Friday, January 28, 2011

99th Page Blogfest

I just learned about this interesting blogfest hosted by Alicia. The idea is that we post the 99th page of our WIP's. I had no idea what was on page 99 so I took a look. I think it's interesting - how about you?


When reading my page and all the others, keep in mind these three questions:

1. Would you turn to page 100?
2. Why or why not?
3. Is this a book you might want to buy.



My 99th Page:


Lissa awoke with a start. A bone thin, black cat with long straggly fur had curled up next to her while she slept. The doll laid face down within reach of her fingertips. She snatched it and hid it in her pocket.
Gently she got up so as not to disturb the cat's slumber. The witch was also still asleep when Lissa went to the window, intent on viewing the hut's surroundings. The white horseman rode through the clearing, and soon the red horseman followed. Light streamed in through the windows of the hut. The day had dawned.
The witch opened her cold, black eyes. Her bones lurched and cracked as she made her way to the door. Before stepping outside, she whistled for her mortar and pestle. In an instant they appeared with her faithful broom. She climbed into the mortar and gave Lissa a smile, revealing two rows of long, sharp teeth.
“I leave you to your work, my dear,” she said and was gone.
“Where should I begin?” Lissa wondered aloud. She was no stranger to hard work, but accomplishing all of the tasks was going to be impossible.
“All I can do is my best,” she said with a shrug. She decided to begin with the hardest task first – sorting the chaff from the wheat.
The skulls lurking on the fence were far less menacing in the light, but their eyeless glare and her thoughts of how they came to be there caused an involuntary shudder. Forcing her mind back to the task at hand she looked around the yard for the bushels of wheat.

21 comments:

  1. I'm just dying to know the genre first of all, but witches and bone thin black cats would keep me reading at least to the next page!

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  2. I agree with Mara on both points. I'd definitely consider buying this book based just on this!

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  3. LOL and I am looking for more. Adorable world. I would be hard pressed to do my best for a witch....good moment for some angst or hate the mean old witch....I mean if failure means my head joins the skulls....I am gonna be a little more unnerved. I want more...is she captive or witch in training? Is the cat really nice? He was sleeping with her, he might not be skinny if the mean old witch would feed him. Love it!

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  4. Very intriguing! I'm with HowLynnTime: I want to know if she is a captive or a witch in training. I would definitely keep reading.

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  5. I love the last paragraph! You make me ask a lot of questions here, and I would keep reading. :)

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  6. Very cool! Someday I will have a 99th page!

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  7. I like the elements of classic folklore/fairy tales that I see in this. I'd turn the page to see where this was going (or turn it back to page 98 to get a little more grounding).

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  8. Intriguing. Very fairytale-esque. Makes you want to turn the page.

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  9. I'm definitely hooked and would read on. And backward.

    Thanks for participating!

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  10. I would definitley keep reading. Of course, I want to know how the story got to this point. That's a big problem with reading ahead; you read a portion and have absolutely no idea how the story got to that point. But, it's really good. I want to know what happens.

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  11. Yes I would read more. I would want to read from page 1 to the end. be careful with repeating words, you used the word bone twice on one page. But that's super nitpicky.

    Awesome job.

    Thanks for joining in on the fun.

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  12. You know what's cool Mary? This could have been a first page for me. I totally got a sense of setting, story, even a touch of relationship and character.

    Annnnd...you've won the Write Hard Award on my blog :)

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  13. This could be interesting. It's certainly different than 90% of what I read today. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Lissa must REALLY want to be a witch in order to endure those surroundings! Thanks for sharing.
    erica

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  15. At first this made me think of the opening of Hunger Games, but then, with the witch I started thinking of Hansel and Gretal. Intriguing.

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  16. Ummm, more? Like, now?

    Is Lissa a prisoner? A slave? A Gretel to the evil witch (is the witch evil?)? I would start from page one, definitely.

    Thanks!

    Marie, http://marierearden.blogspot.com

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  17. The horsemen and skulls are fascinating. I want to find out more about them!

    I'd read on!

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  18. I love the uncertainty about the world and the witch- is she working for or against your MC. Definitely piqued my interest!

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  19. I'd totally read this. Creepy in an intriguing way that makes me want to read on! Nice work, Mary. The skulls on the fence part was my favorite.

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  20. Ooooh, it sounds good! I would definitely read more.

    I'm so glad I finally found your blog!

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  21. Oh, I'd definitely turn the page...and I have! Gwa ha ha!

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