Monday, May 25, 2009

A sneak preview, just for you

I don't usually share snippets of my writing. This is because I want to encourage the rest of you, not cause you to throw your pencils down and yell, "WHY? Why in the name of Laurie Halse Anderson do I continue to write at all when I will never compare with the literary genius of Jacqui?!"

But, as a special reward, to thank you for all your help with The Tale of Ant, here is a sneak preview for you lucky loyal readers.*

I present to you, in exciting blue font, the end of chapter 8 and the beginning of chapter 9, as they appeared in submission to my critique group** last week:

...
“You know what that is?” Devra asks.
“Part of a phone number?” Ant guesses.
“Possibly. But it’s also our first real clue.”
Ant opens his mouth to say something clever, but he never gets it out.
(Dear critique group, what does Ant see? I am at a loss. Think of something, please.)

Chapter 9
(Critique group, this is where they will quickly resolve the issue you made up from last chapter)
They sit at the teacher’s lounge table with the scribbled numbers and the pastries between them. Or rather, Devra sits. Ant starts in a chair, but soon takes his pastry on the move...

Are you breathless at my brilliance?
Sigh.

* both of you
** bless their patient, tolerant souls

9 comments:

Marina said...

Jacqui -- you should have said you were writing Choose Your Own Adventure! It all becomes clear ...

Jacqui said...

Marina, you're a genius. I will just put "A Choose Your Own Adventure Story" as a subtitle and send it off to my agent!

C.R. Evers said...

LOL! In the name of LHA, I shall never compare!!!

And yes, I was left so breathless that I turned the color of your font.

Good stuff Jacqui! As always!

J. Thorp said...

Used to love Choose Your Own Adventure books ... those, and Encylopedia Brown. Devoured them.

Jacqui said...

Christy, I'm glad I could make you blue!

Thorp, me too. Loved E.B. I just tried to get Tink into the CYOA. No interest. Oh well.

Stephanie J. Blake said...

Yes, your genius is stunning. So much so that I forgot how to spell genius just then.

Corey Schwartz said...

I would comment, but I am too busy throwing my pencils down! :)

Jacqui said...

CW and Corey, I promise, when the whole thing is actually written it will not have large "fill in yourself" gaps. Maybe.

Mary Witzl said...

I've wrecked a couple of pencils over this too -- and I have to use them today for marking tests. Sigh.

You may still be stuck, but you made me laugh. And that's a tall order when I consider all those tests waiting for me.