Woop, Woop, Insane Reno now stands at 60,179 word count, which means I am over my 60 thousand target, and on top of that, Insane Reno is complete, CJ just needs to finished off a little bit of editing, and then it is done, finished, the end. Or maybe the beginning if we get lucky here’s hoping.
I can now focus all my attention on Annie, the sequel to Insane Reno, and I am so excited.
So I have decided to treat you too a sample of Insane Reno in the form of the first chapter enjoy.
Insane Reno
Chapter 1
The car clattered across the cattle grid leading to Davidstow airfield. Over the crashing of metal, I was sure I heard a low moan escape my mother’s lips, and looking at her, I noticed her arms were pulled tightly against her sides. Her palms, which had been resting lightly in her lap, now gripped each other fiercely in a killer embrace.
I watched, as my father’s hand instinctively reached out, coming to rest lightly on her leg and giving it a gentle squeeze, as if to reassure her.
"This will be good for us." He said, his soft hazel eyes gazing at me in the rear view mirror. "A fresh start." He added, when neither my mother nor I responded.
"You could have a horse," he continued, "or a lamb perhaps, like you’re mum used to."
I looked to my mum, but she said nothing, just gazed straight ahead, as if in a trance. I looked down at her hands and saw her nails pressing deeply into her soft porcelain skin.
Then, sensing my father’s eyes watching me, I turned, certain I saw a flicker of concern before he resumed his ramblings.
"That little lamb was pure white. It followed your mother everywhere earning her the nickname, Mary.
We all raised lambs back then of course; had to, because there were always lambs that needed bottle feeding in the spring. For most of us, it was just a job, but your mum had never had a lamb before. She mothered it, and it naturally grew attached to her. What was it called again dear?" He asked.
"Yes! Bumble, that was it." He said, as if mum had offered him the answer.
I turned and gazed out the window, trying to process what was going on. Mum had loved our little cottage in Bude, and I knew she would be upset about leaving it behind. But, this was more than upset, it was as if she were afraid.
Although, dad was trying to be positive and upbeat, as he always was, there was an unmistakable tension about him as well.
All I knew was we were moving to an area where my parents had grown up, on Bodmin moor, to a house that had been left to my mother in her family’s will.
As Crowdy Reservoir passed by, I turned my attention back to mum.
My mum prided herself on her appearance, keeping her chocolate hair up in a neat bun at all times. She wore little make up, but swore by expensive skin creams, and always wore dresses that reached to her knees, or lower. She had dark brown eyes that became almost black when she was angry, and was polite and to the point at all times. In short, we were nothing alike.
Floral dresses where not for me, and if I wore skirts at all, they were above the knee, and as short as I could get away with; shorter, once I was out of mum’s sight. The rest of the time, I preferred hipsters and low cut tops. My hair was long, falling just below my waist, and I loved its natural chocolate colour and waves, which softened my face. My eyes were a soft hazel, inherited from my father, and my figure was a little more rounded than my mother's, no doubt, due to my penchant for chocolate.
If I had to describe my mum in one word, it would be obsessive, because that’s exactly what she was. At least, when it came to being the image of the perfect housewife, and so she baked, grew roses, and to further the image, had a perfect little thatched cottage on the outskirts of town. Naturally, I drove her insane, refusing to be the perfect daughter she longed for, and instead rebelling at every turn.
I turned to look at my father, still chatting away to himself in the front seat. He was the glue that held our family together, the compromiser, the entertainer. He was impulsive, fun, and incredibly supportive. He doted on mum and me, showered us with gifts and surprises, and always did his best to let us know how much he cared about us.
But lately, things had changed between mum and him. Now when mum was angry, his playful affection did not instantly put a smile on her face, but instead, seemed only to anger her further. No longer did they spend hours talking, and sharing the ups and downs of their day. Instead, dad would arrive home to an empty house or just me, mum having found something more important to do.
I watched dad slowly slide into depression, despite the fact that he did his best to hide it from me, while mum silently slipped farther away from us both.
Then dad lost his job. Mum fumed, dad yelled, but the instant they heard my key in the lock they turned their backs on each other. Dad rushed to greet me, while mum did her best to ignore us.
Then, one day I came in and mum was crying, and for once, she did not try to hide it. I assumed the worst, ready to believe they were splitting up. Then dad turned to me and, although there was concern in his eyes, he smiled and said, "We’re selling the house and moving to the moors; I’m going to start my own practice. Your mum’s not very happy about it, but we have no choice, we can’t afford to keep this place. Your mum inherited an old farmhouse with some land and outbuildings up on the moors. We can use the money from the sale of this property to get it fixed up and set up a clinic. I know it will be a big change for you both, but it makes sense." He paused and took a deep breath "Nothing will change, you'll still go to the same school and you’ll still see your friends."
So, here we are, moving to a new home.
My mum is sat in the front, acting like a fruit loop, and my dad is doing his best to act as if everything is fine, which clearly, it isn’t.
I began rummaging through my bag, searching for my I-pod in hopes of tuning them out, when suddenly dad said,
"Well this is it ladies, home sweet home."
I lifted my head and stared at the house, off in the distance. My father turned the car over the cattle grid and down the long drive, while I simply froze in my seat, this was not just any new home, it was Insane Reno.
Well I hoped you enjoyed it, if you have any tips or advice on seeking publication I would be very very glad to hear it. Love and hugs joss xxx
