Sunday, March 10, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Stutter Creek


Weekend Writing Warriors ~ #8Sunday


Here are the next 8 sentences in my upcoming romantic thriller, Stutter Creek.  It is slated for release on June 1, 2013 from 5 Prince Publishing.

Click to go to 5 Prince books
Following her father’s death and the collapse of her marriage, Beth retreats to the family cabin at Stutter Creek where she stumbles across the path of a serial 
killer.


In last week's entry, a girl named Mandy saw a small boy beside the road.  When she stopped her car and rolled down the window to check on him, a man yanked open the car door, leapt across the seat, and slapped a strip of duct tape across her mouth.  Then his hands slid down to her throat and began to squeeze.  Here's what happened next:


As her world began to grow dark, Mandy recalled how as a small girl she had worried about running out of air, because if you couldn’t see something, how did you know it was there? 
She had begged her mom to buy several packages of colorful balloons which she had blown up and stored in her bedroom. 
Unfortunately, her older sister, Kami, couldn’t let a good thing like that go unnoticed.
 She had waited until Mandy was out, then she’d tied all the balloons together and attached them to the stop sign on the corner. 
 Mandy had felt so humiliated when she came home, she’d wanted to get them down and put them back in her room, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She would have let herself run out of air before giving her sister that satisfaction.
The balloon bouquet had wilted quickly in the hot New Mexico sun.
Now, Mandy's last coherent thought—as the fireworks behind her eyelids exploded in the grand finale—was of those wilting, multicolored balloons.


Afterthought

I hope you enjoyed today's awful snippet.  Poor Mandy.  She was number one on the killer's list. Who will be next?  I will continue to post the next 8 until the book is released on June 1st.  Be sure to check out the other authors at the main Website: wewriwa.com

33 comments:

Jess said...

Ooh! What an awful situation and how frightening. But.....will she escape? Can't wait for next weeks snippet.

http://jessielansdel.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Ann, your description of Mandy's last thoughts is remarkable. Thank you for a super eight!

Anonymous said...

Ann, your description of Mandy's final moments is remarkable.

Sara Harris said...

Great 8, as usual. Your writing is just superb. But seriously, this one brought a tear to my eye. SO SAD AND SO WELL PUT AT THE SAME TIME.

Summer Ross said...

That ending line for these 8 sentences is really powerful.
Happy writing!
~Summer
My 8 sentences

Elaine Cantrell said...

The tension and suspense is wonderful in these excerpts.

Anonymous said...

Very scary. I tweeted.

Unknown said...

Love the image you left this snippet with, Ann. Those deflated balloons are very evocative.

Veronica Scott said...

This story is so intense! Poignant last thought she's having...I HOPE someone comes to the rescue soon. Terrific snippet!

India Masters said...

Oh wow! Great 8! Very imaginative and creative. Love the bit about her not believing in air because it can't be seen. So cool.

Ann Swann said...

No, this one didn't escape...

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Charmaine!

Ann Swann said...

Awww, thanks Sweetie!

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Elaine!

Ann Swann said...

You are awesome...thanks for tweeting!

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Ute. I appreciate it!

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Veronica. Sorry, she's a victim. =(

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, India. You made my day. =)

Jenna said...

Awful and wonderful at the same time. Great evocation of the panic and final thoughts. The balloon imagery was so poignant. Great 8.

Debbie D. said...

Oh no! Poor Mandy. :-( Interesting story about the balloons and her worry about not getting enough air. How ironic!

Ann Swann said...

Thanks so much!

Ann Swann said...

Thanks, Debbie. Hope it wasn't "overkill." (bad pun!)

The Belle in Blue said...

What an eerie juxtaposition of her childhood memory and the moment of her death. Intriguing snippet!

~Joyce Scarbrough

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Joyce. I was playing with the idea about her life "flashing before her eyes" at the moment of death.

Mandy Earles said...

Damn, I was rooting for her, for obvious reasons. But I loved her last thoughts. I've never come close to dying *knocks on wood* but I would expect all thoughts would be totally random in those moments. Great descriptions!

Unknown said...

Ooo, loved that hook 'wilting, multicolored balloons'...lots of tension here. Great 8!

Ann Swann said...

Thanks, Mandy...sorry your namesake didn't make it. LOL

Ann Swann said...

Thanks, Karen!

HistorySleuth said...

That was a creepy connection to her memory of no air. It fits perfectly. Good job!

gemma parkes said...

That was wonderful insight into your characters mind! Loved it.

Kate Warren said...

How horrible. What a terrible way to go. And how sad that she thought of those balloons too.

Ann Swann said...

Thank you...I really appreciate the kind words. =)

Ann Swann said...

Thank you, Gemma!