Interview Nerves.

An extract from ‘After Plato’.

Charlotte stood buttoning up her blouse as her reflection smiled back at her. She shrugged on a grey jacket that matched her knee length skirt. She remembered the lines in the typed letter that she had received. ‘We thank you for your application and would like to invite you to an interview.’ Charlotte had stood frozen to the spot as she read the letter out to Harry after the postman had delivered it a week ago today.

‘Do you think they will like me?’ Charlotte asked, stroking down the creases of her skirt.

‘I don’t see why not, you know your playwrights, you would probably be more useful in the press office than the box,’ Harry replied. He was sitting on the edge of the bed watching Charlotte get ready for her interview at the local theatre.

‘Well it’s a start. I could work up the ranks.’

‘A career woman eh?’ Charlotte giggled as Harry grabbed at her, pulling her onto the bed next to him. He felt her body tremble as she lay in his arms. ‘You don’t have to be nervous. They will adore you, like I do!’

‘Oh Hal, you are sweet,’ Charlotte smiled throwing her arms around his neck and welcoming his soft kisses on her lips, her neck.

‘Just take deep breaths and think what you are going to say before speaking.’

‘I will,’ Charlotte sighed. ‘I’ll think of you when I am in the interview. Your love will carry me through,’ she closed her eyes and held Harry close.

‘Don’t think of me too much or it’ll leave you breathless.’ Charlotte smiled and clung to Harry like he was the sustenance that gave her life meaning.

 

Christine Lucas 2014.

Happy New Year!!!

In 2013 I was energetically typing a narrative about two young lovers who meet 15 years after their initial break up. Most of the novel was about their relationship before things turned sour and the instant attraction they had for one other.

In this scene, Harry at a wedding reception reminisces about Charlotte’s and his first New Year together…

‘Come, dance with me?’ Charlotte asked waving a tumbler of spirits in her hand as church bells rang out over London marking the beginning of a new year and the voices of people in the street below sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’. The bang and flash of fireworks going off from the park opposite Harry’s flat illuminated Charlotte as she held her arms out to Harry, saying that she hoped that the new year would be ‘their year.’ Charlotte had pulled back the blinds from the windows so that she could see how others brought in the New Year while she stood in her black negligee that clung to her curves. She was looking at Harry with expectant eyes. ‘Happy New Year, my darling,’ she mouthed as Harry swept her up in his arms and held her tightly, whispering into Charlotte’s ear.

‘My only wish for the new year would be that we continue to remain as happy as we are now.’

‘We have so much to be thankful for,’ she continued, wiping tears away from her eyes. ‘We have found each other!’

‘You have no need to cry, Lottie,’ Harry said, kissing her salt wet eyes and then her mouth passionately. ‘I am so overwhelmed by you. I can’t begin to explain how I feel! ’ The radio blared out the bells of Parliament’s Big Ben through the airwaves and then the sound of the 90’s streamed through the speakers of the stereo. Charlotte sang badly to Kylie Minogue

After Plato.

Well news from today was that I didn’t win the Racy Reads writing competition on Lorraine. The sad thing is, I never even got short listed! David emailed me saying, he preferred mine, but he would say that being my fiancé and all! I am left breathing a sigh of relief actually as I think they would have forced me to write a ‘chick lit’ novel while the ideas that are flitting through my mind are quite dark!

Below find a short passage from the novel I am currently working on. It was inspired by Plato’s Symposium. I hope you enjoy! Please do comment, thanks!

Christine.