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

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

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

February 3, 2013 by Elin Gregory

So here we go. New Sunday and a new Six Sunday substitute with a banner that’s just right up my alley. click on it for th link to the list of other participants:

Mmm, just gorgeous. I’ll be posting twice weekly from now on – 8 sentences on Sundays for WWW and a paragraph or so on Wednesdays for the Hump Day Hook event. I figure 2 little ones a week will be more fun and less guilt inducing than trying, and failing, to get round 200 writers on a Sunday.

To kick off with I’ll be posting excerpts from my novel On A Lee Shore, which is set in the early 18th century and is an affectionate tribute to all those 40s and 50s pirate films with people like Burt Lancaster or Errol Flynn swinging in the rigging with their shirts off. I can’t do too much of it because I’ve done sizeable excerpts before and am getting close to my limit for a published work.

Lt Christopher – Kit – Penrose, newest and most uncomfortable crew member on the pirate sloop Africa, is doing his best to cope and, up to now has manage, he thinks, rather well.

~~~

Soon it was the brief twilight, the sun setting in a blaze of gold and madder, stars pricking out overhead before the western horizon had cooled. Kit had the dogwatch, so he took himself off to his hammock, stripping to his breeches but still sweating in the sweltering fug of the fo’c’sle. He slept soundly that night and his dreams, if he had any, were no trial to him. But something roused him, and he lay dozing in that warm hinterland between sleep and waking where nothing much makes sense. Least of all the shift of air as his blanket slipped and the soft humming of “Lowlands, Low.” Then a hand touched his belly and moved down to grip hard. Kit swung a fist, felt it connect, and then tumbled off the other side of the hammock. He landed on his feet, fists clenched, panting with the pain of the tight squeeze.

~~~

There’s nothing as unsettling as being woken from sleep by a death grip on your nads. Or is there? What do you think?

Posted in Six Sentence Sunday | Tagged lee shore, snippet, SSS | 26 Comments

26 Responses

on February 3, 2013 at 11:09 am | Reply Heather Boyd

Fantastic excerpt. 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 11:53 am | Reply Jess Schira

That’s quite a wake up call.
on February 3, 2013 at 11:55 am | Reply Sherry Gloag

‘Gripping’ excerpt ;-0
on February 3, 2013 at 12:00 pm | Reply Catherine Cavendish

Brilliant. Really atmospheric
on February 3, 2013 at 12:12 pm | Reply Clare Davidson

Lovely description, with a great twist at the end. The description of the evening really pulled me in. I hope Kit isn’t in too much danger.
on February 3, 2013 at 3:19 pm | Reply Dani-Lyn Alexander

Great description, really puts you right in the moment!!
on February 3, 2013 at 3:44 pm | Reply sarahballance

Whoa! Your voice is amazing and so is the action. I love your style!
on February 3, 2013 at 3:45 pm | Reply Ciaran Dwynvil

That was not a nice wake up moment. I hope he’ll be alright. Brilliant snippet!
on February 3, 2013 at 4:11 pm | Reply susanroebuck

I love OALS – and I also love the hinterland between sleep and waking 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 4:38 pm | Reply Marcia

whoa! I’d prefer loud rock music on my clock radio! Nice excerpt, Elin. Will see you again next week 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 4:42 pm | Reply Joanne Stewart

Oh my. That’s definitely a way to get someone’s attention. I’m not sure I’d want to be woken that way. lol Terrific description of the night.
on February 3, 2013 at 5:09 pm | Reply Gem Sivad

I could almost feel the sway of the ship as he drifted between waking and sleep. Great writing!
on February 3, 2013 at 6:19 pm | Reply Charley Descoteaux

*lol* Poor Kit!
I didn’t realize you were inspired by those old movies. I should’ve see it because I really love Mr. Flynn. 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 6:29 pm | Reply Sue

Not a nice way to wake up but great descriptions. By the way I’ve posted today also 😀 (did I miss an e mail from you?)
on February 3, 2013 at 6:40 pm | Reply siobhanmuir

I think my reaction would be much the same. Nice snippet, Elin. 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 6:48 pm | Reply Teresa Cypher

That is an incredible snippet, Elin. Your words are so good at pulling the reader right there, into the story. Excellent.

And, your final comment made me laugh. 🙂
on February 3, 2013 at 8:51 pm | Reply laurakayeauthor

Well, that would be quite a wake-up call! I like how he swings before he knows anything else!
on February 3, 2013 at 9:44 pm | Reply Monica Enderle Pierce

Well, I’m sure if I had nads I’d strike first and ask questions later. LOL! Love it, Elin.
on February 3, 2013 at 9:47 pm | Reply jessielansdel

Lol. Wonderful excerpt, Elin, and lovely description of being half asleep…..and the rest. 😉
on February 3, 2013 at 11:30 pm | Reply sueannbowlingauthor

What a way to wake up! By the way, your link on WWW took me to my own status page. Twice. Weird.
on February 3, 2013 at 11:48 pm | Reply Joyce Scarbrough

What a great combination of imagery with a punch at the end! Great eight!
on February 4, 2013 at 8:10 pm | Reply Stevie Carroll

A stunner of an excerpt there.
on February 5, 2013 at 12:06 am | Reply Sarah W

I’ve never been fond of it myself, but it makes for a terrific scene. 🙂

And I don’t have to wait to read the rest—excellent!
on February 5, 2013 at 10:49 am | Reply Paula Martin

Great excerpt – and what a wake-up!
on February 5, 2013 at 7:03 pm | Reply Elaine Cantrell

What a way to wake up! I loved your description.
on February 7, 2013 at 3:39 pm | Reply Evelyn Jules

LOL! I much prefer alarm clocks. And I never thought I’d hear myself say anything favourable about those hideous contraptions. As usual, your writing greatly impresses me. It just flows so beautifully. Looking forward to the next excerpt!