Monday 22 February 2010

An excerpt ... (indulge me, it's my Birthday!)


This is a little piece from the book I'm working on at the moment.  My teenage character has somehow been transported back to 1979 and her mother's house - who is the same age as her.  Here, they're chatting to her mum's Nan....

‘She’s got these hot irons, Nan.’
            ‘Straighteners,’ I tell her. Then worry that this might be too much information and might change the course of history.  Would it?  ‘They’re very big in America,’ I add just to make it seem more believable that Julie has never seen any before.
            ‘Like my curling tongs only flat.’ Julie explains.  ‘And my hair feels really nice – but it’s not very fashionable.  Nothing like Jill Monroe in Charlie’s Angels.’ She swishes her lovely golden mane around her shoulders and I wonder how come she’s so difficult to please?
            ‘Oh yes the girl who’s married to that nice Six Million Dollar Man…,’ her Nan nods.  ‘Now she’s very attractive, Julie, but you really mustn’t go around wanting to be somebody you’re not.  It’s not good for you.  You are who you are and you have to make the most of it – not try to turn yourself into somebody else…’
            ‘I’m not, Nan!’ Julie scowls crossly.  ‘I just like the way she looks – everybody wants to be Farrah Fawcett Majors.  Everybody!’
            ‘I don’t,’ her Nan winks over at me.
            ‘Neither do I,’ I wink back.
            Ah - there’s nothing like bonding with your great grandmother (deceased).

6 comments:

Keris Stainton said...

Love it! And Happy Birthday :)

Debs Riccio said...

Aw thanks Missus!
I'm loving writing it (when I'm not beating myself up about how sh*te it is!) x

Deb said...

Brilliant, Debs, And a huge Happy Birthday to you! If I'd known I would have baked you a cake - okay, so I would have bought it from Sainsburys, but you get the idea! Have you had a good day, honey?

Debs Riccio said...

Aye it's been grand, Debs, thanks - just wish having a Great Birthday didn't always add 12 months to my age and a few more pounds to the midriff that's all!

Lane Mathias said...

So good! I love the details that put pieces in a certain time - like 'Jill Munroe'. Totally forgotten that name:-)

Happy Birthday! Hope it's a brilliant one. x

Debs Riccio said...

Lane, Thanks - and thank G for Google - I couldn't remember her name in it myself - and I'd forgotten how skinny Kate Jackson was (she played Sabrina btw!)