Hump Day Hook – be gentle it’s my first time!

Weekend Writing Warriors – that’s how I like to spend my weekends »

Hump Day Hook – be gentle it’s my first time!

January 30, 2013 by Elin Gregory

I nearly didn’t do this, because a] I suck and b] I’d forgotten it was Wednesday, but saw it on CC Williams blog. So blame him, ‘kay?

Hump Day Hook requires that paragraph of a WIP be posted on a Wednesday. Other Humpers or Hookers may be found here.

Today I will be starting to share a story I started to write nearly 30 years ago as a deliberate parody of Mills and Boon Regency romance. To be honest, it’s so different from my current writing style that it makes me wince but there you go. People change and so does their fiction. Anyhowwwwww – here it is.

~~~

The large room had once been a place of splendour, a suitable setting for the refined pursuits of elegant lords and ladies with powdered hair and paint and patches upon their faces. Now its few remaining beauties were obscured by the poor light and drifting clouds of blue smoke from the pipes and cigarillos of the players at the tables. It was hot, very hot, and the air was thick with fumes of wine, candle grease and harsh tobacco. Sir Aubrey Stanton-Rivers, but a month past his twenty-first birthday and newly come both to his inheritance and its attendant responsibilities, crowed gleefully as he counted up his tricks. “Waiter, another bottle,” he cried. “My luck’s turned at last. Stick with me, Cholmondeley, my boy, and I’ll make your fortune!”

~~~

So Aubrey and Cholmondely are off on their adventures. Will there be heaving bosoms, light skirts and steely-eyed rakes? Tune in in subsequent weeks to find out!

Business as usual on Sunday, btw, where I will be doing a bit of piracy with snippets from my novel On A Lee Shore.

Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments

34 Responses

on January 30, 2013 at 3:12 pm | Reply Jessica Subject

I always love your descriptions. Great hook! 🙂
- on January 30, 2013 at 6:58 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Hi Jessica. thanks for commenting and thanks for your kind words.
on January 30, 2013 at 3:44 pm | Reply diannehartsock

Hi Elin. Great hook! I could feel the heat and splendour of the room. You have me curious about Aubrey and his friend with the long name. 🙂 I missed the sign up this week, hopefully I’ll remember on time next week.
- on January 30, 2013 at 7:01 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  There you are! I wondered why you weren’t on the list this week. thanks for commenting. 😀 Cholmondley is one of those unnecessarily long names – it’s actually pronounced Chumley. I’m hoping to have a good deal of fun twisting this old tale into a new shape.
on January 30, 2013 at 3:45 pm | Reply angelicadawson

Great way to set the scene.
- on January 30, 2013 at 7:19 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks, Angelica, and thanks for commenting.
on January 30, 2013 at 4:04 pm | Reply ailsaabrahamwp

Great stuff – I love pastiche! (or was that pistachios?) – whatever, it was great!
- on January 30, 2013 at 7:03 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Hee, do you think I can get away with having the villain twirl his pistachios? I’ll have to find out how readily obtainable they were in London in 1818. thanks for commenting.
on January 30, 2013 at 4:20 pm | Reply jessielansdel

I enjoyed that. Aubrey and Cholmondley lol. I’ll sign up for this next week. I missed the last SSS. 😔
- on January 30, 2013 at 7:40 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Actually this smaller list is easier to get around. i used to try and read everyone, never managed it, didn’t have time to reply to comments and felt guilty. Less guilt = more fun 🙂
on January 30, 2013 at 4:34 pm | Reply Gem

An amazing description letting me see the smokey room and smell the candle wax. Great hook!
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:18 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Oh thanks Gem. Beeswax has such a distinctive smell and let’s not even think about tallow – eww. 🙂
on January 30, 2013 at 5:54 pm | Reply Sue

Have no idea who Boon and Mills are or were. But I did enjoy your hook. Yes our writing totally changes from year to year and it’s always amusing to see the changes.
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:25 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Mills and Boon – bless’em – used to publish the kind of romances our grannies used to read. Virginal heroines, dangerous heroes and firmly closed bedroom doors. Barbara Cartland, Princess Diana’s great aunt, was the best known author. She wrote 23 novels one year! They are a hoot! I’m glad you enjoyed my version.
on January 30, 2013 at 6:05 pm | Reply C.C. Williams

It’s okay, Elin, I have broad shoulders!

Great descriptions, so I see that little has changed on that front!
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:27 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  😀 thanks hunny. I wouldn’t have remembered if I hadn’t spotted your post.
on January 30, 2013 at 6:09 pm | Reply Lilly VanHorn

Such great atmosphere! You have a talent for description, which is something I love.
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:36 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks, Lilly, and thanks for commenting.
on January 30, 2013 at 6:50 pm | Reply susanroebuck

Lovely build-up of atmosphere. I have an idea that heaving bosoms might not be on the menu much 🙂
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:49 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Oh I dunno. Don’t forget that there was a time when I didn’t know MM existed. I just had to be slightly suggestive while writing jokey and half hearted het. 🙂 thanks for commenting
on January 30, 2013 at 6:50 pm | Reply Colette Saucier

Great descriptions!
- on January 30, 2013 at 8:50 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks, Colette, and thanks for commenting
on January 30, 2013 at 7:08 pm | Reply tallulahrose

Hello and welcome.. Great imagery and descriptives…xx
- on January 30, 2013 at 9:04 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks Tallulah 🙂 and thanks for commenting
on January 30, 2013 at 7:54 pm | Reply Sandra Sookoo

Aww, I thought this was a good and cute snippet 🙂
- on January 30, 2013 at 9:05 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks Sandra. I don’t normally do cute. i’ll see if i can keep it up.
on January 30, 2013 at 10:44 pm | Reply Cerian Hebert

LOL Loved it! I hope they encounter many heaving bosoms and lots of light skirts. Well done! (my first time too, btw)
- on February 2, 2013 at 5:17 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks Cerian. What’s the point of having bosoms if you don’t heave ’em?
on January 31, 2013 at 1:59 am | Reply Flossie Benton Rogers

You put me right there in that room and time. Well done. Great hook!
- on February 2, 2013 at 5:20 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Thanks Flossie 🙂
on January 31, 2013 at 6:58 am | Reply ciarandwynvil

A great hook. I loved the atmosphere.
on January 31, 2013 at 9:30 am | Reply Kathleen grieve

And it sound like its gonna be a mighty fine adventure! Well done!
on January 31, 2013 at 11:22 am | Reply JadeCrystal

Others have said it several times, but it bears repeating. The description in this is fantastic. I can’t help thinking that Sir Aubrey and Cholmondeley would do just fine together without any heaving bosoms, but that’s just me. 😉 Great hook, I’m definitely interested.

And now I’m off to check out your pirate books 🙂
on February 2, 2013 at 5:04 pm | Reply Stevie Carroll

That looks like fun.