I’d like to thank historical novelist Jessica Knauss for sponsoring “The Historical Fiction Blog Hop”, where writers post a 10 sentence excerpt from a book they are working on. It is my pleasure to share from my current work-in-progress, Cut From The Earth, a story of Portuguese tile and its surprising makers — The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 — and the wisdom of nature to guide and heal.
It is November 1, 1755, All Saints Day in Lisbon, Portugal — most of the city’s populace is at church or getting ready to go, when “The Great Lisbon Earthquake” strikes with mayhem to follow…
Excerpt
“A jolt shot through Piloto’s body, ejecting the tile from his hand. It shattered. He dropped the iron-tongs. They clattered to the floor. Barrels of chalky glazes shook, their thick soups boiling over their rims, mixing paddles churning. The viscous substances ebbed and flowed: manganese-browns, copper-greens, cobalt-blues, iron-oxide oranges, creating an amalgam of colors on the ground. Rolling pins fell off counters, and ricocheted end on end before congregating in a pile, next to the vats. Dried goat balls the size of peaches vaulted to the floor, paint squirting out their nozzle ends. Buckets of paintbrushes careened, the brushes scattering like plucked feathers. Work pedestals spun. Small glass jars of pigments vibrated across tabletops; others wobbled off, exploding. Water spilled from barrel containers, housing gooey slip used to join clay pieces, and formed puddles on the floor’s low spots…”
What an ingenious way to mix atmosphere with action! Looks like a really great book I hope I will be able to read soon.
Jessica-
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read the excerpt and commenting. I hope you will be able to read the published book soon too, I’ll keep you posted.
And thanks again for organizing “The Historical Fiction Blog Hop”, I am enjoying it and I am interested in participating in others.
Many Regards,
Stephanie Renee dos Santos
http://www.stephaniereneedossantos.com
I’ve enjoyed reading the extract, Stephanie, here’s hoping for publication of the rest!
Richard-
Yes, fingers crossed that it will make to the printing press. In the meantime, I’ll keep on finessing my current draft (edited Lord knows how many times now? At least 7-9 full manuscript edits, maybe more. I’ve lost count…as some sections have been gone over 25-50…) I just read the HNS review of your novel, and congrats, it was a good review! And are you mulling over the cover? I would like to read your book and when I come to the USA this summer I will see if I can get my hands on a copy.
Thank you for reading the post and commenting.
Regards,
Stephanie Renee dos Santos
http://www.stephaniereneedossantos.com
Hi Stephanie, yes I was pleased with the HNS review, having been a little anxious beforehand. I’m not sure I’m persuaded by the reviewer about the cover picture – I’ve had positive comments from other people and the flowering plant theme picks up a major strand of imagery in the book… though as the reviewer noted, someone browsing in a bookshop would not know that! Difficult. Maybe it’s a personal thing, I think on balance I would prefer to stick with the metaphor. I would be more open to a rewrite of the descriptive blurb sometime.
If you have trouble getting hold of a copy let me know – I’m sure I can post one to Brazil from here in the UK! Meanwhile I shall be eagerly waiting for ‘Cut from the Earth’…
Richard
Richard-
Yes, and you should be pleased with the HNS review it was a very favorable. My background before writing fiction has been the world of visual arts. Book covers sell the contents inside and I feel the book cover is just as important as the inner text (which I know you know). What people like is subjective. I like the flowering plant and bee image concept, but maybe that image could be played with and enhanced or altered to draw more buyers. I like “arty” book covers that reference a work of art from the time period which could be a flowering plant with a bee: on a ruin, a sculpture, a carving, etc… A recent published title who’s cover, I believe, has helped it be a “bestseller” is The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchaman. Are you going to be at the 2013 HNS Conference in June? I am going and if you are there selling your book, I will buy it there!
Best,
Stephanie
Thanks Stephanie,
some great ideas here which I need to think about some more. No, sadly I won’t be going to the June conference in Florida – the day job interferes somewhat. Another year maybe!
Richard
Extrememly well developed verbal visuals. Like being in the same room and watching it happen. Perhaps the only way I could get interested in Portuguese tile is to read your book. If you can apply the same techniques to other subjects you may find great interest in the world’s readership.
Dad,
Thank you for reading my post and commenting, I really appreciate it! And yes, maybe you will get interested in Portuguese tile because of my novel…I do hope my writing style appeals to others; it is from the gut and heart.
Thanks Dad!
I’m thinking volcano? Exciting! Thanks for sharing from your WIP.
Elizabeth-
Thank you for stopping by and reading the excerpt– volcano — oh dear! I was hoping for EARTHQUAKE…but good you got a sense of excitement from the clip.
Regards,
Stephanie Renee dos Santos
http://www.stephaniereneedossantos.com
This vivid imagery conveys what it’s like to be in the middle an earthquake. Nice work.
Kim,
Thank you for your comment and I happy to know you got the sense of being in the middle of an earthquake.
Many Regards,
Stephanie
Very vivid imagery! I’ve never experienced an earthquake, but now I feel I know how it would feel. Excellent description!
Jenna- I am happy to hear the clip is vivid in imagery and you get a sense of feeling from it. Thank you for your kind words and for visiting my blog.
Regards,
Stephanie