Anyway, now that we have all these newbies on board, I'd really like some very fresh eyes to take a look. It's about 5500 words, and you get a pretty good gist of what the story's about from the first thirteen lines below (take your pick).

For the rest of you, I'd like comments on these two openings. The first is the original that always bothered me. The second is the new one that I like better, but I'm still not sure it does the job.

#1.
Gramps had two obsessions: World War II and King Arthur. The War because he served in it. Arthur because he met him.

I had a half-day leave and wanted to see Gramps once more before shipping out to Afghanistan for eighteen months. That’s when he told me about Arthur.

“Morning, Gramps,” I said, like I did every time. I didn’t expect an answer. He was walled in by Alzheimer’s and hadn’t recognized me in more than a year. But that day he looked right at me--not through me like he usually did--and smiled.

#2
My grandfather knew King Arthur before I did.

Except that Gramps was no armored knight or denizen of Camelot's court. He was a veteran of World War II and a certified Arthur fanatic.

I had a half-day leave and wanted to see Gramps once more before shipping out to Afghanistan for eighteen months. That’s when he told me about Arthur.

The second one was not as funny -- therefore I automatically discounted it. Getting a laugh in the first few sentences is huge bonus points. Usually impossible. You did, so stick with 1.

HSO

Oh, I forgot to say: I'll read it if you want me to! It just might take me a couple of weeks to get it back to you, since my computer has been acting up lately.

I would like to read the story. It looks interesting.

But what is it that you don't like about it?

So, that said, any suggestions on how to fix it?

To those who've volunteered to read, it's on it's way--with the second opening.

HSO--I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance to use my Soap Opera Bomb--but Survivor's hand wavium pellets did the same thing. But MY Soap Opera Bomb would have resurrected us both and dropped us in a hospital covered head to toe in bandages. We would have regained consciousness, they would have taken off our bandages, and we would have looked completely different!

. 1 - The story is 1st person, so I think it's going to be about the narrarator.

. 2 - I expect an introduction - to be finding my bearings in the first page or two, so at first I'm just taking things in, suspending my judgement on what the story is going to be about. I can't think of any examples right now, but I think if you watch for it you'll find a lot of writers mention things in the introduction that aren't necessarily a major part of the story. They do it to establish character, setting, etc. just as you are doing.

. 3 - When you say the grandfather has Alzheimer's, that's a strong hint that the story is about someone else.

Gard

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OK - It wasn't hard to find examples. In fact, I think the first 2 items I looked at are like that.

. 1. What I'm currently reading - No One Rides For Free by Larry Beinhart (Author of How to Write A Mystery, which I recommend for a writer in any genre). The first _chapter_ is about the players in a court case. Of all those character, the judge is a very minor character in the rest of the story, and the defendant is a fairly minor one - he dies about 1/3 of the way through. (His conviction does set off the plot.) The protagonist doesn't even appear until the 2nd chapter.

. 2 The last novel I finished - Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich, an NYT best seller. The first page talks a lot about the female protagonist's father and working in his auto garage, but that's just backgound for her character. The father never appears again.

Novels do start slower that short stories, but in these examples there is more "irrelevant" material than you have. I think the principle is the same.

I hope this is helpful and of interest.

I also like the voice and humor better.

quote:

---

HSO--I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance[...]

---

No worries, Dakota. There's always the next episode, tentatively titled: "The Betrayal of Christine." I'm sure we'll find a way to kill me off again and you can then resurrect me with the S.O.B.

And for that reason I STILL want to insert into that opening, somehow, that the grandson met Arthur as well.

First sentences:

Gramps told me he had two obsessions:

I knew that Gramps had two obessions:

or... you could go the other way and at the end of the "knew Arthur" line:

I didn't believe him at first until I met Arthur, too.

You know... I hope this helps inspire you to write something you like better.

--HSO

Use;
My grandfather had two obsessions: World War II and King Arthur. The War because he served in it. Arthur because he met him.

That is a much better hook than #2.

BUT

What I find interesting is that nobody has commented on the following;

In the next paragraph you write;

... That's when he told me about Arthur.

This is a hook as well, but now the surprise is gone as Arthur has already been used in the first hook. It is a repeat.

I would write the entire thing like this (with just one hook);

My grandfather had two obsessions: World War II and King Arthur. The War because he served in it. Arthur because he met him.

I had a half-day leave and wanted to see him once more before shipping out to Afghanistan.

“Morning, Gramps,” I said, like I did every time.

I didn’t expect an answer. He was walled in by Alzheimer’s and hadn’t recognized me in more than a year. But that day he looked right at me--not through me like he usually did--and smiled.