Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Great Beginnings






As every writer knows, beginnings are important. We all strive to write a truly intriguing first sentence designed to engage readers and invite them into our stories. After all, these books are our babies, created with blood, sweat, tears and love. We want other people to love them as well.  To celebrate great beginnings, I’ve invited some author friends to send me favorite first lines from their own books.

If you’d like to be in the drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books, please hit the comment button and tell me which first sentence you like best. I’d be grateful if you hit the follow button as well, but it isn’t a requirement for the drawing.

I’ll start with my own favorite first sentence (not part of the contest)
“Pantyhose are a tool of the devil.”
From The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam

The authors featured below are all members of Romance Writers of America and are all published authors. I’ve included links to their books. Be sure to check them out for some fabulous reads. 

1.“A long memory made for bad company when a man had too much time on his hands.”
From The Rodeo Man’s Daughter by Barbara White Daille
www.barbarawhitedaille.com 






2."It was harder than he expected, this business of surrender."
From Conquest of the Heart by Michele Stegman
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/kpdsrhx

www.michelestegman.com                                                                                         
3."Ruby Hollingsford threw herself out of a moving coach." By Regina Scott
From The Wife Campaign

www.reginascott.com
                                                               
                                             

4.“The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode in, late as usual.” By Mary Connealy
From Calico Canyon.







5.“Whistle shrieking, the train jerked to a stop, the sudden lurch throwing Julie Lawson forward.” ByTerry Blaine
From Colorado Silver, Colorado Gold

                                  

6."With a flick of her mermaid tail, Shelly emerged from the deep coastal waters holding the dead body of victim number two." By Debbie Herbert
From Siren’s Secret

www.debbieherbert.com
                                                                        
                                                                   

7.“Ghosts don’t have sex, do they? Annabelle Ronaldi wasn’t one hundred percent sure of the answer.” By Robin Kaye
From Too Hot to Handle

                                                        
8.“Uncle Jake, I presume?" Lacey
wasn't doing anything wrong, so why did she feel as though Brad Pitt had just caught her picking her nose?” by Lynn Crandall
From Always and Forever Love
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aVzE41 

www.lynn-crandall.com
                                                               



                                                                                 

                                                               
     




                                                          

19 comments:

  1. All great first lines! Thanks for posting!

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  2. Love the new book cover, Lynn Crandall!
    -R.T. Wolfe

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  3. Very fun idea! Thank you for including Always and Forever Love!

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  4. Number 7. Do ghost have sex? Never thought about until just now.

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  5. This would be a very tough choice! Thanks for holding the contest, Marilee.

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  6. These are all fantastic! Thanks for the opportunity to be included, Marilee. I'll be sure to add these to my to-be-read file.

    Debbie Herbert

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  7. They're all great - I love number 4 - the 5 horsemen of the Apocalypse rode in late as usual" Fabulous.

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  8. Sue! I should have had you send me one - I'm sure you've got some goodies!

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  9. Lynn Crandall, Brad Pitt is my distant cousin, so your line made me laugh out loud. I love your cover, too.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks,Deborah! I've had several dreams with him in them. The last one he was making a movie out of Always and Forever Love. Haha!

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  10. Whoa, how distant? Kissin' cousins by any chance?

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  11. #7 - very intriguing question. I think I'd be drawn in by all of them, but I'd start with wanting to know if ghosts have sex first.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Skyewriter!

      The first chapter is up on my website if you want to check it out. http://robinkayewrites.com/Bookshelf/Books_TooHotToHandle_ChapterOne/tabid/71/Default.aspx

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  12. My favorite first line of all time (it was after the prologue) was from Alex Kava--a Necessary Evil.
    The line (as I remember it):
    There just no good way to pick up a human head.

    >>> Now I just dare anyone not to read on. LOL Thanks for including me Marilee.

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  13. The twist to my opening, The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse...
    Is that the hapless school marm with the 'five horsemen' her five most unruly students, ends up married to their father because of a compromising situation and no two people have ever been more unhappily married. Throw in five sons and a snowed in canyon gap so no one can escape and you've got a romantic comedy.

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  14. Any book Marilee Brothers suggests is on the top of my to read list!

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  15. All the examples are great! Thanks for using mine. :)

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  16. pretty nice blog, following :)

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