Book Editing Sample Fiction Manuscript

As she lay surrounded by her people, her face displayed a She was lying with a serene,
calmness. face of divine glory, surrounded by her people. Who was shethis woman? Her
name was Ajita, a conqueror.

The story begins from on the day when she was preparing breakfast for her son, Abhi, who
was still in bed. Like a typical Indian small- town woman, her Ajitas mornings used towould
begin in the kitchen. She was accustomed to getting waking up early so that she could
prepare lunch for Abhi and get him ready for school.

The sun was rising and she could see the rays as they entereding from theher kitchen
window. Winter birds were chirpeding in atop the banyan tree behind the boundary wall. The
birds made nests every year; nestlings would be born and soon they and many newborn
chicks would fly away from the tree. Ajita thought of these birds, as her morning allies. She
missed them in the summer when they migrated in the summer.

Ajita put the potatoes in a cooker to boil. She was preparing sandwiches for school lunch.
Abhi loved sandwiches. Ajita had to learn different recipes so as to provide variety in on
Abhis demand in order to place variety in his lunchbox. Mrs. Gupta, the next door neighbor,
had been very kind to share her cookery talent with Ajita. Ajita had learnt conventional
cooking from her mother-in-law and different cuisine from Mrs. Gupta. She felt a deep sense
of gratitude for both the ladies.

The potatoes were done and she put them into a bowl of the water for to cooling. Meanwhile,
she prepared tea for herself. Her mother-in-law was out to bring milk from the booth and her
husband Vijay was on tour. Before Abhi was born, she used to feelwould be bored at home
when Vijay was out on tours. However now with Abhi, she hardly had time for doldrumson
her hands;, the house kept her on her toes throughout the day.

She kept the wok on the burner to make potato filling for sandwiches. Mother-in-law should
have come by now with milk. She must be busy chatting with her friends. She forgets to
return early whenever she meets her friends at the booth. Now I will be late to boil the milk
for Abhi, she thought.

The aroma of mashed potatoes filled the air. She grilled the sandwiches and packed them
in the lunch box and promptly went to Abhis bedroom to wake up Abhi who was still
sleeping looked so comfortable relaxed in his soft and cozy bed. As with every morning
Ajita woke Abhi put up after a stronglong resistance before he finally stirred out of bed.
Perseverance in getting their adorable little children out of bed in the morning is an incredible
wondrous ability of mothers.

While Abhi was getting ready for school, Ajita boiled the milk, which her mother-in-law had
finally brought, after making Ajita wait for a long time. after a long wait.

The peaceful environment of the morning was soon taken overbroken by the honking rns of
school buses and long whistles of pressure cookers whistles that could be heard from the
nearby houses.
TElsewhere temple bells chimed; here was sound of ringing bells of the temple down the
road, and their sounds mingled with the brassy Bollywood music that blared from the radio at
a tea stall across the road. Traffic on the road was increasing. A few school children were
waiting on the sidewalk for their buses. Mothers of small kids also accompanied their
wardsm to get them ir children safely on the bus as in the mornings drivers are in a rush to
pick the children up and take them to reach the school on time.
Abhi got ready for school at around 7.45 am and checked what his mother had packed in his
lunch box as he did not like the same food every day.
At eight 8 am, sharp, on hearing an unfamiliar horn of a vVan, Ajita prepared herself for
another challenge.
It was a white colored van, which used to pliedy only when his the regular blue van could not
arrive come for some reason.
I will not go to school in this van. Abhi started crying hard loudly when his mother carried
him towards the vanbus. .
He clutched his mother and was not ready to get on the van.

I will buy chocolates when you come back from school and take you to the market in the
evening,. Ajita said.

This was the usual scene in the morning whenever the white van arrived in lieu of the blue
one.
Abhi had developed a craze for blue van and always created a scene whenever he had to
go never went to school in the white van.

I have prepared sandwiches in your lunch box. Who will eat them? She tried again and
again to convince her child to go to school, but in vain.

Abhi was smart enough to perceive that the school bus would not wait for more than five
minutes, so he continued weeping crying till the bus left. When he was sure that the bus had
gone he stopped crying.

Irritated with Abhis pretended behavior, Ajita slammed the door and went inside the kitchen.

What has happened, Abhi? You did not go to school. Are you not feeling well? asked Ajitas
mother-in-law, Jaya after coming out of the shower. Knowing the whole situation, she said,
Yyou are right Abhi. You should not go in the white van. Go only when blue van comes.

Jaya never liked to pressure the children into studying. She always encouraged the children
to play and enjoy their livesfe.

Abhi went inside the room feeling proud of his victory; he kept his bag on the table, changed
his clothes and decided to go outside to play.

Mother, why do you not understand that we should not fulfill his demands? He will become
careless and disobedient, said Ajita, who could not resist saying this to her mother-in-law.

Will he get a degree right now? Why do you always insist on him studying? This is the age
when he should play as much as he wants, yelled Jaya, her face beaming red like a hot
iron. Her short and lean figure huffed and puffed with anger. Whenever Jaya became angry,
Ajita preferred to keep quiet. She tiptoed went to the kitchen to start seemingly her never
ending work.

..

Six years before, Abhi was born and everyone became very concerned about him as the
doctors declared him underweight. He advised Ajita to take special care of Abhi, and she
took the words very seriously and did her best.

When she first saw Abhi, he was a small, cuddlesome and wondrous baby. She thanked
God for the cutest and most precious gift given to her. She still remembered the first touch of
her baby. He was soft as cotton and sweet as honey. She did her best to bring up her child.
For several nights, she could not sleep. She had to play with Abhi who woke up during the
night and slept the during the days. Nursing a child comes so naturally to every woman.
Even the doctors were amazed to see Abhis growth in one year. Ajita had decided not to
have another child; she would give her full attention only to Abhi.

Is sweet as honey right?

[1]When Abhi started school, Ajita used to sit and wait there untill his classes were over. Abhi
did not let his mother leave his sight. This went on for two months until he started enjoying
the school with the other children.

Ever since last year when he was promoted in to Cclass 1one, had to study more in class
and was given homework, Abhi had lost interest in going to school. As ever, his grandmother
stood by him for not studying.

Ajita had no choice but to tell everything to her husband who remained on tour most of the
time.

After some time, Abhi went out to play and Jaya went to meet her friends in the
neighborhood. Ajita finished her breakfast, took out vegetables from the refrigerator for
chopping. Her long and thick hair touched the floor when she bent low to pick out vegetables
from refrigerator. She had forgotten to comb her hair in the mornings hustle and bustle. She
left the vegetable on the dining table and proceeded went to the towards dressing table.

She saw herself in the mirror. She looked charming as ever, but the pink colored sari made
her look adorable. Pink was her favorite color, and she could not resist to admiringe herself.
She had inherited her complexion and appearance from her father who had a very
handsome and elegant personality.

.Ajita finished making her hair do, wore put a red bindi on her forehead and put sindoor in
maang and resumed her work.

She thought of her the dream she saw had had last night; it was one that would recur off
and on. and used to see every now and then, In it she saw a modern hospital and a few
unique numbers. Though she did not remember the exact numbers, but she knew they were
the same each time. What wasis the message of this dream? She tried to find out the clue
behind her dream but found nothing. She had never been to any hospital so how could she
dream of that. Was anyone going to be ill in future? She had never discussed this dream
with to anyone. She wanted to seek a professional discuss with someone, but he was not
sure who could be her dream reader. One who would guide her?

..

Scene 2[2]

One afternoon, Abhi returned with a birthday invitation from his friend Anand, who stayed
across the road in a big and lovely bungalow. Anands father had a business of ready-made
garments, and his mother Sunanda was a homemaker.

What will I wear for the party today? I have worn all these clothes dresses before. There is
nothing new dress for me leftto wear. An Exuberant childImmediately, Abhi he took out all
the dresses clothes from his cupboard.