The only book I've read about it the one by Nancy Kress- Beginnings, Middles and Ends. It's been so long since I read but I do remember that it had quite a few good pointers. You can get it from the writer's digest bookstore as it is apart of their Elements of Fiction series. Amazon carries it too.

I can't think of any, but I make it a rule to NEVER read a book or short story that doesn't grab my attemtion within the first page or two. That way--I hope--the elememts for a good beginning will sink in by osmosis.

This doesn't count for stories that people ask me to critique, however.

I buy a lot of short story anthologies. I like 'em, obviously. Typically, the first thing I do is skim through the book and read the first sentence or two of each story.

The way I normally get started is to:

1. Get an idea for a story. Let it stew while I do a little research on any topics it may involve, and think about the story concept. I also normally try to figure out where the story would fit within M.I.C.E. classifications.

2. Figure out a possible ending for the story. I used to just launch into telling the story without knowing or really thinking about the ending. Bad idea, at least for me. I found that if I didn't know the ending, I would wander off course. Also, you have to know the ending to build the "promise" into the beginning.

3. Get the opening scene set firmly in my mind. I normally try to pick the exact moment in the POV character's life when something triggers a change that brings about the story plot.

4. Think about the POV character and have a basic understanding of who they are and what their motivations are.

5. Choose the POV style (usually first or 3rd limited).

6. Write the best first line I can that includes the following:
* POV character's name
* Interesting element of the environment of the scene
* Use of some sort of action verb.
(Try several and pick the best one.)

7. Follow the first line with additional prose that shows the POV character in action in their environment.