First Line Friday

FIRST LINE FRIDAY...First lines have always intrigued me since I heard an author say that writing the first sentence is, by far, the most difficult part of writing a novel. The reasoning was that a first sentence can make the reader continue reading or cause the book to be tossed aside. So, go to your To Be Read Pile, choose as many books as you want and share the first line. Be sure to include the title and author so that if your reader also finds it intriguing, they can find the book. Also, share your thoughts about the first line. Does it draw you in? Is it...exciting...thought provoking...scary...funny?


"Arnold Bacon would have made a fortune if he hadn't taken his father's advice."
Timeo Danaos
Twelve Red Herrings
Jeffrey Archer
This first line is a little different. It's the first line of a short story in a collection I'm reading by Jeffrey Archer.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Not that I've been reading bad books. On the contrary, actually. It's just that I've not really been a reading mood. What?!? How does that happen? I'm not sure, really. I've just found myself not reading when I normally do... before bed, waiting in carpool and other random times. So, I figured a few short stories might nudge me back. Short stories don't feel like a commitment, you know. I can read one or two before bed and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Jeffrey Archer is a fabulous author! While not great literature, his stories and novels are tightly plotted and well-written. They hold my attention like few other authors and I know I won't be disappointed. I've been reading his novels since, probably, high school and will re-read one every so often. They are as good now as they were the first time I read them. While my favorite is definitely "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less", I am always amazed at the ending of "First Among Equals". It is beyond brilliant! The last line (and no peeking if you read it!) is perfection!


I carried my Vera Wang black satchel today. It's been two days since I switched bags. How is that even possible?!? Well, we were hit by a fall snowstorm that dumped 22" on us. So, we didn't go anywhere... even school. It was cancelled Wednesday and Thursday. It was a fun few days. We were completely lazy with snow shoveling being our main form of entertainment :o) Tunnels were built in our backyard, courtesy of my son and my daughter drank lots of hot chocolare. But, like any Denver blizzard, it's just a memory... well, except for the piles and piles of snow! I love our blizzards. Twenty-two inches of snow on Wednesday and it'll be 60° tomorrow.

It's a Footloose First Line Friday

FIRST LINE FRIDAY...First lines have always intrigued me since I heard an author say that writing the first sentence is, by far, the most difficult part of writing a novel. The reasoning was that a first sentence can make the reader continue reading or cause the book to be tossed aside. So, go to your To Be Read Pile, choose as many books as you want and share the first line. Be sure to include the title and author so that if your reader also finds it intriguing, they can find the book. Also, share your thoughts about the first line. Does it draw you in? Is it...exciting...thought provoking...scary...funny?

"Her satin shoes left damning footprints in the pearlescent dew on the moonlit garden path."
Haunting Jordan
PJ Alderman


I cannot believe how long it's been since I've blogged about First Line Friday. It's about time I get my act together and start doing it again every Friday.

I've already blogged about this book and i'm breaking one of my FLF "rules" as it's no longer in my TBR pile... it's my current book! Anyway, it's a great book and I'm really enjoying the premise even though I'm not normally into "supernatural" mysteries. I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series.

I like how the story is told in both times... 1890 with Hattie and present day with Jordan. I don't feel like I'm missing any of the story and I feel more connected to Hattie, the murder victim. She's a real character not just a plot device. One of my favorite lines, so far, is when Hattie tells Jordan, "We want you to solve my murder." What a great line... even if it isn't a first line :o)

We spent a lazy day around the house today. The kids were off school as it was a teacher comp day for conferences. We needed this day, too. We're all (well not my son) recuperating from being sick. M went to school on Monday but was home the rest of the week. She just had a fever and a dry, tickle cough. No "hiney" flu... we took her to the Dr. and her tests came back negative (as well as any type of flu and pneumonia). My husband is fighting the same crap (sorry to be so crude but, really, that's the best word for it). He was also tested and was also negative to the flu. So, we just took it easy today. We watched Footloose tonight. What a movie to bring back memories! J and I saw it on one of our first dates. It definitely holds a special place in my heart. As much as everyone remembers the "Footloose" song, my favorite song from the movie is Deniece Williams' "Let's Hear it for the Boy". Why? Because it's one of our "songs". When I first heard it, the lyrics reminded me so much of this great guy that I had just started dating. Did I know he would become the love of my life, my husband, my best friend and the father of my children? Yeah...I did. We double-dated on our first date with my friend, D, and I told her that I would marry him. Just about four years later, I did!

Anyway, here's the original video...if it doesn't make you want to throw your hair in a side pony, wear a neon sweatshirt and leggings with stiletto heeels with baby doll socks... you weren't an 80s girl like me.

Snowy Saturday Ramblings

~It snowed here for the first time this season. My son is "jonesing" to snowboard. Yes, there are two resorts open. Loveland opened on Wednesday and A Basin opened Friday. Ski season has begun!


~The Rockies are in the NLDS against the Phillies (sorry, Lori...lol) and game 3 was supposed to be here tonight. But because of a little snow (less than an inch) and cooler tempertures (Ok, the game time forecast was 28° and falling), it is postponed. I'd call them all wimps but, really... I was more than happy to watch the game in my nice, warm family room cuddled under a blanket :o)

~M was at 6th grade Outdoor Lab all week until Thursday when we received a phone call. She was in the clinic with a fever. So, J and I drove the hour drive into the mountains to retrieve our baby :o) She has had a fever ever since... poor girl. Apparently, she wasn't the only one... the nurse told us that many kids had left OL because of illness. She doesn't have the "hiney" flu (from my favorite morning show... Dom & Jane... do you get it? H1N1... kind of clever, I think). Every year, M will have a bout with a fever and it lasts a few days. Hopefully, she'll go to school on Monday.

~I bought two books at B&N Tuesday night. I was there for book club. There was an endcap of a book that I had heard about on some blogs. It was 50% off and, basically, staring me in the face. So, I picked it up. Then, I began to wonder...why is it 50% off... it's a fairly recent release... does that mean it's not that good? I'll draw my own conclusions. Do you want to know the title or should I be like the girls in my loop and not mention it? That drives Lori @http://lori-thequeensnewthrone.blogspot.com/ CRAZY. Hmmm, I'll think about it...

~The second book is Haunting Jordan by PJ Alderman. From Amazon... "RITA-nominated author P. J. Alderman weaves present-day supernatural sleuthery with nineteenth-century intrigue in the first book of an enchanting new mystery series set in picturesque Port Chatham, Washington.

Jordan Marsh left L.A. for the quaint Pacific Northwest town of Port Chatham in pursuit of some much-needed R & R. As the prime suspect in her cheating husband’s murder, she had been hoping to immerse herself in the restoration of the charming Victorian she’d just bought—and put all talk of homicide investigations behind her. But as she soon discovers, the coldest of cases cry out to be solved, too.
For this old house comes fully furnished—with two garrulous ghosts who have a century-old murder of their own they’d like her to look into. Now, if Jordan can keep the L.A. police at bay, and sort through a suspect list of shady characters circa 1890, she might just clear a wrongly accused man’s name—and her own."

I'm really looking forward to reading this and I hope, hope, hope it's a great book, It's the first in a series and I love to read series books. There's not really a better feeling than to walk into a bookstore and see a new book in a series I love!

~I'm so completely happy that Fall is here! I have worn boots and jeans every day this week! Not only do I absolutely love my fall wardrobe, but seeing the fall colors in the mountains is always so wonderous. I hope you take a minute... or two... or three... to enjoy the beautiful fall colors.

~Like I said, it's pretty cold here today and I'm CRAVING a DQ Bizzard :o) I I'm going to try to talk my husband into making a run to DQ later. Cross your fingers that it works. My Blizzard of choice... chocolate ice cream with Butterfinger... soooo yummy!!

~We've spent the day inside today. J is watching The President's Cup (there is ten hours of coverage... he's in HEAVEN!), J is doing homework and M is trying to get better. For that reason, I can't post a picture of today's bag... there isn't one. My bag yesterday, though was one of my fall favorites (although, I do carry it all year). I carried my Louis Vuitton Mini Lin Ebene Speedy 30. I absolutely adore this bag! Because I'm too lazy to go out to the car and get my bag to photograph it, I found this picture in my files.Yes, I keep random handbag pictures in my files...I'm a purse nerd of the highest order :o)
She's Sophina Brown, a STUNNING actress who starred in "Shark" along with James Woods (still a little ticked that it was cancelled). I think she looks so effortlessly chic in this picture and her bag (my bag...lol) just pulls the whole look together.

~Oh, the book that I referred to earlier... The Day the Falls Stood Still
By Cathy Marie Buchanan
What do you think?