Featured Post

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Opening Lines...Plus

by Patricia Bradley

I love opening lines. And about a year ago, fiction writer Marc Laidlaw posted a tweet about opening lines that went viral: “The first line of almost any story,” he tweeted, “can be improved by making sure the second line is, ‘And then the murders began.’”

People tweeted their favorite opening line followed by And then the murders began.

I didn’t read about his tweet until recently, and then I went crazy with the concept. Here are a few of mine:

One of my favorites is from Nancy Mehl's latest, Blind Betrayal: As Martin Avery waited to be murdered, he was surprised to find that more than anything else, he felt offended. And then the murders began.

How about: 
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And then the murders began.

And from Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell. It was raining in Richmond on Friday, June 6. And then the murders began.

Or from George Orwell, 1984: It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. And then the murders began.

And from my own Justice Betrayed which will be released June 5: Shirley traced her finger over her mother’s image in the photo, then shoved the picture into the backpack with her other possessions. And then the murders began.


Okay, now it's your turn. Tell me what your favorite first line is and then add And the murders began.


15 comments:

  1. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. And then the murders began.
    Last night I dreampt I went to Manderly. And then the murders began.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I discovered a secret. And then the murders began.
    tumcsec(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd rather boil in oil than marry Noah Brennan! And then the murders began.
    (From Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Boy, I can't think of any right now! But, then the murders began anyway!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Marianne Nuemann's fingers were shaking so hard she could barely pry open the first record book. And then the murders began
    (Together Forever by Jody Hedlund)

    He inherited a lighthouse? And then the murders began.
    (Pelican Point by Irene Hannon)

    HAHA...this is fun! I won't look at a first line in a book without adding that line again :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing such type post,This article gives us would like to make things cool but you can get click to read for best work. On the off chance that we think for the advancement of the general population I am certain as every one of the issues will evaporate and we can manufacture this network extraordinary.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for sharing such type post,You are sharing a truly astonishing video which can help bunches of individuals in the subject of the arithmetic but you can get go now for best work. Science is the main subject which is fascinating and extraordinary and this subject needs uncommon consideration and you ought to have given some an opportunity to comprehend the recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good post,This is the extraordinary image of the characteristic but you can visit http://www.proposalwritingservice.com/our-services/ to manage your task. This image shows that the camera utilized for this image is high caliber and the picture taker is the accomplished in this field. Not every person can make such an ideal picture.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Understudies who are doing work or needs to deal with any family issues, can at present proceed with their direction by partaking in any online degree programs. This accommodation is an aftereffect of setting direction with web. only here

    ReplyDelete
  10. If you are continuing with your heading, by then it will may achieve increase in pay or it can get you brief development. With continuing with your arranging, you can correspondingly change your calling and can pick your optimal field. https://www.onlineessaychecker.com/improve-your-writing-with-essay-helper-free-online/

    ReplyDelete