Friday, October 28, 2011

Fiction Fridays: First Lines

The first lines of a story means a lot. Here are mine from my fiction and nonfiction.

Finding Fiona: Smoke choked her lungs and made her eyes water. The heat burned against her skin. She ran down the steps, tears streaming down her cheeks. Someone grabbed her from behind, strong arms wrapping around her torso.
Novella for sale for $2.99 on Amazon and various other retailers

Passages: The back door slams shut, the hinges rattling. My sister stomps out, pouting. “That stupid air conditioner smells like moldy socks,” she says. “The entire house smells.” (from Together)
Short story collection for sale for 99¢ on Amazon and various other retailers

The Jensens: Mrs. Gellar is now yelling. I watch from my position by the table of books. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her without her hair curled. She waves her arms, and her face grows read. The others in the yard are trying to politely ignore the scene, but we are all listening.
Flash fiction free on Smashwords or B&N

Agape: I sometimes wonder what it would be like to see Jesus in the flesh. I read the gospels with envy. Those people saw the Son of God incarnate. They saw him put mud on the blind man’s eyes, saw him hold children, saw him walk on water. They could see the lines on his face. Some of them felt his rough hands. They heard his voice as he taught the words of his Father, when he rebuked the hypocritical religious leaders, when he told the lame man to walk. His disciples ate of the same bread and fish and smelled the perfume with which Mary anointed him. The Almighty had come to earth to dwell among men.
Nonfiction free on Smashwords or B&N

What are some of your favorite first lines/paragraphs? What does a first line need to get your attention?

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