I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for first lines. I’ve bought books soley because, when I cracked the book open at the book store, the first line grabbed me. Some first lines have made me laugh, others have startled me, and still others have simply blown me away with their brilliance. Whenever I read an excellent first line, I realize again how powerful words are, and how in one sentence an author can hook me.

Here’s a few first lines that grabbed my attention right away:

1.  From FACE TIME by Hank Phillippi Ryan:

• It’s statistically impossible that my mother is always right.

Okay, this line made me laugh, because I’ve had that same thought multiple times over throughout my life. So in this case, while the humor shines through, what hooked me was that I immediately identified with the narrator. Before I read another word, I knew there was at least one connection between me and the heroine, Charlotte McNally. Which, naturally, made me want to read more. The following two sentences read:

• So why doesn’t she seem to know it? Besides, it’s demonstrably true that I’m not always wrong.

These two sentences strengthened the connection the first line gave me, and that was that. I had to know more about Charlotte McNally. FACE TIME is actually book two in Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Charlotte McNally Mystery Series, and you can bet I bought the first book post haste.

2.  From THE LAST TWILIGHT by Marjorie M. Liu:

• The monkeys began dying at dawn.

Obviously, I didn’t feel a connection to the dying monkeys in this first line, so what grabbed me? This first line is compelling, and so very interesting. I’m drawn by the question of what is happening, and that pushed me to read a little further. The rest of the opening paragraph reads:

• Only the children noticed. They were playing a game of soccer, just within sight of the refugee camp. The river was nearby, the jungle wall thick and hoarse with crying shadows. Birds jammed the air. 

The rest of the paragraph not only increased my curiosity about what happened to the monkeys, but it also gave a sense of atmosphere. I could hear the kids playing. I could see the shadows lurking within the jungle, and the birds freaked me out a little. (Okay, yes, I watched too much Hitchcock at one time in my life). Again, I was hooked. I had to know what was going on.

3.  From DIVORCED, DESPERATE and DATING by Christie Craig:

• The worst part about murdering someone was planning exactly how to do it.

I’ll admit because I’ve read Christie Craig before, this first line made me laugh. I know Christie’s sense of humor (and I love it), so I knew with that first line, I was in for a treat. But if you hadn’t read a Christie Craig book before, and someone read that line to you…what would you think? It’s an evocative line, even without the humor I took from it. The rest of the first paragraph reads:

• Not that this was Sue Finley’s first. She’d whacked at least ten people, but it never got any easier.

Again, how evocative is that? It’s a compelling opening that becomes even more compelling when you realize that Sue Finley is a mystery writer, not a murderer. It’s a great opening to a great book.

4.  From HER ONLY PROTECTOR by Lisa Mondello:

• Sonny Montgomery had an itch she couldn’t scratch.

This is one of my very favorite first lines. Be honest, what do you think when you read that? I know what I thought. <G>. And yep, it was enough to hook me, and I totally expected to see Sonny gaping at a hot man, or thinking about her ex, or the lack of romance in her life. I was wrong. Way wrong. But the rest of the first paragraph is what really sucked me in. Here it is:

• It sat dead center between her shoulder blades, just out of arm’s reach. Like a persistent mosquito buzzing around her ear, it nagged at her. But she couldn’t stop to deal with it. Even a small move like that could attract unwanted attention on these South American streets.

Oooh, right? This one is a combination of character and plot that pulled me in. I wanted to know more about Sonny, but I also needed to know why she was worried about attracting attention, and what the heck she was doing in South America. And even though the moment is serious, I still laughed at the genious of making me think one thing in the first line and then pulling something I didn’t expect out of a hat. Words, when put in the right order, are simply magic.

I LOVE all of these first lines for different reasons, but they all did the exact same thing. They made me want to read more, they helped pull me into the story being told, and they filled my head with questions I needed to have the answers to. Beyond that, each of these talented authors created characters and worlds I became completely engrossed in. If you haven’t read these books, you should definitely check them out.

What about you? Do you get excited by first lines? Do you have any favorites? If so, I’d love to hear about them (and the books they belong to).

Don’t Forget!

All week, The Novel Girls are talking St. Patrick’s Day! Check back each day to see what we all have to say!

I blogged at the Ohio Romace Writers MySpace on Monday about why I like questions, go check it out!

Read A Taste of Magic and leave a postive comment any time through March to be entered in a contest for a chance to win a $25 Borders Gift Card!

Guest Blogger Lisa Mondello!

Welcome to the fourth, and final, week of my month-long celebration of the release of A Taste of Magic! Today, award-winning Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense author Lisa Mondello is answering a few of my questions. This is especially sweet for me, because Lisa happens to be one of my closest friends. 

Her most recent release, Her Only Protector from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times BOOKreviews and was a Top Pick in August. Her next release, Yuletide Protector, also from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, is a December 2009 release. She’s also published an amazing series with Avalon Books, called the Texas Hearts series.

Lisa answered a few questions for me, and wow–did I LOVE asking them.

The Bio Part!

Lisa Mondello published her first novel in 1998 and continued on, selling four book ins her Texas Hearts seires to Avalon books. Lisa’s ninth published novel, an Inspiration Suspense, was published in August 2008 by Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. For three years, Lisa worked in elementary education working in grades one and two writing classes, and discovered that even at that early age, she could identify who was a pantser, a puzzler, a plotter, or a linear writer.

She has developed a workshop called “Understanding Your Writing Profile” that helps writers get organized so they can write more efficiently. She is currently completing her next novel, Yuletide Protector, for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, as well as working as a freelance writer.  

You can visit Lisa on the web at www.LisaMondello.com.

Please join me in welcoming Lisa Mondello!

The Q&A Part!

First some fun questions!

Q: What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?

A: That I’m a huge Elton John fan? No. I’m sure almost everyone knows that.

Q: Is there a reason you’ve teased your supposedly best friend, Tracy, for so many years with the mysterious “Pizza Guana,” but have never shared the recipe with her? Hmm?

A: It’s a conspiracy. You have to be Sicilian! It’s like those bakery owners in New Bedford that will only speak English to you if they think you’re Portuguese. I never had a problem with that. I think they all thought I WAS Portuguese. And I like teasing you. No, seriously, I dig that recipe out once a year during Easter, which is why it’s also called Easter Pie. It’s an Italian tradition (I’m big on tradition) and since the year I got married, I was the one in charge of making it for the family. I’ll post if if anyone wants it.

COMMENT: Um. I WANT IT. Isn’t that good enough? Come on…please?

Q: What is your favorite way to relax?

A: Read a book or watch a good movie and just having conversation with my family. I love it when the kids pile on the bed and we talk about…whatever. When they were little, we could all pile on the bed together. Now that they’re teenagers, there isn’t enough room. <G> My oldest is 6′ 6 1/2″

Q: If you could have lunch with any one person in the world, who would it be and why?

A: Hmm, see question one! Or maybe Josh Whedon, so I could ask him why FIREFLY was taken off the air. No, seriously, the one person I love spending time with is my husband, so I’d want it to be him. We never tire of things to talk about.

Now the Writing Questions!

Q: How long did you write before selling your first book?

A: I wrote my first full manuscript the year I was married and then promptly put it under the bed until my second daughter was almost 2. Then it took about 2 to 3 years to finally make a sale.

Q: What was that moment like for you?

A: I’m sure the neighbors remember it better than me. I recall doing a dance in the driveway and my neighbor running across the yard, thinking someone was hurt. As soon as I told her about the sale, I think we were both dancing in the driveway!

Q: Can you tell us a little about your most recent release, Her Only Protector?

A: Her Only Protector was a fun book to write because it continued where Cradle of Secrets left off, except we left America and went to Colombia. It’s full of action, something I love, and features two people who have goals in direct conflict with each other. It all about learning to trust.

Q: And now, how about a teast for your next release, Yuletide Protector?

A: Yuletide Protector is a book I actually wrote several years ago. My husband is a police officer and helped me plot the book with another officer he works with. It’s the first time I had to go to him for police procedure. I know a lot of authors who have their husbands read their work, but since my husband doesn’t read romance, and has never read one of my books, it was a nice way for us to work together.

The story is about a young divorced woman who finds out her ex-husband tried to hire an undercover cop to kill her. Of course, the undercover cop is the hero and because of technical legal maneuvering, the ex gets free, leaving the heroine exposed and the hero wanting to protect her. I love protector/bodyguard stories. The story also has a deeper meaning of home being in the heart, not the four walls you live in.

Now, because it’s my release week, here are the “Tracy wants attention” questions!

Q: As someone who read the earliest drafts of A Taste of Magic, why should people plunk down their money for this book?

A: Because it’s fantastic. It’s one of those books that has you laughing out loud and feeling that sigh of satisfaction at the end. And as soon as the story is over, you know you have to read another Tracy Madison book.

COMMENT: Aw, I’m blushing. Thank you! (I didn’t even have to bribe her for that!)

Q: Why don’t I have a picture of you holding my book yet? Hmm?

A: I hate pictures of me. Isn’t it enough that I squealed in your ear on the phone when the book arrived? Seriously, it’s a beautiful book! I really hope you get your hearing back soon…

COMMENT: I loved the squealing! But I still want that picture. Maybe I’ll call one of your daughters…

For more information about Lisa Mondello, her Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense novels or her Texas Heart series, visit her at her WEBSITE!

The Contest Part!

Thank you, Lisa, for taking time to answer some questions AND to help me celebrate my release. Also–she’s giving away some autographed books as prizes! What’s up for grabs this week?