One thing writers must do is to grab the reader’s
attention. Now, it must be the first line hook, or they put the book down. But
how do you create that amazing hook?
My advice is to read. Find all the amazing stories that
have a hook and see how they did it. Notice, though, that they follow up with
the rest of the story. It does no good to have a wonderful hook when the rest of
the book not match or contribute to it.
I have gathered my top 10 best hooks by other authors. This
list is by no means extensive; there are many more hooks than I have listed
here.
Let
me know if you like these or if you have ones of your own:
10. "I knew today would be ugly. When you're single-handedly
responsible for getting your church, your pastor, and every one of your former
friends and their parents sued for millions of dollars, you expect to make some
enemies." Evolution,
Me, & Other Freaks of Nature by
Robin Brande
Ok, so this is two lines. Warning: this novel has what some consider controversial issues
like creation versus evolution.
9. "He went to
school to learn how to kill me.” Light
Years by Tammar Stein
This book is about terrorism and Muslim
culture in Israel.
8.
“I learned two
things from my job at IBM: don’t have multiple sclerosis and don’t get mercury
poisoning.” Bad Bosses in Corporate
America by Sandra Kischuck
7.
“A secret’s worth depends
on the people from whom it must be kept.” ~ The
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
6.
“I am
ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” ~Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Yes, another one that is
more than one sentence, but these three short lines let us know immediately
about the character/narrator.
5. “It was dark where she
was crouched but the little girl did as she’d been told.” ~ The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
4. "It is a truth universally acknowledged,
that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a
wife." Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3.
“Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men
seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.” Gone With
The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. "In
a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien
and
tied for second place:
“The trouble with dead people today was they
had no sense of decorum.”
Keys to the Coven by Vicky Lobel
Keys to the Coven by Vicky Lobel
1. These
are from the same book, the first one is the Prologue and the second is from
Chapter One:
“I am Tersa the Weaver, Tersa the Liar, Tersa the Fool.”
and
“Lucivar Yaslana, the Eyrien half-breed,
watched the guards drag the sobbing man to the boat.” Daughter
of the Blood (Black Jewels, Book 1) by Anne Bishop
Needless to say, when I read these two lines, I was
hooked and read this entire series.
Son of Dragons
Book 2
Legends of Oblivion Series
Andrea Cooper
Book Description:
In a time of false peace, the dead rise as soldiers for the Warloc’s scheme. For thousands of years he has stood ready for the final battle. Though the witch and her cursed Elvin have destroyed his physical body, now with his protégé, he has honed a new way to wage war.
Shunned by her own people and weary-hearted from centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana scours the land to silence the undead. Her heart has turned as cold as the sword she wields, until a prince seeks her aid.
Never has Prince Landon met a woman like Mirhana. Both beautiful and deadly, she haunts his dreams. The battle at hand becomes more enchanting than fighting to remain true to his unseen betrothed.
When a traitor emerges, new alliances are tested and the only remaining hope is to follow the prophecy and find the ... Son of Dragons.
Son of Dragons Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/MF-W60brqL8
Books in the Legends of Oblivion Series
The Garnet Dagger – Book 1
Cursed in Shadow – Book 1.5
Son of Dragons – Book 2
About the Author:
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper
Author Website: www.AndreaRCooper.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/andrearcooper/
5 comments:
Thank you for having me today.
A wonderful series!
Toni,
Thank you! I'm glad you stopped by.
I give you a lot of credit for finding the hooks. I don't have any memorized or even ones that come to mind. I'd have to check them out. Does that make me a bad writer or just a different type of reader? I wish you much success with your latest release!
Melissa,
I had to look up the book hooks on some of them, I just remember glancing at the first page and wanting to read the book.
Thank you for stopping by.
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