April’s Writing Room – A 60 year old woman.
For the month of April, the writing exercise is to write about a 60 year old woman who can sometimes be a little petulant. It can be from third person or first person point of view. 
Post your contributions in the comment box.
by 
I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.
3 Responses to April’s Writing Room – A 60 year old woman.
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Book Club
Great piece. Are you going to develop it further? I’d like to know why she’s so grumpy.x
Agh, I started this, but got stuck and can’t get any further. I figure posting something is better than nothing? Here goes:
Bang, bang, bang.
The little brats freeze and look up at the house.
‘GET OFF THE LAWN,’ I shout through the glass. They look at each other, then start giggling and run off. They should be scared of me, not finding me funny. Kids have no respect these days.
I shake my head and growl under my breath, ‘Boody children, trampling on my grass, squashing my roses and flowers.’
I look and seeing perfectly well my flowers are ok. One day, I know they’ll damage them. Why can’t they keep their damn ball under control.
I put the last glass on the draining board and take my gloves off.
It’s a beautiful day outside, late April, so it should be, but it’s been such a bad spring, warmth and sunshine have been a distant memory. No wonder all the kids from the street are playing out.
I sit down with my tea, grabbing the latest Gardener’s World magazine, and loose myself into the beauty of the pictures.
Here is my go at the writing room
‘I don’t want to go.’
I look at my mother. It’s as though she’s embedded in that chair, not wanting to do anything or go anywhere. She’s not the woman I remember. My mother was active. There wasn’t a day where she wasn’t off involved in something and now, now it’s like she’s regressed into a petulant child. Everything has to be such a drama, such a hassle.
‘Mum, it’s only for an afternoon. Don’t you want to go for a drive? Get some fresh air.’
‘It’s too far.’
She frowns at me but she is looking beyond me as though she’s on another planet.
‘It’s only half an hour away. We can go and have an ice cream, look at the water.’
‘No.’
I roll my eyes and exhale. I am trying to be patient but it’s extremely difficult. Why does she have to be like this?
‘I don’t want to go.’
Kara is looking at me, giving me that look. I don’t like that look. I think she forgets that I am the mother and she is my child. I wriggle into my chair. If I don’t want to go then she can’t force me. The pain in my knees is bad today. The painkillers I took earlier aren’t doing anything.
‘Mum, it’s only for an afternoon. Don’t you want to go for a drive? Get some fresh air.’
‘It’s too far.’
I don’t know how many times I have to tell her about the pain. It takes me so long to get anywhere. I look through the window. It’s raining.
‘It’s only half an hour away. We can go and have an ice cream, look at the water.’
‘No.’
I want to tell her off. She has that condescending tone. Despite me saying I don’t want to go, she still won’t take no for an answer. She was never like this as a child. That’s the influence that man has had on her. Going anywhere has lost it’s appeal to me; the beach especially. That is where we used to go, Derek and I. So many happy memories but he’s gone now and the places we went and the things we did are now too painful to recreate. Something my daughter fails to understand. She doesn’t even talk about her father since his death.