First Sentence Friday!

May 27, 2016by in General, The School Of Difficult Writing24 Comments

I’ve got 28 chapters, and, (correction from yesterday) only 23 Friday’s before my “official” launch date of November 1st.  In order to sync up time wise, I’m going to share first sentences in this post for Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Next Friday, I’ll share Chapters 5, 6, and 7.  After that, it will be one sentence every Friday ending with Chapter 28 on October 28th.

Here we go!

CHAPTER ONE

My diary was my best friend, until I gave it up as key evidence against Uncle Ray.

CHAPTER TWO

When I went and got Mama in that mess with Daddy and Granny Dupree, my way of making up for it was to cover up what she’d done.

CHAPTER THREE

I was extra careful around Mama, responding to every request with “yes ma’am,” and “no ma’am,” until she finally got irritated and said, “Stop being so damn polite!  I’m your mother not some stranger!”

CHAPTER FOUR

Mama’s arrival in Alabama in 1956 was like someone went and steered her wrong, but she didn’t know it until it was too late.

Cover DIXIE DUPREE

***I’m using #FirstSentenceFridays on Twitter and tagging @Kensington Publishing Corporation.  Follow along and tweet out/share if you’d like!***

COMMENTS

  • Colin

    May 27, 2016

    Oh, first line of chapter one–that’s a doozie, Donna! Can’t wait… can’t wait… !!! 😀

    • donnaeve

      May 27, 2016

      I ought to go back and find my originals. I re-worked that sentence ad nauseum, so I’m glad you like it! 🙂

  • Dena Pawling

    May 27, 2016

    >>My diary was my best friend, until I gave it up as key evidence against Uncle Ray.

    Awesome first sentence! Wow, love it!

    • donnaeve

      May 27, 2016

      Thanks Dena! Like I mentioned to Colin – I should find the ones I had before I decided it was the way to go. 😉 THAT would be interesting.

  • Lu (@Lucie_Witt)

    May 27, 2016

    All of these first sentences are so excellent. The chap 1 is a real hook of a novel opener, but I honestly feel like these are all so strong they could start a story (especially chap 4).

    Can’t wait for this book.

    • donnaeve

      May 27, 2016

      Thank you so much, Lucie…Lu? Which do you prefer?
      Funny, when you point that out, I never thought of them individually like that, but now that you mention it, I too like Chp 4 as a starter.

      • Lu (@Lucie_Witt)

        May 27, 2016

        People call me both 🙂

        As long as I actually know someone (IRL or online), Lu is fine.

      • donnaeve

        May 27, 2016

        I keep remembering what you said in a comment one day. Something like, “Lu who? Who the hell is Lu?” 😉

  • Lilac Shoshani

    May 27, 2016

    You are an inspiration, Donna! All of them are powerful and enticing first sentences. Now I want to read your book even more (if that’s even possible…). <3 <3 <3

  • Diane

    May 27, 2016

    These are marvelously intriguing, and now you have me thinking – first sentences for a few chapters might be better than a flap blurb. Seriously, I’ve never read a blurb more intriguing than these teasing tastes of the work itself. They SHIMMER.

    • donnaeve

      May 27, 2016

      While they shimmer, I’m shivering over what you said! (either that or the a/c is too high.) 😉

      Seriously, thank you so much for that! It means a lot to me coming from a wordsmith such as yourself!

      • Diane

        May 31, 2016

        I liked them so much I read them to mom the other night when I was with her and my stepfather. He doesn’t really hear everything these days, but that’s his prerogative and gives us some mom/kid time. 🙂 I may have her waiting as eagerly for your book as I am!

      • donnaeve

        May 31, 2016

        Awww, thank you, Diane! I hope your Mom will want to read! <3

  • Jen Donohue

    May 28, 2016

    Oh, what a great idea! This is especially wonderful as I’m a person who avoids flap blurbs and reads the first sentence, and then the first page, and then walks to the library front desk (or the cash register) so that book can walk home with me and we can spend some time together.

    • donnaeve

      May 28, 2016

      I do the same exact thing! I like to read the first sentence, the I’ll flip a few pages further and see if the “look” of the writing still entices me – which sounds strange, and I can’t explain it, but…it’s something I’ve always done and I KNOW just by those small glimpses of writing, if it’s something I’ll like. Then, like you, off to check the book out or buy it!

  • Me

    May 31, 2016

    That first line of chapter one is GOLD. It’s very enticing 🙂

  • Micki Browning

    June 4, 2016

    I’m a little late to the party, but I just wanted to add that First Sentence Fridays is a fantastic idea, and that your opening line is riveting! My only suggestion is to move your release date forward…. um, please?

    • donnaeve

      June 4, 2016

      Thank you, Micki!

      Lordy, if only I could! The closer it gets, the more impatient I am. Last year right after it sold, I just soaked it all in for a while. Now I want something to happen! 😉

      • Micki Browning

        June 4, 2016

        Funny you should say that… I had found a photo this morning that captured the expression on my face the moment I realized there were 108 days (108 LONG days) between my cover reveal and the book launch…I posted it to Twitter for a laugh.

      • donnaeve

        June 4, 2016

        I’m going to go find it! 😉

  • John Davis Frain

    June 6, 2016

    Okay, I’m a little late to the party, but I’ll be the last one you usher out at the end. This is fantastic stuff, Donna. Love, love, love it! I’m gonna do some time travel now and move into last Friday!

    • donnaeve

      June 7, 2016

      You’re actually just fashionably late,right??? See? This is like a little pick me up, just when I thought the party was over! Thank you for your kind words!

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