Teaser Tuesday

NaNoWriMo has kicked off.  I think every Tuesday in November, I will have a small excerpt from my novel, what I have been writing.  I successfully already made it through day one without too many bumps and bruises.  I got up early this morning, at 5:30am.  I made some chai tea and sat down with my AlphaSmart.  I wrote the entire first chapter in one go.

My NaNo novel is a YA Coming-of-Age.  It's a combination of realistic fiction meeting an element of fantasy.  This excerpt is the first few paragraphs of the story.  The working title is Soul Therapy, but that is subject to change.  I haven't decided if that's a "good" enough title for YA.  It feels like it could sit a little bit heavy handed.

            Jessica slumped in her seat.  Her mother gripped the wheel like talons, eyes set dead ahead, unwavering.  Jessica had grown to know that look so well.  It was when her mother got lost in thoughts of her father, how their world had shattered seemingly overnight.  Jessica knew it felt like a lifetime when the divorce happened, but really, he was just gone one day.  Her mother never really could get over that.

            “Okay, well, I’m going to go inside, alright?”  Other students flooded into the high school off of busses.  At least her mother worked so early in the morning that Jessica could get a ride.  “Mom?”  Jessica ran her fingertips over her mother’s knuckles.

            Her mother gave her the sideways glance and that sweet smile, used to cover up anything bad hiding underneath.  “Have fun.”  Her eyes shifted back, out the windshield, unregistering.

            “I’ll try.”  Jessica snatched up her bag and got out of the car.  She closed the door with a bit too much force behind her.  She looked over the high school, Westbury High.  She only had one year left, but she was ready for it to be over.  It felt long overdue, with as much drama that had been building.  She couldn’t really stand to be home anymore, with her mother acting as a shell.