It’s April Fool’s day, and that reminds me that my next book, which is my first book for Headline Review, starts on April Fool’s day. And the very exciting thing about this next book, besides that it’s for Headline Review, which means it’ll be all glossy and beautiful and chunky like Headline Review books are, sitting there on the shelf, all delectable and gorgeous—anyway, the thing is about this next book, is that we finally have a title for it.
It’s called GETTING AWAY WITH IT, and it’s out in October this year. Which gives me something less than six months before I hold it in my little sweaty hands.
Great title, though, isn’t it? We had quite a bit of debate about this one, until we came up with something just right for the book. And I’m really happy about it.
So to celebrate that, and to celebrate April Fool’s day, I’m posting a short excerpt from chapter one of GETTING AWAY WITH IT, where the heroine Liza, who is a stunt woman, is being filmed driving a super-fast, super-expensive, Ferrari Enzo, on a mountain road winding along a sheer cliff.
“Slower, Liza,” said Hogan through the walkie-talkie.
The Ferrari arched gracefully around the curves. Below me, the shadows were disappearing from the desert. I was mid-descent, but still high enough so that it felt as if I pressed the throttle a little harder, I could fly. Right up into the lightening sky, among the effortless clouds.
“Happy birthday to me,” I said, my voice lost in the thunder of the engine, and I edged it faster. The car growled in appreciation. The road straightened for a short stretch, dipping downward, and I used the straight to pick up some more speed.
“Slow down, Liza,” crackled Hogan. “Now.”
“Yeah, right,” I said, though he wouldn’t be able to hear me.
A camera and crew perched near the guard rail on the bend ahead, waiting to pick up the wide shot as I passed. I’d cut it fine, kick up some gravel for them. I smiled, reached for the handbrake for the turn, and it was at that exact moment that I realised I was going faster than I’d thought.
“Shit,” I muttered, maybe I yelled it, I don’t know because the car was so loud, and I turned the wheel and engaged the handbrake and the car began its sideways slide, gravel spitting exactly as I wanted it to, all I had to do was power out and away, it would be fine. Fine.
Shit.
At times like these, everything slows. I saw Rory, that was the cameraman’s name though I didn’t know I’d known it, and Wanda beside him wound in a yellow scarf. Rory’s face was obscured by the camera but Wanda was focused on the car, smiling with her eyes screwed up. She had no idea anything was wrong. Don’t take a camera out, that’s the first rule, but the rule should be don’t take the camera crew out.
I needed the throttle or I’d plough sideways into both of them and carry them over the cliff. I punched it and the car, the amazingly responsive car, shouted and leapt as more petrol fed into its hungry engine. The front tyres gripped the tarmac and sped me away from the crew and I held tight, tried to keep it on the road but I was going too fast.
“Fuck Liza, what the fuck are you doing?” yelled the radio.
The back end of the car slid and I steered into it but there was a cliff wall ahead of me and a dropoff behind me, not quite sheer at this point, no, but enough to tumble me into the desert, and I felt the moment when the car decides it’s going to spin and there’s not a bloody thing you can do about it, nothing but ride it out and hope there’s enough room.
There wasn’t. I braced my body against the back of the seat.
I saw every last rock and scrubby bit of brush on the side of the road. A small weed, spitting pink flowers. I heard gravel flying from the tyres. I got a glimpse of Wanda’s yellow scarf far off to the left, safely out of the way, and then I felt the crunch of the guard rail against the side of the car and a sickening tilt.
April Fool, I had time to say, or maybe only to think, and then the car was flying.
Fab excerpt. But I fear for the car. Please tell me she doesn’t ice the Enzo! They’re practically an endangered species…
Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!
Yes, great extract – lots of technical info conveyed in an exciting way! You must have done a lot of research?
Yes, though alas, none of it included driving an Enzo.
I watched a lot of Top Gear. And interviewed two stunt women, one of whom was kind enough to read the stunt sequences and advise me on accuracy. And also had advice from a lovely friend who works in the film industry.
It’s amazing the amount of work you have to do to get a few paragraphs of material! Good thing most of the time I just make this stuff up.
Fab extract! We have to wait until OCTOBER for the rest????
Yup, she’ll be hanging in the air till then. LOL!
Trade paperback in October…mass-market in April 2011. I just heard from my editor that my revisions are fine and it’s gone to the copy editor, and that they’re briefing the cover…it’s all very exciting!
Heart racing as I read it…brilliant.
lx
Fab title and excerpt, Julie. Have a lovely easter too
Thanks Liz and Phillipa!