I'm always fascinated by the opening line of a book - the way it can engage the reader in an instant or conversely put you off entirely. Here are some of our favourites:
'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' - George Orwell, 1984
'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.' - J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
Below are the beautifically evocative and whimsical opening lines of Nutmeg by Maria Goodin (published by Legend Press on 1st April). Let us know what you think:
'I came out a little underdone. Five more minutes and I would have been as big as the other children, my mother said. She blamed my pale complexion on her cravings for white bread (too much flour) and asked the doctor if I would have risen better had she done more exercise (too little air). The doctor wasn’t sure about this, but he was very concerned about the size of my feet. He suggested that next time my mother was pregnant she should try standing on her head or spinning in circles (spinning in circles on her head would be ideal) as this would aid the mixing process and result in a better proportioned baby.'
Lucy
Nutmeg by Maria Goodin is available to pre-order by clicking here
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