Short Story First Lines

I admit I have an ulterior motive for posting about short stories. This is partially a repeat of the Writers Who Kill post from 2/2/2020 (love that date!), but with an important addition.

A NEW ANTHOLOGY IS OUT! It contains my 1950s short story "Life and Death on the Road" inspired by my little brother running away to join a carnival when we were kids. From Darkhouse Books, available in paperback and e-book. First line of this story: Davy lay awake, rigid, unable to relax.

(Oh, and did I mention that I have a short story up for an Agatha Award this year? Yeah, I thought so. It's the one from A MURDER OF CROWS.)

And here is the original post:

As writers, and as readers, we know how important beginnings are. The first line, the first paragraph, the first page—that’s what determines whether or not the reader decides to invest more precious time in your story or not. I’m going to deal with short stories today.

I have some first lines I’m proud of. And some that work okay. I’ll put some of mine out there. Feel free to rip me up—I mean rip my WORK up, not me. (Although it does feel that way, right, writers?) Also feel free to tell me some of yours that work, or some famous ones you love.

“Grist for the Mill” (have to say this, my Agatha nominated story) in A MURDER OF CROWS:

Kevin Grady couldn’t wait to get outside.

***I hope I’ve made the reader wonder why he wants to go outside and can’t wait.

You know, I like the first line of the second paragraph better:

When he choked on it, he stopped and looked around, spitting out the foul taste he had inhaled.

***Now you have to wonder what he’s choking on. Much more important.

“The Darkest Hour” in DAY OF THE DARK, 2017

I think it was on a Saturday afternoon when Tom got the bright idea to rent out our spare room for the eclipse. I wish I’d just killed him then.

***Two sentences, but I have to use both of them to entice you into the story. 

“Dream Girl” in BOULD Anthology, 2019

She stretched with delight. What a great dream that had been!

***Of course, here, I want you to wonder what the dream was. That’s revealed over the course of the story, which I hope confuses the heck out of the reader.

“The Bible Belt Buckle Killer” in Suspense Magazine, Fall of 2018:

Isabel Musik dropped her Bloody Mary when she heard the scream.

***This is my second Isabel Musik story. She’s a “reformed” vampire, so it’s fitting she’s drinking a Bloody Mary.

I’ll put a few more of mine out here, then step aside and let you post yours.

“The Truck Contest, Fish Tales” (the first Guppy anthology):

The first time I saw it I assumed it was an accident.

“Levittown Louie,” Mysterical-E, Spring 2007

First off, Kimber's entrance to the Ground Hog Day Ball was disastrous.

“Handbaskets, Drawers, and a Killer Cold,” Crooked, January 2009:

“If your brother screws up once more…” Cal Arnold’s tirade skittered to a stop at the expression on his wife’s face.

“Snatched Potatoes,” Kings River Life, June 2014, also in Black Cat Thrillogy #11 from Wildside:

“Be sure you gouge out the eyes, Imogene.”

A SHOUTOUT TO MY FELLOW SHORT STORY AGATHA NOMINEES:

Barb Goffman, Cynthia Kuhn, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Art Taylor

Your turn!

You can find links to these on my short story page, some for purchase, some to read:

https://kayegeorge.wixsite.com/kaye-george/short-stories

My Third Agatha Nom!

I’m beyond thrilled to announce that DEATH IN THE TIME OF ICE has been nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel of 2013!!! Thanks so much to my faithful readers for making this happen.

The announcement by Malice Domestic is here.

This vindication is especially sweet because I had a very difficult time getting this book published at all. Agent after agent told me they loved the book, some even said they liked what I had done with Neanderthals better than what Jane Auel had done. BUT, each and every one said they had no idea how to sell it.

I had worked VERY hard on this book and it was breaking my heart that, maybe, it would never find a publisher. I could always self-publish, of course, but that would doom it to relative obscurity.

Then, one night I was lamenting its fate on Facebook and Jay Hartman of Untreed Reads contacted me saying he’d like to see it. They had already published a few of my short stories, so he knew my writing. I had worked my way through every possible agent, but hadn’t started on small presses yet. Untreed accepted it!

Then, the unbelievable happened. It won a nomination, my third for the Agathas. (My first was for Best Short Story and my second was Best First Novel, so three different categories.)

I’m not even sure this IS historical since it takes place before there was history. Prehistory is what it really is, but this category is just fine with me!

Again, if you’re reading this and you had a hand in this nomination, thanks from the bottom of my heart--I love you!

I love my publisher, too! Here is some of what my publisher is doing for me:

http://www.untreedreads.com/untreed-reads-author-kaye-george-earns-agatha-nomination/4764/

How cool is that?

NEW! CHOKE as an audio book

This project is finally complete! It took a few weeks after everything was turned in, but Amazon has approved my ACX project and my very first published novel has been read by Veronica Newton and is for sale at Audible.com.

If you’d like to listen to this book instead of read it on an e-reader or as a paperback, here’s your chance. You can pick it up at http://www.amazon.com/Choke-An-Imogene-Duckworthy-Mystery/dp/B00GJG822M/.

(Didn’t Karen Phillips at http://www.phillipscovers.com/ do a terrific job resizing the cover for audio?)

Please let me know if you like this version. Thanks!