Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The First Sentence

I am really excited to tell you about my new project!

A couple of years ago, I was at a conference with a bunch of authors I know, hanging in the bar after all the workshops and events of the day were done. It was a nice bar. Comfy seats. Most of us don't ever drink, so this wasn't one of those "brilliant" ideas you think better of the next morning. It was still brilliant!

We were all talking (probably) about how much of a bummer it is when you have a story idea you love and then you see an author—usually one more well-known than you are—with a book using that idea. Even though you KNOW that author wrote a totally different book than you would, because that's how it goes. You give 10 people a writing prompt and they'll all write very different things.

And Misty Simon said, "WE SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT!!!!"

And so we did.

Introducing THE FIRST SENTENCE
A collection of romance novellas



We ended up with five stories by five authors, all beginning with the same sentence. From new adult to contemporary, paranormal to futuristic, with a post-apoc style weather event thrown in, we run the gamut of romantic subgenres. These are emotional adventurous stories we had a ton of fun writing. And they are FREE!

I probably should have mentioned that sooner.

So go check it out, and stay tuned for The Second Sentence, which we're already working on! The degree of difficulty will increase each time, and you know you want to witness it! :)



The premise: That if 5 authors start with the same sentence, they will all write vastly different stories. The results: made of awesome. From contemporary to futuristic, these novellas have a little bit of everything, but most especially—love-filled happy endings.

Rebound by Allison B. Hanson
After wallowing in agony for weeks after a bad break-up, Reese is set up on a blind date. Reluctantly, he goes and meets the girl of his dreams. The only problem? He was at the wrong place and met the wrong girl. Now, desperate to find her, he scours the campus as fate weaves an impossible journey.

Lost and Found by Misty Simon
When Mike Emory sees his ex’s post on social media that she’s looking for her lost dog, he’s out the door in a flash. Their break-up was not amicable, but he loved that dog and can’t imagine him on his own. Elsie Hews has been scouring the streets for hours when she runs into the last person she wants helping her—the guy who never seemed to think she was capable of doing anything herself. This is her dog, though, her baby, and she’ll accept Mike’s help to find him, then say goodbye again. Or that’s the plan, at least…

Frozen Dreams by Victoria Smith
When a dangerous weather anomaly strikes, Jane will do whatever it takes to travel to be with her family. Even if it means getting stuck with her husband, Adam. Instead of talking to him about how they will never have a family, she took the chicken route and left, despite being deeply in love with him. Now they must face the storm and their emotions.

Through the Void by Natalie J. Damschroder
There’s only one thing Vix can do when she finds out about the secret life that has led to her husband’s coma—make that life hers. When she goes on her first mission through the void, however, she finds not only a new self-purpose, but her lost husband, as well. She did the impossible once. Can she do it again, and bring him home?

A Real Boy by Vicky Burkholder
Jillian Night is on the hunt for inter-planetary kidnappers. Her bosses demand she have a partner, but Jillian has had enough of human ones. She prefers to work alone so Fleet assigns her one of the new androids. Zeus is a little too real for Jillian’s comfort and she finds herself attracted to him—until she meets the real man pulling the strings. Maybe having a real, live partner wouldn’t be so bad after all.