An Indiana Jones version of Marty McFly? Great Scott!
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
This month I snagged from the New Release shelf:
Splinter Effect by Andrew Ludington
With my twins Biff and Bash up to their eyeballs in Dr. Who comics, books, and films, I couldn’t help but pick a time-traveling story this month. After all, I grew up with the adventurers and time travelers; we even traveled through time ourselves to catch criminals like Carmen Sandiego!
And it sounds like Ludington’s protagonist Rabbit Ward has his own Carmen Sandiego to contend with. See, Rabbit Ward is an archaeologist who also travels back in time. He doesn’t bring artifacts back with him, but he does try to ensure artifacts will be where present-day excavators can find them. It’s a fun premise that promises plenty of misadventure, especially if there are competing time-travelers to contend with. That’s an interesting twist Ludington shares on the second page of the novel: time machines are expensive, but not unique. This means different owners of those time machines may have their own motives for traveling through time…and chances are they are not all out to preserve antiquities like Rabbit Ward.
Ludington’s prose establishes the pacing of the story from the get-go with Rabbit Ward “crashing” back into the present, and that momentum never drops. Ludington takes care that the prose never slows that momentum, whether he’s describing the time machine or sharing a flashback of Rabbit Ward in ancient Rome. If you’ve gotta go back in time, then Splinter Effect may be just the trip you need to double-back again.
Let’s see what next month’s find will teach us, shall we?
Coming up, I have another author interview, some thoughts on the importance of sound in writing, a resource spotlight, and of course, another trip to summer camp!
Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!
Jean Lee's World 
The IBS has me tortured every night and day. The doctors tell me that it will never kill me yet will follow me to the end, hence things are not good. Whatever, all the best my wonderful friend. Regards, Mike
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Oh my friend, that sounds miserable. Sending whatever goodness I have your way so your muse can give you some reprieve. xxxxxxxxxxx
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I love the quote about the library, Jean! I have to admit I am that reader who will put a book down if it doesn’t grab me in the first chapter. Thanks for sharing.
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And thank you so much for stopping by! I appreciate books that have slow burns to them, but then there’s got to be something else that’s holding me to the story. If nothing’s holding me, then I’m letting go. xxxxxxxx
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Tell Biff and Bash they have good taste in time travellers. Dr Who is the best. Poor John dresses as Dr Who for any fancy dress party.
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He does?! Oh, that’s wonderful! I still have my father’s big ol’ Tom Baker Dr. Who scarf. 🙂 It’s been curious with my boys, for they insist any Dr. Who they see has to involve either the daleks or cybermen. Hopefully we can eventually spread out to some other villains. It’s a big universe out there! xxxxxxx
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Ooh, that book… seems excellent! It says that there are many time machines around the world – I want one!! Plus, I’m very happy to know that your two boys are really enjoying Doctor Who’s stuff.
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Oh yes, it’s fun! It’s also bittersweet. My mom mentioned giving them some of my dad’s things for a birthday, which is great, but it was also a sharp reminder he’s not here to share his things himself. That time will come later, I know, but it is a little rough sometimes. xxxxxx
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Sounds like a great read, and boy, do I love the library!
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Me too, Pam! I especially love their library book sales. 🙂 That’s how we’ve found fun things like This Old House repair books and random steampunk books. Weeeee!
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sorry if you get this a few times, WP playing up. Can’t beat Dr Who. Even had a Yorkshire Doctor. Wow xxxxx
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No no, no worries! WP gets weird for me too now and then. There was a Yorkshire doctor?! Yay? Which one was that? Biff and Bash only put on doctors interacting with daleks and cybermen; so far, we’ve tried Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy. I’m hoping we can try a few more doctors soon! Give a hug to Hawklad for me. xxxxxxxxxxx
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