What I do
I am currently writing my third novel. All 3 books, are first-person narratives about Noel, a school student for whom action is the only way to live. It's frustrating then that feelings and all sorts of unnecessary shit like that have started appearing.
At home there’s me and Ma, and sometimes my sister, Nessa. Nessa is at college doing summat to with putting on events and, though she still officially lives at home, she usually stays with her twat boyfriend, Liam. I was surprised that Ma let her stay over there so much to begin with but I reckon she’s relieved there’s normally one less mouth to feed. Liam’s harmless enough but he’s got the personality of a garden bench. Ness is quite tall, kind of skinny, and a bitch. To me at least.
Now, I’m the only person in our year that hasn’t got a phone. Seriously, fifteen and never had one. Kids started getting them when we were in primary school. By the end of primary, virtually everyone had one. I asked Ma for one and she wouldn’t even discuss it with me. Just,
‘No. They give you cancer.’
End of. Eh? But you don't mess with Ma so that's me. No phone Noel.
Extract from What You Need To Know by dc herbert