1) I love the frenetic opening. Leah is in just about the most stressful situation you can imagine: she needs to get the kids to school on time…the flat tire…the kids are being their usual rambunctious selves in the car…Sally starts crying… This is NOT a pleasant time for her, and we can all relate in some way.
2) The choice of the word “phooey” seems meaningful to me. Leah even says it aloud! “Phooey,” it seems to me, establishes the tone of the novel. NO PERFECT DESTINY is going to be a relatively sweet romantic read. I would be quite shocked if Leah has a fight scene with ninjas on her way to a bondage den. No, this is going to be a sweet and pleasant read, and the reader knows that fact immediately. (Though I could always be mistaken…it’s happened before.)
3) Aren’t the last two lines fun? I might have put the dialogue with the punchline immediately after the setup, but I love how the author went that one step further. Nelson’s line offers us characterization about Leah (she tries really hard, but isn’t good mechanically). The follow-up adds in a joke. Nice!
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One Comment
Jackie Weger
Allison Rhodes: I am wholly ashamed of myself. I just learned ehow to engage my messages and comments since FB change it up so I can find the darn things. And there was this lovely recap of the opening of No Perfect Destiny. You are awesome.
Signing up for your newsletter. Followed you on Twitter. And I darn sure am going to share this lovely post.
Best to you and yours and great good luck with your books.
Jackie Weger