First Line Friday~

I began First Line Friday because 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? Join in, if you enjoy first lines as much as I do! Be sure to use my great First Line Friday graphic and leave me a comment so I can read your blog! I'm not the only one with a meme celebrating first lines... Becky at Page Turners at http://pageturnersbooks.blogspot.com/ hosts Book Beginnings... check her blog, too.

Telegraph Hill
May 30, 1906
8:00 AM

"It was a month ago that I finally managed to convince myself I was still alive."
1906
James Dalessandro


This first line immediately pulls me in because I know, obviously, that the narrator survived the Great Earthquake. My curiousity is piqued, however, how she survived the last month.

This novel is a fictionalized first hand account of not only the earthquake and its aftermath... which I know plenty about. It's also the story what events that transpired before... which I don't know so much about. Events that some believe made the earthquake's destruction even worse than it should have been... potitical infighting, graft and corruption.

My son, J, and I watched a History Channel documentary about the earthquake and this book was mentioned. More likely than not, when he watches TV, he'll watch something "educational"... I love that about him. His favorite channels are History Channel, The Science Channel and Discovery. That's not to say that he doesn't watch "fun" shows... he does... but even in those he learns something. Many times he's told me that they discussed "Myth Busters" in his science class.