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I was feeling perky after hitting 70k words, so I popped a line to my agent asking whether I should be aiming for 80-90k for the romantic suspense. I've never done one before, but 85k seemed about where I thought I should be headed. Imagine my dismay when she said I should be looking at 100k! A bit more writing yet to do...oy...
Anyway, here are two sentences from Armed and Glamorous, the latest of Ellen Byerrum's Crime of Fashion mysteries. I love these books. They're some of the only truly cozy cozies I read. I chose these two sentences because they reminded me of things my friends and I say to each other.
"You two were on the Stubby Special Ed Bus To Love for so long I was beginning to think you'd never get there. Lord only knows when you'll take the plunge."
My own work is decidedly less than cozy this week.
They had abandoned Nash's main office for the seventh floor, and a room that literally hummed with technology. The low buzz of the computers and the cooling systems didn’t interfere with conversation, but added an urgent undercurrent to everything.
As always, let us know where we can find two sentences you read and/or wrote this week, and we'll list it in the post! The various Women of Mystery put their two bits in the comments, even when our reading and writing is limited to "See Spot run" and "don't forget to pick up ice cream on the way home tonight."
- Pretzel has two sentences from Tami Hoag this week, along with some heart warming--and heart warning--sentences of her own.
- Travis, that tease, has posted the final two sentences of his manuscript in the comments.
- Patti Abbott has two intriguing sentences from her current work in progress in the comments.
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10 comments:
Hi Laura,
This week I read Hell Hole by Chris Grabenstein. Here’s a sample:
“That crime scene investigator. Slominski. He wasn’t wearing gloves”
And that, my friends, is why we call him Slobbinsky.
This week I wrote:
My sister Vera thinks I’m an auto parts salesman, which in a manner of speaking, is true. I rent a three room apartment from her and her slobo husband, Gordie.
Hey folks, I sense a connection between Slominski and Gordie. think they're related?
Terrie
I have added my own two sentences up and the two sentences I read this week.
70K words? Oye! My "Delivery" is only a little over 30K words. I feel minimal now. Hopefully I can get that sucker wrapped up soon because it's like a noose around my neck - ever tightening and waiting for the trap door to drop.
Pretzel -- if we add your 30k to my 70k, we'll be done!
I'm currently writing the super-smutty part of my short, of which many sentences aren't pure PG. Here are two almost innocuous ones-
She sat up and buttoned on his shirt. It would be easier to argue with him seriously when she wasn’t naked.
From my reading of the medieval Welsh Tales, The Mabinogion, translated by Jeffrey Gantz:
The two returned to Dinas Dinlleu, where Lleu Skilful Hand was brought up until he had matured in appearance and reached his full size and growth. Gwydyon noticed that he was growing idle for want of horses and weapons, so he called to him, "Lad, we will go, you and I, on an errand tomorrow, so be more cheerful than you have been."
Terrie- I always like slob stories.
This week Lawrence Block's THE BURGLAR WHO THOUGHT HE WAS BOGART was just what I needed - about a possible wild goose chase he was on:
"You know what it's like? Sex without orgasm. How can you tell when you're supposed to stop?"
This week I wrote (a bit of advice):"Include mistakes on the villain’s part. Throw in lies, bogus clues, red herrings, smoke and mirrors. Pretend to be the villain and use any means possible to avoid getting caught right up to the end of the story. What clues were left behind? What clues were red herrings?"
Write On!
Nan
I'm ashamed to say it but I simply have not been doing any reading, except blogs and agent research.
But I'll drop the last two lines of my recently completed novel Plundered Booty here.
They say good guys never win. They may be right.
No shame, Travis, since a "recently completed novel" deserves a round of applause, or a sideways chicken at least. 3(:<>)3
When the money was tight, Iris stole the things she had to have, improbable things that nobody needed: a crystal ashtray, a doll with a face like Vivian Leigh, a table lighter shaped like a cannon. Most of these items were quickly wrapped in tissue paper and stored in their tiny basement. Eventually she worked out a deal with the corporal's wife next door to use her basement for the overflow. WIP
When she spoke again, she asked, "Do you think you'll stay long?"
"I guess the depends on how long it takes to wear out my welcome."
Dust Devils, James Reasoner.
Cool stuff, Patti! And thanks for joining the fun!
I'll post the last thing I wrote though I need to dust it off:
"You’re half drenched.” His eyes and skin seemed to send out feelers.
From Elizabeth George's "Careless in Red":
"Perhaps the whole of Santo was more than the sum of the parts you saw."
"That would be the dangly bits," Havers muttered.
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