"Nyxia"

Scott Reintgen has spent his career as a teacher of English and creative writing in diverse urban communities in North Carolina. The hardest lesson he learned was that inspiration isn’t equally accessible for everyone. So he set out to write a novel for the front-row sleepers and back-row dreamers of his classrooms.

Reintgen applied the Page 69 Test to his latest novel, Nyxia, and reported the following:

From page 69:

It’s only as we head back to our rooms at the end of the day that I realize the real significance of our win: it has me in first place. I remind myself there’s still a long way to go, but as I fall asleep that night, there’s a smile on my face. For the first time, I feel like I belong here, like I actually deserve to go to Eden. I know that when I wake up in the morning, I won’t just be content with the top eight.

I want to win.

To my great delight, Nyxia passes The Page 69 Test.

This brief section highlights what the entire story is about: Emmett’s entrance into an in-space competition that could change his life forever. One big question I wanted to ask in this book was, “What happens when you find your lottery ticket, but other people are reaching for it, too?” And more importantly, “How much of your humanity are you willing to let slip through your fingers in order to go home a king?” In this scene, Emmett’s clearly feeling positive about his chances of succeeding. But that feeling changes. He has highs and lows in the competition. Bones will break. Enemies will be made. And through all of it he will have the choice to fight hard or fight dirty.

There are two important pieces of the novel that are noticeably absent on this page, however: there’s no mention of nyxia, the substance Emmett’s being trained to use and the entire reason for their mission to the alien planet. Finally, we have no mention of the 9 other contestants that have boarded Genesis 11 alongside Emmett. These characters—and their varying friendships with Emmett—act as a strong centerpiece for the entire novel.

Still, I could read this excerpt and give someone the general idea of what’s happening in the story. So let’s call Nyxia a Page 69 Test success.

Visit Scott Reintgen's website.

--Marshal Zeringue