[hughewil]

If we are doing some that aren't ours

You needn’t think I’m crazy, Eliot—plenty of others have queerer prejudices than this
-Pickman's Model

Of Herbert West, who was my friend in college and in after life, I can speak only with extreme terror
-Herbert West reanimator

 

[WMKZbKs47sd5tQ]

from my first novel Temperance Hill

"Look Pa. that scoundrel is bringing his own coffin to the duel!"

 

[DeAngelo]

Well, the opening line of my first book is

"You should've left Glydûl while you had the chance!" Said one of the three guards who had cornered Zemperta, who was far too preoccupied lying in a pool of her own blood to ponder which one had spoken.

I know it's not exactly best of times worst of times quality, but it does do it's job in making the reader wonder why this woman is being attacked.

 

[WillemThomas]

"His first unknowing victim was selected from the Kindle Boards."


Willem Thomas

 

[R. H. Watson]

Well, the opening line of my first book is
I know it's not exactly best of times worst of times quality, but it does do it's job in making the reader wonder why this woman is being attacked.

What about swapping the phrases around so it starts with, "Zemperta was far too preoccupied lying in a pool of her own blood . . ."?

 

[R. M. Reed]

"Everyone knew when The Mayor came to Madame Bob's."

From my story, "The Mayor."

 

[R. H. Watson]

"His first unknowing victim was selected from the Kindle Boards."

Willem Thomas

Bwah!

Selena, easy for you to laugh; you're known; you're safe!

 

[Nell Gavin]

My favorite opening line - of a novella I sold to a literary magazine, was:

"The sex with Mom was good, and for once, I was in the mood for it."

(The novella's title is 'Pigman's Fingers' - and yes, it got much darker than that.)

They edited it around and hid the opening line a few paragraphs in

Oh. I would HAVE to buy it and would HAVE to keep reading!

 

[DeAngelo]

What about swapping the phrases around so it starts with, "Zemperta was far too preoccupied lying in a pool of her own blood . . ."?

I plan on doing another editing sweep one of these days once I have some other projects out of the way. I'll make a note of your suggestion. In the mean time check out the book if your interested and tell me any other thoughts you have

 

[Vianka Van Bokkem]

"It's okay to run your blood will be even warmer when I drink it!"


From: My Handsome Vampire


-Vianka Van Bokkem

 

[Carolyn Kephart]

From my short fiction:

No one ever really got to know a rashak, and Cela had never made an attempt. [Regenerated, published in Quantum Muse]

Sir Peregrin was always good-humored, and even dour mornings with grudging dawns made him cheery. It was very trying. [Everafter Acres, published in Luna Station Quarterly]

They rode light, for these had long been times of peace, yet still they rode armed from old habit, in steel-studded leather many times mended, battered greaves over scuffed boots, vambraces scored from years of sword-blows. [The Kind Gods, published in Bewildering Stories]

He was a troublesome fool, whose unbridled tongue and vicious tricks went unchecked because they amused the King. [Last Laughter, published in Silver Blade Fantasy Quarterly]

The first sentence of my epic fantasy The Ryel Saga:

Markul the Best and Highest rose in sharptoothed towers eternally enmeshed in mist, a bristling walled island of black and green and gray that surged up from the flat sweep of the Aqqar Plain as if the continual damps had spawned it overnight.

CK

(My short stories are free on Smashwords, btw.)

 

[Ben White]

I don't think I'm that great at first lines, actually--to manglingly paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, my favourite sentence is whichever one gets me to the next   Here's what I've got for my current WiP:

Charlotte, it's been 19,266,147 seconds since your last entry.

Every Miya Black book starts with a variation on "Miya Black was X years old and Y" like "Miya Black was thirteen years old and annoyed" or "Miya Black was fourteen years old and bored" and then goes on to explain just why she's Y and how she came to be X.  There's a payoff for this in the final book.  That's a few years away, though.  Yes, I love brick jokes

 

[Michelle Muto]

First lines? In another month, I'd have given you the first line from my next book.

How about a line from a current one? "But Ives," he said softly, "We both know that right now, I'm just what you need."

My favorite one line from ANY book.

Without a doubt and without equal, Stephen King's The Gunslinger. It's nothing but awesome sauce.

The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

 

[Norman]

Oh wow! These are really good. I'm excited, if you think about mixing up some of what we're reading here, you can come away with a doozy. I have some personal favorites I've read. Wont mention any names but these are good.

 

[LiteraryGrrrl]

From Border Crossing, this month's short thriller in my year-long series:

"Knowing Julie's head was hidden in his trunk gave Mike a hard-on he hoped the border guards wouldn't notice."

Shana

 

[Edward C. Patterson]

My favorite is from my famovite child novel - Turning Idolater:

"It was a small tub in a tiny bathroom, but it served Philip Flaxen well as he prepared."

My favorite opening line to a Chapter is from The Nan Tu.

"I am a connoisseur of horseshit - the aromas of the stable."

 

[Edward C. Patterson]

The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

The first line? I thought that was the . . . oh, sorry. Deja Vu. Deja Vu. Deja vu, vu, vu, vu . . .

 

[LiteraryGrrrl]

"I am a connoisseur of horseshit - the aromas of the stable."

Edward I LOVE this!

Shana

 

[SuzanneTyrpak]

"You're gonna freeze your hooters off."

 

[LiteraryGrrrl]

"You're gonna freeze your hooters off."

LMFAO

Shana