I’ve been tagged by Cindy Rodriguez for the 777 Meme!

She highlighted the rules, so I will too.

Go to the 7th line of the 7th page of your work in progress.

Post the first full 7 lines.

Then tag 7 friends.

My work in progress, titled BAREFOOT ON THE SIDEWALK, has been chosen to be mentored for the Pitch Fiesta Contest through Latin@s in Kid Lit. I’m so excited to be a part of it. My mentor is fabulous! Kerry O’Malley Cerra. Her MG novel JUST A DROP OF WATER just debuted several weeks ago. Yay!

Here’s a little synopsis of what’s going on with my WIP:

Abby loves living on the prairie in her family’s country home surrounded by a vegetable garden and Texas bluebonnets. She wants to ride horseback through the tall grasses. But a voice inside her head, her mother’s voice, warns, “Life’s a basket of rotten apples. Be careful.”

When her Puerto Rican dad, who grew up in New York City, suddenly decides to trade their country home in Texas for a cold flat in Brooklyn, twelve-year-old Abby doesn’t understand why.

In Arkansas, on her way to Brooklyn, her family stops at a minimart to grab a few snacks and buy gasoline. But when Abby’s dad enters the minimart, an old man behind the cash register glares at him suspiciously. One of her relatives, Bart, inadvertently sees that the old man has a gun. Abby doesn’t understand why this old man is fearful of her family. After all, they’re just a family passing through town. What’s the big deal?

So here’s my 7 lines:

Abby’s dad sat in the driver’s seat this time, her mom beside him speaking in a loud whisper as their bus moved along the highway. “It’s a shame we couldn’t stay longer at that last stop. That old man was unstable to say the least.”

Her dad, who on most days readily agreed with everything her mom said, clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Unstable? That’s not the word I’d use.”

They passed a rumbling truck. Abby took the cotton balls out of her ears and scooted forward. “Well, I don’t like it,” said Abby’s mother, waving her hand in the air. “I should write that man a letter and give him a piece of my mind. He lost good business.”

Abby’s mind was stuck wondering what word her father would use other than unstable. She thought the old man looked frightened, or maybe even angry, and she suspected the word had something to do with the color of her dad’s skin.

Oh boy. I probably did more than 7 lines, but it made more sense adding a line or two. 🙂

Okay, so I need to tag some writer buddies. I’ll put some names here, but if anyone I name can’t participate, no worries!

I tag: Leandra Wallace, Hilary Sierpinski, Sharon Chriscoe, Valerie Coulman, Catherine A. Winn, Katherine Pisana, Donna Cook.

Wishing everyone the best with your WIPs!!!

It’s true.

Leo was missing for close to 40 days. Every time I would drive into our neighborhood, I’d wonder if by some crazy happenstance, maybe Leo would show up. Maybe he’d walk across the road, strolling in his little Leo sort of way.

And he did. Seriously, he did.

But I wasn’t there to see it. My neighbor (thanks Tess!) texted me a photo of an African Sulcata tortoise with the question, “Is this yours?”

“Yes!” I texted back. “Where is he?”

She says, “Teresa saw him yesterday and posted a pic of him on Facebook.”

My hubby was home, so I texted him to go outside, Leo was spotted yesterday traipsing around Teresa’s front yard!

Leo was across the street the entire time.

Tess was kind enough to text a photo of Leo to all our neighbors. And within an hour, another neighbor called and said she found Leo.

And after nearly 40 days of wandering the bushes, flowerbeds, and gardens of our little neighborhood street, Leo came home.

My son is thrilled. I’m thrilled. My hubby is thrilled. Our neighbors were all thrilled.

But Leo is a bit shell-shocked. He hides his food as though someone may steal it from under his nose, and he skulks about, puts his head inside his shell, and looks weary. Which he probably is. Our poor little Leo.

But he’s home! Yay! He’s really home!