You may have 8 I's!

--- i- a --- a ---a-- -oo- a-- -ai----- -a-?
I -o-- --o- --- I -o --o- i- i- a -o-e --a- -i-- -o- -ai-.

*BaSim* - A(9) = 18
Fuzzy317 - O(8) = 16
Rottie - E(1) = 2
dogncatluvr - I(8) = 16

Letters left to choose from
B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T U V W X Y Z