With the editing nearly finished on the new – still untitled – book, I thought I’d share another snippet with you. This is the opening scene, and I’m kind of curious about the reactions I’ll get.
One more quick note here. No matter what I do, the only way WordPress will let me keep the indentations is if I double space between paragraphs and the dialog. Apparently the program isn’t fond of normal formatting…
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Chapter 1
“Ouch. Ouch! Stop pushing so hard, it hurts.”
“Just hold still for a minute, okay? I’ll get it in.”
“No. Jake, stop! I told you, it’s not going to fit.” Wendy Burkett winced, her fingers curling in on themselves as the sharp pain intensified.
“It’s almost there, just hold your breath or something,” Jake muttered, totally focused on the agony he was putting her through.
“You’re the one who wanted me to do this, remember? I’m just going to shove-”
“No,” she hissed, shooting up from the chair like a rocket off the launch pad at NASA. “I’ve changed my mind. It’s not worth it.
Cupping her hand around her earlobe, she could feel the earring. It was sticking partway through the nearly closed piercing.
With a slow steadying breath, she yanked it out, then threw the flashing spider on the tabletop.
‘It’ was the big pre-Halloween event taking place downtown this evening. Jake Evans had already changed into his costume and she tried to ignore the fact that he was the sexiest Dracula she’d ever laid eyes on.
Most all of the downtown business owners would be dressing up too, doing their part to make the parade, followed by trick-or-treating at the stores of participating merchants, as much fun as possible for the kids.
Wendy had been adding the finishing touches that would transform her into the Bride of Frankenstein when he’d let himself in the backdoor – and she’d enlisted his help with the earrings.
“How long has it been since you wore a pair?” Jake was asking, settling down in one of the four chairs surrounding the round oak table in one corner of her small kitchen.
“I couldn’t even begin to tell you. Too long, obviously.” She sat across from him, rubbing her ear. It still smarted, like he’d tried to pierce it in slow motion – with a carpet needle.
“What are you handing out?”
“Raisins.”
“Seriously?” His eyes mere slits in his head, Jake glared at her, his lips turned down in a disgusted scowl. “All the little ghosts and goblins are going to hate you, you know. You’ll get to work tomorrow and find obscenities painted all over your windows, if you have any windows left to paint.” Wendy couldn’t keep up the charade and laughed.
“Fun size chocolate bars, you goof. Do you really think I want graffiti all over my storefront? Every year I say raisins, and every year you believe me.”
“Maybe I’m just humoring you.”
“Are you?”
“No,” he said, glancing away when the grin spreading across his face started to resemble the one on the jack-o’-lantern sitting on her front porch. When he looked back, he was still smiling. “I just know you, and you get on these health food kicks often enough I’m never sure when you’re going to try to foist that garb- That stuff off on poor unsuspecting kids. Or best friends.”
“Oh… Now I get it. You’re planning to raid my leftovers.”
“Of course. And I have to say if all you had was a bowlful of raisins, I’d be very disappointed.”
Let me know what you thought of the scene in the comments below. Were you expecting a different outcome? You should know me well enough by now to know I write PG-13 rated books … at the worst. 😀
Hehehe! I always love when something totally clean lines up perfectly with the totally naughty. Your excerpt definitely had a fun playfulness to it. They can’t stay best friends forever, right? I want more.
LOL…I try to behave…mostly. But when an idea like that comes I mind, I just have to run with it. That opening was a lot of fun to write. 😀
It’s supposed to be out on the 27th, but… I have never had this much trouble with a book. I think it’s because I did the whole ‘just vomit the words out.’ Read that last part like Bruce Willis says here…
http://youtu.be/dMQdqO4RV3w
I vomited them all out during the first twelve days of the 2012 NaNoWriMo. Never again. Like icky, real vomit, it’s too hard to clean up.
And no. They can’t stay friends forever. 😀
Hrm. Now I can’t decide if word vomit is better or worse than diarrhea of the mouth. 😉
I vote a tie. Although until I actually get this book finished, vomit is still a little ahead of diarrhea…and not in a good way. LOL…my ‘regular’ first drafts are like highly polished, award winning literary fiction compared to this mess.
I love it but then again I love everything you write….can’t wait for it……hugs!
Thanks, Kathy. Not too much longer. The release is scheduled for May 31st, but it may not take that long. 🙂
Love it I know it wasn’t going to go where we thought it was but still love it
Thanks, Holly. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂