‘Fearless’ aims for teen reader

FEARLESS, by Francine Pascal, Pocket Pulse, New York, 1999, 199 pages, paperback, $5.99.

“I am powerful. I am graceful. I am angry. I am pure. I am raw. I am alone. I am just like you. But, I’m not. I’m FEARLESS.”

That’s what it says on the back cover of “Fearless,” the first book in a new series aimed at the teen market. Written by Francine Pascal, the author of the successful “Sweet Valley High” series, “Fearless” features Gaia (pronounced guy-uh) Moore as its heroine.

The 17-year-old has a black belt in karate, possesses the skills of a precision markswoman, exhibits the reflex speed of an Olympic athlete and carries around an attitude the size of Mount Olympus. Even though Gaia appears to be a perfect physical specimen, she was born without the ability to feel fear. So, of course, she is in constant peril.

Danger lurks for her everywhere — on the streets and in the parks of New York City, in the halls of the school she must attend, even in the home where she is forced to live. This is because Gaia’s mother was murdered and her father, a covert anti-terrorist mastermind, is in hiding. The teen-ager is constantly being moved from one family to another for her own safety.

“Fearless” is the first book for Pocket Pulse, part of Pocket Books, which is a division of Simon & Schuster, the publishing operation of Viacom Inc. “Fearless” was released in October. “Sam,” the second book in the 12-volume series, hit the shelves in November and “Twisted” was released last week.

Gaia is a multimedia girl of the late ’90s. She didn’t just debut on the printed page. She has her own Web site complete the obligatory bulletin board and chat room. The site also allows visitors access to Gaia’s laptop computer, where her e-mail, diary and poetry can be read. And, it has photographs; lots of photographs of a real girl, who is identified as Gaia.

A 16-page color magazine with the photos and the back story detailing Gaia’s life up to the that time “Fearless,” the book, begins was offered free through the Web site in October. Bi-monthly promotions also are part of the marketing plan for the series. The first one offered a $500 shopping spree on alloy.com, described the “Fearless” Web site as “providing community, content and commerce to Generation Y, the 56 million boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 24.”

Other Pocket Pulse titles include tie-ins with TV shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Angel,” according to Nancy Pines, vice president and publisher of books for young readers at Pocket Books. Pocket Pulse also will launch a mystery series by Christopher Golden. The lead character will be a female college freshman who works at a forensics lab. She will be introduced next year in “Body of Evidence.”

That sounds a bit like author Patricia Cornwall’s heroine’s little sister. The best-selling author even used that title for one of her mysteries featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. Gaia could also pass as the American cousin of the heroine of the French film, “La Femme Nikita.”

Pines said that although Columbia Tri Star Television and Storyline Entertainment purchased the rights to Gaia before Pocket Pulse did, the series will not begin airing until sometime next year. She said the Web site was designed to be a fun and interesting marketing tool. And, that is the multimedia nature of publishing today, particularly when it comes to reaching hip, media-savvy teens who grew up not just on the “Star Wars” videos, but with the books, toys, mugs, plates, sneakers and T-shirts as well. Gaia without a Web site is like a Luke Skywalker without a light saber.

Gaia is a perfect heroine for the target market — girls aged 14-19. She is an outsider. She longs for a boyfriend. She is socially awkward and often says the wrong thing. She tells her innermost secrets only to her diary. They are feelings and actions familiar to many teen-age girls.

Yet, Gaia is physically perfect, able to defend herself and others without ever being afraid. She is blond, smart and very, very cool. She also has no parents in her life to answer to. These are qualities and circumstances every teen-ager longs for.

Gaia’s story unfolds episodically — to know exactly what happened to her mother, readers have to buy the next book. To learn why her only friend Ed is in a wheelchair, the curious must buy the one after that. To see whether the illusive Sam will leave the popular, perfect Heather for Gaia’s arms, fans must keep buying and reading.

According to readers who have posted opinions on the “Fearless” message board, Gaia is a hit.

“Gaia has the perfect attitude to survive high school,” wrote Fiona on Nov. 29. Staci went further in her Nov. 10 posting: “I thought `Fearless’ was a great book. It was so real and so true to life. It kept me on the edge of my seat and when I got done reading, it kept me thinking.”

Books teens like to read that get them thinking and communicating about their lives. That sounds like a combination even the parents of teen-age girls could get behind, as long as the elders feign indifference.

Gaia and her friends can be found in the Fearless Zone at www.alloy.com/fearless.