Saturday 1 April 2017

A-Z Challenge 2017 - A is for Alistair

It's here! Day 1 of the A-Z Challenge 2017. I hope you'll join me for the month as I share my "Black & White Snippets" - snapshots of some of the characters, places and concepts that populate my forthcoming YA dystopian trilogy, Black & White. There won't be a lot of details or spoilers - just short scenes and vignettes that give you a hint of the world I've created. Today, it's A for Alistair.


Alistair couldn’t believe it. How could this be happening to him? In one way, he was glad this screening program had been introduced; he might never have known otherwise, but the idea of being sent far away from his wife and girls and having no contact with them was almost too much to contemplate.

He didn’t even know when he would be back. A year? Five? Ten? The idea of missing just one day of his precious angels growing up was heart-wrenching.


But if he didn’t go, he would be dead within a few years and then he wouldn’t be around for the rest of their lives.

34 comments:

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

Poor Alistair having to go away like that and not being able to be with his family. Great tension.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings - Shapeshifters and Werewolves

Laura Clipson said...

That is a tough decision to make! Poor Alistair.

Keith's Ramblings said...

A difficult decision but one he has to make. A great first snippet Nick!

Click HERE to read my 200-word tale

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Nick - a great introduction to your Black and White series ... oh I'd hate to make that sort of decision ... cheers Hilary

A - Z Challenge 2017 post today is

Aurochs

Sophie Duncan said...

Now that's a tragic situation and a rough choice, but with a little hope at the end of the tunnel?
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - Dragon Diaries

Karnika Kapoor said...

Dystopian! My anxious pleasure. That was engaging. Now I am curious what happens next. Hope to find out soon! :)
Cheers!

Anmol Rawat said...

That's an unfair choice, but so is life - unfair. Interesting! All the best for your book.

Sharon Himsl said...

He's in a tough spot, no way out it seems. Good tension there.
"Female Scientists Before Our Time"
Shells–Tales–Sails

JeffO said...

Off to a good start!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Whatever they found in the screening, best to take care of it.

Yolanda Renée said...

Now that's an introduction!
Choices, and dilemmas!
Great start, Happy A to Z ing!

djinnia said...

Already have the hook sinking in. Gots the feels from such a tough decision. I wouldn't even know what to do if I had to make a choice like that. Very intriguing introduction.

Shari Elder said...

Great tension to kick off the blog challenge. Really draws us in.

Anonymous said...

That's a great way to start the challenge and introducing this character!

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

lyndagrace said...

What a choice to have to make. But it sounds like Alistair didn't really have one, a choice that is.

Anonymous said...

Longer snippets please, please, please...!!! ;)

Can't wait for the next posts...

Oh, and thank for visiting my blog. *crossing my fingers so I'll get to finish my A to Z posts on time*

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

Sounds like an unwinnable situation! Heart-wrenching.
Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

John Davis Frain said...

Way to suck in the reader. A life-or-death dilemma. I guess he has to choose life, but what other consequences will that bring? Hmmmmm... Guess I gotta come back to meet some more characters!

Michelle Wallace said...

A great snippet, Nick!
Intriguing.

Jean Davis said...

That's quite the interesting conundrum. I wonder if his family is supportive or pressuring him. I'm intrigued. :)

Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction

Anonymous said...

Oh my! What a decision!

Marquessa @simplymarquessa from
Simply Marquessa

cleemckenzie said...

Dilemma! Big one. Good luck on the trilogy and, of course, good luck on the AtoZ!

betty said...

I too wouldn't want to be away from my family for any period of time, yet alone the time he thought it might be from his loved ones! Great theme/start to A/Z Good luck with it. I'll read as I can :)

betty

Nilanjana Bose said...

That's a tough choice for Alistair! Not nice to have to spend time away from family, hope things work out for him.

Great start to the A-Z, all the best!

Nilanjana.
Madly-in-Verse
Theme : Arabiana

Debbie D. said...

There's an intriguing start! Poor Alistair. I wonder what his affliction is?

Debbie @ THE DOGLADY'S DEN Latest post: AZZURRO: Going AWOL in Switzerland

Sara C. Snider said...

Ooh, very intriguing. Alistair is a great name. Perhaps not very lucky though, given the circumstances. ;)

Magical and Medicinal Herbs: Ash

Stephen Tremp said...

Nick, thanks for stopping by and good luck with the A to Z Challenge.

Clare said...

You've already got me hooked from just one post! What's this screening process and what did it find in Alistair.

Poor guy, getting sent away from his family. :( Better than dying though. I hope he makes it back to his wife and daughters.

Heather M. Gardner said...

Dun dun dun!!

Great start!
Heather
Co-Host, 2017 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge
https://hmgardner.blogspot.com/

PJ said...

Why does he have to go away? Why will he be dead if he stays? Why can't he have any contact with them? Too many questions.

Liz A. said...

Is he dying? Uh oh...

Morgan Cartwright said...

What is going on with Alistair? I'm hooked. I need to know more about him! Where is he going? Why does he have to leave? What kind of contagion does he have that forces him to leave his family?

Can't wait to read more!

Morgan
onceuponatimeinhaz.blogspot.com

Anna Tan said...

Uh oh, where does he have to go?

Anna

Preethi Venugopala said...

That was intriguing! To choose like that is so unfair.