Post (C) Doris McCraw aka
Angela Raines
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
I thought it might be fun to share some opening lines from books I've read over the years. Some are recent, while others date back to a long time ago. What do you think of how these various authors begin their stories?
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
"The drenching cloudburst ended as abruptly as it had begun." A Pride of Men - Peter Dawson, Bantam Books
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
"He was asleep and then he was awake." Utah Blaine - Louis L'Amour, Bantam Books
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
" "What do you care, anyway?" asked Reeve-Howard philosophically." The Lure of Dim Trails - B.M. Bower, G.W. Dillingham Company
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
"The pendulous lip of rock overhang cast a silhouette of sylvan shade down across the walls of the Spruce Mountains and out in a pointed, arrowhead shape over the range of Reno Balfor." Terror Trail - Lauran Paine, Leisure Books
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
"My father spread his homesickness like a disease." My Heart Lies Here - Laurie Marr Wasmund, Lost Ranch Books
"The horse herd broke and began its run right after topping the crest of the pass." Black Rock Desert - L.P. Holmes, Blackstone Publishing
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| Image (C) Doris McCraw |
"It was a time of great and exalting excitement." The War Prayer - Mark Twain
What are some opening story lines you remember, or perhaps like or dislike, excluding "It was a dark and stormy night."
Until next time.
Doris
Oh gosh, Dori! How about this one from Gone With the Wind? "Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.” I read this book when I was 12, and I will say, this opening line hooked me!
ReplyDeleteHere's another one, from To Kill a Mockingbird, probably my most favorite book of all: "When he was nearly thirteen my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow." Yep--I had to read on and find out what had happened to Jem!
Great topic. I'll be thinking of this tomorrow--and I just might be back! LOL
Love those. I hope you come back, because I want more books to read. LOL Doris
DeleteI think the line is: "It was the best of time, and the worst of times." Hope I got that right?
ReplyDeleteJim Williams...
You nailed it, Jim. "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. A classic opening line. Doris
DeleteLove the photos capturing the spirit of the opening lines! For me, memorable opening lines aren't necessarily beautiful ones, but they capture the reader's attention. An example is one I remember from Mickey Spillane's Vengeance is Mine! (1950):
ReplyDelete"The guy was dead as hell."
Another one is from Dhalgren, a trippy science fiction epic by Samuel R. Delany. The opening line is "to wound the autumnal city." It doesn't make much sense until you reach the book's last line (800+ pages later): "But I still hear them walking in the trees: not speaking. Waiting here, away from the terrifying weaponry, out of the halls of vapor and light, beyond holland into the hills, I have come to" at which point you realize it's an endless loop. James Joyce did the same thing in Finnegan's Wake, but I can't think of any other examples.
Thank you for the kind words about my photos. It is a passionate hobby for me. I also love the Spillane line. Fabulous. To me great and memorable first lines come from so many genres, I will have to check the stories your lines come from. Doris
Delete"Blood is what he remembered." Billy the Kid: the Legend of El Chivato is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good one. Thank you for posting it. Doris
DeleteGood stuff! Who doesn't have a quote from reading any quality book? But being quoted, ahh that is the essence of success!
ReplyDeleteDoris McCraw has a heart and a soul that reaches all of us. Deeply in love with reading, writing, sharing, and caring---those qualities keep shining through in this very special Western Fictioneers member.
Thank you, Doris.
Charlie Steel
It is always a pleasure, Charlie. I've always believed that sharing is great way to create community. As the community grows, ie. the Western Genre, the more works available and a growth of readers who find favorite new authors and stories. The more we share, the more we all can grow. (That's my 'soapbox' speech for tonight. :) ) Doris
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