My dear friend, fellow blogger and Canadian, Carol J. Garvin of Careann’s Musings has tagged me with the Lucky 7 Meme. (Merci beaucoup, Carol) The challenge is to go to page 77 of my current WIP, count down 7 lines, then copy the next 7 lines and insert them here on my blog.

My first reaction was that I wasn’t sure if I had 77 pages done. Then I wondered, does that mean double-spaced or single? I converted to single and was left with 69 pages. In the end I let my ego rule the day and chose an older WIP because, frankly, the 7 lines in the double-spaced version of One Wrong were boring.

I had no idea how tough this would be.

Here is the Lucky 7 Meme protocol:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line seven
3. Copy down the next seven lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag seven authors
5. Let them know

Here are my 7 lines from page 77 of Kiss of the Assassin:

“Can you even speak the truth?”

“It’s unlikely you’d recognize it. If you’re trying to trick me, Comrade Minister Strasnov, I don’t care anymore. I came today because I hoped you could provide a pleasant diversion. But like all men you had to spoil it. Now tell me how could you destroy him? And why would you risk your career to do so?”

“I know his secrets. But I won’t place you in danger by saying more. Except to add, know my word is good despite my teasing. One day I could give you your freedom.”

Kiss of the Assassin is an old manuscript I’ve been working on off and on since the mid 90s. It’s actually my favourite story to date, but it’s about the Vietnam War, and all the agents and publishers I sent it to in the early 2000s said nobody is interested in that war any longer. I still love the story, but I’ve just been busy with my other works Dead Witness and Broken but not Dead. No, I don’t plan on giving up and will begin querying again soon.

What’s your story about, Joylene?

Funny you should ask. Kiss of the Assassin is an epic political thriller about a young Russian woman, who witnesses the murder/suicide of her parents on a collective farm when she is five, only to be raised by a power politician as his own personal assassin. As she matures, she begins searching for a way to escape his control.

I’m now supposed to tag 7 other writers. If you can’t participate, don’t worry, there’s no pressure.

joylene