Friday, March 18, 2011

Prologues: Love Them or Hate Them?

I have been steadily working on edits for Dark Corners this week. After the slight annoyance of losing all the work I did on Tuesday and having to redo it I am finally starting to make some headway. Yay! I intend to send it to the editor no later than Monday. It is scary, but exciting.

One question that has been bothering me is do I keep the prologue or get rid of the it? I know there is a lot of debate about the effectiveness of prologues. When I originally wrote the story there wasn’t a prologue, then I added it later because it was suggested it might be a better hook for the beginning of the story. Now I like it, but I am hesitant because it is a prologue. So I am interested in everyone’s opinion. Prologues: Love them or Hate them?

Photo by Kim


Dark Corners Prologue
 

A sticky, sweet smell veiled the house, making it hard to breathe. I should have known immediately. After all, how many times had I described it in my books? Yet it didn't even occur to me as possible. Never could I have imagined my fiction so brutally brought to life. And so close to home.
The odor stuck in my throat. I gagged. Fear caressed my skin with its clammy hands. In the pit of my stomach I knew something was wrong, dead wrong. The intense certainty propelled my feet forward despite my legs unwillingness to move. They felt sluggish and uncooperative as I entered the only place left to look, the kitchen. The odor grew stronger, burning the inside of my nose. Swallowing several times to force the lump in my throat down, my mouth went dry. I on not throwing up, instead of what I might find. My hand defensively reached out in front of me though it was shaking and fragile. Time slowed down. Every one of my senses assaulted by blood and death, I froze in place. The cold, blank, dead eyes of my husband met mine. Rocking back and forth, the room spinning, I couldn't process the whole of what I was seeing. All I could do was stare back into Danny eyes—eyes frozen open in horror and pain. The floor smacked against my body as my knees gave way. Everything went black.

5 comments:

Elizabeth Sharp said...

First off, hurry up and get it published I wann read it! lol

As far as Prologues, I think as long as they are meaningful to the story there's nothing wrong with them. I have them in one or two of my stories. As long as they fit and don't weigh it down, I like a good prologue.

V.K. Tremain said...

I'm having the same issue deciding to incorporate my Prologue as part of Ch. 1, or leave it as a Prologue. Leaning towards leaving it as a Prologue because it's a great hook, and gets you wondering what the heck is going on? Just like yours. I think it's great, I'm instantly wanting to read the rest Dark Corners. I actually like Prologues, they set up the mystery of the story for me right away.

D.M. Mitchell said...

I want to read the rest! You are such a tease! I'm personally a fan of the prologue as long as it puts you in the mindset of what to expect. If it can tie it all together - keep it. Just my opinion.

Nichole Chase said...

AS long as it makes a point, or serves a purpose, I think they are fine.

Also, this is great!

C.G. Powell said...

I have the same suggestion. I think some people like to undersand the entire book from the first chapter.

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