Monday, February 15, 2010

Tell me your favorite scene

If you’re a writer, I’m sure you have a specific favorite scene that’s just good or powerful that you can’t believe you wrote it. (Ha.) Or one you simply just like. If you’re a reader, I’m sure there’s a scene from a book that’s stuck with you through the days, months, and maybe even years. I thought it would be cool to share one of those today and if you’re an author, please share from one of your novels.

The one that came to mind for me was from Protective Custody, the book that will be out in August with Steeple Hill. Let me know what you think and I look forward to reading your scenes, too! Readers, if you don’t have a scene you wrote, tell us about one that made an impression on you. And don’t forget to tell us the name of the book if you can remember. ☺

The opening scene from Protective Custody coming in August from Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Suspense.

In the downtown courthouse, Deputy US Marshal Carly Masterson eyed the three bloody finger prints on the cracked door and pulled her weapon.
Blood on the judge’s chambers door.
Not a good sign.
Her partner, Mason Stone, followed her actions. In a low whisper, he asked, “Is he in there?”
Heart picking up speed, Carly toed the door open. Without a sound, it opened inward exposing Judge Nicholas Floyd’s chambers. “Nick?” She kept her voice low.
No answer.
They’d been on the way to the Spartanburg, SC courthouse when they’d gotten the call the judge had received the second threat of the day. This time the authorities were sending protection whether he wanted it or not. Three minutes later, Carly and Mason arrived to find themselves in this situation.
A sweep of the room showed nothing amiss.
Except for a few drops of blood trailing the floor.
So where was the judge?
Anxiety twisting her stomach into knots, Carly said, “I’ll take the bathroom,” She headed for the closed door. “The drops of blood are fresh.”
“Look at the shape of the drops. They’re leading from the bathroom,” he murmured in a matching whisper.
She could feel her heart thudding in her chest. Her fingers reached for the knob then pulled back. “Blood on the knob.”
“Noted. I’ve got your back.”
She knew he would. Having been partners for two years, she trusted Mason with her life.
“Here.” He thrust a tissue he’d retrieved from the desk into her hand. Standing to one side of the door with Mason on the opposite side facing her, she placed the tissue over the knob, nodded to him and twisted her wrist. The door flew open at her shove and they rounded the edges of the door frame as one, guns pointed inside.
Empty.
The bathroom contents lay scattered. Water tinged with red filled the plugged sink.
Adrenaline rushing, Carly pulled back and let the thudding in her chest subside.
Mason looked at her. “Now what?”
“We follow the blood.”

4 comments:

Reagan said...

Maybe I'm morbid, I don't know; maybe I'm just a pessimist. But either way, I've always been drawn to the huge emotional and/or death scenes. They reveal so much about characters and their relationships (besides the fact that, if well-written, they can leave you in tears.) Those are usually the scenes I'm likely to read of my own writing over and over and over, and about the same for books I haven't written.

EllenToo said...

One I remember is the scene from Ramona Richards "Field of Danger"...I don't have a direct quote from the books but the scene where the heroine is walking out across a field with a pitcher of lemonade (or some kind of drink) and sees the person she is heading for being shot. I think the first scene of any book sometimes makes a difference as to whether someone reads it or not.

Project Journal said...

Oh goodness, ONE scene!? LOL! I loved Final Warning by Sandra Robbins(?). There were so many scenes that just had my skin CRAWLING!!
Hannah

Scraproni: Adventures of Single Woman said...

It's from The Pastor's Assignment by Kim O'Brien. Throughout the book are scenes which make you laugh out loud! Suspense story opening scenes of the Love inspired suspense series grab me from the first scene and your off and running till the last page!