My Morning of Archery

Photos from the London Authors fair

 We set off from East Harling, Norfolk at 6.30am with the weather looking promising. However, as we approached the outskirts of the great city, rain and even hail tried its hardest to dull our mood. It had no chance though. Nothing was going to stop this country lass from enjoying her day in the capital with fellow authors.

Mum, Dad and I arrived in Covent Garden and I can honestly say that we must've been the first people they've ever seen following a sat-nav in a wheelchair and on foot, especially when it shouted out for us to turn right at the next roundabout. We eventually arrived at the venue by 10.15am slightly bedraggled and not looking our best, but we were giving a very warm welcome by Emma from Authoright, who offered us all a large mug of tea and a very large Danish pastry.

After a few minutes to warm up, I was off and ready to meet like minded people, agents and editors. It was a fantastic day and I look forward to next years event to which I will definitely be going to.

Now as promised another snippet from my novel.

The Book of Souls-Justice

 Chapter One

Maya peered up into the shadowed eaves of the Norfolk church lych-gate and cringed. The sight of dusty cobwebs and dead spiders with their spindly legs clustered in the crevasses, made her shiver. She hated spiders. Praying that the wind wouldn’t dislodge them, she ruffled her fingers through her mass of red curls before wrapping the collar of her Jacket around her neck.

“Where the hell are they?” She squinted down at the bright numbers on her mobile phone: 19.30. “Why do I bother?” Maya gave a large sigh. And why did I agree to this in the first place?

Just then, the faint crunch of shoes on gravel startled her. She crossed her arms, rubbing them while straining to see through the descending fog, but Maya couldn’t make out anything further than an outstretched hand. Twisting her head so she could focus her hearing on the footsteps alone, Maya tried to visualise each of her friends fitting into them. It isn’t Ben, because the gravel isn’t being kicked up by his foot dragging along the ground and it isn’t Harriet either, she’s always in too much of a hurry, and would never, ever walk that slow. As for Jess, her high heels would be a dead giveaway. She brought her fingers to her mouth and chewed a nail. Maya never chewed her nails, for she didn’t see herself as that type of person, the kind jumped at their own reflection, at least not until now. She chuckled to herself. Maybe it’s Sam then. He’s the only one with the inclination to turn this into a joke. Her gaze drifted towards the path and as she stared, Maya noticed four florescent stripes rise and fall in a ghost-like fashion low to the ground. With a gulp, she bit into her bottom lip and waited. I don’t like this! I don’t like it at all!!

Without warning, a figure tore through the fog. Maya took a step back, not realising she’d been holding her breath until a sigh gushed from her. With abrupt clarity, Sam stepped under the cover of the lych-gate and stopped in front of her.

 “Dammit, Sam!” She struck his arm with the flat of her palm.

He flinched back, faking a wounded look. “Hi, to you too.”

“It’s not funny, you scared the life out of me.” Maya pushed her hair from her face. “Anyway, where are the others? I thought everyone was supposed to be here at seven?”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” He pushed the sleeve of his jacket up and glanced at his watch. “I kinda got held up.”

“Well, you're always late, so that's nothing new, but you still haven’t answered my question.”

He lifted his gaze to meet Maya’s. “Okay! Give me a chance to finish. Just as I was leaving, Jess sent me a text saying she wouldn't make it.”

"I didn’t think she would, not with that cough she's had all day. And by the expression on your face, you're going to say that Ben and Harriet have changed their minds too, right?"

“You're good.” He nodded, causing a strand of brown hair to fall in front of his right eye. “Ben messaged me an hour ago. Apparently, Harriet told him that it was, ‘too cold and foggy.’ Can you believe that?”

“Yeah, actually I can, coming from her.”

“He also asked me around his instead, mentioning that Harriet would be there, but he didn't say you were coming which I thought was strange. I'm assuming they forgot to invite you?”

“Really? Well that's noth ...” Maya stopped short before she said something she would've regretted like, ‘well that’s nothing new … that’s Harriet all over, particularly when it involves me.’  Sam didn’t need to know about her latest outburst. However, as this was her idea, then she’s got one hell of a problem.

Sam’s cheek muscles stood out when he clenched his jaw momentarily in deep thought. Maya watched as his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. He’s even cute when he’s angry!

"Bloody hell!” He said, as if a great discovery had flashed across his mind. “You know, she's a vindictive cow sometimes. Do you think she planned all this at lunchtime knowing that Jess wouldn’t make it because of her cold?”

Maya shrugged.

Raising his arms to grab tufts of his hair, he walked a few steps out from the covering of the lych-gate. “Knowing her, she probably checked the weather forecast for tonight, then told Ben to text me in the hope I’d take him up on the offer, leaving you out here on your own.” He dropped his arms and turned to look at Maya. “I can’t believe she’d go this far, Maya. I know she's been on your case lately, but this is unforgivable.”

“It’s okay. Just forget it. She isn’t worth the hassle.” If it wasn’t for Jess, I wouldn’t have to put up with her in the first place.

Maya lifted her head to look over Sam’s shoulder and at the fog beyond. Straightening, she wiped the back of her hand across her brow. But why does she dislike me so much? And then she remembered spending the odd hour mulling over the same old question, and only coming up with the same old answer … jealousy, it had to boil down to jealousy, because Maya never confided in her, never let her get close; Harriet didn’t like that. Yet I don’t tell Jess or Sam everything either. It’s best that way, trust in no one and you won’t lose friends or family that way. The truth hurts. The truth of what she’d witnessed nine years ago, hurt then and it still hurt now.

“Maya?” Sam bent forward, a confused expression covering his face.

Turning away, Maya blinked and pushed those memories of the past back into the depths of her mind and glanced at Sam. At least he’s still the same old Sam I've known since primary school. Except now that they were both sixteen and in their first year of sixth-form, her feelings for him had changed. No longer was she irritated by his constant teasing and infuriating jokes. Instead, Maya found herself drawing images of his delicious caramel eyes, perfect tanned body and gorgeous scruffy hair on an imaginary canvas in her mind. Even now, her gaze followed a tiny bead of moisture rolling down a strand of his hair, onto his left cheek and along the line of his jaw before it came to rest on the tip of his chin. If only she could be that tiny drop caressing his face, unfortunately, her wish was shattered by the annoying swipe of the back of his hand. Their eyes met. Maya turned her head away, the picture destroyed, but not forgotten.

Sam leveled his head with Maya’s. “Hey, you’re right you know. I shouldn’t let her bug me and neither should you. I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, you are, and thanks.” She brought her hands up to her lips and puffed her cheeks out to blow warm air on the tips of her fingers. “But they’re right about one thing. It sure is cold out here.”

 Sam grinned. “Yeah, you wouldn’t think we’d get crazy weather like this at the end of March.”

Maya chuckled for the first time that evening. “What’s the plan then?”

“Oh … right … yeah. Well, we could go to the social.”

“No, we can’t.” She shook her head and huffed on her fingers again before continuing, “It’s closed for the weekend, some sort of electrical fault, that’s what my mum told me anyway.”

“Great!” He tightened his arms around his body and leant back against the flint wall.

“So, how about a walk?” Maya suggested. “I could do with warming up.”

“Really!” There was a humorous glint in his eyes and his mouth twitched with amusement. “I know a really good way to warm you up, Maya, much better than any boring old walk.”  The words floated from between his lips as his grin turned to a smile.

Maya’s breath froze and her body tensed. Did he really just say that!? He's obviously joking! Right?

He clapped his hands, making her jump. “You see, I can still shock you.” He laughed and with a springy bounce, headed off with long, purposeful strides down the path.

Maya shook her head and called out to him, “I’ll get you back, Sam Brown. Just you wait.”

“Sure,” he replied with a chuckle.

 If you read this and enjoy it or not, please leave a comment below, thanks.