GOLD WINNER: BROKEN SHARDS OF TIME by Nyah Nichol (Young Adult Science Fiction)
“Action! Time machines! Force fields! This story has all the good stuff. The readers who made The Hunger Games and Divergent best sellers will love the action of Broken Shards of Time.
An intricate web of thrilling adventure stories, creating one compelling and exciting journey that will have you wanting more.” – The Jurors
Wren Derecho is the lone survivor of a mysterious accident that took the lives of her parents. As Wren tries to navigate through the pain of grief and loss, she crosses paths with three other individuals and soon realizes that something beyond coincidence has intertwined their lives together. Each of their journeys are marked by immense tragedy, fate, a time machine, and a mysterious power source that seems to be alive
Nyah Nichol was born and raised in Cold Lake, Alberta and attends the local high school. Her hobbies include reading, drawing, and crocheting. She has three younger siblings who can be annoying at times, but sweet and awesome the rest of the time. She has a mom and dad who love her very much and support her in everything she does.
She says, “It has been my dream ever since I can remember to write a novel, and have it published. I’ve always enjoyed writing short stories and essays but had never attempted anything longer until now. One day, I started writing this story intending for it to just be a short story but then it grew and grew. I felt like giving up a few times but the thought that kept me going throughout was, “If I don’t finish it, I can’t read it.” This manuscript was written with my three younger siblings in mind. I wanted to write something that they would enjoy reading one day. In fact, the main character is loosely based on my little sister, Everett. She is strong, intelligent, and brave. My mom and dad helped me edit my novel which basically made it into a family project, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”