Author of The Last Will of Moira Leahy, co-founder of Writer Unboxed, and all-round total sweetie, Therese Walsh, recently threw down a gauntlet. The challenge?
1. Go to the 77th page of your work-in-progress or latest book.
2. Count down 7 lines.
3. Copy the 7 sentences that follow, and post them.
4. Tag 7 other writers.
Big news here, peeps. I’m cheating and providing ten sentences. (Otherwise you get no sense of the tone.)
This is in the point of view of my hero after a rebuff by the heroine. He isn’t thinking with his big head, poor guy:
Sebastien’s smile broadened. Well wasn’t this just cozy? Looked like the two of them were going to be best buddies today. “So back to Stewie–the genius. He sees you leave and he asks me, ‘Who’s that lady and why is she running from you like that?’” Sebastien turned his head to regard her. “He’s going to be in pre-law in the fall, did I tell you? He really is brilliant.”
“So I hear,” she said dryly. “Is there a point to this conversation, other than your touching personal testimony about a fellow rube?”
Do not feel obliged to play along, but I’m tagging the following people to continue the meme. You’ll notice I’ve chosen an eclectic mix of people from different worlds because… Well, it’s fun:
LATE EDITION: I wasn’t clear in my instructions, and I’m probably doing it “wrong” anyway, but you’re welcome to post your lines below OR on your own blog, where you can link and tag your seven next victims. Also, if you’re here and I haven’t tagged you, but want to play along, please DO post your entry below. We might as well have a party while we’re at it. 🙂
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“Ha!” I rise to my feet and mime-clap a standing ovation. “You know, we should go on the road. You could do your jokes, I could do mime, and the humorless lady we call Julia, she could be our agent.” I pause and glance at the door. “Really, where is she? I thought she would have duct taped herself to you.”
Henry gives another happy shrug. “She went to work. Something about a meeting for her tenure review? Which is good . . . she’ll be focusing on getting tenure. Otherwise, you know she’d be shoving theory books down my throat.” He raises his left arm a little, though it still looks more like a boiled hot dog than an arm. “Even with this arm, you know she’d be pushing me to do theory. But look. I can still hardly move my fingers.”
Said this on FB, but it bears repeating. 🙂
”Boiled hot dog.” *snork* Sarah Reed Callender, there’s that bubbly voice again…
Want to know something funny: When I started reading, I thought you were addressing me. I was prepared to sign up for a comedy act. Now I’m crushingly disappointed.
I need a few more than seven sentences. This is where the man my heroine’s mother trusted to look after her uses his (correct) suspicion that she’s in love with a married man against her.
“Why not lavish your affection on someone who could actually marry you if you found yourself compromised.” He shifted closer and brushed his lips against her neck.
She tensed. “What are you doing?”
“You admired me once.”
“Of course I did. I was fourteen and you paid attention.”
“Kiss me back and I’ll burn the letter.” He ran his hand up her arm.
She turned away.
“At least I’m not old enough to be your father.”
“He’ll protect me like one when he hears of this.”
“No, he’ll throw one of his legendary temper tantrums. The entire village would believe you’re his whore by morning.”
It does read like a romance, Kim! I’m infecting you. 😉
Lovely. Definitely has microtension, too.
Oooo, I like Kim’s. I thought I’d take a look at my rough draft and my excerpt is so boring! I’m introducing a character and the scene is a bake sale. (her internal dialogue is in italics but it doesn’t show here)
He stood so tall that Kay had to lift her chin high just to see his face. Wow, this guy has to be at least 6’4” or 5”; I bet he’s the new basketball coach. “I haven’t seen you around here before; I bet you’re the new coach.” Inside her head she groaned, Now who’s making dumb observations?
He paid Mrs. McD for three dozen cookies, and a pie. “I guess this really is a small town. Yea, I’m the new coach, John London.” He reached out his hand and Kay shook it.
Is this a romance, Valerie? Hee. Haven’t we all been tongue-tied idiots in front of an impressive stranger?
No, it’s not a romance, just wanted to show a funny, realistic moment in the story. I’m horrible around cute guys. 😛
Oh, I loved reading the tidbits from everyone’s WIP. Mine is a novella and doesn’t have 77 pages, so I’ve pulled from page 7 instead. 🙂
“What were you two discussing so secretively?”
Gwen leaned forward, shot a look down the hallway, and lowered her voice. “Randy’s party.”
From the corner of the room, Naomi said, “She lies.”
There were definitely some advantages to having a daughter who was a ghost.
“And the Lost Lake treasure,” Betty added as she set aside her half eaten cinnamon bun and, with a gasp, quickly closed the magazine on the coffee table.
“Double lie. For shame, Grandma.” Naomi swung her legs away from the wall, did a backwards somersault, and landed on her hands and knees. “You would never lie to me like that, would you, Mom?”
Ooh, a ghost, Sheila? This is from the Bandit Creek novella, right? 🙂
Can you tell I’m terribly behind in my reading?)
Now that she’s in the water, all she wants is to be back on the causeway, safe and dry. She should have called for help on her cell phone and waited. At the very least, she should have brought the phone with her. Adults are always complementing Deena on how self-reliant she is, like she has a choice. She’s the kind of girl mothers fight over to hire as a babysitter. They tip her extra and buy her favorite snacks, they plan date nights with their husbands around her schedule because they know they can depend on her to keep their children perfectly safe, and if the worst should happen, if an emergency should occur, Deena will handle it. But right now she wishes, just for once, she was the kind of girl who depended on somebody else.
That gave me shivers, Liz. Hurry up and finish it, will you?
This is my whole page 77. It’s the flyer I created for posting when my father first went missing. The picture probably won’t embed here.
HAVE YOU SEEN OUR DAD?
[Photo is here]
ANTON “TONY” KARABAIC
MISSING SINCE FRIDAY, JUNE 11th
88 years old, 5’ 7”, 135 lbs.
White hair, full white/grey beard, blue eyes
Most likely wearing glasses, hat,
and multiple layers of clothing
He has Parkinson’s Disease and mild dementia.
He loves to walk and can walk very far.
By now he is tired, dehydrated, hungry, and
has not had his medications since Friday morning.
He may be confused and/or agitated.
WE WANT HIM BACK HOME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION,
PLEASE CALL UNION COUNTY POLICE
1-908-851-5000
ckswarriorqueen, is this from a memoir? I hope the story ended on an upnote…
Yes, it’s from a memoir WIP. As to whether it ended well, it depends on how you define “well” in that context. We found him, but he had left this earth for the next world.
I’m so sorry. Sounds like quite a story.
Hee. Thanks for playing, Jan! I enjoyed reading all of the excerpts.
I did too, Therese! Thank you for thinking to include me.
Wow! It is so much fun to read these excerpts. I especially love Sheila’s acrobatic ghost and the emotion and cadence in Liz’s paragraph. Makes me want to read more!
A talented crew, aren’t they? Thanks for stopping by, Lisa. Hope things are well with you.