Book Jacket

 

rank 5470
word count 34228
date submitted 20.11.2009
date updated 22.11.2009
genres: Romance, Comedy
classification: universal
incomplete

The Distance Between Us

Brendah Sedgwick

Natalie, 39yrs 11mths, is on a journey. She finds what it takes to change her life. Love, loss and starting over are littered with humour.

 

South of England 2004.

Natalie and Spike(dog) go to France. Here Gerry (husband) is in hospital following a cycling accident.


The journey to Normandy should take a day, but Natalie gets lost and finds herself enjoying the delights of Paris.

Instead of returning Natalie travels on through France, across the Pyrenees into Spain. Finally from Barcelona she returns to Gerry. Phone calls show them to be increasingly out of touch.

Amongst new friends are, three people on a river boat, a busker who is shot, a brother she drives away from, a glider pilot she flies with and a film cameraman (Alex) who becomes 'a special friend'.

Fom Barcelona, Jose, a plylon spotter, leads her back following French pylons.


Through this carnival of people and places she has captured the readers of an English National newspaper.

On Natalie's return she discovers her best friend once slept with Gerry. Spike goes to the vet, Katy (daughter) goes to Japan and dad, who lived close by, moves away.

Freed from responsibilities she leaves for Amsterdam as a travel writer for the newspaper that has followed her..

Alex will meet her there.

 
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tags

fiction, funny, holiday read, life love female 40, romantic

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11 comments

 

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Bob Steele wrote 901 days ago

The pitch for The Distance Between Us promises lots of adventure and action with Natalie and her new friends, which interested me from the outset. The opening chapters were easy reading and fun - your style is quite 'chatty' which helped me engage with the characters quickly. Technically your writing is fine, so I have nothing of significance to add by way of critique. Backed.

KitCat1980 wrote 905 days ago

I guess this might be called ‘chick lit’ which is a term I hate, and a genre I tend to avoid. However The Distance Between Us is such a interesting and amusing tale I couldn’t resist it – so holding me for 5 chapters in this genre says something about your writing :O)
Cat
Judas Kiss

sperber1 wrote 906 days ago

This is the story of a very busy woman -- her day is full, she has lots of relationships and responsibilities -- but is she really fulfilled? And of course, that big 40 is just around the corner. Excellent fertile ground for a change-of-life story.

Your writing is excellent. Nice, short sentences, very good dialogue that is true to each character speaking it. And you avoid those overly descriptive passages that some writers use, i.e., "the silvery moon cast in luninscent sheen upon the shimmering surface of the lake." Instead, you deal with what really matters -- people, relationships, overcoming adversity.

Shelved.

T.L Tyson wrote 909 days ago

A sweet little slice of pie this is.
it is written with a sweeping hand, which to me means, a hand that is broad and natural. Your dialogue and narrative flow like a river. Smoothly.
Oh, happiness, how we chase it. Natalie intrigues me, she has a sweet and humble voice, she compels me to read on. And I would, if I had this in my hands.
Some of your lines were quirky and had me smiling.
Backed
T.L Tyson-Seeking Eleanor

silence wrote 910 days ago

hi
i enjoyed this although it is not my favoured genre. i found it well written, witty and the dialogue is natural and unobtrusive.

thank you for sharing. on my shelf.

Judith (Peaceweaver) (The Forest Dwellers)

Andrew W. wrote 911 days ago

The Distance Between Us

Hi Brendah,

This is a simple story about important things. It begins simply as well, beguilingly, with our narrator introducing herself and seeming to make apologies for the smallness of her life. I loved her immediately. Everyone deserves a journey, a deepening, broadening, expanding journey – one that lifts the spirit and frees the mind. I am enjoying travelling alongside her, she picks out interesting things to look at and talks frankly and honestly about things. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, you begin with a change in her life and you do the necessary part of foreshadowing.

I loved the simple, unpretentious prose and the speed with which the story gets going. She is a great main character and fans of this genre will lap this up. Intriguing pitch too, wonder if Bradley Wind can do you a cover… Love the title by the way...

Best wishes and good luck
Andrew W
(Sanctuary’s Loss) - all help gratefully received

Clare Hill wrote 911 days ago

I dread the wardrobe makeover people, too. I have some really dodgy clothes - why do they look so good in the shop,but when I get them home they make me look like Mavis the fat fairy? I'm sure it's the lighting in the changing rooms. A fun, gentle read. Backed.

Brendah Sedgwick wrote 911 days ago

Brendah, I really enjoyed the read. You set the scenes beautifully and your diaolgue between the family members is spot on. I was transported back in time with you and your G-Plan furniture!

One typo I spotted, Harry in his 'fug' of smoke, should that be 'fog'?

Anyhow, I read the story, I'll let those more intelligent then me to nit pick.



Thank you being the first to read the start of my book. Fug is a real, fun word. There should be two more chpters uploaded today if you fancy reading them.

Backed with pleasure.

Bob (Auctoratus)

John Harold McCoy wrote 913 days ago

Hi Brendah. Your pitch promises a lot happening in this novel.
Read the first few chapter. Very nice writing. Good development. Comfortable to read which is a good quality in my opinion. All in all, I think it's a darn good job. On my shelf.

John Harold McCoy - Bramwell Valley

Cato Sulla wrote 913 days ago

Brendah, I really enjoyed the read. You set the scenes beautifully and your diaolgue between the family members is spot on. I was transported back in time with you and your G-Plan furniture!

One typo I spotted, Harry in his 'fug' of smoke, should that be 'fog'?

Anyhow, I read the story, I'll let those more intelligent then me to nit pick.

Backed with pleasure.

Bob (Auctoratus)

Brendah Sedgwick wrote 913 days ago
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