Stories are light: WiP Sneak Peek

Five Parts Dead

When Tim Pegler (whose 2010 novel Five Parts Dead remains a favourite of mine) tagged me to share 7 lines from page 7 or 77 of my current WiP, I was keen to see what snippet I would find. Little did I know it was really a challenge – a dare to see if I was brave enough.

I should have known it wasn’t going to be as easy as it first sounded. Especially after I read Tim’s post about how when he counted out the lines, he had to wrestle with writerly scruples because he wasn’t happy with what he found there.

The power of the force urging an edit is strong in this one too. But then I decided that although editing never ends - same thing, fifty times over, fifty times better - it’s got to start somewhere.

So I bit the bullet and am baring the lines, as is, bleached bones and all. I am working on two manuscripts.

Here is the YA (page 77):

The mist dissolved and the shadow grew thin ephemeral arms, legs and wings. It perched on the sea wall like a pale goblin.

Rebekah could see it was not a ghost. Ollie was right about that but it wasn’t an illusion either. It was something old and dark, dangerous and uncertain.

“I have to go."

“Will you come back?” it asked.

She knew she shouldn't.

And here is the Middle Grade (page 7)

He sat on his rock as the sun rose and watched the sugar ants counting. Burroc liked to listen to them work. Numbers flew in all directions. The short chubby one was counting children, three others were counting food and one was counting the counters.

“How many?” Burroc asked.

“Shhh,” chorused the ants.

“I lost count,” a little one wailed.

And so to share - I tag the following fabulous writerous types - Richard Newsome (The Billionaire series), Aleesah Darlison (Ash Rover series, Unicorn Riders series) , Alison Reynolds (A Year with Marmalade, A New Friend for Marmalade) and Jackie Hosking (The Croc and the Platypus). I’m looking forward to peeking into their WiPs.