That’s the Spirit

Editor’s note: Almost a month ago, we invited New Jersey resident Jack Getze, author of the crime novel Big Numbers, to solicit The Rap Sheet’s knowledgeable, literate readership for ideas on how he might improve the first sentence of his second book, Big Money. Getze offered a check for $250 to anybody who could write him “a top-drawer, catchy opening line to my next book.” The deadline for submissions was Friday, June 8. We last checked in with him a couple of weeks ago, but in the note below, Getze finally fills us in on how the contest went, and the name of the lucky victor.

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“Maybe it’s only a ghost.”

That’s the big winner of The Rap Sheet’s Opening Line Contest, the new first line of my next book, Big Money. The man who wrote it is Jude Hardin, a writer and a Registered Nurse from northern Florida.

Jude must come up with good lines on a pretty regular basis, as he recently signed with The Poynor Group for literary representation. His first novel is currently on submission at several New York City publishing houses.

Jude’s opening line will be in Big Money when I send the contracted manuscript to my publishers, Hilliard & Harris, later this month. Jude will also receive a mention in the acknowledgments, a check for $250, and like everyone who entered the contest, a free copy of the first novel in my Austin Carr series, Big Numbers.

Here’s what Jude said about coming up with his winning entry: “In your opening, the ancient house, the creaking floorboards, the rhythmic footsteps ... all sounded to me like a place that could be haunted. I tried to put myself in the mind of your character, and I came up with ‘Maybe it’s only a ghost’ as a somewhat ironic denial to the imminent threat he’s facing.”

I liked Jude’s use of the word “ghost” for another reason. To me, the word says something about my protagonist’s inherent inability to see himself as he really is. In other words, there’s always a ghost haunting trouble-prone stockbroker Austin Carr. In Big Money, due out early next year, Austin must protect his firm and his family from local and imported thugs, including one he calls The Creeper, plus fraud and murder investigations, and at least one crooked investigator. He’d better lose that ghost.

There were some other good opening lines submitted to this contest, in addition to Jude’s. One of my favorites was “Shit!” submitted by A. Catalona. I know my character, and that’s probably what Austin would have said first. But a four-letter word is not the way I want to start my book. I took enough heat for using “vomit” in the first line of Big Numbers.

A second Catalona, K. this time, sent another sentence I liked: “If I had known the lady was a killer, I probably wouldn’t have slept with her.” And finally, someone named Sean has a pretty good read on my character, Austin Carr. Either that, or Sean was taking a sarcastic shot at a certain publicity-seeking new author. Sean said the opening line of my next book should be, “I’m admiring my reflection in the DVD when, hard as it is to believe, something else draws my attention--a sound.”

Thanks to The Rap Sheet, congratulations to Jude, and much appreciation to everyone who submitted an entry.--Jack Getze