It seems the world can’t sleep nowadays. How many of you out there suffer from regular insomnia?
I’m really lucky. I’ve had bad spells of it, usually when things are a little topsy-turvy in my world, but for the most part? I lie down, I go to sleep. There were times in the past when I recollect lying awake at night, flip flopping in the bed, thinking about how I might have said something a different way, or done something a little differently, and mostly wishing for do over. The glaring red numbers from my bedside clock seem to glow brighter and bigger as time goes on during nights like this.
When you’re worried enough to lose sleep, there’s nothing you can do other than to try and meet problems head on, or simply move on, and hope for the best. Some children are the sort who won’t tell you what’s bothering them. Or maybe can’t tell you. They might lie awake worrying, but for them living in an adult world, sometimes their only option is hoping for the best.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I couldn’t sleep.
***I’m using #FirstSentenceFridays on Twitter and tagging @Kensington Publishing Corporation. Follow along and tweet out/share if you’d like!***
Excellent first sentence, Donna! It makes me wish I somehow could be there for Dixie… <3 <3 <3
So! This comment worked! Yay! Thank you for trying so hard to leave one…did you see my own test comment below! LOL! I suppose I can remove it now.
And thank you for wanting to be there for Dixie! <3 <3 <3
YAY! You are very welcome, Donna! I saw your own comment below, and you can definitely remove it now. 🙂 I want to be there for Dixie because you are a WONDERFUL writer!!! <3 <3 <3
(((hugs across the internet!))))
(((hugs across the internet to you too!))))
P.S. You can remove the other comment. 🙂
Ahhh, so enticing. This short sentence would draw a reader in whether it’s chapter 17 or the opening of the novel. Why? WHY?? WHY couldn’t she sleep? Nobody stops reading right here. Nobody.
As for me, if I’m horizontal, I’m sleeping. According to my Fitbit, it takes mere minutes, so I guess I’ll count myself among the lucky ones. I usually count one sheep. It gets caught in a fence. And I’m out before discovering what happens next. G’night.
Thank you for saying such nice things! It’s very encouraging.
I’m the same exact way – and according to my own Fitbit, it says “0 min to fall asleep.”
Yep. I don’t even see the sheep. Thanks so much for helping out today!
I like short and tense sentences. My addiction coach tells me that I should. CSS is a bitch.
After last week’s comment I have to question it though. Is this one of those sentences that you redacted half of? “I couldn’t sleep at all last night (redacted).”
Donna, I will have to read it just to see how you depict 1969. The world was so different then that is seems that even the emotions resonated differently. I am pretty sure I know this story. What I want to know is how you handled it. So far I am only encouraged.
Sometimes less is more, right? It’s the actual sentence. No more, no less. You’ll know when I’ve changed something (and I’m going to have to take out words in a few future sentences so as to not spoil the story)
Well, I don’t know if I’ve done a good enough job or not on 1969. There is a reference to Cher, a Beatles song. I was about Dixie’s age in 1969. I think you’ll find the focus is more on emotions/southern food, and all that is going on with this family. I’ll be anxious to see what everyone’s take is on it – good or bad. 😉
Ah I know the feeling. I didn’t have insomnia at 11 years old but then little Dixie seems to be much more of a mischief magnet than I was 🙂 Looking forward to finding out the ‘why’, too!
I don’t recall having any issues as a kid except when I was sick. Then again, I didn’t have the problems Dixie is having to confront.