Write on Wednesday – The Mighty Rewrite

I can’t tell you how much I didn’t want to do this week’s prompt. First of all I hate being asked what my favourite book or film is because I just can’t answer it. It depends on my mood, what I’ve read recently and enjoyed and as soon as I say a title, another one immediately pops into my head. So that was my first dilemma. The second dilemma was then choosing an author, so I settled on the author I most admire right now, which is Hilary Mantel, but it could have been Ian McEwan or A.A. Milne or Peter Carey or Jane Austen.

And I’ve decided on Wolf Hall because I’ve just lent Beyond Black to a friend. And if I’m going to do it, why not take on a Booker Prize Winner.

I’ve kept it as close in structure, style and tone as possible. This was not easy. Zanni, thank-you for such a huge challenge!

The Book that I am in awe of!

‘ Go on. Roll over.’

Bored, naked, withdrawn, she has complied; slumped across the sheets of a hotel room. Her head turns away; her eyes drawn to the window, as if through there she can see her spoon and syringe. A hand on her breast, she groans, it’s mistaken for pleasure. One more, that’s all she needs, and she could afford her next fix.

Ψ

And the original –

‘So, now get up.’

Felled, dazed, silent, he has fallen; knocked full length on the cobbles of the yard. His head turns sideways; his eyes are turned towards the gate, as if someone might arrive to help him out. One blow, properly placed, could kill him now.

Ψ

The Write on Wednesday Rules: Get creative with the exercises. Don’t worry too much about right or wrong. The aim is to Get Writing. Do try to visit the other writers linking up and leave a comment. You can grab the Write on Wednesday button from my sidebar.

Write on Wednesday Exercise 14 – The Mighty Mighty Rewrite…

Zanni: I did a workshop with literary author MJ Hyland, who teachers Masters in Creative Writing at Manchester University. She asked us to choose our favourite book, take the first paragraph and then write our own content into the paragraph, keeping the structure, tone, language etc. It’s really helpful!

No time limit. Let’s keep up the focus on making each word count. Ready? Set? Write!

Recipe for a Wet Weekend

It’s pouring. The rain hasn’t paused for breath the last couple of days and is here for the weekend. A thick covering of grey is pressing down on Sydney subduing its usual brash brightness and a damp chill has settled.  I’m in winter hibernation mode, reaching for hot water bottles and cosy rugs. This is a weekend to pull on your gum boots and slosh through puddles or turn to soul-warming, creativity stoking, comfort foods.

So this weekend I’ll be catching up on some knitting whilst watching Cadel Evans in the Tour de France and planning my French vacation (doesn’t hurt to dream).

I might visit my box of fabric and piece together a cushion cover.

I’ll be remembering my childhood winters by cooking my mum’s Lemon Sauce Pudding* and eating it with a serve of cream and a glass of red wine.

I’ll be curling up with a good book or two. Depending on my mood, I’ll alternate between Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and Hilary Mantel’s Beyond Black.

I’ll duck into the DVD store and grab a couple of movies to catch up on.

I’ll be playing Fairy Snakes and Ladders with my youngest daughter and drinking Green Tea with my eldest.

And if by Sunday afternoon we’re all feeling thoroughly cabin-fevered, we’ll head to the Art Gallery of NSW.

All of which feeds the soul and nourishes my creativity.

My Mum’s Lemon Sauce Pudding

1 tablespoon of butter

3/4 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons plain flour

rind & juice of 1 lemon

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar and add the flour. Stir in the juice and grated lemon rind, then add the yolks of the eggs, stir in the milk. Beat the egg whites very stiff and stir them into the mixture. Pour into a buttered oven dish (or individual dishes) then bake standing in a pan of water (about 1/2 inch) in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes.

Serve immediately and enjoy.