Sunday 13 March 2011

The rocks glow red...

        
               The rocks glow red above the sea, embers of the day’s heat below our balcony at the Hotel Marie.
                 Down here on the southern rim of the country, out of the mistral’s slipstream, the evening drops viscous as liquid: slow and heavy and silent. When we first arrived, the stifling sultriness made sleep impossible; night closed in like the lid of a tomb.
                 Now, in the few hours I do sleep, I dream of all we have left behind: the hamlet on the hill and the whispering trees. Then, with a start, I’m awake again, remembering.
                Until it happens to you, you don’t know how it will feel to stay with a man who has done a terrible thing. Not to know whether the worst has happened or is yet to come; wanting so badly to trust him now.
    
These are the opening seven lines of The Lantern, as the narrator Eve looks out at the distinctive coastal rocks near Cassis, hardly daring to contemplate the hamlet on the hill inland where she has been so happy. But each night she returns in dreams, to a place that is, and is not, itself.  

I’ve posted this today by invitation of romantic suspense writer Anne K Albert (here), author of The Piedmont Island Trilogy among other novels. 

Each Sunday, Anne and other novelists in an online community of mystery and romantic suspense writers post seven enticing sentences from one of their published books, or from a work in progress. The list and links can be found over at Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday (here).

23 comments:

Lynne Rees said...

That's a wonderful opening, Deborah. I like 'night closed in like the lid on a tomb' for its almost unbearable discomfort and then how it takes on even greater resonanace when I get to 'a man who has done a terrible thing'. Can't wait to carry on reading!

Anonymous said...

You left me hanging and very intrigued! Nicely done!

Samantha Sotto said...

WOW. This is a KILLER opening. I am officially intrigued!

✿France✿ said...

COUCOU
Mais c'est le rêve chez toi une photo si belle je trouve.Et les couleurs c'est magnifiques Je t'embrasse

K said...

What a great opening! You've described the landscape beautifully and I'm also intrigued as to what terrible thing, the man in your story has done.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this book.

Anonymous said...

Les rêves sont un moyen d'évasion. Ils peuvent être beaux ou bien nous inquiéter... Mais la photo que tu nous montres est magnifique. Elle me rappelle beaucoup la roche, si caractéristique, des côtes de l'Esterel, que je vois, ici, tous les jours.
Bon dimanche, Deborah!

Deborah Swift said...

This is a lovely opening, poetic and intriguing. Your pictures are stunning as usual! Thank you for visiting my blog today, too.

bookspersonally said...

Very intriguing!

Lorraine said...

We have red cliffs and soil like that where I live. We adore it and it looks super against the sea, but some tourists find it peculiar - I can't understand why.

Anonymous said...

I actually gasped out loud at then end! Wonderful excerpt.

Muriel said...

I can't wait to read more...You made me feel homesick!

Author Leanne Dyck said...

Beautiful photo and well crafted seven.
I'm a contributing suspenseful seven author, please visit: http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com

Nicole weaver said...

Deborah,

Thanks for following me. I am following back. I appreciate the kind comments you left on my blog.

Nicole Weaver
http://mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com

Leovi said...

An excellent prose, engaging reading.Saludos.

Unknown said...

What an engaging start for your novel. I can just feel the sticky heat.

la fourchette said...

Within the first 7 lines, I'm in! (Of course, I was 'in' before by way of the other snippets you've tempted us with - but this cinches it.)

And this: 'the mistral's slipstream' - lovely. Oh so fitting for the weekend spent in just such a slipstream!

;) said...

Belle initiative ! Et un début qui donne envie d'en savoir plus !!!

BookGeek said...

Gorgeous opening sentences. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I appreciate the support. I'm following you now, hope you reciproctae! Your blog is truly lovely!

Anonymous said...

Love the sentence:

When we first arrived, the stifling sultriness made sleep impossible; night closed in like the lid of a tomb.

Deborah Lawrenson said...

Thank you once again for all your wonderful comments, which are very much appreciated, each and every one of them. The gradual unveiling of a new book is always heart-in-mouth stuff - I can't do much about it now, if initial readers don't like it - and this one is very important as I'm being published in the USA for the first time, and with a new publisher in the UK.

I don't really want to pick out individual comments, other than sincerely to thank so many of you who are serious writers and readers and artists for your kindness and encouragement here. I know from your blogs that you have exacting standards, which is why I enjoy reading them so much and scattering my comments there!

Becca said...

These are indeed enticing sentences :) I'm eagerly anticipating The Lantern!

Sharon Wilfong said...

What a lovely blog! Even though I'm commenting on this post I've read many of the others. Your book sounds fascinating. I'm glad you visited my blog so I could enjoy yours. I'm now following.

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