Meg’s mother picked up the pair of brown tortoise shell reading glasses from the top of the bedroom dresser. She gently put them on and leaned in to study her face in the reflection. Cocking her head to the right, she removed the pair, placed the chewed earpiece in her mouth, and sucked the grooves in between the teeth marks. Only then did she notice the smudge on the lens. Instinctively, she reached for a tissue to wipe it away, but a second later reconsidered. It might be — most likely would be — the closest she’d ever come again to holding her husband’s hand.
= = =
This was the result of an exercise I took part in yesterday at The International Creative Writing Conference at Bar Ilan University, sponsored by the Shaindy Rudoff Creative Writing Program. Part of a hybrid literature workshop with Marcela Sulak and Xu Xi, participants were invited to be inspired by the technique used in Jenny Boully’s Not Merely Because of the Unknown that was Stalking Towards Them. Consider the perspective of a secondary character in a book you love. Write a scene from that perspective. This was spontaneous and fun for me — considering A Wrinkle in Time from Mrs. Murry’s point of view.
If it sounds fun to you, too; try it! And post a linkback in the comments below.
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Fabulous! It pulled me in immediately and I love your style. I scrolled down hoping to read more. You could definitely turn this into a whole other story.
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Thanks! I am really, really interested in writing more. I appreciate the feedback. A Wrinkle in Time was and is one of my all-time faves. I’ve read it at least a dozen times. But only through this exercise (and through the passage of time) did I start to imagine what it might have been like being Mrs. Murry! Left alone by her husband in the name of science — with four school aged kids. in that cold cottage. Sure, Charles Wallace could take care of himself and all, but still! I plan to re-read the book and expand on this.
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Oh, I can hardly wait to read more, then! I recently read it to my son (my excuse now for re-reading all my childhood favourites…not that I need and excuse) and I know what you mean; I saw it in a completely different light. Your piece gave me yet another perspective, one I think I’ll be thinking about now whenever i think about the book. I’d like to know, for example, what she does next. Does she put the glasses down? Does someone come into the room? Will she think about the glasses later, when she’s really wondering if that’s the last bit of him she will ever see? Also, the glasses in the photo are so HIM!
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super cool. will have to try – maybe with a secondary character from my own book?!?!?
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