Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, from Tuesday/First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea; and Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Should Be Reading.
Just grab your book and share the opening lines; then find another excerpt that “teases” the reader.
Today I’m excerpting from Reel Life, by Jackie Townsend: a story about sisters….
Blurb: Sisters are meant to always be there for each other, or are they? In the glare of reality, clashing views and acts of betrayal can form unbridgeable gaps, and the fabric of sisterly love must be rewoven from whole cloth. Reel Life, the debut novel by Jackie Townsend, charts the story of two sisters who must call upon the past to forge a new and meaningful connection. With iconic moments of cinema as its driving narrative thread, this finely-wrought, absorbing work will cut straight to the heart, and reveal the intricate emotions that come together to form a family. Exploring themes of motherhood, body image, ambition, and love, Reel Life offers a poignant close-up of the most intimate of relationships that move, confuse, haunt, and heal. Surging with drama interlaced with subtle irony, Reel Life will shock, surprise and move anyone who understands that sometimes, escaping reality offers the clearest path to emotional truth.
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INTRO: (July, 2003) (Chapter One: The Wizard of Oz)
The movie had started. The psychic was reading Dorothy’s future in a crystal ball, and Betty felt a strong inward pull in her womb, a sense of life giving her another chance, a way forward. She looked around her. Her oldest, Sam, was stretched out on the floor so close to the TV screen that the images illuminated his face; her youngest, Nick, was curled against her, sucking his thumb and blue blankie at the same time; the missing rebel, her middle child, Clay, was in the basement battling it out on Play Station’s Lord of the Rings. These moments with her children were what made sense, Betty thought, resting her eyes shut.
Then the banging started up again. “Mom!” Sam screamed, and she opened her eyes. “Tell Dad to stop hammering. I can’t hear!”
“You don’t need to yell,” she responded calmly.
Dave, her husband, was upstairs repairing the A/C. It had almost been a relief returning home from California to find him immersed in a busted condenser, the upstairs flooded. To be so consumed moving furniture and airing out the carpet with fans that she had no time to dwell on the fact that her little escape to California was over, that Monday Betty would go back to work, and Dave would begin his job search. That their lives would continue on the same.
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Teaser: She swallowed. Her arms were bruising under his force. “Look, Joel, we’re both drunk. Let’s talk tomorrow when we’re sober. OK?” She kept her voice even and calm, not wanting him to sense her fear, and it seemed to work at first, as he loosened his grip, but as she turned to go, he grabbed her again and knocked her against the wall so hard that the back of her head whacked against the stucco. “Do you love me, Betty?” p. 101
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Wow! That one makes me want to read more….The opener aroused my curiosity, but the teaser gripped me. What did you discover in your book today? I hope you’ll stop by and share…..
Domestic violence is so prevalent today. Sounds like a sad book.
Here’s ours: http://www.ourstack.blogspot.com/2012/05/tuesday-teasers-words-and-white-cascade.html
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Thanks for visiting, Kzemek….enjoy your week!
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I definitely would read on. enjoy, it sounds very good.
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Thanks, Diane…I’m looking forward to it! And I’m glad you could stop by today. Enjoy your read…..
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Sounds like a great book. The teaser makes me want to find out what is going to happen next! I have to add this to my shelf.
Thanks for stopping by. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Reading Kelly…I do think the snippets aroused my curiosity, too. Glad you could stop by…have a great week.
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That’s a great teaser! Was not expecting that question to come out of his mouth! I’ve got another vintage teaser today from Kilmeny of the Orchard, if you’d like to stop by!
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Yes, I thought: the nerve of him to ask that! Thanks for stopping by, Jenny Q. Enjoy your week…
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He sounds like he needs a punch in the nose.
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Definitely! I really hate that kind of behavior and I hope she doesn’t put up with it….thanks for visiting, Jess, and enjoy your week (and the tub of brains you’re reading about!).
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This sounds like a great book! I enjoyed the teaser – thanks for sharing! 🙂
Lisa @ Lost in Literature
My Teaser Tuesday
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Glad you liked it, Lisa, and thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week!
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Sounds very interesting, I hate when guys do that, smack you up against the wall and then ask “do you love me”. seems sort of the opposite of what they should be doing.
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Oh, totally! I just want to smack him back….and then split.
I have a feeling that’s not what this character does…but maybe she’ll surprise me.
Thanks for stopping by, Irene, and enjoy your week.
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wow what a good tease! i want more more more!
Trish – My Teaser
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Thanks, Trish…me, too…I think someone needs to get his butt kicked out!
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Great tease….the book sounds pretty intense. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by!
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I agree…it does. Thanks for stopping by, Kim, and enjoy your week.
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Great opening and teaser. They do make you want to know more about the book. Thanks for visiting!
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Oh, I think so, too, Heather…glad you could stop by…and enjoy your week.
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He comes off as a total creep to me in the teaser.
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Oh, yes he does; just the kind of guy I’d like to kick to the curb. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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This book has all the themes that draw me in and keep my interest. Enjoy.
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I think so, too, Nise…glad you could stop by; have a great week.
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I absolutely LOVE that teaser! I haven’t read it yet, but I’m definitely checking this one out – thank you for sharing and stopping by mine! 🙂
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Hope you like it, Amy….and thanks for visiting today!
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Yes, I agree this one sounds fascinating!
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Thanks for visiting, Kim…I really like the one you chose, too. Glad you could stop by.
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sounds very interesting, good teaser.
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Thanks for stopping by, City Girl…enjoy your week!
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I definitely would want to keep reading.
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Thanks, Yvonne….I agree that the opening paragraphs are pretty captivating. Glad you could stop by.
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Uh-oh…it does NOT sound like Betty is in a good situation…
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I completely agree, Natalie…I hope she gets out! Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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Ohh, awesome teasers ;D Hope you’ll enjoy reading those 🙂
Thank you for commenting on my Teaser Tuesday. ❤
Love, Carina @ Carina’s Books
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I am sure I will enjoy this one, Carina…and thanks for visiting today. Have a great week!
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OOOh nice tease!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
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You’re welcome, Jessica…and thanks for visiting here, too. Enjoy your week!
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Great teaser… sounds intense!
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Definitely! Thanks for stopping by, Melissa, and have a great week.
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I think I would get far far away from Joel. Thanks for visiting.
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Oh, she definitely should do that, Jo…hope she does. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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Very intense, sounds like a good book. Thanks for sharing this one.
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Thanks, Janet Ruth…glad you could stop by and take a peek. Enjoy your week.
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Wow. That’s intense, and scary. Sounds like an interesting book.
Thanks for sharing!
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Yes, definitely…thanks for visiting, Andrea, and have a great week.
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Hi! Thanks for dropping by my blog!
Oh scary tease! This is one of my biggest fears.
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I know that the book has piqued my interest…thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week.
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Well, I think my answer would be no! Thanks for stopping by.
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Okay…no worries. lol
Thanks for checking it out, Beth, and have a good week.
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Oh, sounds like a great book! The teaser made me want to hurt Joel, but I’m hoping it’s just because he’s drunk, and that he’s not that mean kind of person! Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading!
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Yes, that behavior definitely sends up a red flag….thanks for stopping by, Louisa…and enjoy your weekend.
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Most definitely 🙂 Thanks, you, too!
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