Edit: Winner!
Congrats to ErikaB who wrote:
CR: The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, LR: Panic by Lauren Oliver
Natasha was far too busy for this. What with her family being deported in T-minus 8 hours. What was up with this model esque blonde chick anyway? She’s actually flipping her hair around. As though that would make the fact that she practically ran her over acceptable.
“I’m so sorry! I was trying to catch my sister before she ran off. Are you okay? You look okay. Please say you’re okay.”
Now she was just babbling. Natasha adjusted her headphones and nodded curtly. She did not have time for this.
I love, love, love, love that Erika placed Panic‘s MC into the actual story of The Sun is Also a Star! This scene takes place at the very beginning of the book, and Erika’s version is absolutely perfect for this challenge!
EDIT: IMPORTANT UPDATE
Friends, I am the biggest dork on the freaking planet! I must delay the winning announcement until tomorrow (Tuesday) instead of the promised Monday. On any other week, I could finish reading entries today, since I work on bookish things on Mondays.
BUT
Today if my seven year wedding anniversary and I completely forgot!!! The dude man requested the entire day off of work to hang out with me, so I should probably not work on the blog and ignore him.
Check back tomorrow!
Welcome to Hour Four!
Go make yourself another cup of coffee or tea. While it brews, complete this challenge! It should take you no more than 5 to 10 minutes, so you can get back to reading.
The Challenge:
Write a short story/paragraph describing a meet-up between your current read’s main character and your last read’s main character. It’s gonna be either chaos or awesomeness, right?
Do they instantly click and become besties? Do they throw around snark? Do the they attempt to murder each other within eight seconds? Let’s find out!
How To Enter:
Complete the challenge by commenting on this post. Entries/comments close when the Readathon is finished.
Be sure to start off by telling me what your current and last reads are. Here’s an example: I’m reading Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell right now, and the last book I finished was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. At the top of my entry post, I would write:
CR: Unhooked. Lisa Maxwell / LR: 13 Reasons Why. Jay Asher
*enter short story about Gwen and Clay here*
How To Win!
Check back on Monday to see if I’ve commented on your post! I’ll be taking Sunday and Monday morning to read through every entry, and I’ll choose my number one favorite.
I’ll also edit this post and paste the winning story to the top so everyone can read it!
Prizes:
International: If you live outside the US and I choose your story, I will personally send you any book you like from Book Depository OR Wordery if they ship to you! (up to $10).
US: If you live in the US and win, you may chose between either the above book prize OR a custom handstamped bookish bracelet from my Etsy shop.
Now go post your story in the comments!
Pirates and Pixie Dust 
I’m currently reading The handmaid’s tale by Margaret Atwood my previous read was Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
Offred by some weird magical coincidence pops into Simon’s magical world London. She bumps into Simon and Baz holding hands and nearly faints. “But that’s forbidden!” She gasps clutching her basket. Simon frowns at her strange clothes “Are you some new sect of anti-LGBT activist?” “What’s an LGBT is that a new religion?”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Last read: The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey.
Current read: Trans/Portraits: Voices From Transgender Communities — both nonfic, so this is kind of hard.
Dave sat all of them down and pointed at Supriya and Felipe. “Look at how well these two are doing for themselves! They’re the finalists of our Total Money Makeover contest. Now, the rest of you need to stop complaining about not affording surgeries, hormones, and other basic care.”
Owen raised his hand. “But we need those things! Very much so.”
“I’ll tell you what, Owen. What you need is $10,000 in savings first, and, no, these things aren’t emergencies…”
“Have you LOOKED at our suicide rates, drug usage, etc.?”
“You can’t move forward until you have a fully-funded emergency fund. Then what you need to do is invest 15% of you gross pay in Growth-Stock mutual funds. Following my method, you should be able to afford the care you need within just 3-5 years!”
Owen raised his hand. “But only Supriya and Felipe make more than $20k a year.”
“Okay, 5-7 years, but you need GAZELLE INTENSITY.” Dave slammed his hand on the table. “With GAZELLE INTENSITY, all things are possible!”
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
LR: Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah’s Collections
I think the meeting would be pretty amazing to watch since Sarah and Greg are both socially awkward. The only difference is, Sarah is in her 20s whereas Greg is in his teens. They both would probably play video games and stay indoors all day. They are both very relatable characters and I think they would make great introvert friends 😄
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hahahaha! I’m reading Batman: The Killing Joke now, and I finished Version Control by Dexter Palmer this morning. So, I’m pretty sure the Joker would do some terrible chaos and destruction, but [SPOILER ALERT] Rebekah would calmly step into the “time machine” and undo it all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heroine Shikkaku / Kitchen Princess.
When Hatori and Najika meet, Hatori is crying and complaining about her situations with Rita and Kousuke. Najika goes out of her way to attempt to heal Hatori with food. She tries to cook based on the pain and confusion Hatori is describing, and when they’re done reflecting and cooking, Hatori appears to have learned an inch of something about her life and the mistakes she’s been making. Najika learns a new cooking skill. Najika turns out to be the one who gained more from the experience.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Last read: American Gods Current read: The Man in the High Castle
I think that Mr. Childan would approach Shadow, ordering him to unload his latest box of wares for a client due to Shadow’s skin color. To which Shadow would simply walk past him, deeming the shopkeeper man not worth his time when there are gods walking on the earth. Childan would be aghast at the nerve, and shout after him, but Shadow would know he was no threat compared the the storm coming and would continue to make his leave.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: All Fall Down by Ally Carter/LR: Mayhem at the Orient Express. Kylie Logan
Grace walks into Bea & Bees where she meets Bea. She immediately is swamped with memories of vacations with her mom. Grace turns away to hide the shakes of emotion; Bea recognizes these shakes as she has her own secrets to hide. Bea quickly moves to distract them both before emotion overwhelms and one of them breaks down. She invites Grace to join the League of Literary Ladies. Grace considers briefly before deciding to join to see if the ladies can help her develop her detective skills to find her mother’s killer. They both sit at the kitchen table and begin to read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: “Does it speak?”(Danish: Kan den snakke?) / LR: “The Merchant of Venice.” by Shakespeare.
*Preben comes in on his electronic wheelchair*
Portia: Oh thy chair! Behold! It moves!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Current read: The Song of Troy, by Colleen McCullough / Last Read: Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas
– Bring her to me – said Príamo, the King.
– I don’t believe that’s a good idea… – started the counselor.
– I didn’t ask for your opinion! – shouted Príamo. – I may be old but I am still fresh. I demand to see the girl.
That was when a young woman, surrounded by guards, entered the room. She had the most sweet face, with big blue eyes and golden hair. She looked like an angel.
– This? – spitted Príamo. – This is what is supposed to kill Ulisses? – and he started to laugh like a maniac.
The angel-like face was gone in a second. With a mortal look in her eyes, the girl was faster than the wind and reached for the knife hidden in her.
– This – she said, in a supernatural yet divine voice – is Celaena Sardothien – and she threw the knife in Príamo’s direction.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s a bit complicated as both reads are nonfiction. But centered around the author’s life, so maybe it’s possible.
Markus: Thirtysomething, gay, comedian.
Patrick: Ageless (end of Twentysomething I guess), poetry slammer, misanthropist.
It’s an open mic night at a small club in Cologne and Markus and his partner are sitting in front of the stage, waiting for Markus’ turn to go up on stage. Behind them there is Patrick, muttering in his beard. “Why the heck have I got to be here again? I wrote two successful books. I don’t have to find a manager anymore. I don’t have to do this shit. Look at all this people. They all this they will end up being a millionaire, just because they go up and sing a lame song once a week.” Markus and his sweetheart look at each other and grin, then Markus pulls pen and paper out of his pocket and starts taking notes, turning this evening in another text for either the stage or his next book.
On the other table Patrick sighs and does exactly the same. If he has to be here, thanks to a lost bet, the least he can do is to turn it into a text about the young aspiring wanna-be celebrities in this club that turn out to be losers like everybody else on this stinking planet.
Nope. Not a good story. Next year I’ll be better and read fantasy instead 🙂
Greetings
Taaya from Let ’em eat books
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Palace of Treason by Jason Matthews/LR: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
My dear Wormwood,
Thank Hell an opportunity has arisen for you to redeem yourself. Dominika Egorova will perhaps be an easier target for corruption as she is already well-versed in deception. You must capitalize on this. Your new patient lies for a living, thinking only of her own interests. Encourage her in her treason of the Russian Intelligence Service. Perhaps you can reinforce her pride – keep her thinking of herself first. But be warned – you must not let her supposed “love” for this CIA agent lead her to think she is doing the “right thing.” We must keep her from seeing altruistic justifications for her treason, for the Enemy would surely rejoice in this. Your greatest challenge is this romance and her intelligence, which together could cause her to feel repentance. You must not allow this to happen! I suggest using her role as a seductress to encourage some sexually deviant behavior that will ruin her forever.From what you report, she is unlikely to turn to the Enemy in times of desperation or shame. I wish you success that you may win this soul, redeem yourself, and join us ever deeper in the Lowerarchy of Hell.
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Burning Proof/LR: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Detective Abby Hart was on the tails of the killer of a 10 year old girl. As she knocked on the door for the house of a suspect, she heard strange noises inside and realized she also smelled smoke. Abby knocked down the door to discover an unkempt fire had overtaken the fireplace in the suspects home. Abby followed the ashy trail that was coming from the fireplace and found a small grey serpent with glowing red eyes that she later learned was called a Ashwinder. Her suspect was a wizard and a fire left from floo powder had overtaken his home as he narrowly escaped Abby Hart.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, PR (last week): It Started with Goodbye by Christina June
Shadow saw the teenage girl across the pond, laughing and skipping rocks with her boyfriend. It made him think back to when he first met Laura, and how she understood him, and he understood her, and it was perfect. Before prison, before the supernatural war he found himself caught up in. The sun glanced off of the girl’s hair and the boy she was with left for a moment. Making his way across the lake, Shadow looked at the girl and quietly said: “Enjoy this time, when you can be carefree and laugh in the sun with the one you love. Life won’t always be so simple.” The girl looked at him, with a little bit of fear in her eyes.
“Um, ok,” she replied. “My boyfriend’s coming back. Also, I’m a really good screamer.”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. You just remind me of someone, that’s all,” Shadow said as he shrugged, ambling away back to his car.
The boy returned from the car, present in hand. He noticed the pensive look on Tatum’s face, and asked her what was wrong.
“Nothing,” she replied happily. Smiling at him, she realized the stranger’s advice may not have been so strange after all.
LikeLiked by 3 people
CR: Love Hurts by Lodro Rinzler / LR: The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman
Lodro and Neil met up for a coffee in London at a hole-in-the-wall cafe. It was raining outside. They talked for hours about everything. Life, love, death. Especially death, as Neil had become very accustomed to facing it. Even one of his most famous characters was Death herself. Lodro is no stranger to death either, as he has lost so many loved ones. They sip their drinks and share stories and wisdom. It’s a very fine day indeed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Vengeance Road/ LR: Thirteen Reasons Why
I heard a noise in the desert behind me. Before the other person has a chance to react I’s pulls out my pistol and aim it right between the person’s eyes. No one is gonna get between me and avenging my pa. To my surprise I see a boy about my age maybe a year or two younger at most. he was wearin’ the oddest clothing I’d ever saw.
He looked scared, understandably so since I had a gun pointed at him; but more than that he looked like he hadn’t slept in days and like he had been through a worse hell than I was in. I stared at him. “What do you want?”
“A-Are you Kate Thompson?” he asked shakily.
I was surprised that he knew my name. Who the hell was this kid? “I might be. Who are you?”
“C-C-Clay Jenson. This is for you.” He handed me an odd box with buttons on it. I turned it over and pressed a button. A voice spoke out of it. “Hello Kate, Welcome to your tape.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Since, I’ve been reading 2 volumes of Saga, I’ll jump to the last book I finished before that.
CR: Saga Vol 5 Brian K Vaughan&Fiona Staples LR: The Falconer Elizabeth May
I imagine if Marko from Saga met Aileana from The Falconer, there would be an intense discussion of violence and the strength of knowing when to fight and when not to fight. If vengeance for a family member who has been wrongly taken can really fill the void that that loss has brought. Both characters are soldiers in their own way, fighting a war than has gone on since long before each was born. That would likely bring some camaraderie. Aileana is barely eighteen, and just recently engaged. Marko is married and a father – he can likely give her good advice on how to remain herself and strong, while becoming a mother as well as a soldier.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Books: Saga, Volume 3, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
Alana hides in the dark, ready to kill the stranger lurking around the corner. She steadies Hazel in her arms, waiting, and watching.
Will Grayson turns the corner and sees her. He thinks of his rules: 1. Don’t care too much; 2. Shut Up. Neither seem to apply in this situation. He looks at the woman, anger in her eyes, and thinks about what to do next.
“I’m on my way to the hot dog place. Would you like to join me?”
Alana looks at him oddly, “Who are you?”
“Will Grayson. Well, the other Will Grayson. There are two of us.”
She gives him another look of concern, and turns around and walks away. In the distance, Will Grayson sees a man that may have a horn or two on his head. They quickly disappear in the fading light.
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://www.facebook.com/groups/deweys24hourreadathon/permalink/1339483636131844/
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: Liv from Cathy Pegau’s Rulebreaker, PR: Nix from Heidi Heilig’s The Ship Beyond Time
“Down at the docks,” Tonio had said, and my only job was to wear a fedora and collect a package. It was a gesture of good faith, he said, to the team, to prove that I belonged. I only hoped my ex hadn’t steered me straight into a trap. The fedora Tonio had given me was black and smelled like smoke. A literal black hat. Ha, ha.
A skinny teenage girl with straight black hair walked towards me. Her hair was grubby and she smelled like the sea, but her skin was beautifully clear, like she’d walked in from a completely different world to our polluted mining planet. She didn’t belong, so I wasn’t surprised when she made a face at my hat and said, “It’s a good night for fishing.”
“Only if your pilot steers you straight,” I said, the other half of the password. I dug in my bag for the rolled-up paper Tonio had given me to trade her. He’d said not to look at it, but I had, of course, as soon as I was sure I was out of sight of any cameras the crew might control. Just a map. An old, old map of Earth, an antique. I couldn’t figure out why this girl would trade something valuable for it; but the way she clutched it to her, I could tell it was important.
“Thank you,” she said, fervent. She had an honest face. Too honest for the kind of work we were doing here, but that wasn’t my problem. After a second, she remembered that she had a part to play too, and she fished a velvet drawstring bag out of her coat pocket and tossed it at me.
Heavy. Sharp. Diamond, I thought, and I looked up to ask her where she’d gotten it (I’m nosy, can’t help it, it’s bred into me). But she was already gone, disappeared back into the deepening fog.
Yay that was fun! ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Ben Hur by Lewis Wallace / LR: Hide and Seek by Wilkie Collins
The painter marvelled at the gladiator. He walked over and looked up at the man. What a physic. What muscles. In his mind the man before him stopped being a man. He became Hercules or a fisherman on a boat. A set of fine tuned muscles to be used to highlight the art.
“Can I paint you?”
The gladiator looked down and furrowed his brows. In a way the man reminded him of the weak Romans, the cowards sitting on the tribune while pitting human beings into battle for their amusement. Yet, he wasn’t as stately as the Romans. He turned his back to him and walked back into the arena. The arena where he had killed and where he would kill again, and most likely die. The painter ran up after him.
“You are magnificent,”
While Ben Hur would have hated to admit it, he did enjoy the admiration. Not knowing what he was doing, the muscles in his arms and torso flexed to show them off from their best side. Valentine smiled.
“I must paint you, or if not paint, can I draw your arms and torso? It would so improve my Hercules. If it’s not an inconvenience to you of course,”
An inconvenience? Ben Hur didn’t really know what that would meant, but it sounded like something that gladiators didn’t deal with. He looked up at his handlers on the tribune. His body exploded in rage and hate. The blood gushed through his body and his body prepared to fight, even if he never would.
“Amazing,” the painter whispered and touched the biceps.
On instinct Ben Hur flung the painter away from him. The small body flew in the air and landed with a thump on the dirt. Ben Hur walked over. The man was harmless, he hadn’t meant to hurt him. Valentine managed to stand up and wipe away the dirt.
“I’m sorry. I forgot myself. It was not my intention to cause you harm or distress.”
Valentine turned and walked away. Ben Hur shook his head over this strange little man, before turning his focus back to the arena.
Sorry for the length, the story ran away from me. Very fun mini challenge.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Outcast of Redwall by Brian Jacques; PR: Legend of Luke by Brian Jacques
Sunflash the Mace stood on the sand in front of the great mountain stronghold of Salamandastron, flanked by two of his warrior hares. The great badger leaned heavily on his great hornbeam club as he surveyed the burly mouse trekking up the beach toward him.
“Hello there, mouse, what brings you to my mountain?”
The mouse paused, his paw ranging back to the broad sword slung across his back. “I’ve come in peace to pay my respects to old Boar the Fighter. I was here when he died, many seasons ago fighting Ripfang and the crew of the Bloodwake. Now, my roaving is done, my Abbey is built, and I have but this last deed to do before I can pass through Dark Forest gates.”
Sunflash smiled warmly and threw his huge paws wide. “Well, my friend, welcome back to the mountain. Old Boar was my grandfather. Now I, Sunflash the Mace, rule Salamandastron and guard the shore from all comers. Come, sit by the forge inside and tell me all about my grandfather.”
Martin, for that was the mouse’s name, drew his sword and twirled it in a warrior’s salute. “Your grandfather made this blade for me from the metal of a fallen star, Sunflash. I’d be glad to tell you of what it has done since, aye, and my time with Boar upon the mountain.”
For the first time, the hares at Sunflash’s side spoke up. “Are we gonna sit around here all bally afternoon, flapping our gobs like great gannets? I remember you coming to the mountain ages ‘n’ ages ago, Martin, though I was but a flippin’ leveret then, wot?”
Martin smiled at the hare, resheathing his sword as he drew level with the trio. “Aye, you must be Breeze. Which would make you Starbuck?”
The second hare gave an elegant bow, the tips of his floppy ears brushing the sand. “Indeed sah, though I don’t jolly well know how you managed to stay so young and chipper while we aged and shrivelled up like old plums, eh wot?”
Laughing merrily, the four beasts trekked back toward the great mountain as the sun set, sharing old memories and making new ones along Mossflower’s western shore.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ok so first off I am reading JD Robb. And in book one Roark and Eve meet at a funeral of a murderer woman who Roark is a suspect. Eve is a murder cop. The are attracted to each other but Eve has to clear him as a suspect before she can let herself feel.
I have read the series multiple times and every time I get teary. The relationships with all the caracters in her books are so amazing and detailed. I am reading Calculated in Death. Which is book 46 or somewhere around there lol
The depth of her writing will always keep me coming back to these books.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wrote one, but got lost in WordPress. I don’t know if it went through.
LikeLike
I am currently reading Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary. I last read The One by Kiera Cass.
I can imagine America delighting in Ramona’s spirit. They would have a fun and meaningful conversation about life. America would give Ramona some helpful hints to get through her difficult times and Ramona would give America a fresh, innocent perspective on life. It would be a friendship that would last for a long time.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: The Looking Glass Wars – Frank Beddor / LR: The Tiger’s Wife – Tea Obrent
Natalia finished injecting the vaccine into the upper arm of the young boy in front of her, tossed the used syringe into the sharps container beside her and applied a superhero bandaid to the boy’s arm. She smiled at the boy as he looked up at her tearfully. Natalia handed him a lollipop and sent him on his way. Natalia had always had a desire to work with children, but ever since the death of her grandfather and her time spent at an orphanage in Brejevina, Natalia had changed her focus from paediatric surgery to opening her own clinic. It was a “pay what you can” clinic, and Natalia enjoyed helping the poorer families in the area access medications for their children. Today she was running a vaccination event. Natalia signalled to the nurse to bring in the next patient.
The nurse left, and returned with a pale man with white hair who was almost dragging a young girl with short black hair behind him. The girl struggled against her companion’s grip on her shoulder, obviously she has been coerced and brought here for vaccination against her will. Luckily Natalia had lots of practice with children who were nervous or rebellious and did not want to get the shots they needed. “Hey little girl, what’s your name?” she asked softly. The little girl glared and muttered, “Alyss” under her breath, but then turned away and refused to look at Natalia or engage in conversation any further. Obviously sweet talking wasn’t going to work. Time to try a different kind of sweet… and a bit of bribery.
Natalia reached into the box beside her and pulled out a red lollipop. “Alyss,” she began, “If you stay strong and let me give you your shots, your dad will be very proud of you and maybe he’ll let me give you this lollipop.” “He’s NOT my dad, he’s my tutor,” Alyss retorted angrily, but Natalia saw with satisfaction that the girl was eyeing the lollipop with interest and had ceased struggling. Alyss thought hard for a moment, then sat down in the chair reluctantly and said “Alright,” as though she didn’t seem very sure of her decision. Natalia quickly prepped the syringe before the girl could change her mind.
Alyss scrunched up her face as Natalia raised the syringe toward the girl’s arm. Natalia begin to depress the plunger, but started when her finger met something soft and fuzzy. She looked down and noticed that the syringe was much larger than it had been, and was in fact not a syringe at all, but a large, red, fluffy teddy bear. Natalia looked at the stuffed animal in her hand with shock.
Alyss blinked, blushed, and said bashfully “I didn’t mean to do that..” as her tutor frowned at her. Then Alyss giggled, grabbed the syringe-turned-teddy bear from Natalia’s hands, and before Natalia could react, the girl ran from the room. Her tutor gave a sigh, muttering “not again” and hurried after his student.
Natalia looked after them, gaping. She had thought she was done with strangeness after putting the story of the tiger’s wife behind her… apparently magic is everywhere in the world, and Natalia was coming to realize she would never escape it. She shook her head, and wearily signalled to the baffled nurse to bring in the next patient.
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig ; LR: Posted by John David Anderson
Frost blinked out across the lake and couldn’t believe his eyes, what was a real life pirate ship doing in the now seemingly small lake?
A teenage girl was at the wheel and then she disappeared for a moment. Frost couldn’t believe his eyes, what was going on?
Nix dove into the water and swam towards the boy, who looked to be about the age of 12. He stood there, mouth open and gawking. She was going to regret this trip to 2016, she just knew it. Nothing seemed to be going as planned and where was she.. obviously the map had placed her wrong.
“What is the name of this town?” she asked, trying not to sound annoyed as the boy was still gaping at her, mouth open.
Frost stammered, losing his mind and shaking his head. “Branton, Michigan” he finally stuttered out. How did a pirate end up in Michigan, in a lake no less?
Nix let out of string of curses and then started towards the town.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dev stepped from the Avro, and greeted the policeman who was stood there waiting (and trying to keep the small dog at his feet from ‘marking his tertiory’ on the side of the ship.
Taking the parcel the PC was offering. “Thanks, for this.” Said Dev. “You’ve got no idea, what trouble this could have caused in the worng hands.”
“Oh, trust me,” replied PC Grant. “I do…”
Dev Singh from The Inventory: Black Knight by Andy Briggs &
PC Grant from A Rare Book of Cunning Device by Ben Aaronovitch
LikeLiked by 2 people
CR: Ten Tiny Breaths // PR: Destination Thailand.
Kacey and Georgia would meet at a bar in Oklahoma where Kacey would be drinking tequila. She would lay her eyes on a band boy and Kacey would hate her at first, but once she gets into trouble for real, she’d come and rescue her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: Darkness by Victoria Sadler / LR: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Amidst the riots at Garden Heights, Starr accidentally bumps into Jane, the leader of RAZR, a feminist terror group from the UK. Khalil’s murder has sparked conversation all over the world. On every outlet and social media platform, hashtags were being shared by people showing their support, including Jane. Starr noticed Jane from across the road. She couldn’t believe it, Jane was here. THE Jane. Starr had her to thank for the courage she had shown in speaking out about Khalil. She rushed up to Jane and gave her her biggest hug possible, hoping that Jane could feel everything that Starr was too scared to say. After reciprocating her hug, Jane pulled back and looked at Starr. With tears in her eyes, she gave her a quick nod and a smile and in that one expression, they both knew they could fight their battles with the strength they now shared, together.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I enjoyed thinking of ways my characters would have interacted. Here is my paragraph. http://world4anna1.blogspot.com/2017/04/2017-april-dewey-challenges.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emilie Skrutskie (Cas Leung) || PR: Creation in Death by J.D. Robb (Eve Dallas)
Eve didn’t understand what she was seeing rising from the New York city harbour. When she first got the call out for the smell of death and an apparent monster sighting, she had chalked it up to some chemi-head trying to waste her time. Now she was seeing some sort of giant reptile thing poke its face out of the water. The smell was bang on, though. It wasn’t something she had smelled since some of her worst cases. The harbour was filled with pleasure craft, as all of the shipping companies had opted to move to air travel some time ago. Was it her, or was this thing eyeing the boats almost hungrily?
“Um, you can’t park that thing here,” she called to the girl who seemed to be coaxing the monster around with some sort of light box strapped to her body. She couldn’t be much more than twenty, Eve decided. What was she doing with that thing? The girl whirled around to face her, her shortly cut black hair sticking to her face.
“Can you tell me where I am?”
“Sure, but first can you tell me what that is?” Eve stayed well back from the edge of the water and beckoned to the thing.
“He is my Reckoner, of course!” the girl answered, as if the word should mean something to Eve.
Eve flashed her badge to the girl. “I am Lieutenant Eve Dallas with the NYPSD. Why don’t we have a conversation about what exactly a Reckoner is, and what it is doing in my harbour?”
The girl looked from the monster to the cop before nodding to herself. She unstrapped the box from her body and set it on the shore before flipping a switch so it emitted a different pattern of light and sound. She walked away from the monster like turning her back on such a thing was no big deal, and approached Eve with her hand outstretched and a tentative smile on her face.
“Hi, I’m Cas.”
(Also posted at http://www.bluestockingbookworm.com/?p=1570 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, LR: Panic by Lauren Oliver
Natasha was far too busy for this. What with her family being deported in T-minus 8 hours. What was up with this model esque blonde chick anyway? She’s actually flipping her hair around. As though that would make the fact that she practically ran her over acceptable.
“I’m so sorry! I was trying to catch my sister before she ran off. Are you okay? You look okay. Please say you’re okay.”
Now she was just babbling. Natasha adjusted her headphones and nodded curtly. She did not have time for this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You did it! You won!
Email me at marlowdominique @gmail .com to claim your prize!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yay!
LikeLike
CR: Moon Dance by J.R. Rain LR: Playing Hooky by Rita Webb
I just finished Playing Hooky Emma is a human who’s been pulled into the supernatural world by her best friend on her 21st birthday. I’m currently working on Moon Dance which is a private detective Samantha who happens to be a vampire. The way she giggles about a werewolf I can see these two hitting it off right away. They both handle the supernatural well and while Emma is a little stubborn Samantha tends to just go with it more. I see besties if they happened to meet up. I think that they would have meet up in the bar while Emma was looking for Hunter. I can see Samantha just hanging out enjoying a glass of wine while looking for her killer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers LR: The Lost Heir by Tui Sutherland
Ashby realized something had gone terribly wrong when Corbin came running back up the ramp of their ship, terror across his face.
“Captain!” Corbin shouted, “WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF RIGHT NOW. Where’s Sissix? GO GO GO!”
If Corbin was asking for Sissix, whatever was out there must be horrible But Ashby had to see for himself. He walked quickly to the top of the ramp, wondering if he would need to walk out-
A massive, blue, reptilian head was staring back at him. Ashby froze. Deep green eyes stared him. The lizard – dinosaur – DRAGON? tilted its head at him. Ashby lifted a shaking hand. “What the hell are you doing here?” This was a perfectly advanced city planet, after all. What was a wild monster doing in the middle of the space port?
The dragon blinked at him, then withdrew its head.
Ashby waited for it to return, but nothing happened. No dragon reappeared. The ship shuddered underneath him – Corbin must have reached Sissix. They might be able to see the dragon from where they were.
Ashby decided their supply run could wait. Forever, if need be. The ramp closed while he was still staring, waiting for the dragon to reappear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
William Shakespeare’s The Phantom of Menace by Ian Doescher and Dream Fall by Amy Plum
Cata meets Qiu Gon Jinn
Cata screams “help” as she runs, her feet pounding on the empty street hard and fast. The red eyed monster is after her. It is dark and silent except for the sound of her own scream. There is a building up the road just a bit. There are lights, glowing lights of red, blue, and green. It’s not so far. “I can make it.” She softly whispers to herself.
As she reaches the building’s door she hears voices within. Finally, she has found some help. She isn’t alone. She runs into the building, following the light and the voices. Hoping she is not making a mistake and trading one danger for another.
The halls are long and there are three trails of light down each side. One at the top, one at the bottom, and one in the center. They light up in a cascading lumination, leading her down the hall. The lights, they are carefully and quietly telling her in the direction she must go. She slows her pace and looks over her shoulder. She doesn’t see the red-eyed monster but she can hear his heavy steps and hard breathing. He can’t be too far behind.
Umph. Suddenly Cata falls to the ground with a hard fast thud. She opens her mouth to scream but nothing comes out. She is terrified but she must look up. She needs to know what has stopped her in her tracks. Slowly she turns her head and eyes up towards the where she was just standing. There is a man holding his finger over his lips telling her to “shh”. He is tall wearing strange clothes. He is a few years older than her, maybe more. It’s really hard to tell in the just the dim of the lights. He has long hair and a beard. He seems to look safe. He is holding out his hand for her to grab, to help her up. Cata grabs a hold and allows this stranger to help her to her feet. She doesn’t know him but in his presence, she feels safe. She knows she can trust him.
This stranger starts to lead her down the hall. Carefully stepping not to make any unnecessary sound. The door to a room is just before them, about 10 feet. They are close. Close to what? Cata does not know but she feels it is safety. Just need to make it to the door.
Step by step they are are getting closer… 8 feet, 6 feet, 4 feet, 2 feet, the doorknob. Just as Kata is about to grab on she is yanked by her waist and thrown down the ground. Again she looks up, this time she sees the red eyed monster. She wants to scream, to get up, to run, but she can’t. She is frozen in place by fear. She is frozen in the place by this neverending nightmare. She is considering how to move, what to do as she hears a strange sound. She whirring sound.
Cata scans the hallway to find the stranger holding a sword of green light. He is standing in front of the red-eyed monster. “no!” she yells, “run!” she screams. The Stranger does not listen. He stands there, between her and the red-eyed monster, ready to defend her, but was he ready to die like the others?
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: Impact: Colonialism in Canada. Eds Warren Cariou, Katherena Vermette, & Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair/ LR: The Pride of Zenobia: Queen of Palmyra. Danuta Deeb – Kokum of Turtle Island was thrilled to meet Lady Zenobia of Syria especially as her descendants are demonized in the current political climate, same as hers, given how the Trump administration is intent on xenophobia and white supremacy. They connected immediately and jointly relied on extensive individual lessons from history in an attempt to strategically avoid a future that comes at the expense of people of colour and Indigenous ancestry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
CR: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan / LR: A Body at Book Club by Elizabeth Craig
Magnus Chase meets octogenarian retired English teacher/amateur sleuth Myrtle Clover. Neither his demigod status nor his smart mouth give him any chance with Myrtle. She uses her teacher voice and her no-nonsense tenacity to enlist Magnus’s aid on her latest quest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My entry is showing as “awaiting moderation” since 11:30 this morning.. is there a reason for this, anything I can do to fix it? Thanks.
LikeLike
(I think it didn’t post last time? This is long so I seriously hope this doesn’t post twice.)
LR: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (I guess we’re all re/reading it now!)
CR: Double Indemnity by James M Cain
(set after both books)
It’s been weeks since I’ve last had wings obscuring my vision, but I am still getting used to seeing rather than sensing movement by my sides. I see flashes and shadows, and I cannot help but flinch away from them. Alaska has a harsh beauty that my fading memories of home cannot match — but the eagles here still have Eyes.
I cannot trust my own eyes these days. They see ghosts
phantasms
corpses swaying in the breeze
like once they did
from
ropes.
One spoke to me last night. I was walking the cliffs to watch the water. I do that often now. The wind bites here and the water churns like the blood inside me. The ocean has a kind of unrestrained, feral beauty that I thought no longer existed in this world. It makes the others uncomfortable, I think. So I watch the waves alone.
Last night, though, an unfamiliar man beat me to the punch. His clothes were old-fashioned and torn, but that’s not so unusual these days. Refugees make do. Eyes like chipped glass gazed out at the water from under one of those old hats, the ones that were the purview of movies even Before. What are they called again?
I told myself I’d ask someone when I returned. I can ask questions now.
The man didn’t acknowledge me, and I didn’t hail him. The greetings still familiar on my tongue were ones repellent to me, but they had not yet been replaced. So we stood in silence.
Blood crept slow
a blooming flower
across that red shirt of his. But he didn’t acknowledge that, either. So neither did I.
Ghosts are funny like that.
“You’ve got eyes like hers,” he said suddenly, quietly. “Cold.”
He said it the way most men say ‘beautiful’.
“Whose?” I asked. Questions, questions, questions. I had a thousand years of questions after just as long being silent.
“Hers,” he repeated, like that explained everything. Then, a moment later, “The one who put this bullet in me.”
The blood was on his shirt, but it didn’t seem to come from any wound. Instead, it was dribbling out of his mouth, half-forgotten. It dripped down pale, pale skin to stain that shirt of his. Waterlogged like the rest of him.
I considered for a moment. This ghost was not fleeing like most of them did when I turned my head to glare at them. But then again, it wasn’t usually docile folks that got bullets. “Did you deserve it?” I asked.
He laughed, and it was an ugly sound. “Probably. More than the others did, anyway.”
“Others?”
He laughed again, just a huff of breath this time, and then shook his head. “A woman’s rage, honey. There’s nothing like it.”
I thought back, to foreboding Aunts and stern Wives and the shrieking, gore-filled bacchanal that was a handmaid’s particicution. I thought of the heat that had risen up in me, long-banked, and how close I’d been to tearing out throats with my own ragged fingernails. I thought of the simmering resentment that still had yet to settle within my skin.
I knew now why the men had been so afraid of us. The ghost beside me, tall, masculine, and broken, had a slump to his shoulders like he’d learned that lesson himself.
I said nothing. That was a kind of freedom, too.
Finally, eventually, he slid his hands into seaweed-strewn pockets and tilted his head my way. He looked me full in the face, and I could finally see the unnatural bend to his neck, the swollen scratches on his face. Drowning, my gut told me. He may have been shot, but this man had been drowned most violently. Somewhere, his distant eyes told me, far away from here. The tides sweep in all sorts of things.
“You’ve still got some time, haven’t you?” he asked. “You should get home. You could catch pneumonia out here. I’ve heard on good authority that’s a real bad way to go.”
I opened my mouth to reply, to tell him that pneumonia was the least of our problems now, but he was gone.
I watched the water, rough and raging and terrible in its impartiality, for a few minutes longer. And then I walked back to base.
LikeLiked by 1 person