The Importance of Surprising the Reader From the First Chapter

In today's Books with Hooks , Carly and CeCe each critique two query letters, in the process discussing WWII fatigue in the industry; the importance of the butterfly effect in time travel stories; how to compress plot in your query; packing in as many compelling elements as possible; and reading a perfect query letter. After which, Bianca chats with Brad Smith , author of Copperhead Road , about how Bob Dylan, moonshine, and the origins of stock car racing inspired Copperhead Road ; his experiences publishing with a small Canadian indie press; surprising the reader in the opening chapter; the importance of causality; how writing a book is like building a house; and killing your darlings. Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing Facebook: @tsnotyaw Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting, www.biancamarais.com and www.carlywatters.com Brad can be found at www.bradsmithbooks.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands