Have a WIP, an EIP, an MS, or a published work you want to share on your blog, eight sentences at a time?
Want to sample other people’s WIPs, EIPs, MSs, or published works, eight sentences at a time?
Be a Weekend Writing Warrior!
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Now that it’s August—already?—I’m moving back to more snippets from Full Metal Librarian.
When last we left them, librarians Clyota and Charlie, and Pressman Reynard were consulting with Clyota’s lawyer Samantha, who will be defending Clyota on the murder charge.
Samantha, because she’s a good lawyer, is amazed that Clyota is out on bail and figures there’s more to the story than what she’d been told . . .
“I’m surprised Judge Iron-Drawers unbent enough to view the data before the trial—he’s one cold, letter-of-the-law judiciary,” Samantha said.
“Curiosity,” said Reynard, “is a great prioritizer of principles.”
“Well, I guess.” Samantha scribbled something on a pad, tore off the note, and stuck it to her terminal. “So,” she said, “I get why this Anderson-Smith is the most likely suspect for the Strapton-Hardcastle murder, but what’s his motivation—what’s in the lockbox? And don’t tell me he’s a rabid collector of Moonshot memorabilia, because while I am a defense lawyer and therefore believe you implicitly, you aren’t paying me enough to be that gullible.”
Charlie and Reynard looked at me. I suppressed the urge to squirm.
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Image credit: Creative Tools
Earful of Cider 
Wonderful snippet. ‘Judge Iron-Drawers’, lol!
Sam might have a slightly antagonistic relationship with the judge . . . 😉
“Curiosity,” said Reynard, “is a great prioritizer of principles.”
Great line, great 8!
Thank you! 🙂
I agree with FCEtier — “Curiosity is a great prioritizer of principles” is an awesome line. And this made me giggle, too: “…I am a defense lawyer and therefore believe you implicitly, you aren’t paying me enough to be that gullible.” (I’m a nurse at a jail. I SOOOO understand that line!)
That gullible line was originally “You aren’t paying me to be gullible,” but one of my good friends used to be a defense lawyer, and he told me otherwise, in no uncertain terms. 😀
(My sister is a jail nurse, too—there’s a coincidence! 🙂 )
You are the queen of dialogue.
Really? The Queen? Me?
Very, very nice, Sarah! The dialogue is crisp. I love the line: “Curiosity,” said Reynard, “is a great prioritizer of principles.”
Everything about this 8sunday snippet works!
Thanks, Teresa! 😀
Terrific dialog! Several quotable lines just in this snippet. You should have an easy time of promo!
Thank you, Willa. Now, if I could only get it edited to my satisfaction and add about twenty-thousand words . . .
haha! I love her! Great character!
Samantha is one of my favorite characters, Joanne—she’s the only one (besides Reynard, maybe) who knows what she’s doing . . .
Great exchange. I like these characters.
Thanks. So do I. 🙂
There are a lot of great lines in this snippet! Samantha is an awesome lawyer.
Thanks, Carrie-Anne.
She really is, which is weird, because I’m really not. 😀
Yay, FML’s back! Love “judge iron-drawers”–and her droll comments about trust.
Great snippet, as usual. 🙂
I’m glad you like it, Charley . . . actually, I’m astonished, as I didn’t really think it was worth dragging out of the drawer.
Love this line: “Curiosity,” said Reynard, “is a great prioritizer of principles.”
Great writing as always Sarah, and I’ve missed this story. 🙂
“Curiosity,” said Reynard, “is a great prioritizer of principles.”
Thanks, Cindy. Reynard and Samantha get all the good lines. 🙂
Oops, okay my post looks weird after I did the copy/paste but it is a great line so it’s all good. 🙂
Weird is always appreciated around here, Cindy. 😀
Wonderful dialogue! So many quotable snippets. I love the bit about curiosity being a great prioritizer of principles. Well done!
Thanks, Linda. 🙂
I love the lines already mentioned above…but I wanna know why Clyota is suppressing the urge to squirm. Were they going to say the suspect was indeed a rabid collector? Nice eight that leaves me asking questions and wanting answers!
The contents of the box relate to things that Clyota has been trying not to think about for a couple years—like her mother’s posthumous conviction of mass murder. So there’s that . . .
Love the “plausible gullibility.” Great dialogue.
I’ve pretty much run my life on that principle since my kids were born, Kate. 🙂
Love this. Great writing. I agree with what others have said about the good dialogue. Well done!
Thanks, Rayne, 🙂
When is Full Metal Librarian going to be out?
I have no idea, Sue Ann. I’m waffling over it, and that’s the sad truth.
This story is always so fascinating, can’t wait for more enlightenment! Excellent excerpt!
Thanks, Veronica. 😀
I love your attorney character – she plunges right past any charades and takes charge. I love how your portrayed the judge, as well, with his curiosity getting the better of his “Iron-drawers” morality. Great 8!
Thanks, Susan. The judge as fun to write—he didn’t much approve of his own curiosity. 🙂
I love the lawyer, she lays it out and doesn’t pussy-foot around. She’s awesome, Sarah. 🙂
Thanks, Siobhan. Wish I was more like her . . . 😉
I really enjoy their (or is it there? ; ) )world. I’ve missed Pressman and Clyota these past couple of weeks. Maybe you should think about releasing the whole thing in serial format?
That’s not a bad thought, Dee . . . But It’ll need a lot more editing.
I do so enjoy how no-nonsense Samantha is. It’s a joy to read her dialogue, because she’s so with-it. And Clyota is currently on the end of that no-nonsense stare.
I wish I were half as savvy as Sam.
That makes two of us. 🙂
Oh and the plot thickens…I can’t wait to see where this goes!
Thanks, Sharon! 🙂