Once a month, Bria Quinlan and Alexia Reed host a bunch of authors who get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just be a writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site or click on the banner above!
This month’s excerpt isn’t exactly an excerpt, but more of the spark for one of my works in progress, Sweet Temptation, a Regency-set Romantic Comedy which explores issues of identity and gender. Part of the idea came from listening to When I Was a Boy by Dar Williams and speculating on what would happen to similar characters in the Regency Era. The identity issues came from the similarity of the two female friends’ names and wondering what if neither the heroine or the hero are who they present themselves to be. Then I thought, “But what if they fall in love with each others true selves?”
I thought it might be interesting to share this behind the scenes look for a change. Where do you find your inspiration?
Once there was a young boy who knew what love was. He knew the joys of walking in the fields and picking flowers to inhale their sweet scents, of running his hands across lush fabrics, and of producing mouth-watering smells in the kitchen. His mother indulged him in everything, denied him nothing. His brutish father could not understand his son’s love of nature and beauty. His father swore to make a man out of him. No namby-pamby mama’s boy had ever held the family title and when he hopped the twig would not be the first time. Thus, the boy’s freedom was denied him and he was packed off to boarding school.
A similar, yet opposite, view was held in the nearby manor house where a young girl lived. She enjoyed hunting frogs at the edge of the pond, racing neck or nothing across the fields, while riding astride, and wearing skirts was the worst sort of punishment. She took no interest in any of the feminine pursuits deemed suitable by her respectable mother. Her father indulged her every whim and enjoyed her sunny smiles as she conquered the surrounding countryside. He was amused when she trounced the local boys at an archery tournament – her mother was not.
The boy’s father and the girl’s mother had forgotten what life had been like as carefree children. Her mother had been a boy once – climbing trees with stains on her dress and punching the neighbor boy when he stole a kiss. His father had once been a girl, too – helping Cook in the kitchen and even sitting down to imaginary teas with his younger sister and her dolls on more than one occasion, all without coaxing.
Those days were long forgotten.
Pressures of the adult world shattered youthful innocence and ground out any wonder that had once existed and now these two husks of humanity were bent on disciplining those same qualities from their children’s hearts. It was no wonder that the boy and the girl had become so unhappy and dissatisfied with their lots in life. Their parents set an excellent example. Could they learn from it?
If you enjoyed this, you might enjoy some of my other Excerpt Monday offerings.
Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.
As always, our hostesses Bria Quinlan (PG13), Alexia Reed (R), Rachel Jameson (PG13) and Kendal Corbitt (R) thank you for stopping by!
Justina Ireland, YA Urban Fantasy (PG-13)
Shawntelle Madison, YA Paranormal (PG-13)
Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)
Dara Young, Paranormal Romance (R)
Kinsey Holley, Paranormal Romance (NC-17)
Sorcha Mowbray, Historical Erotic Romance (NC-17)
Gail Roarke, Paranormal Romance (NC-17)
Don’t forget: In addition to the standard New Release and mid-month Excerpt Monday days, October is a FULL FREE READ MONTH! The October full read is next Monday!