The first line of The French Honeymoon has come up in almost every interview or conversation I’ve had about the book. People have really responded to it and it’s been fascinating to hear. Especially since it was supposed to be a little joke. A private joke, just for me.
In case you haven’t read the book yet (what are you waiting for?), this is the first line of the novel1:
Sometimes Paris is a terrible idea.2
And this is the story behind it.
Almost every person who posts about a trip to Paris on Instagram will share this famous quote, attributed to Audrey Hepburn in the movie Sabrina: “Paris is always a good idea.” I promise, now that I’ve pointed this out, you’ll see it everywhere. Just another proof that there aren’t any original thoughts left.
While working on the novel, I had a few principles in mind. I wanted it dark and twisty. I wanted to subvert the fantasy of the dream honeymoon, the perfect couple. And I liked the idea of juxtaposing that with beautiful, romantic Paris. In my novel, the city would act as a fresh kind of hell for my characters. Because Paris is always a good idea, except when it’s not.
Somewhere along draft 1,347, I wondered if it was such a great idea to use Paris as a backdrop for my mean murderous thriller. Would readers react badly to such a dark story set in Paris? Was I sullying one of my favorite cities for no reason?
About two pages into chapter one, I wrote the line, “Sometimes Paris is a terrible idea,” as a joke to myself. This was the essence of the novel I’d been trying so hard to write for years. It was as simple and as complicated as that.
And it was a cliché, too. I wasn’t sure twisting a cliché automatically made it less of one.
Look, I don’t believe that first lines always have to be bangers. I have loved many novels that start with unmemorable sentences. But in my bazillion attempts at rewriting this novel, I questioned everything. At some point, I moved that line to the top of the chapter, to see how it felt. I was sure I’d change it eventually, because it was just so on-the-nose. Someone would tell me that I could do better than this, surely.
The fact that it ended up on the cover, as the official tagline of the novel, and that it has come up in conversations dozens of times since then, probably tells you that I don’t know anything about anything.
And between you and me, I still believe that Paris is always a good idea, though I wouldn’t be caught dead using that line in public.
Since finishing that book, and working on new ones, I’ve realized what purpose first lines serve to me as a writer. They don’t have to be great but, as soon as I come up with one I’m excited about, I know I’m ready to start drafting. I don’t write it down. If it’s a good one, I know I won’t forget it.
And you, how do you come up with a first line?
The French Honeymoon is available as a hardcover, an ebook, and an audiobook.
Some news from the trenches:
I’m deep into revisions for my next novel, which is likely to be announced this summer. I’m very very excited about it. It’s lighter in tone, and I have felt that every minute of working on it.
While I waited for my edit letter, I put together a proposal for what would be my third thriller and got excellent feedback from my agent. It sounds workaholicky of me, but I’m eager to finish my revisions so I can jump right into drafting it.
I’ve just finished reading The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark. I’m impressed with her knack for creating stories that feel very human, but with a side of violent murder.
Now I’m diving into The Death of Us by Abigail Dean.
I had the pleasure of being invited to the launch of the new crime fiction imprint by Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Crime. It was such a fun evening and I will never tire of hanging out with bookish people. Pictures here if you’d like to see.
On a more personal note, my baby is turning two next month and has a newfound passion for hugs. Hugs! My quality of life has thus increased by 500%.
There is a very short prologue before then, but it’s generally accepted that the first line of a novel is the first line of chapter one.
Eagle eyes might notice that I put a comma after “Sometimes” in the tagline on the cover of the book. I think it works well with a comma there, but inside the novel, I liked the idea of reading it in one breath. We weren’t going to pause after the very first word, you know what I mean?