[size=16pt]Excerpt from FEDDIE GIRL, a novel by Nona David (Copyright, Jan 2009)[/size]


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Although the next morning dawned bright and clear, Carlotta was apprehensive in the presence of her new classmates. Having to attend a foreign all girls’ boarding school was not too bad. What she loathed about school period was the deafening and head aching quarrels her classmates indulged in when there wasn't a teacher in the classroom. It was only 8:45am, and already, they were at it again. This time, they were bickering and fighting each other over what cities and towns in Nigeria were the best places to grow up in. When words weren’t enough, the students resorted to hurling missiles in the form of books, combs, and school sandals.

As if anyone cares where others grow up, Carlotta thought, miserably. She’d lived her whole life in the United States and hadn’t been able to do a thing about it when her parents decided to ship her off to boarding school in Nigeria as punishment for getting expelled from middle school.

The noise was beginning to make her head ache. She depressed her vibrating eyeballs with the heel of her palms, hoping to keep them from falling out of their sockets, and was wondering how the girls were able to keep-up the racket when a particularly loud bang surprised her into snapping her eyes open.

A furious looking male teacher stood at the classroom door.

The girls stopped fighting at once. The screeching was cut off from the throats of two students—like a raging fire abruptly doused with water. One final sandal arched high above the heads of the students and landed squarely in the middle of the blackboard with a loud thud, then skidded mournfully down to the ground. Several girls scuttled back to their seats. Ndidi and her cohorts scrambled down from their lockers.

When all was calm, the class stared sheepishly at the dark male teacher leaning against the doorframe. He considered them for a while, his handsome face devoid of expression. Without much show of annoyance, he strolled into the classroom and stood before the students.
"I am not going to inquire into the cause of the noise," he declared, "but this is a classroom, and it is time for my lesson." He walked over to the blackboard and picked up the lone sandal. "Who lost this?" he asked in a scathing tone, holding the rubber footwear aloft by the tips of his forefinger and thumb, dangling it like an offending rodent for the whole class to see.

A chubby girl slowly walked up to him, like one would to a dangerous dog. "Please Sir, it's mine," she breathed, and held out a hand for the shoe. He cast a wary eye at her, snorted, and dropped the sandal in her hand. The girl clutched the shoe and scurried back to her seat.
The teacher sneered, turned abruptly and picked up the duster. With a swift swipe of his left hand, he wiped the board clean. His right hand moved with lightening speed and he wrote the word 'Mathematics' on the board with a piece of white chalk. Then he whirled around in one fluid motion and began to teach.

His movements seemed so effortless; his actions— electrifying; voice—spellbinding. There was no beep from the class during the entire lesson. The students were caught up in the fast paced action of his teaching. They watched in fascination as he stabbed and slashed at the blackboard with the chalk, whipping-up seemingly intoxicating mathematical symbols and equations from thin air. The math teacher was the performer; the mesmerized class his spectator.

Not until the bell rang did Carlotta realize she hadn’t grasped a thing from the class. The Math teacher had raced through his lesson in a well-meaning tactic to revise the basic math skills he felt the students should have already acquired. He had breezed through even and odd numbers, and the rules of addition and subtraction. After those came multiplication and division. Then types of fractions. Simple proportions. Percentages. Finally, it had come to algebra and the real lesson had commenced.

The Math teacher had sauntered out of the class as soon as the bell rang, leaving an awed class behind him. He hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself to the class.

A stunned silence followed the teacher’s departure until someone broke the spell by saying,

"Please, what was his name?"

"Mr Wesley Iorshimbe-Ngongngong," someone offered.

"Mr Wesley what?" another girl quipped?

"Wesley Snipes!" Joyce snapped at her. "Are you deaf?"

The girl gave Joyce a reproachful look.

"Come to think of it, that Mathematics teacher is a real Snipes.” Nelly laughed. “Wait, he even looks like the real Wesley Snipes," she said, when she was able to catch her breath.

Several girls laughed too.

That opened the floodgates. In excited tones, the students started comparing the Math teacher's movements to that of Wesley Snipes' ingenious stunts in the 'Blade' movies. They got so wrapped-up in their stories they lost track of time, until Rosemary the class prefect announced in dismay, "You girls, it's time for Integrated Science, and it says here on the time-table that we are supposed to go to the Biology Lab for the lesson."

They were already six minutes late. Lockers were opened and banged as the students reached for their science text and notebooks. In a flash, most of them were out the door.

"Biology Lab, Carlotta. Let's go," Ossie apprised as she picked up her books, shut her locker with a bang, and ran for the door.

"Hey, wait up!" Carlotta called to Ossie, "I dunno where to find the Biology Lab!" In a rush, she picked up a heavy textbook she assumed was for Integrated Science and bolted out the door after her classmates.
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Please leave a comment. Thanks!!!

Come-on people, I'm still waiting for feedback!!

i like it

Bluespce: Thanks!!!

The novel FEDDIE GIRL is about the experiences and adventures of an American teenager that is enrolled in a Nigerian Federal school. You can read more excerpts and reserve a copy of the novel at http://bernardbooks.com

Also see: Feddie Girl's Blogs http://joanpeck.
Reason and motivation to blog about this upcoming novel is to enable readers and fans of the novel get to know the major character personally. The blog is written in the voice and seen through the eyes of this American teenager (Aka Feddie Girl). She communicates directly with her fans and periodically updates interesting bits of information about her personal life and family.

Fair is fair. And since we're being frank I gotta say it's a juvenile story targeted at little kids. That doesn't mean it's badly written. I like the looks of it. Let's see where it goes.

I feel like revealing my real persona. This cloak and dagger thing is really unlike me

Buzzzzzz:

Wow, yes of course!!! You're very correct about the story's target audience. It's also meant as a keepsake for ladies who attended boarding schools in Naija, especially Federal schools, hence the title FEDDIE GIRL.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read.

Oh yes, you sound like a guy. Please reveal yourself,

First lemme tell you how grateful I am for such a detailed analysis. I'm unusually lucky u came. Unfortunately I'm just an amateur writer. I have absolutely no formal training whatsoever but I know this is no bar. Just makes the hill steeper but the hill's still surmountable. I made you a proposition on my thread. What do u think?

Sure, Buzzzz, I'm glad to help-out any day. I left my e-mail addy on your thread. Holler when you feel like it.

Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it!

Oh-my-gosh!

This is hilarious!!!!! Everyone should read this book! Please when can I get my copy? I'm going to reserve now.

Joan, this is really excellent. I attended a feddie school too and I completely connect with the story. I came across several students like described in the story. It's so exciting, I can hardly wait. 

A million thanks to you and the author! Very well-written and well edited. Kudos!!!!

Makes me wish I were back in Feddie,  I miss those days a lot. 

being following the story all through and so far. i have been to the blog, both that at blogger and that at wordpress. I have checked out the facebook fan zone. i have followed your post on the journal section.

Babe keep the effort going. A nice novel who knows it might just end up a movie, though i will prefer a soap out of it. I am waiting for the release date for the novel.

"I am not going to inquire as to the cause of the noise," he declared, "but this is a classroom, and it is time for my lesson." He walked over to the blackboard and picked up the lone sandal. "Who lost this?" he asked in a scathing tone, holding the rubber footwear aloft by the tips of his forefinger and thumb, dangling it like an offending rodent for the whole class to see.

I am so bowled over by your descriptions. The quote above is just one example. Lol!!!
"Like an offending rodent." Brilliant work!

The girls stopped fighting at once. The screeching was cut off from the throats of two students—like a raging fire that is abruptly doused with water.

This one made me laugh so hard. Lol! I can just see it happening. We had serious noisemakers in my class when I was a junior girl. I love feddie schools. Boarding schools are the best. 

One final sandal arched high above the heads of the students and landed squarely in the middle of the blackboard with a loud thud, then skidded mournfully down to the ground.

This one is a rib-cracker, Lol! How did you think of it? I can't stop laughing. ROTFLMAO!!!!

gozzilla:

being following the story all through and so far. i have been to the blog, both that at blogger and that at wordpress. I have checked out the facebook fan zone. i have followed your post on the journal section.

Babe keep the effort going. A nice novel who knows it might just end up a movie, though i will prefer a soap out of it. I am waiting for the release date for the novel.

Gozzilla,
You sound like the novels biggest fan and I'm surprised cos u r a guy. Lol! I have only seen the blog on wordpress. Please, where is the journal? Did you say facebook fan page? I need to join, pleeeease.
I agree with you though! They should make it into a soap first, then blockbuster movie to follow.

Well done, babe!!!!!!!!!!

This is the link

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-262478.0.html

Thanks, man.

I've read some excerpts, its cool but some parts are rather dull. On the whole its a nice work.

@Iniguy,

I think you're confusing the blogs with the actual novel excerpts. As far as I can see, there are only 2 official excerpts from the novel so far i.e, the ones posted on the publishers website (this one here is one of them).

The rest of the write-ups you see are just blogs: i.e. written by the major character (in her voice, etc), basically just ramblings about her life and experiences, etc. From what I understand, the blogs are like a marketing angle, aimed at bringing readers closer to the character and spreading word about the novel.

For me, the actual excerpts from the novel are to die for (I can't wait to read the whole book), while the blogs are just like enticements.

iniguy:

I've read some excerpts, its cool but some parts are rather dull. On the whole its a nice work.

@ Iniguy,

Yes, Ifez is right. There are blogs and there are excerpts from the actual novel--both are two different things. The novel is written in the third person POV; while the blogs are written in first person, i.e. using the voice, mindset, and attitude of the main character, Carlotta Ikedi, aka Feddie Girl.

Please don't confuse the two. Also, clarify if you're referring to one of the two official excerpts culled from the actual novel (this post here is one of them. The other you can view at the publishers site. Bernard Books Publishing http://bernardbooks.com). If you are referring to this post, why not cut and paste the dull parts so we can be sure of what you're talking about? After all, this excerpt was posted here for reader feedback, and we are glad of your opinion, whether good or bad. This is the way authors improve.   

All the other write-ups you see with different titles (like the two on the Literature/Writing thread and the three on the Journal/Diary thread are all blogs, they aren't part of the actual novel. Just a means to create awareness for the upcoming book).

Another thing, PLEASE I AM NOT THE AUTHOR OF THE NOVEL NOR THE BLOGS. THE AUTHOR IS NONA DAVID. I AM THE BOOK PUBLICIST FOR BERNARD BOOKS PUBLISHING.

Hope this clears up the confusion.

Thanks!

Joan

@ Ifez,

Thanks girl, you're the best! We should employ you at Bernard Books Publishing,

Seriously, send me an e-mail at joan.peck@bernardbooks.com. I'd like to connect you with Nona David, the actual of the FEDDIE GIRL novel and blogs.

Also, about the question you posed on Buzzzzzz's thread, send us an official query at Bernard Books Publishing and we'll let you know. As for critiquing your a sample of your manuscript, please contact me using the e-mail address above. Though I'm busy at the moment, I'l be glad to take a look during my spare time.

Thanks.

Joan

Thanks, Joan, I'll contact you by e-mail.
All the best to you.

gozzilla:

being following the story all through and so far. i have been to the blog, both that at blogger and that at wordpress. I have checked out the facebook fan zone. i have followed your post on the journal section.

Babe keep the effort going. A nice novel who knows it might just end up a movie, though i will prefer a soap out of it. I am waiting for the release date for the novel.

Hi Gozzilla,
I almost missed your comment. Sorry, my bad.
Thanks a lot for the encouraging comment, I'm sure the author will be thrilled to know you're a big fan. What's also amazing is the fact that you're a guy but still appreciate the story, where most guys may not (no offense at anyone for this generalization). All in all, thanks a lot for being unbiased and speaking from your heart.

Release date is in July. If you can, please go to the publishers site and reserve a copy http://bernardbooks.com
This way, once the novel is released, you will be personally informed.

Best regards,

Joan

Hi reader,

Thanks so much for reading through. Just a couple of quick reminders.

This thread here an official excerpt from the actual FEDDIE GIRL novel by Nona David. You can read more excerpts and reserve your copy of the book at the publishers site. Bernard Books Publishing http://bernardbooks.com
The publisher will contact you once the novel is published so you don't miss out! Novel is coming this July!!!

Copies will be available in bookstores of major cities including Lagos, Abuja, PH, Onitsha, Benin, Ibadan, Enugu, Aba, Kaduna, Makurdi, and Jos.
Novel will also be available online at select online Nigerian stores like Flegz.com, Booksng.com, Havilahbooks-ng.com, officeandbookworld.com.

View also read Feddie Girl blog posts (9 total) on [url]http://feddie girl..com[/url] http://joanpeck.

Thanks!

Joan

PS: If you're on Facebook, please help us spread the word by joining the Feddie Girl fan page and inviting others to join. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Feddie-Girl/62373092169?ref=ts
Thanks!

Just six more weeks and the advance copies will be hot off the press!
Don't miss out! Copies are limited! Reserve yours now!!!! http://bernardbooks.com

RELEASE DATE FOR FEDDIE GIRL COUNT DOWN CONTINUES: 5 weeks to go!

The countdown to publication date continues.

You can now reserve an advance copy of this novel on the publishers site. You will be notified once the copies come off the press. http://bernardbooks.com/form.html

Posted a new excerpt

Don't miss out on this novel.

Read excerpts at: http://bernardbooks.com/subpage.html

Reserve a copy at: http://bernardbooks.com/form.html

Novel availability will be by reservation only. Deadline for advance copy reservation is Sept 20th, 2009.

DON'T MISS OUT!!!

Finally, this novel has come to naija!!! For those of you who have been waiting for it, the details are on https://bernardbooks.com/news.html

This books is a must-read!!!!!!!

You can now read Chapters 1-3 and the reviews of this novel on the publisher's website https://bernardbooks.com/gpage.html