Up in Smoke by Paula R C Readman

“I’ve always loved this time of year, especially November. As a child it always seemed magical to me,” James Peterson said to the driver of the van he’d hired for the day. 

“Right,” the driver said rolling his eyes with an air of disinterest as he checked his mirrors. Then he glanced over at James, with a nod, he let out a long sigh. “Please could you belt up, Sir.”   

        

“What! Oh sorry, yes, of course,” James snapped the belt together with a satisfying clunk.  

The driver pacified, gave a sharp nod, readjusted his rear view mirror, and then gave a final check to the road behind before joining the early morning traffic.

James leant back in his seat, hoping for a comfortable ride. He didn’t want to think about the task ahead, when he had plenty of other things that needed doing. He stared out of the window, enjoying the sight of people rushing about in the busy cityscape. He knew the first part of the journey would be slow. Too many traffic lights and dawdling cyclists caught up in the morning rush hour, but at least it gave him the chance to enjoy the architecture when under normal circumstances it flashed past. 

As the cityscape faded making way for a more rural setting, he gave a snort, soon losing interest in his surroundings.

In the silence of the van’s cab, he glanced over at the driver who seemed lost in his own thoughts.

James normally used to the busyness of an office was unable to cope with the silence, and felt the need to shatter the peace.

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Day 19 The Glass Slipper Company by Paula R C Readman

1. What gave you the idea for  Baubles story?

The Glass Slipper Company idea was born in 2006. I was working full-time in a factory back then and was still on a learning curve to become a writer. Originally I played around with the idea for story to enter into a magazine competition and had created just the reporter Alice Wonderland who was going to interview the fairy godmother, but like all ideas it never became fully formed so it just sat on my computer.

At the beginning of this year while hunting for a story I came across it in my idea folder. Once I had developed the character of the cameraman Peter Wolf the rest of the story fell into place. 

2. How would you describe your normal style of writing?

 Normally I write with a dark edge style. I enjoy writing psychological crime stories without the gore, a kind of skin-crawling creepiness.   

3. Have you published other material?

Yes, mainly short stories in other anthologies by Bridge House, Chapel Town Books, English Heritage, Parthian Books and I’ve won a couple of competitions too. 

4.  Do you have a writing routine?

In a way yes, I do. I write in the early morning. My husband has to be out the house by 5.30 in the morning, so normally I like to start writing after he has gone. 

5. Do you have a favourite place for writing?

In a small office at the top of the stairs facing a wall of books where I can stay focused. Well, that’s the idea. 

6. Tell something quirky about you.

I grew up at a flour mill as my father was a master miller. 

An extract  from The Glass Slipper Company  

 

 

“Peter, how can you be so sure our audience will find this of interest?” the young reporter asked as she stood with her back to a large Victorian house situated in the grounds of beautiful country park.

“Of course they will, trust me,” the cameraman yelled back.

“Come on, haven’t you sorted that yet?”

“Just give me a moment longer.”

Alice sighed and turned to face the mock castle-style house. The morning hadn’t exactly started well, what with her mother onto her once again for not having a date to accompany her to her cousin Jill’s forth coming wedding.

“You’re not getting any younger, my dear,” her mother had said, in the same tone of voice she’d used when Alice, at the age of 10, had argued with her about not wanting to learn how to clean an oven properly. At the time Alice had told her Mother she was going to be a career woman rather than a stay-at-home-mum like her Aunt Matilda with her huge brood of children.

Alice sighed again, shivered and looked up. The bright spring sun that had lifted her spirits after her mother’s phone called was now hiding ominously behind a big black cloud.

“Oh great, that’s all I need now; rain,” she said. Looking down, she studied her new apple-green suede shoes. Her choice of the thin cotton skirt had been a last minute decision because the colour had contrasted so beautifully with her shoes.

“Come on, Peter,” she called, looking in his direction.

He was leaning over his camera which rested on his knee as he seemed to be busy adjusting something on its side. A light breeze was ruffling his short blond hair. He was fit. His well-toned body was encased in tight fitting black jeans and a skinny ribbed jumper that’s showed off the contours of his muscles perfectly. He had square jawline and bright green eyes, the colour of which almost matched the colour of her shoes. He had commented as such on them when he saw her cross the car park to meet him earlier.

He was what her mother would call ideal boyfriend material. With his fancy car, good manners, amazing dress sense and apparently a whiz in the kitchen, as he was fond of telling her, but alas he was gay with a long term boyfriend.

Alice had thought about asking him if he could fake some sort of attraction to her just for a weekend, but she knew her mother would see straight through it. Peter was kind, sweet and caring but his high pitched voice and feminine ways wouldn’t fool her mother for long.

“All right my sweet, nearly done. I don’t know how many times I’ve told Miles about the strap on this camera.”