Here are three more books and their opening lines.
Assuming the book is in a genre that might interest you, do you want to continue reading after the first lines? The authors hope so. What do you think? Are you interested enough to turn the page?
1. Grumpy Old Menopause by Carol E. Wyer
Have you started to write post-it notes with your kids’ names on them? Do you need to change your underwear after every time you sneeze? Guess it’s time to read this book then.
…. It’ll help you get through “that” time of your life with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. (Yeah right!)
http://www.safkhetpublishing.com/books/select/Grumpy_Old_Menopause.html
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2. Made in Nashville by Mandy Baggot
The lights were so bright, brighter than the strongest spotlight Honor had ever stood under. They were coming from all directions. Right. Left. Overhead. The crowd was roaring, clapping, stamping their feet, dancing. They moved like a sea, swaying, bobbing, rising up and falling back in time to the music. This was what she’d dreamed of since she was a little girl.
http://smarturl.it/buymadeinnashville
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3. Kurinji Flowers by Clare Flynn
The beginning of July, and the sky was the colour of a dirty pigeon. 1936 had been a terrible year; dull, grey days, abnormally cool and unremittingly miserable. At least, that’s how I remember it.
Anneli's Place 
The mood is certainly clear for each book. Well done.
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Setting the mood and the tone of the book is also something that can/should be done early on. Good point!
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Yes for all 3 books. The title of the first one got me and I liked the author’s sense of humour. Made in Nashville’s cover was very promising and the opening put me in a “Nashville” mood. I’m not usually drawn to historical novels but Clare Flynn’s opening really caught my attention – there was something foreboding about it and i want to know what, I also liked the cover.
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Thanks for your comments, Carol. I agree, except that I do like historical novels and would love to read this one as well. It’s good that you’ve kept an open mind for the different genres.
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None of those first sentences “grab” me, but I will eventually read Grumpy Old Menopause, because I know Carol’s blog and like the way she writes, also I’ve heard more about that book from other sources.
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Thanks for your comment. Sometimes the impact of first sentences is more subtle – sometimes it’s missing altogether. Good opening lines are something we authors need to strive to achieve in our novels. It’s quite possible that the rest of the book is spellbinding, but if the first lines don’t draw the reader in, the author may miss an opportunity to hook the reader, who may miss out on a good book.
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Hop on over to my site and give me an opinion on the piece I wrote last Friday, Jan 30th.
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The piece you wrote (where you have to use certain words in the story) is pretty good. I think it’s hard to do that kind of writing because in some cases you have to force the story around the words, so I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have to do that if you want to get the best results. I agree though that it’s a good way to get started in writing something. If I were to polish the story, I would probably take out some of the very words you were assigned to use and then reshape the story a little bit using your own natural flow of words. Of course, that defeats the challenge of the writing assignment, but it would be good for your story. It’s probably fun to start your writing that way – with a challenge.
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Thank you, your opinion is valuable. I find this type of challenge easy because the words themselves spark ideas in my mind, the story practically writes itself. Then, offline, I can work on chapter two or three as long as the ideas keep coming. I have several “Friday” stories that could be linked as a longer story if I could just find the connecting chapters. They’re hiding in my subconscious.
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No 1 a definite… No 2 Yes… No 3….. don’t think so… hey am I passing these tests?
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There’s no right or wrong, but different things interest different people. I agree that the third one doesn’t grab me as much either, but I still really would love to read it because of the time and place setting. Also, I cheated and read a short blurb about it and it sounds intriguing. Thanks for your input, Rob. Hang in there. I have more first lines coming up in the next days.
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Thank you for featuring Made in Nashville, Anneli! My extract was the very first lines from the prologue which introduces the heroine, Honor Blackwood, when she was a country star ten years before the story really starts. It’s so interesting how the start of a book can turn you on or off immediately. Great idea for a blog post!
Mandy 🙂
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It’s quite important to get a good start. I usually give a book more than a few lines, but it sure is great when a reader is grabbed right away. I enjoyed reading your book.
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Anneli, many thanks for featuring my little book here. I think it is hugely important to make a good impression but boy it is difficult. I spend more time trying to grab the reader with my first lines than writing the book. I often have to rewrite the first chapter after I have completed the book. Many thanks to those who have said positive things about my book. River, if you read it, I hope you laugh throughout.
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All your books are great, Carol. And I know what you mean about first lines being so difficult. The next most difficult part is finding an ending that makes everyone happy. I rewrote the ending to The Wind Weeps eight times! Finally I had to choose one and of course it doesn’t please everyone. We never can. But the sequel is coming.
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hooked on number 3; they all “grabbed” me, however #3 has me wondering…
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Same here. I think they’re all good reads. The trick is to get someone to give it a chance by enticing them with the first lines.
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