I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since I did one of these! No kidding, the last one was December 4th, 2020. What a gap. Thanks to my friend and fellow writer Iseult Murphy for reminding me this is a thing and to do it again.
So, if you’re unfamiliar with #FirstLineFriday, this was a meme I used to do quite often as a way to get people’s opinions of opening lines for stories (opening lines can be the hardest part of writing fiction sometimes). Here are the rules I usually went with:
- Create a post on your blog called #FirstLineFriday, hashtag and all.
- Explain the rules like I’m doing now.
- Post the first line or two of a potential story, a story-in-progress, or a completed/published story.
- Ask your readers for feedback and try to get them to try #FirstLineFriday themselves on their blogs. Tagging is encouraged but not necessary.
This time, however, I’m doing it with a twist. I’ve been lucky enough to have a bunch of publications recently, including two novelettes and a novel. So, I’m going to give you the first three openings of each of these works! Triple Publication Edition! Woo-hoo!
First, we have “Cressida,” my mermaid horror story, which was released in Into the Deep, from Jazz House Publications. I’m really proud of this story and think it’s some of my best work. And my dad, who just read it recently, agrees. Enjoy:
Mark Honig drove the rental car towards his uncle’s beach home. On the driver’s side was a great cliff face dappled with green moss, while on the other side the ocean lapped against the cliff face dappled with barnacles and mollusks.
“Cressida,” Into the Deep, July 2021.
It’s a quiet opening, but at least it paints an image in your head. Enough to make you keep reading and get to the good stuff, I hope.
Our next story is “Blood and Paper Skin,” which is being serialized in Issues 8-10 of The Dark Sire. The story is about a bunch of teens that end up trapped in a jail-like room in someone’s basement for a dark purpose. I’m looking forward to how people react to the conclusion. For now, though, here’s the opening:
Grey held onto the side of Mark’s Chevy Tahoe for dear life, cursing his supposed best friend for making him endure the chilly winds whipping around the car. How the hell did I end up in this situation? he wondered for the millionth time.
“Blood and Paper Skin,” The Dark Sire Issue 8, July 31, 2021.
A guy hanging onto the side of a car. What a way to open a story. I had fun with that. And guess what? It was inspired by something I saw last year on my birthday.
And last but definitely not least, the opening of my novel The Pure World Comes. This was published on the Readict app, run by VitaleTek Inc. The novel follows a maid in Victorian England who goes to work for a mad scientist. It’s my love letter to Victorian England and to Gothic literature.
A stream of shit and piss fell from the second floor of the Avondale house to the street below, where it mixed with the piss, shit and mud that already littered the avenue. From the second-floor window of Mr. Avondale’s dressing room, Shirley Dobbins put down the chamber pot belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Avondale and picked up the one belonging to their daughter, Miss Lucinda.
The Pure World Comes Ch. 1, August 2021
How many novels start with piss and shit? I don’t know, but this one does! And it sums up Victorian living in many ways.
But what do you think of these openings? Did anything catch your eyes and make you want to read more? Let me know in the comments below. And if you want to read the rest of the stories, I’ll leave the links for them below.
And as for who should do this next, I’m going to tag Priscilla Bettis, Allen Huntsman, and Brian B Baker. You don’t have to, but it would tickle me if you did. And I hope you’ll tag back here if you do the challenge.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. It’s past midnight, so I’ll see all your comments in the morning. Until next time (which should be soon, believe it or not), pleasant nightmares!
The Pure World Comes: Readict app (free with ads)
The Dark Sire Issue 8: Amazon
Rami Ungar The Writer 
They’re all good openings to great stories! I especially like the first line of “Blood and Paper Skin.” That first line had me holding my breath in fear for poor Grey!
I think I will do this tag in a few weeks. Thanks for thinking of me.:-)
You’re welcome. And thank you for the feedback!
Yay! So happy you have done another first line Friday post! I love all three of these openings.
Opening 1: I can see it, and smell the sea out the car window. Eager to read more.
Opening 2: Woah! What a hook! Why is he in this predicament? Must read more.
Opening 3: Ahhh! I can smell this too, unfortunately. Wonderful opening that immediately takes me back in time.
I hope you get a chance to read more soon. And thanks for the feedback!
I’m loving The Pure World Comes and I have Into the Deep. Need to look for Dark Sires. Hope you do more regular First Line Friday’s again.
Hopefully. And I can’t wait to hear your final thoughts on both stories.