What? I’m not using your favorite first line for the Third Bree MacGowan Book? What was that all about if I’m not listening to what you’re telling me?
First the results: Out of 29 votes attempted, and 24 completed here’s what we got -
4% voted for: Recently, Beau Maverick, ex-boyfriend, accused me of being that girl that’s always finding dead bodies in best-selling fiction.
46%: I haven’t had a lot of experience with diapers, but I do know that you don’t usually find them on grown men.
And the winner, by a hair at 50%: If I’d been paying attention the howling dog would have been my first clue.
But I’m not using that – this time. Here’s my thinking. You were almost split 50/50 on the dog line and the diaper line. What are the odds of me writing another novel with a diaper taped to a guy? Not very high is my guess. But a dog? Almost all my novels have dogs. So I use the diaper line this time and save the howling dog for another book. More bang for my buck, don’t you think?
No, I know what you guys think. You think I should be using the dog line now! Too bad. I’m the author, I can ask for your help but in the end I get to make my own mistakes!
A few of you made comments when you voted, here they are for your reading pleasure:
From Wethersfield:
I like the one about diapers, unless we’re talking senior citizens…eewe.
From Beverly: (diapers)
I’d love to hear how that one turns out! Can’t imagine it’s a traditional love story. Comedy, maybe.
From Farmington about the diaper line:
That has got to be theeeee most attention grabbing first line I’ve heard in a while! Very Charlaine Harris- esque
From Pueblo about the girl who finds dead bodies:
I think it needs a little polish but this one grabs me. I like the humor of the line, the name, and the idea. The humor may belong to Beau — but I suspect sentence number two is going to show me it’s all about the narrator.
From Corning:
I like the first one WAY better!
From Chicago:
The first one is most likely to catch my attention, but it really depends on how you follow it up. My favorite first line ever is from Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn: “To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my dead husband’s body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.”
From Palm Desert:
This is my first choice. Then by the end of that first page you give the reader the payoff of that first sentence.
From Powell River:
It was hard to pick between the first two. The last one did nothing for me.
From Flemington
I like them in the order they appear. The howling dog just propels me into the story. The diaper line is funny but has a little of a squick factor (maybe I’ve changed too many of them?). The always finding dead bodies line is a little to meta for me – it reminds me that I’m reading fiction instead of pulling me into the story.
So there you have it.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yay! That’s the one I picked! (Not that I left a comment. I’m lame.) I did feel the third one was a little meta as well. Glad I’m not the only one!
Don’t know how I missed the poll but it sounds like you have a good handle on things.
You expressed interest so I’m letting you know: I created a yahoo group for chocolate bootcamp. If 3 people (including me) sign up by 4/28, we will have a bootcamp in May.
For details go here:
Here are the details on willwriteforchocolate:
Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/willwriteforchocolate
Group email address: willwriteforchocolate@yahoogroups.com
(It wasn’t my intentions to hijack your comments so if you want to write down the details and delete this comment, I will not take offense.)
Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how many blogs I’ve hijacked in my time? Turn about is fair play! And thanks for the info I’ll go sign up now.