Saturday 7 January 2012

Six Sentence Sunday - Fragrance of Violets


My new contemporary romance, 'Fragrance of Violets' set mainly in England's beautiful Lake District, will be released next month.

Here are the first six sentences from Chapter 1 (slightly edited):




“Jack Tremayne’s back at Fir Garth,” Mrs Garside said.  

 
The delicate china figurine of Peter Rabbit slipped out of Abbey Seton’s hand, and fell to the floor, shattering with a tinkling sound. The two women at the shop counter turned towards where she’d been rearranging the window display. One was her mother, neatly dressed in a lilac shirtwaister dress; the other was Dolly Garside, the statuesque middle-aged busy-body of the village.

Abbey bent down to pick up the pieces, not wanting them to see the tell-tale flush which had reddened her cheeks. Not from embarrassment at dropping the figurine, but from shock at hearing Jack’s name again. 

More next week.

Check out the other 'Six Sentences' here.

31 comments:

  1. I like the reaction and her reasons for wanting to hide it. Well done. :)

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  2. Paula--you know how to choose excerpts. There's a knack to it..and you do it well. Good excerpt, for sure, especially leaving the reader thinking "who is Jack?"

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  3. Wow! That's quite a reaction she had to his name. Makes me want to find out what their story is.

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  4. Thank you, Celia. As said, I did have to edit this slightly, to turn 8 sentences into the necessary 6, but I do like excerpts to stand alone, and also to provide a small teaser!

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  5. Many thanks, Rebecca and Mirriam. There'll be more about Abbey and Jack next week :-)

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  6. Very intriguing - and that cover is gorgeous! :)

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  7. Not fair to leaving us hanging .. as the others above said, you picked a wonderful excerpt. Looking forward to reading the book. Visiting the Lake District was one of my favorites. I lived in the UK of six year.

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  8. Thanks, Zee. I love the cover too, by the wonderful Gemini Judson at WCP.

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  9. Sorry to leave you hanging, Brenda, but I'm only allowed six sentences today ;-)
    Another six next Sunday!

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  10. Great opening! Sets up the situation for the heroine and presumably hero nicely!

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  11. Very nice share and lovely cover!

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  12. I love the emotion signified by her dropping the figurine. Fun six, Paula, and congratulations on the upcoming release! :)

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  13. Mood, tone, plot thread and tension all in six sentences. Well done!

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  14. Great way to start a story! Sounds like she's got some history with this Jack guy!

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  15. Thanks, Siobhan, Cara, Taryn, Gem and J.C.
    Yes, it's going to be quite some reunion, and yes, she had quite some history with Jack!

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  16. Intriguing six, now l want to read why Jacks name had such an effect on her!

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  17. Something tells me Mrs. Garside's a meddling biddy and hoped for that reaction. :) Congrats on your upcoming release!

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  18. Gemma - Abbey and Jack have quite a history!

    Cate - you got it right, Cate, love your description of a 'meddling biddy' - she's definitely all that!

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  19. Ahhh Paula. Makes me wonder what lies in this most powerful reaction. Love it.

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  20. Paula,
    I'm intrigued.
    thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting... and a positive one at that.. coming from a published author! nice! thanks.
    daphne

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  21. Looking forward to reading that one, Paula! Lovely, enticing extract.

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  22. Amazing writing, I enjoyed every word. You nailed it.

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  23. Thank you all, I am delighted by your positive comments :-)

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  24. This is my first time reading bits of your novel and it got to me. I want to read more.

    Great work, you make the story sound great!

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