*waves from Riga*
For those of you on Twitter, we created a list of writers who are doing Ready.Set.Write!, if you´re not on the list just tweet me and I´ll add you. Oh and don´t forget to subsribe 🙂
Tweets from @commutinggirl/ready-set-write
Of course, you can still join us for this wonderful and flexible Summer intensive, see all the details here. If you´re participating, don´t hesitate to add the link to your What´s Up Wednesday post on Jaime´s blog here. From there, you can also discover new blogs and encourage other writers!
What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a way to keep in touch in just four headings…
Mama frowns and smoothes the bed sheet before sitting down on the edge close to me. “I know you’re angry but you were little, you don’t remember how hard it was on you, on all of us.”
I blow air in my cheeks and expel it forcefully. “Of course I remember. I remember the bruises on your face. I remember leaving in the middle of the night. I remember Nana coloring your hair and crying as she cut mine. I remember much more than what you think. You know what else I remember?”
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head.
My chest constricts as if my entire squad was standing on it. “I remember walking into that Seven Eleven with him. Seeing both Laura and Mona. Laughing. And then whispering as they looked at him. He gave them a smile, crouched down to me and asked me to choose which one looked like a princess.”
“I know you remember that.” She sighs and glances away.
My head sinks deeper into my pillow and I close my eyes. “But do you know I remember the smell of the hot dogs on the counter? The slight perfume of Mona as she picked up something for me because I couldn’t reach it and he was too busy planning how he would kill her, her voice as she told me I reminded her of her little sister.” I pause, open my eyes and rub the back of my neck. “I saw what he did to her.”
“What?” Mama cries out.
My goals for next week?
- Finish revising chapter 10
- Revise chapter 11
- Revise chapter 12
What inspires me right now
Others. Have you seen the incredible website launched by a bunch of amazing ladies? The YA Buccaneers sounds like it’s going to be wonderful to “hang out” with…
Going outside and feeling the sun.
My husband.
Oh and if you want to join Ready. Set. Write!, you can still sign up and check out who’s participating below! And if you are posting an update today, don’t forget to put your link onto Jaime’s website
Sign up here:
I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂
Elodie Nowodazkij 
Wow! What a suspenseful way to end that excerpt! Sounds like your WIP is shaping up nicely! I hope you’re enjoying your time in Latvia (the buildings in that photo are so quaint) and that you’ll meet your next revision goals. Oh, and thanks for the shout out to YA Buccaneers! 🙂
I’ve heard great things about Riga! Hope you get enough time to enjoy it.
I know what you mean about the emotion in CNV. Personally I didn’t cry, but I know most people do near the end.
So cool you get to read Ghenet’s manuscript! And what a cliffhanger in your snippet there. Dun, dun, dun.
Riga LOOKS beautiful! Lucky you! Also, that excerpt. THAT EXCERPT!!! Holy suspense thrillers. I am very much looking forward to reading this. Could you please hurry with these revisions?!
I hope you have a wonderful and productive week!
You’re so lucky you get to travel to all these places! Your WIP sounds fantastic 🙂
I just finished up CODE NAME VERITY and I think I also read with a sense of detachment b/c I knew something tragic was going to happen.
Enjoy your time in Riga and good luck with writing this week!
Congrats on the writing goals 🙂 Being able to finish revising a chapter is wonderful! Good luck with this weeks goals!
CODE NAME VERITY is on my TBR. I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to it, though, given your comments! 😉
I can’t say Riga was ever on my list of places I need to visit, but from your picture, maybe it should be. It does look like a nice place to visit.
All the best with your revisions, Elodie!
What did he do to her? OMG what a great excerpt. Good luck with your goals this week.
I can understand your reaction to Code Name Verity, it just destroyed me.
Good luck with your writing goals this week, the excerpt you shared was fantastic!
Hi! *waves* I’m new here. Nice to ‘meet’ you. 🙂 I am late to the Ready Set Write party, but I’m here, and did my WuW post today, like a good girl.
Holy shizzballs, what a creepy cliffhanger of an excerpt!!!! O_0 I’d read that in a second.
Man, I’m green with envy of your European commuting adventures. *dreamy sigh* Riga looks charming and I want to be there, writing at a cafe right now.
Happy Wednesday,
Lola
This snippet you’ve shared packs a lot of punch, especially the way you’ve ended it! You’ve created a really clear image here, Elodie. Let me know when you want to start sending the odd chapter my way.
Riga looks gorgeous. There are so many places in this world that I’ll probably never hear about or see. It makes me feel like I’m missing out on SO much. Thanks for giving us a glimpse. 🙂
OMG, such a sad, creepy excerpt! I don’t know how you’re managing to make a pageant-murder-thriller-romance feel so grounded, but none of it feels over-the-top. Can’t wait to see more!
And the MS I mentioned in my post today is Ghenet’s–seriously, I just want to sit and read it all at once! Stupid having to do stuff!
Oh Elodie, your snippet is absolutely gripping! I want to know more, and you are cruel for leaving us hanging like that!
Also, please do re-read CODE NAME VERITY. It was one of my top reads last year. I understand what you mean about maybe not letting yourself get too caught up in it. I think I was a little like that too, but it still blew me away – which is why I want to re-read it. It probably didn’t help I was reading it on and off while traveling.
Riga is so lovely and quaint! Your pics are giving me wanderlust!
Sending hugs for when you finish VERITY. What a book.
HOLY CRAP. What on earth are you writing? I want to read it! It sounds so good! Sign me up for betas if you need any. 😀
Also–I want to read Code Name Verity, but I’ve held it off for similar reasons to what you’re going through now. I did the same thing with The Fault In Our Stars. I have to be in a place to let myself be broken, or the book just won’t work for me.
Good luck with your goals this week!
I love that you get to travel so much! *waves back*
Love these little snippets you leave for us! I’m left hanging! If you ever need a beta, you have one in me. 😉
That photo from Riga is gorgeous. And I LOVE your excerpt. So much emotion, and so evocative. Well done, friend. Best of luck with your goals for the coming week!
Hmm…I have Code Name Verity on my list. You said putting it off until fall. Is it a fallish read? I’m a very seasonal reader. I like beach reads/warm weather books in summer, darker books in fall/winter. Is that strange?! I have so many books that I want to read but I’m not letting myself until it’s cooler outside because I know I’ll enjoy them more. How could you leave me hanging like that?! WOW!!! Great excerpt. Good luck on your goals this week!!!
That photo is SO PRETTY!! I’ll just sit here and stare and try not to be jealous. [/fail]
And I feel like the end of your excerpt is exactly my response: WHAT?! I forgot that excerpt-sharing could be so cruel to your poor cliff-hanging readers. 😉
Sounds like trouble in your WiP!
Good luck on your writing goals!
First of all, I’ve love your Latvia pix. So pretty. Second,
HURRY UP AND FINISH THAT MANUSCRIPT PLEASE.
I love the excerpt! You did an excellent job of building suspense. I didn’t see the, “…and he was too busy planning how he would kill her…” part coming. Whaaaat?? I hope you share more!
Thank you so much for mentioning YA Buccaneers! Definitely come hang out with us! 🙂
Great excerpt! So intense! I’m glad to hear you’re making so much progress on your revision.
That’s so cool that you get to visit new places for work. I’m jealous!
Thanks for the YA Buccaneers shout-out! And I’m so happy you’re reading my MS again. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
I love your excerpt! I’m totally sucked in already! 🙂