Ciao, amici. The random word generator gave me some really good options this week. I settled on the word PATHETIC.
I haven’t released the title and cover of book 3 yet, so I can’t tell you anything more than this excerpt is from the third Astral Conspiracy Series book in the Invasion Universe.
Without further ado, here’s a snippet from the novel.
PATHETIC
Despite desperately clinging to what little pride she had left, tears welled in her eyes and trailed down her face.
She told herself it was a reflex response to the pain, but she knew better. It was the abject humiliation and pathetic weakness that had her in tears.
General consensus was to stick with the short teasers rather than the long excerpts, so that’s what I’ve done. And will continue to do.
I hope this one piqued your curiosity. I’d love to hear your thoughts. And to know what you’re currently working on. Do you have a “pathetic” quote you can share? Or maybe another awesome line or two. Let’s talk about it.
So many great snippets, so little time to work on my TBR … But these snippets are so tantalizing, and wow, so much talent here!
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Sorry I’m late to this party, Staci. But, I have to ask. Did you write this snippet about me? That describes me perfectly right now! 🙂 Of course, I’m kidding. Great snippet and I want to know what has caused her such pain.
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Thanks, Jan.
Hope you’re feeling better.
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Staci, you’re snippet is beautiful, and Robbie: Wow!
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Thanks, Rob!
And Robbie’s was fabulous, wasn’t it?
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Yes. She’s an amazing talent.
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I’m rooting for Landon and Tasha also! I can’t wait for the next books!
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Thanks, Joan. I feel like the next book will take forever to release and be here before I know it!
I don’t think I ever had characters “shipped” before. It’s kind of neat.
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I agree. It is neat And in a sci fi novel at that.
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Who’d have thought it? LOL
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I sense a turning point coming for your character, Staci. She’s hit rock bottom, the only way out is up 🙂
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Actually, she hasn’t landed yet. I have more horrors in store for her first. If she survives, then up it is. (But I can’t tell you if she does. 😉 )
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Is this Tasha? I’m STILL cheering for her and Landon to get together at the end of the series.
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I’m not telling who, but I’m tickled you’re shipping Landon and Tasha so hard. (Lansha? Tashdon? Ugh. I’m terrible at those things.)
Thanks, Judi.
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I love the short snippets because they really serve to make me curious about what is happening in the scene. There are some really good ones in the comments, too.
WIPS Wednesdays are a lot of fun. If I ever get my act together, I may tackle them, too. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the heck out of what you and Joan are doing!
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There are some good ones in the comments. (I notice you didn’t include one. Hmm… 🤔)
I hope you do decide to do a WIP Wednesday post “when you get your act together.” I’d love to read advance snippets of your work.
Thanks, Mae.
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Jumping in here. I’m encouraging you to begin a WIP Wednesday. I would love to hear what you’re working on (or snippets from your past works if you decide to include them.)
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What Joan said.
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I really want to start participating. Maybe I can kick them off in September. I’m crossing my fingers!
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In my current WIP the protagonist has no choice but to wipe out a gang of thieves who are holding an entire wagon train hostage. You know what’s pathetic? Instead of looking upon him as a hero, the folks rescued feel guilty that others had to die so they may live. They are so wrapped up in their own guilt that they view the protagonist as an incarnation of evil. How’s that for pathetic?
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Oh, that is pathetic. Guilt is such a strong motivator, and it seems never to inspire the correct response. I hope your protagonist gets away from them unscathed. Thanks for sharing, John.
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I think he will decide to hit the road,
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Good deal.
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Good snippet. I was trying to come up with ‘pathetic’ in my novel–just doesn’t fit!
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Thanks, Jacqui. Maybe next week’s word will be more applicable for you.
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I don’t think I have a pathetic quote. Love your excerpt, though. I’m going to take a stab at a pathetic character in the coming year, but that doesn’t count.
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Will someone literally be stabbing this wretched character? Because that’s a whole other thing…
Just kidding. I can’t wait to see your attempt at a pathetic character. Actually, Yak Guy was kind of pathetic when we met him.
Thanks, Craig.
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There will be a lot of encouragement to stab this character, but that isn’t where the tale will lead. Yak Guy might qualify in his early days.
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Sounds like she’s really having a crap kind of day. I bet it’s a Monday. Great demonstration of pathetic, Staci!
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I’m sure it was a Monday. Had to be.
Thanks, Teri.
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I’m loving these little teasers Staci. They get me wondering!
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Thanks so much, Denise. That’s the point, of course. And I’d love for you to start sharing something from yours each week.
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Your excerpt leaves us anxiously waiting for your book to be released. Nice choice.
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Thank you, Michele.
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Your character is hard on herself. I feel for her!
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Well, she’s kind of going through a “thing” at that moment, so…
I’m glad you feel for her. I must have done my job.
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I don’t have a direct pathetic quote, but I’d like to share something I wrote yesterday, where one of my characters gets overwhelmed with guilt. In the quote I mention ‘guilt-edged’, which is a lead on from a play on words I used a little earlier in the narrative, where he sees the priest’s robes are ‘gilt edged’ and he sees himself as ‘guilt edged’. … Here goes,
‘We do unto others as we would have done unto ourselves.’
Jonah lost the rest of whatever the priest said. That last line undid him. It started at his navel and worked up into his gut, until he felt that his whole body had come unravelled. On and on it went, until he was sure he was a mere outline of his old self—a shadow outlined in that awful guilt-edging—with his innards on full display and open to public perusal.
This is from Exodus, Book One of my The Colony Series, which I hope to publish early next year 🙂
I love your excerpt and word choice, Staci. And I’m enjoying these WIP Wednesdays. Thanks for sharing and for the invitation to share 🙂
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I LOVE the guilt/gilt usage. This is such a powerful quote. Thanks for sharing it, Harmony!
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Powerful, Harmony!
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Thanks, Jacquie! 🙂
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Ooo that’s a good one! What’s going on that’s making her feel so, well, pathetic? I don’t know who she is but I instantly feel sorry for her 😓
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That’s what I was going for! Yay! I’m glad to have evoked that response from you. Thanks, Jess.
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An interesting extract, Staci. I am trying to finish my novella about the Anglo Boer War called A Ghost and his Gold. Here is an extract which might be more heart wrenching than pathetic. You judge: “A few moments later, Mrs Smit entered the tent with her children. She laid the dead body of her baby down on a blanket. The child had drawn its last breath while she was speaking to the Camp Commandant. He had given her directions to the children’s graveyard. She dropped into a seated position on the hard ground and sat there, rocking herself to and fro, and keening softly. Her worn and seemingly bloodless body was that of an old woman and her large eyes in her white face were wild and haunted. The death of her infant on top of the recent losses of her oldest son and toddler seemed to have broken something deep within her mind. It was frightening to watch.”
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Definitely sympathetic, Robbie. Love this extract 🙂
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Oh, Robbie. My heart weeps for her. What a wonderful extract. Heart-wrenching, for sure. But wonderful.
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Dang, Robbie. That’s quite the snippet.
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Horrifying. My heart broke, too. Well written, Robbie ❤
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