Top Ten Entries in My Writing Twallenge

Midnight oil by the gallon, pounds of candles burned at both ends, teeth gnashed down to the root canals, brains cudgeled with baseball bats (Frank's Team says: "OK - that's enough - we get it") I've finally chosen my Top Ten entries in the Twallenge.

Remember what the contest required? That you write the first line of a novel I would want to read. Some of the best entries came from Ben Goodwin - who is automatically and TOTALLY disqualified, because he, as a member of the Team, helped design the Twallenge. But he'd now better hustle and write the novels whose first lines he entered:- "You don't know me, but your children call me 'Mr. O.'" And - "On the occasion of our second wedding anniversary, I presented her with a baby giraffe."

Here are the non-disqualified, that is to say eligible, Top Ten, from which I will go on to choose the Winning Three, each of whom will be sent an audiobook of Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show, read by the Author (that'd be me).

Much though I like autocracy (my own, naturally), I love democracy more, so please weigh in and try to influence my decisions in the comments below!

@VisceralWriting: You're going to commune with a centuries-dead ghost, take him by his poets balls and castrate him?

@PauletteJaxton Celeste licked a drop of blood from the corner of her mouth and smeared it across her lips. Then she smiled at the King and spat blood

@HeatherHaze Cries of joy erupted as the last lotto ball came up on TV. We just won $40 million, and all I could think of was, "Oh God, not again."

@jeanlouisefinch Dad was only halfway through his first scotch and he was already crying.

@JON_SADLER The legend about a century old private sanatorium hidden deep in the Jungfrau was probably just that, but I had to be sure he was dead

@ealvarezgibson She was out swimming the night Carrickton burned.

@TamsynTweetie I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my uggs.

@jeanlouisefinch Edward Witworth went to Yale and he did not wear it lightly.

@theJoeGriffin Life is a serious of blissfully uneventful stretches in between moments of humiliation.

@ShirtnTie Alfredo's situation was hopeless. She was his soulmate. Their love was boundless. Yet he didn't flinch as he pulled the trigger.

Comments

[Meg]

My personal votes have to go to:

"Life is a serious of blissfully uneventful stretches in between moments of humiliation."

and

"Cries of joy erupted as the last lotto ball came up on TV. We just won $40 million, and all I could think of was, 'Oh God, not again.'"

I'd definitely pick either of those books up!

[Pat Nicholson]

I vote for:
@TamsynTweetie I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my uggs.

[Vivienne Nichols]

I vote for "Life is a series......"
and "Cries of joy...." But there is something I like about "Daddy and his scotch.." too..If the truth be known, I'd read them ALL..Ten FABULOUS
entries!!!

[Judy Astley]

@TamsynTweetie gets my vote.

[Claire King]

I'd vote for both of @jeanlouisefinch entries.

[Jo Lightfoot]

(Apparently I thought wrongly that a first line meant one sentence.)

I am most drawn to @jeanlouisefinch (either entry). Had @TamsynTweetie written "the" tramp, that one might have gotten my vote.

[Beq]

I like these four the best but all of them are good! I'd start reading my stack of new books in this order. :)

@ShirtnTie Alfredo's situation was hopeless. She was his soulmate. Their love was boundless. Yet he didn't flinch as he pulled the trigger.

@VisceralWriting: You're going to commune with a centuries-dead ghost, take him by his poets balls and castrate him?

@PauletteJaxton Celeste licked a drop of blood from the corner of her mouth and smeared it across her lips. Then she smiled at the King and spat blood.

@jeanlouisefinch Dad was only halfway through his first scotch and he was already crying.

[Emma Alvarez Gibson]

Is it completely inane for me to go on record as saying that I might be in love with @jeanlouisefinch based on her two entries? I mean, obviously that might sway you toward awarding her the prize, and not me. But she's clearly wonderful, and deserves to win.

[Melody Mooney]

My Vote and *my word she is brilliant twordsmith*goes to

@ealvarezgibson She was out swimming the night Carrickton burned.

[Jan Harness]

I'm definitely voting for @ealvarezgibson!

[ije]

My fave is:

@ealvarezgibson She was out swimming the night Carrickton burned.

[Marianne]

I vote for @ealvarezgibson

She sure can smith some words, that one.

[Sarah]

Hands-down best: @ealvarezgibson She was out swimming the night Carrickton burned.

I was instantly drawn in: Who is she? Where was she swimming? Where or what is Carrickton? Why or how is it burning? What did she have to do with it? I'm IN IN IN!!!

If you don't complete this, @ealvarezgibson MUST!

[Helen]

I vote for @ealvarezgibson too :)

[Ironshef]

I'm in for @ealvarezgibson. Simple, provocative.

[Eleanor]

It's gotta be @ShirtnTie. I really, really want to know what happens next!

[Sylvia_Peters]

I have two favourites, but I could not separate those by @TamsynTweetie I am drawn in immediately to the reasons why this person is misplaced and @HeatherHaze, which made me smile, the last part of that line is fab!

[sue laybourn]

Heather Haze gets my vote. It made me smile and wonder what the heck was going to happen.

[Charlie]

Even though it is two sentences, I vote for @HeatherHaze.

[Becky Kilsby]

I'm already racing throught he possible ramifications of this one: @ShirtnTie Alfredo's situation was hopeless. She was his soulmate. Their love was boundless. Yet he didn't flinch as he pulled the trigger.

[Sandra]

@ealvarezgibson. The tension between the fire and water, the potential inversion of safety and danger, the pending revelation and reaction... I'd read on.

[persephone]

I'm with the @ealvarezgibson votes. What (I'm hoping it's not who?) is Carrickton?? At least get her to write the next line, we need to know!

[Aoife Connolly]

@ealvarezgibson "She was out swimming the night Carrickton burned"

Has it for me - have already continued the story in my own head so really hope it is developed to a book that I will hurriedly purchase and read.

On a personal note I am sorry I was not aware of competition sooner (my own fault) as would have been keen to enter. Roll on the next Twallenge...