"In response to something I wrote in the book roundup for April (about my once having eaten lunch with Cary Grant), Sylvia wrote the following sentence:
I once drank a beer in a dirt pit which had previously been Cary Grant’s swimming pool.
Lisa Kenney, who doesn’t miss much, immediately wrote to say that this was a GREAT opening sentence for a novel. I had thought the same thing; in fact, I’d figured out what the basic setup for the book would be. I’ll show you mine in a minute, but first, a contest:"
For further details and contest rules, go here.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Sylvia's Sentence Contest at Tim Hallinan's
Tim Hallinan has a new contest going on at The Blog Cabin. Here's a brief description:
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10 comments:
Lisa, this is pretty amazing. Tim's right, of course. You don't miss much. It's one of those serendipitous things. Tim mentions a meeting with Cary Grant, Sylvia responds with the dirt pit beer sentence, and you suggest that it's a great opening line for a novel. And Tim comes back with a contest. I'm thinking of something that will involve the dirt pit, the Blackhawk Hotel in Davenport, IA, and Penn Station in New York.
Lisa, as tempting as this may be, please stay true to Tracy, Aaron and Emily. Yes, I'm begging... ;)
Steve, That sentence almost sounds like something from F. Scott Fitzgerald! I don't know that I'll even find time to come up with an entry, but I love that sentence as a first line.
Larramie, No worries. Last night I was tossing and turning and behind my insomniac closed eyelids, things were finally beginning to play out. The way is beginning to reveal itself to me. I was a fly on the wall during a present day dinner between Aaron and Tracy and things are beginning to unfold finally! Saturday I meet with my new critique group and I'll get some feedback on the first 50 pages/5 chapters, but the wheels are finally unsticking for me and I think I'll have a chapter 12 ready to go soon. Thanks for hanging in there with me :)
I'd keep reading with that first sentence!
I'll check it out.
THat's a good sentence as an opener! But I agree with Larramie - am waiting for more Tracy!
Ok, Lisa. I accepted the challenge and added my entry to Tim's comments. I also posted it on my blog. Can't wait to read yours!
Great first sentence! Now where can I read the rest?
Carleen, Me too! I can't wait to see what comes of it...
Charles, I was thinking that you of all people could come up with something interesting :)
Ello, I think I'm going to sit this one out. Believe me, my mind is on Tracy at all times these days.
Cindy, I'm waiting for Tim to moderate...
Rebecca, Check out Tim Hallinan's place -- he's on my sidebar.
Indeed a good opening sentence! :-)
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