The Look Challenge

I recently received a note from a blogger/writer friend, Lorna, from Lorna’s Voice, advising me that she had tagged me for a ‘rather unusual challenge’ (Lorna’s words).

look 03.04.09 [63] (Photo credit: timlewisnm)

According to Lorna’s blog, “The challenge is for authors who are writing or who have written books and is a way to let others sneak a peek at their work. It’s called The Look Challenge. Here’s how it works. You search your manuscript for the word “look” and copy the surrounding paragraphs into a post to let other bloggers read. Then you tag five bloggers/authors,” (like Lorna tagged me).

Writer Wordart (Photo credit: MarkGregory007)

So to the following bloggers/authors, here’s due notice that you’ve been tagged for The Look Challenge. Can you find the word ‘look’ somewhere in your manuscript and post an excerpt from it containing the word? It should be lots of fun to play along, and readers will have a chance to sample your work. And who knows–maybe they’ll even decide to buy your book after they read your excerpt?

Faye Hicks
Laura Dennis
Molly Greene
Jody Ambrose
Shannon A Thompson

Now, give me a minute to browse the pages of my book Postcards From Home and find the word I’m looking for–no, no–not the word ‘looking’….I need to find the word ‘look’–plain old ‘look’–nothing fancy. Hope it doesn’t take me too long.

Okay–I’m back.

The following excerpt is from the story “Trade Places, Anyone?” in my book ‘Postcards From Home‘:

Trade Places, Anyone?

“Wouldn’t it be fun,” my daughter, Erin, said at the supper table last night, “if everyone in our family traded places? Shane could go to work and Daddy could go to school. You could go to school, too, Mommy, and I’ll stay home and look after Tara.”
“Is that what you think I do all day?” I asked. “Look after the dog?”
“No,” Erin said. “You do housework, too.”
My husband raised his eyebrows and looked around the kitchen. I knew what he was thinking.
“I’ll have you know,” I grunted, “I have more important things to worry about than just housework.”
“Sure you do, Mom,” said Shane. “What’s for dessert?”
I gave my son an evil-eye stare and dished up the apple crisp. “Do you really think I spend every day with my arms full of laundry and my head in a toilet?”
“I know you don’t do laundry every day,” said Erin, “because my favorite jeans weren’t clean this morning. Did you wash them yet, Mom?”
I ignored the question.
“Now children,” said my husband. “You know that your mother is a busy woman. It takes a lot of time for her to talk on the phone, play with her computer and walk the dog.”
He grinned at me then as if to say, “Did that help?”

It was nine o’clock that night when I finally dragged my weary bones into the family room.
“Whew!” I said in a voice just loud enough to wake my husband. “I’m tired out tonight.”
Hubby opened his eyes. “Me too,” he said, “and I’m hungry. Do we have anything to snack on?”
“You’re in luck–I went to the grocery store today. Oh, I dropped your blue suit off at the dry cleaners, too; it will be ready tomorrow.”
“Could you pick it up for me?” hubby said. “I won’t have time.”
“I guess. I have to drive Shane to his piano lesson and Erin to her dental appointment, but if the traffic isn’t too heavy and I hit every green light I’ll have time.”
“Great.”
“Before I forget,” I said, “Erin’s Brownie leader called earlier tonight; she wants to know if you would drive a carload of Brownies to the fire station on Saturday.”
“Gee,” my husband said, “I’d like to, honey, but I have work to do in the garage. Could you go instead?”
“Maybe,” I said. “If I leave early enough to take Shane to the pool for his swimming lesson and get back in time to bake something for the church bazaar in the afternoon…”
Hubby smiled. “Thanks, dear. That will give me a chance to organize my nail collection.”

***

Whew! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Trade Places, Anyone? Now, be sure to check out Lorna’s Voice and the other five bloggers/writers I tagged today.

And don’t be a stranger.

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