I dug it back out now that our semester has ended and it’s summer break. I haven’t read what I’ve written in a while, but today I took a peek. And it’s time to start finishing up this piece of work. With 42,000 words already written (“Beneath the Mimosa Tree” stood at 58,000 words–this one will be longer), I’m starting to love these characters as I did Michael & Annabelle & Vivi.
I’m sharing an excerpt of a part of the novel I’m writing to see what you think…
The cover is only a mock-up. It most undoubtedly will change. I work better with a title and cover image idea in my head, though I’m not entirely certain this is what I will go with or if I will seek a publisher. It’s all up in the air now. The only thing that’s certain is the storyline; I would like to share a part of it with you today.
“Baseball Girl.” An excerpt. Copyright Stephanie Verni, 2013.
Zeke Watson had been struggling at the plate. His batting average had gone from .325 earlier in the season to .252. The press had been all over his slump and his technique, and had been speculating about his future.
Your father was a firm believer in Watson; he loved his stance at the plate and his tenacious work ethic. He kept telling you that Watson had it in him. He could be a Hall-of-Famer.
The Blackbirds were down by three. Watson came up in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs. The pitch was delivered, an inside curve ball. Watson got his hands on it. Out it flew, over the outfield fence.
The stands erupted. You and your dad jumped up and down, high-fiving each other. It was a spectacular ending to an 11-inning game.
Your father showed you how to score a game-winning grand slam that day in the program.
“Let it be a lesson to you, Frankie,” he had said. “That ballplayer just showed us all that anything is possible. Even when you think it isn’t. Remember that, okay?”
You looked at your dad and gave him a hug.
You would remember it. Always.
