Trying to get back in the swing of things. Step one – get back into doing some group stuff, and Weekend Writing Warriors is first on the list!
My eight sentences for this weekend come from my re-release with Mocha Memoirs Press, The Other Man! It’s a slightly different style for me, since I usually gravitate to the speculative, and this has nothing to do with magic or what ifs and everything to do with real-world problems and relationships. Let’s see how I do, shall we? This is a slightly heavy title, so I’m taking my eight from one of the more entertaining moments between the parents, Andrew and Bethany, and their daughter, Miranda.
The Eight:
He began the ritual blessing in steady, measured tones so that the others could easily keep pace and follow along with the proper respect the tradition required. “God is–”
“GodisgreatGodisgoodandwethankhimforthisfoodAMEN!!!” Miranda rattled off, quite pleased at her accomplishment and first place finish.
“That is not how we pray, young lady!” he snapped, unable to control the irritation at his eldest child’s disrespect for tradition, religion, and her father.
“But I’m hungry!” Miranda’s entire body compressed in a well-performed sulk.
“It’s okay,” Bethany soothed and threw a look toward the other end of the table. “She’s only five, Andy,” she muttered and the hairs on his arms bristled.
***
Like what you see? Be sure to check out the sentences from the other Weekend Writing Warriors!
And don’t forget to check out my new release, The Other Man!
All Andrew wanted was the typical American dream: a good career, a nice house, and a loving family. Instead, he has a dead-end job, a cramped apartment, and children who remind him of creatures out of a sci-fi movie. He’s also well aware that he’s not the only man who inhabits his wife’s thoughts and daily life. How can he put up a fight when he’s reminded of the competition every time Bethany turns on the CD player? After one eventful evening meal when expectations, disappointments, and secrets collide, life will never be the same.
Come Selahway With Me... 
Hey Selah, nice to see you 😀 Great snippet, has a lot of detail and info on the characters but not so much that it confuses me. Your characters seem very real. Looking forward to more from this one.
Great to be here! Thanks so much – glad you enjoyed it, and I’m glad it came across well (always a relief to hear things like this!).
Interesting premise…Miranda definitely comes across as a real child…well done snippet!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it. I’m always trying to be aware when I write kids so they come across as realistic, so I very much appreciate your comment!
Ooh, my hackles rise when this husband and father behaved like this, in the name of respect for religion… hot button for me! No wonder the daughter has little respect, although it would be natural for her to be in fear of this type of father… so good for Miranda that she doesn’t cower!
Definitely a hot button for many people (including myself). It was really interesting to put very different personalities together in the same family that way.
Wonderful excerpt. I had to laugh when Miranda rattled off the prayer. Perfect the way you wrote it without spaces. It works. I’m trying to grasp a genre. It looks like it has the foundation for humor–that his competition must be a recording artist? I’ll be back to read more snippets. And wewriwa is glad to have you, by the way–it’s nice that we were first on your list!
Thank you! I may or may not have been guilty of speed praying as a little girl (looks innocent). As far as genre, it’s kind of slice of life, kind of dramatic, but there are definite moments of humor in it, like this one. It definitely spans the range. Thanks so much for the welcome!
That daddy needs a chill pill…I like Miranda, she sounds like she could be a lot of fun! Welcome to the Sunday eights : )
Thanks for the welcome! And I know – Andrew the dad is very far removed from my own personality, so he was fascinating to write. Miranda just cracks me up!
That actually sounds heavy, full of sadness and frustration. Beautiful job at ‘painting’ the mood.
It’s an odd title – it definitely runs the range of emotions at different points. Thanks for the great compliment 🙂
A great excerpt there.
Thank you!