As you might have surmised by now given my posts here, on Twitter, and Facebook, I am in the process of writing a book about Eleanor of Aquitaine. I am supremely excited about this, because Eleanor is quite possibly my numero uno when it comes to favorite historical figures. I mean, come on, I named my daughter after her (Boudicca would've been a second choice, perhaps). I had a decent collection of non-fiction books regarding the original Eleanor started for my own little queen, but have now added multiple volumes as I read and research. So, as I will be immersed in the 12th century for the foreseeable future, I present my first of many First Lines about one of the most bad-ass women in history: Eleanor, Queen of England, Duchess of Aquitaine.
"When Eleanor of Aquitaine died in 1204 her long career had been the most colorful and the stormiest of any English queen consort before or since."
Ain't that the truth!
After dropping me a line, check out what my fellow First Liners have for you this week.
Bree - Bibliophile Reviews
Rachel - Bookworm Mama
Heather - Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Beth - Faithfully Bookish
Katie - Fiction Aficionado
Andi - Radiant Light
Carrie - Reading is My SuperPower
Robin - Robin's Nest
Sydney - Singing Librarian
Kathleen - Kathleen Denly
Happy Reading!
Sarah
What imagery - most colorful and stormiest English queen. :)
ReplyDeleteMine is the last line I heard finishing my run. It's from yet another Mary Higgins Clark book called Willy and Alvirah. You could say Ms. Clark's books are my numero uno for mysteries. :) This one is a bunch of short stories (which I don't normally go for, but I thought maybe since I'm running to them it'd work. So far it's been fun to finish books in just two or three runs instead of taking a few months).
"He had been raised in Nebraska." (Yep, that's it. I jumped for joy to finish on this line. LOVE LOVE LOVE connections to Nebraska in my books. :))) )
I feel the same way when Minnesota is mentioned :) I may have to try out a Mary Higgins Clark mystery and see how it goes. Happy Friday!
DeleteOh, I want to read that one! My first line is from Still Life by Dani Pettrey: "He glanced around what had become a dumping ground by the river's edge. Dark, silent...deserted. Perfect. (Sorry-I know that's more than just the first line, but it's so good!)
ReplyDeleteNo worries Becky, I do that a lot too...there are so many beautiful lines sometimes, it is hard to keep it to just the first one!
DeleteThis particular Eleanor book was published in 1978, but I still find it valuable.
My first line comes from Promise of Deer Run by Elaine Marie Cooper
ReplyDeletePrelude
Huzzah! It’s over! The treaty’s been signed! Huzzah!
Hi Caryl! I feel quite strongly that Huzzah is not used nearly enough in modern conversation. Love that word!
DeleteThat's so cool that you are writing a book about British royalty! I will be praying for you--I know how challenging writing can be. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Mark of the King
Jocelyn Green
And the first line is...
Paris, France
September 1719
"There it was again. Suddenly wide awake, Julianne covered her ears. Straw crunched beneath her, needling her skin through the ticking as she inched away from the dank stone wall and closer to the warm body beside her."
Happy reading and happy Friday!
Thank you Heather! I completely spaced on the fact that you are not on FB, when I had to back out of FLF two weeks ago when this opportunity came about. I am so excited to be able to write about someone I feel like I know - not that I need to sound so crazy or anything...
DeletePrayers are most welcome and I will do the same for you, as you are working on your book!
PhD was not supposed to smell like this.
ReplyDeleteA Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham
What does it smell like??!!
DeleteI love how you are able to stick so consistently to one line. I can never do that!
The old-time car horn a-oogaed, and David Harrington slowly reached over to the nightstand for his cell phone.
ReplyDelete~The Triple Date Dare by Lauraine Henderson
A-ooga is another word we need to hear more often. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI adore this!!! I have read a bit about Eleanor and simply adore her! My first line this week is from The Memoir of Johnny Devine (It is fiction lol) "A tiny cyclone of dry leaves raced ahead of Eliza as she crossed 35th Avenue, urging her to hurry."
ReplyDeleteI will have plenty more in the weeks to come. I have been finding tons of material and am so excited for my own book.
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading!