First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
Before I give you the lines this week, I want to confess that I’m not really giving you the first lines. But I am giving you the first lines of the chapter one. So, I don’t think it’s a true cheat.
First Lines…
Hapscomb’s Texaco sat on Number 93 just north of Arnette, a pissant four-street burg about 110 miles from Houston. Tonight the regulars were there, sitting by the cash register, drinking beer, talking idly, watching the bugs fly into the big lighted sign.
Any Guesses???
This book actually begins with bits of lyrics from a few different songs and a line of poetry. Hint: the lyrics are from Bruce Springsteen, Blue Oyster Cult, as well as Country Joe and the Fish.
After those lyrics and that line of poetry, the story opens on a couple named Sally and Charlie and their baby Lavon. They are significant to the story, but you won’t see them beyond chapter one.
This is truly one of my favorite books of all time. With the things going on the world it has been on my mind a lot lately…and not in a good way.
The Stand by Stephen King
I’m sure some people are a bit tired of me harping on this book lately, but it’s just so relevant right now I can’t help myself. Seriously, check it out when you get a chance.
All In Good Time 
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