#IWSG: Backwards in mind (working title)
Things didn’t go as well, as planned since my last IWSG post on May 9th. I had every intention to create a June post. Time simply slipped out of my grasp and in July I didn’t want to write with the passing of my sweet mother-in-law.
I think the only way I am going to overcome my procrastination is to jump in feet first. No planning. No fore-thoughts. Just raw, unedited sentences flowing from my brain to my fingertips onto my computer screen. All I ask of you is to be merciful, kittens and dawgs! I am not an adult fiction writer, just a gal with a wanting to fulfill a dream to tell a story loosely based on my grandmother.
❦Chapter One❦
Celeste stared at her grandma’s sleeping face. In the dim light, the creases on the old woman’s face revealed hard times. Celeste sniffled. She took a deep breath, as she held her grandma’s frail hands in her own. The weight of the news was more than Celeste’s heart could bear. Her mind began to drift when she felt a tender squeeze.
“It’s going to be okay, dear, “ the old woman smiled, faintly.
Fighting the tears back, her blood-shot eyes stung. “I’m not ready to say good-bye,” she sobbed. “How will I…my baby make it without you?”
“Child, you are blessed…” she paused. “Blessed more than you’ll ever know. You have good parents and a loving fiancé.”
“I’m not married, grandma! How did you do it? How did you raise dad, Uncle Cleave, Oliver…”, she stopped to wipe the tears away, as the woman picked up.
“It wasn’t easy….times were different. It seems like yesterday. I was laying in a bed just like I am now…” Nana Nell’s eyes became dreamy remembering bygone days.
“That girl is useless, Lester”, Missouri squelched, coldly. “Lawsy-mercy, Doc Harris tells she ain’t gonna walk ever again! We have too many mouths to feed and not enough hands to tend the farmin’ and now we’ve been cursed with this plague. She’s better off dead.”
Alvin wasn’t a patient man. His leathered face and rough disposition matched his bark. “Watch your mouth, woman! That child is fightin’ for her life.”
Nell shook uncontrollably, as the fever consumed her body. The loud voices of her maw and step-paw reached her ears. Slipping in and out of consciousness, her mind wondered… “Please, someone… close the curtains! The light’s so bright. Mamaw Claire? What are you doing here?”
To be continued…
I admit it this is not a full chapter, but I wanted to get something in text form. The working title isn’t all that good, but I put this off far too long. A better title will pop in my head, as my story develops. Maybe, just maybe now that I’ve taken this initiative I can pull myself to the keyboard each day for a short while to peck out a few more lines. I’m actually excited about writing. I’m happy that I forced myself today yesterday to reach within to extract some resemblance of what I placed on hold forever and a day ago all thanks to you (IWSG). 🙂
Be honest, I’m not fragile, did this tid-bit sound interesting?
16 Comments
Stephen T. McCarthy
CATHY ~
Thanks so much for your vote on my recent ‘Battle Of The Bands’ blog bit. (I think you have pretty much clinched the victory for Frank Sinatra, although the contest won’t end for another 5 to 6 hours.)
We’d love to have you join us in ‘Battle Of The Bands’, preferably as a regular (the first and fifteenth of each month), but even as just an occasional participant (we have a couple of those too, namely Chris Fries and Donna Hole).
I left a reply to your comment on my blog.
Thanks again, and I hope you will continue to support ‘BOTB’ as a voter, and better yet as a voter AND a PARTICIPANT (if you think you’d like to). It’s really a lot of fun for us.
Yak Later…
~ D-FensDogg
‘Loyal American Underground’
Cathy Kennedy
Stephen, thanks for giving me the details of BOTB. I made myself a note, so that I can be sure to join in on the fun your next go-around. In fact, I may go ahead with working up a post in advance. I love music!
mariodacat
I am not a writer other than my cat’s blog and my own blog. But your story grabbed me and now I want more. I would say you are a writer and I can’t wait to see how it progresses.
Cathy Kennedy
You’re so kind. There are many kinds of writers, don’t sell yourself short. I find that some of the best authors out there are those who keep blogs. Thanks for stopping by. BTW, what is your blog address? Your gravatar account does not point back to it.
sheenmeem
Would love to know what happened next!
https://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/
writtenstuff
Your snippet was definitely interesting and I loved the name Celeste. Good luck as you keep on writing. Definitely continue.
rhonda albom
Welcome back to IWSG. Loved the section and I can’t wait to read more.
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh)
Harsh flashback. (I mean that in a good way.) The grandmother has a strong voice.
Very sorry to hear about your mother-in-law.
Cathy Kennedy
It’s hard to step out of my comfort zone of doing nothing at all it seems to put my thoughts to words finally. I see this as a slow moving project, but it’s better than it not moving at all. We’ll see where this goes and thank-you, Alex for your kind words. Losing my mother-in-law was hard, but she’s in heaven. I’ll see you next month for another edition of #IWSG!
Jennifer Hawes
Keep it up! Sorry for your loss.
Nissa Annakindt
It’s got great potential. But only if you keep on writing! 🙂 It caught my interest and made me want to know more. So your writing is doing its job.
Cathy Kennedy
You’re right, I have to keep writing. I MUST keep my focus to succeed. This is something I truly want. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy because I’ve done nothing for too long. Change is always hard. Let’s see where I am next month this time. Thanks for the encouraging words.
Belle
Very interesting. I’d love to read more! Sounds like July was rough on more than just me. I am sorry for your loss.
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks, Belle! It’s been hard, but I know everyone has their own crisis to deal with in life. Maybe, we both can pick up the pieces and move forward.
cluculzwriter
I would definitely read on. I want to know more about the grandmother, the others, and her. I can feel her sorrow, her deep sense of loss. So sad. Thanks for sharing this. I know how scary that must have been.
Cathy Kennedy
Thank you, Joylene! Your encouragement means a lot to me. It is scary to put yourself out there against so much talent. I feel like a minnow fixing to be gobbled up by a bigger fish. lol