First and Last Lines

The first and last sentences are considered by many to be the most important lines of a book. There’s even a commonly utilized blog topic where authors and readers post first and last lines of their favorite books, as well as tumblr posts dedicated to first lines and even one for all the Harry Potter books.

I thought it might be fun to take a look at the first and last lines from my Loose Id titles. I was surprised at how well the two sentences from each summed up the themes and character arcs of these stories, something I hadn’t consciously worked to do when writing them.

I was not surprised, however, to see how short the lines were. My editor says I have a very staccato style. My natural flow seems to be to write a longer sentence bracketed by shorter, punchier ones.

Here are the first and last lines of my LI books:

MORE
I hadn't seen any sign of my stalkers.
“I'll love you both until I take my last breath.”

BREATHE
Hope you found some peace in jail.
To save each other.

TAKE ME HOME
“Have you guys done it yet?”
So long as he was with Evan, he was home.

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
“You’re mine now.”
“We’ll see.”

What are the first and last lines from one of your favorite books?




Award-winning author Sloan Parker writes passionate, dramatic stories about two men (or more) falling in love. Sloan enjoys writing in the fictional world because in fiction you can be anything, do anything—even fall in love for the first time over and over again. She lives in Ohio with her partner and their neurotic cats where her greatest moments in life are spent with her family, her friends, and her characters. You can learn more about Sloan and her writing at www.sloanparker.com.

Why erotic romances? Is it more than sex & lust?

Hello everyone! My name is Sloan Parker and I’m new author with Loose Id. My first book, More, an m/m/m erotic suspense was released two weeks ago and today is my first day to blog here at Loose Ends.

I'd just like to take a quick moment to say thanks to everyone who’s already picked up a copy of More. I appreciate you taking a chance on this new author. It’s been a thrill to hear directly from readers and to have my book on the digital shelves alongside many of my favorite authors. Huge thanks to everyone who worked on More, including a special thank you to my editor Antonia and to April Martinez for the gorgeous cover.

With More’s release, I've been thinking a lot about writing and reading, love and passion. What is it about an erotic romance that works for me? What is it that makes me want to read another? And another? What draws me in to a love story? What made me want to spend hours writing my own stories?

Today I thought I’d share some of my answers to these questions. In no order, here are some of the reasons why I love romances (and erotic romances in particular):

• The discovery. For a new couple, there is so much to discover about each other. I love going along on that journey. Meeting someone new, seeing where the two characters fit together, watching as they discover each other’s personalities, the little quirks that make them individuals, as well as their discovery of each other’s physical needs and wants.
  
  
• The growth. I love when a character grows as a person through the journey of love and sexual intimacy. So much of who we are as individuals is influenced by our pasts, our previous relationships, and uncovering those histories (both as a reader and a writer) is fascinating to me. Using that history to shape their journey through a romantic, erotic relationship is even more so.
  
  
• The love. Experiencing those moments of falling in love with someone is one of the greatest joys of life. The next best thing, reading about that journey in a story filled with unique characters and an interesting plot. When it’s done well, it all ties together to create a beautiful story that says something about us as human beings.
  
  
• The humanity. I like reading about characters that are flawed, that have some major personal challenges they need to overcome in order to let another person into their mind, their body, their heart. I like watching them make mistakes and blunders, then watch as they grow and try to do better with each turn of the page.
  
  
• The tension. I like romances with heightened internal and external conflicts. Fill a romantic story with suspense or a mystery, as well as an interesting, unique conflict between the romantic leads and you’ll have me hooked.
  
  
• The sex. Well, I do like erotic scenes in my romances after all. Entering the bedroom through a moment of sexual play with the characters makes the story so much more personal. There is nothing we don’t see. It’s often a wonderful way to get a look at how the characters are growing emotionally. It also allows me as a reader to connect on a deeper level with the characters, to see who they are in their most sensual, private moments.
  
  
• The intensity. Erotic romances are filled with passion and lust in a way other romances aren’t. They make you squirm in your seat. They get your heart racing, your breath catching, often on page one. Many times I’m thinking, SLOW DOWN but I’m also thinking, KEEP GOING. It’s that push and pull, that rush of adrenaline, that intensity of attraction that makes the couple (or more) seem destined for each other. I like when they are just as surprised by their emotional connection as I was by their physical one. I find myself giggling at their naiveté. Did they really think it could be just about the sex, the lust? I love watching them get blindsided by both the passion and the emotions, watching them take that wild ride together.
  

So how about you? What do you like about reading romantic, erotic stories?