We're closing in on the last few excerpts I'll be sharing from my YA paranormal thriller After Me. (You can catch up on the earlier excerpts here.) Lots has happened since last week's snippet. Jada made a new friend on the school bus, a mousy little bookworm named Annalee, and Jada is surprised to find out how much she wants Annalee to like her. Annalee talks her into going to the school library (a place Jada has never been in until then) at lunchtime and gets her to check out To Kill a Mockingbird. In chemistry class the next period, Jada's plan is to pretend to read after their quiz in hopes that it will make an impression on Lew Stanton, the nerdy guy she's crushing on who can't stand her. But she gets two big surprises: the story grabs her and won't let go, and she has suddenly become a speed reader—another "super zombie power" she doesn't quite understand. Here's the exchange that takes place when Lew asks Jada about the book.
“Hey, the bell rang,” Lew said, "didn’t you hear it?”
I looked around and realized everyone was leaving the room, then I said, “Oh, guess I got distracted by this crazy book. That little Scout chick is a trip.”
He narrowed his eyes and said, “What part are you on?”
“They just found out the hole in the tree is filled with cement.” I stood up and dropped the book into my backpack. “Pretty lousy thing to do if you ask me.”
A slow transformation took place on his face, and I knew he hadn’t believed I was really reading it until then. He was looking at me as though he were seeing me for the first time, and my knees actually got weak when he smiled at me.
And to think it was all because I finally went into a library.
Yep, libraries are magical places for sure. ;-) Next week Jada again gets to use her one zombie power so far that's not quite so nerdy. Can't wait? You can buy After Me here. And please do also check out the other Snippet Sunday folks and the Weekend Writing Warriors. Something for everyone among these talented writers!
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Any well read man is definitely a catch. ;) Great snippet!
ReplyDeleteReading is sexy, no matter who you are. Great snippet, Joyce. :)
ReplyDeleteSUCH a great story, love the unexpected twists and turns. Today's snippet was pure fun.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love everything about this!
ReplyDeleteWonderful snippet, Joyce. The library is a win-win situation for her.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet another reason to embrace the power of reading!! What a great snippet...and boy, did he ever get a surprise realizing she had truly read the book!
ReplyDeleteHurrah for libraries! And Lew sounds lovely - nerdy and a reader, just the perfect combination.
ReplyDeleteLol, dangerous places libraries! Especially to the mind... Loved your snippet, Joyce.
ReplyDeleteLol, dangerous places libraries! Especially to the mind... Loved your snippet, Joyce.
ReplyDeleteYeah for libraries! Great snippet!
ReplyDeleteLOL re the last line ... great snippet!
ReplyDeleteSee! Libraries are great! Great job capturing getting lost in the book, I've been known to do that. Except, that is one book I haven't read yet, though I probably should since it's a classic. I love how he finally sees her.
ReplyDeleteReading it totally sexy. Loved this.
ReplyDelete