Great writers know how to grab your attention from the very first words of their story. It’s called the hook—like the readers are fish swimming around in a murky pond who pause to read the first words of a story only to be hooked. The writer reels them in and carries them home for supper.
Some of the stories in Project Keepsake start with a bang. I’ve always loved the way Priscilla Shartle started her story, “Mama’s Gold Bangle Bracelet.” She used powerful dialogue between her and her sister to create upfront drama. Her words demand immediate attention, and readers can’t look away. Pris also crafted a beautiful transition to the body of her story. Here’s an excerpt.
Pris, like so many other Project Keepsake contributing writers, is a member of the Chattanooga Writers Guild, a nonprofit group that promotes, encourages and supports the craft of quality writing and creates a supportive environment for writers in the greater Chattanooga community. If you live around Chattanooga or Northwest Georgia, I encourage you to join the CWG. It’s a great way to meet other writers in the area.
After Project Keepsake was published and my box of paperbacks arrived, I met Pris on the side of the road in Kennesaw, Georgia and hand-delivered her copy to her. She was as bright and bubbly as always.
Thank you, Pris, for sharing your keepsake story with me and other readers. I look forward to reading other stories from your life.
To read more stories from Project Keepsake, please consider buying a copy. Visit the BUY page and find a bookseller near you.