Cow-Heel Shocka-Rocka Pumps & Ancient Evil...

Today's post is not about me, or books reviewed, or even about anyone I know (personally, that is...).  It's about a fabulous story starter I read on Amelia Curzon's blog. 

Tracey Baptiste, author of several YA books, uses her Trinidadian culture to infuse her story starter, Ma Laja, with warmth, life and energy that is not normally felt in such a short piece.  The colloquial verbiage creates a comfortable sway in one's mind as the sound and feel of the story rocks you into a wonderful reader-alternate-universe, you know the one you go to where you don't here anything around you?  When you miss your stop on the train or bus because it's so good?  That's how I felt when reading, Ma Laja.


So, for your reading pleasure, here's Ma Laja...

As soon as she put her foot in the shoe, she feel like Cinderella. Oh! It feel good. But there was still the matter of the other one. She lean up against the wall, and push the hoof in gingerly, afraid for the shoe, and she own hoof. But there. It fit. Just like the other one. Now she stand in front the mirror and watch sheself. Is the first time she could ever lif’ up she skirt them and look at two foot. She whole life, she had to hide. How many years is that now? So many she stop counting. She take a little walk in front of the mirror to see how the shoes fit. She smile. No more: one foot down, drag the cow heel. Now she was walking regular like other women. Who would know what she was? 

For the rest, please visit Amelia Curzon's blog.