari?"
The entire manuscript is 125,000 words. Let me know if you are interested in beta reading.
Looking forward to hearing from you..
~Mary
Hello Justin. I emailed you information about the manuscript I'm working on. Thank you very much for your consideration!
JamesI would indeed be very interested in reading and helping you with your story, message me whenever. And yeah, I have to look into my DMs.
And Ms. CI am sorry but I am currently not confident enough in my abilities to critique a manuscript of this size yet. I wish you find good beta readers.
Title: Out of the AshesWord count: 111,730
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Beta Start: 8/19/2025
Beta End: 9/16/2025
Sign-up: https://michaeljsullivan.survey.fm/ou...
Description:
WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER THE WORLD ENDS?
Following the destruction of the capital city of Percepliquis, this question plagued every Imperial citizen, but the choices made by three simple people will change the future forever. One decided she didn’t deserve to die. Another resolved to be the ruler he was meant to be. And the third went in search of a nefarious, wizard called Esrahaddon.
Visit the world of Elan in the last days of the dying Novronian Empire. Witness the destruction and turmoil of a fading dream but stay because there is one last hope that is trying to crawl . . . out of the ashes.
In this debut novel, a devotee of the New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan proves why Michael was wise to trust a complete unknown with his cherished multi-series saga. Through this first book in the After the Fall series, you’ll learn the truth about the day Percepliquis fell and witness the birth of a new literary star.
Hello!1. Title (working title is fine)
Selfish Wishes
2. Genre
Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
3. Word count
89K
4. A short pitch or summary
Rayma has spent her life just getting by as a maid for a mid class family in the Birch District. Better than sleeping on the streets and chasing alley cats in the Raven District, but not by much. Her only secret, a secret she keeps even from her dear brother Peter, is her attendance to the Midnight Market. Orchestrated by Samuel, the Market is a dark event of human sacrifice for a plant. Samuel will grant whatever desire you have in the form of a fruit but only if the sacrifice embodies the wish. When Rayma is finally chosen after years of waiting, her brother's life becomes endangered. A competition to find the most intelligent citizen of the city of Cravens pursues, and she is forced to grow closer to her personal puppeteer, Samuel. He finds her rather useful, and to save her from offering a sacrifice she no longer wants to give, he gives her a proposal; wed one another and overthrow Samuel's personal enemy Aryla, a member of the Triad who rules the city, or live with blood on her hands. Righting wrongs goes south when she's promised a life beyond her wildest dreams, and by trying to redeem herself, she finds her selfish wishes overtake her once more. Promises of life in the Palace and wealth she thought impossible, Rayma gets entangled with the city’s socialites, Cravens’ politics, and Samuel’s scheming ways. Rayma’s efforts to free herself of shame leads only to a heartbreaking future.
5. Any specific feedback you’re looking for
I've already paid a beta reader for in depths so just general opinions would be amazing!
Hello Justin,I would love to take you up on your offer for beta-reading services.
Following is the information you requested:
1. Title (working title is fine): Lucid
2. Genre: thriller with a scifi bent
3. Word count: ~50K
4. A short pitch or summary
When reality isn’t enough…
Lucid Nightscapes, Inc. has introduced the most immersive entertainment experience in history: lucid dreaming. Clients pick the time and place—a space station, medieval Europe, or a war tournament—and Lucid create dreamscapes impossible to discern from reality.
But some dreams come at a price…
A secret CIA program to track terrorists in the dreamscape has been somehow disabled, and the deaths of lucid dreamers are starting to pile up. To save the company from ruin, CEO Any Crenshaw reaches out to government contacts for help.
Assigned to the case, NSA special agents Alton and Mallory Blackwell fight to untangle the truth from the twisted realities of Lucid’s imaginary worlds…while being plunged into dreamscapes depicting horrific events from their past.
Can the husband-and-wife investigators uncover the truth before perishing in the dreamscape themselves?
5. Any specific feedback you’re looking for: just the usual benefits: your feedback on pacing, characterization, etc.
I hope to hear from you! If you're interested, my email is steve.freeman7@gmail.com
I've completed a clean romance novel set in Sydney 2017 during an exciting period. Same Sex Vote, #MeToo movement, and the 2 FMCs are entangled in much of this in the background.Title: Rewrite the Stars
Genre: Romance
Word Length: 88,000
It's a little over your 80K mark, but it's a light read and I suspect some scenes can be culled.
What I'm looking for: Backdrop description where it's needed, are there any spots where the story lags (scenes that could get trimmed). Is the overall romance story engaging?
Pitch: Fresh off a painful divorce, bookkeeper and dance teacher Curie Anne Hayes must navigate life as a single middle-aged woman. Moving into Sydney’s CBD offers her a thrilling new start—nights out with her students, rediscovering her independence, and the possibility of becoming the woman she once was. But her heart betrays her with a dangerous new crush: Cam, a charming player who seems unexpectedly eager to be her friend.
As their friendship deepens, she must decide whether to guard her heart or risk it on something real.
I am very happy to beta read your works / drafts and provide developmental feedback in return. Rough drafts are not a problem.
I can be reached at milithesbahillet@gmail.com
If you’d like a fresh set of eyes on your work, I’d love to help.
From the point I'm writing this, i may take a while to respond tomorrow as i will be out the whole day so, sorry if i take a while to respond.
What I Offer:
Reader’s perspective: Honest reactions to pacing, characters, and emotional beats.
Big-picture feedback: Notes on clarity, consistency, and flow.
Highlighting strengths: What’s working well and should be kept.
Gentle but honest critique: Focused on helping your story be the best version of itself.
What I Don’t Offer (yet):
Full copyediting or proofreading.
Extreme rush jobs (I’ll keep deadlines reasonable).
Genres I’m most comfortable with:
[fantasy, romance, slice-of-life, horror, science fiction.]
Turnaround Time:
For novels (up to ~80k words): about 3–5 weeks. But could be faster if I'm felling like it.
Format:
Google Docs (comments), Word (track changes), or a written feedback report — your choice.
If you’re interested, please send me:
1. Title (working title is fine)
2. Genre
3. Word count
4. A short pitch or summary
5. Any specific feedback you’re looking for
I’m keeping this free for now while I build my portfolio, also, slots are limited because i don't feel so confident yet.
Message me at: justinhelly91@gmail.com
Thanks for reading, and happy writing!