Christine Lindsay in Ireland
Ireland, yes it really is the emerald isle. I know for a fact because I was born there and have visited several times. That small, beautiful island with its 40 shades of green, majestic cliffs that tower over the Atlantic Ocean, misty mountains, and its charming people and their lilting speech, does a wee jig around your heart like no other place in the world.
One of the most fun books I’ve written is Londonderry Dreaming. Aside from the hero (Keith) and the heroine (Naomi’s) romance, I would laugh to myself writing the dialogue for two secondary characters, Keith’s cousins called Garrick and Sandra. The reason I laughed continually as I wrote the cousins’ scenes was because I took their dialogue directly from real life, from the mouths of my real-life cousins in Ireland.
Here’s a wee taste of my cousin’s dialogue that I used in Londonderry Dreaming:
Garrick was the first to speak. “Well, isn’t this a day for shocks. So you made it back to the old sod. Nice to see you again, Naomi. But who’s the woman in that paintin’, showing off her knees? I seem to know her from somewhere.”
“Don’t be a bleedin eegit,” Sandra said, “can’t you see the girl is Gran.” She reached out to envelope Naomi in a hug. “Naomi, sure it’s good to see you again. Last time I saw you, Keith was at university, like I should have been, as Gran never let up on telling me.”
Garrick pursed his lips to one side as the four of them resumed their study of the painting. “Well, if that’s Gran then that’s a side of her I’ve never seen before. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about her showing off her knees like that.”
Sandra gave him another shove in the arm. “Don’t be a fool. Sure our Gran was as beautiful as the hot pinups of her day. If you watched any of the old movies I like to watch, you’d know she’s a dead ringer for Rita Hayworth.” She grew dreamy. “And she had lovely legs. Why all the women in our family have nice legs.”
“You certainly don’t.” Garrick looked at Sandra askance. “I’ve seen yours, and all I have to say is, there’s better looking legs sticking out of a bird’s nest.”
Christine here again: Yep, it still makes me laugh.
Click HERE to read Chapter One of Londonderry Dreaming
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Irish-born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction and non-fiction. Readers describe her writing as gritty yet tender, realistic yet larger than life, with historical detail that collides into the heart of psychological and relationship drama. Christine’s fictional novels have garnered the ACFW Genesis Award, The Grace Award, Canada’s The Word Guild Award, and was a finalist twice for Readers’ Favorite as well as 2nd place in RWA’s Faith Hope and Love contest.
About Londonderry Dreaming: After the death of his beloved grandmother, Keith has come to Londonderry only to open the door to his past…Naomi…beautiful as ever, the girl who broke his heart.
Please drop by Christine Lindsay’s website.