Okay, I’m going to succumb to a quick game of manuscript-tag. I’ve had a rough day, and am overwhelmed by Things To Do, but authors can have fun, too. (No?)

Author Erika Robuck tagged David Abrams (and 6 other authors) who has in turn tagged me (and 6 others). 

Here are the rules:

• 1. Go to the 77th page of your work-in-progress or latest book.
• 2. Count down 7 lines.
• 3. Copy the 7 sentences that follow, and post them.
• 4. Tag 7 other authors.

(Somehow, it seems wrong not to have 7 steps.)

Here are the 7 sentences 7 lines down from the 77th page of the manuscript—aptly, the 7th draft!—of The Next Novel:

A rat swam past the winding stone stairs. Monsieur Martin and his wife could be heard in their room, yelling and piling up goods. Tenants were huddled on the landing, frowning down at the water, a girl holding a squirming terrier.

 “What’s happened?” I called up, alarmed.

“It’s the river,” one of the neighbors said, his accent rough.

“It’s rising,” his wife said, nodding glumly.

The river water—all the way here? 

(Did you know that the Seine in Paris has flooded many times? I was told “It’s due,” when I was there last.) 

So here are the wonderful authors I’m tagging: 

Lilian Nattel

Laurel Corona

Lisa Brackmann

Christopher W. Gortner

Ann Mah

Vincent Lam 

M.J. Rose

Check them out!

As David noted in his blog, it’s understandable if many are too busy. This is not the type of tag where you get an evil spell thrown on you if you pass. But have to say that it’s kind of fun getting to say:

Gotcha!