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Y is for Youth

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker.

**

I don't really like to talk too much about my youth because ... it was really, really dull. The town I grew up in was boring, and there was nothing much to do for the kids who lived there. The nearest cinema was a 20 minute bus ride away, the nearest nightclub, a 30 minute bus ride.  That made it quite hard to get up to any of the normal teenage mischief. Well, that's not completely true. I did the usual thing of saying I was staying at my friend's house, while her parents thought she was at mine so we could sneak out and be rebellious but even with the best of imaginations, there wasn't much we could do.

My childhood wasn't terrible or anything, but one of the reasons I was so desperate to get away from my tiny Cornish town was so that, if I am lucky enough to have children one day, they will grow up in a place where they won't have to spend their time hanging around the local parks, bored out of their minds because there is nothing fun for them to do. Obviously, I didn't need to go as far as L.A to get that. There are plenty of places in Cornwall that aren't deathly boring. But getting away from the mistakes I made there ... that required a lot of distance.

Don't get me wrong, the town I grew up in is very sweet, very pretty and the people are really nice. (I'll tell you more about it tomorrow). It just isn't a place I ever want to live again.
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Comments

  1. Francene Stanley28 April 2012 at 10:31

    This is a good approach to the challenge. I'm amazed you found enouth to mention by using each letter, but youth was a good example.

    http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com

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  2. Clare28 April 2012 at 10:37

    Excellent as always. I can well imagine how boring and stifling it was for Leah growing up in such a quiet town. :)

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  3. Dana28 April 2012 at 14:29

    I think I've mentioned this before, but I really enjoy the authentic voices you give to your characters. I've had a lot of fun reading your posts.

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  4. Lynn Proctor28 April 2012 at 14:48

    very interesting and it makes you wonder what we don't know about her youth!

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  5. M.J. Fifield28 April 2012 at 16:00

    Sounds like the town where I grew up. Only there weren't any buses.

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  6. Mina Burrows28 April 2012 at 17:17

    Oooh, I want to know more. Why? Keep going! :)

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  7. Alex J. Cavanaugh28 April 2012 at 17:40

    I suspect there's some baggage there.

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  8. Rena28 April 2012 at 17:56

    Nice. I grew up in a tiny town and it was totally like this.

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  9. Christine Rains28 April 2012 at 18:38

    I grew up in a small town too and I never want to go back. I know just how Leah feels.

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  10. Annalisa Crawford28 April 2012 at 21:38

    A real Cornish town? Do you name it? I can think of at least ten that fit the description!

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  11. Laura S.28 April 2012 at 22:09

    Ooo, interesting! Leah says it was boring, but something interesting must've happened there to make her not want to go back!

    I'm glad you liked today's quotes, Kyra! Just so you know, before the A to Z challenge, I was posting quotes on writing every Monday. Once the challenge is over, I'll be back to my regular Monday Quote Day feature!

    Hope you're having a great weekend :) :)

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  12. Unknown29 April 2012 at 04:41

    I like Leah's last line here..:)

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  13. Jessica L. Celaya29 April 2012 at 09:36

    This is great. Even the way the paragraphs are structured shows us about the character. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. OT Ebby29 April 2012 at 10:31

    Great idea for the A-Z. I wonder what Leah got up to once she left- and whether she cane to appreciate her small town once she expereinced a bigger one?

    Ebby

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  15. D.E. Malone29 April 2012 at 14:08

    That last line says it all! Very nice!

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  16. Catherine Noble29 April 2012 at 21:39

    Oooh what could Leah be trying to get away from? :D One of my councils in work are Cornwall, and I just LOVE looking at the property section of the Cornish newspapers that get sent to me. It'd have to be a pretty big reason to move away from there :D

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  17. Kelley Lynn30 April 2012 at 03:41

    Ummm, i'd definitely like to know what she was able to get into :)

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  18. Tobi Summers30 April 2012 at 12:53

    I really like Leah's POV. She's simple and direct and totally relatable.

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