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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Set the Scene in Six Sentences - Sunday






One of the finest aspects of fiction writing is the ability to set the scene.  Characters act and react, but they don't do so in a vacuum.  In their world, they meet, fall in love, solve problems, sometimes horrendous problems.  Maybe it's a small town, maybe the big city, the green, humid jungle, dust-dry desert, a mountainous region.  On the sea.  Under the sea.  In space! 

Setting the scene is also done by using character dialogue to paint a picture of loveliness, danger, evil, trepidation, excitement, awe...

Give us six sentences that set the scene.  Set the Scene in Six Sentences - Sunday is a new opportunity on the Exquisite Quills! Blog to tout your talent.  How have you set the scene in your books?  How have you put the reader into the life of your characters?

Every Sunday, the blog will be open to six-sentence scene-setting.  Just post your six sentences, your name, and one link in the comment box.  We can't wait to read you!

Pass the word!  Open to all!

12 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

This is from my brand new historical romance set in my own Scotland in 1816, Midwinter Masquerade by Romy Gemmell.

He spurred on his horse and the powerful stallion
beneath him reacted at once. They galloped across hillside and through glen, one with each other, part of the nature around them. With the heather long past its flowering adding to the brown bracken, and an occasional patch of frost more often
than not hiding the rich green grass, the trees were a good mix of evergreen fir and now leafless silver birch.

Finally easing his horse to a trot, Edward pulled on the reins. “Steady, Storm,” he said, as man and beast sat at the top of a hillock and surveyed the landscape from east to west. As always, he admired the rolling hills and gently flowing brooks in
the quiet glens, recognising his good fortune in calling this part of Scotland his home.

Tirgearr Publishing: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Gemmell_Romy/midwinter-masquerade.htm

Rose Anderson said...

With Halloween around the corner, I thought I'd set up a scene from my Enchanted Skye. In this scene, the MacCodrum siblings realize their brother has been snared by an ancient and potentially deadly charm when Jenna cried and her tears fell into the sea while Alex the transformed Selkie swam nearby.
........................
Concerned for Alex, Gavin said, “But she’s avoiding him Lachlan, in the long run it will break his heart.”

Lachlan’s frown deepened. This was auld magic, so auld it was the stuff of faerie tales. If Jenna MacLeod cried seven tears into the sea with Alex nearby, it was a binding contract of love or obsession — lasting love if he could win her heart, obsession and eventual suicide if he couldn’t. “If he doesn’t figure out a way to win her over, it will kill him, and damn it all, there’s nothing the three of us can do about it.”

Not one to shirk from intrigue, Beatrix MacCodrum tapped a finger to her chin and told her brothers, “Maybe there is.”
...............................................
http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Skye-ebook/dp/B00F0XLF5Q/

Rita said...

From Under Fire by Rita Henuber.
Can you guess what happens next?

“Come on, just one dance,” he said leaning on the bar.
“No, go away.”
“What’s it going to take to get you to dance with me?”
She crooked her index finger and motioned him to come close. “A million in your bank account and seven inches in your pants.”
Without missing a beat he replied, “The million I have, but even for a woman as beautiful as you, I won’t cut off three inches.”

Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ln6o7zy

Kaye Spencer said...

Rita, That is a fabulous scene. I'm still chuckling. :-) What happens next? Hmmm... I'm going to read your book and find out. ;-)

Kaye Spencer said...

Ah... Scotland. It's on my Bucket List to visit.

Kaye Spencer said...

I love the Selkie legends. Another reason I want to visit the British Isles.

Kaye Spencer said...

This six-sentence scene is from my western romance, Lonely Places. The h, Elliotte, has followed the anti-H, Beau, to the attic of the boarding house where he is kneeling beside an open traveling trunk.

**
It was obvious she was intruding on a private scene and immediately regretted her invasion, yet, curiosity moved her through the cold, dead attic air.

Stopping at the glimpse of a daguerreotype in his hand, she asked softly, “Laurie?”

No response, but he raised the half-empty bottle to his mouth.

Weird yellow dancing lamplight cast phantom-like tendrils around them in a dim, eerie glow of muted shadows, and she reached out to touch his shoulder, but pulled back. Another drink, and tear fell on the picture. Again, she reached out and, this time, touched his shoulder in gentle comfort; he tensed, nearly flinched in physical pain...

Lonely Places: http://tinyurl.com/ke87csb

Rose Anderson said...

LOL I had to read that twice!

Rose Anderson said...

Ooh I like this.

Rita said...

Glad you like it ladies.

Unknown said...

Here is the opening scene of Anne's Courage by Skye Michaels in which she first sees the sexy Jamie Devereau! Enjoy!

Anne’s Courage by Skye Michaels - Book 3 of the Le Club Series
M/F - BDSM/Erotic Romance/Contemporary/Heat Level: Scorching
http://www.bookstrand.com/annes-courage

On Saturday morning, Anne Sutton looked up from her desk in the executive offices of Le Club Laurel Oak—Ocala, and there, leaning against the doorjamb of her office, was the most stunning man she had ever seen. She looked him up and down more boldly than she meant to before her gaze settled on his face--she felt herself swirling into the depths of his brandy colored eyes. Was this what they meant by “swooning”?
Jamie Devereau’s dark, wavy hair, much shorter than that of his brother, Justin, was windblown, making him all the more attractive. His worn jeans fit his long legs and great butt like comfortable skin. He wore a black T-shirt, motorcycle boots, and aviator sunglasses pushed up on his head and a day’s scruff of beard darkening his face emphasized the strong bone structure and added tantalizingly to the bad-boy image.

Other books by Skye Michaels available on Bookstrand.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com:
The LeClub Series: Calleigh’ Collar, Kelly’s Challenge, Anne’s Courage, Paula’s Commitment, Madison’s Choice and Belinda’s Crown
The Golden Dolphin Series: Ivorie’s Surprise, Harper’s Submission, Violette’s Vibrato, and coming soon: Cassandra’s Revenge and Pandora’s Box
The Horsemen Series: The Appearance of Impropriety
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SKYEMICHAELSBOOKS Fan Page for covers and first chapters
E-MAIL: SKYEMICHAELSBOOKS@YAHOO.COM

Natasha Hadleigh said...

Fab!