As a writer who designs his own ebooks, I am always curious to see what kind of formatting the major publishers do for their various books. So I download a lot of samples. Sometimes I even read the first few paragraphs of those samples. One first line in particular has always tickled me. I read it weeks ago and I still get a kick out of it. It's by a crime writer who has published many novels with different major publishers. A writer who has even won awards. A writer who really should know better. Or wait -- maybe his editor should know better? Maybe I'm wrong and the first line in question is amazing. Either way, from now on when I come across a particuarly great first line, I'll do my best to share it. For now, enjoy:
Hobbled by a flat tire, Ashlynn's fire-orange Mustang convertible limped to a stop on the main street of the abandoned farm town.
Remember, traditionally published books = quality.