Posted on by Desiree S. Brown

Love at First Sentences

Books. How do I love thee?

Enough to go on a book buying frenzy!

So after abusing the “BUY” button on Amazon’s website, I began to wonder what possessed me to buy a virtual truck load of books? What about them drew my attention?

The first few sentences.

It’s said that these sentences are the most important part of the book and I agree. It’s usually what readers use to determine if they want to buy your work or not. For me, the first sentences simply have to grab my attention and make me wonder what’s going to happen next.

Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) by Susan Kaye Quinn

“A zero like me shouldn’t take public transportation.

The hunched driver wrinkled a frown before I even got on the bus. Her attempt to read my mind would get her nothing but the quiet of the street corner where I stood.

Defiance Rising (Book 1 of the Rising Trilogy) by Amy Miles

“I’ve been told that this world used to be a beautiful place, filled with twinkling electric lights and tables overflowing with food. A place where children played in parks and couples took leisurely strolls on Sunday. A time when humans weren’t slaves to aliens or nature. Staring out over the concrete graveyard before me, I find that hard to imagine.”

Artificial Evil (Book 1 of The Techxorcist) by Collin F. Barnes

“In 2153 the lottery didn’t just change lives, it ended them. And Gerry Cardle’s numbers were up.”

 

What steps do you take before buying a book?

 

28 Replies to “Love at First Sentences”

  1. elenasears – 16 years old, TV series obsessed, voracious reader, twisted teen, football fan, especially Chelsea and BVB fan, enthusiastic traveller, dedicated fashionista, love to sing, love to laugh, love to live. My top 5 values: ambition, fame, devotion, excellence, ingenuity.
    elenasears says:

    Loved it, http://www.byelenasears.wordpress.com I would really like to hear some thoughts on my almost 30 chapters, it’s some fiction wrapped with fanfiction and mostly fashion. Enjoy 🙂

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      Thanks! I’ll check out your blog as soon as I can. 😀

      Reply

  2. I like blurbs, that’s always what I go buy. Sometimes it can be disappointing when a blurb isn’t quiet accurate to the story inside, but then other times it can be a great surprise 😀

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      I know what you mean about inaccuracies. I think that authors try to slim down what they put in their blurbs in order not to spoil anything.

      Reply

  3. I’m with Mishka, I’m a black cover blurb girl. I can go through a boring opening if the story sounded promising. I like the events to slowly unfold. I want the beginning to slowly suck me into the book.

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      True. If the story shows a lot of promise I can usually wade my way through slow beginnings too. Actually…I can’t put any book down once I start them lol.

      Reply
        1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
          Desiree B says:

          I’m in the states too! It’s 12 in the morning here. I’m a bit of a night owl 😛 (I can think better but my writing suffers for it lol)

          Reply
            1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
              Desiree B says:

              Exactly! This is the only time that my inner critic goes to sleep.

              Reply
                1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
                  Desiree B says:

                  Ouch, fire some of them!

                  Reply

                  1. Ever seen the movie Officespace? I imagine them wandering around clutching their bright red papermate gel pens. Haven’t paid them in months yet they still show up!

                    Reply
                    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
                      Desiree B says:

                      Lol! You’d figure they’d get the clue, right? (and…no I’ve never seen the movie. Does that make me less cool?)

                    2. Um, no but it is a rare thing that I actually like a comedy movie. That one is hilarious. There is a guy who had been “fired” but kept showing up for work. He was obsessive over his red swingline stapler. I picture my editor pack that way.

                      Hey you gonna post some of your nano wip? 😉 And I sent a quick camper message out.

                    3. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
                      Desiree B says:

                      I’m thinking about it. I’m kinda juggling between writing my NaNo project and editing a manuscript that I finished last month. Buuuuuut we’ll see.

                      I read yours and I must say…I wanted to read more!! 😀 Is it about angels?

                    5. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
                      Desiree B says:

                      Can’t wait to read it! (oh and I just got your camper message…sorry for not getting to them earlier. It’s been really busy here in Desiree-land)

                    6. Are you kidding? I just sent it a little while ago. Not many are active with the messages this camp I’ve noticed. Everyone is busy. My cabin isn’t very chatty either. I guess it is a quiet camp this round.

  4. I usually go for the blurb. These days with ebooks though I find it’s a combination of the blurb and first few sentences. If I like the blurb I will check out the sample pages and see if it’s something I can get through. So many books so little time and all that lol.

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      Lol, I know what you mean! I usually spend hours rummaging through amazon’s database and end up buying LOTS of ebooks.

      Reply
  5. dr sweetyshinde – India, Mumbai - the city of dreams & nightmares. – Published Author, Doctor. Yoga enthusiast. Love swimming, sketching. Learning Spanish and yearning to learn Sanksrit. Insane about Soulful Music. Curious about the mystic & mystique; Content to be cocooned in a dream world.
    sweetyshinde says:

    1. the premise: I mean, anything about Mahabharataa will ignite my interest, but maybe not Mughal empire related stuff.
    2. good reviews? but of course, so many are engineered nowadays. plus I don’t agree with many so called best-sellers.
    3. good cover- yup, one does judge by it
    4. good backpage cover story.

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      I usually follow most of your steps, but I rarely go off of reviews because…well like you said, “so many are engineered.” Plus, one reader’s tastes for a book may be totally different then mine. Oh, about the book cover thing, so true (shame on us)!

      Reply

  6. I started reading Lisa Unger books because of one quote I found in goodreads.

    ““The truth has not so much set us free as it has ripped away a carefully constructed facade, leaving us naked to begin again.”

    Reply
    1. Desiree S. Brown – Stockton, CA – Desiree S. Brown is a poet and speculative fiction author. She has contributed poetry to magazines like Redrosethorns and articles to blogs like NaNoWriMo.
      Desiree B says:

      Nice quote! It makes me want to check out Lisa Unger’s books. In your opinion, how are they?

      Reply

      1. I started with the novel “Beautiful Lies”. I love the way she constructs sentences in her story. She writes it in a first person narrative so it feels like you’re part of the story. The story line is quite intriguing as well.

        I really love it. It’s my type of book. Hope it would be one of yours too!

        Reply
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