5 November 2011

Sweet Saturday Samples

Thank you to everyone who visits every week and to those joining us all this week. Click here-> Sweet Saturday Samples to enjoy many other fabulous excerpts.

This month I am offering excerpts from a published short story Thanks Given, using a British heroine's take on Thanksgiving.  I am also going to post the next six sentences tomorrow for SSS then continue on from there next week.  

The rain slapped against the windscreen, challenging the wipers to clear the glass long enough for Alex to see her way forward. "The plane trip from hell" didn’t begin to describe her flight from Heathrow to the States, and now this. She’d checked her map and turned off the highway onto what amounted to little more than a dirt track. One that emulated a trampoline, throwing what the man behind the counter of the hire firm called, ‘a neat little European compact, ideal for a lady’, all over the rutted surface. Surely her journey could only improve.

Apparently not.

The raging storm muffled the bang when the front tire blew. The steering wheel jerked to her right, hurling the car into the centre of the road, confirming the worst. The air inside the vehicle turned blue as she grappled to control the car.

Thank God Americans drove on the wrong side of the road. In this case a deserted road. Instinctively she brought the car to a slithering halt and tried to release her fear-locked fingers from the steering wheel. Failing, she gave up and rested her forehead on them instead waiting for the shaking to stop. The curtain of rain and falling dusk masked her surroundings. No way would oncoming traffic see her vehicle slewed across the road until it was too late. She had to move it. How much room did she have? She didn’t fancy ending up in either ditches edging the road. O.K. She’d have to get out and check, but first, she’d ring her brother-on-law, Luke Marino, so he and her nieces wouldn’t worry. He once judged her on her modeling career. Shallow, frivolous and a useless specimen of humanity, so this latest calamity would only add to his conviction. And yet…

~ ~ ~

In the meantime I am doing a complete rewrite of my Wolfman story, so perhaps I will have something more from it for you all next month.

22 comments:

Elaine Cantrell said...

Love your description.

Cecilia Robert said...

Hi, New follower here. I enjoyed reading your excerpt. mmm wonder what happens next.

Rachel Rossano said...

Agree with Elaine, I love the description. :)

sue said...

windscreen, challenging the wipers - good use of that word - I never would have thunk it - yeah I have to do a rewrite too - will it never end? see you tomorrow

Patricia Kiyono said...

You paint a vivid picture of the storm. Your voice is definitely more British in this piece! Part of it is the UK spelling (centre vs center) and the phrasing (hire firm vs rental company and "ringing" her brother-in-law" rather than calling him) but I could almost hear someone like Julie Andrews or Helen Mirren narrating this! Nice work!

Miss Pickles (alias Sandra Allen) said...

I felt her fear in the raging storm! Great job!

Marsha Ward said...

Awesome job of putting us in the moment. Alex was driving on the left side of that "dirt track," it appears.

Anonymous said...

Needless to say, I'll be here tomorrow for SSS. LOL! I love the description of the storm and the vivid portrayal of the whole excerpt.

Jenna said...

Loved the description of the storm and how her brother-in-law perceives her. Bet he's dead wrong! Great sample!

diannehartsock said...

I'm curious about what's up with the brother-in-law. Your description of the storm was wonderful. I don't like driving in the rain and could really sympathize with her. Nice!

Here's my SS: http://diannehartsocksalex.wordpress.com/sweet-saturday-samples-2/

Anonymous said...

OMG I've read this story! Haha! It's an awesome short, one I read more than once when I first got it! Great sample!

Sherry Gloag said...

Thanks Elaine :-)

Sherry Gloag said...

Welcome cece, and thanks for your company and comment.

Sherry Gloag said...

Thanks Rachel. :-)

Sherry Gloag said...

:-) Sue, thanks for your comapny.

Sherry Gloag said...

Oh my Patricia Kiyono - if only, what wonderful people both those ladies are. I'm so glad the tone came across, I hope you say the same later, when I try using the head of the American voice

Sherry Gloag said...

Glad her emotion came over for you Mis Pickles/Sandra. Thanks for your comment.

Sherry Gloag said...

LOL, Marsha, thanks for coming by.

Sherry Gloag said...

Thanks, Sarah, see you tomorrow ;-)

Sherry Gloag said...

Of course he's wrong Jenna! Thanks for coming by.

Sherry Gloag said...

Thanks for your company Dianne. I remember driving through asnow storm to pick my sister up from Edinburgh airport, and drew on those memories for this.

Sherry Gloag said...

Wow! Mirriam, thank you for such an accolade, I can only say how pleased I am you enjoyed it so much - and said so here! rofl!