The Refuge
These Healing Hills
Murder Is No Accident
For some of my books, the publishers have designed graphics with quotes from the stories. They usually let me pick them out. Sometimes I can find one sentence that I think tells a bit of the story and makes you get a feel for the character or setting. But often I want to include more that one sentence. After all when I’m writing, one sentence leads to another to build the story.
Right now I’m in editing mode on my work in progress. I’ve read through the story and feel better about it than while I was writing it. That nearly always happens when I’m writing. I’ll think nothing is working with the story and then those sentences somehow connect and build a story I think somebody might want to read.
That’s not to say I can’t make it better by doing some tightening and cutting out unnecessary words. In editing I have to consider every word, every line, every paragraph and every scene. Does it work? Could it be better? Can I improve the story by hitting the delete key on some of the words? Have I let the reader discover the story through what’s happening?
Murder Comes by Mail
River to Redemption
So since I’m thinking about the value of each sentence I decided to do a little more line sharing. Sunday I shared those last lines. Today I’m sharing random lines from several stories. Some are dressed up in beautiful graphics. Others I’ve just shared in black and white. I don’t have time to make new graphics since I’ve got a lot of editing to do before the end of the month. But I do have this giveaway going and you need to have a reason to leave a comment on this post to get your name in my giveaway drawing hat. You can get an entry by leaving a comment with the graphic or the quote that pulls you into a setting or a story. Deadline to enter is Saturday night, June 15, 2019 at midnight EST. Winner gets a choice of one of my books plus a grab bag book by a different author. You must be at least 18 years old to enter.
So here goes with some extra random lines from some of my other books.
Secrets. Everybody had secrets they never told. (Scent of Lilacs)
Lorena laid her head down on Kate’s shoulder. “You smell like an angel.”
“Oh really? And what does an angel smell like?”
“You,” Lorena murmured. (Angel Sister)
Their father told Elizabeth not to worry about Hannah. That she would surely outgrow her wildness. That lacking a mother had opened a window in her mind that not many flew through. He had sounded almost proud. (The Believer)
Love could complicate matters. Or the lack of love. (An Appalachian Spring, my work in progress)
“Ma’am, you need to put down the gun and keep a hold on your dog,” the sheriff said.
Carlyn found her voice. “The gun’s pointed at the floor and the dog won’t bother anybody who doesn’t bother me.” (The Innocent)
Okay, your turn. Share which of these random sentences makes you wish you knew what happened next. And as always, thanks for reading.