Sunday, September 13, 2009

Great Beginnings

I belong to several Yahoo groups dedicated to writers and writing. There was an interesting discussion on one this week about opening lines of a book. It was such fun to read what the authors posted. My MasterCard wasn't happy since I had to make a trip to Barnes and Noble.com on a shopping trip after reading so many of those great openings. Well, at least I earned a lot of points toward a B&N gift certificate. :-)

I decided to ask the Sizzling Scribes to contribute to my blog this week with their favorite opening lines of one of their books. They graciously agreed to help me.

He saw her standing with a group of three other women. Lust hit him with the force of a size thirteen combat boot rammed into his stomach.
One Night of Pleasure
by Lynn LaFleur
Ellora's Cave

"Mr. Coleridge, I'm Constable Anderson." The officer walked forward, his face and hands scrubbed clean, but his uniform reeking of smoke and dust and death. His eyes and his stench told the story long before he spoke. "I'm very sorry to inform you that there's been an accident."
Firefly Promise
by Nikki Soarde
Ellora's Cave

The corner of Jackson McCay's mouth lifted arrogantly as he stared across the room directly into a set of angry slanting eyes. Lowering his gaze to the barrel of the small derringer pointed straight at his heart, he reached for his own gun lying heavy at his side and lifted it slowly from the holster to set it carefully on the table before him. The sudden click of the silver derringer's hammer being pulled back echoed in the quiet room, an ominous threat as to what would transpire if he didn't continue to follow orders.
Perfect Betrayal
by Ruby Storm
Ellora's Cave

Kendra stood to the full stretch of her five foot seven inch height and glared down at the gorgeous man lounging in the visitor chair on the far side of her desk. "Brand, if you ever put your fangs on one of my friends again, I'm going to rip them out and make myself a pair of earrings."
Vampires and Donuts
from Ellora's Cavemen: Legendary Tails II
by Tielle St. Clare
Ellora's Cave

"Mayday, mayday, this is Rafferty Sloan of the Imperial Cruiser The Federation. We're caught in an unknown planet's orbit at the following coordinates." Sloan rattled off the coordinates and launched the emergency beacon. Feck, he hoped at least one beacon escaped the gravitational pull and made it into open space.
Sloan's Heart
by Arianna Hart
Ellora's Cave

Like the cover of a romance novel, the young couple lay intertwined with each other on a heart-shaped bed, modesty safeguarded only by the closeness of their bodies and the tangle of the red satin sheet. The gold of their hair and of the rings on their fingers glinted in the light from the candles that flickered over them. Clothes lay scattered around the room, and a table by the window held the remains of two meals. On the nightstand, an open bottle of champagne rested in a bucket of swiftly melting ice next to two empty champagne flutes.
Believe in the Magic
by Cait Miller
Ellora's Cave

This was such fun! My only problem with reading all these great opening lines is that now I want to read the whole books!

I think my MasterCard is in trouble again.

Lynn

6 comments:

Helen Hardt said...

Wow -- they were all great! I loved reading them.

The best opening line I've ever heard was brought to my attention by another erotic romance author. She couldn't remember the name of the book, but the opening line was "My what a beautiful cock!" And they were talking about a rooster! I so wish I could take credit for that one ;).

Helen
www.helensheroes.blogspot.com

Tielle St. Clare said...

Love it, Lynn. I've been sucked in by great first lines so many times.

Nina Pierce said...

Wow. Those are great openings one and all. I really couldn't pick a favorite.

KELLY FITZPATRICK said...

Love the idea of making fang jewelry.

N.J.Walters said...

Those are all fabulous first lines. Can't pick a fav.

"Lust hit him with the force of a size thirteen combat boot rammed into his stomach." This one is one of the tops. *g*

Cait Miller said...

Great topic Lynn. I am a sucker for a great opening paragraph, I buy books all the time because of the snippets I read.