Tagline: Marie realized that a garden was a very nice place for love to grow!
Observations: I adored this story for so many reasons. It was so very skillfully written and I'll point out what impressed me.
In the beginning, we get a good feel for who Marie is. Right off the bat, we see her attraction to the man who parked next to her. We find out she has a small balcony that is too small for a garden planter, but big enough for the table where she would like to entertain. She likes to garden.
Then we see the guy again. We see he's polite, and that helps the reader like him as a potential mate for the heroine.
He waved her toward the garden gate. "You first," he said. "I have to figure out where I'm going."
We find out about the mix-up and there is some minor tension while we wonder how they'll fix the solution and then the guy suggests they share the garden plot. Is he interested? Maybe! We read on to find out.
For a little while we see them bonding and forming a connection through a thing they both like to do and when the day is over, we see them commit to the next day as a couple would, negotiating...
"Are you coming tomorrow?" she asked. "I mean, if we want to work together..."
"I'd like that," he said. "Around nine or ten?"
"Eight-thirty might be better," she said. "A good start before it gets too hot."
"You're right.," Greg agreed.
He offers to bring her coffee and asks how she likes it, so he's thoughtful and considerate, another plus.
Then, the best part is the ending. After all the groundwork has been laid for Greg and Marie's blooming (sorry about the pun) romance, the author refers back to the three goals Marie had thought about at the beginning of the story--having dirt under her fingernails, tomatoes in her future, and the possibility of having a friend over to share a drink on her tiny balcony. BOOM. That's how it's done, ladies and gentlemen.
Photo credit: Stacy via Flickr Creative Commons
7 comments:
I wished I'd thought of this! Good idea and nicely executed.
I liked the story, too. I seem to remember similar community garden plot stories in the WW past. I can't be specific. Maybe you know, Kate. It is almost a temptation to go back to the archives and update a story WW found salable.
Wasn't this one perfect... Beautifully plotted (sorry, the garden references just keep popping up), with good characters and a believable storyline. A good read.
I loved this story. And, Kate, you'd be proud of me because with this story I saw all the reasons why it was so great in plot, characters, setting, and elements. I think I need to study this one really carefully.
I agree this was a well written story. I liked it.
Pat, I AM proud of you! I really think story analyzing and then applying what you've learned to your own writing is a winning combination.
Thanks, Kate. I couldn't believe I saw the elements so well because the story was so great. Usually I get lost in the story and notice nothing. I guess your analyzing is finally ingrained in my head.
Hope you Dad is doing well.
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