Excerpt from Audrey Niffenegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry"

Last update: November 15, 2009 - 7:17 PM

Elspeth felt that she was on the verge of a breakthrough. She had been giving serious thought to haunting. There's a balance between the aesthetics and the practical side of it. I've been muddling around trying to do the things living people do, messing with objects and such. But I can do things they can't do; I can fly and pass through walls and blow out TVs. I'm not exactly matter so I must be energy. Elspeth wished she'd paid more attention to physics. Most of her knowledge of the hard sciences came from quiz shows and crossword puzzles. If I'm energy, then what? She didn't understand why Valentina seemed to be able to sense her while Julia couldn't. But Elspeth redoubled her efforts: She followed Valentina around the flat, turning lights on and off. Valentina complained to Julia about the old wiring and worried that the building was going to burn down. When the twins were out Elspeth gave herself exercises to do: Cast a shadow, make a Tesco's receipt float a few inches off the dining room table. (She couldn't manage either task.) She imagined grand tableaux: I'll pull all the books off the shelves, break all the windows, play the Maple Leaf Rag on the piano. But she was too weak to sound even one note. She walked over the piano keys, stomping as hard as she could in her yellow Doc Martens. The keys depressed a few millimetres; she thought she heard the strings whisper, but really there was nothing at all. She was more successful with doors; if the hinges were well oiled she could close a door by leaning against it and pushing with all her might.

So she kept practising. If I'd worked out this hard when I was alive I could have lifted a MINI Cooper. The results were gradual, but definite. The most effective thing Elspeth did was simply to stare at Valentina.

Valentina didn't like it.

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Here are some of Books Editor Laurie Hertzel's favorite sites and blogs. Got a literary link to share? E-mail Laurie.

Twin Cities Literary Scavenger Hunt Home page for the scavenger hunt, which runs now through Dec. 26.
Reading Minnesota A blog that features Minnesota writers, illustrators, publishers, bookstores, and reviewers.
Talk of the Stacks An author series from the Library Foundation of Hennepin County.
Poets & Writers The website for Poets and Writers Magazine--podcasts, author interviews, and writing resources.
Creative Writing A place to keep apprised of writing competitions in the United States.
Gather Minnesota Readers The Website for Minnesota Public Radio's books blog.
The Loft Literary Center The Website for the Loft, a local place for writers and readers.
Good Reads A way to track what you're reading, and what your friends are reading.
Lost Manuscripts Just what it sounds like - a blog (sporadically updated) devoted to missing and destroyed manuscripts.
Maud Newton Very hip, reviews, links, a little attitude.
bookreporter.com A plethora of online book reviews and reading guides.
Rain Taxi Rain Taxi Review of Books.