We are both very excited to present to you all a couple of excerpts we’ve selected from our book When the Rain Falls. It’s a long time in coming, and it’s likely that it will be a little longer yet before we finally hold it in our hands, but in the meantime we hope to get you all as enthusiastic as we are. Happy reading!
We are both very excited to present to you all a couple of excerpts we’ve selected from our book When the Rain Falls. It’s a long time in coming, and it’s likely that it will be a little longer yet before we finally hold it in our hands, but in the meantime we hope to get you all as enthusiastic as we are. Happy reading!
Ramblings from Sarah
Lizzie has always been my character baby. She’s pretty stubborn, she occasionally makes rather questionable choices, but for all of that, I feel rather lucky to write her perspective. She’s a very strong character, so much so that it can be tricky not letting her take over and barge her way into the spotlight. But underneath the tough exterior, she cares deeply for her friends and has a loyal heart.
As for Dylan, what can I say about him? He is my second main character that I write. He’s protective, and, as Lizzie’s main love interest, he has to be pretty strong himself, or else he’d be a doormat for her to walk over. Due to this, I can promise plenty of fireworks. He’s straightforward in speech, but complex in his emotions. This means that if he doesn’t express himself well, his emotions can come out in unpredictable ways.
In the excerpt below, we catch up with them as they charge into the last third of the book. Lizzie and Dylan have just made a rather unwise decision, and like all bad decisions, it comes with consequences…
Musings from Ashley
From the very beginning, Grace and Levi have been my characters. And, though they frustrate me all the time, I have a special bond with them. They’re not perfect, no one is. But I enjoy writing from their perspectives regardless.
The first thing you need to know about Grace is that she’s damaged. Not just from the events in the book, but from her past. She has lived a pretty tough life up until this point. Because of this she’s highly emotional, and who can blame her? She would be the first to admit that tears are her coping mechanism; the complete opposite of Lizzie. Despite this, she has the kindest heart, and is forever the peacekeeper. But she needs a rock, someone to keep her grounded during the rough patches (and there are many). That’s where Levi comes in. He’s goofy, a bit clumsy, and has never had to take life seriously. In fact, he has avoided it entirely. However, under this carefree exterior is a compassionate and loyal soul who wears his heart for all to see, especially Grace.
In the following passage, we step in on Levi and Grace as they try and deal with Grace’s unfortunate injury the only way they know how.
Excerpt from Lizzie’s Viewpoint
A soldier from around the mall called out to his mate. “I think I heard someone,” he said in a low voice.
Levi clamped his hand over Jennifer’s mouth and her crying became muffled.
“It was over here,” the soldier said, who had managed to convince his comrade to help him investigate.
I looked desperately around. We weren’t in the best place. It was open and near the road with no cover for several hundred meters. A torch light flickered somewhere in front of us.
“Shit, we’re going to have to run,” Dylan muttered to me. “Ditch the packs.”
I threw my heavy pack to the ground and started sprinting up the main road, hearing the others’ footsteps crashing loudly behind me. The shout of discovery sounded from one of the soldiers and the flashlight beamed across the road as the soldiers ran after us.
“Where do we go?” I puffed to Dylan.
“Stick to the plan,” Dylan said, his voice cold.
So, we ran. My lungs were burning and my muscles cramping with fatigue. We’d already been walking for hours and my body was reaching exhaustion. It felt like I couldn’t breathe and I didn’t understand how my body kept working when every breath was a struggle, our panted gasps becoming shorter and shallower. But there wasn’t a choice to stop either, only the endless agony of each step into the darkness.
Excerpt from Grace’s Viewpoint
I followed them without another word, holding back tears. Levi dutifully helped me along, as we lagged behind the rest of the group.
“I told you we would be OK,” Levi said to me.
“Do I look OK to you?” I asked.
“No,” Levi said with a shrug, “but at least you are alive.”
“Barely,” I said. “I feel weak, and useless…I’m a burden.”
Levi wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I struggled onward.
“I need to rest,” I said, and hobbled over to a log. Levi sat next to me.
“Look at me,” Levi said, lifting my chin gently with his hand. I looked up at him, and met his soft gaze with mine. “You aren’t a burden.”
I was close to sobbing, and I cast my eyes down in embarrassment. I caught sight of the blood-soaked bandage around my leg and broke down into tears. I couldn’t go on anymore. Levi looked confused, unsure how to comfort me. He settled for just sitting quietly next to me until I calmed down.
“I’ll carry you,” Levi eventually said.
“I can walk.”
I was tired and weak but there was an end in sight. Tonight, we would have a roof over our heads. A real roof and, hopefully, a real bed. Perhaps a good sleep and some decent food would make Lizzie and Dylan see how stupid they had been.
Ramblings from Sarah
Lizzie has always been my character baby. She’s pretty stubborn, she occasionally makes rather questionable choices, but for all of that, I feel rather lucky to write her perspective. She’s a very strong character, so much so that it can be tricky not letting her take over and barge her way into the spotlight. But underneath the tough exterior, she cares deeply for her friends and has a loyal heart.
As for Dylan, what can I say about him? He is my second main character that I write. He’s protective, and, as Lizzie’s main love interest, he has to be pretty strong himself, or else he’d be a doormat for her to walk over. Due to this, I can promise plenty of fireworks. He’s straightforward in speech, but complex in his emotions. This means that if he doesn’t express himself well, his emotions can come out in unpredictable ways.
In the excerpt below, we catch up with them as they charge into the last third of the book. Lizzie and Dylan have just made a rather unwise decision, and like all bad decisions, it comes with consequences…
Excerpt from Lizzie’s Viewpoint
A soldier from around the mall called out to his mate. “I think I heard someone,” he said in a low voice.
Levi clamped his hand over Jennifer’s mouth and her crying became muffled.
“It was over here,” the soldier said, who had managed to convince his comrade to help him investigate.
I looked desperately around. We weren’t in the best place. It was open and near the road with no cover for several hundred meters. A torch light flickered somewhere in front of us.
“Shit, we’re going to have to run,” Dylan muttered to me. “Ditch the packs.”
I threw my heavy pack to the ground and started sprinting up the main road, hearing the others’ footsteps crashing loudly behind me. The shout of discovery sounded from one of the soldiers and the flashlight beamed across the road as the soldiers ran after us.
“Where do we go?” I puffed to Dylan.
“Stick to the plan,” Dylan said, his voice cold.
So, we ran. My lungs were burning and my muscles cramping with fatigue. We’d already been walking for hours and my body was reaching exhaustion. It felt like I couldn’t breathe and I didn’t understand how my body kept working when every breath was a struggle, our panted gasps becoming shorter and shallower. But there wasn’t a choice to stop either, only the endless agony of each step into the darkness.
Musings from Ashley
From the very beginning, Grace and Levi have been my characters. And, though they frustrate me all the time, I have a special bond with them. They’re not perfect, no one is. But I enjoy writing from their perspectives regardless.
The first thing you need to know about Grace is that she’s damaged. Not just from the events in the book, but from her past. She has lived a pretty tough life up until this point. Because of this she’s highly emotional, and who can blame her? She would be the first to admit that tears are her coping mechanism; the complete opposite of Lizzie. Despite this, she has the kindest heart, and is forever the peacekeeper. But she needs a rock, someone to keep her grounded during the rough patches (and there are many). That’s where Levi comes in. He’s goofy, a bit clumsy, and has never had to take life seriously. In fact, he has avoided it entirely. However, under this carefree exterior is a compassionate and loyal soul who wears his heart for all to see, especially Grace.
In the following passage, we step in on Levi and Grace as they try and deal with Grace’s unfortunate injury the only way they know how.
Excerpt from Grace’s Viewpoint
I followed them without another word, holding back tears. Levi dutifully helped me along, as we lagged behind the rest of the group.
“I told you we would be OK,” Levi said to me.
“Do I look OK to you?” I asked.
“No,” Levi said with a shrug, “but at least you are alive.”
“Barely,” I said. “I feel weak, and useless…I’m a burden.”
Levi wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I struggled onward.
“I need to rest,” I said, and hobbled over to a log. Levi sat next to me.
“Look at me,” Levi said, lifting my chin gently with his hand. I looked up at him, and met his soft gaze with mine. “You aren’t a burden.”
I was close to sobbing, and I cast my eyes down in embarrassment. I caught sight of the blood-soaked bandage around my leg and broke down into tears. I couldn’t go on anymore. Levi looked confused, unsure how to comfort me. He settled for just sitting quietly next to me until I calmed down.
“I’ll carry you,” Levi eventually said.
“I can walk.”
I was tired and weak but there was an end in sight. Tonight, we would have a roof over our heads. A real roof and, hopefully, a real bed. Perhaps a good sleep and some decent food would make Lizzie and Dylan see how stupid they had been.
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