You know what I love? I love getting feedback from readers. It is so incredibly gratifying to have someone telling me what they’re thinking as they’re immersed in Grace’s world.
At the moment, one of my grade seven students is reading a bound draft copy of Grace Awakening. Yesterday we finished silent reading and were busily working on socials projects when she looked up at me and blurted out, “Mrs. Bird! I can’t stop thinking about that phone conversation Grace overheard about Ben!” Today as silent reading ended, she put the book down slowly and grumbled, “Why do we have to stop? They’re on the train and the guy just got stabbed!”
A boy across the aisle from her looked from her to me and said, “Mrs. Bird, your book sounds way more exciting than the one I’m reading! I want to read your book next!”
Outside our Hallowe’en dance in the afternoon I was chatting with a young man. He had told me that he was dressed as Ares, the god of war. I explained that I knew Ares well, because he had a very significant scene in my book. We discussed the differences between Ares and Mars, and then another boy, who’d been listening remarked, “I’m buying your book when it comes out, Mrs. Bird. It sounds awesome.”
It is quite crazy to have this amazing opportunity to touch lives and experiences with my words. I’m not sure that it’s as suited to the boys as they think, but the fact that I can discuss these gods with them is fun. It’s also wonderful to give them a chance to connect with “a real writer.” Mothers have come up to me in the hall and asked about my book because their child has told them about it. It is all rather surreal.
I can’t wait until book launch time! More than that, I can’t wait until AFTER the launch when there are lots of readers to discuss the book with!
11 months to go…
Shawn L. Bird 
Not the one November 5, 2010
Tags: decisions, Grace Awakening, prose
A prose selection that’s been floating in my mind for quite some time………
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“Just how near-sighted are you?” she asked from the side of the pool.
He laughed, as he leisurely moved his arms to keep himself upright in the deep water, “Very.”
She slipped into the water while she watched him. About 8 feet away, she pulled up. “Can you see me here?”
He shook his head, “Nope. You’re just grey fuzz.”
She swam a few feet closer. “Here?”
“Nope.” His voice had changed subtly. There was a timbre behind it that drew her.
She moved in again. “Here?” Her heart was beginning to pound.
He whispered this time. “No.”
She blushed in the cool water as she swam even closer. Their eyes were less than a foot apart now. Their lips were less than a foot apart. Inches. She could see the creases, and followed his tongue as it licked across the bottom lip.
She swallowed and murmured, “Here?”
He stared into her eyes as his lips curled into a slow sultry smile. “Well, you’re almost clear there.”
She gazed into his eyes, paddling her arms gently back and forth, her heart pounding in her ears at his invitation. She felt her life unfolding before her in the depths of his eyes. Would it be?
Time stood still as he waited, smiling with the challenge. The gauntlet was thrown.
Time was frozen as she waited, feeling for her future, wondering.
And suddenly, it was clear.
Driving the heel of her hand across the surface of the water she splashed a wave into his face, then dived past him as he reached, laughing, to grab her.
She swam away from him, beneath the surface of her dream, deep in the water of a new choice. She was bidding farewell to the dreams that had haunted her. Dreams that would probably haunt her forever. Dreams are not reality.
He was not The One after all.
———————–
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Technically, this isn’t about Grace & Ben although I’ve linked it to other writings about them. It fits with the theme of Grace Awakening although it doesn’t fit into the plot. Ben is definitely The One, so this could be Marco or Alex? It’s a little closer to the Bright and Umed narrative, though of course, they would never have been swimming together. Whatever it is, it’s a slice of life moment when destiny is looking you right in the eyes, and you know that the decision you make will irrevocably rearrange the rest of your life. You have to stare deeply into the mists and decide if this is the future you choose.
It’s kind of profound when it happens to you.
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