Pig Kibble 2/23/14 WeWriWa Snippet

Welcome back for another week of great writing snippets! It's a marvelous experience.

My original plan was to post 8 sentences that follow my last WeWriWa post, which was selected from my YA WIP, Dwarfed, but I stumbled across
this particular snippet while editing the other day and it tickled my sense of humor, so I decided to post it instead. Some creative editing was required before it fit the 8 sentence limit.

Don't forget to visit the blogs of my fellow Sunday snippet and Weekend Writing Warriors participants as they post collections of sentences from their works in progresses and completed manuscripts. Every genre is represented.

If I get in the stall with the piglets, I won’t be trapped, but I also won’t be able to get out very quickly. Luke’s tall enough to jump over the side,  I’m not. I’ll be pig kibble.

I stare at the sow: her floppy ears jiggle and bounce as she leans into Luke’s touch. I swear she’s smiling.

“She's an old pro at this,” Luke says. “She knows humans aren't going to hurt her babies.”

“Will you keep scratching her?” Maybe, if his fingers keep her distracted, she won’t develop an impulsive hatred of redheaded teenagers. 

Funny, it looks like such a short little snippet, but I had to use some creative editing in order to meet the requirements and I still went one sentence over.

Sunday Writing Post

Time for Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday! Take the time to check out the links, it's a great opportunity to read the work of some talented writers.

DWARFED is a YA manuscript featuring 16 year old Grace, who temporarily finds herself living on a working hog farm in Michigan where she feels . Grace has a big heart and a stubborn nature. She also has a genetic condition called achondroplasi a dwarfisam.

I shield my eyes from the brutal glare of the sun, and study the sparkling water. There’s no sign of my duck.

A flash of movement grabs my attention, and I watch a black feather cartwheel into the gelatinous debris. Trepidation curls my toes and bile fills my throat.  The grounds sprinkled with a liberal layer of black feathers. Adelaide’s feathers. 

I can’t believe I didn’t see them sooner.

Adelaide molts but she’s never lost this much of her plumage at one time.  I pick up a feather. Blood transfers from the quill to my fingertips.

Snippet Sunday and #WeWriWa

It's Sunday again, which means Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday! Also, Happy St. Patrick's Day.

I spent last weekend and most of last week fighting with internet problems. As a result I was unable to visit as many blogs as I would have liked, hopefully I'll make up for that this week.

This week I found out that my YA manuscript, Dwarfed, made it to the Amazon Breakthrough Novelist quarterfinals! That's not quite the same thing as a publishing contract, but I'm a big believer in celebrating all accolades.  Amazon even posted a link to my excerpt (okay they posted all the quarter finalist's ) It served as a reminder that I've focused all of my snippets on Grace, Luke, and a piglet, but have somehow managed to ignore Grace's pet duck Adelaide. It's time to correct that oversight.

I crest the hill separating the house from the giant pond. Below me, ducks float on the pond, like a living Monet painting.

I let myself into the pen and walk to the shoreline. Standing on the slight decline, I’m careful to keep my feet well away from the disgusting clumps of algae, feather, soggy pieces of straw, and duck droppings congealing where water and land collide. Rippling V’s spread over the water, as the ducks turn and paddle to the far edge of the fenced in area.

“Adelaide.”  Several white ducks look at me.

            I ignore them and try again, gentling my voice. “Adelaide?”

Source: tammyferrenphotography.com via Soni on Pinterest

Sunday's Dwarfed Snippet

Both Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday provide writers with different interests and talents to shared writing snippets and advice. The rules for both groups are simple. Post a snippet from, in my case, work-in-progress. After posting, I get to read the snippets the other participants have posted. It's a sweet deal! 

Last week I had several first time visitors, or at least first  time commentators so I'm doing a short set up.

DWARFED is a YA manuscript featuring 16 year old Grace, who temporarily finds herself living on a working hog farm in Michigan, Luke Searc, who works for the farm, and Spēs, a newborn piglet who needs a little extra care. Grace has a big heart and a stubborn nature. She also has a genetic condition called achondroplasia dwarfisam.

A collection of snippets from DWARFED can be found here. And now, this week's snippet.

          “Grace.” Luke hesitates. He looks like he wants to say something but is having a difficult time finding the right words.

            My teeth sink into my lip and silently willing him to not mention our near kiss. My brain has turned to mush, important components have shorted out, until I get it sorted out there’s no way I can talk about what nearly happened.

I hug the little pig more closely my breastbone. She sighs and rests her chin on shoulder. I should be grateful, she saved me from making a huge mistake. Still, a part of my head, a part that must have sustained the most damage, feels disappointed.

I forgot to mention it, but I want to give a big shout out to one of my favorite youth organizations, 4-H. If you weren’t a part of the 4-H scene while you were a kid, you have no idea what you missed out on. If you have kids, you should get them involved, you’ll be glad you did!

 

Source: flohe-images.de via cookkooc_de on Pinterest