A week or so ago I was part of a challenge on Twitter. One of the required items was to “Pen your own perfect first sentence to your “Great American Novel.” I’m working on that novel, so it should be easy, right? Clearly I had forgotten about how much of a work-in-progress my first chapter is. Ai ai ai…
But wait!
What about the other novel that’s been bubbling around in my head, vying for attention? This was clearly an invitation for it to leap to the forefront, knocking the current wimp right out of the ring. I’ll let you see what I came up with for the As Yet Unnamed Sequel to As the Crow Flies.
First we’re going to go on a scavenger hunt among my bookshelves (physical and virtual), looking for awesome first lines. Why? Because they are like tiny little gems sprinkled throughout my library, spurring visions of other worlds and interesting people. And… and they are wonderfully inspiring for starting our thoughts to whirling with ideas for our own stories. It’s a two-for-one!
Read on, my lovelies!
- Yanko stifled a groan, trying to blink away the sand in his eyes and spit out the dirt plastering his tongue. Pain shot from his hands to his neck as his arms were nearly twisted from their sockets. ~Warrior Mage, Lindsay Buroker
- When my father received the news of the Pendragon’s death, I was playing boats by the sea. ~Hawk of May, Gillian Bradshaw
- “Bran!” The shout rattled through the stone-flagged yard. “Bran! Get your sorry tail out here! We’re leaving!” ~Hood, Stephen R. Lawhead
- The belling of the hounds was already growing faint in the hollows behind them when he finally pulled up. ~Shadowmarch, Tad Williams
- Ravens! Always the ravens. They settled on the gables of the church even before the injured became the dead. Even before Rike had finished taking fingers from hands, and rings from fingers. ~Prince of Thorns, Mark Lawrence
- It is possible I already had some presentiment of my future. The locked and rusted gate that stood before us, with wisps of river fog threading its spikes like the mountain paths, remains in my mind now as the symbol of my exile. That is why I have begun this account of it with the aftermath of our swim, in which I, the torturer’s apprentice Severain, had so nearly drowned. ~Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
- Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early in the morning, completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity. ~Elantris, Brandon Sanderson
- Locke Lamora’s Rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose the victim’s trust forever. ~Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch
Last, but not least, I leave you (and dear Crow) wondering what will happen next:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Which of those is your favorite line?
Find a good one (or more!) on your own shelf and share below!
If you enjoyed my collection be sure to share on your favorite social media sites.