And in the Beginning . . .

Beginnings are hard for me.

I fidget. I make a cup of tea . . . or twelve. I absolutely must take the dog for a walk. In fact, cleaning the toilets can often seem more appealing than staying put and putting pen to paper.

I don't know why. Once I'm in the story world, you can't keep me away. Cleaning, paying bills and speaking to my children often gets neglected.

But, oh, those pesky beginnings.

After a few false starts, I think I finally hooked onto the beginning of my new novel. I'm excited. I'm energized. I'm hopeful that I can sustain those feelings and create a whole new book.

For now, to celebrate beginnings, I'll share some of my favorite book beginnings . . .

"There is no lake at Camp Green Lake." -- Louis Sachar




"I was born with water on the brain." -- Sherman Alexie




"I was supposed to play the piano." -- Linda Urban





"That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me." -- Gail Carson Levine




"Sybil Davison has a genius I.Q. and has been laid by at least six different guys." -- Judy Blume

What are YOUR favorite book beginnings?

Books Make Great Gifts . . .

Before you do your holiday shopping this weekend, check out this video . . .

And thanks for all the inspiring comments on my book giveaway post. Can't wait to find out who wins the autographed novels! If you haven't already entered, there's still plenty of time.

In the meantime, Elmo, Judy Blume, Dan Brown and a few other famous folks have something to tell you . . .