I’m starting the second book in my contract with InterMix. It’s part of the same series, so when you read The Temporary Wife, you will meet characters from the new book that I’ve tentatively called A Simple Affair.
I’ve been agonizing over this book. The characters, the plot, all of it. But nothing is harder for me than actually starting.
The first line. *shudders*
I think I’ve got this one. I really do. It’s simple, it hooks the reader’s attention (I think) and it raises the stakes. Here it is:
“Caroline Rossi needed a new life.”
That’s it. Six little words. But face it, that first line is the thing that can sell a person on a book or make them put it back on the shelf. How did I do?
To celebrate all the words I have to write in this new story, I’m giving away three books by authors who nailed the first line.
Leave a comment with your favorite first line from a book and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win Fools Rush In, by Kristan Higgins, On Lavender Lane, by JoAnn Ross and Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra.
(Contest is limited to people in the continental U.S.–sorry–and will close on January 21st, 2013 at 6 pm ET.)
The young boys came early to the hanging.
I knew this one. I knew I did…but I had to look it up. Epic.
The great shark moved silently through the dark water. Eep!
This book (and the movie) kept me off the local beaches for a couple of summers.
“I’d never given much thought to how I would die…”
I’m not a huge Twilight fan, but this first line is kick ass.
what’s odd is that when writing, i too know how important the first line is, but thinking about my favorite books right now? i can’t remember a single first line. i can remember the endings though, because a good ending is so hard to find.
because i’m opposed to spoilers, i won’t write the line, but i will say the ending to GONE GIRL was brilliant. sheer genius.
sorry, i went against all the rules of this contest! but in other news, A SIMPLE AFFAIR’s first line has me hooked!
Thanks, Abby. Rules? As long as you have something to say, that’s all I care about.
I have to fudge a little, since one of my absolutely favorite books of last year is written in two voices so there are actually two first lines:
“Before we explain how it all happened, we’d like to take this opportunity, from the get-go, to apologize.”
“What do you mean, ‘we’?”
– from Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel’s “Lunatics”
Good luck on your 2nd, Jeannie!
Thanks, Lynne. I love Dave Barry. He’s a special kind of crazy.
My all-time favorite is also two lines:
To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.
Someday I will write an opening half that good.
God, I love that.
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
“Last night I dreamed of Manderly.”
I remember as a child that “first lines” was a feature in Cricket magazine. I imagine that’s when I got obsessed with them. Readers could send in their favorites.
xo,
SL
Yay! I was waiting for dark and stormy!
ooh, that makes me grin, b/c I know it’s so hackneyed, I almost didn’t write it, but, what can I say, I bet Maddie L. knew that when she used it for A Wrinkle in Time, now 50 years ago.
xo,
SL
I like your first line, Jeannie. I would keep reading because with that one sentiment you feel the character’s pain and you want to know how it got that bad and what she’ll do to change things. Desperation can do that to people.
Thanks. Jolyse. That’s what I was going for. xoxo
“An independent woman is a woman unprotected.”
This is a new one for me. Thanks, Angie. I love it!
“There was a Master come unto the earth, born in the holy land of Indiana, raised in the mystical hills east of Fort Wayne.”
I didn’t know this one and had to look this one up, but once I did it made sense…Richard Bach.
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for commenting! The winner of the three books is Abby! Abby send me your snail mail address and I’ll get those books out to you! jeannie (at) jeanniemoon (dot) com.
xoxo