Sara Celi's Blog: A Writing State of Mind, page 10
January 8, 2013
The Very Latest Tease It Tuesday!
Here is the latest edition of Tease It Tuesday! Happy reading!
*Not final version
--
“I can’t do this right now. No. Too much has happened. It’s been so bad. Why would you tell me this now? I just—” I cried again, and it came out even louder this time. “How come no one is doing anything to stop this? Those people, they have no souls!”
“Quiet,” he pleaded. Fostino slammed the chair down and came over to me. “They might hear you; they might come here and do something awful. I don’t want that. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He put his hands on my shoulders.
They burned like fire — a fire I wanted. So warm, so enticing. Before I knew it, I buried my face into the Homeland Guard medals on his chest. They dug into my cheek like nails, but I didn’t care. I wanted someone to hold me as I cried. I had been so alone. We stood together for a long moment. Fostino put one hand in my stringy hair and rubbed my back with the other.
“Tired?” he whispered after a few moments. I didn’t move from his arms.
“Yes,” I replied into the medals.
“You need some sleep.” He moved a little and guided me down the short hallway. “Is this the way to the bedroom?”
I didn’t need to answer. Instead, I led him into my mother’s bedroom and towards the grey duvet. I climbed into the bed. I shivered with cold and grief. Fostino saw this and slid in next to me. After wrapping the meager cover around me, he molded his body to mine.
I felt the press of the medals, the cold hard metal of his belt, the steel tips of his boots, and the force of the small revolver they issued him. I had never been so comforted by metal before, or by the presence of another.
Fostino Sanchez had an effect on me. For sure.
The Undesirable
*Not final version
--
“I can’t do this right now. No. Too much has happened. It’s been so bad. Why would you tell me this now? I just—” I cried again, and it came out even louder this time. “How come no one is doing anything to stop this? Those people, they have no souls!”
“Quiet,” he pleaded. Fostino slammed the chair down and came over to me. “They might hear you; they might come here and do something awful. I don’t want that. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He put his hands on my shoulders.
They burned like fire — a fire I wanted. So warm, so enticing. Before I knew it, I buried my face into the Homeland Guard medals on his chest. They dug into my cheek like nails, but I didn’t care. I wanted someone to hold me as I cried. I had been so alone. We stood together for a long moment. Fostino put one hand in my stringy hair and rubbed my back with the other.
“Tired?” he whispered after a few moments. I didn’t move from his arms.
“Yes,” I replied into the medals.
“You need some sleep.” He moved a little and guided me down the short hallway. “Is this the way to the bedroom?”
I didn’t need to answer. Instead, I led him into my mother’s bedroom and towards the grey duvet. I climbed into the bed. I shivered with cold and grief. Fostino saw this and slid in next to me. After wrapping the meager cover around me, he molded his body to mine.
I felt the press of the medals, the cold hard metal of his belt, the steel tips of his boots, and the force of the small revolver they issued him. I had never been so comforted by metal before, or by the presence of another.
Fostino Sanchez had an effect on me. For sure.
The Undesirable
January 1, 2013
Tease It Tuesday New Year's Edition!
Tease it Tuesday New Year's Edition! Enjoy!
* Not final version
---
“God, I am drawn to you like some kind of--,” even as he trailed off, his words covered us like a warm, thick blanket.
“Did you tell your parents about me?”
“No.” He didn’t take his eyes off mine. “And my parents don’t ask a lot of questions.”
My mouth turned dry, so I just changed the subject. “Patrolling tonight?” I asked, and thought of the time.
“I patrol most nights, Char.” Fostino raised his eyebrow.
“Of course,” I replied and breathed in his familiar smell.Then he leaned in and kissed me once again.The Undesirable
* Not final version
---
“God, I am drawn to you like some kind of--,” even as he trailed off, his words covered us like a warm, thick blanket.
“Did you tell your parents about me?”
“No.” He didn’t take his eyes off mine. “And my parents don’t ask a lot of questions.”
My mouth turned dry, so I just changed the subject. “Patrolling tonight?” I asked, and thought of the time.
“I patrol most nights, Char.” Fostino raised his eyebrow.
“Of course,” I replied and breathed in his familiar smell.Then he leaned in and kissed me once again.The Undesirable
December 25, 2012
Tease It Tuesday Christmas Edition!
Here is the very latest excerpt from The Undesirable!
Enjoy!
*Not final version
--
He gave me a knowing look. “You know you’re beautiful. You have to see that.”
“Well, people have told me that before but--“
“It’s your eyes.” He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair. “Beautiful eyes. So blue, and sometimes green. So round.” Then he faltered. “And it’s more than that. Well, it is for me. You always seem so fragile, so alone, but strong. I just couldn’t keep--”
“But you never talked to me. You never said anything. Not at school, not at the store, not anywhere. Not until last night. Never.” I rubbed my eyes in exasperation and frowned.
“I never knew what to say to you. You were always by yourself in school.” His eyes searched my face again. “You never seemed to have any friends. You’re just shut off—some kind of mystery.”
My eyes bulged.“I never had time to have friends. Especially not now.”
“God, Charlotte. So many times I wanted to talk to you, I--”
“Then why did you wait? Why did you wait until the night before the worst day of my life to talk to me?” I shook my head in disbelief.
The Undesirable
Enjoy!
*Not final version
--
He gave me a knowing look. “You know you’re beautiful. You have to see that.”
“Well, people have told me that before but--“
“It’s your eyes.” He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair. “Beautiful eyes. So blue, and sometimes green. So round.” Then he faltered. “And it’s more than that. Well, it is for me. You always seem so fragile, so alone, but strong. I just couldn’t keep--”
“But you never talked to me. You never said anything. Not at school, not at the store, not anywhere. Not until last night. Never.” I rubbed my eyes in exasperation and frowned.
“I never knew what to say to you. You were always by yourself in school.” His eyes searched my face again. “You never seemed to have any friends. You’re just shut off—some kind of mystery.”
My eyes bulged.“I never had time to have friends. Especially not now.”
“God, Charlotte. So many times I wanted to talk to you, I--”
“Then why did you wait? Why did you wait until the night before the worst day of my life to talk to me?” I shook my head in disbelief.
The Undesirable
December 18, 2012
Tease It Tuesday #2
Here is the lastest exerpt from The Undesirable!
Happy Reading!
*Not final version
--
“From now on, The Party, and the Homeland Guard have direct control over the daily operations here in Harrison Corners,” thundered the general.
I scanned the crowd and saw everyone I knew in town. No one, except my comatose mother, dared to skip this. Everyone near me focused straight ahead, kept their hands at their sides, and their expressions stayed vacant as the general straightened his paper. The rows of people looked like corpses. Then I saw Fostino Sanchez standing five people down the row from me. The sight of him that morning stopped my heart.
Why was he staring at me again?
“Oh wow,” I murmured, unable to control myself. My face reddened when the man next to me nudged my arm with the pointy part of his elbow.
Fostino’s fine jaw and pointed Roman nose made him stand out from the group of students a year ahead of me in school. Regulations made those kids spend a fifth year of high school attending compulsory The Party training in the Homeland Guard. That day in the square, I noticed once more his caramel skin, black shock of hair, gleaming white teeth and the thick black eyebrows that framed his green eyes.
So interesting. So different. So very exotic. Just 19, and yet, so much more of an adult than me.
Now came that familiar, delicious twist in the center of my stomach…
Happy Reading!
*Not final version
--
“From now on, The Party, and the Homeland Guard have direct control over the daily operations here in Harrison Corners,” thundered the general.
I scanned the crowd and saw everyone I knew in town. No one, except my comatose mother, dared to skip this. Everyone near me focused straight ahead, kept their hands at their sides, and their expressions stayed vacant as the general straightened his paper. The rows of people looked like corpses. Then I saw Fostino Sanchez standing five people down the row from me. The sight of him that morning stopped my heart.
Why was he staring at me again?
“Oh wow,” I murmured, unable to control myself. My face reddened when the man next to me nudged my arm with the pointy part of his elbow.
Fostino’s fine jaw and pointed Roman nose made him stand out from the group of students a year ahead of me in school. Regulations made those kids spend a fifth year of high school attending compulsory The Party training in the Homeland Guard. That day in the square, I noticed once more his caramel skin, black shock of hair, gleaming white teeth and the thick black eyebrows that framed his green eyes.
So interesting. So different. So very exotic. Just 19, and yet, so much more of an adult than me.
Now came that familiar, delicious twist in the center of my stomach…
December 11, 2012
Teaser Tuesday #1
In anticipation of the release of The Undesirable, I've started posting mini-teasers each Tuesday on the book's Facebook page.
I'm posting them here, too!
Here is the first one! The scene takes place between the main characters (Charlotte Walker and Fostino) in a cornfield at night.
*Not final version
----
“You like it, don’t you? The Party?” I still spoke to him in a low voice, not wanting to take any risks. The moonlight illuminated his Homeland Guard medals, the outline of his strong jaw, and the hook of his nose. “Won’t you be a pilot? Join The Party full on this fall? You’ll be perfect.”
Fostino snorted. “No. No, not at all. I won’t be a pilot. They say it won’t happen. I’m not qualified.”
Did I hear sadness in his hoarse voice?
I shuddered in disbelief. “What the hell do you mean?” I said before I stopped the words from tumbling out of my mouth. “Of course you’re qualified! You win every medal they’ve ever handed out in school, and you always do things better than anyone else. You got the record in the 400m dash. Plus, you’re always smiling and happy.” With each sentence, I grew more angry and incredulous.
Oh God. I knew more about him than I should.
Fostino put a finger to his lips to silence me. He whispered. “Be quiet. I mean it. They will hear you if you get too loud.”
I scooted closer to him so he would hear me. “What do you mean, you’re not qualified?”
“I’m not. I never will be.” He paused. “I’m not the right--I don’t know. They want perfection. Perfect to them is everything, and I mean everything.”
“But who’s perfect? What do they mean by that?”
“They don’t mean me. I’m not the right—type.” He hugged his knees and some of the leaves crackled underneath him. “I’m not what they want. Listen, it’s complicated. But it’s final.”
I'm posting them here, too!
Here is the first one! The scene takes place between the main characters (Charlotte Walker and Fostino) in a cornfield at night.
*Not final version
----
“You like it, don’t you? The Party?” I still spoke to him in a low voice, not wanting to take any risks. The moonlight illuminated his Homeland Guard medals, the outline of his strong jaw, and the hook of his nose. “Won’t you be a pilot? Join The Party full on this fall? You’ll be perfect.”
Fostino snorted. “No. No, not at all. I won’t be a pilot. They say it won’t happen. I’m not qualified.”
Did I hear sadness in his hoarse voice?
I shuddered in disbelief. “What the hell do you mean?” I said before I stopped the words from tumbling out of my mouth. “Of course you’re qualified! You win every medal they’ve ever handed out in school, and you always do things better than anyone else. You got the record in the 400m dash. Plus, you’re always smiling and happy.” With each sentence, I grew more angry and incredulous.
Oh God. I knew more about him than I should.
Fostino put a finger to his lips to silence me. He whispered. “Be quiet. I mean it. They will hear you if you get too loud.”
I scooted closer to him so he would hear me. “What do you mean, you’re not qualified?”
“I’m not. I never will be.” He paused. “I’m not the right--I don’t know. They want perfection. Perfect to them is everything, and I mean everything.”
“But who’s perfect? What do they mean by that?”
“They don’t mean me. I’m not the right—type.” He hugged his knees and some of the leaves crackled underneath him. “I’m not what they want. Listen, it’s complicated. But it’s final.”
