First Line of a Novel- Entry 8 of 11 "The Lottery"

Today's first line of a novel comes from "The Lottery," which is actually a very dark short story by Shirley Jackson. And, it is NOT about someone who wins a jackpot.

But, the opening line contradicts the startling events which gradually unfold.

This story, published in 1948, is one of my favorite pieces of fiction.

Here is the first line:

"The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green."

It's hard to believe, but my last entry in this series was on March 6th when we went with the first line of "Moby Dick."

And, our kudos go out to James Hendricks of Greenville, NC, and Michelle Henderson of Lumberton, NC.

They were among the $1,000 winners yesterday in the North Carolina Education Lottery.