April 12th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

The car’s all packed and ready to go. I had to use the larger suitcase, but I got everything in one, so that’s good. I had to have my husband put it in my trunk though, because I couldn’t lift it. The folks at the Princeton Library recommend you bring twenty-five copies of your book to the fair. I’m only bringing twenty, but when you have three books... The books, business cards, bookmarks, sign, stand, pens, candy, plus all the little table display things, it becomes really heavy.

I should be able to slide the suitcase out of the trunk without too much difficulty, and hopefully without breaking one of the wheels. Then, with any luck, by the end of the day, my inventory will be considerable decreased, so the suitcase won’t be too heavy for me to hoist it back up into my van. If it is, I’m sure I could beg some passerby to lend a hand.

Okay, I only have half an hour to spare, and I want to get a little writing done. Then it’s shower, hair (which there isn’t a whole heck of a lot of after yesterday’s haircut), make-up (yuck), a quick stop to pick up a bagel, and the drive to Princeton for the ten o’clock workshop. So, I’m going to get going. I hope y’all have a super day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was– again stolen from my Tuesday writing group. This is a random line, from a random book, selected off the library’s shelf. You must use the line in your story. Bonus points if you can make this the last line in your story. More bonus points if you can identify the line (no fair Googling it):

“There, old gent, there’s a drop of something to cheer you up.”

“Lies I tell you, lies.” Jeb spat. “That’s all she’s given me.”

Butch tried to calm his distraught friend, “Now Jeb, how can you say that? Sally Mae has stood by your side through thick and thin she has.”

“Aw Butch, that’s just what she wants you, what she wants everybody to believe, but it ain’t true.”

“Okay Jeb, I’m not saying I’m not believin’ ya, but I think Sally Mae’s done right by you and the boys. After your Molly passed, she stepped right in and raised them like they was her own. She goes to church on Sunday, and to prayer group on Wednesdays. She doin all sorts of volunteer work for the homeless, and for that soup kitchen down in Carver City.”

“Oh yeah, she’s a God fearin’ woman alright,” Jeb snorted. “More like a preacher lovin’ woman. Her and that Reverend Peterson have been doing their own version of holy rollin’, and I’m not going to stand for it anymore.”

Not sure how to process this bit of news, Butch opened up one of his best bottles of whiskey, poured two fingers worth and placed a glass in front of Jeb, “There, old gent, there’s a drop of something to cheer you up.”

So, did any of you guess where the line is from? I’ll be honest, never in a million years would have been able to guess it correctly. It from a book of American plays, and this line was taken from Rip Van Winkle.

Your Next Challenge is:

A reunion they’ll never forget…

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.