Lucky 7: Seven lines from new works

Winter's Gate by Charles Simpson*

My thanks to both Susan Williams and Isabel Costello who have tagged me to take part in Lucky 7: Seven lines from new works. The rules are simple:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS or WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs and post them as they’re written
4. Tag 7 more writers and let them know.

My list of 7 people I’ve tagged is at the end of this post. Who to choose was a tricky decision. In the end, I purposely chose writers who I haven’t followed on Twitter for very long, as I’d like to get to know them better. There’s absolutely no pressure to take part if you don’t want to or haven’t got time.

It’s been fascinating, reading other writers’ excerpts; I hope you’ll get something from mine too. These 7 lines are from my first crime novel, No Stranger to Death, which I’m currently transferring to Scrivener as a training exercise. Assuming I master the software, I plan to write the follow-up, which is at the planning stage, straight into it.

To put these words into context, you need to know that our heroine Zoe is in the pub with her new friend Kate who lip-reads because she’s deaf.

‘No one need hear, silly. You don’t have to talk out loud.’

Feeling foolish, Zoe silently mouthed an account of Hazel and Ray’s argument. Kate waited until she’d finished then, speaking more quietly than usual, asked, ‘Any idea what it was all about?’

‘Your guess is as good as mine. But it must have something to do with Chrissie’s death.’ Zoe brought out her purse, preparing to go up to the bar for more drinks.

The front door opened and Neil rushed in.

Over to you, if you’re so inclined:

• @JennyHaddon (http://jennyhaddon.com/)
• @LisaCutts1 (http://lisacuttsblog.blogspot.co.uk/)
• @SusieIvy (http://badluckdetective.wordpress.com/)
• @ChrisLongmuir (http://chrislongmuir.blogspot.co.uk/)
• @MartinFrankson (http://martinjfranksonthewriter.wordpress.com/
• @PeteDomican (http://peterdomican.wordpress.com/)
• @HelenMacKinven (http://helenmackinven.wordpress.com/)

 *Charles Simpson kindly agreed to my use of his image on my blog. I hope one day to own an original. You can see his work at http://www.csimpson-art.co.uk/