Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

Lottie Loses the Lottery (picture book): Lottie has the worst luck. She didn’t win the lottery–but her next-door neighbor, Eva, did. How can Lottie shed her funky mood and be genuinely happy for Eva?

Lottie just found out that Eva gave her friend Greta a new sewing machine, and she’s even more jealous than before. (Please excuse the run-on sentence. I’ve “creatively” edited so that I can squeeze as much content as possible into the 10-sentence limit.)

Lottie went to the bathroom and glanced at the mirror. A bitter face scowled back at her.

“What are you looking at?” Lottie asked her reflection.

“An ungrateful friend,” said the face in the mirror.

“What do I have to be grateful for? I lost the lottery,” said Lottie.

“So did a lot of people. But Eva won, and you didn’t congratulate her; she invited you to her party, and you didn’t go; she gave you an expensive present, and you didn’t even thank her for it.”

“She’s a bazillionaire–she can afford it.”

“And you can afford to be happy for her,” said the sulky reflection.

Let’s just say Lottie’s on the verge of a breakthrough that will help her get over her funk and congratulate Eva on her win.

This is the last snippet from Lottie Loses the Lottery. Next time I’ll share from the story I started on my recent writer’s retreat.

I know it’s short, but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.

Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

Lottie Loses the Lottery (picture book): Lottie has the worst luck. She didn’t win the lottery–but her next-door neighbor, Eva, did. How can Lottie shed her funky mood and be genuinely happy for Eva?

The morning after the party in last week’s snippet, Lottie’s doorbell rings. (Please excuse the run-on sentences. They’ve been creatively edited so that I can squeeze as much content as possible into the 10-sentence limit.)

An enormous package wrapped in colorful paper stood on her front porch. Lottie slid it into the house and closed the door.

Attached to the package with a ribbon was an envelope with Lottie written on it. She opened it and found a card. Because you’re you, said the front; inside, scrawled in Eva’s handwriting, was a note: I know you love your shows–when you watch, think of me.

When Lottie pulled the paper off the box, she found a television, a big one, nicer than the one she already had. “Humph,” she sniffed, and pushed the box into a corner.

Greta called. “I’m sorry you missed the party last night,” she said. “Guess what Eva gave me–a new sewing machine–isn’t it wonderful!?”

I know it’s short (10-sentence limit), but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.

Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

Lottie Loses the Lottery (picture book): Lottie has the worst luck. She didn’t win the lottery–but her next-door neighbor, Eva, did. How can Lottie shed her funky mood and be genuinely happy for Eva?

After declining Eva’s party invitation in last week’s snippet, Lottie soothes her resentful soul by watching tv and stuffing herself with chocolate chip cookies. Then…

Hearing sounds of activity in the neighborhood, she carefully parted her window curtains just far enough to accommodate her binoculars.

Cars lined both sides of the street. Smiling and laughing, the partygoers walked to Eva’s front door.

Lottie could hear snatches of conversations. The cheerful congratulations and laughter made her stomach ache (or maybe it was all those chocolate chip cookies crammed into her gut).

Lottie wandered to the back of the house and directed her binoculars out another window. Just as she suspected, guests spilled out Eva’s kitchen door and into her backyard. Twinkle lights glittered festively in the trees, and candles gleamed inside jars on tables scattered around the yard. Upbeat music played softly, and Eva circulated among her friends, carrying a tray loaded with tasty-looking desserts. All those happy celebrators enjoying Eva’s hospitality annoyed Lottie deep down to her core.

I know it’s short (10-sentence limit), but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.

Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

Lottie Loses the Lottery (picture book): Lottie has the worst luck. She didn’t win the lottery–but her next-door neighbor, Eva, did. How can Lottie shed her funky mood and be genuinely happy for Eva?

After last week’s snippet, when Lottie was tormented by a nightmare of currency blowing around her, just out of reach, she’s woken by a phone call from another friend, telling her about Eva’s good fortune. Lottie hangs up, and the phone rings again:

“Lottie, it’s Eva next door. I just wanted to invite you to my lottery celebration, tonight at six o’clock.”

“Sorry, I have to wash my hair.”

“Oh, come on, Lottie. You have all day to wash your hair. Please come to my party. I want to celebrate with all my dear friends—it wouldn’t be the same without you. Please, pretty please?”

“Oops, the teakettle’s whistling, got to go.” Lottie put down the phone.

I know it’s short (10-sentence limit), but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.

SaveSave

Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

Lottie Loses the Lottery (picture book): Lottie has the worst luck. She didn’t win the lottery–but her next-door neighbor, Eva, did. How can Lottie shed her funky mood and be genuinely happy for Eva?

Eva has just called Lottie to tell her the wonderful news–she won the big jackpot!

“Yeah,” said Lottie, tears burning her eyes like acid. “And you’re calling me because you want to split it with me, your best friend, right?”

“Very funny! No, but I’ll invite you to my celebration party. Goodbye–I’ve got to call my mother!”

Lottie set the phone down and shuffled to her bedroom.

She tossed and turned and finally fell asleep, dreaming of clouds of dollar bills swirling past her as if blown by the wind. She tried to catch some, but they always evaded her grasp. Thousands and thousands of dollars! Oh, why couldn’t they all be hers?

I know it’s short (10-sentence limit), but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.

Every Sunday, the Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday participants share 8-10-sentence snippets from their works-in-progress on their blogs for others to read and comment on. Join the fun! Click on the links to see the full lists.

I’m excerpting from a new (old) picture book project, Lottie Loses the Lottery. Here’s the opening. Please forgive the run-on sentences. I’ve used inadequate punctuation to get around the 10-sentence limit.

 The lottery machine on the TV screen spit out numbered balls, and the smiling man announced, “The winning numbers are…one…nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine…forty-two…six hundred eighty-seven…three…two hundred fifty-six…nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-eight…eleven…and the bonus number is…seven!”

Lottie shuffled through the forty tickets in her hand. Drat! Not one winner.

Her phone quacked like a duck, and she answered it.

“Oh, Lottie–I just had to tell somebody–I won the lottery! The hundred-million-dollar jackpot!”

Lottie broke out in a cold sweat. “Who is this?”

“Lottie, it’s me, Eva, your next-door neighbor–isn’t it wonderful?”

I know it’s short, but what do you think of this snippet? Any suggestions on how I can make it better? Please comment below.