My three year old niece recently learned that someone who bakes is a baker, and someone who fights fires is a fire fighter, so she asked her father what he did. Not to cofuse her with big words, he told her that he fixed bones, and Emily promptly turned to her mother and told her that her father was a boner.
I’m in the process of working on the first chapter of a proposal, plus I’m working on the first chapter of WHAT A WITCH WANTS, the second book in my Triplet Witch Trilogy. When I start a new story the question always arises as to where to start and how to hook the reader. Because this is probably the section of the book that I revise the most, I tend to look at hooks very carefully. Here are a few of my favorites:
“Dageus MacKeltar walked like a man and talked like a man, but in bed he was pure animal.” The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning.
“I planned to be the kind of old Southern lady who talked to her tomato plants and bought sweaters for her cats.” A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith
“At about 0530 that very morning, Ken “WildCard” Karmody became a terrorist.” Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
“I am living at the Villa Borghese. There is not a crumb of dirt anywhere nor a chair misplaced. We are all alone here and we are dead.” Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
“Ashford Blackburne, Fifth Earl of Blackburne, did not care where he married and planted his seed, so long as he did both before Christmas when his tyrannical grandfather’s archaic ultimatum ran out.” A Christmas Baby by Annette Blair
“There are some men who enter a woman’s life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me—not forever, but periodically.” One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
“The vultures were gathering in the vestibule.” Prince Charming by Julie Garwood
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
“Carlotta Ann Farleigh was coming out. Unfortunately, what she was coming out of at the moment was both her elaborate ball gown and the second story window at her aunt Diana’s Mayfair mansion.” One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros
“Clive Pomfret remembered the smell of death in the Sunnyledge Tower that night.” An Unmistakable Rogue by Annette Blair
“At first breathtaking sight, Marcus Fitzalan was set to wager his membership in the Fraternity of Scoundrels that the Lady Jade Smithfield was proud to be a scandal.” Scoundrel in Disguise by Annette Blair
And last but not least, here’s a celebrated "Famous First Line" from December’s Rhapsody Book Club Catalog:
"The circle of three sat in a sunbeam on a quilt-bright bed beneath the eaves. Victoria Cartwright opened a small silver jewelry casket, removed an ancient brass key, and read its brittle parchment tag for the first time. "Unlock the wardrobe with the magic inside you and meet your destiny." The Scot, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by Annette Blair
Reply with one of your favorite story hooks and you could win a copy of MY FAVORITE WITCH!
“Sold!”
The auctioneer’s gavel came down with a final slam, Boston’s 28th most eligible bachelor walked off the stage of the Worth Hotel ballroom- and straight into the open arms of his new female owner.
The Bachelor Preferred Pastry by Shirley Jump
Comment by Jen — January 10, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
For me are first lines not so important. I know how difficult it can be to find an interesting and captivating sentence.
Comment by Danny — January 10, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
Just read this one from Donna Kauffman, The Black Sheep and the Princess, “They’re the black sheep—the bad boys every good girl wants to have hold her, touch her, take her, love her. But being bad never felt so good…” Nice, huh?
Comment by cathy — January 10, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
I already have “My Favorite Witch” but this was such a fun topic I wanted to respond.
Here is one of my favorite openings from a wonderful book:
“The hard, long bulge tenting the priest’s scarlet robe caught Lady Ariana’s attention. The man paced near the cathedral altar lighting tall stalks of candles. Ornate silk and velvet robes swirled around him in a flurry of red and white ripples, but the projection remained. Right at hip level.”
- Master of Desire by Jessica Trapp
This opening caught my attention and made me want to read more…appearances aren’t always what they seem.
Comment by Jennifer Y. — January 11, 2007 @ 2:58 am
The combination of a horse galloping far too fast, a muddy lane with a curve, and a lady pedestrian is never a good one.
Elizabeth Hoyt: The Raven Prince
Comment by Minna — January 11, 2007 @ 11:04 am
OMG, Annette, as always, you are too funny. I loved the “boner” and “hooker” opening of this blog for one! But here’s another for the conest…
“New Year’s Resolutions…I Will Not…Drink more than fourteen alcohol units a week. Smoke. Waste money on: pasta makers, ice-cream machines or other culinary devices which will never use; books by unreadable literary authors to put impressively on shelves; exotic underwear, since pointless as have no boyfriend…”
Yes, after that “hooker’s” opening, I wanted to read more of Helen Fielding’s BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY (the very reason the words “chic lit” entered our vocab).
Luv,
Cleo Coyle
Comment by Cleo — January 11, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
This one is from An Unexpected Pleasure by Candace Camp. The shriek cut through the night. In her bed, Megan Mulcahey sat straight up, instantly awake, her heart pounding. It took her a moment to realize what had awakened her. Then she heard her sister’s voice again. “No. No!” Megan was out of her bed in a flash and running through the door. I recently got this book from a friend of mine and enjoyed it very much. I’m an avid reader and am always looking for new authors to read!
Comment by Teresa Warner — January 12, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
“Lady Meiriona watched a tiny, black spider spin silky strands in the door frame as she waited to betray her bridegroom.”
from Master of Pleasure by Jessica Trapp
Comment by Christy Hawkes — January 13, 2007 @ 1:21 am
Yes, Jen, that’s a great one by Shirley Jump. We were unpublished authors together when she belonged to the New England Chapter.
Hey Danny, nice to know somebody reads farther than the first line before they decide on a book.
Ooh, Cathy, excellent first line by Donna Kaufmann.
You caught my attention JenniferY. Not what they seem to be hey?
The Raven Prince has a great hook, Minna. Good one.
Thanks Cleo. True story. They told us on Christmas Eve, and her father spelled what she called him because they don’t want her to remember it or use it again. And yes, I fell in love with Bridget Jones’s Diary myself. Excellent hook.
Candace Camp is great, Teresa, and you’re right, that hooks you. I thought I’d give it a while longer before I raffled off the book.
I’ll announce the winner on the 15th.
Comment by Annette Blair — January 13, 2007 @ 1:25 am
Desp ite its abrupt arrival my accient felt anticipated after the fact, like a long-delayed package arriving as a thwup on the doorstep.
Comment by ellie — January 16, 2007 @ 4:46 pm
This is what everyone would remember about his mother. Her home was immaculate.
Comment by pearl — January 16, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
I was surrounded by water, just as I was surrounded by memories.
Comment by alissa — January 16, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
She had just over three hours to lie and I was sipping grapefruit juice and tonic in the hotel bar.
Comment by joelle — January 16, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
AND THE WINNER IS … MINNA! Minna please email me your name and address and I’ll send you a copy of MY FAVORITE WITCH. CONGRATULATIONS!
Comment by Annette Blair — January 16, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
Big congrats Minna!
Comment by Danny — January 17, 2007 @ 5:31 am