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A collection of snippets of the books I write and, occasionally, my life and the things that inspire my writing...

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday: July 15, 2012




Hello Talented Sixers and lovely readers. I hope you all had a good week.  Six Sentence Sunday is a blog hop with the linky-list at: sixsunday.com/  Each week the participants each post a six sentence snippet of their choosing on their blog.  Readers then offer advice, opinions, encouragement etc. Join us. It's a fun way to connect with other writers.


This week, I am picking up right where I left off  last week's six. The main character, Marissa, is homeless and struggling with the concept of reality. She is making her way along the north side of the  city, hoping to rifle through garbage to find a meal.


"It was a good day; she had a lucky find.  Must have been slow sales and they’d tossed out a dozen over-cooked hot dogs.   No buns, but food was food.

She wished she had the nerve to go inside and grab a couple packets of mustard; just the thought made her mouth water.  But it also made her cringe—thinking about the dark looks she’d get, meant to shame her back out the door."

That's it for now.  Thank you for visiting.  Please, leave me comment--even if it's just a "hello" to let me know you were here. :-) And have a wonderful week, all!

30 comments:

  1. Too many people live this way. Your six makes me sad, which in a way is a good thing.

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    1. Too many do, Kate. I agree. Thanks for giving this a read. :-)

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  2. Instant sympathy for this character. Heart-wrenching but great setup.

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    1. Thank you, Eleri :-) Oh my...finding that line between sympathetic, and pathetic. It can be so tricky. :-) Thanks for giving this a read. :-)

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  3. I completely agree with Eleri. It's heartbreaking to picture that the prospect of a packet of mustard must be like Christmas for Marissa, but she can't go inside just because people are horrible, judgmental bastards. Utterly saddening scenario. So much insight here and wonderful work, Teresa.

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    1. Hey Dana! Thank you so much, dearie. The things we take for granted, huh? I've been digging into the stories behind the local homeless. Heroin is at the root of many in the smaller towns (15,000 or less). Sad. So sad. Thanks for giving it a read. Seventeen pages into the next section of thirty pages, then ready to send. :-)Hugs. :-)

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  4. God, you're breaking my heart, Teresa. Great job walking us along through the desperation with Marissa.

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    1. Thank you so much, Mac. It is always a guess, gauging how much emotion your characters can evoke from readers. One of the reasons I love SSS and my fellow sixers so much. What will we do without it?

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  5. Love that phrase "meant to shame her back to the door." It says it all really. Great six, Teresa.

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    1. Thanks, Kate. I'm glad you picked up on that. Sometimes a simple phrase can speak a whole paragraph's worth of telling. :-)

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  6. That really is very good - and terribly sad. Excellent 6.

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    1. Thank you, Elin! By the way, I do love your name :-)

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  7. Teresa, I'm LOVING this story! You're really inside the head of this character. When can I buy the book?

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    1. Thank you, Sandy! POV is a bear with this story. Doing a major rewrite to correct those issues. And forced to use some artistic license to do it. So far so good with my critique partner. :-)

      I don't know when it will be released. I think I'll self-publish. It is sort of risky and I have no illusions that an agent would be interested in it because of that.

      I don't mean to diss self-pubbing in ANY way. I've read some mighty fine self-pubbed books. Yours and Sandra's is a shining example. :-)

      I'm hoping for mid autumn to get it out there. :-)

      Thanks for giving this a read. :-)

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  8. immediate sympathy, great writing!!

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    1. Thank you, Maryellen. :-) I am so relieved that the readers are sympathizing with her! :-)

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  9. So much reveled about the character and how she lives. Great six! :)

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  10. Hi! Wow, my heart goes out to Marissa. I want to help her! Great 6! Could feel the emotion :)

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    1. Thank you, Karen! :-) Squee! You want to help her. :-)

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  11. Wow. That is some stark, harsh reality there. Great way to make us sympathize right off the bat. Terrific stuff, Teresa!

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  12. Ugh! I hate that we only get 6 sentences! I was so ready to read more. Love your writing. I just want to reach out and invite her for dinner now! Great 6, yet again :)

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    1. Thank you, L.J.! :-) Sympathy--such a wonderful thing. Makes a book worth reading ;-)

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  13. Such a sad, gritty six but touching too. You really made me appreciate what she's feeling. Well done!

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    1. Thanks Mae. Trying to find that balance in emotion. Gritty, sad, but not pathetic. :-)

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  14. Wow, talk about tugging at the heart strings. Great six Teresa!

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  15. So sad, but very realistic. This six makes you feel her desperation.

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