The first sentence purports a story's soul.
I learned that lesson from my high school journalism teacher, but my real favorite first phrases are in books. I'd quote some, but it's late and I'd want to do it right and I just started a new memoir called The Liars' Club. I found the first sentence stunning.
"My sharpest memory is of a single instant surrounded by dark."
It makes me want to keep reading, so back to the book.
