YvonneIt started with a pickle jar, half-filled with pocket change and a few dollar bills. The girl came into my office. She set the jar on my desk and sat down in the chair across from me. Her feet barely touched the ground.
Her name was Tanisha Walker.
“How old are you?” I asked.
She sat up a little straighter. “Eight and a half.”
“Got a daughter about that age, little older.” I leaned over and picked up the jar, examining it. On one side somebody had written in big block letters with black marker: CUSS JAR.
“Your mama know you took this jar?”
Tanisha shrugged. The beads in her hair clicked. “Ain’t my mama’s jar.” She thought about it for a moment, biting a nail, and then elaborated. “It’s my granny’s, an’ she won’t mind … least don’t think she would. Why should she? Ain’t doing nothin’ ‘cept sitting there, and so she -“
I held up my hand, cutting off the nervous ramble. “Maybe.” I put the jar back down on my desk. “Guess that depends on what you plan on doing with the money.”
“Gonna hire you with it.” She was serious. “Like they do on TV.”
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Clicking on the book’s cover image will link you directly to its Amazon listing page.
Find out more about both book and author at my ‘Mailbox Monday‘ page.
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WHAT IS ‘BOOK BEGINNINGS’?
Would the first few lines of your book make you want to read on?
If so, would you like to share them with us, (without revealing too many spoilers of course) ?
Visit your host, Gilion @ ‘Rose City Reader’
You can then leave a link to your own book beginnings post, or just browse for some great reads, there are always plenty of new authors and titles to be discovered.
Don’t forget that Gilion and all the other contributors to this meme love to hear from you, so why not leave a comment or two at the same time?
I can’t wait to do a little blog hopping myself and check out all the great Book Beginnings you have!
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Oh yes, I’m hooked! Can’t wait to see what she wants to hire him for lol
Here’s my current read : http://bit.ly/2qxXXYr
Have a good weekend!
Sassy
🙂
If you diidn’t want to find out too much about the storyline by reading the premise, I’ll just say, without spoiling anything, that Tanisha isn’t your average 8-year-old!
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend 🙂
I didn’t see that coming. Caught my attention!
sherry @ fundinmental Friday Memes
Hi Sherry,
Life has made Tanisha much older and wiser than her eight years and her maturity in the following few exchanges with this as yet, unknown person on the other side of the desk, had me surprised.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and ‘Happy Reading’ 🙂
Totally intrigued by your teaser. Definitely a read I look forward to hearing more of.
Hi Tracy,
This is a book which has a premise well worth checking out. If you are intrigued by those opening lines, then the ‘Tuesday Teaser’ lines I have chosen to share next, will definitely cause debate and differing opinions amongst the readers and bloggers who read them!
Thanks for showing an interest in the book and taking the time to comment 🙂
I’m still hesitant about whether I want to read this or not (following your earlier post), but these opening lines do tip the scale just a bit to the “want to” side. It’s a great beginning that totally draws in the reader.
Hi Kelly,
I am quite well into the book now and the teaser lines I came to at roughly the half way mark and which I shall be sharing very soon, are much more emotionally disturbing and relevant to current events.
Racial tensions are always something of a two-way-street the way I see things, with arguments for good and bad on both sides of the equation, which really draw me in and start the debate going in my own mind.
There are generally no winners in such situations, it is just the degree of loss which varies from side to side!
I do enjoy a book which opens the reader to debate and discussion 🙂
Ha! Interesting!!! I want more!
I have a giveaway with my Friday post on my blog, hope you pop by and join in:
http://guiltlessreading.blogspot.ca/2017/05/friday56-book-beginnings-giveaway-open.html
Hi Aloi,
You would have to be very strict with yourself not to be intrigued by the opening lines of this story. How many eight year olds do I know who would have this level of confidence and assurity?
The book offers so much more the further I get into it, I am already recommending it as a thought provoking story of our times 🙂
The pickle jar full of change is a picture I can easily conjure up in my brain.
Hi Anne,
Yes, the same here! Children think they have a fortune saved because it is all in loose change and small notes.
It is the fact that Tanisha is savvy enough to have not only watched programmes on the television where she understands that you need to hire someone like this person for the job she has in mind, but that she has then worked out how to find and approach such a person and present her case!
Tanisha continues to be tough and strong throughout the storyline to date, but is that going to be enough?
Thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate your comments 🙂
Alright. You have my interest. Who are we hiring and why?
Hi Robert,
If you check out any of the links in the post, the ‘ whys and wherefores’ of your question will become obvious.
Maybe this little ‘teaser’ from J.D. Trafford’s biography will help you out ..
“J.D. Trafford has worked as a civil and criminal prosecutor, an associate at a large national law firm, and a non-profit attorney for people who could not afford legal representation.
Prior to law school, J.D. worked in Washington D.C. and lived in Saint Louis, Missouri. He worked on issues of housing, education, and poverty in communities of colour.”
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your weekend 🙂
awww, that’s a nice teaser! Tanisha sounds like quite the character, enjoy 🙂
Hi Naida,
You might be fooled into thinking that this is just a childish prank or whim, copying something she has seen on television; but believe me, Tanisha has a very serious reason for wanting to hire this person, which might just surprise and shock you!
Thanks for checking out this week’s ‘Book Beginnings’. I hope that all is well with you 🙂
This sounds very good! I may be adding it to my tbr. 🙂
Lauren @ Always Me
Hi Lauren,
I’m definitely pleased that I added this one to my list and I am really enjoying the read so far, although I guess the storyline may not be for everyone, with its racial tension and police harassment issues!
Have a great week and thanks for stopping by 🙂