Lucky 7 – Seven Lines from New Works

Interestingly enough, I’d already decided to write a blog post about how to justify displacement activities (coming soon)when lo and behold, I found myself tagged by Jane Rusbridge, author of the wonderful The Devil’s Music, and the forthcoming Rook, in the ‘Lucky 7 – Seven Lines from New Works’ thingy on Twitter. I couldn’t possible let a fellow author down (that’s the justification) so here goes.  The rules are:
Go to page 7 or 77 of your current manuscript
Go to line 7
Post the next 7 lines or sentences, exactly as they are – no cheating
Tag 7 other authors to do the same
What fun! We get a sneak preview of each other’s books and we get to justify some time away from what we’re writing now to go back to lines we’ve already written. Hoorah! So, here is my contribution. It’s from page 7 of The Things We Never Said, which is due to be published by Simon & Schuster in May 2013. 
After, they hold hands as they lie side by side, hip to hip, thigh to thigh, each enjoying the heat from the other’s skin, reluctant to break the connection by allowing air to move between them. For once, perhaps sated by food, wine and sex, Jonathan falls asleep quickly and sleeps peacefully for a good few hours before slipping into the recurring dream that has plagued him over the last few weeks. He is up to his knees, building a snowman. Dazzling sunlight glances off the whiteness and there are deep drifts all around. He can feel the snow under his fingers, but suddenly the cold is shockingly, unbearably intense. Then he is waist-high, trying to struggle free, and that’s when he sees the child, not much more than a baby, sinking down in the snow next to him. He tries and tries to pull her out, but it’s hopeless; the snow has claimed her.
Poor Jonathan. Apart from the dream, this is a brief happy moment in his troubled life, and he has no idea just how much more troubled it’s going to become.
So, now to tag my fellow authors.  I could tag a great many wonderful writers but am only allowed seven, so have picked seven lovely ladies who don’t seem to have been ‘got’ so far. I hope you’ll let us have a sneak peek at your Lucky 7!
Sally Quilford @quillers
Mel Sherratt @writermels
Abi Burlingham @abiburlingham
Judith Kinghorn @judithkinghorn
Nettie Thomson @nettiewriter
Janice Horton @janicehorton
Shelley Harris @shelleywriter

For more about me and my work, visit www.susanelliotwright.co.uk
And to access a list of recipes and book reviews on this blog, go to: recipes and book reviews

18 thoughts on “Lucky 7 – Seven Lines from New Works”

  1. Abi Burlingham says:
    Reply

    Hi Susan, what a lovely extract. Am intrigued about the relevance of the dream. Lovely to see a snippet! Thanks too, for tagging me – really lovely to have been chosen as one of your seven!

  12. Tom Quigley says:
    Reply

    Wow, I LOVED the imagery thrown up by this short passage, there's so much going on in the undercurrent here, its very intriguing! I really like your writng style, Susan.

    Thanks for sharing your work with us all. Best regards, Tom

  16. isabelcostello says:
    Reply

    Wow, Susan! Your writing is beautiful and very powerful – the dream image has really stayed with me since I first read your extract. I can't wait to read The Things We Never Said in full.

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