Last week, I finished off my first round of edits on my historical superhero work-in-progress Wayfarer. This book has been a wild roller coaster for the last couple of years I’ve been outlining and writing it. It was a tough one to write, mainly for personal reasons, but I had so much fun editing it.
As many of you will remember this is my “Spider-Man meets Charles Dickens” novel (not literally, that’s just the flavor of the story).
It’s about a country lad in 1820 England who ends up with more power and responsibility than he ever bargained for as he tries to save his sanity, his master, an orphaned pickpocket, and, oh yeah, the entirety of London–all while trying to find a way to get the earl’s strangely scientific-minded granddaughter to notice him. His name’s Will Hardy, and he’s kinda adorable and kinda hilarious–and I can’t wait to officially introduce you to him.
But that will have to wait awhile. Right now, the book is off to my critique partners for their ever-brilliant feedback, while I take a few weeks’ break and then move on to Dreamlander‘s sequel.
However, I am going to share the sneakiest of sneak peeks with you. Super Reader Benjamin Thomas suggested I share my top 5 favorite lines from Wayfarer, so here you go!
My 5 (Spoiler-Free) Favorite Snippets From Wayfarer
-#1-
He raised an eyebrow to somewhere between challenging and teasing. “Had I known you weren’t a lady, miss, I wouldn’t have done you the honor of throwing myself at your feet, would I?”
She frowned. Trying to decide if she would put him in his place as a lady would be certain to?
“Well. You have done no harm, so we will say farewell, shall we?” The twitch of her mouth seemed amused, whether at him or her own failed ruse. “May I suggest the next time you believe you have encountered a lady, you spare yourself the bruises by throwing yourself at her with less enthusiasm?”
He risked a grin. “Don’t you suppose a lady might be worth a bruise or two?”
Her eyes widened, askance, of course. But if he made no mistake, the smile twitched her mouth again.
-#2-
The push of the crowds brought him to a halt. He looked at Rose. “Consider this a hypothetical question.”
“Don’t ask me. I ain’t no physician, now am I?”
“What do you think Mr. Monarch would do if I said I’d my fill of the bargain?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Ah, and that’d be why you’d be wanting a doctor, aye?”
-#3-
Head still spinning with the dizziness, Will glanced at the paper. Even with the banks all printing their own tender these days, this looked like no bank note he’d ever seen.
He shook his head. “How is it you figure to buy gin with that?”
“Same as any man. Put my note on the counter and keep me finger on the corner ’til I gets my change.”
-#4-
With a growl, Rose thrust Will’s wrist from her. She stomped across the room to where a clothesline stretched between the corner of the hearth and the wall. She returned with a patched green silk shawl.
As she passed Will, she shook her head. “Went and sold yourself to the shop, didn’t you, cully?”
-#5-
“Now.” Pish replaced the hat, licked his finger several times, and applied it to the pages until he found the one desired. “Tell us what has occurred here.”
“I told you.”
“Yes, yes. Girl in the street, saved the girl, overcame two flash coves.” Without raising his chin from his writing, he cast Will a questing glance. “Saved the valuables.” He finished writing with a flourish. “Now perhaps you can tell us how a gentleman from Soho Square comes to be off Charing Cross Road in the middle of the night—and without half his attire.”
Will opened his mouth, then closed it. The truth would never do. “It’s all rather . . . foggy.”
Pish grunted. “Well, ’tis London, isn’t it?”
#
Actually, in selecting these, I realized all my favorite bits were too spoiler-y to share this early. But that’s a teeny little taste to whet your tastebuds!
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YAY for taste bud teasers! Nice to have sneak peek; or sneekiest of spoiler-free peeks, knowing eventually we’ll have access to the full steak.
I like how you dangled the carrot of Dreamlander’s sequel before leading into the rest of the post. I thought I heard an evil laugh in the background. Hmph. Glad you’re getting a 2 week break! Soak it in 🙂
This definitely sounds like a fun read. I like snippet #1 the best. It’s actually a nice window into the inner workings of their relationship. As a kid Oliver was one of my favorites, and I’m totally wanting to go watch it again.
Over and out.
Snippet #1 is from the first chapter. It was a lot of fun to write!
I think I need to buy this book when it comes out, because I already love Rose and I’ve only read, like, five lines from her. Thanks for sharing these!
Hah. Not that I’m, like, prejudiced or anything, but Rose is awesome. She’s one of the main reasons I want to turn this into a series.
Looking back, it actually only took three lines. Gotta love that cockney accent, and the part where she’s mad at Will!
Yeah, he needs her to take care of him–even though she’s only nine. 😉
She’s only 9! Wow. What happened to the pickpocket lady? Still in the story?
I should clarify. You’re seeing Rose the nine-year-old pickpocket in excerpts #2 and #4. The woman in #1 is the love interest.
I thought the pickpocket was 90 yrs old?
Nope. Only nine. 😉 Gotta have youthful reflexes, you know!
Oh lord, I had quite a chuckle out of this one! Although I have heard of a real notorious elderly thief in her 80s.
It does make me wonder about the possibilities of such a character!
I just found the link. She’s an 85 yr old international jewel thief! She’s been doing it for 50 yrs!
http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20962404,00.html
Whoa!
These look good! Waiting for Wayfarer will be a good practice in patience. ;D
I know, right? I’m being so hypocritical here, because I *hate* it when I have to wait forever and ever for authors I like to finally send their books into my hot, eager, little hands. :p
*shakes head* naughty, naughty..
“The world was as dark as eyes closed, but perhaps the goats could smell dawn seeping through the cracks in the house’s stone walls.” – Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
This is one of the opening lines of Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy. I read this book years ago, but that simile has stuck with me. I gasped when I first read it. I couldn’t believe there was a new way to say “it was dark.” Shannon Hale is a brilliant word smith. I highly recommend her books if you haven’t read any (Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days, Goose Girl, etc.). I’m often amazed how she crafts unique figurative language without making it feel contrived.
Wayfarer sounds so fun. Congratulations on making it to this next stage of the process. I hope you are having fun with Dreamlander’s sequel.
Wow. That is gorgeous. I’ll have to check that out! Thanks for sharing.
Way to go…I’m looking forward to it. I’m a fan of your writing advice and have a couple of your novels I need to get to. Looks like there’s this one on the horizon as well. Awesome!
Forgot to mention – “Don’t you suppose a lady might be worth a bruise or two?” is part of the exchange that has me wanting more.
Thanks, Trevor. One of the things that was fun about this book was all the banter I got to write for the hero and his love interest.
How many books until we get Victorian Avengers? #AlfredNobelIsIsIronMan
I liked snippet 3 the best. I cannot for the life of me think of a quote. I can’t think of many books I’ve read either, right now. I will go with “Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.”
Planning this story to be a trilogy, but we won’t ever quite reach the Victorian era.
Hah!
Consider this reader’s appetite sufficiently whetted. 😀
Oh, good. *passes the salt* 😉
This book is now on my wishlist.
Yay! Thanks! 😀 Can’t wait to share it with you!
I think snippet #1 was my favorite! I am waiting eagerly for “Wayfarer” to come out! When will it be published?
Thank you! 🙂 I’m working on final edits now. The book is scheduled to come out this fall.