I think for the first time ever, I find the author’s note to be a compelling hook.

As writers, we hear all the time that we’ve got to hook readers in just the first few pages or else. We’ve got to hook agents in the first few pages or else.

Whether you’re looking to get published or just hoping to hook your reader, first impressions are vital. Compelling opening scenes are the key to catching an agent or editor’s attention, and are crucial for keeping your reader engaged.

JEFF GERKE, THE FIRST FIFTY PAGES

Well then, let’s study those first few pages in other people’s stories, shall we?

Today I snagged from the New Release shelf:

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder

David Grann’s The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder is a fascinating mix of true crime and nautical history.

Grann shares a quick paragraph before the prologue describing the “debris” he sorted through of conflicting accounts and half-truths and that he won’t reach a conclusion for us—we must make our own conclusions as to what really happened a couple centuries ago. It’s a cold case without any clear-cut closure…and I’m all for it.

The prologue then gives readers some basic context for what happened regarding the British ship The Wager: originally sent to overtake a Spanish galleon, it goes MIA only to appear battered and beaten off the coast of Brazil with a starved fraction of its original crew. Yet another smaller vessel with a few more survivors lands later, and these two parties provide very, VERY different accounts of what went down on The Wager and the island where all were shipwrecked. Now considering the unique terminology that comes with nautical period writing, I don’t think Grann’s book is for everyone, but if you’re prepared to lose yourself amongst the waves of the past, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy Grann’s The Wager.

No matter what the season brings, keep reading!

Read on, share on, and write on, my friend!