Blurb

The shoes didn't fit. It was an omen.













Monday, January 31, 2011

A to Z Challenge, Day 10: L is for Lila

Dear Diary:

Today is November 14, 1983. One day ago I married, Max Butz . My mom’s choice, including the wedding dress and secondhand bridal shoes (the shoes are a half-size too small). A bargain for her and a total throat-gagging experience for me. My wedding day should’ve been with Julio Velasquez. Mom made sure I broke up with him at the beginning of summer, and hooked me up with Max right away through one of her Tupperware parties.

I should’ve taken Cynthia’s advise ( she’s my best friend). Run away the night before the wedding, and hide in her parents’ beach house, stay there for a couple weeks. You know, wait until mom cooled off ---she’s rather frightening when she doesn’t get her way. Too late now.

Mom thinks I’m crazy because I can see dead people and have conversations with them. She doesn’t believe I’ve got a gift. Sometimes I’m not sure myself but Gram believes me.

Speaking of Gram, thank God, she’s with me. In spirit, that is. She died right before Julio and I broke up. She understood our love. Still does.

Anyway, Gram convinced me to grab the wedding cash Max and me got in gifts at the reception---stuffed it into my bra. She helped me escape out a diner’s bathroom window---off I 75, somewhere a little south of Orlando. Can’t believe I did that still in my wedding dress and these awful bridal shoes, three inch stilts, I swear. I followed her bird friend, a hawk, (she loves all birds and they listen to her, too) into the woods but Max caught up with me. Good thing I had mace in my evening bag. Sprayed him a good one, right into his eyeballs. Boy! He’s mad now, and more so because I’ve stolen his car from a McDonald’s parking lot and stuffed nails in his creepy friend, Coon’s monster trucks tires.

And then there’s Max’s friend Vinny. He wants payment for something and seems to think he can get it from me…anyway he can… if you know what I mean.

Oh, and I can’t forget Cockroach. He’s just totally grody. I really think he’s part bug. He likes he’d like to torture me or something.

And at this very moment, I’m at a Motel 6 trying to figure out my next move. You see, I discovered cocaine and guns in the trunk of Max’s car.  So I know they’ll be looking for me. I mean, they did chase me until the trucks tires blew out.

Like I said, it’s a good thing Gram’s with me.

Until tomorrow. If I actually make it to see tomorrow.

Lila

20 comments:

  1. I really like this.

    Can't wait for the next instalment!

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  2. What a fantastic novel website. I love the theme, colors, photo, and content. I'm looking forward to reading further and will pass your link on to others.

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  3. Thank you Jodee. Your computer must be light years fast.

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  4. Shelly--welcome to the character blogging club! Well done!

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  5. @ Norma:

    You've brought a tear to my eye. Thank you sooo much. You're a great mentor.

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  6. I loved your creativity with everything from the size of the heels to the McDonald's parking lot and the mace. She sounds like a pistol.

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  7. Eve:

    Sadly, she doesn't realize this.

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  8. I feel for Lila...having a mother like that.

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  9. Ok, I can't wait to read the rest of it...I agree, I could have seen Brittany Murphy playing Lila...

    You've made a great character come to life!

    I want to read more!

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  10. @ Beth:

    Yeah. Britney Murphy would've been great playing Lila. Too bad. I can't even think who'd be a good Lila. Oh, well...

    Next I'll post Gram's blog.

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  11. Hey, Shelly!
    This is a good character sketch. I think it would be a good opening for what you want to do with the book. I think it might even work should you want to condence it into a paragraph toward a synopsis. You have the character's conflicts right up front, and what she has to deal with, plus, she's running, not just from her spouse, but it seems from danger. I like this!

    You have a good grasp of voice, here, too. That's very hard to attain, and keep throughout a book--if that's what this will be.

    Good job. Keep it up. You'll get there.

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  12. Thanks Lorelei:

    Actually the book is written. Running it through my critque group for a third time and then will have it edited professionally. Still waiting to find out if Wiley-Merrick will represent my work. So I guess I'm not quite finished yet. And if they don't. I'll self-publish...e-publish.

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  13. Hey Shelly! Yes, this is a great post for Lila. I can read her frustration with her situation. Can't wait to read more.

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  14. Hey Jen!! Thank you. And, thank you for taking the time in reading and editing the manuscript for me.

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I'm dying to know what you think.