This round, we’ve got murder, an unmarked grave, hitting rock bottom, and more.
To submit a first line, email booklifeeditor@booklife.com with the book title, author name, and subject “First Lines.”
Finding Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia: An End to the Search
“I fumbled in my purse for my cell phone and checked the caller ID: It was the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.”
Midnight of the Soul
“A flash of lightning. Then, darkness. The sky cries soft tears.”
Never Murder at Home
“Standing on the sidewalk looking at his new home, Nate Gibson thought about how many times he had heard the veteran members of Alcoholics Anonymous say, ‘Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before your real recovery begins.’”
The Rainy Night Stalker
“She was there to help her ex-boyfriend bury his mother in an unmarked grave.”
Substantial Penalty
“I wonder if my grandmother seriously considered the risks that bright, balmy day in Biloxi when she asked me to rob the family bank.”
Time Is Power: Create Space for What Matters Most
“We need to stop making decisions about our time based solely on whether we will be making, saving, or spending money
