The LOOK Challenge
I've been tagged by Cindy Nord and Peggy L. Henderson in the LOOK Challenge, a game writers play to remind us to keep an eye out for the overused word and replace it with something more evocative when appropriate. (Plus, the game lets us show off snippets of our works in progress.)
The rules of the Look Challenge require those who’ve been tagged to find the first occurrence of “look” in their work in progress, and then post that sentence and the surrounding paragraph(s).
Here's my contribution, coming from the Prologue of my 3rd book in the "TERMS OF...." series. (Working title: TERMS OF TEMPTATION). In the Prologue, we catch up with the Cantrell family on their Wyoming ranch in 1895. Young Kinley Cantrell is on the cusp of adolescence, and she's kicking up more trouble every day. It won't be long before she's all grown up, and Deputy Game Warden Bram Killoran won't know what hit him!
I hope you enjoy this preview of my newest work-in-progress, TERMS OF TEMPTATION!
Devlin-Cantrell Ranch
Fremont County, Wyoming
June 1895
“Oh, no! Kinley Mae Cantrell, this time you have gone too far! For the love of heaven, please tell me that is not what I think it is!”
With a gasp, twelve-year-old Kinley shot a startled glance over her shoulder, scrambled quickly to her feet in the small corner pen. Her mother stood not six feet away, egg basket in hand, an all-too-familiar look of exasperated affection and genuine alarm on her face. Preoccupied with the latest addition to her collection of abandoned and injured creatures who were currently squawking, bleating, snuffling, chirping, mewling, or grunting in the snug old calf barn, she hadn’t heard her mother’s quiet steps.
“What, Mama?” Kinley bluffed, wild blue eyes hugely innocent, smile too bright, sunny braids askew. But her practically-new flannel shirt and split denim riding skirt were stained and disheveled, one sleeve sporting a long, dirty, ragged tear spotted with blood.
Annie Cantrell sighed, propped her free hand on her hip. She leveled her sternest look at the frequently wayward daughter who reminded her far too often of herself. She raised her voice to be heard over the noisy menagerie.
“You cannot even think to keep that animal, Kinley. You know very well it is a danger to us all, not to mention the stock. Whatever has gotten into that head of yours?”
The young girl’s whole body strained forward in instant, passionate protest. “But, Mama, it’s just a kitten! A baby! It’s not hurting anything!” At her mother’s deepening frown, she added hastily, “Ma’am.”
A beat too late, she thought to use her boot heel to scuff a bit more concealing straw over the squirming little pile of spotted tawny fur on the floor just behind her.
The squirming, chirping, growling little pile of fur.
Copyright @ 2012 Lorrie Farrelly (No reprinting or copying without permission from the author)
The rules of the Look Challenge require those who’ve been tagged to find the first occurrence of “look” in their work in progress, and then post that sentence and the surrounding paragraph(s).
Here's my contribution, coming from the Prologue of my 3rd book in the "TERMS OF...." series. (Working title: TERMS OF TEMPTATION). In the Prologue, we catch up with the Cantrell family on their Wyoming ranch in 1895. Young Kinley Cantrell is on the cusp of adolescence, and she's kicking up more trouble every day. It won't be long before she's all grown up, and Deputy Game Warden Bram Killoran won't know what hit him!
I hope you enjoy this preview of my newest work-in-progress, TERMS OF TEMPTATION!
Devlin-Cantrell Ranch
Fremont County, Wyoming
June 1895
“Oh, no! Kinley Mae Cantrell, this time you have gone too far! For the love of heaven, please tell me that is not what I think it is!”
With a gasp, twelve-year-old Kinley shot a startled glance over her shoulder, scrambled quickly to her feet in the small corner pen. Her mother stood not six feet away, egg basket in hand, an all-too-familiar look of exasperated affection and genuine alarm on her face. Preoccupied with the latest addition to her collection of abandoned and injured creatures who were currently squawking, bleating, snuffling, chirping, mewling, or grunting in the snug old calf barn, she hadn’t heard her mother’s quiet steps.
“What, Mama?” Kinley bluffed, wild blue eyes hugely innocent, smile too bright, sunny braids askew. But her practically-new flannel shirt and split denim riding skirt were stained and disheveled, one sleeve sporting a long, dirty, ragged tear spotted with blood.
Annie Cantrell sighed, propped her free hand on her hip. She leveled her sternest look at the frequently wayward daughter who reminded her far too often of herself. She raised her voice to be heard over the noisy menagerie.
“You cannot even think to keep that animal, Kinley. You know very well it is a danger to us all, not to mention the stock. Whatever has gotten into that head of yours?”
The young girl’s whole body strained forward in instant, passionate protest. “But, Mama, it’s just a kitten! A baby! It’s not hurting anything!” At her mother’s deepening frown, she added hastily, “Ma’am.”
A beat too late, she thought to use her boot heel to scuff a bit more concealing straw over the squirming little pile of spotted tawny fur on the floor just behind her.
The squirming, chirping, growling little pile of fur.
Copyright @ 2012 Lorrie Farrelly (No reprinting or copying without permission from the author)
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Already I feel Kinley's spirit. Love the excerpt, Lorrie. ☺
Thank you, Kathleen! I so appreciate it!
Love the excerpt, Lorrie. TERMS OF SURRENDER was such a good read (the prologue was painted such a portrait of war's personal devastation), and I'm looking forward to reading TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT. I'll have to snap this one up when it's ready, too, so I can find out what happens with that "kitten." :-)