Today is #sixsunday where writers share six sentences from their work. I’ll share a snippet from my time-travel romance WIP tentatively titled Must Love Breeches.
Here’s my new pitch/logline: When a modern girl finds herself stranded in 1834 London, she must find a way home while navigating the pitfalls of London society, resisting her attraction to a hunky lord, and ultimately having to decide when her true home lies. (You can see the other entries here.)
Here we meet Lady Byron (Lord Byron‘s widow) and it’s just been announced that Lord Montagu has arrived to visit. Ada is her daughter (the future Ada Lovelace). The heroine (whose POV we are in) has had it with Lady Byron’s passive aggressiveness:
Lady Byron continued, “So kind of [Lord Montagu] to be solicitous, but then he should be since I am a close relation after all and one cannot be too solicitous when it comes to family. Is that not so, Ada? No, not at all.”
Good Lord. She wished Lady Byron’s embroidery needle would slip out of her fingers, whip around and stab the back of her hand. The woman was unbearable.
I want to thank all the commenters last week who helped me get my six sentences into a good rhythm. The comments were extremely helpful and enlightening and as some said, it was a good lesson in writing. Thank you!
To see snippets from others who are participating or to sign up yourself, visit here. And this week’s other time travel snippets are: Ginger Simpson.
Thank you to everyone who comes by and comments each week! Have a great Sunday!
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Gayle Ramage
/ January 29, 2012Heck, I think I’d travel back in time myself just to stab her with the needle, lol! Great snippet!
Stephanie
/ January 29, 2012Heh, I see a little of Lady Catherine De Bourgh in Lady Byron.
angela quarles
/ January 29, 2012Actually I think she was worse than Lady Catherine, lol, and she really existed. Ever since I started my research on Ada I’ve felt sorry for her for having such a mother.
Zee Monodee
/ January 29, 2012Lol, pompous isn’t she?
angela quarles
/ January 29, 2012Skye Warren
/ January 29, 2012Hah, nice. No, I can’t say that I agree with the woman either.
Kate Meader
/ January 29, 2012What a piece of work! And I love how she answers her own question.
Ruthie
/ January 29, 2012Ha! Fun six. And “MUST LOVE BREECHES” — that’s new, isn’t it? I love it.
angela quarles
/ January 29, 2012Thanks! Yep, that’s the new working title, am trying it out for a bit to see how it sticks. And that’s a new pitch/logline…
Krystal Wade
/ January 29, 2012You switch between the “old speak” and newer aged character so well. Well done.
Liz Crowe
/ January 29, 2012a very well written six.
K.E. Saxon
/ January 29, 2012Oh, Angela! That’s just prime! I absolutely adore your heroine. Great six!
Carmen DeSousa
/ January 29, 2012I like this woman already.
Jean Davis
/ January 29, 2012She sounds like she needs a good needle stabbing. An entertaining glimpse into your heroine’s thoughts.
veronicascott
/ January 29, 2012Liked this very much, the heroine has spirit. Really get the flavor of what a bore Lady Byron can be! Terrific excerpt.
Kate Warren
/ January 29, 2012Love the working title! For some reason I expected to read that the needle should stab Lady Byron in the back of her head. Maybe I’m just not as nice as your MC (whose name escapes me at the moment, I blame the cold medicine, though I completely remember Lord Hotstuff’s name).
Cara Bristol
/ January 29, 2012Such creative thoughts of irritation. Nicely done.
Jasmine
/ January 29, 2012I really love the humour in your snippets.
sue
/ January 29, 2012I like all the activity with the needle – that power would be fun if she could do that
angela quarles
/ January 29, 2012wouldn’t it? Alas, she has no such powers… the time travel part is the only paranormal activity
Karysa Faire
/ January 29, 2012Good Lord! What a great snippet. I’d wish for the needle-stabbing, too!
angela quarles
/ January 29, 2012Thank you! I just really do not like Lady Byron, can you tell?
sueannbowlingauthor
/ January 29, 2012Pompous is right–but it gives us a glimpse into her rather stiffling times, too.
Steven Montano
/ January 29, 2012Nicely written! I like her spunk!
Patricia Green
/ January 29, 2012I suspect we’ve all wanted to see a snot get poked by a needle a time or two. Good snippet!
Amy Durham
/ January 29, 2012Very nice six! Love the humor!
Melynda Price
/ January 29, 2012LOL! That’s funny, I can just picture it
Gemma Parkes
/ January 29, 2012Well written, l love the wicked, silent idea, about the needle slipping!
jennajaxon
/ January 29, 2012If the needle slipped we could hope for tetanus to finish Lady Byron off! LOL But we do need our nasty characters to give our stories color. She’s drawn very well in just these few lines. Great six.
Cherie Marks
/ January 29, 2012Mmm…hmm. Some people can be so frustrating. I like where the heroine is going with the embroidery needle. Great six!
Ryan
/ January 29, 2012This is great fun, Angela. Your characters are sincere and amusing, and the flow is just right. Great scene setting, too.
Ginger Simpson
/ January 29, 2012Thanks for the chuckle. How often have we thought such things when someone is such a boor? Love it. Can’t wait for more. Oh, I made a rhyme.
themadwarlock
/ January 29, 2012I love this six, you picked up the internal anger so well.
sarahballance
/ January 29, 2012OMG, this is hilarious! Fab six!
Carly Fall
/ January 29, 2012I’ve felt that way about a couple of people! Nice six, Angela!
Sadie Hart
/ January 29, 2012-rolls- I’m surprised she’s not wishing for the needle to aim for the eyes. She’s got more patience than me.
And, I *love* the title! Must Love Breeches? Awesome!!!
Vivien Dean
/ January 29, 2012Ha, and how many of us have wished for that exact same type of skill? Great six!
DeAnna Felthauser
/ January 29, 2012LOL! Great six! I’ve wanted a few people stabbed with a needle before too, so I can empathize with her!
Lynne Murray
/ January 29, 2012We definitely know what to think about Lady Byron–and she was a real person, such thoughts must often have occurred to those unfortunate enough to spend time with her. Not fun for them, but fun for us to read!
Jean Marie Ward
/ January 29, 2012Ooh, intriguing cast! Byron was hardly the most constant of men, but there was a good reason he was never home much. As you say, poor Ada.
E.D. Walker
/ January 29, 2012The embroidery needle thing sounds good to me!
Monica Enderle Pierce
/ January 29, 2012Love your character’s fire. I think she’s gonna need plenty of it to cope with that old crone.
Jennifer Lowery~Author
/ January 30, 2012LOL! Fantastic six! Thanks for sharing!
Siobhan Muir
/ January 30, 2012I admit I was expecting the MC to do something a little more outrageous, but that wouldn’t have been in keeping with the times. Fun six, Angela.
rebeccahartwriting
/ January 30, 2012Love a girl with pluck! Nice six.
Dee Carney
/ January 30, 2012HAHAHA! Too funny!
Guilie
/ January 31, 2012Great snippet, Angela–loved the imagery of the needle, hehe. Thanks for sharing!
J.A. Beard
/ February 2, 2012Love the snar.
J.A. Beard
/ February 2, 2012Snark, too.