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Page One

Poets & Writers Magazine has a brief monthly section called “Page One: Where New and Noteworthy Books Begin.”

For you writers out there, it’s a fun cross-section of first sentences of novels or poetry collections.  ’Cuz we all know how hard it is to come up with that first great sentence!

A sampling for you to enjoy:

“Should the phone ring I will answer it.”  Kamby Bolongo Mean River by Robert Lopez.

“Hello, this is Paul Chowder, and I’m going to try to tell you everything I know.”  The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker.

“Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother.”  Bright Felon: Autobiography and Cities by Kazim Ali.

“Later, when Duncan teases apart the moments before the accident, splits the seconds with atomic precision, he’ll take some satisfaction in telling Lily that his instincts were good.”  New World Monkeys by Nancy Mauro.

“I’m Homer, the blind brother.”  Homer and Langley by E. L. Doctorow.

“Two days after I turned fourteen the son of our neighbor set his stepmother alight.”  The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini.

“Don’t look for dignity in public bathrooms.”  Big Machine by Victor LaValle.

What would your first sentence be?

And don’t forget to enter the Mother’s Plunge contest here–for free admission to the one-day retreat on October 10!  The deadline is midnight tonight!  I’ll announce the winner tomorrow…see you then!

[Post image: Writing by Mattox at stock.xchng]

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