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PODCAST

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good

Formerly Story Cuppings! Every month we visit the local library to randomly select a new release and read its first chapter. As writers, we are told that those opening pages are crucial to hooking readers. So, let"s see if the first chapter successfully hooks picky readers as well as teaches fellow hardworking writers. Cheers!

arts books

All Episodes

00:19:57

You've Got Five Pages, Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/09/26

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!It's not often I see fake-outs in a book, but be damned if McAuley doesn't pull it off MULTIPLE TIMES in just half a dozen pages.The first line packs a punch: "Dragging a body through six inches of snow is even harder than I

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00:19:18

You've Got Five Pages, Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/08/29

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!This series was originally published independently, and grew such a following it's now got a traditional publishing deal. Good for Dinniman, I say, because these first five pages are bang-on. Heck, I spent the first half of my podcast

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00:21:45

You've Got Five Pages, Our Last Resort by Clémence...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/07/26

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!I have a feeling I’m going against the flow with this one. Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon has an enticing premise: the protagonist Frida and her brother are visiting a secluded desert resort in Utah. According to the book’s blurb,

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00:18:14

You've Got Five Pages, Splinter Effect by Andrew...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/06/27

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!With my twins Biff and Bash up to their eyeballs in Dr. Who comics, books, and films, I couldn't help but pick a time-traveling story this month. After all, I grew up with the adventurers and time travelers; we even traveled through

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00:20:51

You've Got Five Pages, Road to Ruin by Hana Lee, to...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/05/30

Welcome back, my fellow creatives! Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!The cover art for Lee's book immediately got my attention with its Mad Max style, and I loved the blurb promising "monsters, motorbikes, and magic." Who wouldn't? While the first five pages do clunk a bit as far as pacing goes, the action is

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00:20:51

You've Got Five Pages, Whistle by Linwood Barclay, to...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/05/30

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! Yowza, have I got a spooky one for you today. I initiallygrabbed Linwood Barclay’s Whistle because of the train. Turns out this is no ordinary train—it’s a toy train. FROM HELL. Dunh dunh DUUUUNH!Goofy dramatics aside, Barclay does

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00:17:52

You’ve Got Five Pages, You Are Fatally Invited by...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/04/25

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!Clearly, Pliego was stoked to take the iconic And Then There Were None premise and ratchet it up with a gathering of mystery authors on a mysterious island estate. Throughout the introduction written by the gathering’s organizer and the

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00:20:37

You've Got Five Pages, Beast of the North Woods by...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/03/28

Thank goodness for Annelise Ryan. If you listen to the first few minutes of this episode, you'll catch a little rant about my almost-selection and the tired trend of titles with "Daughter" in them. Already in 2022, other folks were sharing just how rampant those titles are. (The blog Fictitiously Yours covers quite a few). You'd think we'd be done with them by now! But nope--of all the suspense-ish books on that New Release shelf, I almost picked Joseph Finder's The Oligarch's Daughter. And while

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00:18:23

You've Got Five Pages, The God of the Woods by Liz...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/02/21

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!One can say a lot with a little, especially when you know your readers. Moore's opening line "The bed is empty" hits a nerve with anyone who has checked on loved ones sleeping, especially children. In the case of The God of

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00:15:46

You've Got Five Pages, The Stolen Queen by Fiona...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2025/01/24

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! As an avid Agatha Christie fan, I was immediately drawn to Fiona Davis’ The Stolen Queen. A mystery tied to Egyptian antiquities? Sign me up! Yet by the end of five pages, I felt…eh. Not that there’s anything wrong with the writing

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00:19:57

You've Got Five Pages, The Blue Hour by Paula...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/12/27

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! There’s a lot to be said for a strong setup. At first glance, I wasn’t all that keen on multiple quotes, then a prologue, then an exhibition note, and then an email. It felt like a series of post-it notes one had to sift through before finally

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00:19:17

You've Got Five Pages, The Author's Guide to Murder...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/11/30

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! First, I have to apologize for goofing any Scottish language in this book, as it’s set in Scotland. I avoided attempting the accent, at least. 😊 That said, The Author’s Guide to Murder is the work of three authors: Beatriz Williams, Lauren

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00:19:40

You've Got Five Pages, Death at the Sign of the Rook...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/10/25

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! The opening pages of Kate Atkinson’s Death at the Sign of the Rook took me back to an Agatha Christie-style setup: the enigmatic invite to a lavish estate, Mother Nature’s elements cutting the cast off from civilization, and…well the

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00:21:25

You've Got Five Pages, The Village Library...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/09/27

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of variousstories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook anaudience!This was a treat to read. I grew up on shows like MURDER, SHE WROTE, so to see the back of this book mention a J.B. Fletcher-like protagonist tackling "a demonic murderer with an ironic sense of humor," what is not to like? :)

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00:19:42

You've Got Five Pages, A Sorceress Comes to Call by...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/08/24

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of variousstories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook anaudience! I’ve sampled two of T. Kingfisher’s past books on this podcast, and this third edition doesn’t disappoint, either. Huzzah! A Sorceress Comes to Call provides a slow burn for the magic balanced with a dark, relatable setting. Outsiders may

en

00:16:09

You've Got Five Pages, Road to Ruin by Hana Lee, to...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/07/20

Welcome back, my fellow creatives! Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience! The cover art for Lee's book immediately got my attention with its Mad Max style, and I loved the blurb promising "monsters, motorbikes, and magic." Who wouldn't? While the first five pages do clunk a bit as far as

en

00:18:42

You've Got Five Pages, The Olympian Affair by Jim...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/03/08

The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it!I find myself in a sequel with Jim Butcher's The Olympian Affair. Book 2 of The Cinder Series takes a smart approach: start with one character walking through a town with a destination in mind. When a writer takes this narrow focus, they not only give themselves a chance to

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00:18:13

You've Got Five Pages, Northwoods by Amy Pease, to...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/02/23

The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it!What a delightful find! Amy Pease’s debut Northwoods is yet another mystery set in Northern Wisconsin, but I promise you, this prose and establishing chapter promise some fun thrills in the future. Her first chapter is only two pages long, yet in those two little pages, we see our

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00:20:35

You've Got Five Pages, Her Last Breath by Dan...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/02/09

The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it! The first chapter of Her Last Breath is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the build-up of the prostitute Erika being propositioned and then murdered by an unknown man in an SUV is paced fairly well with strong sensory details. We can see and feel the tension of the moment between the man

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00:12:47

You've Got Five Pages, The Narrow Road Between...

You"ve Got Five Pages...To Tell Me It"s Good ·

2024/01/26

The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it! I have been recommended Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind quite often over the years, but here I am, diving into this shorter fantasy work of his instead. Even Rothfuss recommends NOT reading this short work before his other books, but I have done so...and am glad to have done

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