First lines

matter. They’re a doorway — the moment when a reader like you decides to step in or turn away. So, Im going to share with you the first line of my novel. The first line of a novel sets the tone, exposes the writing style, provides that first clue as to what the journey is going to be like.

Are you strapped into the front car of a launch-coaster, or are you one of four people crammed into the backseat of a 1982 Honda Civic with no air-con. Your particular taste for adventure will determine which one of those ventures you want to embark on, or neither.

Here’s how my novel "Life Cycle" opens:

Earlier this year all the death was removed along with the thin and the weak. This careful pruning left a healthy vase shaped structure to support the now vibrant blooms. Eight Cerise Bouquet rose bushes line the back fence. The roses are perfectly spaced and groomed under Hermann’s meticulous care. Their cluster of bright cherry-red blossoms climb and arch gracefully along the fence. Any expired flowers are readily removed and disposed of so as to not tarnish the vibrant display. The bright flowers detract from the pale greyish-green of the leaves and attract a healthy amount of bees that bounce from bloom to bloom.  Hermann spears the ground with his garden trowel to expose the rich dark soil into which he will drop his emulsion. 

Let me know. Does this little peak into the start of the book pique your curiosity enough to want to red more?